Yes, there is a Santa Claus. And no, COVID-19 won't stop him

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 NORAD, which has for 66 years been tracking Jolly Old St. Nicholas on his global mission.

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 and has assured us all -- first by land line and more recently by iPhone, Android, OnStar, Facebook, YouTube and more -- that he's on his way with a sleigh stuffed with toys and a welcome dose of joy.

In what's become its own wildly popular tradition, the Colorado-based North American Aerospace Defense Command provides real-time updates on Santa's progress Dec. 24, from 4 a.m. to midnight MST. NORAD's Santa Tracker lets families watch Father Christmas in 3D as he transits the South Pacific, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

From deep inside NORAD headquarters, dozens of volunteers field an unrelenting wave of phone calls to 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723). They and other volunteers working off-site because of coronavirus distancing protocols will answer such questions as "When will he come to my house? What kind of cookies does he like?" said program manager and NORAD spokesman Preston Schlachter.

Want to watch? Visit NORAD's website, check out #NORADTracksSanta and @NoradSanta on Twitter, or use the associated apps. You can also email noradtrackssanta@outlook.com for the latest.