Mashable reported today that users can track good ole’ Santa via Twitter this year – just what I wanted for Christmas!

Britney and Shaq are on Twitter, so why not Santa Claus? Expanding on NORAD’s tradition, this year you’ll be able to track Santa using Twitter, via the @noradsanta account. The account is being maintained by “Bitz the Twittering Elf,” and compliments NORAD’s official site – Noradsanta.org – which includes options to track Santa in 3D in Google Earth, a countdown, and an interactive North pole.

This seems like a pretty fun/cool add on for Twitter.  But then reality sets in (well sort of).  I see a huge opportunity here for retailers during future holidays.  Think about it.  This coming Easter - Hallmark’s Twitter account can track the Easter Bunny – offering discounts, or tips for purchasing cool Easter gifts along the way.  Maybe Retailers can even create fictional characters to be tracked via Twitter to get certain “twitter only” discounts?

What do you guys think? Is this an idea “fail”?