The most wonderful time of the year is a misnomer. For most people busy curating a perfect holiday experience, Christmas is the most stressful time of the year. After all, your list of chores grows longer with each day, as you tag on new tasks of baking, shopping, entertaining, and more.
If your holiday workload is making you feel flustered, take a moment to read through this quick list. It brings together some useful gizmos that can help you take back control of the holidays.
1. A better alarm clock
If you’re finding it hard to greet the day with enthusiasm, welcome to the club! Most people find it hard to wake up feeling refreshed — and that’s without the added stress of the season.
Dragging your heels through shopping, decorating, and cooking isn’t fun for anyone involved, so you know you need to learn how to prioritize your sleep.
As much as you would love to press snooze until mid-day, it’s simply not an option when you’re busy preparing for the holidays. Getting up on time is essential if you expect to tick off all the chores from your list in time for the big day.
The Philips Wake Up Light is an alarm clock that makes waking up a little easier. It simulates the rising sun to help wake you up slowly thirty minutes before the buzzer goes off. This gradual brightening has been clinically proven to help you feel refreshed in the morning and ready to take on the day!
2. An iPhone and iPad stand
The holidays are built around food. Whether you’re looking forward to a mountain of roasted garlic mashed potatoes or a sticky toffee pudding, someone has to make it all.
If you’re stuck cooking this year’s family feast, you’re going to be spending a lot of time with your devices, scrolling through recipes for inspiration. The folks at Twelve South make a sophisticated pedestal that displays your iPad and iPhone while it charges, giving you hands-free viewing of your digital recipe.
This is an easy addition to any kitchen counter, as it’s small enough to leave ample room for mixing bowls and saucepans. The HiRise Deluxe stand also comes in two colors, so you can match it to your home décor.
3. iPhone XR skins
With your phone a constant companion throughout the holidays, it’s put through the wringer. You can help it look as good as new by wrapping it up in an iPhone XR skin.
This accessory creates a grime-proof and scratch-free layer around the stainless steel and glass body, protecting it from smudges and scuffs. It also prevents potential drops from ruining your phone. That’s because companies like dbrand use genuine 3M vinyl to add extra grip, so it won’t slip easily through your hands.
Like your rotation of holiday-themed sweaters, iPhone XR skins come in a variety of colors and textures. To create a festive wardrobe for your phone, check out these cool iPhone XR skins for ideas. While you’re creating a holiday-worth wrap, you can customize a set of skins that look good all year round, too.
Whatever you choose, these unique iPhone skins will keep your XR safe from cookie batter when you’re swiping through a recipe with messy fingers; greasy fingers when you’re snapping a family pic during the turkey dinner; and sharp keys when you throw it in your bag on your way to the mall.
4. Google Home Mini
Anyone feeling overwhelmed by their to-do list and social calendar will find a friend in the Google Home Mini. It’s a small, round speaker that’s set up with Google Assistant, connecting you with this virtual support aide with two magic words: Okay, Google. With that, you can ask Google’s powerful AI to access your calendar and set reminders of your next outing.
Say, “Okay, Google,” and it can inform you of the weather, suggesting you bring an umbrella or scarf depending on the conditions outside. You can ask it any question, and it will do its best to answer by trawling the Internet for what you need.
It also connects easily with any other smart device you may have in your home, giving you hands-free control over appliances, light switches, and thermostats. All in all, it’s about as helpful as a real-life personal assistant during the holidays.
Don’t face stress on your own
Between leaving mountains of presents under the tree and pulling off a gourmet feast, the holidays ask a lot of your time and patience. ‘Tis the season to be overworked and overstressed — but it doesn’t have to be. Choose your accessories wisely, and you’ll be able to arrive in 2019 with your nerves intact!
