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The downsides to technology are well documented – with texting during meals, poor spelling and lack of meaningful social interaction all being seen as negatives.
But it cannot be denied that technological advances have brought about many positives and innovative entertainment options.
Christmas is a time that should be enjoyed at leisure with family. However, in recent years the festive season has become more materialistic and thus increasingly stressful.
To help beat this, Irish Country Living has profiled four ways that technology can help you be more organised this Christmas and have more fun with family.
PNP – Portable North Pole
Portable North Pole is an app and website used by Santa Claus and his elves to send messages to boys and girls all over the world. It is a great way to get the whole family excited for Christmas. Children will beam with delight as Santa tells them whether they have been naughty or nice and what presents they asked for this year. For more information see www.portablenorthpole.com
Norad Santa tracker
The Norad Santa Tracker is a must-use app on Christmas Eve for anyone eagerly awaiting a visit from Santa. For over 60 years the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been tracking Santa’s journey across the world using military sensors and technology. The whole family can follow Santa around the globe on www.noradsanta.org, or on the app, on 24 December.
Drawnames.ie
This website facilitates the drawing of names for secret Santa present swapping and is particularly useful where family members are living abroad. One person enters the name and email address of everyone in the secret Santa group. They all then get sent the name of the person they must buy for. This means that families across the globe can still participate in a secret Santa tradition without having to spoil the surprise element. They can send their gifts home and receive presents abroad without someone having to tell them who to buy for.
Christmas gift list
A very simple but effective app, Christmas Gift List is essentially an organisational tool for shopping. It allows you to write down Christmas gift ideas, set a budget for each person and then mark off each present once it has been purchased. Quite popular with people who like to be organised and see things written down, it can help alleviate pressure on those who find Christmas shopping a little more challenging than others.
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