While Google's Santa Tracker is live well before Christmas Eve, Norad only begins on 24 December each year – with many millions of people waiting in great anticipation.

When does NORAD's Santa tracker map begin? The map tracking Santa's trip around the world will begin Christmas Eve. Visitors can track Santa's flight from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. ET.

They are even counting St. Nick’s calories, hoping his suit has extra strong elastic. “When Santa leaves the North Pole on Christmas Eve, he only weighs about 260 lbs.

On Tuesday, they have an extra mission tracking the big man in red. With years of serving on the NORAD Tracks Santa program, the control center has some of the world’s leading experts on Santa. “Santa ...