PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) - Rest assured, kids of all ages: Santa’s coming this Christmas Eve, and a second holiday with COVID-19 won’t stop him. That’s the word from the joint U.S.-Canadian military operation that for 66 years has been tracking Jolly Old St. Nicholas on his global mission.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command allows families to track Santa's progress in real time using apps, social media, OnStar and other methods. Its Santa Tracker web page was visited millions of times even before Friday's takeoff. NORAD spokesman Preston Schlachter says Santa Claus is a source of joy for many people, and the mission is even more important for a world suffering a pandemic.  Click here to learn more about the history behind NORAD's Santa Tracker.

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