Seeking Recommendations for Regional Tracking Centers

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The Regional Tracking Center Committee has convened to begin the process of determining locations for this year’s regional tracking centers.

Each of the world’s five sectors needs a location for a regional tracking center. Months in advance of Christmas an Elf Supervisor and his or her team are dispatched to the regional locations to begin the work of scouting for Santa.

In this capacity they gather information to aid Santa and North Pole Flight Command in coming up with a good flight plan for Christmas.

Everything is taken into consideration for the particulars of every sector: the weather, the countries, the centers of population and the number of believers in each area. Months of information gathering and flight planning go into preparing for Santa’s Christmas Eve ride through each area of the world.

We are asking for suggestions, via the form below, from trackers who live in each sector. Here is the criteria we are using as a wish list for a good candidate of a regional tracking center:

1. We need a safe building large enough to house up to 500 elves who will work in the regional center.
2. Security is important. The building needs to be in a safe area. It needs not only to be large enough but able to be secured from the inside and the outside. All utilities used for the building (power, water, etc) but also be secured.
3. High speed internet access, preferably via ground cable, needs to be available. Satellite and/or Starlink, of course, is an option and will likely be installed as a backup if not already available.
4. Good 5g local cell service needs to be available.
5. A local good supply of fresh vegetables and fruits needs to be available.
6. Available land surrounding the center for the purposes of setting up sleigh landing zones is preferrable. While a good local airport is always an alternative for frequently arriving and departing sleigh flights is an option we do prefer to have enough real estate right next to the regional center for convenience in operations.
7. Access to local universities, museums, and historical repositories is preferrable for research purposes.
8. Nearby recreational facilities, national parks, nature preserves and other locations for elf off-time recreational purposes are a nice feature to have.
9. A good variety of restaurants where local cuisine is offered is preferrable.
10. A warehouse for receiving shipments, personnel transports, and supplies of water, provisions and equipment as part of the overall property is required.

While North Pole Flight Command is open to the idea of using locations that have previous served this purpose the goal in every sector is to find a new location each year. With so much time spent in these areas it helps the collection of knowledge and data about each sector expand by using new locations each year.

While it is nice to have a regional location with a Christmas-related name it is NOT required.

We will accept your nominations for the regional locations until May 31st, 2025. Regional tracking center location nominations will be researched, scouted and reported on by the Regional Tracking Center Committee through the end of June 2025.

Announcements of this year’s locations will happen during Christmas-in-July.

Thanks.

Sector You Are Making This Recommendation For:

Elf of the Year Announcement

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In a final wrap to the 2024 Christmas season I am pleased to announce the Elf of the Year.

Elf of the Year

This year’s honoree is known to just about everyone. In fact, when I asked for recommendations from the Elf Community I was overwhelmed with the number of people suggesting this one particular elf.

This elf is likewise highly recommended by other key elves you know. He was recommended by Elf Ed Zachary, Elf Moe, Elf Max, Elf Frank Myrrh. And he carries my hearty endorsement as well.

This is not a popularity contest. This is recognition of elves who go above and beyond to serve the elf community with their talents and their Christmas Spirit. This is a serious award, one that is duplicated in departments all over the North Pole.

For example, just this week, Elf Bernard at Santa’s Workshop named the Elf of the Year in the Workshop an elf who goes by the name of Elf Dave “The Whistler” Jepsen. He’s called the Whistler because that’s what he does while he works. He’s always bright, positive and filled with Christmas Spirit. He lifts the elves around him.

That’s what the Elf of the Year here does for us too as part of the tracker elf community. He constantly looks at the bright side of things and he works hard to keep spirits up.

He is anxious to serve. He wants everyone to have a good time with their Christmas celebration, no matter how they celebrate it. He jumps to aid new elves and works hard to acknowledge elves with experience. Year round he is here, spreading a vital influence and doing all he can to help people understand Santa and how tracking Santa for Santa works.

Speaking of Santa, when I presented him with the list of candidates after weeks of talking to people, he very anxiously said: I hope Elf Westover is at the top of the list.

Elf Westover is our Elf of the Year. He is a tracker elf in Sector 5, a member of the Senior Elf Board here at SantaTrackers.net, and a news caster and podcaster for the North Pole News Department.

We thank him for his many efforts and for all the time he puts in for Operation Merry Christmas. He works on it year round, despite keeping a busy schedule.

