Most modern “Santa tracker” sources agree on two related answers: Santa departs from the North Pole, and his gift‑delivery route is usually shown as starting near the International Date Line over the Pacific Ocean before he works westward across the globe.

Short answer

  • Story tradition: Santa starts his Christmas Eve journey from the North Pole, where his workshop and home are said to be located.
  • Tracking tradition (NORAD): Public trackers usually show his first visible stops around the International Date Line in the Pacific, heading to the South Pacific, New Zealand, and Australia, then across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

How trackers show his route

  • NORAD and similar trackers describe his route as beginning from the North Pole, then dropping down along or near the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean.
  • From there, he moves westward, with early stops in the South Pacific, followed by New Zealand and Australia, before zigzagging through the rest of the world.

Forum and “latest news” angle

  • News pieces and social posts each year talk about “Santa leaving the North Pole” and then “beginning his journey around the world” as the trackers go live on December 24.
  • Fan wikis and community FAQs echo that pattern: home base at the North Pole, route display starting at the International Date Line, which fits the idea that he begins delivering where Christmas arrives first by time zone.

Meta description (SEO style):
Wondering where does Santa start his journey each Christmas Eve? Learn how modern Santa trackers and fan FAQs explain his departure from the North Pole and his first stops near the International Date Line.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.