• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Sydney Sweeney doesn’t just star in controversial ads. She helps engineer them

1

Ed Sheeran asked Patriots owner Robert Kraft for $2 million aid donation after Macklemore was dropped from his tour for pro-Palestine comments

2

Meet Warren Buffett's son Howard, a former sheriff, war photographer, and now, Berkshire's new chairman

3

Sydney Sweeney doesn’t just star in controversial ads. She helps engineer them
Google

New for Christmas 2018: Google’s Santa Tracker Now Offers the Gift of Games

By
Brittany Shoot
Brittany Shoot
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Brittany Shoot
Brittany Shoot
Down Arrow Button Icon
December 23, 2018, 5:00 PM ET
Google source logo
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

For anyone wanting to keep tabs on where Santa Claus travels on Christmas Eve, well, there’s an app for that.

Google’s Santa Tracker, which was first launched in 2004, keeps tabs on Santa’s location the night before Christmas. But before the tracker starts mapping Santa’s location on Dec. 24, this year, Santa’s Village features a number of Christmas games, including several that let you test your coding skills. You can also compete in a wrap battle to see who can package and tie up the most gifts with the most skill. There’s even a translation area, where you can learn how to say phrases like “season’s greetings” and “happy new year” in more than 20 languages, including, yes, Elvish.

Santa Tracker is not just a place to play games, learn coding skills and create art. It’s also a large, real-world app that shows off Google Maps Platform capabilities. Check it out → https://t.co/XKifZuFPiK pic.twitter.com/f00eKnZFpY

— Google Maps Platform (@GMapsPlatform) December 21, 2018

If playing cool math, coding, and drawing games in Santa’s Village isn’t enough to satisfy your holiday break boredom, it’s also worth noting Google has plenty of other interactive Google Doodle games to play while you’re waiting to see where the sleigh lands next.

Not just because of the games—though they certainly differentiate the two—Google’s Santa Tracker is different than the Santa Tracker run by NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command. NORAD has been tracking Santa’s annual gift deliveries for over 60 years on its own website and is an all-volunteer run program that, much like Santa, carries on no matter the political climate or inclement winter weather.

In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year. pic.twitter.com/fY0oyjrdDc

— U.S. Northern Command (@USNorthernCmd) December 21, 2018

Try comparing the two sites because NORAD and (GOOG) Google tend to use different data to track Santa and his route. And be sure to check out NORAD’s Santa’s Village, which includes a library of information about Santa, his elves and reindeer, and of course, the joint U.S.-Canada history of aerospace and maritime defense.

About the Author
By Brittany Shoot
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.