LAKE COUNTY – Christmas arrived just minutes after Santa Claus visited Lake County late Monday night.

Santa Claus' sleigh, pulled by his nine reindeer, was spotted over Lake County just moments before the stroke of midnight Monday, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD).

NORAD's radar system picked up the sleigh as it left Lake County and headed on to San Francisco and then to Southern California.

The Christmas Eve Santa Claus tracking effort officially ended at 1 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, as Santa and his reindeer finished his worldwide run in Hawaii and returned to the North Pole.

Santa's office issued a statement saying he'll be resting up and starting preparations for next year.

To see videos of his trip and the places he visited, go to www.noradsanta.org/en/home.htm.

Here's wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, and happy holidays to our friends of all faiths.

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