Santa-tracking program sees record use

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) - NORAD says its Santa-tracking program logged a record number of phone calls and e-mails on Christmas Eve.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command said Tuesday that volunteers answered more than 80,000 phone calls and more than 7,000 e-mails on Santa's whereabouts.

In 2009, the program answered 74,000 phone calls and 3,500 e-mails.

The website had nearly 15.5 million unique visitors, up from 13 million the previous year.

First lady Michelle Obama answered calls via a phone hookup from Hawaii, where her family was vacationing. It's believed to be the first time a first lady has participated in NORAD's Santa-tracking program.

The program started in 1955 when a newspaper ad printed the wrong number for a Santa hotline and children called NORAD's predecessor instead.