It’s that time of year again to start thinking about trimming the Christmas tree, planning get-togethers with friends and family and of course, shopping for presents. To make at least the latter task easier, below is a top five list of gift ideas for your loved ones this holiday season.
Roku Streaming Stick+
Have a frequent flier in your inner circle? The Roku Streaming Stick+ will help make sure he or she will never miss out on high definition video no matter the destination. Small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, the unit packs a quad-core processor and a unique wireless receiver built into the power cord. Simply attach it to an HDMI port on the TV and viewers have access to 5,000 channels, many of them free, displayed in up to 4K HDR resolution. Includes a travel-friendly remote control and is compatible with the Roku mobile app on Android and iOS.
WeMo Mini Smart Plug
Smart home technology has been around for a while now, but is still a foreign thing to a lot of people. A great introduction into the innovative tech is through a smart plug, like the WeMo Mini. After inserting it into any standard outlet, whatever electronic appliance plugged is controllable from a smartphone or using voice commands if paired with an Amazon Echo or Google Home. Wondering whether the living room lamp or portable heater was switched off will become a thing of the past.
WeMo Insight Smart Plug
Similar to the Mini, the WeMo Insight adds an extra layer of functionality by allowing users to monitor the energy consumption and cost of linked devices. These devices can also be put on a schedule and turned on or off via the free WeMo app, and configured to send notifications when such an event occurs. For example, after connecting a laundry machine, you could get a ping indicating that a wash cycle is complete.
My Neighbor Totoro 30thAnniversay Edition Blu-ray
Studio Ghibli, GKIDS Films and Shout! Factory entertainment are teaming up once again to bring anime fans a special 30thanniversary collector’s edition of My Neighbor Totoro. In addition to a Blu-ray copy of Hiyao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, the limited-edition bundle features a hard slipcase, new 40-page book and the film’s soundtrack on CD made available for the first time. Pre-orders are available now for a Dec. 11 release.
Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown
Give the gift of delicious sustainable seafood with tickets to the annual Chowder Chowdown, taking place at the Vancouver Aquarium on Feb. 21. Guests sample different chowders created by top local chefs as well as enjoy complimentary beer, wine and spirits tasting. All proceeds support the Ocean Wise seafood program aiming to ensure ocean life will be abundant for future generations.
Benjamin Yong 