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If you find the hustle and bustle of the holidays overwhelming, let tech remind you of the reason for the season! You may see the holiday decorations appearing around town but you’re just not feeling festive yet. Turn your “Bah, humbug!” into “Ho, ho, ho!”with a heaping helping of tech tools to help you get into the spirit of the holidays.
Holiday Classics
You may not associate tech with nostalgia but these holiday classics will delight kids and adults alike. Gather the family around with some mugs of hot chocolate to enjoy these treasures:
Frosty the Snowman
Remember the magic of Frosty the Snowman as you watch this three-part holiday collection and sing along with the favorite Frosty song.
Frosty the Snowman Collection is available from iTunes in HD for $17.99 or SD for $15.99. You can watch the video on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch using the Videos app, on your computer using iTunes and on your TV using an Apple TV.
Also check out the Frosty the Snowman book app on iTunes for $3.99.
A Charlie Brown Christmas
If you’re a Peanuts fan, tech has you covered. Check out Charlie Brown’s Christmas as a video, music album, book and app.
A Charlie Brown Christmas video is available in iTunes, remastered from the original TV show, for $9.99.
A Charlie Brown Christmas app is available as an interactive app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at:
- iTunes App Store for $5.99 for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch
- Google Play for $4.99 for Android devices
- Amazon Appstore for $4.99 for Android devices and Kindle Fire
A Charlie Brown Christmas album for music lovers is available at iTunes for $9.99 and Google Play for $9.49.
A Charlie Brown Christmas iBook is available to be read on your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch or Mac for $6.99.
Also check out A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving app at iTunes, Google Play and Amazon Appstore to get into the spirit of Thanksgiving!
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Enjoy the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer in this interactive book app. Visit the land of misfit toys and remember how Rudolph’s red nose help guide Santa’s sleigh! Listen to the narration or record your own voice to read along with the story.
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer app is available for $3.99 in:
iTunes for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch
Google Play for Android devices
Amazon Appstore for Android devices and Kindle Fire.
[idea]Also see, Holiday Tunes with Tech! [/idea]
Apps
Christmas
This free app will help you get into the spirit of Christmas with its Christmas music, countdown calendar, wallpaper and jigsaw puzzles. You can listed to streaming Christmas music from a variety of radio stations using the app while you choose your wallpaper or finish a jigsaw puzzle.
Christmas is available free for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Christmas Ringtones
Get into the festive spirit with Christmas ringtones. This app gives you over 50 ringtones you can assign to your contacts, as a text alert and to your alarms.
Sorry, Christmas Ringtones app is no longer available from Google Play.
Santa Fun Games
This free app, Number 1 in the Cayman Islands App Store, gives you seven games to play for hours of holiday fun! Lively Christmas music plays in the background which you can mute if you need to concentrate on the games. Earn badges and try for the top position on the leader board.
Santa Fun Games is available free in the iTunes App Store.
Christmas Flow
If you’re a fan of puzzle games, check out Christmas Flow. This app is the Christmas version of the popular Flow app where you connect the colored dots on a grid without crossing the lines.
See my review of Flow in 6 Super Fun Puzzle Apps to Stimulate Your Brain!
Christmas Flow is available free for Android devices.
Christmas Rink Wallpaper/Screen Saver
This holiday scene will take you into a Christmas ice rink and is available both as an Android live wallpaper and as a screen saver for your Windows computer. The wallpaper is interactive, tap the skaters to see what happens! You can adjust the settings of the wallpaper to customize the experience.
You can download Christmas Rink free for Android devices at Google Play and the Christmas Rink Screen Saver for your Windows computer from the 7 Art website.
Santa Booth
Have you ever wondered what you’d look like dressed up as Santa? How about as an elf? Santa Booth is a free app that will solve that mystery for you by transforming your picture into a Christmas costume. Check out what you and your friends look like as:
- Santa Claus
- Mrs. Clause
- Reindeer
- Elf
Santa Booth is available free in the iTunes App Store.
Christmas Tree Decoration
Have fun decorating a virtual Christmas tree with this app. No need to worry about tangled lights, broken ornaments or messy needles. You can decorate your virtual Christmas tree over and over again until you are satisfied with its beauty.
Christmas Tree Decoration is available for free at Google Play for Android devices.
Also check out Christmas Tree, a free decorating app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Christmas Recipes – Winter Drinks for the Holiday Season!
Take a few moments out of your busy days and enjoy a relaxing winter drink. This app gives you recipes for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to help you unwind and put you in a festive mood. Enjoy libations such as White Hot Chocolate, German Egg Nog and Non-alcoholic Mulled Wine. The app includes a shopping list so you can pick up the ingredients without having to plan ahead.
Christmas Recipes – Winter Drinks for the Holiday Season! is available in iTunes for free.
Your Thoughts
Do you have a tradition that gets you into the holiday spirit? What are your favorite holiday classics? Do you have a holiday app that you recommend? Let us know in the Comments section below!
* Snowman photo courtesy of Will Montegue
Harleena Singh says
Hi Carolyn,
Trust you to come up with another great post that sets us in the holiday mood
Yes, that time is nearing and I can already see so many people getting ready with their posts on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year’s. You can see the hustle-bustle around, though there could be SO many apps, is something new.
I’d more on the classic front type I think and stick with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the Christmas recipes and tree decorations – I think the fun with doing it all up, the whole process is much more enjoyable for me Forwarding this post to my daughters because I know they’d love the games for sure!
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice week ahead
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Harleena, Yes, this was a very fun post to research and write. Those classic stories brought back so many memories of my childhood and my family still enjoys watching these each year.
