The holiday season is well underway, but don’t think your iPhone or iPod Touch has to miss out on the festivities. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or something else entirely, these apps will bring you a little holiday cheer.
Christmas iPhone apps
If you plan on caroling or just like to enjoy singing around the fireplace, Christmas Carols by iChristmas (99 cents) offers more than 100 holiday classics with lyrics and historical information. Eighty-five of the songs also include music tracks and the built-in jingle bells ring out when you shake the iPhone. GP Apps’ Twas the Night Before Christmas (99 cents) lets users personalize the traditional Christmas poem by recording their own version. Each page is recorded on its own, which makes it easy to create an error-free version.
After all the singing and reading, you might need to relax. The classic game of concentration gets a holiday spin with Christmas Match (99 cents), which utilizes Christmas imagery and jingle bell sound effects.
If a real Christmas tree isn’t in your future, you can fill the void with iTree (99 cents). As Christmas approaches, your tree will change, adding decorations, gifts and even moving inside. Shaking your iPhone will make it snow, and you can even turn the tree’s lights on and off. It may not be as fragrant as a real fir, but it beats picking up pine needles for days after.
Hanukkah iPhone apps
Those gearing up for the start of Hanukkah on December 11 can brush up on the story of the Maccabees with the History of Hanukkah (99 cents), which features stories, images and historical information.
Once the Festival of Lights begins, you can rely on Mobile Menorah (99 cents), which uses your finger as a match to light the Shamash, which is then used to light the other candles. You can set the burn rate and watch the candles burn over the course of your evening. It may not be as traditional as a real menorah, but it is a nice option for anyone traveling or unable to light a real candle.
Wind down with Hanukkah Match (99 cents), a concentration game that uses traditional Jewish symbols, or Super Dreidel (99 cents). Super Dreidel supports two to eight players and offers three modes of play (traditional, Vegas or turbo), and offers customization in the number of rounds and the amount of gelt, which the app then keeps track of.
iPhone apps for eating and drinking
No matter your holiday preference, food and drink abound during this season. With Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List (free) you can narrow your recipe search by season, as well as by holiday or by event, such as a dinner gathering or cocktail party.
Hello Vino (free) can help you find the perfect wine if you’re stumped. You can search wines by occasion, by region, by taste, or by meal, as well as find the perfect dish to go with that bottle of Cab already sitting in your kitchen.
Be merry with this iPhone app
With MistleSnow (free), a kiss under the mistletoe — a photo of mistletoe, anyway — is never far off. A shake of the iPhone makes snow start to fall (another shake turns it off) and users can customize the size, speed and type of snow if they wish. You can also set the app to play one of seven songs to give your kiss a soundtrack.
