Santa is checking his map and checking it twice as he makes his way to bring gifts to all of the girls and boys in the Okanagan and Kamloops.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command officials will be in contact with Santa’s staff to confirm his launch time on Dec. 24 and will then be tracking Santa on his route to B.C. from around the world, through the NORAD Santa Tracker.

However, only Santa knows his route, and it can’t be predicted when he will arrive at your house, but history indicates he only arrives when children are asleep.

Santa begins his journey by visiting the girls and boys in the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia. He then soars to Japan, over to Asia, Africa, Western Europe, Canada, the United States, then Mexico and Central and South America.

Numerous weather and travel advisories are in effect in B.C. and North America, nevertheless, not even the harshest blizzard can stop Santa from making his annual visit. He's gotten used to intense winter weather while living at the North Pole.

“NORAD can confirm that Santa's sleigh is a versatile, all weather, multi-purpose, vertical short-take-off and landing vehicle,” according to the NORAD website. “It's capable of traveling vast distances without refuelling and is deployed, as far as we know, only on Dec. 24."

Watch Santa's progress using the official NORAD Santa Tracker:

While the tradition of tracking Santa began purely by accident, NORAD continues to track Santa.

“We're the only organization that has the technology, the qualifications, and the people to do it. And, we love it!”

The pilots especially enjoy intercepting Santa’s sleigh up in the sky.

“When the jets intercept Santa, they tip their wings to say, "Hello Santa! NORAD is tracking you again this year!" Santa always waves. He loves to see the pilots!”

A NORAD pilot tries to keep up with Santa and his reindeer.

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