Ok, guys – a little departure from the norm here but I think we can have some fun with this. Let’s have a sleigh sighting contest!

I have it on good authority that the test flights of Santa’s sleigh are headed back to Sector 5 maybe as soon as this up coming weekend. They will evidently be over Mexico, the USA and Canada for a week to ten days.

Also – and this is likely getting a little ahead of the news yet to be published at SantaUpdate.com – it appears that Santa is also in Sector 5 somewhere and HE’S IN A SLEIGH. You’ll be hearing more about that soon, I’m sure. I can’t say any more right now.

Anyway – here’s what I propose:

If you’re lucky enough to have clear skies – and even remotely see what you think is a flying sleigh, by all means, grab your phone and snap a photo or video of it. Upload it via a Sleigh Sighting Report.

I will collect these reports between right now and, say, September 7th. For each report you send in your name gets tossed into a hat. On September 8th, I will pull three names out. Those three names will win our first-ever prizes: a nifty SantaTrackers.net magnet.

You see, I’ve got a connection over in the properties department at Public Relations at the North Pole. They’ve been experimenting with some product development ideas and this is one product they have put together. I’ve got a small collection of these things – magnets, coasters, mugs, keychains, stickers – small stuff. None of it is available yet online but I’ve got samples that they are letting me use for prizes. You game?

I am! Let’s have some fun with this!

Disclaimer: this is for elves in Sector 5. And no, I don’t think any of the other Elf Supervisors are doing this (yet). That’s why you should move to Sector 5, because I’m the best.

We have reason to believe Santa may be in Sector 5 at this time. Tracker elves are hereby placed on alert status.

North Pole Security has asked that all Sector 5 elves – and that includes us – be shared this information:

Santa’s exact whereabouts are unknown. Recent reports, coming from several sources, indicate that eastern Canada may be hosting Santa at this time. He is traveling alone, without sleigh or reindeer, and incognito. He is on foot much of the time and using public transportation frequently.

We also have information relative to a possible destination for Santa in the coming days. Communications have been intercepted sharing that he may be headed towards northern Mexico.

Please be aware that Santa could be spotted anywhere within Sector 5 within the next 10 days.

If you believe you have seen Santa or have further information that can aid in the search for him you are encouraged to use the reporting mechanism set up for this purpose.

Please share this information with other elves who may not be online at this time.

Thanks!

Hello from our base in Fiji! Our tracking center here in Nadi is now fully operational and we’re tracking both the test flights of Santa’s sleigh as well as movements of the North Pole Navy.

We get a lot of questions about the North Pole Navy. Considering our sector is the one with the most beaches and the most shorelines against oceans it is natural the North Pole Navy is most active in our areas.

We are noting a lot of changes this year in many areas of the sector.

So we will want a lot of fresh reports this year in advance of Santa’s flight.

For those trackers out there who want to get started sending in reports, we’re going to start with weather reports and general property updates. The report calls will grow over time.

So, to begin, plan on doing the following:

1. Weather reports on Tuesdays. Try to include a five-day forecast for your area. This will change come December, but for now this will be the most helpful.

2. Local Christmas Reports will be pretty important each year. Please try to send in one of the these reports every Sunday if you can. They will seem kind of silly early on but these reports give us good information as the season goes on. There is value in doing this one every week.

That’s it for now, guys!

Fellow elves of Sector 5, awaken and arise! I send you greetings from our brand new Regional Tracking Center here in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada.

Cold Lake is indeed a cold lake. We’re kind of far north for the first time in many years. But I’m enjoy the mild summer they have here and, in contrast to other parts of Canada, I’m pleased to report there are no large forest fires in this area. It is pretty and fresh here right now.

Our center is fully staffed, more than 200 elves are here with me getting ready for the season ahead.

Yes, it is still very early in the tracking of Santa 2023 but we’ve got work to do. Santa takes off in a little more than 130 days. Between now and the end of October, there is much we can do to get ready for that big day.

Let’s take it step by step. Over the course of the next few weeks I will be outlining for you the things you need to be doing from your location.

Our steps will begin with very “big picture” type steps. You will be sending in weather, geographical and structural information of a general sort. If you did these reports with us last year then you’ll be just updating information that you sent in before. This means the work will be fairly easy and fast for you to do.

We will also be focusing on two personal elements of Santa’s flight over the next several weeks: your personal home tracking center and, if you choose to do it, a landing zone at your home for Santa and his sleigh.

I’m also contemplating sending out a few prizes in the early going this year. No, I don’t have details of that yet but I wanted to throw it out there that I’m thinking about it. I think it would be fun to have a little contest or two and send out small treasures from the North Pole as souvenirs and thank-you’s for elves who work so hard all year.

What do you think of that idea?