Wring the most joy possible out of the holiday season with these tips for your home's Assistant devices

Connect with friends, family — and Santa?

For those of you who opted to make your homes a little smarter for the holidays with a Google Nest Hub or other Android-based smart home devices, you'll be pleased to know that it can do more than just playing Christmas music to help you prepare for the season. Whether you need entertainment, organization, or connection, Google and Nest have you covered.

If you need a quick distraction for your kids (and if you're a parent, you know you do), you can use your Nest — or any device with Google Assistant — to reach out to Santa Claus. Just say, "Hey Google, call Santa Claus," and you'll be connected to a switchboard where one of Santa's helpers will connect you to the big man himself. He'll ask for your help picking a song for his jam session with the elves.

Even though Black Friday has come and gone, you've likely still got some gifts left on your list to buy. In order to guarantee you and other family members aren't buying the same thing for your kid, you can set up a shared shopping list using Nest. There's a little setup involved, but it's worth it for the convenience and peace of mind.

Amidst the chaos of the holiday season, it can be easy to lose track of your daily schedule. To regain control of your life, you can use Family Bell. It's more than just a means to structure a virtual school environment — Family Bell can help you get to the Christmas recital on time, put the turkey in the oven, or remind you to leave for the movies. All you need to set it up is a smart home device — or, starting today, a smartphone — and the Google Home app.

The whole reason for buying smart speakers and displays is to make your life a little easier. Hopefully, these tips bring back a little sanity into your otherwise crazy Christmas schedules.

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