Category: Holidays Page 10 of 13

Stories about the occasions that matter most.

5 Fun Ways To Spend International Friendship Day

On July 20, 2018

We’re all so busy with work, school, our families, and our relationships, that sometimes we completely forget to slow down and enjoy the company of the people who have always been there for you. If this is the case for you, International Friendship Day is the perfect opportunity to rekindle your ties with your closest pals – your second family. You may not be related to them by blood, but they’re your brothers and sisters by choice, and that conscious decision to hold them near and dear makes all the difference.

Your friends have been there for you through good times and bad times, and will be by your side forevermore. Making sure they know how much they mean to you – that’s what International Friendship Day is for. Here are five fun ways to show them how thankful you are to have them in your life.

1. Visit your alma mater.

We’ve met a lot of our most loyal friends during our school days. If your school’s walls could talk, it would probably have so much to say about the crazy shenanigans you and your pals were up to. What better way to celebrate your friendship than to pay a visit to your alma mater, with the whole gang in tow? You can reminisce about your fondest moments and your favorite (and least favorite) teachers, and marvel at the improvements to the campus that were implemented after your graduation.

2. Throw a party.

Gather everyone and celebrate International Friendship Day with an intimate get-together at your place! It could be a fancy dressed-up affair, or a casual pizza night (with some wine to keep the conversation rolling). Better yet, you can enlist their help cooking the food and setting up the party – that’s another bonding experience you can reminisce about!

3. Surprise your friends with a token of your friendship.

Sure, it’s the thought that counts, but a tangible reminder of your bond with your BFFs never hurt. Matchy-matchy shirts are cute, while friendship bracelets are classic. Having a Nixplay Frame, loaded with playlists of all your fun times together, is also a great way to keep the friendship alive.

Get one for yourself and one for your best friend (or one for every member of your circle), and share photos with each other so you’ll always remember the good old days.

4. Travel together.

Going on a trip together is one of the greatest tests of friendship. If you can endure each other’s quirks, habits, and neuroses 24/7 for a few (or several) days in a row, you’ve definitely found a true friend in one another. It doesn’t have to be a grand faraway getaway – even just a weekend at a nearby city can do wonders to rejuvenate your bond with your pal.

5. Tell your friends how much they mean to you.

We don’t see our friends every day, but it surely shouldn’t be an “out of sight, out of mind” situation. If you’re living far from them, mail them handwritten postcards to tell them how much you miss their company. Got a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time? Send her a message on Facebook, ask her how she’s doing, and plan a catch-up. And don’t just limit it to International Friendship Day–keep this sweet habit throughout the year.

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

Young girls at the beach, celebrating the fourth of July - by holding an American flag and fire torches up high

5 Festive Ways To Celebrate the Fourth of July

By Mars Salazar

On July 3, 2018

In Holidays

Light up some fireworks, bring out the flags, and decorate everything in red, white, and blue: The Fourth of July is almost upon us, and it’s definitely one of the most wonderful times of the year! We’re sure you have some ideas on how to celebrate this holiday, but on the off chance that you’re still stumped, well, we’re here to the rescue! Read on to learn how you can make this Independence Day one you’ll remember for a long time.

1. Throw an outdoor party.

Take advantage of the fine weather and have some fun outside this Fourth of July! Have a pool party (don’t forget the giant floats!), or throw a backyard barbecue complete with on-theme food and cocktails. Invite the whole street, or just your closest friends and family. The possibilities of having fun are endless!

2. Get crafty.

Spend the afternoon making some fun red, white, and blue-themed projects the whole family can do. Create a Fourth of July banner to get the party started, and make an American flag backdrop for your Independence Day photo booth. Don’t forget your dining table: Create a patriotic centerpiece using recycled bottles, and put a vase filled with red and blue lollipops somewhere the little ones can easily reach.

3. Go shopping!

The week of July 4th is awash with fantastic deals from all your favorite stores. Whether you’re eyeing a new pair of shoes or thinking of upgrading your laptop, now’s a great time to do so. And if you’re thinking of getting a new Nixplay frame, you’re in luck: You can get 20% off a Nixplay Iris or 15% off a NIX Lux from July 4 to 13! Just enter the code FREEDOM20 for the Iris, and FREEDOM15 for the Lux. Don’t just add a frame to your cart–check it out now!

4. Let the kids do the planning.

It can be tiring to wrack your brain for a fun activity the whole family will enjoy. Take away the stress by getting the little ones to list the things they want to do on the Fourth of July, and tick them off one by one. Not only will this foster their creativity, but giving them a say in what you will do for the day will also make them feel like their voice really matters. This way, you’ll give the kids an Independence Day they’ll remember and treasure for a long time to come.

