Santa Claus runs an operation that employs over 12 million
people to carry out his annual Christmas sojourn. At least that is what Paul
Tronsor and Mike Mangeot told Chana Joffe-Walt in this story on All Things
Considered. Since Santa is notoriously mum on his means and methods, Chana
consulted with a couple of logistics experts to try and figure out how he pulls it off . Paul
works for FedEx and Mike works for UPS, two companies that know a thing or two
about delivering packages.
Some of their conclusions…
67,100 elves are needed to calculate Santa’s route and
monitor weather conditions...
40,000 elves to deal with customs issues...
152,000 elves to load the sleigh.
It must be some sleigh too.
If 760 million children each get a gift weighing one pound, it
would take a sleigh the size of 295 Boeing 747 aircraft.
