Christmas is always a special time, and this year I decided to take my home automation to the next level to get into the festive spirit! 
I’ve been wanting to integrate my Philips Hue lights and Sonos speakers to create a fully automated Christmas scene. The idea was to have the lights dim and some seasonal music play as soon as the sun sets, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere without any manual intervention. But where to start?
First, I researched how to link my Hue lights with my existing routines. I found that using WebCoRE was the perfect solution. I set up a simple rule: when the sun sets (using the built-in sunset event), the Hue lights in the living room would dim to 30% and switch to a warm white color. Then, I added a delay of 30 seconds before triggering the Sonos speaker to start playing my Christmas playlist.
The first time I tested it, it worked like magic! The lights dimmed perfectly, and the music started right on cue. My family was amazed, and it really set the tone for the holiday season.
One thing I learned was the importance of timing. I initially didn’t add the delay, and the music would start almost instantly with the lights, which felt a bit jarring. Adding that small delay made the transition much smoother and more natural.
If you’re looking to add some festive automation this year, I highly recommend starting with something simple like this. It’s incredibly satisfying to see everything come together and create that perfect holiday ambiance. Cheers to a wonderful Christmas season! 
