Santa Claus Coverage

NORAD tracks Santa's travels around the world, more than 7 billion gifts delivered

Santa and his reindeer have wrapped up their Christmas journey for 2023 after delivering more than 7.8 billion gifts, according to NORAD's Santa Tracker.

Track Santa flight online

A newspaper misprint that lead a young girl to ring the red phone at NORAD created a 64 year tradition.

Tony Rice, NASA Ambassador

Undercover Santa helps bust Peruvian drug gang

Peruvian police carried out a drug bust operation with the special help of Santa Claus in Huacal, near the capital Lima.

NORAD Santa Tracker: Follow Santa's trip around the world

Santa's trip around the world is underway this Christmas Eve! Tap to follow his journey with NORAD's Santa tracker technology.

The Dessertery returns to Raleigh performing arts center

The Dessertery, a family-friendly holiday themed dessert cafe, returns to the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts is the place to be this weekend -- and Santa will be a special guest!

Elves, Santa, Grinch travel by paddleboard

A group of paddleboarding Santas hit Lake Washington early Friday morning for a good cause.

Tar Heel Traveler, Raleigh's Santa Warren Keyes

Warren Keyes of Raleigh is known as Santa Claus--a black Santa. He became one of the state's first widely known black Santas and says the joyful part of being Santa is that there are no racial barriers.

WRAL lights towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

This year marks the 65th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.

How your child can mail a letter to Santa in the Triangle

We have a list red mailboxes in the Triangle where you can drop off your letters to Santa.

Kathy Hanrahan, WRAL lifestyle editor

Where to see Santa in Raleigh and across the Triangle

Where to see Santa in Raleigh and across the Triangle in November and December 2023.

Jessica Patrick, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

WRAL lights towers in Raleigh, Durham and Rocky Mount

This year marks the 65th annual lighting of the WRAL-TV tower in Raleigh, an annual tradition that has grown to include celebrations with towers at American Tobacco Campus in Durham and Rocky Mount Mills.

Track Santa on his trip around the globe

Santa Claus is on his way, braving bitter cold and COVID restrictions, to make his traditional Christmas Eve trip.

Santa arrives in downtown Durham

The man in red, the main attraction, greeted kids and the young at heart at the end of the annual Durham Holiday Parade.

Get a 3D tour of Santa's amazing house at the North Pole

Curious children can now see photos of Santa's home and get a virtual 3D tour of where the big man and his elves live.

Tour Santa's house at the North Pole

Zillow has posted photos of Santa's house at the North Pole, which even features a tiny house elf village.

Kidzu hosts Fridays with Santa

Santa is coming to Kidzu Children's Museum this month.

Return of in-person events has Santa feeling stretched

The demand for Santa appearances often exceeds even what his helpers can supply.

Kids overjoyed as Santa Claus makes post-COVID comeback

Santa Claus is back in full force after two years of COVID restrictions and safety measures. Kids and adults are loving it.

Dear Santa: Mailboxes in Raleigh, Cary allow kids to write letters to Santa - and hear back

If your family wants to make sure Santa gets your letter full of holiday dreams, Raleigh and Cary parks are helping deliveries reach the North Pole this holiday season.

Heather Leah, WRAL multiplatform producer

Santa's North Pole house eclipses $1M mark

It's been a crazy year for real estate and apparently not even the North Pole is immune!

NORAD explains how Santa is tracked, kept safe during his journey to deliver presents

Dan Haggerty speaks with NORAD officials about the technology used to track Santa Claus, and how they help keep him safe on his world-wide trekk.

Santa is on his way to your house!

Santa is traveling all across the world today. See where he's at right now!

Fact check: Did German police arrest Santa for 'not wearing a mask?'

Humbug in Hamburg -- or Stralsund, Germany, where some social media posts claim a Santa Claus was arrested by police at a Christmas market because he wasn't wearing a face mask. PolitiFact checks the claim.

Ciara O'Rourke, PolitiFact reporter

My dad is a professional Santa (shh! My kids don't know!)

No one who knows my dad, Mack Thorpe, would be surprised to know that he is now a professional Santa in his retirement. Well, there are a few people who would be surprised to know he moonlights as Kris Kringle in December...his grandchildren. They have no idea, and Grandaddy wants it to stay that way.

Amy Davis, WRAL contributor

Santa brings holiday cheer (and ice fishing!) in Alaska

Santa brought holiday cheer the Alaska way this weekend.