I’ve been exploring ways to enhance my home’s holiday lighting setup using SmartThings, and I’d love to share my journey and gather some tips from the community! 
My Goal: I want to automate my holiday lights to turn on at specific times, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, without manually adjusting settings every year. Ideally, I’d love to set dates for these modes and have them switch on automatically, but I’m open to workarounds if date criteria aren’t directly supported. Current Setup: I’ve got a mix of TP-Link Kasa bulbs and some Z-Wave switches controlled through SmartThings. Right now, I’m using routines to manage the lights, but it’s a bit clunky. For example, I have to manually disable the Away mode during holidays to prevent the lights from turning on too early, which defeats the purpose of automation. Challenges: - Date Criteria: I’d love to create a Holiday Mode with specific start and end dates. Is there a way to achieve this without resorting to Stringify or other third-party apps? - Integration: I have some devices that aren’t natively supported by SmartThings, like my eWeLink switches. I’ve been using IFTTT as a workaround, but it’s not ideal. Has anyone found a more seamless integration method? - Automation Logic: I’d like to ensure that certain lights only come on during specific events. For instance, my porch lights should only illuminate during Halloween, not throughout the year. What I’ve Tried: - IFTTT Workaround: I’ve created applets to trigger lights based on calendar dates, but it feels too hacky. I’d prefer a more streamlined solution within SmartThings. - SmartApps: I’ve explored a few SmartApps that promise holiday automation, but none have perfectly met my needs. Some are too basic, others too complex. Community Insights: I’d love to hear how others have tackled similar challenges! Are there any hidden features or clever workarounds within SmartThings that I’ve missed? For those using openHAB, have you found success with date-based automation that could inspire a similar setup in SmartThings? Looking Ahead: I’m hoping for future updates that bring more robust date-based automation to SmartThings. Until then, I’m open to creative solutions and would appreciate any tips or resources the community can share! Thanks in advance for your insights! Let’s make this holiday season brighter with smarter automation! 
