'Tis the Season! Google Doodle Continues the Holidays Tradition

Google is continuing its tradition of 'tis the season! holidays doodles with the second such doodle of the season on Wednesday. Tuesday was the first 'tis the season! doodle and on Wednesday, the Google home page depicts a man skiing, presumably on his way back home for the holidays.

Like previous years, Google is sticking to its secular 'tis the season! theme for the doodles, instead of Merry Christmas or similar, with the doodles so far this year not even depicting any Christmas-related decorations. Google's 'tis the season! themed doodles will again anger the 'War on Christmas' brigade that loves to point out Christmas is the reason for the holidays at this time of the year, so calling it anything else is merely masking the truth.

Of course, the Jewish festival of Hanukkah also falls around the same time, though the exact date varies, so perhaps 'tis the season! instead of Merry Christmas does have a justification after all.

While that debate will continue, in case you are wondering about the origins of the phrase 'tis the season!, it's from a traditional Christmas, yuletide, and New Years' carol called Deck the Halls. The full lyrics are as follows:

Deck the hall with boughs of holly,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

'Tis the season to be jolly,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Fill the meadcup, drain the barrel,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Troul the ancient Christmas carol,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

See the flowing bowl before us,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Strike the harp and join the chorus.

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Follow me in merry measure,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

While I sing of beauty's treasure,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Fast away the old year passes,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Hail the new, ye lads and lasses!

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Laughing, quaffing all together,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Heedless of the wind and weather,

Fa la la la la la la la la.

Deck the Halls featuring 'tis the season! has also been adapted into songs by various artists including SHeDAISY and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

In addition to 'tis the season! doodle, Google is also promoting another holiday themed feature on its home page that definitely has its origins in Christmas - the Santa Tracker.

What do you think about Google's 'tis the season! doodles minus the Christmas cheer? Let us know via the comments.

For more Google doodles, visit this page.

The best Google doodles of 2014