(BPT) - Good times with loved ones are an important part of the holidays, so it's understandable if you want everyone to put down their smartphones and turn off the TV while you're sharing a holiday meal. But you can 'tech the halls' to help get the most from your holiday entertaining! Did you know that certain home gadgets can actually make the season easier and more enjoyable - and give you more time to spend with those you love? Here are six home technologies that will bring a little holiday cheer to your family and friends: Phone home The perfect holiday host knows that it's all about the ambience. But, when you're entertaining, who wants to mess with dimming or raising the lights, opening or closing blinds, adjusting the thermostat or a host of other minor, but time-consuming tasks? Home automation systems allow you to control multiple home functions from a central keypad or your smartphone so you can create the perfect atmosphere in every room with the touch of a button. Get comfortable Speaking of adjusting the thermostat, while it's important to make sure everyone is warm and cozy during the holiday season, frequent adjustments to temperature settings are inefficient - and unlikely to keep everyone comfy in your home. A programmable thermostat allows you to choose optimum temperatures for different times of day and set the thermostat to automatically make adjustments, so you can focus on hosting. Plus, proper use of a programmable thermostat can trim your heating bill nearly $200 a year, according to Energy Star. Get organized With a houseful of guests, and the need to store a variety of food and drinks, your refrigerator needs to do more than just keep food cold. It needs to let you access and store food items quickly and easily. For instance, LG's 'door-in-door' refrigerator gives you the perfect spot to store those popular drinks or must-have snacks in the interior compartment, all without opening the entire refrigerator. The door-in-door compartment opens with the push of a button, and the refrigerator provides optimal organization and storage. Heat it up Holiday decorations are an essential part of the season, but a fireplace can really help you step up the ambiance. Modern gas fireplaces do far more than fire up a flame at the flick of a switch. With a remote-controlled fireplace you can ignite the flame from across the room, control the flame height, and set a specific temperature. Some fireplaces even have a setting that will start the flame automatically when the temperature in the room reaches a preset level. Enjoy music in style What would the holidays be without a seasonal soundtrack? Whether yours is filled with traditional carols, Christmas rock or the sounds of the big game, you'll want your whole house buzzing with festive excitement. The elegant 'Music Flow' curved sound bar from LG not only delivers a powerful audio experience in a sleek design, it's equipped with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and can be paired with additional Music Flow speakers and sound bars so you can create a customizable audio system for your entire home. You can also control the sound bar and speakers from your smartphone, allowing you to set the mood with music, or turn up the volume on the big game from across the room, or even from another room in the house! Cook with confidence Your oven will likely see as much action as the refrigerator, if not more, during the holidays. Whether you're baking cookies, whipping up holiday dinner or serving a festive holiday brunch, having a smarter range will make cooking easy. If you've been thinking of replacing your old one, pre-holiday is the perfect time. Look for features that can help you cook like a pro in the kitchen, such as ProBake convection technology for even baking and EasyClean technology to clean up messes quickly, warming drawers and double ovens. The right technology can help ensure you have more time to share with loved ones during the holidays - and make those holiday chores easier to handle.
