10 Apps To Get You Through The Holidays

With the holiday season in full-swing, it’s the perfect opportunity to download some new applications to ease the stress of mall traffic, airport delays, and over-indulgent relatives. Whether you’re looking to save money, connect with family members, or take your mind off of the stress of the holiday, we’ve collected 10 applications that will help you make the most of your holiday season.

Amazon: If it’s a day of the year, Amazon.com has a deal or two going on. During the holiday season, they up their game and starting around Thanksgiving, have a ridiculous amount of daily deals for babies, pets, jewelry, tools, music, games, movies, and everything in between. These deals start at all times of the day and only run for a limited time (or while supplies last), so having the Amazon app to alert you to the latest deals is key when trying to land half-off on a new watch. Free – Available on iOS, Android, Windows.

Skype: During the holidays, many people fly or drive across the country to see family and friends. Sometimes the weather, money, or a multitude of other reasons prevents this from happening. Luckily, technology today allows us to have video conversations with anyone in the world through our phones, tablets, and computers. Even if your brother and his pregnant wife can’t make Christmas Day dinner on the other side of the country, they can stop by for a quick chat with everyone at the table. Free – Available on iOS, Android, Windows.

Allthecooks (or BigOven, Epicurious, etc.): Whether you are cooking a small meal for two or preparing a feast for 20, having a couple of recipe applications handy will help you research, compare recipes, read reviews, and prepare with ease. Sorting by meals, ingredients, dietary restrictions, and more, these apps will do some of the heavy lifting of your holiday meals. Free – Available on iOS, Android, Windows.

Cocktail Flow: Add a little lubrication to your holiday party by incorporating an exciting new cocktail…or just finally find out exactly what is in an Alabama Slammer. Sort by base drink (gin, whiskey, tequila, etc.), drink type (creamy, classical, tropical, etc.), or by color (because sometimes, you just want your drink to be blue). In-app purchases include holiday themed drink menus. Free – iOS and Android. $2.99 – Windows. 

Amazon Kindle: On a plane, in the car, or simply hiding in the bathroom, having Amazon’s Kindle app will provide you with plenty of reading material to help you pass the time. Whether you buy a novel or a single, or download one of the numerous free books that Amazon offers, there will be no short of literary escape to get you through the holiday downtimes and drama times. Free – iOS, Android, Windows.

iHeartRadio: If you’re throwing a party and in the mood for some holiday music, this app will definitely provide. Whether you’re listening to Chicago’s 93.9 My FM (formerly “The Lite”) or New York’s holiday station (106.7 Lite fm), a simple tap will set the mood with some audible holiday cheer. Suggestion: Tune into Delilah for nostalgia and holiday feels. Free - Available on iOS, Android, Windows.

ShopSavvy: One of the many wonderful advantages of having smartphone technology is the fact that barcode scanners are now readily available. ShopSavvy is an application that allows you to scan a barcode and compare prices on the scanned product – online and locally. If you’re aiming to not overspend this holiday season, keeping this app handy will quickly allow you to shop around while on the go. Free – iOS, Android, Windows.

RetailMeNot Coupons: If you’ve never been to RetailMeNot.com, then you’re missing out and overspending. RetailMeNot is a one-stop shop for in-store and online coupons. Whether it alerts you to a sale, provides a coupon code for free shipping, or offers a 10% off coupon, this is one app that’s worth downloading and checking as you hunt for gifts. Free – Only available on iOS and Android. 

Buy Me A Pie!: While this app is considered a grocery list application to help you organize your home shopping, it can also be used to keep track of your gift list, holiday “to do” list, and travel checklists. You can keep multiple lists, organize items by color/category, and add/remove items with ease (to reuse the list whenever you need). Free – Only available on iOS and Android. 

Tiny Tower: Having a game to turn to while you’re waiting inline or at the airport will help pass the time. Tiny Tower is a game that allows you to build a tower that includes shops, restaurants, residential floors, and more, that you need to keep stocked while keeping your super cute “bitizens” happy. Unlike Candy Crush, this game doesn’t have a finite amount of lives that will force you to wait and simply runs continuously. If you’re a Star Wars fan, LucasArts just released Tiny Death Star…and I can honestly say that it is adorably addictive. Tiny Tower: Free – iOS, Android. Tiny Death Star: Free – iOS, Android, Windows. 

Bonus!
Elf Dance by JibJab: Remember a few years ago when the dancing elves made their first appearance and everyone was making their own elf dance to share? Well, the time has come where you can quickly put together this year’s dance on your iPhone or iPad. Taking pictures right from your device, you can use the faces of your friends, family, and coworkers and easily share it through your social network. Free – Available only on iOS.