What is Google Doodle? Interesting things about Google Doodle that you don’t know
Have you ever noticed the many interesting themes featured on Google’s homepage? You might have interacted with games or explored the meaning behind some of these symbols. Today, let’s learn about Google Doodle—a world full of fascinating things waiting for you to discover.
What is Google Doodle?
Google Doodle refers to the different variations of the Google logo, temporarily replacing it on the homepage to celebrate holidays, events, achievements, and notable people.
Instead of keeping the traditional logo, which may seem a bit “boring,” Google Doodles were created to bring dynamic imagery with specific meanings. This adds an element of fun for users when searching for information on the tech giant’s platform.
Some Key Facts About Google Doodle
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The Origin of Google Doodle
Originally, Google Doodle was just a simple “out of office” message from Google’s staff to users. The design team created the logo during their weekend trip to the Burning Man festival in Nevada. This modified logo was meant to notify users that the team was away and not available to resolve technical issues.
Placement of Google Doodle
In its early days, Google’s homepage and logo design were quite different. It wasn’t until March 31, 2001, that Google Doodles were placed in the center of the homepage, a layout still used today.
Notable Events Featured in Google Doodles
1. 66th Anniversary of the Roswell Incident (July 8, 2013)
Google designed an interactive Doodle based on the supposed UFO event in Roswell. It depicted the story of an alien crash-landing on Earth due to a spaceship malfunction. This Doodle took the form of an adventure game where users helped the alien repair the ship.
2. 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who (November 23, 2013)
Doctor Who is considered the longest-running sci-fi TV series in history. To commemorate its 50th anniversary, Google launched a Doodle where users had to help rescue the letters of “Google” stolen by the Daleks and return them to the TARDIS. This became one of Google’s most intricate and impressive Doodles.
3. 30th Anniversary of Pac-Man (May 21, 2010)
One of the earliest animated Google Doodles, this Pac-Man Doodle marked the game’s 30th anniversary. The homepage featured original sound and graphics, with a custom maze shaped like the Google logo. It even supported two-player mode.
4. London 2012 Olympics (August 2012)
For every Olympics, Google releases themed Doodles. However, London 2012 marked the first time Google introduced interactive animated Doodles. Four were released: football, basketball, hurdles, and canoeing. The football Doodle, where users played as a goalkeeper, was particularly popular.
5. 100 Years of Crossword Puzzles (December 21, 2013)
Despite modern forms of entertainment, crosswords remain beloved. To celebrate their 100th anniversary, Google released a Doodle game in select countries with 78 challenging puzzles.
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6. Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine’s Day) (August 13, 2013)
This Eastern cultural holiday falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, commemorating the love story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, who are only allowed to meet once a year via a bridge of birds.
To mark the occasion, Google released a Doodle game in select countries, where players helped birds form a bridge for the lovers. Though the concept was simple, the game was tricky due to timed elements and moving birds.
7. 96th Birthday of Les Paul (June 9, 2011)
Les Paul, a pioneer of solid-body electric guitars, was honored with a guitar-shaped Google Doodle. Users could interact with the Doodle and create their own music, celebrating the legacy of one of the most iconic names in music.
8. 15 Years of Google: September 27, 2013
One of the most significant anniversaries celebrated by the Google Doodle design team was Google’s birthday, marked by a creative and intelligent logo. This Google Doodle simulated a typical American-style birthday party.
In this Doodle, a large piñata (a paper-made container in various shapes filled with candies) appears, and users try to control the letter “g” to hit the piñata and collect candy. Because of this feature, users often referred to it as the “Candy-Hitting Doodle.” At the time it appeared on the Google homepage, social media platforms were flooded with users sharing their “candy-hit” scores.
9. 100th Birthday of Alan Turing: June 23, 2012
Alan Turing was a British mathematician, cryptanalyst, and logician. During World War II, he was a key figure at Bletchley Park and helped decode German encrypted messages. Turing is also considered the father of computer science and laid the groundwork for artificial intelligence.
To honor Turing’s immense contributions, Google featured a Google Doodle on his 100th birthday that simulated a Turing Machine. The machine illustrated basic computer algorithms at a low level, introducing users to foundational concepts of programming and binary language.
10. Valentine’s Day and the 154th Birthday of George Ferris: February 14, 2013
Valentine’s Day is widely known as a celebration of love. It also marks the birthday of George Washington Gale Ferris, an American engineer who invented the Ferris Wheel. In 2013, the Google Doodle team created a beautiful and imaginative logo to commemorate both occasions simultaneously. The Doodle stylized the word “Google” as an amusement park featuring two Ferris wheels.
