Santa Claus Departs for World Tour to Give Presents to Children - NORAD

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Santa Claus began a world tour on Friday to congratulate everybody on the Christmas holiday and has already made his first stop in Provideniya, Russia, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said, continuing the 66-year tradition of tracking Santa on Christmas.

"The reindeer finished their preflight check and are ready for takeoff! Santa's journey is about to begin!" NORAD said on Twitter.

The command also said that Santa had made one of his first stops of the night in Provideniya, Russia. After stopping over Provideniya, Santa flew into the Chukchi village of Lorino and continued his journey over Russian territory.

The length of the Santa's sleigh is 75 sugar sticks or 150 candies, the width is 40 sticks or 80 candies. The height of the sleigh is also measured in candies, it is equivalent to 55 sugar sticks or 110 candies, the weight of the sleigh at the moment of the takeoff is 75,000 jelly candies. The maximum speed of the sleigh exceeds the speed of starlight.

The NORAD tracks Santa project was launched in 1955, when one of the major department stores in Colorado placed an advertisement asking children to call Santa Claus. However, the phone number was written wrong in the ad, and instead of Santa, the hotline operator of the Continental Air Defense Command (CORAD) had to answer the calls. Since then, the Air Force Base in Colorado annually tracks Santa Claus' Christmas journey.