Guide
Retro look, sweet or simple: only one thermal printer convinced me when tested
by Stefanie Lechthaler
These apps will get you through the Christmas season relaxed - or not
8.12.2022
Translation: machine translated
Secret Santa, making wishes, sending Christmas cards: Today, everything can be done online or with apps. It's not contemplative - but useful? I tried out a few supposed digital helpers for families.
Peternity and stress: two actually contradictory terms come close together during the Christmas season. It is a time of leisure, of pausing and enjoying on the one hand. On the other hand, there are a thousand things to do. Getting presents, decorating the flat, making presents with the children, baking Christmas biscuits and, in between, showing up at an above-average number of festivities.
Christmas apps or websites can make the Advent season a little more relaxed. At least that's what they promise. I tested a few and found out: Some actually help, others are just pure entertainment and a few end up causing even more stress.
🧚♀️ For Secret Santa
"Secret Santa App"
Nowadays, very few people still do Secret Santa in the traditional way with paper tickets. Just getting everyone together for the draw is a challenge. Apps that manage the process therefore make perfect sense. The "Secret Santa App" gathers everyone virtually and sends the names via email or shows them to you on the app. Beforehand, you have the option to exclude lot pairs such as married couples. And as a funny side function, you assign an emoji to all participants. One Secret Santa group is free of charge, each additional one costs 1 franc.
Summary: simple and useful.
Download for iOs, for Android
.
"Drawnames"
For those who prefer to play online instead of downloading an app to their smartphone, Drawnames.de is the place to go. My family has been using the website, which is also available as an app in Germany, for years. You can always reactivate the existing groups. All participants receive a link by email to confirm their participation. A random generator is then used to draw lots, and the "secret" names are then sent by e-mail. The system excludes pairings from the previous year, if this is desired. Another practical feature is that you can create wish lists to make it easier for your Secret Santa to find presents.
Summary: practical and recyclable.
Source: Katja Fischer
Source: Katja Fischer
🎁 For wish lists
"dedeApp"
Children's dreams are limitless, their wish lists correspondingly long. An app like "dedeApp" bundles their wishes electronically. For each wish, you enter a corresponding order link, which is time-consuming. Then you share the list with the gift givers, who in turn tick the wish they want to fulfil. You do this every year with new products. The good old paper wish list in combination with a corresponding Whatsapp message "Hello godfather, I wish for the Magic Mountain game from you" is definitely faster and more efficient.
That's why it's so important to have a good wish list.
Conclusion: costly and usable once.
"Wishlists"
The app "Wishlists" works in a similar way. Here, too, you create the wishlist with an order link and can then share it with the gift-givers. When someone chooses a product, it slides under a new tab. Layout and usability are somewhat more attractive than with the "dedeApp", but you are not much faster in creating them. And even less so if you upload a pretty picture for each product.
Summary: pretty, but time-consuming.
Download for iOs, not available for Android
.
Source: Katja Fischer
Source: Katja Fischer
You can also send us at Galaxus a kind of wish list with products from the shop: Simply create a wish list via the pin icon and then share it with your contacts by clicking on the three dots.
🍪 For Christmas recipes
"Betty Bossi"
I am neither a passionate cook nor a passionate baker. But during Advent, Christmas biscuit sessions with the children are a must, even for me. Always according to the recipe, so that nothing goes wrong. So I looked around for an app to summarise the most important recipes and not have to Google each one individually. The result of my search in the App Store was sobering: the only thing I found was an old-fashioned app with illegible squiggly writing that cost a fortune. So I resorted to a classic and was surprised to find it: With the keyword search "Christmas", the Betty Bossi app spits out exactly what I was looking for - from Brunsli to Spitzbuben to Cornflakes chocolate buns.
Summary: compact and clear.
"Migusto"
An alternative to the Betty Bossi app is the "Guetzli-Backstube" from Migusto, Migros' cooking platform. I like the website, especially in the slightly larger desktop and tablet view: it's pretty and clearly laid out, and you'll find lots of links to various Christmas biscuit recipes.
Conclusion: attractive and comprehensive.
Source: Katja Fischer
Source: Katja Fischer
💌 For Christmas greetings
"Christmas Photo Editor"
Remember when we used to send Christmas cards by post? One or two nostalgic cards from friendly families still flutter into our house in December, but no more. A pity really. But I don't go to the trouble and expense myself. I tried one of the many digital alternatives called "Christmas Editor" and what can I say - the result is neither pretty nor funny. At the most, it's quick and functional. You can choose between several kitschy Christmas frames, place ready-made lettering or your own text creations and place filters over the card. Save, send, done. It's not as sensual as it sounds.
Conclusion: fast, but uncharitable.
Download for iOs, for Android
.
"Elf yourself"
If virtual Christmas greetings are to be had, then they should be trashy. The short videos of "Elf yourself" have cult status by now, but they still work with familiar faces. You turn yourself and your friends or family members into dancing elves by putting photos of their faces on the figures. Each day there are three free choreographies to choose from, the rest cost.
Download for iOs, for Android
.
Conclusion: trashy and entertaining.
Source: Shutterstock/Katja Fischer
Source: Katja Fischer
🎵 For Christmas songs
"The Christmas Radio"
There's no such thing as musical compromise in the Christmas genre. Either you indulge in kitsch or you don't bother with Christmas music at all. I'm for the former, especially since only Christmas songs get me fully in the mood for the season. "Das Weihnachtsradio" goes far beyond the classic Christmas playlist with the same old cult songs. You can choose between nine channels, "Hits" for example, "Children" or - yikes! - Tropical". You can then play the audio content on your home speaker or another device via Airplay. You don't have many more functions. And you don't need to.
Summary: simple and schmaltzy.
Download for iOs, not available for Android
.
"Famigros"
What is the second verse of "O Tannenbaum" again? And what on earth follows "Silent night, holy night" in the chorus? If you insist on singing together at Christmas, you should be familiar with the annual song lyrics search. You will find what you are looking for on the website of the Migros Family Club, Famigros.ch. The lyrics of the 14 best-known German-language Christmas carols are available there as a PDF download.
Summary: simple and practical.
Source: Katja Fischer
Source: Katja Fischer
The home screen on my smartphone has grown by a whole slide in the past few days and weeks thanks to this post. In fact, apps and websites on the subject of Christmas exist in abundance - but the majority of them are unusable. So I'm going to delete most of them straight away. But a few will slide into the newly created "🎄Christmas🎄" folder. Nicely packaged for next year.
Auftaktfoto: Katja Fischer
Katja Fischer
Senior Editor
Katja.Fischer@digitecgalaxus.chMom of Anna and Elsa, aperitif expert, group fitness fanatic, aspiring dancer and gossip lover. Often a multitasker and a person who wants it all, sometimes a chocolate chef and queen of the couch.
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