How to Create a Smart Home for the Holidays

Transforming your home into a smart home for the holidays doesn't just add convenience—it also adds a touch of modern luxury and can even improve energy efficiency. With smart technology, you can control household functions like thermostats and lighting with just a few taps on your phone. Here are some top tips for creating a smart home that's festive, cozy, and perfect for holiday entertaining.

1. Set the Mood with Smart Lighting

Lighting can instantly change the feel of your home, and smart lights let you control brightness and color, and even schedule lighting scenes. Try setting your lights to festive colors during holiday gatherings or use dim lighting for cozy evenings by the fireplace. You can also use smart lighting for your outdoor decorations in some cases. Just make sure they're weather-proof.

2. Stay Safe with Smart Smoke Detectors

A smart smoke detector like the Nest Protect keeps your home safer by sending alerts to your phone if smoke or carbon monoxide is detected. This is especially important if you're hosting guests or doing extra holiday cooking! Nest Protect also includes a "heads-up" feature which warns you before the alarm goes off, reducing the chance of a false alarm during all your holiday cooking.

Smart thermostats are perfect for keeping everyone comfortable. The Nest Thermostat and similar devices allow you to adjust your home's temperature remotely through an app on your phone. Many models can also learn your schedule, helping you save energy during the holidays when you're out shopping or visiting friends and family by automatically lowering themselves at certain times of day. Even if you're going to be home, these thermostats can learn your day-to-day habits and adjust themselves accordingly, ultimately saving you money on your electric bill.

Nothing says "holiday spirit" like music and entertainment. Smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Nest allow you to play some music with just your voice. Set up a holiday playlist or ask your smart assistant to play a classic holiday movie if it's connected to your smart TV. If you've got multiple WiFi-enabled speakers, you can create a seamless audio experience throughout your home.

If you're traveling during the holidays or expecting lots of deliveries, a smart security camera can help keep your property secure. These devices are WiFi enabled and can be viewed and controlled remotely through an app on your phone, ensuring that you'll always see who's coming and going from your home. Smart doorbells like the Ring Video Doorbell or Google Nest Cam function in the same way, but their use doesn't stop at monitoring your property. Some of these devices feature two-way audio so you can talk to visitors, delivery drivers, or anyone else who walks up to your door directly, whether or not they ring the built-in doorbell.

Creating a smart home for the holidays not only adds convenience but also brings peace of mind. With these smart devices, you're setting yourself up for an easy, enjoyable, and secure holiday season.