While the vast majority of this year’s holiday-related iPhone apps are trite, you can still find a handful that make it worth the download – if only to get a clever way to terrorize your kids. Here, then, is a list of fun, useful or at least not embarrassing holiday iPhone apps:
–SantaMessage2U. On the surface, this is a simple voice re-modulation program. But it’s set up to play on your kids’ worst fears. You see little Billy once again squirting the cat with his super-soaker. So you record your voice saying, “That’s not nice what Billy did to Spike – he can forget about anything in his stocking.” The software turns your voice into a Santa-sounding voice. Then you announce that you just got a voicemail from Santa and play it back for Billy. Watch his face turn ashen.
–Trigger Happy Christmas. The Elves have revolted. They’re trying to gun down Santa and take over the place. Santa is fighting back with a flame-thrower and grenade-launcher. OK, it’s not very sophisticated, but the sheer irreverence protects you in case you get caught playing a Christmas game while waiting for your buds in a bar.
–Christmas With Weezer. Well, first of all – Weezer doing “O Holy Night”? Get outta here! And on top of that, you can learn to play along with this version of popular music game Tap Tap Revenge. The best rock-n-roll Christmas app you’re going to find this holiday season.
–Christmasfy Me. This is one of several apps that allow you to snap a photo and then add Christmas elements so you can send around cute holiday emails that make it look like your bulldog is sitting on Santa’s lap. Similarly, White Christmas adds a snowy backdrop to any scene you might snap.
–RedLaser. You’re in a store shopping for digital cameras. Use RedLaser to scan the barcode and get the details of that particular camera so you can plug it into Amazon.com or some other shopping site and instantly compare prices.
–Pocket Cocktails. The guests are gathered ‘round and you want to offer something a little more merry than a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon. So here’s an app that can help you mix up the Scroogedriver, or a couple of Candy Cane Martinis – with photos of every drink so you can see what they would’ve looked like had you mixed them while sober.
–“How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Hey, if you want the ultimate thing to put on your iPhone to celebrate Christmas, just download the famous TV special and watch it over and over and over.
