So you bought a Google Home and now you have family visiting for the holidays and you’re excited to show them the cool digital assistant occupying a space in your living room. There are a lot of fun things you can do with the Google Assistant on Mountain View’s connected speaker, but the company went a step further this month when it gave the Home a holiday themed update.
Now, alongside all the normal great things you can do with Home, like dim your lights or play a sweet playlist on Spotify, you can ask Santa to tell you a joke. Yes. That’s right. You can ask Santa to tell you a joke. And it’s wonderful.
Here are 5 great ways to put your Google Home to work this holiday season.
Play Games
One of the more amusing aspects of Google Home is its ability to play games. Unlike the Google Assistant on the Pixel or Allo, which are meant to be more personal experiences, with Google Home the gaming options turn your living room into a hub of multiplayer fun. Along with standards like Lucky Trivia and Crystal Ball, Google added a holiday version of Mad Libs and spin the dreidel to give added variety. If you’re looking for a fun way to bring the family together and be silly, playing a game with Google Home is a great way to do it.
Where’s Santa?
One of the most fun things to do on Christmas Eve is track where Santa is on his trip around the world. This year, you can do that easier than ever with Google Home. Simply say “OK Google, where’s Santa?” and the Google Assistant will update you on his current location.
Music, Movies and Photos
Google Home has been able to play music and videos since launch, but it received support earlier this month for Netflix and Google Photos. Now, as long as you have a Chromecast connected TV, you can use your Home to play a holiday movie via Netflix on your TV or share your favorite New Year’s photos with your friends and family on the big screen. As before, you can play music through Home with a simple voice command, including specific holiday options like “Play some Christmas music” or “Play a Hanukkah song.”
Santa Jokes
A goofy, but very fun, addition to Google Home this holiday season is the ability to hear a joke from Father Christmas himself. Just say “OK Google, tell me a Santa Joke” and Kris Kringle jumps in to deliver a perfect, Santa-themed dad joke.
Holiday Facts
The holidays don’t have to be all about presents and goofy games. They can also be a great time to teach your loved ones about traditions. No matter what you celebrate, you can use Google Home to learn more about your holiday. Just ask Home for a fact about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas and it will enlighten you.