The 2024 Wishmas Guide... Hub!

Yo Yo Yo! Don't look now, but it's that time of the year again. Grab the hot chocolate and your favorite holiday snack as we jump into the Wishmas Guide for 2024! This year we're serving things up a little different folks (just a teensy weensy bit). So... this is what we'll call the Wishmas Guide... Hub! A portion of individuals we've met around Orlando this year, actually contributed to these guides in a round about way... just based on their collective needs + wants + frustrations.

This hub post will represent items good for any member of the family regardless of age or gender for the most part. For the other guide's related to Younglings, the Ladies, Gents, and the... Office will be in separate posts (as usual) that are accessible through this... hub! Stay tuned!

 Elevate Your Family TV Time with Surround Sound 

This year, in the name of family time, whether you're playing games or watching a movie together, consider upgrading from your TV's built-in speakers. A true 5.1 channel surround sound system with Dolby Atmos and/or DTS:X is the perfect addition to your living room. Audio is one of those features that's always appreciated, especially when it comes to headphones, but I've noticed that many living room setups are missing that extra oomph. It's a personal choice, but investing in a quality sound system can take your entertainment to the next level. It's not about having a louder entertainment experience... it's all about the depth of the experience, and if you find yourself watching the latest movies at home don't leave an ounce of enjoyment on the table. 

By the way, before I go into this... (maybe it's just me but) I've always felt weird about placing a subwoofer off to the side rather than front and center. If you have the ability to place it under your livingroom table or under a high enough entertainment center... I think the placement works better. If you have space behind the couch in the center, that works as well and... some newer options can be controlled by your phone if you.

Two options under the $200 mark are the 2024 models of the Vizio & Ultimea model seen below:

Vizio 5.1 Soundbar SE

Soundbar

Right & Left Surround Speakers

Compact Wireless Subwoofer

Dolby Atmos + DTS:X

Bluetooth

HDMI eARC

Optical Output

Ultimea True 5.1 Soundbar Poseidon D60

Soundbar

Right & Left Surround Speakers

Wireless Subwoofer

Dolby Atmos + DTS:X

Bluetooth

HDMI eARC

Auxiliary

Optical

The placement of a subwoofer can significantly impact the quality of sound in your home theater or living room setup. While it doesn't necessarily have to be placed in the center of the viewing area, there are some guidelines to follow for optimal sound:

1. Corner Placement: Placing the subwoofer in a corner can enhance the bass response by utilizing the walls to amplify the sound.

2. Front of the Room: Positioning the subwoofer at the front of the room, near the main speakers, can create a more cohesive soundstage.

3. Experimentation: The best placement can vary depending on the room's acoustics. It's often recommended to experiment with different locations to find the spot that provides the best bass response.

Ultimately, the goal is to achieve a balanced and immersive sound experience, so feel free to move the subwoofer around and test different positions to see what works best for your space.

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 Family Fun with Nintendo Switch Games 

While it might be tempting to say wait for the new Nintendo Switch 2, expected to announced during the first half of... 2025, not everyone wants to put family game time on pause. Many parents I've spoken to in Orlando would love to see cellphones set aside for more family fun. Luckily, there are plenty of options to make that happen with multiplayer action. Here are multiple Nintendo Switch games with 4-player fun:

1. 
   Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury: This game offers a fun and chaotic multiplayer experience as players work together to complete levels and collect power-ups.
   
   
2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: A classic racing game that never gets old. Compete against each other in exciting races and battle modes.
   
   
3. Overcooked! All You Can Eat: A hilarious and frantic cooking game where teamwork is key to serving up dishes in crazy kitchens.
   
   
4. Minecraft: Explore, build, and survive together in this sandbox game that offers endless possibilities for creativity and adventure.
   
   
5. Nintendo Switch Sports: Engage in friendly competition with sports like bowling, tennis, and volleyball (the other sports in this game lack a local 4 player option).
   
