Over the past few weeks, we’ve brought you apps to help you know what weather is coming, apps to help you take and tweak your snaps, and how to find the best winter sports. Now the holidays are here (almost), it’s time to share a few apps that might help fill some time when the weather outside is snowy (unless you live in a non-snowy region, in which case, they will fill time while it’s not snowing).

Rooster Shooter Xmas edition

Cost: $1.49/£1.29/1.49€ in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Shoot roosters. But not the ones in Santa hats.

Pretty simple. Shoot the Grinch Roosters, avoid the special ones. Help Santa deliver the gifts. I think this one will amuse kids and adults alike (I tried it, I liked it). The accelerometer controls take a little getting used to, and even on the early levels the action escalates quite quickly into a rooster-fest (I’m quite traditional in that I like an early level to be easy, rapid learning curves disturb me). Accidentally splatting a rooster in a Santa hat leads to an unseemly mess on your screen, so avoid that if possible. Verdict – an adequate and amusing time-filler. Give it to the kids to keep their minds off their gifts.

Christmas Ringtones

Cost: Free in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Jolly ringtones for the holiday period

Not much to say here. Seasonal tunes for your Lumia – mostly orchestral arrangements, but I’d definitely check out the country version of Jingle Bells if you want to bring attention to yourself next time your phone rings 🙂

Santa in Christmasland

Cost: $0.99/£0.79/0.99€ in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Platform game in the style of  the Helicopter game

Steer Santa’s sleigh through the levels, avoiding the obstacles and using your powers of ‘candy, cake and juice’ to defeat your foes. Not exactly sure about those powers (except the cake one), but it’s quite a decent game once you get the hang of it.

Bubble Burst – Christmas Rush!

Cost: Free in the Marketplace
Availability: Everywhere
In a nutshell: Slight update to the original

Bubble burst – the classic – with the slight twist that the ‘bubbles’ are now baubels. A definite ‘time suck’, you’ll always want to beat your last score. Ads at the bottom of the screen and it’s a little hard to tell where the ‘final’ set is (no hints), but I liked it. 

Plenty there for you to be going at, but if you’ve got other suggestions, be sure to let me know by leaving a comment below, or dropping your ideas to me on Twitter.