Let’s say goodbye to 2016 with some sites to get us into the holiday mood.  Whether you are entrepreneur or employee, captain of industry or middle manager, nine-to-fiver or happy homebody, this is your chance to relax, unwind a bit, and indulge yourself and your loved ones ….. Have fun!

How to enjoy your break

There’s no better way to re-charge your batteries after a long year than a really good holiday.   Make the most of it with the Telegraph’s ‘The science behind having a happy family holiday” on its website http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/family-holidays/using-science-to-make-family-holidays-happier/.

The perfect gift

Are you struggling to find the perfect gift for a really special client or family member?  If you’re not all thumbs tackle one of the projects in “Give the Perfect Handmade Gift with These DIY Projects” on LifeHacker http://lifehacker.com/give-the-perfect-handmade-gift-with-these-diy-projects-1742130717?sidebar_promotions_icons=testingoff&utm_expid=66866090-67.e9PWeE2DSnKObFD7vNEoqg.1.

Is that hotel review fake?

Before you book into Hotel Le Swank on the basis of its brilliant 5 star online reviews, check the reviews for authenticity by running them through Review Skeptic http://reviewskeptic.com/.  It’s based on research at Cornell University that uses machine learning to identify fake hotel reviews with “nearly 90% accuracy”.

Your dog’s New Year bedtime story

If your canine companions are terrified of New Year fireworks, try playing them the audiobook bedtime story on the Daily Record’s “Calm canine nerves this Bonfire Night with bedtime story for dogs” webpage http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/bedtime-story-for-dogs-1411639 – it uses “proven animal psychology tips and tricks, communicative signals, bioacoustics and years of research into dog behaviour”.  It might soothe your nerves as well.  Plus you can have fun testing it on the cat.

Record those memories! Tips for great cell phone videos

Capture the happy times forever with a home movie shot on your smart phone.  “Make Great Videos with Your Phone” on lifewire.com https://www.lifewire.com/make-great-phone-videos-1082078 shows you how.  Finish it off with a video editing app – find the best at “10 best video editor apps for Android” here http://www.androidauthority.com/best-video-editor-apps-android-716248/ or “5 of the nicest video editing apps for iOS” here http://www.phonearena.com/news/5-of-the-nicest-video-editing-apps-for-iOS_id87459.