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Santa is getting ready to embark on his 24-hour-long journey to bring Christmas magic to children all around the globe.

With Christmas Eve on Tuesday, Santa and his elves are preparing the sleigh, and parents are preparing to track him and make sure the kids are asleep before he gets here. The North American Aerospace Defense Command has been tracking Santa since 1955 and is a great source for keeping up with him and his team of reindeer as they make their deliveries on Christmas Eve.

Here is how to prepare to track Santa's journey this weekend.

When does the NORAD Santa tracker 2024 start?

The tracker officially starts on Christmas Eve, but NORAD has a countdown to the tracker on its main website. Therefore, there is plenty of time to get to your Christmas destinations before Santa takes flight and to watch out for the magic sleigh and jingling bells.

Santa starts his journey at the International Date Line before making his way westward around the world. He tries to be at everyone's homes between 9 p.m. and midnight to ensure children are asleep during his visit.

Try to have the milk and cookies out at 8:30 p.m. to make sure he doesn't miss them.

How is Santa able to travel the world in 24 hours?

According to NORAD, time works differently for Santa. What is 24 hours to us is a few days or even weeks for him. It's important not to rush while delivering presents because he doesn't want anyone to accidentally not get a present. Therefore, Santa has to take his time - even if it means breaking the laws of the time continuum.