Status Update on Operation Merry Christmas

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Hi Trackers, with Leon Day upon us we mark the second half of the year – and that means we have a lot of work to do.

With the work of Elf Max and team mostly complete you will begin to see an uptick in the news and direction coming from the Elf Supervisors.

To catch you up, each Sector has been working hard to identify locations for the Regional Tracking Centers this year. I am pleased to announce that those decisions have been made and that officials from the North Pole are finalizing contracts right now.

We anticipate announcing those locations one by one over the next few weeks.

The target opening dates for each sector will vary slightly. Some will open we hope by around the middle of July. ALL will be open by July 21st.

I know there is some question, if not controversy, about Santa’s sleigh. I urge you to be patient while that news comes out in the weeks ahead. I don’t know yet when the tracking map for the test flights will be available. I can tell you the primary reason you don’t have that information right now is due to security concerns. That is about as much as I can say about it at the moment. We anticipate Santa himself will likely share news updates on the new sleigh during Christmas in July.

Speaking of Santa and Christmas in July, we have been asked about chats that might be made available. We’re working on that right now and Elf Winslow will be posting up a new schedule soon.

With the changes in the website some are asking if we will be pushing to get new elves signed up this year. The short answer is yes. More details on that coming soon.

As part of Leon Day and Christmas in July you can expect some North Pole Radio News reports from me and Elf Frank Myrrh. We’re anxious to catch you all up on everything.

See you on the radio!

Changes to Elf Membership Levels

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We are pleased to announce some enhancements to the Tracker Elf program in advance of the Christmas 2025 tracking season. These enhancements have been included in a recent overhaul of the SantaTrackers.net website, which you have no doubt noticed.

After hours of discussion with Santa, and hearing your feedback as asked for in my last post on May 5th, we present the following changes:

1. New elf registrations at SantaTrackers.net will be set as “Junior Tracker Elf”. This will give new elves a chance to learn the art of Tracking Santa for Santa. If after six months at that level and successful in their efforts, their Elf Supervisor may extend to them an invite to join the Elf Community as a North Pole Tracker elf.

2. The existing community of tracker elves – now known as North Pole Tracker Elves – remains a small and dedicated group. All accounts previously inactive since January 1, 2025, have been removed. If you had an account used before that date, but not since, you will need to re-apply as an elf to begin again as a Junior Tracker Elf.

3. The freelance elf community remains unchanged. Freelancers who choose not to participate in the Elf Community or to become a North Pole Elf can continue to track Santa for Santa without having a login in for SantaTrackers.net. As with others who track Santa for Santa, they can read instruction from their Elf Supervisor and submit reports that aid Santa. But as before they will not be able to participate in the Elf Community or advance to a North Pole Elf experience.

Santa and the North Pole support team of SantaTrackers.net remain committed to providing a free and orderly community for believers out there with a desire to become an elf at the North Pole.

The Internet presents challenges in maintaining such an online experience. We believe these new changes will improve that experience to ensure our ongoing operation.

These changes, as well as other updates to the SantaTrackers.net website, are effective immediately. Having completed them we can now move forward with the business of tracking Santa for Santa 2025.

Elf Crash Murphy and the Elf Supervisors, as well as the North Pole News Department, will from this point forward, resume their duties at SantaTrackers.net.

We welcome your comments and questions below. Our thanks go out to you for your patience and to Elf Max and his team of web experts for their good work in implementing these changes.

Thank you.

New Podcast Episode

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In a joint episode of the North Pole Podcast and the Santa Trackers Podcast Elves Frank and Crash discuss the start of Operation Merry Christmas 2025.

Growing the Elf Community

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Hello Elves,

I have remained fairly silent for some time and part of that has been because Elf Max has been doing so much work on the site. But the bigger reason is because I have been working on a larger project:

What to do about the elf community.

This project we call SantaTrackers.net is now nine years old. Can you believe it?

It was started out of an effort to grow talent – elves! – away from the North Pole with the simple mission to track Santa for Santa.

It has been very successful in that mission.

We never intended to build the elf community that we have going for us here. But the idea of an elf community is that we could not only have a place where non-North Pole elves could gather and talk but we could also turn them into North Pole elves someday.

