With Thanksgiving fast approaching, there’s no need to fret about hosting an unforgettable celebration this year. Your smart home has you covered! We’ve compiled a list of easy ways to leverage your smart home features to ensure you host a seamless Thanksgiving celebration. From creating a warm ambiance with smart lighting to using Quick Replies on your video doorbell, here are some tips for a worry-free Thanksgiving with the help of your smart home.

Set up a temporary smart lock password

Many advanced smart locks provide the option to set temporary passcodes, which can be incredibly handy when you’re playing host. Rather than disclosing your permanent passcode to all your guests, you can establish a temporary one that will only be operational on Thanksgiving Day. This means your friends and family can let themselves in if you’re occupied, without having access to your home at other times. While we’ve developed a thorough guide for setting up temporary codes on the Yale Assure Lock 2, you’ll find a similar feature in most other smart locks.

Enable Quick Replies on your video doorbell

Make your doorbell more user-friendly with Quick Replies. Once activated, these provide a rapid message to your guests after they ring your doorbell. You can opt for a Quick Reply informing them that you’ll be right there, or one suggesting they leave a message as you’re currently tied up. Ring has just launched a range of Grinch-themed Quick Replies, so if you’re in the festive spirit, you might want to explore this new collection.

Establish a warm atmosphere with smart lights

Smart lights play a crucial role in setting the scene for any Thanksgiving gathering. Whether you want to create a cozy mood for dinner, dim the lights for post-dinner football, or brighten up the room for a post-meal clean up, smart lights are surprisingly handy. Along with regular light bulbs and string lights, under-cabinet smart lights are another engaging option. GE Lighting recently brought out the Cync Smart Undercabinet Fixtures, which are an excellent way to highlight all the delicious food in your kitchen.

Engage your guests with a smart display

Looking for a way to keep your guests entertained outside of your home theater? A smart display can serve as a fun diversion, allowing you to stream TV shows and even play some video games. The Echo Show lineup is particularly impressive, and if you’re using FireOS 5 or a later version, you should be able to stream games via Amazon Luna. Be sure to explore the entertainment options available on your smart display and make them easily accessible to your guests.

Maintain comfort with a smart thermostat

Given the unpredictable weather conditions at this time of year, a smart thermostat allows you to control your home’s temperature swiftly and remotely. Instead of interrupting a conversation or stepping away from the kitchen, you can easily adjust your smart thermostat using your smartphone. So, whether you notice people bundling up indoors or shedding layers to cool down, you can modify your settings without much hassle.