Back in 1955, Sears Roebuck Department stores ran a print ad with a Santa Hotline that kids could call on Christmas Eve. However, a typo in the phone number caused all the calls to be directed to the Colorado Springs Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center. Instead of hanging up on the kids, Colonel Shoup, who was on duty that night, told his staff to report to any child that called the location of Santa Claus. Not only was Colonel Shoup called “Santa Colonel” from then on, a tradition began that is still carried on today, much to the excitement of children everywhere: NORAD Santa Tracker.