Elf Crash Murphy is an example of an elf who wasn’t born at the North Pole becoming an elf at the North Pole and holding an important elf job.

We want that opportunity for more believers out there.

But we have run into some challenges and many of you have seen those things.

By opening “elfdom” to the world we don’t always get serious believers. Many come here not to work but to only have fun.

There’s nothing wrong with having fun. Santa is a serious believer in fun. That’s why he is Santa.

Santa is also a serious believer in serious work. That is also why he is Santa.

You’ve seen it, I’ve seen it and everyone here has seen it: elves come and go, some unable to focus or others who come here just to cause trouble.

Over the past nine years we have tried a lot of things to grow the elf community. But we have not grown as much as Santa would like because not many elves stay or last in our little community here.

We have rules, and they break them. We try to train them but they don’t stick with it. We ask them to act as elves should and they just don’t do it.

Before we head into another season of new elves I am asking for any ideas you might have in meeting these challenges. Don’t be afraid to share anything that is on your mind.

Santa has asked me to come up with a new process for approving new elves at SantaTrackers.net and I wanted to see what you elves thought about that.

Please comment below or on the Elf Wall.

Thank you.

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.

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 5 is in the Red Zone

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Ok guys, as always, we’re last. But, we’re the best. Flight Command just got off the horn and they confirm we are now in the Red Zone.

Since most of you are hopefully asleep (we have a LONG day ahead of us), there is nothing for you to do right now. So if you stayed up for this announcement, I’m sorry.

Santa will hit the skies soon, that may change things.

But it really won’t be until later tomorrow that Santa gets close to us. So we have to wait and watch. I’ll let you know what they want of us!

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 North and Central America Check In

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At last! We can now check in in Sector 5!

Spotlight on Sector 5

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I just got out of a long meeting with Elf Roger Star, Elf Buck Sanchez and Elf Crash Murphy at North Pole Flight Command.

I was up there at the North Pole to more fully understand what the next five days will be like. I have not been at the North Pole for several weeks and let me tell you I was shocked by what I saw. The snow is just incredible. I don’t know how those people are EVER going to dig out.

What I learned is important for you to understand: we are Sector 5, Santa’s last stop. That means a lot of things.

Operation Airlift, as Elf Ed Zachary explained, is complex. Normally they have a plan for each sector and they overlap. On Christmas Eve, in any given hour, sleighs launch from the North Pole to every sector.

With the weather this week they changed their strategy. They have been sending out all sleighs according to location. In other words, everything that will be needed, for now, in Sector 1, has been dispatched and delivered. If Santa left the North Pole right now, he’s be ready to deliver to Sector 1 just fine. Everything needed for Sector 1 is now where it needs to be, just as if today were Christmas Eve.

For Sector 5 – NOTHING has yet to be set up with Operation Airlift. That’s because Flight Command decided to re-order the shipment of things according to location.

As of this morning, all of Sector 1 and most of Sector 2 has been delivered. They hope to have everything for Sector 2 done late tonight.

That leaves Sectors 3 and 4 ahead of us. And then we’re last.

That makes me really nervous.

But, as I look at the countdown we will have Friday, Saturday, Sunday AND Monday to get everything set for Sectors 3,4, and 5. We SHOULD be okay.

Ok, that’s Operation Airlift. But what does all this mean for us?

Well, where I’m coming from I totally agree with Elf Crash moving up the check-in process. It gives us more time to help.

I spoke with Elf Buck specifically about needs outside of the North Pole and he was very direct. Any and all information we send them is useful for EVERY sleigh being sent from the North Pole, not just Santa. From Sunday forward nearly every sleigh will be dedicated to Sector 5.

So…..

We’re going to flood them with information and I’m going to be very direct with you come Saturday and Sunday about what we can do. I’ll likely be more specific than I have ever been in giving you our needs.

We don’t need canned weather reports or links. We will need you to actually go outside and LOOK on the weather. Take pictures. Share what you see. Weather will be far be the most important.

Sleighs might be really visible come late Saturday and into Sunday. Keep an eye out.

We’re last, guys. That means the spotlight is on us. Let’s show them all what we can do.

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.