While the adults fight, Santa will still take flight. And NORAD's Santa Tracker won't shut down – even if the U.S. government does.

A looming government shutdown will go into effect midnight Friday if Congress and the White House are unable to reach a deal to keep federal departments and agencies open and running. Negotiations have stalled around President Donald Trump's demand that he receive funding for his promised border wall. The Republican-led House added funding to legislation that pushes the government closer to a partial shutdown, and the bill has moved to the Senate, where approval is less likely.

But the holiday tradition, which allows parents and children to track Santa Claus online as he travels around the globe won't expire at the stroke of midnight, even though the North American Aerospace Defense Command – a joint organization of the United States and Canada that's charged with providing aerospace control and aerospace and maritime warnings for North America – receives funding from the Department of Defense.

"We're on duty 24-7, 365 days a year," Capt. Cameron Hillier, spokesman for NORAD and U.S. North Command, told USA Today.

That means Trump's decision to give federal employees time off for Christmas Eve also won't throw a speed bump in front of St. Nick's sleigh.

The tradition of tracking Santa began in 1955 when a local media advertisement misprinted a phone number for children to call old St. Nick direct. Instead of reaching the man in the red suit, kids were put through to the crew commander on duty at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, now known as NORAD. The rest is history.

NORAD says the tracker will use satellites and radar to keep tabs on Santa. Volunteer Santa-trackers at NORAD's Santa Tracking Operations Center at Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, Colorado, are expected to field tens of thousands of calls and emails when their operations center goes live on Christmas Eve.

