8 Nifty Ways to Get into the Holiday Spirit with Your Phone

You can admit it: You’re someone who loves everything about the holiday season. Christmas. Chanukah. Kwanzaa. All of it. You can’t get enough of the most wonderful time of the year.

Holiday lovers, we’ve got you: no matter which holiday you celebrate, your trusty phone offers a few ways to get you and yours in the holiday spirit:

SPOILER ALERT: If you’re reading this with someone who believes in Santa Claus, please tread lightly. Some of these suggestions reveal Santa’s secret identity. Please skip the first two ideas and jump right to “Bring on the Holiday Classics.”

LOL with Santa: Text with St. Nick
To believe in Santa Claus is exciting. To believe that you’re actually chatting one-on-one with the big guy— that’s enough to blow a kid’s mind. To put your little ones in touch with Santa, temporarily change the name of your significant other or a friend to “Santa Claus” in your phone’s contacts. Then, gather the kids and start a text exchange with St. Nick. Talk about gifts, reindeer, elves, Mrs. Claus, and more.

Follow Santa with the Santa Tracker App

In the days leading up to Christmas, follow Santa’s sleigh ride with the free Santa Tracker app. On Christmas Eve, you can follow him as he flies around the world. If you want even more access, upgrade so you can read Santa’s blog, watch the countdown to Christmas, send Santa letters, and get news on his whereabouts and activities.

Deck Your Device
You’ve put up the tinsel. The candles are glowing. Broken out that crazy holiday sweater. Now it’s time to add some #motocheer to your wallpaper and Moto 360! Check out Moto fan Alex Pasquarella’s website and download his amazing designs for your wallpaper and watch face, just like the design he made above.

Bring on the Holiday Classics

Whether you’re looking to bond with the entire family (or just trying to kill a few hours because you’ve run out of things to talk about), holiday movies and TV shows provide an instant activity together. You can watch with a few people huddled by the fire on your smartphone or project them onto a big screen for the whole family with Chromecast.

Send the Coolest Holiday Greeting

Add an interactive touch to any holiday by including an NFC tag to your snail-mail holiday cards. Record a video on your phone, link an NFC sticker to the video, stick it on your card, sign, seal, and drop it in the mail. Here’s a step-by-step guide for how to do it yourself.

Caroling, Caroling Through the Halls

The right music can bring out the spirit of any holiday. With Moto Stream, turn any speaker into a wireless speaker and stream your greatest holiday hits music from your smartphone (within 300 feet or so).

Instant Yuletide Log

What’s better than the now-classic yuletide log for your TV? One that you can open on your phone anytime, anywhere, of course. Choose from a wide selection uploaded on YouTube, like this one complete with the comforting sounds of a crackling fire. If it doesn’t warm your body, it will warm your heart!

Pass the Holiday Table Faux Pas
While there’s no app that will stop your weird second cousin from saying something bizarre at dinner, there are apps to help make sure your table is set beautifully and properly.

Instant Mistletoe
Gone are the days when wishful holiday romantics had to store mistletoe in their pockets. Now you can keep it in your phone. No guarantees that it will work, but we can all hope for a holiday miracle.

Posted by the Motorola Blog Team