   
6. Super Mario Party Jamboree: The biggest Mario Party yet, with over 110 minigames, new online and offline modes, and plenty of customization choices.
   
   
7. 
   Super Mario Bros. Wonder: Classic Mario gameplay turned on its head with Wonder Flowers, offering game-changing items and a new adventure in the Flower Kingdom.
   
   
8. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge - Anniversary Edition: Enjoy stunning full-color pixel art graphics and a vintage TMNT vibe, with new characters and modes.
   
   
9. Just Dance 2025: Get your friends and family together to dance and enjoy 40 hot new songs, whether you want to take the party to a whole new level or create special family moments.
   
   
10. The Karate Kid: Street Rumble: Step into the streets of West Valley and Okinawa, battling waves of enemies as Daniel LaRusso, Mr. Miyagi, Ali Mills, or Kumiko in this pixel art, side-scrolling, beat 'em up adventure. Intense martial arts combat and dynamic boss battles await!
    
    
11. Jitsu Squad: Fast-paced 2D brawler with intense, action-packed battles. Play as unique characters with special abilities, fighting through waves of enemies in vibrant, hand-drawn environments. Perfect for fans of classic beat 'em ups!

These games are perfect for bringing the family together for some fun and interactive entertainment.

By the way, don't forget to grab more Joy-Con controllers for 4-player fun! If you take the more affordable route, go with the officially licensed options for half the price of the first party ones or go first party that's bundled with a free game! Either way... you save! By the way, we have no idea what the next Nintendo console would be called... but that sounded like a fun name to call it!

Get Moving with Bikes

While home entertainment is great, don't forget the fun and exercise that bikes can provide. Health care professionals recommend physical exercise for its numerous benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, stronger muscles, and better mental well-being. Being active with your children also sets a positive example and strengthens family bonds.

Consider investing in bikes for the whole family. There are even electric mountain bikes for those who want to give their legs a break after a nice ride, ranging from $200 to $300. With options for both kids and adults, you can enjoy quality time together while staying active and healthy.

If you grab bikes, wouldn't hurt to grab a bike rack.

Active Fun for the Whole Family

Sticking to the realm of physical fun, consider gifting a tennis set, basketball goal or a volleyball net. These can provide hours of entertainment and exercise, especially if the lucky recipient actually uses them. For more affordable options, a football, baseball or soccer set is a great choice. These activities offer family fun while also improving your children's skills. It's a win-win for everyone!

Unforgettable Experiences as Gifts

When it comes to taking trips, going on cruises, enjoying spa days, savoring delicious food, or just having fun locally, these experiences are even better when received as gifts.

Whether it's a weekend getaway, a relaxing spa day, or a fun-filled local adventure, these experiences create lasting memories and strengthen family bonds (especially with good vibes on deck). Just remember, while browsing, don't get distracted by deals you'd love to get your hands on... unless it includes your family. Enjoy!

Great Family Stocking Stuffer: Dr. Plotkas Toothbrush

The family stocking stuffer is... a Dr. Plotkas Toothbrushes, because they're just that good. This has been my toothbrush of choice for years now. The family pack would allow for you to easily hook everyone up, and save their grill at the same time. We may like pirate themed entertainment, but I don't know many people who want to look like one... in the mouth.

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Best Nintendo Switch Games For Family Fun: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Gaming as a family is a great way to bond and spend quality time together. I actually met a mom and her son in December of 2023 and motivated her to not only get a Nintendo Switch for her son but... also look forward to taking advantage of their time together by joining in on one of his favorite pastimes. That's the goal, bond, talk, laugh, enjoy your family time... and make memories that will last a lifetime. As mentioned before... gaming can be a great way to teach kids about teamwork, problem-solving, and competition in a healthy and fun way.

In addition to games relieving stress and delivering fun, there are some titles that provide additional benefits that most movies & TV shows don't deliver. You can learn different languages, how to build computers, how to type or improve WPM's, and then some.

