(MENAFN- Live Mint) Christmas 2024 : It's officially Christmas Eve, and Santa Claus is already on his way to deliver gifts across the world. As of December 24, 7:33pm, Santa is now headed for Iwo Jima island in Japan.

NORAD, the agency responsible for monitoring and defending airspace over the United States and Canada, has been tracking Santa's whereabouts every year since 1958. Before NORAD, its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command, managed the project for three years.

Also Read | Christmas 2024: 5 ways to celebrate the festival with friends, family at home How to track Santa

Besides tracking Santa's whereabouts through the official website, NORAD now also offers an online tracker that allows people to watch Santa travel across the world in real-time. It was launched on December 1 and currently features a village in the North Pole along with a countdown to Christmas Eve.

Also Read | Kate Middleton's inspiring Christmas message: 'It's love that brings joy, hope'

Santa's progress can also be monitored on the live map on NORAD 's website, or follow updates on the agency's Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube pages.

'Only Santa know his route'

While the NORAD tracker shows Santa's location at various points on his journey around the world, allowing you to see how far he is from your location, it cannot predict his arrival time at any given household. NORAD explains that while its tracking system follows Santa's progress, it cannot anticipate his next destination or when he'll move on after stopping at a location.

"Only Santa know his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house," NORAD mentions on its website. "We do, however, know from history that it appears he arrives only when children are asleep!"

MENAFN24122024007365015876ID1109027673