13 Things: Holiday Apps for Sprucing, Shopping, Parking and More

Holiday stress wearing you thin? Determined to find the shortcuts to prevent the stress?

Look no further than the cool gadgets you hold in your hand and consider these holiday apps, as presented by representatives of 919 Marketing, and Allie Mitchell, on behalf of , which has a location in Greater Brandon at 2515 East State Road 60.

Here's Mitchell's report:

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The holiday hustle can turn even the nicest folks into a Scrooge.

A survey just released by Consumer Reports reveals we dread crowds and long lines the most this holiday season.

Who could blame us?

Another study shows this holiday, we will spend an average of 42 hours buying, wrapping and returning gifts. That’s nearly two days of our life spent roaming store to store and standing in long lines!

Ho! Ho! Hold on!

There are some cool new apps that can help cut our wait times this holiday season. 

1. Great Clips Online Check-In (Free) - The kids need a trim for the holiday photos but you’re stuck in yet another long line at the mall.  Great Clips, the world’s largest hair salon brand, makes your holiday hair appointments quick and easy  with the hair industry’s first ever online check-in. Download the app on your cell phone and put your name on a virtual waiting list. When you walk into the salon, you’re the next to go. With online check in, wait times are usually no more than five minutes. 

2. Mgift ($2.99) - A quick, easy way to manage your gift list and check it twice. You can create and organize your gift list and check off the gifts when you buy them. Gifts can be linked to the stores online, allowing you to buy them online and remember the price and information.

3. RedLaser (Free) - When shopping, scan an item’s UPC barcode with your cell phone  and RedLaser will search through online and local retailers to help find the best deals in the area. You also can also buy directly from within the app at select stores and save the barcode to create a wish list and share it through Facebook, text or email.

4. Red Stamp (Free) - Print and send Christmas cards and party invitations from your phone, through email, text, Facebook and Twitter. Choose designs and colors, as well as pre-written sentiments, and personalize with photos.

5. PIM – Parking In Motion (Free) -  Don’t search forever for a parking space. This app brings real time on-street and off-street parking information (for both street parking and garages) directly to navigation devices and cell phones. The app allows you to see the selected parking availability (the "percent full" in the area). Buy the spot from the phone and use the "ParkMe Engine" to create highly customized parking recommendations (based on an individual’s cost and convenience preferences).

RELATED COVERAGE:

Our sister Patch reported on additional apps "to make your holiday merrier." Among the additions researched by Bloomingdale Patch Editor D'Ann White:

6. Christmas – (99 cents, iPhone) -This app is perfect for Christmas music lovers and features Christmas carols, in both vocal and instrumental performances. You can fall asleep to your favorite Christmas medley with the Sleep Timer option. It also has a Countdown to Christmas feature to track the days till Dec. 25th. The app is rounded out with a sound recorder that you can use to record your own family singing carols.

7. Christmas Cards Tracker - (99 cents, iPhone) - Keeping track of Christmas and other holiday cards can seem like a full-time job. This app can help you create a full database of your Christmas cards, both those received and those you send out. Track those cards you’ve sent out and those you’ve received, insuring that no one is missed this holiday season.

8. Santa Tracker – ($1.99, Blackberry) - This app is a must-have for parents whose kids love the magic of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, your entire family can track to see Santa flying closer and closer to your home. The tracker will show where Santa is based on your GPS location. Just enter your child’s bedtime and Santa will come closer and closer until that time. Kids can also enter and send letters to Santa.

9. Droid Gifts – (95 cents, Android) - Always searching for the perfect gift idea? Look no further. Droid Gifts helps you choose the right gift no matter who you are buying for. Set reminders for gift giving and keep track of what you’ve received from others from the same interface. You’ll always have the right gift on hand with this application.

BROADEN THE SEARCH . . .

Google, we did, and here's a sampling of what we found: 

10. 8 Holiday Apps That Are Just Plain Silly (Mashable.com)

11. Festive Holiday Apps for iPhone and iPad (Martha Stewart)

12. Top 5 Apps for Black Friday and Holiday Shopping (ABC News)

Best Holiday Apps (Common Sense Media)

ADD TO THE LIST:

Find an app of your own you'd like to share? Please do! Note it in the comment box below.