6 Fun Technology Tips that Will Help You and Your Family Have a Rocking Thanksgiving

Jeez! Can you believe Thanksgiving is only a few days away? One of the major complaints about Thanksgiving is how we are turning more to our tech devices rather than spending time with our friends and family. I know that I am always talking about unplugging from technology during the holidays, but our gadgets can work to our advantage and actually bring us closer to our loved ones. If used properly and not used as a way to escape from the family, your electronics and digital tools can be used to have a more enjoyable Thanksgiving Holiday!

1. Reach Out and Touch Someone. Unfortunately, we can’t always be with our loved ones on Thanksgiving but thank goodness there are video conferencing apps such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, FaceTime and Skype. All of these apps easy to use and have a global reach. Doesn't matter what part of the world they are in, you can talk to them and the best part, all of these apps are free.

2. Let Technology Do the Food Prep and Cooking for You. Older generations made do without technology, but that doesn't mean you have to. There are a list of endless apps that offer instant recipes, shopping, planning, and cooking assistants. Some of the best apps are Yummly, BigOven, AllRecipes, and PepperPlate.

3. Save the Trees and Some Paper Too.

Paperless Post lets you send invitations for Holiday dinners. You can track RSVPs and send private messages to guest. You can also design your own holiday cards adding your own personal pictures and messages.

4. Isn't Modern TV Great? With streaming TV services, you can work on spending more time with family rather than worrying about the latest shows. If you're already a fan of streaming services of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime you know you don't have to be tied to the TV to keep up popular shows. Streaming TV also let's you have movie night with the family watching popular Holiday shows and movies.

5. The Holidays Are A Great Time to Help Grandma figure out Technology. It’s an inevitable. If you look like you know anything about technology, family members will ask for you help with the tech they are struggling with. So be of good cheer and share your technical expertise with anyone who asks. Yes, it’s frustrating, but take a deep breath and give them a hand. Isn’t that giving spirit what the holiday is all about?

6. Do your Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping in Your Slippers. If you want to get the best deals on Holiday shopping, you don't have to get out and fight crowds. Get some awesome apps that will make shopping a breeze. Apps like Flipp, ShopSaavy, Flipp, and Cyber Monday Shopping App will help you find the hottest deals in Brick and Mortar and Online stores which means you can get everything done without leaving the comfort of your coach.

Remember to focus on family, friends, and food this Thanksgiving. Following some of the tips above can make the holiday smoother, resulting in more meaningful time together and more memories we’ll remember forever.

If you have any questions about your technology and your devices, please feel free to contact us.

Our friendly tech experts at Integral are always standing by to answer your questions and help make your technology useful and fun. If you enjoyed this story, please recommend and share to help others find it.

I'm the Chief Technology Expert at Integral. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn , and Twitter and watch great tech tip videos on my YouTube channel. I can be reached by email at burton@integralcomputerconsultants.com