He’s a young man, but our newest Senior Elf. He has a very mature sense of giving. He asks regular and good questions. He is eager to help in any way we ask.

He is also so very patient with the North Pole Elves he works with. He is part of the North Pole News Department, which is no easy thing considering he’s NOT at the North Pole. He has to wait on us for answers.

But nothing phases him. He’s patient, kind and helpful.

I personally believe he’s got a bright elf future. When I tell people of a great example of an elf who follows the Elf Code I always point them to Elf Westover here at SantaTrackers.net.

Elf Westover, thank you for your service. We enjoy your enthusiasm, your ideas and your constant desire to do good things. Your talents in writing news, presenting videos and group leadership will be valued a great deal in the years ahead.

Please join me in congratulating Elf Westover as our Elf of the Year.

Sector 4 is in the Red Zone

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Hola, Tracker Elves. Flight Command just made the call – we’re in the Red Zone.

Santa will be launching before too long. I’m told though that we have other sleighs in the skies of our Sector.

Other than what Elf Roger said earlier, I have no new direction for you. That can change quickly, so please pay attention.

Thanks!

Instructions from Flight Command

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Elves, Trackers and Believers Worldwide:

No doubt you have heard the news of challenges we have had this past week with Operation Airlift. The news coming out of Flight Command in recent hours has not been any better.

While I am unable to give you an estimate of exactly how far behind we are I can provide you with information of how we are going to deal with this problem. As elves, working together around the world, we are confident we can help Santa deliver on time and safely, regardless of the weather.

Here is the challenge: Operation Airlift is 100% to Sectors 1, 2 and 3. We have deliberately distributed what Santa needs to those sectors first.

That does not mean we can have trackers and support personnel in Sectors 1,2 and 3 rest easy, however. We need you more than ever.

Why?

Because Elf Buck Sanchez and his team in flight operations at the North Pole are changing tactics in their struggle to get sleighs out. We have expanded sleigh launches from the Sleigh Barn and the Reindeer Barn, in addition to what you have heard about the Field House at North Pole High School. We are also working still to free a runway at the Sleigh Port to launch sleighs as well.

That multi-front operation means sleighs are leaving the North Pole under challenging storm conditions in every direction. That means those sleighs, as the surface above the storm, are headed into every sector. This will be true for the next 18 hours at least.

This is not our preferred method of doing this. We are working the sleigh traffic controllers at Flight Command, in every Regional Tracking Center, and on every ship of the North Pole Navy, at a highly complex level.

There are, as of right now, more sleighs in the skies than there ever have been in history. That number will increase and peak in the hours ahead.

Bearing all that in mind, please make it a REGULAR habit today to watch the skies where you are, day and night. If you see what you think is a sleigh, take photos or videos and submit it.

But more important than sleighs, and this is very unusual, is your observance of  ALL AIR TRAFFIC.

I want all elves in each sector, where possible, to submit an AIR TRAFFIC report every six hours. I know this is asking a lot.

In addition, please keep weather reports coming every six hours as well. In fact, do both reports and submit them at the same time.

We’re not just trying to help Santa here: we’re trying to help every sleigh pilot up there in every area as well as every sleigh traffic controller.

I hope this instruction is clear.

If you have questions, please use the comment area below.

Thanks!

Trackers in Greenland and South America Check In

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North Pole Flight Command just issued the request for trackers in Sector 4 to check in. Let’s show them we’re ready to go to work!

Your Sector
Please tell us which days you are available (local time)
Can North Pole Flight Command contact you if needed via SantaTrackers.net?

Submit Questions for Elf Crash

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Elf Crash Murphy, International Director of Santa Trackers, has informed me that a lot of effort will be made before Santa launches to answer your questions.

There will be the North Pole Chat on Sunday at 10AM EST as well as late news being posted on all official North Pole websites all weekend. Crash also says he and Frank will do a podcast that focuses on the current needs Santa has as well as the questions you might have.

Please respond to this post below with questions you want to submit. You can alternatively send them to me via Private Message (for North Pole Elves part of the Elf Community).

We want to take questions from ALL tracker elves tracking Santa for Santa, so please use the comment area below to ask.

I think Elf Frank and Elf Crash plan to release that podcast sometime on Saturday, so you’ve got plenty of time to ask your questions.

Thanks!

Schedule Change Announcement

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Due to circumstances related to Operation Airlift we have decided to move up the check-in process worldwide.

Check-ins will be announced via your Elf Supervisor beginning on Saturday, December 21st instead of our original plan of the 22nd.

