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You’re probably aware that smart home technology can help you
remotely manage your home’s systems such as lighting, appliances,
and the thermostat. But did you know this technology can also be used
to enhance your holiday decorations and impress your holiday guests?
Consider these examples of smart new
ways to tech the halls:
App-Connected Outlets
These devices plug into your home’s regular
outlets to control small appliances and lights.
Add an app-connected outlet behind your
Christmas tree to avoid climbing under the
branches and control the lights via your smart-
phone or tablet instead. The same goes for
your home’s outdoor holiday lights.
Lights in Sync With Your Songs
Thanks to home automation, you can easily
take your holiday decorating to the next level.
Technology is available to sync your lights to
your holiday playlist, customize your holiday
tunes to play at certain times of the day, and
control the light patterns and colors from a
mobile device.
Web Cams to Capture Holiday Moments
Affordable web cams are a popular part of smart home systems. Sure, they’re great for
safety and security all year long. But during the holiday season, your web cams could
record Santa’s late-night visit or let you know if the kids are peeking at their presents early.
Voice-Enabled Digital Assistants
Think of these devices as “digital elves” that work with many smart home gadgets and
applications. You just talk to them and say what you want, such as “Play Santa Clause is
Comin’ to Town” while you’re wrapping gifts or “Set the oven timer for 10 minutes” while
you’re baking cookies.
Don’t settle for a ho-hum holiday when today’s smart home technology can make it a
ho-ho-ho lot more exciting. Have some fun exploring all the possibilities this year!
SKT offers smart home devices and the high-speed Internet plans you
need to support them. To learn more, visit
www.SKTMainstreet.com.
Let Smart Home Technology
Automate and Elevate Your Holiday
Fruitcake Month is
Fodder for Laughs
Since December is National Fruitcake
Month, take a minute to review the
history of this often-joked-about food.
After all, reading about fruitcake may
be more enjoyable than eating it.
Fruitcake wasn’t always ridiculed—it
used to be a popular staple. Romans
served fruitcake at festivals, their recipe
calling for pomegranate seeds, pine
nuts, and barley mash. Soldiers fight-
ing the Crusades carried a version
that included preserved fruit, spices,
and honey. By the 19th century, fruit-
cakes similar to what we know today
appeared, made with fruits and nuts
from the Mediterranean and soaked
with alcohol to extend the shelf life.
Talk-show host Johnny Carson is often
blamed for the sudden downturn in
popularity when he told this famous
joke: “The worst gift is fruitcake. There
is only one fruitcake in the entire world,
and people keep sending it to each
other.” Jay Leno, heir to Carson’s
throne, got in on the gag, sampling
a piece cut from a fruitcake that had
been passed down within a family for
125 years.
“The worst gift is fruitcake.
There is only one fruitcake
in the entire world, and
people keep sending it to
each other.”
—JOHNNY CARSON