John Hjorth Posted December 24, 2025 Posted December 24, 2025 Santa is soon about to take off on his Tour around the World! Google Santa Tracker - - - o 0 o - - - This Christmas, just a tiny dose of educational stuff! [ - This is almost killing me! ] : Here goes [ ] : Wikipedia : Google Santa Tracker. It's a really fascinating story : Quote In early 2004, employees at Google stated that "they felt like it could be better for users to 'visualize' where Santa is currently at" in response to the NORAD Tracks Santa service.[6] Later that year, Keyhole, Inc. was acquired by Google and they launched a paid service titled the "Keyhole Earth Viewer" (Google Earth's original name), where they would launch a service within the program titled the "Keyhole Santa Radar". The service received 25,000 viewers in its debut, and 250,000 the following year.[7] In 2007, NORAD and Google formally announced a partnership which would last for the next five years. In 2015, Google announced that Google Santa Tracker is now open source through GitHub.[8] This would mean that its users could install Google Santa Tracker as an APK file on Android devices. They also announced a handful of custom watch faces for Android Wear. In 2018, the Santa Tracker added several features for students and educators. On December 4, 2018, the website fully launched a suite of games and lesson plans about coding basics and Christmas traditions around the world. The site also features information about non-profit organizations Khan Academy and Code.org.[9] The 2018 Google Santa Tracker page also allowed users to use the Google Assistant to simulate a call to Santa or listen to a Christmas story.[10] The website had 42.2 million visitors in December of that year.[11] The website claimed that Santa had delivered 5.6 billion presents in 2019.[12] In 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves were depicted to be wearing face masks.[13] The face masks were removed in 2022 [Note from John : Normally I hate this collapse-expand feature of the quote feature here on CofB&F - but exactly today, I love it! In short, it's about Google succeding in intruding NORADs monopoly of tracking Santa since 1955, because some Keyhole guys, nerds [likely quite rich, after getting acquired by Google, was sitting in office, bored, wanted do something meaningfull [<- }. After which Google and NORAD starts cooperating for five years, after which they split, and Google in 2015 giving NORADs Santa Tracker almost a death stab, making the source code Open Source and placing on GitHub. [<- Such heathens!] - - - o 0 o - - - Obviously, if one looks around, the NORAD Santa Tracker is still around yet as of today, and is also available as an app, while the Google Santa Tracker is not! NORAD Santa Tracker. - - - o 0 o - - - If this information was of value to you, please consider a nominal donation to Wikimedia Foundation. - - - o 0 o - - - Merry Christmas to all of you, my fellow CofB&F members, and to your families!
adventurer Posted December 24, 2025 Posted December 24, 2025 Merry Christmas to the members of this board and their families!
Parsad Posted December 24, 2025 Posted December 24, 2025 Merry Christmas to everyone! I think most have had a lucrative year in 2025...please don't forget those less fortunate or organizations that do work you support. Cheers! Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? - A Christmas Carol
Munger_Disciple Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 Merry Christmas to all the board members! I am thankful for the (mostly polite ) & great discussions on this forum and wish everyone a wonderful holiday season!!
LC Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 Merry Christmas everyone! 19 hours ago, John Hjorth said: If this information was of value to you, please consider a nominal donation to Wikimedia Foundation. Done!! This donation inspired in part by multiple glasses of southern italian wine!
DooDiligence Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 19 hours ago, John Hjorth said: If this information was of value to you, please consider a nominal donation to Wikimedia Foundation. - - - o 0 o - - - Merry Christmas to all of you, my fellow CofB&F members, and to your families! Done Also donated to: my local public broadcasting station (WSRE) my local YMCA to help someone who can't afford membership
Viking Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 (edited) Yes, Merry Christmas everyone. My wife and I both pinch ourselves every morning at our good fortune. This message board has been a very important piece in the puzzle. Thank you. Edited December 25, 2025 by Viking
John Hjorth Posted December 25, 2025 Author Posted December 25, 2025 On 12/24/2025 at 8:45 AM, John Hjorth said: ... If this information was of value to you, please consider a nominal donation to Wikimedia Foundation. ... 5 hours ago, LC said: ... Merry Christmas everyone! ... Done!! ... 5 hours ago, DooDiligence said: Done Also donated to: my local public broadcasting station (WSRE) my local YMCA to help someone who can't afford membership You two gentlemen are good persons and are always and have always been pleasant to be around, @LC and Jeff [ @DooDiligence ]!
SharperDingaan Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 Merry Xmas! and the best of the season to all. SD
UK Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 2 hours ago, Parsad said: Nice card UK! Cheers! Thanks! Gemini did this from basically one short sentence...maybe I am too late to discover all this, but it is really impressive...go GOOGL!:)
Eng12345 Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 Merry Christmas all! Very thankful for all on this board! My knowledge gained over the past few years has been phenomenal.
drzola Posted December 25, 2025 Posted December 25, 2025 Merry Christmas. Grateful to be a part of this forum
villainx Posted December 26, 2025 Posted December 26, 2025 Hope everyone had wonderful Xmas and or holiday.
John Hjorth Posted December 26, 2025 Author Posted December 26, 2025 @villainx, Here it's still Christmas, 3rd Christmas Day, Anno Domino 2025, meaning : Lunch : Beer and snaps [ Akvavit ], my favorite : Line Aquavit ] : To that : Danish 'smørrebrød' [home made, not delivered] [English : Open Sandwiches] : Sild [ herring ] with Karry Salat [ curry salad] : Flæskesteg med rødkål mv. [Sliced cold roasted pork with red cabbage etc.] : Æg og rejer mv. [Eggs with shrips etc.] : - - - o 0 o - - - After such a lunch, life is just great! If it isen't, you just switch from 2 cl snaps glasses : to similar glasses, just restaurant size, 5,5 cl size : - - - o 0 o - - - And hey! -It's also Friday today!
UK Posted December 26, 2025 Posted December 26, 2025 2 hours ago, John Hjorth said: @villainx, Here it's still Christmas, 3rd Christmas Day, Anno Domino 2025, meaning : Lunch : Beer and snaps [ Akvavit ], my favorite : Line Aquavit ] : To that : Danish 'smørrebrød' [home made, not delivered] [English : Open Sandwiches] : Sild [ herring ] with Karry Salat [ curry salad] : Flæskesteg med rødkål mv. [Sliced cold roasted pork with red cabbage etc.] : Æg og rejer mv. [Eggs with shrips etc.] : - - - o 0 o - - - After such a lunch, life is just great! If it isen't, you just switch from 2 cl snaps glasses : to similar glasses, just restaurant size, 5,5 cl size : - - - o 0 o - - - And hey! -It's also Friday today! Whoa, now I want some herring too!:)
cubsfan Posted December 26, 2025 Posted December 26, 2025 On 12/24/2025 at 10:08 PM, Viking said: Yes, Merry Christmas everyone. My wife and I both pinch ourselves every morning at our good fortune. This message board has been a very important piece in the puzzle. Thank you. +1 - can't express it better! Merry Christmas all!
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now