Google's Doodle for Christmas 2010
Google Colors For Christmas
This Google Doodle features various images of well-known symbols of the holiday season. It serves as the reminder to browsers of holiday seasons it also serves as an educational purpose by informing people of the background behind key symbols of the holidays. Images incorporated in this doodles are:
1.
St. Basil's Cathedral.
The Cathedral of Intercession of Theotokos on the Moat (Russian: Собор Покрова пресвятой Богородицы, что на Рву), popularly known as Saint Basil's Cathedral (Russian: Собор Василия Блаженного), is a Russian Orthodox cathedral erected on the Red Square in Moscow in 1555–1561. Built on the order of Ivan IV of Russia to commemorate the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan, it marks the geometric center of the city and the hub of its growth since the 14th century. It was the tallest building in Moscow until the completion of the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in 1600.
2.
Acropolis of Athens.
The Acropolis of Athens or Citadel of Athens is the best known acropolis (Gr. akros, akron, edge, extremity + polis, city, pl. acropoleis) in the world. Although there are many other acropoleis in Greece, the significance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is commonly known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis was formally proclaimed as the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments on 26 March 2007. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock that rises 150 m (490 ft) above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 hectares. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Cecrops, the first Athenian king.
3.
Bûche de Noël.
Bûche de Noël (French pronunciation: [byʃ də nɔɛl]) ("Yule log") is a traditional dessert served near the end of the year in France, Belgium, Canada, Lebanon, Vietnam, and several other francophone countries. As the name indicates, the cake is generally prepared, presented, and garnished so as to look like a log ready for the fire used in the ancient fire-festival of the winter solstice.
4.
Mount Fuji.
Mount Fuji (富士山) Fuji-san is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft). Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山 Sanreizan). An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji is just west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.
5.
Great Wall of China.
The Great Wall was key to protecting agriculture and resisting cavalry of the Huns and other warrior tribes from the north. The advantages of the enormous barrier diminished with the advancement of gunpowder and other weaponry. The wall was originally built of stone, wood, grass and earth. In the Ming Dynasty bricks were produced in kilns set up along the wall. The bricks were transported by men carrying them on their backs, donkeys, mules and even goats had a brick tied to their head before being driven up a mountain. The Great Wall of China was built over more than two thousand years. Construction on the first section began between the 7th and 6th century BC, and the last work on the wall was done between the 14th and 17th centuries.
6.
Pierogi.
Pierogi (also spelled pierógi, pyrogy or perogi) are boiled, baked or fried dumplings of unleavened dough stuffed with varying ingredients. They are usually semicircular, but are square in some cuisines. They are a part of traditional Ukrainian, Polish, and Russian cuisine.
7.
Sahara Desert.
The Sahara (Arabic: الصحراء الكبرى, al-kubra, "The Great Desert") is the world's largest hot desert. At over 9,400,000 square kilometres (3,630,000 sq mi), it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The only larger desert in the world is Antarctica, classified as such due to very low precipitation rates. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it is delimited by the Sahel: a belt of semi-arid tropical savanna that comprises the northern region of central and western Sub-Saharan Africa.
8.
Indian Dance Style or Indian Classical Dance.
Indian classical dance is a relatively new umbrella term for various codified art forms rooted in Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles, whose theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC).
9.
The Oud.
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North Africa (Chaabi, Andalusian, ...) and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging evolutionary paths. The oud is readily distinguished by its lack of frets and smaller neck.
10.
Chilli Pepper.
Chili pepper (from Nahuatl chilli, chilli pepper, chilli, chillie, chili, and chile) is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Chili peppers originated in the Americas. After the Columbian Exchange, many cultivars of chili pepper spread across the world, used in both food and medicine.
11.
The Sydney Harbor.
Sydney Harbour is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. The location of the first European settlement in Australia, the harbour has continued to play a key role in the history and development of Sydney. It is used as the location of the New Year's Eve Fireworks and the starting point of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
12.
Venice Gondola of Italy.
The gondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian Lagoon. For centuries gondolas were once the chief means of transportation and most common watercraft within Venice. In modern times the iconic boats still have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (ferries) over the Grand Canal. They are also used in special regattas (rowing races) held amongst gondoliers. It is similar to punting, except it uses an oar to propel it instead of a pole. Their primary role, however, is to carry tourists on rides at established prices.
13.
Nepal.
Nepal (नेपाल), officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolis. Nepal has a rich geography. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, called Sagarmatha in Nepali. It contains more than 240 peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m) above sea level. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized.
14.
Chilean vineyards.
Chile produces some of the best wines in the world. Their vineyards are also attractive.
15.
African Kanga.
The kanga which comes from the old Bantu (Kiswahili) verb ku-kanga to wrap or close, is a colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women and occasionally by men throughout Eastern Africa. It is a piece of printed cotton fabric, about 1.5m by 1m, often with a border along all four sides (called pindo in Swahili), and a central part (mji) which differs in design from the borders. Khangas are usually very colorful.
16.
Henna lamps.
Moroccan henna lamps are made of sheep or goat skin that is stretched around different shapes of handmade Moroccan wrought iron frames. After dying the skin, with a needle, the henna artists, generally girls, meticulously draw different intricate motifs, which appear to be fine black lines on the skins. They let the henna dry for around one hour and then the painter artists apply different color paints in the different recipients drawn with henna. Moroccan lamps use typical Moroccan vibrant colors, such as red, yellow, orange or blue which makes you think of Aladdin's glowing magical lights.
17.
Santa Claus up on the chimney (Up on the housetop).
This is a picture of Santa Clause up to the chimney and it is lnked to the song "Up on the House Top" which is a Christmas song written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864 in the town of New Paris, Ohio. It has been recorded by a multitude of singers, among the most notable Gene Autry, who is also known for his version of the classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.