(Taken from Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NORAD_Tracks_Santa)

According to NORAD's official web page on the NORAD Tracks Santa program, the service began on December 24, 1955. A Sears department store placed an advertisement in a Colorado Springs newspaper. The advertisement told children that they could telephone Santa Claus and included a number for them to call. However, the telephone number printed was incorrect and calls instead came through to Colorado Spring's Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Center. Colonel Shoup, who was on duty that night, told his staff to give all children that called in a "current location" for Santa Claus. A tradition began which continued when the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) replaced CONAD in 1958.

1964's 'NORAD Tracks Santa: Santa News Reports & Holiday Music Selections' was originally given away to radio stations as a 'public service'. The 2 sides of the LP are divided into news reports about Santa and Music.

The news reports and promos (tracks 1-5) are probably the BEST part of the LP. To be played ONLY on Christmas Eve, these 5 tracks are 'official updates' about Santa's trip from the North Pole, as tracked by NORAD.

Tracks 6 and 7 are promos for the nights leading up to the 24'th.

Track 8 is the classic 'The Littlest Angel'. It's over 11 minutes long.

Side B (Tracks 9-15) are Christmas music selections from 'The NORAD Commanders'. They are billed as a 'Big Band', but once again the 60's come shining through. If you like that MOD 60's sound, these are prime examples.

...And remember, this is done by the SAME people who just 2 years before almost turned the planet into a smoldering ember in space.