This post has been sponsored by , who furnished all the products for testing. As always, all products were vetted by me, and all opinions are my own.
When you’re picking gifts for your outer circle, you can always phone it in a little and fall back on a nice bottle of wine or a sweet-smelling chic candle (hey, I’d be happy with either!).
With your immediate family, however, gift giving is a very different task. I get wrapped up (heh) in the fact that each choice has to be perfect for each person. I want to see their face light up with a glow that says, “Wow, mom/wifey really loves and gets me!”
I teamed up with to do some holiday shopping for the fam this year. In addition to being a great spot for snagging the best smart home gifts (you can overemphasize smart since you’ll be going high tech AND saving money, too!), I was also pleasantly surprised to find fun stuff my husband will dig, along with the kids, and the dogs.
Here’s what I’m getting for each family member this season.
For Spencer: My High School Senior
If you have a teenage boy, you know that their backpacks are seemingly filled with concrete. How he manages to haul that lead satchel around all day on his skinny frame I will never know. So anything I can do to make his load lighter, consider it done. Not only is the lightweight, it’s on-trend (computers with bulky software applications are old news— it’s all about the cloud these days) Parents will like the option to add an affordable two- or three-year Walmart Protection Plan because, well, he’s a teenager and that thing gets chucked around a lot.
For Annie: My Middle Schooler
Annie was my non-video-game-playing kid for a good long run, but I have finally lost her to Fortnite. As a rule we don’t really spend money on digital goods (outfits, weapons, help in the game) but the holidays call for a treat: She’ll love the for Xbox, which comes with special features like a “rare starter hero pack” and “four exclusive founder’s loot piñata packs.” Do I have any idea what those are? Nope. Are they super cool in the teenage gaming world? I’ve been told, yes.
For Mike: My Audiophile Husband
My husband’s in the music biz, and travel’s a bunch, so I can’t ever go wrong with high quality noise cancelling headphones that provide audiophile-friendly sound and keep crying baby noise The tick all those boxes, along with cushy ear pads, a compact case that’s easy to pack in your carry-on, and even have Google Assistant on board. In other words, he won’t even have to take them off to ask about his next scheduled meeting or get a weather update. Sounds like a genius idea.
For the Dogs (Well, sorta)
I know Jenny and Marty are going to love the Wifi Connected . Okay, this one might be a little bit for me, too, but in all fairness, I’ll be a way happier, loving mom to them if there isn’t dog hair and hedgehog stuffing all over the floor all of the time (and I don’t have to spend my valuable time vacuuming it up!). Dual Multi-Surface brushes mean dirt, dust and crumbled dog food will be swept up with ease, and the edge-sweeping brush gets into corners and under cabinets. Smart sensors make sure it covers every corner of the house, and voice control means all I have to do is holler to tidy up. Plus, Marty will totally chase this baby around, so really, it’s a toy too, right?
For Me: Mutitasking Mom
You didn’t think I’d leave myself out, did you? Don’t I deserve a little tech treat for being so darn thoughtful? The is the gift for me this season. It’s the sleek, lightweight smartwatch I’ve been coveting, with more than 15 workout modes, payment capacity, personalized reminders, and a battery life that stretches past four days. I love the style of fitness watch: It’s big stylish face and fashion-forward bands make it wearable for even a discerning babe like me. Family: Consider this a big Hint, hint.
What are you gifting your family this year? Let me know in the comments!
