The Accidental Christmas Miracle That Became a Global Tradition 🎅📞✨

It all began on December 24, 1955, with a simple printing mistake — a newspaper ad inviting children to “Call Santa Claus” accidentally listed the wrong phone number. Instead of reaching the North Pole, the calls went straight to the U.S. Air Defense Command (now known as NORAD). 🎄📡 On duty that night was Colonel Harry Shoup, a man whose kindness would unknowingly start one of the most heartwarming Christmas traditions in history. When a young child called asking to speak with Santa, the colonel didn’t hang up or correct the error. Instead, he played along — giving the child updates on Santa’s “current location.” ❤️ That single act of compassion turned into a worldwide phenomenon. Today, the NORAD Tracks Santa program handles calls from children in over 200 countries, with military officers and volunteers spending Christmas Eve sharing joy, hope, and magic with families around the globe. 🌍🎅✨ What began as an accident became a living symbol of goodwill — a reminder that even the smallest moments of kindness can create traditions that outlast generations. In a world often divided, one wrong number proved that the spirit of Christmas has no borders. 🎁💫