Both Walmart and Target will be closed today on Christmas Day along with competing retailers like JCPenney and Best Buy. But among fast food establishments, Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks tells news that most of the locations will be at least partially open today December 2.

As reported here since 2009, most retailers tell news annually that Christmas Day serves as a time for employees to spend time with their families while relaxing before the rush of the after-Christmas sales. In contrast, other retailers in comparable genres – Walgreens and Rite-Aid – are traditionally open partially on Christmas Day.

For Walmart, however, this year has culminated a season of giving to others. In a news statement on Thursday, Walmart confirmed the conclusion of its 12 Days of Giving. Walmart told news “Over the last twelve consecutive days, Walmart awarded a total of $1.5 million to 145 organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.”

Julie Gehrki, senior director at the Walmart Foundation, tells news “Every community needs a hero—someone who is willing to take extraordinary and selfless action to help those in need”. She added “We are honored to give these inspirational community heroes the recognition they deserve and do a small part to help them achieve their mission.”

Target also confirms to news its spirit of helping others this holiday season. On December 6, Target gave $25,000 in monetary support to assist with Thailand flooding relief efforts. “When disaster strikes, Target listens and acts to support those in need,” said Gregg Steinhafel, Chairman, President and CEO, Target. “Our thoughts are with those affected and we hope our donation will aid in recovery efforts.”

Target tells news that the donation culminated an entire year of helping relief efforts worldwide. “This year, Target has given more than $1.2 million in disaster relief aid to nonprofits that distribute funds where support is most urgently needed.”

McDonalds prides itself on employee loyalty. As a result, the chain informs news that it’s important to recognize its employees’ desires to be with their families on December 25. In fact, 2011 culminated a year in which McDonalds was recognized international as one of the best companies for innovative employer practices.

In being recognized for the honor, Vice President, People, McDonald’s UK, told news recently “During the last five years, we’ve worked hard to build an industry-leading range of initiatives that help support and motivate our people in their jobs and careers.” The recognition derived from McDonalds’ commitment to its employees. “Whether it’s by offering them transferable, nationally-recognized qualifications, flexible working options or opportunities to progress quickly, we know that employee engagement is key to having a loyal and confident workforce who are committed to providing the best possible service” he added.

Langhorn also told news “Featuring in the Best Companies rankings for the first time will increase employee pride and commitment, and we’re delighted to achieve this recognition for our business and our people.”

Yet some McDonald’s employees are unhappy this year by the chain’s desire to now open on Christmas Day. One online petition has begun to ask the company to not on Christmas Day for 2012. The petition reads “McDonald’s is usually only closed one day a year: Christmas Day. As employees, this one day a year is our opportunity to spend time with family and friends. Yet McDonald’s has made the decision at the corporate level to open on Christmas Day this year. While some stores are not opening until 11AM on Christmas Day, that opening time still cuts in to our family celebrations. “

The petition adds “Corporate employees still get Christmas off, but they think it’s okay for store employees to have to work on the one holiday we’re supposed to have off.”

The ability of Santa to reach the world’s children is not an easy task, NORAD confirms to news this week. In fact, Santa’s sleigh in recent years has been retrofitted to withstand variable conditions. “NORAD can confirm that Santa’s sleigh is a versatile, all weather, multi-purpose, vertical short-take-off and landing vehicle. It is capable of traveling vast distances without refueling and is deployed, as far as we know, only on Christmas Eve (and briefly for a test flight about a month before Christmas).” The sleigh is also a green vehicle, propelled by Rudolf and Company and using no burning fuels.

Annually, children ask when will Santa be at my house, and where is Santa right now. But the other big point of confusion is whether Santa actually visits every house on December 24. NORAD tells news that “Indeed, Santa visits all homes where children who believe in him live.”

Santa’s trip across the Middle East to Africa, from China to Europe, always prompts a flood of phone calls to NORAD dispatch. Recently NORAD told news that it expected the same for today and tomorrow. “One Department of Defense (DOD) Civilian from the NORAD Public Affairs staff is assigned to manage the program” says NORAD. It added “almost 1,250 Canadian and American uniformed personnel – Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marines, as well as DOD civilian and their families and friends – volunteer their time on Christmas Eve to answer the thousands of phone calls and emails that flood in from around the world.”

And while Santa has been delivering gifts to children worldwide since the beginning of time, NORAD was only started in the 1950s.  NORAD details to news that in 1958 “the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD. NORAD inherited the tradition of tracking Santa.”

Phone calls were supplemented by emails in recent years. “Since that time, NORAD men, women, family and friends have selflessly volunteered their time to personally respond to Christmas Eve phone calls and emails from children.” By 2008, NORAD had added internet tracking of Santa Claus around the world. And by that year, “millions of people who wanted to know Santa’s whereabouts visited the NORAD Tracks Santa Web site.”

And yet, while Santa’s travels around the world haven’t changed in recent years, the means by which NORAD tracks Santa has been dramatically altered. This decade, NORAD added eo-synchronous orbiting satellites to assist Santa Claus. Those satellites equipped with infrared sensors which enable them to detect heat. Which heat do the sensors follow? “Rudolph’s bright red nose gives off an infrared signature which allow our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa” says NORAD to news.

And while Santa is the man of the hour, Colonel Harry Shoup is the man most credited with today’s tracking of Santa with technology. “Operations [at CONAD in 1955] … Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check radar for indications of Santa making his way south from the North Pole. Children who called were given updates on his location, and a tradition was born.” To track Santa CLICK HERE.

Despite today’s confusion about when Santa arrives at each of our houses, officials at the north pole tell news that Santa annually travels the same path to deliver the world’s gifts. NORAD confirms the same to news as well. In a news statement, NORAD says that “Santa usually starts at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean and travels west. So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia.”

After Santa covers the South Pacific, children in Asia, Africa and Europe will be next, NORAD tells news. “After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.”

Yet, despite a generally consistent flight pattern, Santa does often make changes based upon flight changes. In 2009, NORAD reminded news to “keep in mind, Santa’s route can be affected by weather, so it’s really unpredictable. NORAD coordinates with Santa’s Elf launch staff to confirm his launch time, but from that point on, Santa calls the shots. We just track him!”

Santa’s arrival in North America will be heralded with the help of U.S. fighter jets. Fighter jets serve multiple purposes. First they insure to protect Santa. Second, they help Santa arrive on time. And finally, Santa reportedly simply enjoys seeing our jets besides his sleigh. NORAD tells news “Over the past 50 years, our fighter jets (F-16s, F-15s and CF-18s) have intercepted Santa many, many times. When the jets intercept Santa, they tip their wings to say, “Hello Santa! – NORAD is tracking you again this year!” Santa always waves. He loves to see the pilots!” To track Santa CLICK HERE.