I enjoy discovering the new tech too. These apps are so much fun and can help put me in the holiday spirit. I’m excited to try some new recipes too!
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing, Harleena. Always a delight to have you contribute to the conversation here!
Mike Maynard says
Hi Carolyn,
You gave me a few ideas. I need Christmas music in case my students visit again. I’m going to try to make an effort with the decorations and buy some mince pies. I think I might have one Chinese student and one French student visiting. I just checked out Spotify for music. I think I’ll have to search and make up my own playlist, some are horrible! The photo I’m having printed on canvas is on it’s way apparently. I must do some more Christmas images ready for my Christmas posts. I didn’t take any photos this weekend. My internet went off on Sunday at a critical time. I was looking at a new tablet and nothing would work. I tried showing my sister my phone and nothing worked right. It was only the new TV box that actually said no internet! I seem to have more fun writing posts over Christmas. There’s no shortage of things to writ about. I might even write another short story to publish!
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Mike, Be sure to check out my earlier article, Holiday Tunes with Tech! for ideas on getting Christmas tunes.
I look forward to your Christmas posts. I hope you write another short story. I still remember the last one. I enjoyed that one tremendously. :-bd
Anetta Bursh says
Hi Carolyn,
Nice post and a reminder of the upcoming holiday. The tradition of getting flowers from the forest and Cyprus tree branches to make Chrismas tree is just amazing though it has been dumped. I liked it too much when I was a child. I like Chrismas songs as ringtone as well as playing at the background as we near the holiday. This is a timely topic. I like it.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Anetta, I’ve never heard of getting flowers from the forest for Christmas but that may be because where I live flowers aren’t in bloom during the holidays. But it does sound like a wonderful tradition!
Yes, the Christmas ringtones are fun and festive. You can even use them for alarms and text messages.
Anetta Bursh says
Hi Carolyn,
It was used long time ago because those flowers could not dry easily. They could last. for three days while they were still alive as long as they are being water. They are dark green in color with some thorns. We couldn’t hang balloons on them but other flowers or ribbons.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
That sounds lovely, Anetta. What a beautiful holiday tradition!
Jens P. Berget says
Hi Carolyn,
I do have a tradition that gets me into the holiday spirit. It’s usually about music, and it’s about a specific kind of Christmas soda, and some Christmas chocolate. I start drinking and eating those as soon as they get them in the store, and that’s about now
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Jens, What wonderful traditions you have! I have never heard of Christmas soda before, but it must be special if you like it. What flavor is the soda? We definitely have Christmas chocolate here, that’s a fun way of getting into the holiday spirit!
Praveen Rajarao says
Nice list here, i just downloaded the christmas rink wallpaper for my android, looks good and festive
Thanks for the article.
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Praveen, I’m so glad you are enjoying the Christmas Rink wallpaper. Be sure to dive into the settings to adjust the effects for even more fun! :-bd
Susan Neal says
A great post to get us all in the mood for Christmas, Carolyn! I’m a sucker for Charlie Brown – I’ve still got an ancient snoopy T shirt I can’t bear to part with – so that would definitely be my favourite
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Sue, Yes, Charlie Brown is definitely a classic for both Christmas and Thanksgiving. These are great ways to be entertained and be reminded of what is truly important about these holidays.
Adrienne says
On the 9th Carolyn I went to the Galleria with my step-son and his wife and they were lighting the Christmas tree. It’s hard to believe it’s almost that time of year but I can’t get into Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. I can’t even believe it’s already here. Dang that time flying by.
Leave it to you to find some fun stuff for us again this year. I kind of like the app where I can see what I might look like as Santa or even a reindeer. Goofy I know but fun.
As always, appreciate you sharing these great finds with us Carolyn. Enjoy your week and thanks again.
~Adrienne
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Adrienne, Yes, each year it seems that the celebration season gets earlier. With Thanksgiving being late this year, we may need to get into the holiday spirit before we’re really in the mood for it. These videos, books, apps and music can help us start to feel festive.
I’m glad you like the Santa Booth app, Adrienne. That is a fun one! Perhaps Santa Booth will be a new fun tradition for you and your family, Adrienne!
Pramod says
Awesome stuff Carolyn !
For those technology lovers out there , the apps that you’ve shared are worth to be tried out .People should enjoy these apps with their friends and relatives as this is the best time to enjoy with each other. Thanks for sharing these applications with us !
-Pramod
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Pramod, Thanks for your kind words. Yes, these apps, books, videos and music can be fun for anyone, even people who don’t usually enjoy tech. While we don’t often associate nostalgia with tech, these classics can really bring back fond memories and get us in the holiday spirit.
Jeevan Jacob John says
That’s a lot of apps
It has been a while since I have used my Kindle (I suppose I could also find some of these apps in Windows 8 app store?).
I do like the Christmas Wallpaper – need to check that one out.
Thanks for sharing these apps, Carolyn Appreciate it, as always!
Manickam Vijayabanu says
Hi Carolyn,
How are you? Cool collection of apps for the right season.
Since I own Android, I just downloaded Christmas Rink Wallpaper and Christmas Tree Decoration. Let me try to check for our little tree decoration and my Daughter would love it.
Many thanks that every year you come up with list of apps and games at right season and thanks for the nice collection and search. Happy holidays..!!
Carolyn Nicander Mohr says
Hi Vijay, How lovely to see you back here at The Wonder of Tech! I’m so glad you’re enjoying some of these apps. Your daughter is sure to enjoy these.
Happy holidays to you and your family, Vijay!