Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort.
―Jane Austen
*Xfinity has a whole lot to offer families! A big thanks to them for sponsoring this post: enter to win a Nest programmable thermostat below! #XfinityMoms*
Baby, it’s finally cold outside, and while I respect those intrepid souls who brave low temps to go caroling or outdoor ice skating, nothing seems as appealing to me after dark as snuggling up under a nice warm blanket and catching up on my shows.
It’s a specific kind of comfort and joy: that no-pressure time with your close family, where you’re free of commitments for the rest of the day, free to wear your most comfortable clothing, free to cuddle and laugh and maybe drift off to sleep.
It’s something you wish you could wrap up and give to those who don’t already have it. And in a way, you can.
I’m all about gifting experiences rather than things during the holidays, and when I recently visited the Comcast store in Cherry Hill it struck me that for those who don’t already have them, the newest perks Comcast has to offer are awesome out-of-the-box gift ideas. Not only do they provide the framework for family time, but they’re gifts that keep on giving all year long providing comfort and joy.
How? Well, I’ll tell you.
5 Ways Comcast Xfinity Provides
Year-Round Comfort and Joy
They’ve partnered with Netflix
Seriously, how did we survive before Netflix? Having to wait for shows and movies to air on TV seems torturous now. I love me some solid Netflix time with my kids, but the WORST is when it lags. Not only is it frustrating, breaking up the continuity of the plot of whatever we’re watching (Black Mirror just doesn’t have the same impact watched in five minute increments), but the kids will give up and wander off to the far corners of the house to do their own thing if it doesn’t resolve quickly.
With the integration of Comcast X1 and Netflix, you’re not at the mercy of your wi-fi. No more slow buffering. No more “loading” screen or timed out connection. It’s a Christmas miracle!
Littles can safely hang out in the Kid Zone
Remember when PBS was your only option for keeping kids entertained during the day unless you had extended cable or a steady supply of VHS tapes? Not to knock PBS, of course, but variety is the spice of life and I remember watching a ton of soap operas when I was young simply because it was on and I’d already watched whatever PBS was running at that hour.
The Comcast X1 Kid Zone is a super kid safe entertainment. Parents set the age limits, and have the comfort of knowing their kids can safely explore within this programming and choose what to watch next on their own (the voice-controlled remote makes this especially easy). You can have the next show autoplay for ongoing entertainment. If you’re wondering about a specific show, you can check the details and ratings provided through Common Sense Media. Parental control settings are saved in the cloud, so even if there’s a power outage kids can’t reset and access non-approved content.
Obviously, kids shouldn’t be in front of the TV all day, but sometimes you just gotta get stuff done, and I see this feature as being particularly helpful for people babysitting. (I still can’t figure out how to start movies on my brother’s DVD player.)
Fun fact: simply being in the room viewing kids’ shows with them helps them to learn from what they are watching.
Never miss an episode, guest appearance or game again
This feature will bring joy to hardcore fans who want to see it all. Tell your DVD to record every episode of Doctor Who, or every time Twenty One Pilots appears on a show. Comcast also has a ton of sports packages available— you can get 24/7 coverage of football, basketball, baseball, hockey. Soccer fans can see every team and over 240 regular season games. You can track multiple games or access stats in real time without taking your eyes off the game you’re watching. And you can take the game with you on your phone or other mobile device.
And, you guys. You can take all this stuff on the go with you. You’re not tied to the cable box. Just download the Xfinity TV app and you can access most channels and everything on your DVR from your phone or tablet. Long drives with kids, time consuming commutes on the bus or train, sitting in waiting rooms or waiting for a table at a crowded restaurant… all that has changed.
Fun fact: watching football (or participating in other “epic fandoms”) can make you happier and healthier.
Integrated apps bring the web to your big screen
Xfinity X1 not only curates trending top TV shows and movies for you: it also gathers together digital content from the web, from viral YouTube videos to digital content from your favorite magazines. And, using integrated apps, you can easily pull up your Facebook live video from your tween daughter’s winter band concert to play during dinner at Grandma’s. I bet she’ll really like that. (Grandma, that is. Your tween will probably disown you for the evening.)
Xfinity Home keeps you safe and connected
The future is now. Xfinity Home is the definition of comfort when you’re away from home, with options for 24/7 professional security monitoring and live video monitoring.
- You can see for yourself that your kids arrived home safely, or that the nurse stopped by to check in on your father.
- Install enabled light switches or outlets and you can turn indoor and outdoor lights on and off while away from home (or when you’re too tired to get out of bed, whatever, no judgment here).
- Double check that you closed the garage door, and make sure your curling iron isn’t going to burn the house down.
- Remotely let in the neighbor so they can feed your cat, and then remotely lock the door behind him.
- Access your programmable Nest thermostat so you’re saving energy during the day but only bumping up the heat when you know you’re about to walk in the door.
Amazing, right? Check out Comcast Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Home for yourself and put it at the top of your list as a no-clutter gift solution for that hard-to-shop-for someone who has everything.
Don’t worry, they’ll still have something to open: it’s hard to not act like a kid with a new plaything when you’re faced with a voice controlled remote.
I also feel compelled to note that Comcast is listed as one of the Top Ten Companies for Veterans, according to DiversityInc; they’ve saved over 15 million gallons of fuel since 2010 thanks to fuel efficient vehicles and self-install options; they’ve recycled over 8 million pounds of e-waste in one year.
Locally, Comcast recently gave over 14,000 pounds of food to 93.3’s Preston & Steve in their annual food drive!
Giveaway!
Comcast Xfinity is providing a Nest thermostat to give away. Trust me, you want it:
- automatically adapts to your schedule after a week of use
- can be remotely controlled from your phone; the app shows daily and monthly use so you can improve
- studies show it can save an average of 10-12% on heating and 15% on cooling bills, paying for itself in under two years
- different ring styles available, so it looks great whatever your home decor style
- and now, it lights up when you walk into the room!
Enter via the Rafflecopter widget below; this giveaway ends on December 20th, 2016 at midnight. Good luck!
