Air Force General Glen VanHerck, NORAD's commander: "24 hours a day, 365 days a year, NORAD defends North America by tracking airplanes, missiles, space launches and anything else that flies in or around the North American continent. As we have since 1955, this Dec. 24th we are once again ready for our no-fail mission of tracking Santa."

It's Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is suiting up for his annual voyage from the North Pole to households around the world. In keeping with decades of tradition, the North American Aerospace Command,