In the case of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, your children learn about teamwork, which is a great thing to instill at an early age so that they know the importance of working with others and not feeling as if they have to do everything alone. Serve up some cheddar-filled mushrooms and other goodies and enjoy your family game night!

Super Mario Bros. Wonder... features 4-player fun that not only gives you the ability to take on baddies on the road to fighting big bad Bowser, but you can revive each other while taking on these colorful stages and their varying challenges. This will certainly come in handy for some during those difficult times on this wonder-full adventure.

In addition to Mario & Luigi, you also have Princess Peach + Princess Daisy representing for the ladies, team Toadstool which includes Toadette + the Blue & Yellow Toads, and Nabbit. Nabbit is one of those characters for individuals who want to join in on family fun... but don't exactly have the noticeable skills to pay the bills. Why? Well, he's invincible, so... no worries about him taking L's, but I still feel like he should be reserved for the individuals who would normally watch from the sidelines. He could be a great stepping stone for them, potentially challenging them to use one of the main characters one day.

This game also features the Yoshi crew, which adds another level of fun. Yoshi allows you to eat enemies, and items, carry other players, and more. Speaking of items on this crazy adventure... you have things like:

Elephant Fruit, which allows you to transform into an elephant able to swing its trunk and trounce enemies, but also other cool moves like smashing through bricks from the side.

Bubble Flower does exactly what you assume, you can use bubbles to defeat baddies or bounce on them to get over certain areas with less effort or reach new heights.

Drill Mushroom gives you the ability to not only drill through the ground like... Mr. Driller, but also through the ceiling... and the list of power-ups goes on.

The replay value goes a long way, which includes badges:

Action Badges - Grants an additional action to your character, like a Parachute Cap that lets you float down slowly after a jump.

Boosts Badges - Gives your character an additional passive ability, like earning coins for defeating enemies.

Expert Badges - This grants an advanced skill to your character, "experts only!".

What's different about this experience compared to other games like New Super Mario Bros games... is what it offers as far as creativity goes. You'd think we were on the dev team with the way they've dialed up the weird in this game, but... to be honest I also get that Super Mario World feeling too. Speaking of which... I'd love to see a Super Mario World remake either in full 2D or 3D. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is available now. Grab a physical copy or a digital copy.

• Find wonder in the Flower Kingdom in the next side-scrolling Super Mario adventure
  
  
• Collect Wonder Flowers for surprising, game-changing effects like pipes coming alive, an enemy stampede, and much, much more
  
  
• Choose from the largest cast of characters in a side-scrolling Mario game, including Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, and other favorites
  
  
• Ease into the action with four different-colored Yoshis and Nabbit who can’t take damage
  
  
• Discover new power-ups like Elephant Fruit, which transforms Mario and friends into an elephant that can swing their trunks and spray water

This game is rated E for Everyone!

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Dear Parents: Not All Games and Apps Are Kid-Friendly!

In the world of tech, video games & consumer apps play a significant role, but it's important for parents to be aware of the types of games & apps their children are using. While some may perceive all games & most apps to be harmless, it's not always safe to assume. When it comes to video games, the ESRB ratings are in place for a reason, but at the end of the day... the game industry can't raise your children.

Locate the rating:

For Google Play apps, click on the app and you will find the rating at the top... just beneath the title of the game. The age rating is to the right of the game review score, and download count. Apps, Movies, and TV have ratings, but I realized that eBooks are not rated (from what I've seen).

For App Store apps, the rating is right next to the Game and App titles. Apple TV+ has a rating in a similar area as the Google Play ratings (slightly below the title). When it comes to books, there is no age rating here either.

