Holiday App Festivitas Adds Animated String Lights and Snow Effects to Apple Devices

Last year, developer Simon Støvring came out with a fun little holiday-themed Mac app called Festivitas. Festivitas adds colorful string lights to your Mac's dock and menu bar, and this year, it can do even more.

festivitas app
Festivitas received a 2025 holiday update today, and now it supports gently falling snow for an even cozier feel. Snow interacts with the mouse cursor, parting around it, and if you have a second or third display, snow expands across all of your monitors. Lights and snow can now be set to start at a specific time with a new Shortcuts integration.

festivitas app
There are new light options for 2025, including color presets and the option to choose from tons of different shapes. You can customize light shapes, color, size, opacity, drop height, cable thickness, and more in the Settings. Lights can animate, and there are pulse, twinkle, chase, and wave patterns. Snow can also be adjusted with options for amount, flake size, fall speed, and wind.

Snow and lights can be displayed over all of your app windows, or just on the desktop, which is nice for a more minimal holiday experience. You can import and export color palettes, and customize your color selections. Like last year, the Mac app requires accessibility features to add lights to the dock, which the app prompts you to grant when starting it up for the first time.

festivitas app ios
Festivitas also now works with the iPad and the iPhone in addition to the Mac. On the ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌, lights can be added to the Home Screen using widgets, with customization options to change the aesthetic. The lights are designed to be put around photos, which is a cute effect.

Festivitas for the Mac offers customer-selected fair pricing starting at 4 euros, and it can be downloaded from the Festivitas website. The ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ app is available from the App Store, and it too offers customer-selected fair pricing between $3.99 and $9.99. [Direct Link]

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
imac video apple feature

Apple Makes Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever

Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Apple Logo Zoomed

Tim Cook Teases Plans for Apple's Upcoming 50th Anniversary

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. "I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

Apple Begins Selling Refurbished iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Models at Lower Prices

Wednesday February 4, 2026 7:44 am PST by
Apple today began selling certified refurbished iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max models on its online store in the U.S., with prices discounted by 12% to 22% compared to Apple's current or former pricing for the devices. Here were Apple's starting prices when the devices launched in September 2024: iPhone 16: $799 iPhone 16 Plus: $899 iPhone 16 Pro:...
Apple TV Color

Apple TV Announces 12 New Shows and Films Coming This Year

Wednesday February 4, 2026 12:29 pm PST by
Apple on Tuesday previewed 12 new shows and films that will be premiering on the Apple TV streaming service throughout 2026. The new series: Imperfect Women — March 18, 2026 Margo's Got Money Troubles — April 15, 2026 Widow's Bay — April 29, 2026 Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed — May 20, 2026 Cape Fear — June 5, 2026 Lucky — July 15, 2026 The new films: Eternity — ...

Top Rated Comments

attohs Avatar
11 weeks ago
I like silly things like this. It’s fun. Remember flying toasters on the classic Macs? Oh and that app that would have Oscar the Grouch sing whenever you emptied the trash!
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rutterp83 Avatar
11 weeks ago
What a lovely app. It reminds me of the creativity and whimsy from the final days of OS 9 and the early days of OS X.

Flying toasters and bad dog screensavers. System sounds and appearance themes. Completely useless, but delightful.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johannnn Avatar
10 weeks ago

STARTING PRICE AT 4 EUROS FOR MAC VERSION AND $3.99 FOR iOS?!?!?? THATS OVERPRICED!!!!!!! ?
This kind of visual customization usually takes more engineering than people expect. The price makes sense given the scope.

And honestly, writing in all-caps with an angry emoji doesn’t feel like a fair way to discuss it. That kind of reaction is exactly why the App Store is overflowing with free apps that hide everything behind subscriptions.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
11 weeks ago
I bought this last year! It’s nice to have some whimsy on my computer again. ?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TFrank2 Avatar
11 weeks ago

I like silly things like this. It’s fun. Remember flying toasters on the classic Macs? Oh and that app that would have Oscar the Grouch sing whenever you emptied the trash!
Agreed. I know most of this is hokey but I feel like it’s a small slice of how things used to be!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Billy_Bob Avatar
11 weeks ago
Waiting for a Festivus app, maybe it changes your menu bar to a menu pole?
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)