Tracker Check-in is a process that tells your Elf Supervisor that you are or are not available to work tracking Santa for Santa.

We remind you that Santa is very concerned for your time with your family during this important season. As such, do not feel bad if you cannot be available all the time between the 21st and when Santa arrives at your home.

We appreciate what time you can dedicate to the cause of tracking Santa for Santa.

It is anticipated that this weekend will be filled with news and direction from the Elf Supervisors.

We invite you to participate, if your schedule allows, in the scheduled North Pole chat set for Sunday, December 22nd. I will be hosting that chat and will be able to share and answer questions about the latest in the status of Operation Merry Christmas.

Operation Airlift is off schedule. North Pole Flight Command has had to modify their original plans due to difficulties in getting sleighs launched from the North Pole.

As such, we anticipate this weekend will be filled with a lot of breaking news. We may be asking for reports or observations from local areas that go beyond the norm.

If time allows, Elf Frank and I will likely release a new SantaTrackers.net Podcast to discuss issues this weekend as well.

I encourage you all to read what Elf Ed Zachary posted earlier today. It may help you understand the challenges we are facing as a team in helping Santa get around the world.

As for Santa, he is well aware of the situation and is monitoring things. He plans to continue his visits with believers. At this time, he does not plan a return to the North Pole at a different time than scheduled. He continues to check in with Elf Roger Star on the status of Operation Airlift.

Santa has instructed me to check in with him every 12 hours. Those quick check-ins are by phone and I remain ready to not only forward our questions and concerns to Santa but also to receive his direction.

I will be posting as needed over the next several days so that you know what is going on and how you can help during this time.

Thank you.

A Christmas Report from All Elves

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Hola, Elves of Sector 4 – we have an urgent message from Santa via North Pole Flight Command.

Santa is wanting to know about the Christmas Spirit in all areas. We need to fill out this report – in any language – as soon as possible.

The Local Christmas Report is one you might get asked a couple of times to fill out. This one, for reasons that have not yet been explained to us, appears to be really, really important. So let’s help Santa out by sharing what we know about Christmas where we are.

Thanks, Elves!

**THIS IS NOT A DRILL**

 

What All Elves Should Be Doing Right Now

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Hi Elves!

Crash here – if you are new and you don’t know me, my name is Elf Crash Murphy and I’m the International Director of Santa Trackers. We makes me, more or less, the Head Elf, YOUR Head Elf, your boss’ boss. In my humble way, I’m here to tell ya what to do.

Now, if you follow along at SantaUpdate.com – and you should – then you likely know me from my North Pole Radio News reports as that guy who follows Santa every Christmas Eve and gives out news reports. That’s my Christmas Eve job, and it makes me, well, some people like to call me, the Ultimate Santa Tracker.

Anyway, if you’re new and don’t know what to do, relax. We’ll get you trained. There are lots of elves here to help you.

Right now and for the next five weeks or so we will be getting lots of new elves. There’s always mass confusion because a new elf wants to do everything. They want to tell other elves what to do, they want every elf job out there and they want to ride with Santa on his sleigh.

Well, again, relax. Ain’t none of that is going to happen because you are a new elf. And you have to learn to be the tracker elf you are before you get to do any of that stuff.

So, relax! We’ve all been there. Once upon a time we were all new elves.

So what should you be doing? Glad you asked!

I got together with all the Elf Supervisors and made this list. I’m banning the posting of news until at least the first part of next week (Monday, November 25th), so that you can catch up with the following things:

  1. If you are a freelance elf, READ EVERYTHING. Then send in your first freelance elf report. In that first report I want you to just give us a status on yourself and your availability to track Santa for Santa up until Christmas Eve.
  2. If you are a North Pole elf and a member here of the Elf Community here at SantaTrackers.net, I want you to first get your profile set. You should put the word “Elf” in front of your name on your profile. You should have an avatar that represents YOU. And you should have a cover photo, which is placed behind your avatar on your profile. There are lots of elves and tutorials on the site to help you get this done.
  3. Then, no matter what kind of elf you are, I want you to go read everything at Elf University. Learn your Sector. Figure out who your Elf Supervisor is. You are tracking Santa for Santa – that means you will be communicating with the North Pole through your tracker reports. Take all this really seriously and learn how to do it FAST.
  4. Find the page to Santa Tracker Radio – and listen to it. It’s great. On December 23rd you’re all going to be listening to it because that’s when North Pole Radio News broadcasts the Tracking Santa around the World radio show. It’s very famous and you’ll hear me on there now and then.
  5. Then go listen to a few past episodes of the Santa Tracker Podcast. New episodes will be coming out soon and you will need to know where to find them. The older episodes all have great information about how to be a tracker elf.

