It's December 1985. The air is filled with the scent of freshly baked cookies and pine from your Christmas tree. A crackling fire pops across the room. You're flipping through a thick Sears catalog, circling potential gifts, and writing down addresses for holiday cards. “A Christmas Story” plays by VHS on your TV. Later today you’ll head to the local shopping mall to buy the gifts you circled in the catalog. Fingers crossed everything is still in stock…especially that Teddy Ruxpin your daughter has been begging you to buy.
Later, you wait in line with your spouse and your growing cart full of gifts for friends and family. You take several days off work before your daughter is out of school to complete your holiday shopping. Thank goodness you saved a couple of vacation days. After you wrap all the presents, you’ll head to the post office to ship some to your out-of-town relatives. Your list seems never-ending, but you’re thankful for the time with friends and family.
Reflecting on this 1985 holiday scene, we realize how much has changed. Back then, the holiday season was a nostalgic blend of stress and magic. Today, while our love for connecting with family and the joy of gift-giving remains the same, the way we manage holiday tasks has evolved drastically. Thanks to automation, the hectic holidays of the past, like in 1985, differ significantly from our current experiences.
Fast forward to today, and automation is more integrated into our holiday routines than you might realize. Let’s unwrap how technology has redefined our yuletide experiences:
Confession time! It’s incredibly easy to take these holiday helpers for granted. Automated technologies have become so woven into our lives that we hardly give them a second thought. For us though, the benefit is the quality time we’re able to spend. Whether that time is spent with family, or focusing on some self-care, the holidays are made better by embracing these technologies.
Peeking into the future, the holidays could become even more wondrous with emerging technologies. Here are a few we’re watching.
Smart, Self-Decorating Homes: The future brings homes that decorate themselves for the holidays. With a simple voice command or a pre-set schedule, your walls and rooms transform with automated decorations, perfectly placed and tailored to your aesthetic preferences. No more climbing ladders or untangling lights; your home knows exactly how to dress itself up for the festive season.
Intelligent Transportation Systems for Safe Travel: Your future holiday travel will be revolutionized by fully autonomous vehicles, integrated with city-wide traffic and weather management systems. Your vehicle will communicate with the vehicles near you and the city's infrastructure to perfect your travel route, reduce congestion, and ensure safety.
Eco-Friendly Holiday Automation: Here’s where automation extends to sustainability, with systems designed to minimize the environmental impact of the holidays. Imagine an energy management system that actively manages and reduces energy consumption. After all the gift-giving is complete, picture a smart recycling robot that aids in the eco-friendly disposal of all the trimmings and trappings.
As we hang up our stockings by the chimney with care, it's clear that automation has and will continue to shape our holiday experiences. It’s not just about making life easier; it's about creating space for what truly matters - time with our loved ones. We can't know for sure what future holidays will hold, but centering automated technology around human experience is the best guide to ensure that the magic and joy of the holidays of years past (like our 1985 memory) remains intact. 🫂
As we journey through the holidays, you may wonder: what hidden opportunities for timesaving, cost-cutting, and stress-relieving could automation uncover in your business? At R-Path Automation, we're passionate about harnessing technology to make life – and business – easier, not just during the holidays but all year round.
Need a little holiday magic in your business processes? Contact us at R-Path Automation.