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Looking for the best Amazon Alexa Christmas skills and Hanukkah skills for your 2022 holiday?
Sadly, an up-to-date list of Alexa holiday skills is about as difficult to find as a snowball in South Town.
Fear not, my little snowflakes.
You can actually see a ton of holiday skills right at Amazon, including the classic and highly accurate Norad Santa Tracker.
But if you’re looking for some new and really cool holiday skills, continue on for our list of the best Amazon Alexa skills for the end of the year holidays.
Make Merry with My Updated Alexa Skills
Forget about those other guys with their outdated lists of Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah skills that don’t work.
I’ve got the ultimate list of the skills for a jolly good holiday.
Best of all?
Unless otherwise noted, these skills work on any Amazon Echo device, including the new Echo Dot, Echo Dot Kids Edition, Echo, Echo Show, Echo Plus, and more.
So grab a candy cane and break out the menorah! It’s time to get into some serious holiday skills.
How To Enable the Christmas and Hanukkah Skills
There are three ways you can enable these holiday skills.
First, you can try searching for a skill by its name on Amazon. When you find it, just click the Enable Skill button.
Second, you can search for and enable the skill using the Alexa app.
The third and easiest way to enable the skill is by just asking Alexa to do it for you!
Just ask:
Alexa, can you enable <inssert skill name here>?
The third and easiest way to enable the skill is by just asking Alexa to do it for you! Just ask:
Alexa, can you enable <insert skill name here>?
S. Claus
12 Best Amazon Alexa Holiday Skills
So hark the herald angels sing and all that. Without further ado, here is my list of the best Amazon Alexa skills newly updated this year.
Cue up the drumroll Little Drummer Boy, please.
Rum-pa pum pum……
Skill #1: Christmas Countdown
Type of Skill: Fun
Age Level: All
Do your “kids” get excited in anticipation of the day the big man in the red suit will arrive? Or maybe “someone you know” is the type to put off holiday shopping until Christmas Eve?
Either way, the Christmas Countdown skill can help.
First, tell Alexa:
“Enable the Christmas Countdown skill.”
Then, just ask [or have the kids ask]:
“Alexa, Ask Christmas Countdown how many days until Christmas.”
And she’ll answer you as honestly as she can [depending on your time zone!]
Shoot. I really better get going on my shopping.
Skill #2: Hanukkah Trivia
Type of Skill: Game
Age Level: 13+
For our kosher friends on the other side of the Sivivon, we give you the Hanukkah Trivia skill!
This is a great skill for Festival of Lights gatherings—or for anyone who wants to learn more about the holiday, really.
Alexa asks you multiple-choice questions about how the tradition is celebrated and how Jewish people commemorate it.
Play for yourself—or for chocolate coins against your friends. Yum!
Just say:
“Alexa, play Hanukkah Trivia.”
And on that note, here is Adam Sandler’s “The Hanukkah Song,” which still makes me chuckle every year.
Skill #3: Christmas Radio
Type of Skill: Music
Age Level: All
Next on our list of Amazon Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah skills for 2021 is Christmas Radio.
This is a live stream from Westwood One Internet Radio. Christmas radio plays a perfect mix of popular holiday tunes and Christmas classics. As sure as Rudolph has a red nose, this is guaranteed to be your go-to station this holiday season.
Just say: “Alexa, enable Christmas Radio.”
In the past few minutes, I’ve heard:
Something About Christmas Time by Brian Adams
The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
And, oh no…!!!
All I Want For Christmas Is You By Mariah Carey
Boo! I find both Mariah and THAT song equally disturbing.
Sorry!
Anyway, Christmas Radio is a solid choice for holiday parties, tree trimming, and eggnog drinking activities.
🎄Holiday Bonus: If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can also just say: “Alexa, Play Christmas Music.” And she’ll play a Holiday Favorites channel on Prime. Added bonus: you can skip over anything by Mariah. Just say: “Alexa, Skip!” 😛
By the way, this station would sound really great on the latest generation of Amazon Echo, don’t you think. Perhaps it is time to upgrade your Echo device.
