Santa For Hire, Devon

The real organisation that tracks Santa every Christmas Eve
Here’s one of the most unexpected modern Santa stories.
Every Christmas Eve, a real military organisation tracks Santa’s journey around the world. It’s called NORAD – the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
They normally monitor airspace for safety across North America. But once a year… they track Santa.
And the reason it began is wonderfully human.
Back in the 1950s, a newspaper printed a telephone number that children were supposed to call to speak to Santa. But the number was printed incorrectly.
The phone rang instead in a military command centre.

A child asked the officer who answered, “Is Santa there?”
Instead of hanging up, the officer checked a radar screen and replied that Santa had just left the North Pole and was on his way.
And just like that, a tradition was born.

Since then, NORAD has continued the idea every year. Families can follow Santa’s journey online and watch him travel from country to country as Christmas Eve unfolds around the world.

It’s not about pretending Santa is real.

It’s about protecting something much more important – imagination, shared excitement, and that feeling of believing… just for one night.
Even in the most technical, serious places, Christmas still finds a way in

Have you ever followed Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve?

The artist who shaped the Santa we recognise today
🎨 The Santa you picture in your head… was shaped by an artist
If I asked you to describe Santa right now, you’d probably picture:
✔️ a round, friendly face
✔️ rosy cheeks
✔️ a soft red suit
✔️ a big, warm smile
That version of Santa didn’t just appear by accident.
In 1931, an illustrator called Haddon Sundblom was commissioned to paint Santa for Christmas advertising for The Coca-Cola Company.
Instead of a distant or serious figure, Sundblom created something very different for the time…
A Santa who felt:
✨ human
✨ gentle
✨ approachable
✨ full of warmth
A Santa children could believe in.
And parents could trust.
Those paintings were shared again and again, year after year, and slowly helped fix a very clear image of Santa in people’s minds.
It’s important to say this properly though…
Coca-Cola did not invent Santa.
But those illustrations helped cement the modern look that most of the world now recognises.
So next time you see a smiling, rosy-cheeked Santa waving at children…
You’re also seeing the quiet influence of one illustrator, nearly 100 years ago.
Pretty amazing, really.

🎅 The true story of Santa… starts with a real person
Most people think Santa Claus is purely a magical Christmas character.
But the very first “Santa” was inspired by a real man.
His name was Saint Nicholas.
He lived over 1,700 years ago in what is now modern-day Turkey and was a Christian bishop known for one thing above all else…
Kindness.
Not loud, public kindness.
Quiet kindness.
One of the most famous stories and legends tells how Nicholas secretly helped struggling families by leaving money behind at night — so no one would know who had helped them.
That idea…
✨ giving without being seen
✨ helping without expecting praise
✨ creating magic quietly in the background
…is where the heart of Santa really comes from.
Long before sleighs, reindeer and red coats.
Long before shopping lists and wish lists.
At its core, the Santa story is about choosing to make someone else’s life better — when no one is watching.
And honestly…
That might be the most magical part of Christmas of all. 🎄
💬 Did you already know Santa was inspired by a real person?

Exciting new ! We have been working on our Santa for hire UK Linkedin over the last few days :) We will be adding up dates there over the next few months ❤🎅. Check it out following the link below :)

Santa For Hire UK | LinkedIn Santa For Hire UK | 2 followers on LinkedIn. Bespoke Santa & festive event entertainment for professional venues across the South West | Santa For Hire UK provides bespoke Santa and festive event entertainment for public and commercial venues across the South West.