5 apps to help you survive the busy holidays

It might be the happiest time of year but it’s also the most chaotic. These five apps are the perfect little helpers to keep you sane through the holidays.

The festive season can leave many feeling frazzled in its wake. Everyone could use a little help, which is why we’re happy to say there’s an app (or five) out there to make things a little merrier.

Written by Robyn Steinlechner

1. Wonderscope

Best for: Keeping kids entertained

Keeping kids busy is half the battle in keeping them happy. So, imagine there was a way to entertain your children on an app without feeling guilty about it. Enter Wonderscope. This augmented reality app brings your children’s favourite stories to life by superimposing characters, scenes and stories onto an iPad’s camera view of a user’s everyday spaces. It then creates extraordinary interactive stories and invites the kids to play a part too.
Available for free on iOS.

2. Todoist

Best for: Calm among the chaos

If you’re looking to gain some headspace and keep some semblance of calm, Todoist can help. This digital organiser instantly captures and arranges your to-do list, but also encourages lasting habits with recurring due dates like ‘every Monday’ (perfect for those New Year’s resolutions, right?). The best feature is perhaps its ability to assign tasks to others because let’s face it, we all need to be better at delegating.
Available for free

3. PackPoint

Best for: Packing for a getaway

Many of us suffer from ‘packing panic’ as we desperately try to stuff everything into our suitcase before going on holiday. PackPoint helps you pack like a pro so you don’t forget anything! Here’s the magical part; it will tell you exactly what to bring. Just enter your destination, when you're going and for how long; select if it’s for business or pleasure, and choose the types of activities you’ll be doing. The app then develops a list based on the information you provided, plus the expected weather forecast. You can also check items off as you pack them.
Available for free on iOS and Android

4. FairTrip

Best for: Green travel

FairTrip is the first mobile app in the world dedicated to fair and sustainable tourism. The app is a free collaborative guide that helps globetrotters find and share local and authentic places while at the same time having a positive impact on the visited place by directly benefiting the local community. It allows you to discover amazing places all over the world, selected for their positive impact.
Available for free on iOS.

5. Giftster

Best for: Holiday gifting

If the status of your holiday gift list is ‘it’s complicated’ then this is the app for you. A disorganised shopping list isn't just overwhelming, it can also cost you big bucks in last-minute shopping. Gifster works like a gift registry that connects you to family and friends. Each person creates their wish list, then Giftster marks off the items once they’ve been bought (though the recipient won't see this) and members can reserve the items they want to purchase on someone’s list so more than two people don’t show up with the same present. There's also a Secret Santa option – Christmas shopping just got way easier!
Available for free on iOS and Android