Lhe holidays are upon us and among many things this also means a rush to buy, as demonstrated by the surges in searches relating to “Christmas Gifts” on Google in Italy. Finding the perfect gift can be a difficult task, but we can get help in several ways, including from Google Lens. For example, we can take a photo of a designer appliance or a home accessory that we have seen on social media or in a shop and, by pointing the Lens camera, similar products available online or in shops near us will be suggested.
If you don’t know how to access Google Lens, from desktop you can find it directly in Google search bar. If you have an Android device, you can find it in the camera app of your smartphone or in the Google search bar on the homepage and if you have iOS, you can access it from smartphones via the Google app.
For example, let’s look at one coffee machine which would be perfect for our friend coffee-addicted if not for the mustard color which she wouldn’t like very much. How to find one like this… But red? Take a photo of the coffee maker in Lens, swipe up and type “red” and there you have it. You will find several similar options, but in the desired color.
When to go out Christmas gift shopping
Thanks to real-time updates from Google Mapspowered by Google’s AI, is also possible find the best time to leave the house and go shopping. By typing the shop or area in the app’s search bar, we will be able to see the crowding status. Maps also helps us find the right store for the product we have in mind.
Just write “bluetooth earphones” on Maps to find the points that sell that product and maybe even behind your home. You can also use the filters feature to narrow down results based on categories, prices or opening hours.
Personalized greeting cards for Christmas gifts with artificial intelligence
Any ideas for greeting cards? L’Google’s conversational AI, called Bard, it can give you ideas for cards, personalize them further or give you some creative additions. If you’re stuck on what to write, you can ask him something like, “Give me a Christmas card for my brother” or “Write me a Christmas card for my mom.”
If you think, then, it could be nice also add an image to the text, Bard can help you find several holiday-themed ones and Christmas. You can simply ask him something like: “Find a picture of a Christmas tree” or “Find a picture of a person playing with snow”.
A greener Christmas, even at home
Christmas, as we know, is one of the periods of the year in which everything is consumed in greater quantities: more food, more gifts and even more electricity. This festival, in fact, with its traditions of generosity and sharing, is often accompanied by an increase in the use of energy.
There Italian Society of Environmental Medicine confirmed this trend, highlighting, for example, how decorative lights increase energy consumption by 30%, causing the emission of 650 tons of CO2 per day for a total of 18-20 thousand tons over the entire holiday period.
Aware of this and the negative environmental implications, Hive Power, pioneer company in the supply of innovative solutions for smart networks, has decided to share some tips for reducing its ecological footprint and enjoying more sustainable holidays.
Beautify your home with LED fairy lights
Opt for LED Christmas lights not only allows you to reduce polluting emissions but also to save on your bill. According to a Eurostat analysis, LED lights offer significant savings: replacing a traditional 60W lamp with a 10W LED one can make save up to 10 euros per year for each piece replaced. Their longevity also makes them a more sustainable choice than incandescent bulbs. For outsiders, they exist decorative lights powered by mini solar panels, an innovation adopted on a large scale in 2022 by the municipality of Rome to illuminate the Christmas tree in Piazza Venezia.
Unplug decorations when not needed
In addition to choosing the right lighting, also remember to unplug your Christmas decorations when you go to sleep it can be useful for maximizing energy savings, further reducing consumption and the probability of short circuits or other unpleasant domestic accidents.
Give Christmas gifts by avoiding unnecessary packaging
Find Christmas Gifts more sustainable from an environmental point of view is possible, that’s enough First of all, avoid unnecessary packaging and the gift card which, according to Greenpeace, emits approximately 3.5 kg of CO2 per kilo. Furthermore, other thoughts may be preferred, such as: handmade objects by local artisans, subscriptions for ebook services, a gardening kit to grow aromatic herbs, or experiences to do as a couple, possibly in nature.
For those who think big, an alternative could be to support loved ones in purchasing a solar panel or smart applianceswhich allow you to save on your bill and reduce your carbon footprint, taking advantage of economic incentives that energy companies offer today.
For travel, choose green mobility options
Finally, for those who want to explore new places during holidays, opt for forms of sustainable mobilityas an electric car, it can make a difference. In Europe, many countries offer robust charging infrastructure to ensure a smooth travel experience; among these there are Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
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