[This column was published in the Sopris Sun on December 18, 2024.] Recently I ran across an article from an international boarding school talking about U.S. traditions around Christmas. The “Top 10 holiday traditions” for families include: Decorate the tree. Bake Christmas cookies. Write a letter to Santa (and the reindeer). Look at the twinkly lights. Build a gingerbread house. Sing Christmas carols. Exchange gifts. Wear an ugly sweater. Watch Christmas movies. Spend time with the people you love. Institutions have traditions, too. My favorite has to be the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which has a website for the sole purpose of tracking Santa. The backstory is charming. In 1955 a child saw a newspaper ad from a Sears department store encouraging children to give Santa a call. But the child misdialed, reaching instead Air Force Colonel Harry Shoup. He happened to be the operations officer on duty for the old Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) in Colorado Sp...