The weather outside may not be frightful as the majority of the country is experiencing balmy late-December temperatures, but the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full swing. This week is characterized by some key activities: fielding tech support requests from relatives, shoveling the walk, surviving the in-laws … and of course, crossing everyone off your gift list.

If you’re like me, your intentions were good. Getting gifts was supposed to be stress-free this year. You were going to do it early. But, the advent calendar is already more than three-quarters opened – especially if it’s one made of whiskey – and you’re suddenly in the homestretch before the unveiling of presents begins.

With all this to manage, who has time for shopping? Thankfully, there’s an easy way to gift that has no shipping costs or long lines, and most are under $20… you can even purchase and send them as you’re coming down the stairs on Christmas morning. I’m talking, of course, about apps.

For: Everyone on your list

Dark Sky – Make sure your loved ones are always prepared for the conditions outside. Dark Sky predicts when it will rain or snow – down to the minute – at the user’s exact location. While you’re at it, treat yourself to this app as well – it’s a staff favorite at the ACT | The App Association office.

1Password – No more using the same password over and over. Users can make a complicated password for each login and never need to remember it. The iPhone’s Touch ID lets users retrieve and paste it when they need it.

HBO NOW – For the cord cutters: the standalone service lets your loved ones stream thousands of movies, original series, documentaries, and sports events from any iOS device or the web. No cable subscription necessary.   

Instacart – How would you like to help your loved ones never go grocery shopping again? For $99 a year, they can use Instacart to get all grocery orders of $35 or more delivered for free – within two hours. The app’s interface is easy to use and our staff reports that produce is consistently fresh and top quality.

For: Creators, makers & explorers

Pixelmator – Perfect for every creative in your life. The super sophisticated layer-based image editor is Photoshop friendly and has full iCloud support – meaning a project can be started on one device, and easily picked up on another.

Ultimate guitar tabs – Give the gift of music with the pocket guide to the world’s largest catalog of guitar and ukulele tabs, cords, and lyrics – all available without an internet connection.

Manual – Blurry photos no more. Manual turns a smartphone into a professional-grade camera – perfect for the aspiring photographers in your life.

Sky Guide – Seeing stars… in a good way. Holding the app to the sky helps amateur astronomers find constellations, planets and satellites. Great for backyard campouts or off-road adventures.

For: A healthy year ahead

P90X – The workout buddy that will push you, but never make you spot them. The app takes the popular workout program anywhere – keeping track of sets, reps and weights. No gym membership required.

Instant Heart Rate – For fitness lovers and those trying to get in shape, this app uses the phone’s camera to take heart rate measurements. Our resident marathoners report its accuracy as top notch.

7 Minute Workout Challenge – Help your loved ones kickstart their New Years fitness goals. Requiring no internet connection, the app provides step-by-step exercise guidance that can be accessed anywhere.

Headspace – With a particularly stressful time of the year upon us, give the gift of calm and clarity with a subscription to Headspace. The guided meditation and mindfulness training app helps users attain a more balanced perspective.

Sleep Time – Sleep quality is just as important (if not more) as how people treat their bodies during the day. This app analyzes sleep patterns and wakes the user up during the lightest sleep phase. No more grogginess.

For: Sports fans

NFL Sunday Ticket – Hard to believe the Super Bowl is just week’s away. With a subscription, your favorite football fan can catch every game for the rest of the season from anywhere.

NBA app – With the app and a subscription to NBA League Pass or NBA Team Pass, basketball fans can watch their teams play from any device.

NHL Gamecenter – With a subscription to NHL Gamecenter, the app brings every regular season hockey match to your favorite puckhead’s mobile device.

MLB.com At Bat – Even though it’s out of season, baseball fans can watch all the MLB classics like Kirk Gibson’s miracle home run in the 1988 World Series or the Amazin’ Mets 1969 World Series triumph with the app and a MLB.tv subscription. When it starts back up in the spring, they can catch any out-of-market game.

MLS Matchday – Make sure the soccer lovers on your list can stay up-to-date with the latest news, highlights, scores, standings, and analysis of Major League Soccer. And with an MLS Live account, they can stream live and archived matches in HD.

For: The jokesters

Heads Up! – Bringing the hilarious game from the Ellen Show to your loved one’s phone.. you’ll probably find yourself naming celebrities, singing, and using silly accents within hours of giving this app.

Goat Simulator – We all know someone who appreciates novelties like this one. Just like the name suggests, the player becomes a rowdy goat with one goal: cause as much destruction as possible. Seriously.

For: The younger set

Minecraft: Pocket Edition – For game-loving kids (and adults), the block building game brings players’ imaginative creations to life on-the-go. Teachers and parents can also use it to engage students in a wide range of subjects with Minecraft’s classroom initiatives.

TinyBop apps – Give kids something that doesn’t just occupy their attention, but also has educational value. Teaching the wee ones topics ranging from the human body to physics and geography, TinyBop has something for every kid on your list. The company’s Robot Factory app was recently named Apple’s iPad app of the year.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes – Combining LEGO and super heroes in one app, children of ACT | The App Association staff report this adventure game to be, “super totally awesome.”