The holiday season brings a unique opportunity to add festive cheer to your desktop, and if you’ve been thinking about how to spice up your Ubuntu experience this Christmas, there’s a delightful solution. This year, you can introduce a collection of pixel art Santas that leap and roam across your screen, thanks to the latest update of the Gnomelets GNOME Shell extension.
The Gnomelets extension allows small, animated 2D characters to live on your screen, creating a playful ambiance. The developer has integrated a whimsical Santa Claus character, which joins a family of roaming pixel pets. These sprites can walk, jump, and explore your desktop environment, adding a sense of nostalgia resembling classic desktop pets from yesteryear.
Users can customize their experience by selecting the number of sprites, adjusting their size, and determining whether they appear in front of or behind other windows. There’s even an option to respawn them if they fall unexpectedly.
While it’s fun to have these little characters parading around, keep in mind that they do use some system resources. If you’re using a lower-end machine, this is worth considering. Additionally, the Gnomelets extension offers more than just Santa; you can choose from other pixel pets including cats, puppies, and squirrels for further customization.
If you’re in the mood to embrace the festive spirit, you can grab the Gnomelets extension for a light-hearted addition to your Ubuntu desktop.
Get Gnomelets on GNOME Extensions (GNOME 45+).