Skill #4: Holiday Song Quiz
Type of Skill: Game /Music
Age Level: All
Do you remember the popular 80s game show “Name That Tune?” [Yes, I’m dating myself again.]
Well, this is kind of like that—without the $100,000 jackpot. Darn.
First, you tell Alexa the number of song clips you would like her to play.
She will then play a Christmas Tune and ask you to name the song title and artist. Instead of the $100K, you get:
- 10 points if you can name the song title [easy]
- Another 10 points if you can name the artist [harder]
You will love this skill if you are any sort of a music buff and like holiday tunes. I crushed it!
And thankfully there was nothing by Mariah on this playlist.
🎄Holiday Bonus: Check out Christmas Music Quiz for a similar type of game.
Skill #5: Christmas Kindness
Type of Skill: Inspirational
Age Level: All
Don’t be a Scrooge!
Get into the holiday spirit this season with Christmas Kindness. Every day until Christmas, just say:
“Alexa, Open Christmas Kindness….”
And Alexa will give you a little assignment on how you can be a little kinder and gentler this holiday season. Here is the kind of task that Alexa charged me with today:
Be sure to say thanks to the janitorial and security staff, the parking lot attendant. Make gratitude your first thought.
Nice. I think I will, just as soon as I finish helping this little old lady across the street. 😉
The creator of this skill also lets you submit your own suggestions for an act of kindness to the list. Send email to info@geekgirlmarketing.com. They claim to add contributed ideas weekly.
Skill #6: Christmas Facts
Type of Skill: Educational
Age Level: All
Impress your holiday dinner guests this year with a fun fact about Christmas.
Just say: “Alexa, Open Christmas Facts.”
For example:
Before it was turkey, the traditional Christmas meal in England was a pig’s head and lobster.
Hmm….a pigs HEAD?? Really? I wonder what a British lobster tastes like.
Editor’s Note: This Alexa holiday skill can be a little buggy, but if you ask her a few times, she will eventually spit out a fact.
Skill #7: A James Torme Christmas
Type of Skill: Music
Age Level: All
Full disclosure: I had no idea who James Torme was until I started researching this article.
Turns out he is an award-winning Jazz music artist and son of jazz-legend Mel Torme. I know that Mel had a few rocking Christmas albums back in the day so I decided to check this skill out. Impressed! This will surely be a classic among the best Amazon Alexa holiday skills for years to come.
If you’re into Christmas jams, check this kid out.
Just ask: “Alexa, Open A James Torme Christmas.”
🎅 Holiday Bonus: Enjoy James Torme’s rendition of The Christmas Song.
Skill #8: Ambient Visions Fireplace [for Echo Show]
Type of Skill: Screensaver
Age Level: All
If you own an Echo Show, why not set the holiday mood right with a lovely fireplace screen saver or another holiday theme. Ambient Visions has the best selection I have come across, and there are multiple fireplaces from which you can choose.
Just say: “Alexa, Open Ambient Visions screensavers.”
🎄Holiday Bonus: In addition to Echo Show, you can also run this on Facebook Portal.
Is an Echo Show on your shopping list? Great deals are still to be had on a variety of the Echo Shows currently on the market this holiday season. You can also see the latest pricing at Amazon here.
Skill #9: Christmas Sounds
Type of Skill: Music and Sounds
Age Level: Any
The Christmas Sounds skill provides a Christmas-y atmosphere to lift your mood this holiday season. This is my personal favorite Amazon Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah skill for 2022.
Best of all? You have zero chance of a Blue Christmas with this skill around.
The description in the Amazon App store reads:
“Get together with your family, remember the sounds and music from childhood and simply have a great time.”
That about sums it up. Think sweet-sounding carolers and jingle bells with an occasional “Christmas owl” thrown in the mix for good measure. Hoot hoot.
