Community Site Issues and What to Do About It

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Trackers, on Friday we experienced some technical issues with the website. A combination of events are responsible, namely:

  1.  The site has been under attack from hackers who are determined to interrupt Santa’s operations this year
  2.  Routine security updates, designed to thwart hackers, have interfered with certain site features.

Elf Max has been working with developers and programmers to address the issues and thanks to their good efforts the site has remained “up”.

However, there are still many problems to work through, especially with certain community functions such as loading posts on the Elf Wall. It’s a terrible time to have these kinds of issues, with Santa’s launch just a week away.

In order to keep our focus on the job at hand of tracking Santa for Santa, I have asked Elf Max to disable the community functions of the site. For now, access to the Elf Wall, Elf Groups, Elf profiles and Elf messaging has been suspended. 

This week is too important to implement changes that may take several days to work through and could interrupt with the business of tracking Santa for Santa. After all, this is by far our most critical week of the year.

We can still, without issue, do the following:

  1. The chat with Santa today is still scheduled and can be held in Elf Chat.
  2. Each Elf Supervisor, myself and Elf Max can still post news and updates.
  3. We can track Santa for Santa despite not having all community features on the site working.

Elf Max, Elf Moe, and all of the Elf Supervisors remain at their stations to answer your questions and deliver critical news.

PLEASE USE THE COMMENT BOXES BELOW THE POSTED NEWS TO COMMUNICATE FOR NOW. 

If you cannot read the news, send in reports, or otherwise follow along with what needs to be done, please use the site support page to communicate your needs to Elf Max and team.

Thanks!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Test Flights Cancelled in Sector 2

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Trackers of Sector 2, I was just notified by North Pole Flight Command that test flights will not be heading west from their present location in Sector 2. They will instead be headed in the opposite direction – EAST.

This is due in part to the lack of adverse weather conditions in our sector. That, as well as issues involving civil unrest and military priorities in some areas of our sector, Flight Command has determined a better and safer course of action will be to go in another direction.

I’ve also been told that the scope of the test flight plan has changed and this was also a factor in this decision. Please keep an eye on the North Pole Flight Command website for further information and announcements.

While we will not now have test flights over our sector any time soon we remain focused on Santa’s mission and gathering information for that flight some 20 days from now. Keep the reports coming, gang!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Stocking Mail is NOT for Tracking

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At some point in the upcoming weeks there will be a conversation over at SantaUpdate.com about Stocking Mail. It usually generates confusion.

Unfortunately that confusion starts here in the tracker elf community.

So we wanted to put something out about it now so that mistakes can be avoided in the weeks ahead.

The North Pole Post Office is charged with getting Santa his mail, no matter where he is and no matter what date, time or place it may be.

Most of the time that is best handled online. Yes, many still write hand-written letters. But as time and technology has advanced messaging for Santa comes in many forms: texts, emails, messages, faxes, etc.

Several years ago the North Pole Research and Development Department invented a ground-breaking new messaging system we call Stocking Mail. When implemented the system uses a Christmas stocking as kind of a portal. If a note is put in the stocking at the right time when the system is engaged that message gets transmitted to the North Pole Post Office and thus to Santa.

Pretty cool, right?

Well, here’s what you need to understand about it.

  1. It’s not perfect. It can only handle paper. If things are written on plastic or cloth or something else it doesn’t work. Some have tried to send Santa other things via stocking mail, like cookies or food for the reindeer. That stuff doesn’t work either. In fact it all gums up the system.
  2. It only works when the system is turned on. Turning it on is a complex process that requires special facilities, lots of technical equipment and thousands of elves. For the reason, it only gets turned on for a brief period of time each year. Usually, when Elf Hugo contacts Santa to say that time or other resources are running low to keep other messaging options flowing, that is when Stocking Mail is activated. It does not get activated until and unless Santa approves it.
  3. Stocking Mail is NOT for transmitting any kind of information except messages for Santa. It could be a wish list or some sort of note for Santa – but that’s it. It is NOT for sending tracking information for Flight Command. Don’t do it. They will never see it. You must communicate with North Pole Flight Command as directed at SantaTrackers.net.

We want all tracker elves to know and understand the proper use of Stocking Mail. You should be prepared to explain it to “normies” out there when it is activated come December 23rd and December 24th.

