Articles and Stories

June 25, 2025

At the height of the Cold War in 1955, Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup held one of the most serious posts in the U.S. military. Stationed at the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD)—now known as NORAD—Shoup was entrusted with a red telephone, a direct line so confidential only he and a top Pentagon general knew the number.

So when that red phone rang one December day, Shoup expected a national emergency. Instead, he was met with a small voice asking, “Is this Santa Claus?”

It turned out that a local Sears ad encouraging children to call Santa had printed the wrong number—Shoup’s classified line. Initially annoyed, he softened quickly when he realized the caller was a child. Putting on his best “Ho, ho, ho,” he played along and even asked to speak with the child’s mother. She explained the mix-up, and soon after, the red phone lit up again. And again.

From Defense Command to Holiday Cheer

What followed was pure holiday magic. Rather than dismissing the calls, Shoup leaned in. He assigned Air Force staff to answer as Santa’s helpers. The command center, once focused on monitoring potential threats from the skies, had become a hub for joy and imagination.

Then came Christmas Eve. Some of the airmen drew a sleigh and reindeer across the glass board used to track aircraft. When Shoup saw it, he paused—and then picked up the phone to alert local radio stations: “We’ve spotted an unidentified flying object… it looks like a sleigh.”

Radio stations eagerly played along, calling in regularly for updates on Santa’s journey. What started as a mistake became a beloved tradition, and Shoup—previously known for his discipline—became known as “The Santa Colonel.”

A Tradition That Transcended Borders

That spontaneous moment of kindness blossomed into something truly global. Today, NORAD continues the tradition each year, tracking Santa’s route across the globe and fielding calls from children speaking dozens of different languages. For those of us in the world of translation, it’s a reminder of how stories and traditions—no matter their origin—can bridge cultures and languages alike.

And for children around the world, it all began with one wrong number and one right response.