Even though we’re more than halfway through December, there’s still plenty to do this holiday season. From last-minute shopping, to figuring out what to cook for the office party, to picking up the in-laws from the airport for their week-long stay, the next few weeks are shaping up to be pretty hectic.
And although there are probably a good number of people out there who still have lots to do before the holiday season is over (ourselves included), all of our lives can be made a whole lot easier by the slew of holiday mobile apps out there.
Have a look below for our pick of mobile apps that should make surviving the rest of the holiday season a much more realistic goal:
- Bogga Christmas Tree: Sure, most of us have our own Christmas trees to decorate at home, but what happens when we have a minute or two to kill and have an itch to get into the Christmas spirit? Decorate a virtual tree with this fun time killer.
- Santa’s Bag: A few of us here in the office are notoriously bad at tracking our Christmas shopping. Santa’s Bag helps us keep everything in check by letting us set budgets, track spending, and most importantly, lets us keep track of who’s getting what, so everyone is guaranteed to get a fair share. Probably.
- RedLaser: The fact that some of us have trouble tracking our holiday shopping doesn’t mean that we don’t like a good deal. RedLaser is a barcode/QR code reader that lets you compare prices immediately, both in-stores and online. It’s definitely saved us a buck or two since we started using it.
- Food52 Holiday Recipes & Party Planning Guide: Gigantic meals are without a doubt one of our favorite parts about the holidays. If you’re not cooking-inclined (or if you’re just looking to try out new recipes), Food52’s app has dozens of easy-to-follow, delicious recipes that are sure to be a hit over the holidays.
- NORAD Tracks Santa: NORAD is already legendary for their web-based Santa tracker, so their new mobile app is a shoo-in for our holiday app list. After all, who doesn’t want to track Santa as he works his way around the globe on Christmas Eve?
- Just Landed: For better or worse, the holidays usually mean visits from in-laws and other family members. Just Landed tracks inbound flights and helps you pick people up from the airport on time by telling you exactly when you should leave. Now, whether you follow the advice and show up on time, or leave your relatives waiting just a few minutes longer—that’s up to you.
- Matchbook: With all those relatives in town over the holidays, there’s a good chance that you’re going to want to get out of the house. Matchbook helps you save your favorite bars and restaurants so that you won’t have to think twice about where to go if you do manage to sneak out for an hour or two.
- Secret Santa Supreme: Office parties all around the country this holiday season will probably feature a gift exchange of some kind. Secret Santa Supreme helps you create groups and wish lists, automatically sends emails, and really, just makes the entire gift exchange process a whole lot easier.
We may still have a lot left to do before the end of the month, but we’re certainly glad that apps like these are here to save the day. They may not do everything for us, but they at least help us organize the chaos that comes along with the holiday season—and really, that’s all we could ever ask for this December.
Have a favorite holiday app from our list here, or have another app that you love and would like to see added? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
