7 Must-Have Christmas Apple Watch Apps!

The evenings are getting darker, there's a chill in the air and Mariah Carey's doing her yearly rounds on the shop floor speakers. That's right - Christmas is fast approaching! And whilst the holiday season is an exciting time for all the family to enjoy it's no secret that this time of year can be the cause of a fair bit of stress but fear not - your Apple Watch is here to help you! We've compiled a list of Apple Watch features that can make this your most efficient, stress-free and magical Christmas yet. And, since "tis the season of giving" let's start off by helping you ace your Christmas Shopping.    

City Mapper

Wether you're shopping in your own local town/city centre or maybe you're away for a Christmas Break or staying with family - either way CityMapper is a must! With sophisticated travel planning for all local public transport, live tracking, realtime traffic updates and step-by-step directions on demand having this app on your wrist can save you loads of time when Christmas Shopping. Avoid busy areas, beat the rush hour and never get lost with this handy FREE App! Click here to download.

Any.do

Now you've efficiently found your way to the town centre (or mall or high street etc) the shopping begins. Although leisurely window shopping is an attractive option during the festive period most of us don't have the time to dawdle and have a specific list of things to get. This is where the humble shopping list comes in - a timeless classic with a modern twist - when the stores are full to the brim and you have your hands full of shopping bangs it's never going to be easy to find your paper list and biro to tick off your items accordingly. This is where Any.do comes in; create multiple shopping lists for yourself or collaborate with friends and family to share the load. Tick off your completed tasks as you go, speak into your Apple Watch to add an item whilst your hands are full and set yourself reminders all in one place! Click here to download.

Apple Wallet

It may be an obvious one, as it's already downloaded on your Apple Watch right out the box, but being able to pay your cashier with with a quick scan of the wrist makes the shopping experience a hell of a lot easier. Just make sure your preferred payment option is set up within Apple Pay and approve this on your Apple Watch then you're good to go. Just double tap your Apple Watch's side button, pick your payment method and hold near the contactless receiver to pay your balance. Your Apple Wallet can also store any compatible digital coupons, store loyalty/membership cards and travel tickets so you can avoid sifting through a bulky wallet or purse full of old receipts each time you get to the till.

Hive

Now that you're heading back to the house you don't need me to tell you that Christmas is all about getting cosy in the dark winter evenings. Wether you want to come home to a warm and well-lit abode or if you simply can't bring yourself to get out of your toasty blanket and up off the couch to turn on your tree's fairy lights then leave it to Hive! You must, of course, first have Hive's smart-home technology set up in your house first but once set up you can connect your Christmas lights to your smart plugs, set heating timers on the go, connect lights to sensors and so on. Click here to download.

Roku

Since you're already on the couch you're probably indulging int the great entertainment that TV and Streaming Services have to offer around this time of year. An issue we all face from time to time is loosing the remote and having to turn your house upside down in search of it. Luckily the Roku app comes with a handy remote control feature which allows you to control your Roku devices from your iPhone or Apple Watch. No need to worry about finding a new set of Triple A batteries or plunging your hand into the unknown terrors of the side of the couch once you've synced your devices your good to go! Click here to download.

Meater

This period simply cannot be talked about without the mention of food! From candy canes to cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes to mince pies most festive treats take a back seat to...you guessed it...the mighty turkey. Everything from buying your turkey, to preparing it, to managing to actually fit it in your oven and then eventually serving it to your loved ones is surrounded with a high octane level pressure. Get a well deserved helping hand this Christmas with the Meater or Meater Plus. This is a sleek completely wireless meat thermometer that connects to your Apple devices. Once synced simply insert the Meater probe select which meat you'll be cooking and follow the in-app instructions. When you get cooking time estimates, live alerts, cooking prompts and monitor the temperature of your turkey without opening the oven you're almost guaranteed to never overcook or undercook your favourite dishes ever again! Click here to download.

Headspace

Despite the joy and festivities that surround the holiday season it's no secret that all the expectation and organisation associated with this period can make Christmas can be quite a stressful time for a lot of people. For this reason it's a good idea to take some time to look after mental health. Headspace is a daily relaxation app that is designed to help you improve your quality of sleep and general mental health all year round. Explore breathing exercises, guided meditation and mindfulness classes for as little as three minutes a day to help you unwind from the stresses of the day and maintain a positive outlook throughout the festive period and beyond. Click here to download.

Thank you for reading our Essential Apple Watch Christmas Apps. We'd like to say a special thank you to Anthony Boyd for the amazing Apple Watch Mock Up used in this blog and elsewhere on our site.