SOCIAL
Facebook Adds Holiday-Themed Features for Messenger, Along with Messenger Stories Archive
Facebook has announced a new set of holiday-themed features for Messenger, providing additional ways to engage in the spirit of the season via the app.
First off, Facebook has added some new visual creation tools to add to the photos you share via message.
As explained by Facebook:
“This holiday season, Messenger has several filters to help you get into the festive spirit. You can show off your impressive holiday cookies with a lights-themed soft focus filter, or share a photo from Hawaii with “snow” in the background.”
The new additions are available in the Messenger camera – “tap the camera icon in your Messenger app and swipe left to discover ones that best suit your holiday self”.
Facebook has also added dedicated Reactions animations for Messenger Stories, which spread up the screen when tapped.
Facebook says that, in the U.S., Christmas was the number holiday for emoji sends in 2018, surpassing both New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. That’ll likely see these new animations prove popular in the next few weeks.
And lastly, Facebook’s also added a new Messenger Stories archive.
“If you want to revisit all your special moments, just tap on your profile picture icon on the left, click on Story and turn on Archive Stories. If you already have this featured turned on, tap “View Story Archive” to relive and repost your favorite moments.”
Facebook added a Facebook Stories archive in July last year, but despite Facebook and Messenger Stories being largely integrated, Messenger Stories didn’t have its own archive function till now.
The tools provide additional options to help celebrate the holidays with family and friends – and with 1.3 billion people using Messenger every month, there’ll no doubt be a heap of seasonal greetings exchanged within the messaging app.
Facebook says that it will be rolling out additional holiday stickers over the next few weeks.