The beloved Festivitas app that's been decorating Mac desktops with twinkling holiday lights for years just made the jump to iPhone and iPad. Developer Simon Støvring rolled out the iOS version alongside major updates to the Mac app, including an all-new snow effect that transforms your desktop into a winter wonderland.
The whimsical holiday decoration app that's been brightening Mac screens is finally spreading its festive cheer to mobile devices. Festivitas launched its long-awaited iOS version this week, bringing customizable holiday lights to iPhone and iPad Home Screens through interactive widgets.
What started as a simple Mac desktop decoration has evolved into something much more sophisticated. The new iOS widgets let users frame personal photos with twinkling light strings, complete with transparent backgrounds that blend seamlessly with custom wallpapers. It's exactly the kind of thoughtful personalization that Apple users have been craving since iOS widgets became more flexible.
Developer Simon Støvring isn't treating this as a quick holiday cash grab either. The app launches free with premium features unlocked through an unusual pay-what-you-want model ranging from $3.99 to $9.99. "You get to choose the price that works best for you," according to the TechCrunch report.
The customization options run surprisingly deep for a seasonal app. Users can adjust cable thickness, drop patterns, and choose from themed color palettes like Candy Cane, Winter Snow, and Elf designs. Fine-tuning extends to individual light spacing, flash speeds, and color temperature settings that would make professional lighting designers jealous.
But Festivitas isn't limiting itself to December decorating. The app now includes bulb shapes for year-round celebrations - bats for Halloween, clovers for St. Patrick's Day, hearts for Valentine's Day, and even a "WWDC" bulb honoring Apple's developer conference. There's something delightfully nerdy about decorating your desktop for a tech keynote.
The Mac version received equally impressive upgrades this year. A brand-new snow effect adds floating snowflakes to desktop backgrounds, with users controlling everything from gentle flurries to full blizzard conditions. The snow can fall just on the desktop or cascade over all open windows, creating an immersive winter atmosphere that responds to mouse movements.
These interactive elements set Festivitas apart from static decoration apps cluttering the App Store. Moving your cursor repels snowflakes or lifts hanging light strings, adding a playful physics element that never gets old. Practical touches shine through too - lifted lights reveal browser tabs underneath, though users can disable the feature if preferred.