5. Visit an all-American attraction.

Mount Rushmore. The Statue of Liberty. The Grand Canyon. Walt Disney World. What do these locations all have in common? They’re all distinctly American landmarks, seen as symbols of everything our country and its people stand for. And there’s no better time to pay these places a visit than on the Fourth of July, where you can celebrate America alongside your fellow countrymen. If that doesn’t inspire you, just think of all the beautiful fireworks you’re guaranteed to see there!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

man woman jumping into the water summer 2018 summer solstice nixplay seed promo

5 Things You Can Do To Have The Best Summer Ever

By Mars Salazar

On June 20, 2018

In Holidays

Can you believe that summer is already here? With time flying by so fast, there’s really no time like the present to start making and preserving memories with your family and friends. Below, we listed five of the best summer activities you can do with your loved ones this season. Don’t forget to bring your camera or a phone so you can capture all the fun you’ll have!

1. Head to the beach

Summer wouldn’t be complete without a trip to somewhere warm and sunny! Head to the coast for a few days of sun, sand, and surf. Build sandcastles with the little tots, go kayaking with your significant other, and watch the sunset on the boardwalk while having ice cream with your family. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even sign up for diving or surfing lessons!

2. Visit an amusement park

Summer is the best time to visit an amusement park. Since there are no pesky rain showers to literally put a damper on your fun, you can go try out all the rides at the park. Take over the bumper cars, hop on the carousel with the kids, and ride the biggest, scariest roller coaster you can find. You can also try all the fair games—if you’re lucky, you might even get to bring home an adorable stuffed toy. Don’t forget to take lots of pictures, and make sure you have the Nixplay app on your phone so you can quickly upload the photos to your frame back home.

3. Go camping

Set aside one weekend this summer for a camping trip! You don’t have to go far—you can just have it in your backyard, so as long as it’s outdoors. If the kids in your family have never gone camping before, they’re bound to have a blast helping pitch the tent and gathering branches and leaves to build a bonfire. You can also go fishing and try to survive in the “wild” without electricity or gadgets. And in the evening, you can sit around a bonfire and make s’mores, before going to sleep under the twinkling of the stars.

4. Explore the outdoors

Take advantage of the pleasant weather and spend as much time as you can under the sun! Check out a new hiking trail with your loved ones, bust out your bikes and explore your town, or visit a nearby farm and pick your own fruits or flowers. Whichever activity you do, they’re all great ways to stay fit while having fun. Take lots of photos and upload them on your Nixplay frame so you can reminisce about all the fun you’ve had the moment you get back home.

5. Have a picnic

Fill up a basket or a cooler with easy-to-eat food like sandwiches, cookies, and chips, pack it in your car along with a blanket or a mat, and drive off to a park or the beach. If you can have your picnic somewhere with a grill so you can barbecue food on the spot, that’ll be better! Bring a frisbee and frisbee games so the young ones (and the young at heart) can entertain themselves, and snack on fruits like watermelon and pineapple to stay hydrated under the summer sun.

The final ingredient for a picture-perfect summer? A new Nixplay frame that will keep all your memories in one place. Take advantage of Nixplay’s Summer Solstice sale and get 20 percent off the Nixplay Seed 8-Inch Frame from June 21 to 26. Pick a frame in your favorite color, and get set to have a summer you’ll always remember!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

5 Simple Yet Brilliant Gift Ideas Any Mom Would Love To Get For Mother’s Day

By Mars Salazar

On May 6, 2018

In Gifting Guides, Holidays, Special Moments

Mother’s Day—the day we get to celebrate the original Wonder Woman in our own universe—is coming up in a week. If you already have a gift lined up, good for you! If not, this is your cue to start scrambling for the perfect present. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it should be meaningful. These five Mother’s Day gift ideas are easy to pull off—add a bouquet of her favorite blooms and a handmade card to make her feel like the queen she really is:

Offer to do her chores.

No one—not even Mom—truly enjoys doing housework, especially on Mother’s day, a day when she’s supposed to be treated like royalty. Take the weight off her shoulders for a day by offering to do the cleaning in her stead: It’s a simple, priceless gesture that’ll truly make her day.

Make it better: Mothers need a break, too. Create “chore vouchers” that Mom can cash in so another family member can do a chore for her. Better yet, ditch the vouchers altogether and voluntarily take on a chore she usually does, like shopping for groceries or doing the laundry, for the rest of the year.

Let her spend uninterrupted quality time with the family.

Moms are some of the busiest people in the world: They’ve got children to chase, food to prepare, homes to clean, pets to take care of, and spouses to love. It’s not easy juggling all these in addition to her career and hobbies, so giving her the chance to bond with her family without worrying about her other obligations would be great. Remember to take lots of pictures!

Make it better: If the kids live away from home, it shouldn’t be a problem. A Nixplay frame can help bridge the distance: help Mom set it up so she can have her precious memories at her fingertips. Take advantage of Nixplay’s Mother’s Day offer to get 20 percent off on all Nixplay Wi-Fi Cloud Frames and 15 percent off on all NIX Digital Frames until May 13. Buy your own frame here.

Get the kids to clean up after themselves

A mother’s unconditional love for her children gives her the willpower to make sacrifices for them. She’d willingly forego vacations and shopping trips, just to be able to secure her kid’s future. The least the little ones can do is to help her out by minimizing the mess they create at home.