Just ask: “Alexa, Enable Christmas Sounds.”
Then ask: “Alexa, Open Christmas Sounds.”
🎄 Reindeer Tip: Use the command “Open” and not “Play” so Alexa doesn’t get confused with your holiday music playlists.
Skill #10: Christmas Jokes
Type of Skill: Fun
Age Level: Any
OK, sure you can just ask Alexa to tell you a Christmas joke [or a joke on just about any topic including pirates-aye!], BUT this skill was created especially for Christmas jokes ONLY.
And really bad ones. Terrible actually. But great fun!
First say: “Alexa, Enable Christmas Jokes,” to enable the skill.
Then, say: “Alexa, Open Christmas Jokes,” the next time you want to use it.
Here’s a little sample:
Q: What did Adam say the night before Christmas?
A: It’s Christmas, Eve.
Get it! LOL. Had to think on that for a second.
Skill #11: Is It Christmas?
Type of Skill: Fun
Age Level: Any
The Is It Christmas skill is so obvious and annoying you need to try it just to see. Maybe.
First, say:
“Alexa, Enable Is it Christmas.”
Then ask:
“Alexa, is it Christmas?”
Well, what did you expect?!
OK, moving on…
Skill #12: Spin the Dreidel
Type of Skill: Game
Age Level: Any
We couldn’t wrap our epic list of Amazon Alexa /Echo Christmas and Hanukkah skills without another skill for our proud Jewish friends.
This skill is all about Hanukkah’s most traditional game: Spin the Dreidel.
With Spin the Dreidel, Alexa asks you to spin a virtual top. She then tells you which Hebrew letter it lands on. Your job is to take action depending on your letter.
Just ask:
“Alexa, Enable Spin the Dreidel.”
Then
“Alexa, Open Spin the Dreidel.”
Again, you open NOT play, or she might play that cute little Spin the Dreidel song.
🎄Holiday Bonus: Check out this link to take Google’s virtual dreidel for a spin. Fun, but addictive, so proceed with caution!
Bonus! Alexa New Year’s Countdown
A few of you had written in to ask me if I knew of a decent Alexa New Year’s Eve Countdown skill.
There is at least one, but the ratings are mixed at best. Still, I will include it here and you can judge for yourself.
The only one I would even remotely recommend is called, you guessed it, New Year Countdown. The description says “This skill is perfect for people that want… to hear a fun, ecstatic countdown from 10. This plays a group of people counting down, perfect for any event where you need to count down.”
I just tested it and it works as advertised with what sounds like fireworks at the end of the countdown. The “revelers” do sound slightly annoying though.
You can enable it here.
Happy Holidays
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article.
More so, I hope you and your family will enjoy the Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah skills listed above.
And since I accomplished my mission of getting you some updated skills, I’ll leave you with a little diddy by Heat Miser’s “colder” brother.
“Here he comes now, the big ham…”
[He was able to get it to snow in South Town after all!]Amazon Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah Skills – Your Turn
I hope you found my review of the 12 Best Alexa Christmas and Hanukkah Skills insightful.
Do you plan on using any of these skills on your Echo device?
Have you already?
Do you have a favorite Alexa Christmas or Hanukkah skill I may have missed?
Please leave a comment below, and share this with your friends if you found it useful. Thank you for your support!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 🎄
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- 17 Best Amazon Echo Device Gifts
- 9 Best Amazon Device Gifts for Kids
- 9 Revved-Up Things Echo Auto Can Do
- Echo Dot 5th Gen vs 4th Gen
- Google’s Holiday Santa Tracker
Tim Brennan, a tech blogger and host of the @TecTimmy YouTube channel, writes about smart homes at oneSmartcrib, home theaters at UniversalRemoteReviews, and AI in writing at Writeinteractive. He holds a Journalism degree from Northeastern University and has covered technology for three decades. He lives on the ocean in Nahant, Massachusetts.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for a fun take on all things tech.