NORAD's predecessor, Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), also situated in Colorado Springs, started the tradition after a Colorado Springs store's advertisement for children to call Santa on a special "hotline" included a misprinted telephone number. Instead of Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD Commander-in-Chief's operations "hotline." The Director of Operations, Colonel Harry Shoup, received the first "Santa" call. Realizing what had happened, Colonel Shoup had his staff check radar data to see if there was any indication of Santa making his way South from the North Pole.