The indie app Festivitas has been updated to offer users a playful way to decorate their Apple devices with customizable holiday lights and snow effects. Originally a macOS desktop customization tool, Festivitas now extends its festive flair to iPhones and iPads for the first time, bringing a touch of seasonal joy to mobile screens.
iOS Widgets and Customization Options
The iOS version allows users to add a string of holiday lights to their Home Screen via widgets. These lights can be set against a favorite photo or transparently blended into the background. Developer Simon Støvring has focused on quality design and accessibility, offering the app for free with optional premium features priced between $3.99 and $9.99 – letting users choose what they pay.
Customization goes beyond simple color schemes: users can adjust cable thickness, drop width, height, and select from pre-made palettes like “Candy Cane” and “Winter Snow,” or create their own unique designs. Fine-tuning controls include hue, flash speed, and spacing between lights.
Year-Round Festive Fun
Festivitas isn’t limited to winter holidays; the app now features interchangeable bulb shapes, including bats, clovers, Easter eggs, hearts, and even a special “WWDC” bulb for Apple’s developer conference. This allows users to celebrate various events throughout the year.
macOS Snowfall and Interactive Effects
The macOS version introduces a customizable snowfall effect. Users can adjust flake size, speed, wind, and density – creating anything from a gentle drift to a full-blown blizzard. The snow can fall over all screen elements or just the desktop itself.
Both lights and snow respond to mouse movement, either being repelled by the snow or lifted and dropped by the lights. This interactive element can even improve usability by temporarily raising lights to reveal browser tabs.
Automation and Shortcuts Integration
Technically savvy users can leverage Festivitas’s Shortcuts integration to automate effects. For example, the snow can trigger based on weather forecasts, or the lights can synchronize with music playback.
Festivitas provides a unique blend of visual customization and interactive playfulness. The app demonstrates how even small software tweaks can add personal flair to everyday devices, making digital spaces feel more lively and engaging.
