It’s a Christmas tradition that’s become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he and his reindeer swoop across the earth’s meridians, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to ask about the sleigh’s whereabouts. Millions more follow online in nine languages, from English to Japanese. On any other night, NORAD scans the heavens for potential threats, such as the Chinese spy balloon that floated over the continent last year. But on Christmas Eve, more than 1,000 volunteers field inquiries about Santa at NORAD's operations center in Colorado Springs, with U.S. presidents sometimes picking up the phone. It doesn’t matter if the government has been shut down or there’s a global pandemic. The tradition has endured since the depths of the Cold War, burning like a Yule log in the hearth for youngsters and parents alike.