Of course, the News Department at the North Pole will do their part in trying to communicate how it all works. But you know that people don’t read everything we put out. Sometimes you just have to tell them.

Stocking Mail is most useful for the little ones. They will frequently change their minds about what they want for Christmas. Or, they will remember something at the last minute that they just want Santa to know. This is why Stocking Mail was invented.

If properly used and implemented, Stocking Mail will transmit information to Santa from any stocking anywhere in the world directly to him, even while he is on the sleigh. Frequently, Stocking Mail isn’t even utilized until Santa has taken off from the North Pole.

Have questions? As them here, in the comments below or on the Elf Wall. We want everyone to understand this.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Local Christmas Report Needed

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Good evening, Sector 1 Elves!

North Pole Flight Command has passed along the news that Santa would like a fresh Local Christmas Report from Sector 1, especially for areas of Australia and New Zealand.  There are concerns that maybe the Christmas spirit is weak in those countries.

I think this is the first time they have asked us for this information so far this year. I also hear there might be some concerns brewing in Japan, Guam and also Samoa. I’ll keep you posted on that.

In looking at our general reports overall, we’re up by about 3% – which isn’t bad for this time of the season. We are seeing an upsurge in new elf sign-ups in our sectors and it usually takes a few days for them to get reports flowing.

But so far, so good this year.

Also be aware that Flight Command has told us the test flights are coming to our sector in the next few days. I’m not sure where. But eyes up! If we can get in a few sleigh sighting reports, that would be AWESOME.

Thanks!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Air Traffic Report Requested

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Hi gang!

First of all, thank you for all the kind notes and well wishes. I’m feeling much better. Had just a touch of a weird flu, but doing okay now.

And Happy Operation Merry Christmas! We’re eating a fabulous red cake with white frosting, made by Elf Marky here in the RTC in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada. Marky loves Operation Merry Christmas and always decorates the office here for this day. It’s fun.

Anyway, I got in today to find a strange request from North Pole Flight Command for our sector. They want us to do an Air Traffic Report sometime this weekend.

Frankly, I thought this was a mistake. My thought was that someone up there was thinking it is December 24th, not November 24th. So I called them and sure enough they put this request in today, November 24th. They really DO want us to do an air traffic report.

I’ve never seen them ask for one of these so early. This report is normally to help warn Santa of weird stuff flying around when he’s out and about on Christmas Eve. But that’s not what this specific request is about.

North Pole Flight Command is testing some new experimental radar system that’s run off of cell towers. Weird stuff. It isn’t a system that is going to be ready soon – a couple of years away is what they told me. But they are testing it this weekend in several areas and they want these reports to see if they can trust the results they are getting in their test.

Basically, if you elves send in observation of what you are seeing in the air space where you are they can compare it to what this new system is reporting.

So, let’s help them out, shall we?

If you have never done an air traffic report before, this will be good practice for you. We usually send out a request for one of these on Christmas Eve when Santa is about ready to enter our sector. So doing it now will get you ready for the real deal next month.

I’m just getting back to the office after being out for a few days. But my plan is to review where we are at and to send out an update to you, likely on Monday. I think we’re in good shape but we have SO MANY new elves and I think we might need to re-organize some things come next week.

Thanks all for your help on this one. The air traffic report can be accessed at this link.

 

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

How to Get Verified

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As a follow-up to my post about Getting Your Elf Profile Right I wanted to share some information about WHY this is important. There are a few good reasons to get this done right away:

  1. This place is crawling with elves. — Elves from North Pole Flight Command come here all the time to match your reports to your profile. They want to “see” your avatar, maybe read your posts, and understand your personality. If your profile is not complete, that can’t happen.
  2. It keeps things tidy. — Santa runs a tight ship. He doesn’t require much, but a complete profile is one of those things.
  3. It gets you verified, which gets you points. — That little check mark next to your name is pretty cool.

Elf Profile

If you can get this done, everything’s cool. You’ll look good and you will move along in your elf career.

If you don’t get it done you risk having your account “retired”. We go quite a while before we take this step. But honestly, elves who cannot get this done after we’ve asked over and over, well, they really don’t seem to be too interested in being elves, right? So if you drag your feet and just plain don’t do it, we will assume you’re not interested in really being an elf and your account will be “retired”.

