Thanksgiving Tech Made Easy (Whether You’re Hosting or Visiting)

Thanksgiving’s better when the tech fades into the background and everybody just relaxes. Here’s how I handle it at my place — simple, no fuss.

If I’m hosting, the first thing I do is tape a little 3×5 card on the fridge with the Wi-Fi name and password. That way I’m not shouting letters across the kitchen while the mashed potatoes are boiling. If your router has a guest network, turn it on the day before and forget about it — family gets online, your stuff stays separate. While you’re in there, glance at the thermostat schedule; an oven that’s been on since 9 a.m. can turn the living room into July.

Someone always asks to see photos. Before folks arrive, I make a tiny album on my phone — five or ten favorites from the year — and leave it ready to cast to the TV. After pie, we hit play and pass the remote around so everybody can add a picture or two. It beats passing phones back and forth down the couch.

If Aunt Linda can’t make it, we do a two-minute video call test mid-morning. Not a full conversation — just “Can you see me? Can you hear me?” If an app wants to update, it does it then, not at 5:30 when the rolls are burning.

I set a little “charging corner” on a side table — a power strip and a couple of spare cables — so people don’t unplug the lamp to juice up their phones. In the kitchen, I let the smart speaker handle the timers. “Set a timer for the green beans for 8 minutes.” Hands stay clean; nothing gets overdone.

If I’m the one traveling, I screenshot the host’s Wi-Fi info before I leave and toss that same little power strip in my bag. It’s the easiest way to make friends when six people show up with dead batteries. And I always download the directions for one recipe, just in case the signal at their house is cranky.

None of this is fancy. It’s the small stuff that makes the day feel smooth so you can focus on the stories, the food, and the football nap. If you want a quick pre-holiday tune-up — guest network on, TV casting working, a quick “holiday call” check — I’m happy to pop in or help remotely. Then on Thursday, the only thing you’ll be juggling is the gravy.