The big day is almost here and as many of us finish up last-minute shopping and preparations for Christmas, the Jolly Old Elf himself is packing up and preparing to make his annual trip around the globe. As in years past, Google once again brings us an inside look at the daily happenings around Santa’s Villiage. There are games to be played, Christmas history to be learned and you can even join the Big Guy in the barbershop and help him out with updating his look.
In Santa’s Villiage, you’ll find classics such as Penguin Dash, Elf Ski and Gift Slingshot but the Elves have upped their Holiday game this year with some new challenges that include the Rock Hero-esque “Wrap Battle” and more. There are some great videos that take a deeper look at day-to-day life in the Village including an exposé documentary on the shadier side of North Pole Penguins and the importance of strong passwords.
There are new surprises to be uncovered every day that will all lead up to Dec. 24 when the kiddos can start tracking the Fat Man’s every move as he makes stops around the world. You can event check out photos from Local Guides at more than 400 of Santa’s pitstops. This year, in place of a Chrome Extension, Santa’s Village can now be installed as a PWA (Progressive Web App). Simply head over to Santa’s Village and click the hamburger menu at the top left of the screen and you should see an “install” button at the top. See, Santa knows what’s up with the future of the web.
All silliness aside, Google’s Santa Tracker offers a wide variety of entertaining and educational games and tasks that can be fun for the whole family. Tomorrow, you can tune in for Ollie’s Undersea Adventure and hear the tale of how the team at the North Pole joins forces with underwater creatures to cheer up a sad narwhal. Fun! Check out all the fun at Santa’s Village and get ready to watch him take flight when Christmas Eve arrives.
Here’s another Holiday trick. On your phone, search “Santa Search” and click “View in 3D.” You’ll be able to hang out with the Jolly Ole Elf in augmented reality. Santa stopped by the CU office for a cup of freshly roasted coffee.