The tradition of tracking Santa Claus began in 1955 when a child mistakenly called the Continental Air Defense Command, thinking it was Santa’s phone number. Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup assured the child he was Santa, leading to an annual…

In 1955, a child mistakenly called the unlisted number of the Continental Air Defense Command instead of Santa Claus, leading to a heartwarming interaction with Colonel Harry Shoup. Recognizing the mix-up, Shoup assured the child he was Santa, which inspired…