First lady helps NORAD track Santa

First lady Michelle Obama helped the military track Santa Claus’s deliveries on Christmas Eve.

The first lady, who is continuing a 60-year tradition for the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), told children to make sure they went to bed so that Santa could deliver billions of packages while traveling at the speed of light.

{mosads}While talking to a caller named Anthony, Obama explained that NORAD was tracking Claus and his reindeer somewhere over the country of Libya.

“Libya is all the way on the other side of the world in a continent called Africa.  So he’s flying in Africa right now, and he’s already delivered over 3 billion gifts.  Can you imagine that?” the first lady said.

“A lot,” replied Anthony.

“Yeah, he’s working really hard.  And he’s going to be headed to your house soon, Anthony,” the first lady replied.  “He’s coming to your house. But you know what?  You have to be in bed before Santa comes to deliver your gifts, okay? 

According to the Associated Press, NORAD’s “tracker’s hub” is at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. Hundreds of volunteers, including the first lady, answered calls from thousands of children wondering about Santa’s traveling schedule.

The AP reported that the tradition started with an advertisement from Sears Roebuck and Co. in 1945 asking kids to call in for Santa’s whereabouts.

But the number Sears used was incorrect and connected to a defense command in Colorado Springs. When Air Force Col. Harry Shoup received a call from a child looking for Mr. Claus, he played along and pretended to be St. Nick.