Traditions have to start somewhere – this is a great history lesson

[Yoused]

NORAD's Santa Tracker began with a typo in a Sears ad, which the general ultimately responded to favorably. Sears printed the number to call Santa's personal phone in a newspaper ad – unfortunately, the number in the paper turned out to be the "red telephone" to air defense, for high-alert messages, known only to 2 people. Fortunately, the defense agency was able to adapt to the situation, and it led to the Santa Tracker tradition.