Top 5 holiday screen savers

From...

by Linda L. Grubbs

(IDG) -- Christmas is just around the corner, and there's no time like the present to display a variety of animated scenes for the holiday season.

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Top 5 holiday screen savers

1. Santa's Workshop Screen Saver: If you're not worried about overdosing on the sugary sweetness of the holiday season, give this animated screen saver a try. Santa's elves are busy making toys for Christmas in a workshop with a beautiful, Old World look. The indentured servants known as elves toil away at their workbenches, creating toys while the snow gently falls outside. Upon completion, each toy gets whisked away to be distributed by Santa to all the good girls and boys. The full version ($15) includes five elves, different toys, and additional animations.



2. Snowflake Screen Saver: Fluttering snowflakes transform your desktop into a winter wonderland. Snow-covered evergreens and a steepled church are two of the images included in the set. Customizable captions and Christmas songs complete the package, but you can add your own sounds as well. You get three screen shots; register (for $10) to receive all ten.



3. Christmas Trivia Screen Saver: Even a sterile, windowless cubicle will be touched by the magic of Christmas when you run this screen saver. The restful holiday scene includes a fireplace, a decorated tree, a working grandfather clock, a greedy mouse, and a soundtrack of fifteen MIDI carols. Christmas trivia is displayed at regular, configurable intervals. Free.



4. Christmas Pictures: Deck your desktop with images that convey the spirit of the season. Six screen shots are included in a package that you can view free of charge for seven days. Change the images' size, use them as wallpaper, decide how long each image appears on screen, or control the transition effects. The drop-block effect is a nice little teaser, for one. Like a puzzle, each block has a different part of the picture; the drop-down process culminates in a full-screen photo. You also get a password-protection option that will guard your screen in case you walk away from your desk with your browser open to shopping sites. The full version, which you receive after registering for $20, includes 50 images.



5. Christmas Scenes Screen Saver: It's time once again for a holiday screen saver. This year, why not create your own? You can add pictures, music, sound effects, or AVI movies to personalize your screen saver, but be sure to register the product first ($15). The program also offers traditional Christmas images with carols playing in the background.

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