What does “retired” mean? It means your account goes into lockdown until your profile is right. After a fairly short amount of time on the retired list, your account gets deleted – never to return. Your elf career will be over. You’ll be done. Forever.

Don’t let your account get retired or deleted. That’s no fun for anyone.

To get verified, we look at your profile to see that all the small requirements above are met. If you miss any of them you don’t get verified. If you don’t get verified, you get retired. We try to verify accounts at least once a week. If you feel you meet the requirements and you’ve waited too long to be verified, just PM me or Max. We’ll jump on it as soon as we can.

Any questions? Please ask. We know that some elves are going to need help and we have plenty of other elves here to get you through it. Any elf trying to do this – and struggling – is not going to be retired. We’ll help you get there.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Holiday Weekend Chats

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The Thanksgiving Holiday weekend will feature many events both at the North Pole and online. Lined up are several North Pole elves to chat with tracker elves, believers and fans on North Pole Chat at SantaUpdate.com.

Here is the lineup:

Roger Star Chat

Hugo Chat

Frank and Crash chat

Elf victor Chat

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Need More Roof Reports

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Elves of Sector 4 – hola!

In comparing where we are this year to last year, I am happy to report that we have more reporting elves than we did a year ago. However, I also notice that we have fewer roof reports than last year at this time.

We need to fix that.

The roof report is one of the most important that we do for Santa. From your roof reports he learns what he need to know before he gets there.

For those elves in Greenland and South America – please do a roof report soon!

In other news, I’m still looking for a good elf to be our Sector Lead in Sector 4. Please apply!

Gracias!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Claim the City Captain Job

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Any elf can be City Captain for the city, town or village where they live. You just need to claim the job. You can do this at the City Captain Job page.

A City Captain Elf is responsible for representing the geographical operations of the North Pole in the city in which they live.

As such, they may be contacted by the North Pole to assist in leading Operation Merry Christmas for Santa Claus and the North Pole in the months, weeks and days leading up to Christmas.

The City Captain assumes responsibility for local recruiting efforts of new elves and in communicating, training and executing elf operations locally.

Santa would like as many city captains as possible.

As City Captains claim the jobs I will post announcements about once a week between now and Christmas. We will also work with Elf Max to see that points and badges are set up in your profile.

If you have questions please post in the comments below or on the Elf Wall.

Thanks!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Personal Tracker Reports

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Personal Tracker Reports are reports about you. The Elf Supervisors use your submitted information.

As I was in Norway this week dealing a little bit with the situation with Sector 3 Elf Rolf showed me a big wall of pictures of tracker elves. That’s what he does with the Elfie Selfies you send him. He puts it up on his wall and labels each picture with your elf name.

In talking with all the Elf Supervisors this week I learned they all use the information you submit differently. But they all use it.

They also all said we don’t ask often enough to have that information update. So that’s what I’m asking for today.

When you get an opportunity, please send in all three of these reports (they are linked below):

1. Elf Status Report – this tells us your availability. You should update this as your situation changes between now and Christmas.

2. Elfie Selfie – this is a picture of you, hopefully in front of your Christmas tree, your Santa tracking map or at your home tracking center. The Elf Supervisors LOVE these pictures. Make sure your parents/guardians/wife/mother/significant other are okay with this.

3. Home and Family Report – this is a report shared with Santa, out of concern for all you live with.

None of these are **required**. But it sure is nice to have them.

Ask any questions you have in the comments below.

Thanks!

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Sector 3 HQ in Iceland Suspends Operations

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After consultation with Icelandic authorities and after meeting with a senior team of elves in North Pole Flight Command, Santa Claus today authorized the suspension of operations at the Regional Tracking Center located in Vik, Iceland.

The move comes out of “an abundance of caution” due to recent volcanic and earthquake activity in Iceland.

For more information of the changing situation in Iceland surround this natural event, please see this link: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/iceland-evacuees-brace-volcanic-eruption-2023-11-13/

“We are not and have not been in any danger,” said Operations Director for the Vik facility, Elf Gretchen Green. “The government of Iceland still wants us here and hopefully the situation will stabilize before Christmas so that operations can return to Vik.”

The Regional Tracking Center in Vik, Iceland coordinates flight operations for Santa, collects tracker reports, weather information and other vital data used in Santa’s flights for all of Sector, which covers all of Europe and Africa.

