Christmas with Raspberry Pi 5 | #MagPiMonday

Writing about Christmas in early November is weird, even for Rob Zwetsloot. But it had to be done in order to get it in the December issue of The MagPi, and it means we get to sprinkle some festive cheer over this week’s #MagPiMonday.

These Final Word columns tend to be one of the last things we write for the magazine, meaning that even with print lead times the context of these columns is still fairly fresh. As I’m writing this, I realise we don’t have one of my seasonal features in this issue for Christmas – my favourite winter holiday! I’m Mr Mince Pie according to my friends, after all.

Raspberry Pi 5 on a black background with orange, yellow, green , pink and turqouise swirls, circles, patterns exploding from behind it

Lucy, MagPi Editor, firmly believes that Christmas can’t start until after Bonfire Night [that’s right –Ed], and while I understand and respect that, I’m full on Christmas mode the moment the clocks turn midnight on Halloween. Which, if we were to write a Christmas projects feature, would have been roughly the deadline for it. That’s weird, right? I know TV shows tend to film their Christmas specials in July and It’s a Wonderful Life was shot during an unusually hot summer with everyone in big coats being pelted by newly-invented fake snow, but it’s still a little odd to be writing about turkey dinners and stockings on a rainy October evening.

Raspberry Pi-powered Christmas

Many of the Christmas tutorials that have appeared in the magazine over the years are based on projects I’ve built myself as Christmas decorations, although I unfortunately broke the 3D-printed star I made many years ago. I’m trying to figure out what to do this year, and I think I’m long overdue a Pico overhaul of some of my lights around my home.

Raspberry Pi Christmas Lights

Maybe it’s time to make a new star ornament? I do need to go back and make the star itself a lot lighter, as I had trouble balancing it on my fake tree. I should also get them all automated with voice commands. Anyway, keep an eye on the MagPi socials for anything I decide is worth posting.

Under the tree

Hopefully you’ll have made use of our Priority Boarding offer to get a Raspberry Pi 5 for yourself or someone else who will be opening it on Christmas morning. If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, the Official Handbook 2024 is a great gift, along with the newly updated Beginners Guide. We work hard on those to make them extra special, and they’re a great way for new users to pick up Raspberry Pi.

Anyway, have a great holiday and a happy new year. And yes, we do have another issue out between now and then. The print industry is odd. 

The MagPi #136 out NOW!

You can grab the brand-new issue right now from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, WHSmith, and other newsagents, including the Raspberry Pi Store in Cambridge. It’s also available at our online store which ships around the world. You can also get it via our app on Android or iOS.

You can also subscribe to the print version of The MagPi. Not only do we deliver it globally, but people who sign up to the six- or twelve-month print subscription get a FREE Raspberry Pi Pico W!

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