Now let me give you some stuff NOT to do:

  1. Don’t tell others what to do. Elf Moe is just itching to ban elves who don’t belong here because they get a big head because they’re an elf. We don’t do that. BE NICE.
  2. If you’re new, don’t even think of trying to get an additional elf job unless Elf Sandy Claus in Elf Resources says you can apply for something. Most jobs require a lot of points and at least one year of service. So if you’re new, you won’t get any of the jobs being posted.
  3. Don’t give up. Being an elf is not easy. Lots of other elves here will help you. You will get it and Santa needs you.

Ok, now let me just ask our veteran elves who have been here more than a year to do a few things:

  1. If there are new jobs posted by Elf Sandy Claus, please consider applying for them.
  2. Please help the new elves in everyway you can.
  3. Please help new elves you know to sign up at SantaTrackers.net. We need more GOOD elves.
  4. Participate in the Elf Parade next week by submitting pictures of your costume and how you dress up your bike, trike, scooter, etc.
  5. Make sure you are up to date on your reports.
  6. Watch the skies for flying sleighs. There are LOTS of them out there right now (watch the News at NorthPoleFlightCommand.com and SantaUpdate.com for more on that)
  7. Elf Supes are going to ask for pictures of your Christmas trees soon. Just a heads up.

Ok, you got questions? Ask them in the comments below.

Thank you, Elves.

Possible Sighting of the Test Flights

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We have our first possible sighting of the test flights of Santa’s sleigh reporter from a tracker elf in Venezuela.

Elf Medina, a resident of that country and a 3-year tracker elf, reported the possible sighting and recorded some video, which he sent to us.

Whenever there is a sleigh sighting of any type there is a verification process to validate the sighting. There are three steps to the process and Elf Medina’s report has cleared the first step.

The first step is to get by the review process here at the Regional Tracking Center. We take his report and his photos or videos and process them through three different steps as well at our level. It first goes to a regional observer who matches the report to flight data. If it passes that test, it goes to our internal review board who looks at all the information and determines if it is strong enough to move forward. If they approve it, it gets sent to me to determine whether or not to pass it to North Pole Flight Command.

In the case of this report, all three of our steps at the Regional Tracking Center for Sector 4 have been met and I have indeed sent it to Flight Command, who is presently reviewing it.

Flight Command first sends the report to the Sleigh Department, which has a flight command committee that plans and reviews all sleigh flights anywhere in the world. It does not take them long to determine if a report we send in qualifies.

Once they take a look at it, it goes before the General Board at North Pole Flight Command. They review all the data and reports compiled up to that point in the process. Then they have a very important discussion to answer specific questions.

1. Is this a legitimate sighting of Santa’s sleigh?
2. If true, do we confirm it publicly?
3. If false, do we release that information publicly?
4. Who does this information serve if we do release it?

As they debate those questions we wait.

That is where we are at now in the process. From all I know, no other sighting report has gone so far this year.

Thanks to Elf Medina for his good work.

Test Flights Coming Our Way

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Greetings, Elves!

I have been officially notified from North Pole Flight Command that the test flights of Santa’s sleigh are heading to Sector 4.

Given their last known position near Iceland it is difficult to know it that means they will head north and west towards Greenland or south and west towards South America.

I asked. They wouldn’t tell me.

So I guess we will need to be ready for anything.

We STILL do not have an elf on record this year who has spotted any of the test flights of Santa’s sleigh. I find that to be unbelievable. Wouldn’t it be cool if a Sector 4 elf scored the first sleigh in the skies?

If you see something, say something!

I don’t know how long we’ll have the test flights here. So let’s make the best of it.

Ground Report Requested

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Hi elves!

We have a little bit of an unusual request from flight command – they want a ground report from all areas of Sector 4 if we can swing it. They’d like it within the next 7 days.

From what I understand they are dispatching scout teams to Sector 4. Why? I’m not really sure. It could be prep work for Santa’s flight or it could have something to do with future test flights over our area.

They really aren’t telling me anything.

Regardless of their reasons, let’s try to meet with the request if we can.

Thanks!