🎄 Google Tricks · Christmas · Easter Eggs
Google Easter Eggs for Christmas
(What Still Works)
Google isn’t great at Christmas Easter eggs these days. The famous one is more than a decade old, the decorations people remember came and went, and most “new Christmas tricks” lists recycle the same two items.
So here’s the honest version: what’s actually documented, what’s worth trying this December, and what you can skip. It’s one chapter of our complete list of Google Easter eggs.
Quick answer: The best-known Christmas trick is searching “let it snow,” which dropped snowflakes and frost over the results when it launched in December 2011. We couldn’t find recent coverage confirming it, so test it yourself. The dependable holiday fun is Google’s Santa Tracker, which runs through December and turns on a live map on Christmas Eve.
What “let it snow” did
Google added it in December 2011, a few weeks after the “do a barrel roll” egg. You typed “let it snow,” the results filled with videos of the song, and snowflakes began falling from the top of the page. Frost then crept in from the edges until the results were hard to read.
A “defrost” link wiped the frost so you could read again. At launch it only worked in browsers that supported HTML5 canvas, which was a real limit for the browsers of that era.
Does “let it snow” still work in 2026?
Maybe. We found plenty of coverage from 2011 and nothing recent that confirms it, so treat it as unverified. Give it ten seconds on a desktop browser. If all you get is song videos, that’s your answer.
If the snow doesn’t show, check two things first. Reduced-motion settings on your device can switch off visual effects, and the Google app or a newer results view may not run old tricks at all.
The 2011 holiday lights
That same month, a report described Google adding a row of Christmas tree lights to results for “Christmas,” Star of David symbols for “Hanukkah,” and multicolored candles for “Kwanzaa.” We found no recent confirmation of any of them, so file them under history.
Christmas Google tricks at a glance
| Trick | What to do | What it does | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Let it snow | Search let it snow | Snowflakes and frost; “defrost” clears it | Unconfirmed in 2026 |
| Holiday lights | Search Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa | Lights and symbols on results (2011) | Historical |
| Google Santa Tracker | Visit santatracker.google.com | Village with games all December, live map on Dec 24 | Active (ran in 2025) |
| NORAD Tracks Santa | Visit noradsanta.org | Live map and a phone line on Dec 24 | Active (ran in 2025) |
Better bets than hunting for hidden eggs
The Santa Tracker is the one Christmas feature from Google that has shown up year after year. It launched in 2004, the village fills up with games and activities through December, and the live map starts on Christmas Eve. We wrote it up properly in Google Santa Tracker tricks.
If you just want something to play while the snow refuses to fall, a hidden game does the job. Our hidden Google games list has Snake, Solitaire and the Chrome dinosaur, all free.
Before you give up on an egg
- Use a desktop browser, Chrome if you can.
- Type the phrase exactly, with no extra words.
- Turn off reduced motion for the test.
- Check the date. A seasonal trick may only run for a few weeks.
Looking for something less festive? Our free AI tools are open all year.
Frequently asked questions
Google had a famous one: searching “let it snow” made snow and frost appear over the results when it launched in December 2011. We found no recent confirmation that it still works, so test it yourself. Google’s Santa Tracker is the dependable holiday feature.
Search “let it snow” on a desktop browser. If it works, snowflakes fall and frost builds over the results, and a defrost option clears it. If you only see song videos, the trick may no longer run for you.
In 2025 the village of games and activities ran throughout December, and the live map launched on Christmas Eve. Check santatracker.google.com for the 2026 timing.
Yes. Coverage of the 2025 season describes both Google’s tracker and NORAD Tracks Santa as free to use.
The trick may have been retired, or it may not run on your browser or Search screen, and reduced-motion settings can switch off visual effects. Try standard Google Search in Chrome on a desktop.
Sources checked
Facts here were checked against these sources on November 2, 2026. Gameplay and settings were not tested for this article, so try anything yourself before relying on it.
- The Christian Science Monitor, December 2011 — how “let it snow” looked at launch.
- Search Engine Watch, December 2011 — the launch report and the song results.
- TidBITS, December 2011 — the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa decorations.
- Search Engine Journal, 2025 Santa Tracker coverage — the Santa Tracker and NORAD details.
The original report: Search Engine Watch on the “let it snow” launch, from December 2011.