It's worth noting that some apps ask for location information and may even contain location-tracking features. Select apps use this information to ensure that your mobile order is to the right location, but others have no need for it and may result in undesired use of this information if it ends up in the wrong hands. While some use a tracking feature, others ask for this information and it could be showcased on a public profile to be seen by someone unsavory. A number of popular apps are social media-based, and allow you to chat with others, which basically means your children have the ability to chat with anyone in most cases.

This increases their chance of hearing and seeing certain things you do not approve of. While these apps have an age range, anyone can misrepresent themselves to gain access to most social media apps. That includes your children, and on the flip side... we don't know if the person claiming to be a teenager is actually a teenager at times. Talking with your children to establish safe precautions and healthy habits as part of an agreement to have a phone, is probably one of the best routes to take. From there you can present the reasons why you want them to be careful with such a useful tool. With great power, comes great responsibility... literally. 

See: Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe on Social Media

Chat doesn't stop at social media apps. There are chat features in select games that lack true regulation that also include the ability to share links. This can be concerning, as there are individuals who exploit any opportunity available to them, potentially exposing children to inappropriate content, and seeking out their location by request or by obtaining their information.

Knowing the apps on your child's phone, specifically to research them... can go a long way. By doing so, parents can thoroughly review each app by its name to determine if any raise concerns and require uninstallation. This can be part of an agreement established with your child in order to have a phone. We don't need to go down this rabbit hole... but there are parents who wish they established such an agreement before avoidable issues were ushered in.

Additionally, parents should check for a "Hidden Space" on their child's Android phone. To access this area, they can slide their fingers both upwards and downwards simultaneously (using two fingers) on the home screen.

• Within the app drawer, sliding to the right will reveal this hidden space.

Parents can verify what I'm explaining by navigating to the settings and scrolling down to locate "Hidden Space," which should be positioned just above the "About" option at the bottom.

If their Android phone has a different user interface, you can search for tutorials on YouTube to get assistance. Being proactive in understanding and monitoring the digital landscape that our children navigate is crucial for their safety and well-being. By staying informed and actively investigating the apps and features available on their phones, parents can better protect their children from potential risks associated with certain digital content.

If you were wondering if there was an easier route... don't worry, there actually is. Check out the links below for kid-friendly phone manufacturers... Gabb & Pinwheel. Both phones deliver the things your child may need, and nothing you don't want them to have. Apps they do have access to, have been vetted, and the controls are in your hands. So see if one of the options below works for you.

Sophima | Guest Contributor

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Best Nintendo Switch Games For Family Fun: Sonic Superstars

Gaming as a family is a great way to bond and spend quality time together. It also gives parents a chance to enjoy game time with their children and make memories that will last a lifetime. Gaming can be a great way to teach kids about teamwork, problem-solving, and competition in a healthy and fun way. In addition to games relieving stress and delivering fun, there are some that provide other benefits that most movies & TV shows don't deliver.

In the case of Sonic Superstars, your children learn about teamwork + healthy competition, which are great things to begin grasping at an early age. Sonic Superstars launches October 17th, 2023... and would make for a great launch title for family game night! If you're a big Sonic fan, consider making it a chili dog night!

Sonic Superstars... takes things back to the 2D days of Sonic The Hedgehog with 3D models, and serves up a multiplayer game where up to 4 people can drop in & out of the action as needed. It's the first time a Sonic game allowed for 4-players to play through the full campaign together in the pursuit of harnessing the power of the chaos emeralds to take down the baddies.

When it comes to the 4-player action, you will choose from Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and... Amy. Your team will take on the likes of the infamous Dr. Eggman, Fang, and Trip as they execute a plan to turn the Northstar Islands giant animals into Badniks.

In Sonic Superstars, you aren't simply side scrolling and going through loops, your team navigates in a variety of ways that bring back the signature moves we know and love, but also new moves as seen here:

In Sonic Superstars, you can:

- 4-player local co-op & online Battle mode

- Multiply, swim up waterfalls, change form, and more with the powers of the Chaos Emeralds

- Multiple paths and secrets

This game is rated E for Everyone!

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