Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/animation/AnimationExtensionManager.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/animation/AnimationExtensionManager.java	(revision 15600)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/animation/AnimationExtensionManager.java	(revision 15602)
@@ -5,4 +5,6 @@
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.GregorianCalendar;
+
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.preferences.BooleanProperty;
 
 /**
@@ -15,4 +17,5 @@
 
     private static volatile AnimationExtension currentExtension;
+    private static final BooleanProperty PROP_ANIMATION = new BooleanProperty("gui.start.animation", true);
 
     private AnimationExtensionManager() {
@@ -26,5 +29,6 @@
     public static AnimationExtension getExtension() {
         if (currentExtension == null) {
-            currentExtension = isChristmas() ? new ChristmasExtension() : new NoExtension();
+            currentExtension = Boolean.TRUE.equals(PROP_ANIMATION.get()) && isChristmas() ? new ChristmasExtension()
+                    : new NoExtension();
         }
         return currentExtension;