The Cold War was at its peak in 1955. The United States and the Soviet Union possessed nuclear arsenals capable of destroying the world. The Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in Colorado Springs stood as the primary shield against a Soviet air attack. The operations center was a secure facility filled with radar screens and military personnel. Tension remained high 24 hours a day.
But on Christmas Eve, the terrifying “Red Phone” on the commander’s desk rang. This line connected directly to the Pentagon and the White House. It only rang during a national crisis. Colonel Harry Shoup answered the phone. He expected a declaration of war. He did not hear a general or the president. He heard a small child asking for Santa Claus.
A Misprint in the Paper
The cause of this security breach was a simple error in a local newspaper. Sears Roebuck & Co. had placed an advertisement in the Colorado Springs Gazette. The ad featured a picture of Santa Claus and invited children to call him directly on his private line.
The text read, “Call me on my private phone and I will talk to you personally any time day or night.” However, a printing error changed one digit of the telephone number. The published number did not ring the department store’s Santa line. It rang the top-secret operations center at CONAD.
The Red Phone Rings
Colonel Shoup was the crew commander on duty that night. When he grabbed the Red Phone, the room fell silent. He demanded to know who was speaking. A hesitant young voice asked, “Are you really Santa Claus?” Shoup initially believed it was a prank call from a staff member.
He was gruff and demanded the caller identify themselves. The child began to cry. Shoup realized his mistake immediately. He changed his tone. He assured the child that he was indeed Santa Claus. He listened to the child’s Christmas list. The Colonel then spoke to the child’s mother and learned about the newspaper error. He realized that the phone would ring again.
Tracking the Sleigh
Shoup made a decision that broke military protocol. He ordered his staff to answer every call that came through on that line. He told his radar operators to check their scopes for Santa’s location. The operators played along with the instructions.
They reported the coordinates of a sleigh traveling from the North Pole. They tracked the object as it traveled south. The staff provided updates to every child who called the center that night. They used military precision to report Santa’s position. This singular event established a permanent procedure for the military command.
A Tradition Takes Flight
The staff at CONAD continued the practice throughout the night. They reported Santa’s progress across the globe to anyone who called. In 1958, the United States and Canada formed the North American Aerospace Defense Command, known as NORAD.
The new agency took over the tracking duties without interruption. The program expanded from telephones to radio, television, and eventually the internet. Volunteers now handle calls from over 200 countries every December. The entire operation began with one misprinted digit in a local newspaper advertisement.
In 1955, the US braced for nuclear war. The secret Red Phone at CONAD rang on Christmas Eve.
Colonel Shoup grabbed it, expecting a crisis. He didn't hear the President. He heard a child asking for Santa.
A typo in a Sears ad had directed kids to the military’s secure line… pic.twitter.com/RTLyMfEpCY
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) December 23, 2025