I have despised NORAD doing this for the following reason.
Back in October of 1962, we went through the Cuban Missile crisis. War was coming, NUCLEAR WAR! The whole world was on pins and needles. Then it was resolved and things settled down, but we still did not trust the Russians and was prepared to hear of an attack at any time!
That Dec 24, in the evening, there was a break in the news program for an alert from NORAD! Radar had detected an incoming flying object coming over the pole! Everyone thought, OMG THIS IS IT! The pucker factor went straight up! the knots in the stomach began!
Then they cut to a cheap picture of a sleigh with fake clouds floating by!
We were P*ssed and relieved at the same time.
It was NOT FUNNY.