Christmas related spatial technologies. Find ways to track santa and to view Christmas lights. Find interesting information about the geography of Christmas.

Track Santa With NORAD
(Flash required) Use GIS to track Santa with the help of NORAD starting on December 24th. Using NORAD’s radar system called the North Warning System, visitors can log on to the website to track Santa’s movements as he leaves the North Pole. Santa tracking can be done in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese.

Earthscape Santa Tracker
A virtual globe application that allows you to follow Santa as he makes his way around the world, or simply explore thousands of photos of the Holidays being celebrated around the world. The web page includes a link to download the application (free) and a video demonstrating the Santa Tracker.

My Christmas Wonderland
Bronner’s Department store, which advertises itself as the largest Christmas Store, has created a Google mashup of homes around the United States and Canada with extensive Christmas light decorations. Click on locations to see the decorations and to vote on your favorite. You can also add your own home decoration listings.

How Google Earth Killed Santa
Posting from the “Parallel Divergence” blog on the harm that being able to see the reality of the world’s geography does to children’s beliefs in santa Claus.

Christmas Related Names in the United States
Analysis done by GeoCommunity on places in the United States with Christmas season related names. Information was pulled from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)

You Sleigh Me!
Sketch Up! Santas, reindeer and sleighs.