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The 8 best Alexa holiday commands

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The holiday season might be known as the “most wonderful time of the year,” but it’s also one of the busiest. Whether you’re gearing up for a road trip or hosting a family get-together, these winter days are bound to seem even shorter than usual. Thankfully, Amazon Alexa is here to streamline your agenda and provide plenty of holiday cheer. From playing games and telling jokes to curating your playlist and tracking the weather, here are eight Alexa holiday commands to make your 2022 holiday the best yet.

Alexa, show me some holiday movies

Videocraft International

Plopping down with a warm blanket and watching a holiday movie is one of the best ways to spend your cold December nights. And if you need some help narrowing down all the options, Alexa can show you some of the best holiday movies currently available. When connected to a Fire TV, you can even have Alexa automatically load up the movie for you.

Alexa, spin the dreidel

Dreidel is a popular game to play around Hanukkah, and Alexa can both teach you the rules and serve as the central game piece. Simply ask Alexa “how do I play dreidel” to get a refresher on the rules, then ask to “spin the dreidel” to get the game started.

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Alexa, ask Santa if I’m naughty or nice

A boy talks to Santa in A Christmas Story.
MGM

Curious to know what you’ll find under the tree this year? Alexa can help you determine if your name is on the Naughty or Nice list by running you through a series of questions.

Alexa, track Santa

After adjusting a few permissions in your Alexa app, this feature will load the NORAD program to track Santa’s location. You won’t get much info until the night before Christmas — but it’s worth knowing the command ahead of time.

Alexa, tell me a holiday joke

If you need a corny joke to spice up your holiday conversation, Alexa is here to help. The assistant knows a variety of holiday jokes — although some are a bit more entertaining than others.

Alexa, where are my packages?

A person delivering a package to a door with Ring Video Doorbell 4 installed.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Since Alexa can connect to your Amazon shopping account, it should come as no surprise that the assistant can easily track all your orders. This command will give you every bit of information you’d need to know about any open Amazon orders, including their arrival date.

Alexa, will it snow on Christmas?

Everyone is dreaming of a white Christmas, but not everyone will be lucky enough for that dream to become a reality. Alexa can’t change the weather, but it can give you the forecast. This command is also helpful if you’ll be traveling for the holidays — although if you live in the northern portion of the United States, there’s a good chance you’ll have to contend with snow during your trip.

Alexa, play Christmas/Hanukkah music

Swapping White Elephant gifts at holiday party.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

No holiday party is complete without a good playlist, and instead of curating your own this year, let Alexa put on its DJ hat. Both Christmas and Hanukkah playlists are available, and by saying the above command, you can quickly fill your home with festive music.

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Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a writer covering consumer electronics, technology, and gaming. His work has been published on various websites…
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