The Doodle included an interactive button: when clicked, the Ferris wheels would spin, and once stopped, two random animals would meet and go on a themed date fitting the Valentine’s Day spirit. These dates were illustrated in fun and adorable comic-style sequences.
The First Google Doodle Contest
Google organizes contests for students to create their own Doodles, known as “Doodle 4 Google.”
Winning Doodles are featured on the Doodle 4 Google website, where the public can vote for the final winner. The champion receives a tour of the Googleplex, and their Doodle is displayed on Google’s homepage for 24 hours.
The contest originated in the United Kingdom and later expanded to the United States and other countries. It was held in Ireland in 2008. In 2009, Google launched a Doodle 4 Google competition in India, and the winning Doodle was displayed on the Indian homepage on November 14.
A similar contest was held in Singapore in January 2010 with the theme “Our Singapore.” Over 30,000 entries were submitted, and the winning Doodle was featured on Singapore’s National Day. The contest returned in 2015 with the theme “Singapore: The Next 50 Years.”
Important Vietnamese Events Featured in Google Doodles
1. Lunar New Year – January 25, 2020
In Vietnam, each lunar year is represented by one of twelve zodiac animals in the Vietnamese zodiac cycle—and 2020 was the Year of the Rat. Google Doodle celebrated one of Vietnam’s most important national holidays, the Lunar New Year (commonly referred to as Tết). The Doodle illustrated the story behind how the rat earned the first position in the zodiac.
According to ancient legend, an emperor challenged animals to a race across the land to determine their zodiac order. Due to its small size, the rat knew it couldn’t cross the river on its own, so it hitched a ride on the water buffalo’s back. Just before reaching the opposite shore, the rat cleverly leapt ahead—securing first place in the race and in the zodiac.
Lunar New Year is seen as a time for fresh beginnings, when families reunite to look forward to a new year, often while enjoying seasonal flowers and sharing traditional foods like bánh chưng and bánh tét.
2. Vietnam National Day – September 2, 2018
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Rising from beneath the water to bloom at dawn, the fragrant lotus flower seen in today’s illustration is recognized as Vietnam’s national flower. Symbolizing hope, the pink-and-white blossom is also associated with purity and is deeply woven into Vietnam’s culture, medicine, architecture, and cuisine.
The traditional Lotus Dance dates back to the 1600s, when it was performed in royal palaces to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday. The arches on Nguyễn Huệ Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City take the shape of giant neon lotuses, and many Vietnamese dishes feature sliced lotus root.
Across cities and towns in Vietnam, families and friends gather to celebrate National Day. Festivities and celebrations take place throughout the Southeast Asian country, with major events in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The warm summer weather provides the perfect setting for people to enjoy the richness of Vietnamese culture and nature — from food to flowers.
3. Vietnamese Bánh Mì – March 24, 2020
This Doodle celebrates the delicious and satisfying Vietnamese street food sandwich known as bánh mì — a flavorful fusion that perfectly represents the blend of cultures and ingredients. On this day in 2011, bánh mì was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary.
A traditional bánh mì consists of a crispy baguette filled with a variety of meats (such as pork pâté, Vietnamese ham, cold cuts, or meatballs), pickled vegetables and herbs (like daikon, carrot, and cilantro), a spread of mayonnaise or margarine, and a splash of savory soy sauce — all topped with chili sauce or fresh chilies. Delicious! The perfect bánh mì is ready to welcome Google homepage visitors.
4. Vietnamese Teachers’ Day – November 20, 2018
Vietnamese Teachers’ Day is a profoundly meaningful occasion in Vietnam. It’s a time for students to show their gratitude to their teachers and highlights the Vietnamese cultural tradition of “Respecting Teachers and Valuing Education.” Google Doodle frequently features this day on its homepage every year on November 20.
5. Trịnh Công Sơn’s Birthday – February 28, 2019
This Doodle celebrates the life and legacy of Trịnh Công Sơn — a gifted Vietnamese musician, songwriter, poet, and painter. Born in Đắk Lắk, Vietnam’s Central Highlands, on this day in 1939, Trịnh Công Sơn was raised in a Buddhist family with both parents being poets.
Considered one of Vietnam’s most influential modern musicians, he was admired by international artists such as Joan Baez. His song “Ngủ đi con” (“Sleep, My Child”), which tells the story of a fallen soldier’s mother, found great success in Japan. Today, his music continues to be recorded and performed by many of Vietnam’s most famous singers, including Hồng Nhung.
These have been some fascinating insights into Google Doodles and their celebration of notable events. We hope this article provided useful information. Wishing you joy and a deeper understanding of Google Doodles!
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