Google releases holiday Easter Egg: Let it Snow

By Mike Flacy Published December 19, 2011

Google-sign — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Discovered this weekend, search giant Google added a holiday-themed Easter Egg to the search engine similar to the Barrel Roll Easter Egg added during November. When a user types “Let It Snow” into the search engine, the search results include links to YouTube to hear Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble sing the popular holiday song as well as links to lyrics for the song. However, users will notice snowflakes to start slowly falling from the top of the screen and collect around the edges of the browser. Once enough snow collects on the screen, users can trace images in the snow by clicking the left mouse button and dragging around the cursor. At the top of the screen, users will also notice that the blue search button converts to a “Defrost” button allowing the user to clear the screen of the white snowflakes.

During November 2011, typing “do a barrel roll” into the search engine would make the screen spin 360 degrees assuming the user was using a recent version of a major Web browser. In addition, typing “ZZ” or “RR” into the search engine would perform the same task as an homage to Nintendo’s Starfox 64. Google has quietly rolled out other Easter Eggs in the past without any fanfare. Every YouTube video that has been published after April 2010 includes a Snake mini-game that’s activated by hitting the up and left arrow buttons at the same time.

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Google has created several translations of the search engine into pop culture-infused languages including Klingon, Hacker, Elmer Fudd, Pig Latin and Pirate. In addition, Google Reader includes the ability to type in the Konami code for a ninja-themed surprise. After typing “up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, enter key” while in Google Reader, the sidebar turns blue and a ninja appears on the left side of the screen. The same theme can be found in Gmail.

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