How-to Set Up "Alexa, Turn on my Christmas Lights"

Last week, our quote of the day was “Alexa, turn on my Christmas lights.” Some of our readers were surprised that I actually use this command in real life and began commenting and messaging us asking, “how?!” Well, it’s actually super easy! This will cost you under $45 and these are the items you will need in order to make it happen:

The good news is you do not need a special tree or certain lights. This will work with a pre-lit tree or one you strung the lights on yourself. You will need this Kasa Smart Plug though. (This is the one I use; however, there are several other types and bundles if you think you might want more than 1). You will plug your tree/lights directly into it. You will then download the Kasa app. It will walk you through setting it up and naming the device. Once this is complete, you can now turn your device off and on via the Kasa app. If you want to go a step further and use Alexa, keep reading.

So, the Kasa app is now set up. Your next move is to purchase an Amazon Alexa device. If you’re looking for a fully-functioning Alexa device that won’t break the bank, you want the Amazon Echo Dot (I have several of these in my house)! If you already have an Alexa device, then you’re good to go! In the Amazon Alexa app, you will need to go to the “Skills & Games” menu and download the Kasa skill. You can add your TP-Link device here or create a group. You will want to name the device or group of devices what you will refer to it/them when speaking to Alexa. Why create a group? You may want to create a group called “Christmas Lights” where you add your tree lights, mantle lights, and staircase lights. You may want to create a group called “Living Room” where you add several lamps or lights. This way, you can give one command to turn on the entire group.