Description
BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall places a click-through Canvas 2D layer above your existing website. Its softly rendered particles use three depth layers, individual motion and controlled random variation instead of repeating a fixed animation.
The free plugin includes:
- the balanced Classic Snowfall style
- realistic soft flakes without typographic snowflake symbols
- three depth layers
- automatic color and automatic performance adjustment
- fixed particle pools and capped device-pixel ratio
- a subtle mobile mode
- pause while the browser tab is hidden
- an annual date range that can cross New Year’s Day
- daily time windows, including overnight windows
- display on the entire website or only the homepage
- reduced-motion support
- an interactive preview in the WordPress backend
- translation-ready English source text for WordPress.org language packs
The effect is disabled after installation. Enable it only after checking the preview and schedule.
No external JavaScript, images, fonts, tracking or third-party services are loaded on the frontend. The canvas uses pointer-events: none, so links, forms, menus and fixed website controls remain usable.
BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall Pro
The separately installed Pro add-on expands the plugin to seven snow styles, weighted style mixing, detailed snow and performance controls, selected pages, one-time dates, weekdays and refined Christmas decorations. Decorations include a filigree light wire, optional botanical branches, hanging ornaments, separately switchable gifts and candle, selectable colors and subtle cursor stardust.
The free plugin remains fully usable without Pro. Premium renderers, targeting logic and premium controls are implemented only by the separately distributed Pro add-on and are not included in this WordPress.org package.
See all Free and Pro features, compare both editions, try the interactive Pro preview and purchase Pro:
https://www.beforesunrise.de/realistic-snowfall/
Privacy
The free plugin does not collect personal data, create cookies or contact external services.
Installation
- Install and activate BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall.
- Open Snow in the main WordPress admin menu.
- Configure the scope and schedule.
- Test the interactive preview.
- Enable the snowfall and save the settings.
FAQ
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Can the yearly schedule cross New Year’s Day?
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Yes. A period such as 12-01 through 01-06 is handled as one continuous annual window.
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Can a daily window cross midnight?
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Yes. A daily window from 22:00 through 02:00 is supported.
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Does the plugin work with page caches?
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Yes. A small frontend controller evaluates the schedule in the browser using the WordPress timezone. The larger canvas engine is loaded only while the schedule is active.
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Does the canvas block the website?
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No. The layer is click-through and causes no layout shift.
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What happens when reduced motion is enabled?
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When the setting is respected, the frontend effect stays off for visitors whose device requests reduced motion.
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Does the free plugin contact external services?
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No. It does not load external resources, collect personal data, create cookies or contact third-party services.
Reviews
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
“BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall” has been translated into 1 locale. Thank you to the translators for their contributions.
Translate “BeforeSunrise Realistic Snowfall” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.2
- Moved selected-page targeting completely into the separately distributed Pro add-on.
- Removed runtime support for premium engine controls from the WordPress.org package; Free now uses its fixed balanced settings internally.
- Removed the inactive premium decoration card and Pro-only control styles from the Free package.
- Kept direct links to the official product page and Free/Pro comparison.
1.0.1
- Added direct links from the plugin list, Snow settings screen and readme to the official product page and full Free/Pro comparison.
- Updated the contributor metadata to the exact WordPress.org username.
- Moved translations to the standard WordPress.org language-pack workflow.
1.0.0
- First public release.
- Added Classic Snowfall with three depth layers and soft flake sprites.
- Added annual and daily scheduling plus homepage targeting.
- Added automatic performance adjustment, mobile limits, reduced-motion support and backend preview.
- Added fully internationalized interface text.