A New York Air National Guardsman assigned to the Eastern Air Defense Sector in Rome, New York, prepares for NORAD Santa tracking operations on Christmas Eve. The annual NORAD Tracks Santa operation traces St. Nick's path around the world on Dec. 24. (U.S. Air Force photo by Patrick Young, 224th Air Defense Group.)

ROME, NEW YORK - The North American Aerospace Defense Command defends the North American airspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

On Dec. 24, NORAD will add one more element to its mission list as it tracks Santa Claus on his around-the-world flight.

You can watch Santa make his journey around the world live online at www.noradsanta.org/en/map.

American and Canadian NORAD personnel at the Eastern Air Defense Sector, a unit of the Continental U.S. NORAD Region-1st Air Force, located in Rome, are standing by to support this effort.