Because the kids need to know the exact SECOND that Santa launches his sleigh in Singapore, you'll want to download these Christmas apps, stat!
Hands up all those with kids busting with excitement now that the countdown to Christmas has begun? We’ve appeased them slightly with a meet and greet Santa session, distracted them by throwing a million decorations at the Christmas tree, and we’ve also promised an afternoon of watching some seriously cheesy Christmas blockbusters (because we all know it isn’t Xmas until we’ve watched Home Alone).
But if the kids are still driving you crazy with their unrelenting “Is it Christmas yet?” interrogations, we’ve come to your rescue. Behold: nine kid-friendly Christmas apps and websites that countdown to the big day. Throw in some Christmas crafts and the odd mince pie and it will be Boxing Day before you know it!
SANTA APPS FOR THE COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS
1. Get a personal call from Santa
The Portable North Pole (PNP) app brings a sleigh-load of festive cheer to your kiddos. Everyone in the family will believe in Santa’s magic after receiving personalised videos and even telephone calls direct from Santa’s Village on Christmas Eve! There’s also Message From Santa, for the young ones who prefer texts over calls. You can also leave a voicemail for Santa if you can’t get through to him. Realistic much?
2. Elf Yourself!
Get set for belly laughs galore with the Elf Yourself app when the kiddos realise they can turn Mum and Dad into all-singing, all-dancing elves!
3. A letter to (and from) Santa
Writing a letter to Santa is compulsory, but log on to A Letter 4 Santa and you’ll get an instant reply from the jolly man in red himself! There’s also games and online colouring to keep the little ones busy (read: out of your hair) too. You can also order a personalised magical Santa letter or certificate from The Big Red Box. Each letter comes in a red North Pole stamped envelope, embossed with a Gold Seal AND with a free gift of your choice. Great anticipation for the good kids out there!
4. Live stream Santa’s sleigh
Your excited little elves will love keeping tabs on Santa and his Xmas Eve mission via the Norad Santa live webcam. Expect the anticipation to reach combustion levels when the sleigh launches…
5. The Santa tracker
Not only can you join the most exciting countdown of the year with the Google Santa Tracker, but the kids will have a ton of fun checking out the games and taking cool Santa selfies too. If you prefer to track Santa all year round, download the Santa Tracker and Status Check app (available on both iOS and Android). The festive season doesn’t have to end in December!
6. Read and play with Dr Seuss
Dr Seuss’s classic Christmas tale, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, is brought to life as an interactive e-book app along with cool Yule activities for small bookworms. That green old grouch might be full of ‘bah humbug’ but he definitely gets us – and the little ones – into a festive mood.
7. A video call with Santa
Kids giving you grief? An incoming face-to-face call from Father Christmas should sort them right out thanks to the Video Call Santa Christmas app. Prefer a proper virtual call? That’s Santa! lets you meet the jolly fellow via Zoom between 15 and 30 minutes. Have a one-on-one call or share the chat with your favourite people! If you’re unable to meet Santa face-to-face this year, fret not – Virtual Claus is your best alternative. After the call, your child can look forward to receiving a personalised email and digital image from the big man.
8. A peek into Santa’s house
Santa’s Home is a simple but oh-so-cute app that lets kids watch Santa going about his daily business at his home. They can even help him prepare for Christmas, too!
9. Catch Santa in the act
Here are a couple of Christmas apps that let you keep proofs that Santa is real! Santa Spy Cam ensures plenty of fun creating photos and videos of you catching Santa and his motley crew during their trip on Christmas Eve. You can also download Catch a Character and start superimposing Santa into your images. Plus, you can reuse the app when Easter rolls around!
And psst! While we’re on the topic of Santa, we thought we’d ask our own little elves if they’ve seen the Big Man in Red….
Now go forth and get jolly, folks!