Make it better: Make tidying up more fun for the kids by making a game out of it! You can time them doing a specific task like organizing their toys, and you can give them small prizes if they beat their best time. Or you can sneakily get the tots to help during laundry day by making them race against each other to gather dirty clothes in a certain color. Do it regularly, and you’ll soon be surprised at how eager they’ll be to clean up.

A gift card for her favorite spa or salon.

If there’s one day in the calendar when Mom deserves to be spoiled, it’s Mother’s Day. Treat her to a massage at her favorite spa, or accompany her to the salon for a haircut and a mani-pedi date.

Make it better: Mom deserves to feel her best the whole year round. You can take her to Sephora or Ulta and have her pick out a product she’d really use and love. That way, she’ll remember you every time she uses it.

Treat her to a delicious home-cooked meal.

Give Mom a break from cooking, even if it’s just for one day! Get the whole family to help out in the kitchen: the younger kids can help prepare the food and set the table, the older kids can cook, and dad can do the groceries. Don’t forget to wash the dishes after!

Make it better: Why stop at Mother’s day? Set aside time every weekend to prepare a meal in Mom’s stead. Aside from being a great way to hone the little ones’ culinary skills, it’ll also give Mom some much-needed “Me” time.

What will you be giving Mom on Mother’s day? Share it with us below.

Join our contest for a chance to win a Nixplay Iris for your mom!

Mars Salazar

Marianne is Nixplay’s Web Content Editor. Her hobbies include exploring new places, playing table tennis, and cuddling puppies. Send her a message at marianne.salazar@nixplay.com.

Photographing the Chinese New Year: Top 10

By Beatrice Bisais

On February 14, 2018

In Holidays, Photography

With a tourist agenda in place for Chinese New Year, your’s sincerely isn’t going to write about Chinese New Year and tell you to leave your camera at home. In fact, you can bet I’ll never do it because there’s no better way in capturing an extravaganza of light and color than with your camera. Besides, it not only makes lasting memories, but a good visual for the mantelpiece to show off. Here are some of the best things to capture during this flashy (no pun intended) occasion.

1. Dragon Dance:

One of the ultimate things to capture is a dragon dance, which are said to bring luck. They are colorful displays with lots of interesting shots of both the dragon dancers and the adorning crowds. They say, the longer the dragon, the more luck it is meant to bring. Nearly every Chinatown will have one during Chinese New Year Day on 16 February.

2. Lanterns:

This has got to be another classic, traditionally in red, a symbol of a prosperous life and booming business the radiating beauty and the fact that they’re not moving makes them a photographers dream.

3. Feasts fit for a God:

For those that celebrate, welcoming the year of the dog would be food, food and more food, often and I’m not exaggerating of epic proportions. While you’d need to be tactile and not implement your camera in the middle of a family feast without asking, those that get the access are often left with a stunning array of unique food snaps that will wow anyone.

4. Streetscapes:

It’s magical, romantic and a whole plethora of other words that won’t do the Lunar New Year and what it means. If you’re in the US, Europe, Australia or elsewhere outside of China, Chinese communities make it a bustling time full of activity as people prepare, shop and enjoy the occasion – creating streets-scenes like the Paris of the orient.

5. The People:

Those that observe this special holiday are often dressed for the occasion. Bright colors, new suave trims and jovial appearances are often the way to go. For 2018, expect to also see folks in green, blue and black to symbolize the elements of wood and water – considered lucky in the year of the Earth Dog.

6. Customs:

Chinese New Year is often a time for customs that includes things such as giving lucky red packets that usually contain money, people praying at temples to bring luck or a jovial game of mahjong, a festive favorite – just mind the noise.

7. Smiles and Laughter:

One thing that makes Chinese New Year so special for those that celebrate it is that it is an occasion to meet friends and family that many haven’t seen in a year or more. The aura can be captured by the smiles and laughter of those catching up with those that matter.

8. Fireworks:

Depending on where you are, the Lunar New Year is marked by a dazzling fireworks display that are bound to make sparks fly on any photograph.

9. Dogs:

No, this is not the name of my new hit single. As it’s the year of the Earth Dog, there is no better way than to capture man’s best friend. Maybe, a four-legged bundle of joy that’s dressed up for the occasion.

10. You:

Whilst the title to this entry sounds like an incomplete sentence, it’s not. It would be a real shame to capture all these dazzling displays and not get a cheeky selfie or an token image of you in a parade.

Make all those festive photos count by purchasing a NIX/Nixplay digital photo frame. The new NIX Lux collection features dazzling designs and finishes that will complement any majestic capture of the festivities. It is designed in a way that draws the eye of any visitor. Want to share them instantly with friends and family, the Nixplay Iris is a great way to instantly share them with anyone in the world by either adding them as friends or linking multiple frames with its unique WiFi Cloud infrastructure.

Beatrice Bisais

Bea is Nixplay’s Social Media Manager. She enjoys drinking coffee, reading about wars, and writing stories. Send her a message at beatrice.bisais@nixplay.com.