Mrs. Greenlund’s 2nd grade class used their amazing writing skills to let Santa knew just how good they have been this year! Mrs. Austin, an Advance Newspaper reporter (and parent of Taylor) visited during a recent writer’s workshop and featured these one of kind writers and their extra special letters. Enjoy the article!
Thanks to the internet, and a tech savvy Santa, we can now track his journey from the North Pole to children’s homes throughout the world and then back again.
To track Santa from your home, visit the Santa Tracking System that is controlled my some very special Norad trained elves. You can also visit Santa’s workshop.
The elves at Google received special permission from Santa Claus to share these helpful links:
From the Google Blog:
“There’s one timeless question that we’re proud to say we can help answer: Where in the world is Santa at this very moment? Thanks in part to recent advances in warp-speed GPS technology and some very clever elves (elveneering?) NORAD Tracks Santa is once again prepped and ready to go.”
The kids love it (Okay who am I kidding? This is really cool). As of tomorrow young and old alike can visit www.noradsanta.org to stalk Santa as he crosses the names of over 6 billion people off of his list. And because it’s the all-seeing GOOG you have multiple “Santa stalking” options. Yes really.
Google Map — Open Google Maps and search for “Santa NORAD” or just visit NoradSanta.org and get past the language screen. You can also watch a Santa cam here.
Google Earth Plugin – If you’ve got the Google Earth plugin, you can visit Noradsanta.org and click on Track Santa In Google Earth.
Santa Mobile — Visit m.noradsanta.org or complete the “Santa NORAD” search on Google Maps for mobile.
YouTube – Of course, Santa has a YouTube channel.
Realtime Search — You can follow Santa on Twitter at @noradsanta, find him on Facebook hereand use Google’s realtime search for updates.
Apparently NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955, hilariously because a telephone misprint in a Sears catalogue misdirected Santa hotline callers to a NORAD higher ups phone line. Google got in on the Santa tracking game in 2004 and partnered up with NORAD in 2007, bringing Google services like Maps, Earth and YouTube into the mix.
Okay seriously, does ANY tech company have more Christmas spirit than Google?
Update: For those in need of an even bigger Santa fix, here’s his privacy policy.
If you would like to track Santa’s travels around the world on Christmas Eve, visit NORADSanta.org beginning 2 am on December 24. Santa’s advanced skills in technology allow him to make this kind of tracking device available to all of us. If you would like to find out more about how the North Pole uses google, check out Google LatLong Blog. Thanks to Free Technology for Teachers, I am also able to share the tracking video from last year!
While waiting for Santa’s arrival, you can watch videos of our stupendous holiday program!
Raise your hand if you think Santa uses magic to find the just right gift for every boy and girl? If you thought this, as I did, you will be amazed to learn that there is new 
evidence to suggest that it looks like magic but is in fact advanced technology that allows him to create scientific tools to help him get his job done.
Examples of these tools are: Terahertz wave radiation scanner, metamaterials that allow for lightbending, heads-up display glasses, and much more. Although some of these gadgets are being tested in labs currently, most of Santa’s tools are hundreds of years more advanced that what we have access to today!
You can listen to Gregory Mone, editor for Popular Science, share these tools on NPR: Santa Claus Relies On Robots, Gadgetry Many more examples are shared in Mone’s new book, The Truth About Santa: Wormholes, Robots, and What Really Happens on Christmas Eve.
These activities and promotions are NOT sponsored by the Hudsonville Public Schools. Activities and promotions are listed as a service to the Hudsonville Public School Community.
Free Gift Wrapping: The City of Hudsonville is offering free gift wrapping to its residents. We have the gift wrapping, bows, boxes and gift tags; you just bring the presents. The days for the gift wrapping this year are: Friday, December 5, 5 8 pm; Saturday, December 6, 10 am 3 pm; Friday, December 12, 5 8 pm; Saturday, December 13, 10 am – 3 pm; Friday, December 19, 5 8 pm; Saturday, December 20, 10 am 3 pm. The gift wrapping takes place at the Hudsonville City Hall Commission Chambers.
Hudsonville Lights Up Downtown: Hudsonville is igniting the Holiday Season with a computerized musical light display by Lightastic Holiday Lighting. The light display will be in the fountain area of the Plaza beginning November 21st. The five song show is just over 14 minutes long and will run continually from 6 pm to 10 pm. A 25 foot Christmas tree of lights will be the centerpiece of the display and be placed over the fountain. Several of the trees/shrubs in the plaza will be decorated and various luminaries will be added to the grounds. The show will feature 12,450 lights in multi color or white, red, green, blue and yellow. All the lights will be choreographed to the following songs: Wizards in Winter Trans Siberian Orchestra; Linus & Lucy (Peanuts Theme) – Vince Guaraldi; Jingle Bells – Kay Thompson & Michael W. Smith; Carol of the Bells – David Foster; Christ Eve (Sarajevo) – Trans Siberian Orchestra. Spectators that come to the plaza area can tune their radio to a designated radio station and listen to the music from the comfort of their cars and watch the spectacular light display. The light show will run until the New Year.
Santa Comes to the Plaza: Santa and Mrs. Claus will be in Gemmens’ on Saturday, December13, from10 am – 1 pm. They will also be in a gazebo in the Plaza area right in front of the Christmas Light Display on December 5, 9, and 19, from 6 8 pm. Pictures will be available through McConomy Photography for $10 a package.
