The best Christmas apps for your phone

Phones are a Godsend come Christmas, whether it’s for entertainment purposes or for helping you keep on top of your shopping list. We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite festive apps, from the hilarious to the helpful.

Elf Yourself

This app isn’t new on the town, but it’s still just as entertaining. Upload pictures of your friends and you can watch them dance in a series of ridiculous singing and dancing elf videos. What more could you want? Send in the place of a Christmas card, or uploading to social media. You can also purchase more options if you feel the urge to splash out on the seasonal silliness.

Santa Video Call and Tracker

Times are changing, and Santa is updating too. He’s now available for video calls, and you can track his sleigh as he makes his way around the world. On top of this, there’s even a naughty or nice scanner for kids: it’s the perfect way to make sure any small relatives are behaving. It’s available for iOS and Android too.

Christmas Booth: Photo Fun

Christmas is a time for making memories with your family and friends, but it’s also a time for having a laugh. With Christmas Booth, you can do both. Using a host of themed stickers, you can turn anyone into a Christmas character, and what’s more, it works with iMessage so you can send the images to your friends.

Christmas Sweeper 3

Fans of online gaming will love this Christmas take on the classic Bejewelled, Candy Crush-style apps. It’s essentially a festive-themed version complete with bells, baubles and gingerbread men, and should keep you addicted enough to last out the holiday. C

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

For any family with children, this app brings the beloved storybook to life in an animated version of the classic tale. With narration, sound effects and music, it’s essentially an elevated reading experience which will get your kids immersed in the festive fun. Parents can even track progress

Yasa Pets Christmas

Another app for the little ones, this game combines cute cats with Christmas to create a virtual dolls house which children can explore. They can open presents, dress up the characters and even lay the table for Christmas dinner so that you can focus on getting the real turkey in the oven.

Secret Santa 22

You may have already sorted your secret santa for this year, but it’s worth knowing for next time that you can forgo the names in a hat. In the modern age, there’s a handy app for you to create groups and allocate names. You can also input your budget so there’s no confusion – the only thing it won’t do is tell you what to buy for your boss.

Christmas Gift List

Another app for next year is Christmas Gift List, which enables you and your friends and family to share your wish lists. Once an item has been bought, you simply update the list, ensuring that there are no crossed wires and everyone is happy come Christmas day.

The editorial unit