Elf Roger Star, Director of North Pole Flight Command, outlined the plan that will take place over the next five days:

1. Elf Supervisor Rolf Jannsen and his senior operations team will move to a temporary location set up in Renn, Norway. Support teams from Flight Command are assisting Rolf to be operational by Saturday, November 19th.

2. Some elf specialists from the Vik team have been temporarily re-assigned to the Regional Tracking Centers for Sector 4, in San Nicolas, Aruba and for Sector 5, in Cold Lake Canada. They will continue their work, mostly related to multi-lingual operations, reporting and data analysis, until the Norway facility is fully open for business.

3. Elf Supervisors in Sector 4 and Sector 5 – namely, Elf Tubby Ryder and Elf Pinky Yates – will assume communication and operations authority while Elf Rolf gets the Norway Facility open.

4. The SS Donner, a support vessel of the North Pole Navy, will stay anchored between Iceland and Norway to assist with communications and logistics.

5. A small dedicated team will remain in Vik to secure the facility and to run minimal operations. If ordered to evacuate by local authorities they are equipped to do so quickly and safely.

All of these operations are being coordinated to keep Tracker Elves in Sector 3 working.

“We believe Tracker Elves can continue reporting, whether they are freelance or remote North Pole elves, without interruption,” said International Director of Santa Trackers, Elf Crash Murphy. “In fact, it is critical that they do not stop reporting. We need weather reports ongoing. With winter quickly settling in up North, chimney inspections are crucial. Test flights for Santa’s sleigh are headed for Europe soon and we need eyes on the skies. We appreciate all Santa, Elf Roger Star, North Pole Flight Command and the North Pole Navy are doing to keep us rolling.”

Tracker Elves, especially in Sector 3, are encouraged to keep a very close eye on Sector news pages and Elf Wall announcements from any of the Elf Supervisors for at the least the next five days.

This is a developing story, with updates soon coming to NorthPoleFlightCommand.com, SantaUpdate.com and SantaTrackers.net

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

If I Were a Brand New Elf

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Howdy to all our new tracker elves.

My name is Elf Crash Murphy, just in case you didn’t know. I have two main jobs as an elf. First, I’m a North Pole Radio News elf and my assignment every year is to follow behind Santa in a sleigh and report on the radio whatever I see happening as Santa flies and delivers. I’ve done this for many, many years.

Second, I’m the International Director of Santa Trackers and I’m new in the job. So I understand what it feels like to be the new elf.

I recently had a conversation with a brand new elf who was confused and had a lot of questions. It made me think back to when I was a brand new elf working for Santa.

So, I thought it would be best today to share with you my thoughts about what you need to do as a brand new elf. In fact, I may just make a podcast with my radio partner, Elf Frank Myrrh, to talk about this some more.

Anyway, here’s what you should do step-by-step if you are a brand new elf:

1. Relax. Elf life is fun and if you can’t have fun, you can’t be an elf. You’re not going to learn how to do this in one day or even one Christmas. So chill.

2. Forget about going to the North Pole and riding in Santa’s sleigh. Yes, it could maybe possibly in a billion years could sorta might happen perhaps. But you shouldn’t make that what you think about all the time. There is a lot to learn before you get to that level.

3. You only need to know 50 billion things, even as a tracker elf. So get used to the idea of coming to the website, reading like a mad scientist, talking to other elves, and figuring out how to be an elf in you real life. It all takes time.

4. Go to Elf University and study.

5. If you have questions, go to the Elf Wall and ask them. As elves we all help each other.

6. Listen to every podcast ever made both here at SantaTrackers.net and at SantaUpdate.com

7. Listen to Kringle Radio. Everyday.

8. Drink eggnog. Everyday.

9. Come to the websites: SantaTrackers.net, SantaUpdate.com and NorthPoleFlightCommand.com as often as you can. Especially when it is not Christmas. We are here year round and stuff happens year round that affect us when we track Santa.

10. Know your sector. Knowing where you are on the map is important because you have an Elf Supervisor in your sector who tells you what North Pole Flight Command needs from us. If you don’t know all this you can’t help Santa.

Does this help?

I dunno. I know many elves get here and they see how much it takes to learn and they give up.

Just don’t give up. It’s those elves who don’t give up that actually make it to the North Pole and get to ride in a sleigh (like me).

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online