Best Holiday Animatronics

Make your holiday decor stand out with animatronics that offer the latest technology, high-grade construction and extra features. To help you decide the best choice for your holiday decor, consider:

• Costuming: Does the clothing feel like quality fabric? Are the included accessories well-made? Attention to detail matters.
• Audio: Sound is very important in an animatronic to create seasonal cheer. Look for models with holiday music and voices that are sure to make your guests smile.
• Sensors: These figures are always ready to greet your guests with movement and sound. Check to see what kinds of sensors the animatronic uses - motion, light and/or sound - to trigger its performance.
• LED lights: Animatronics with integrated LED lighting can illuminate and liven up your holiday decor. LEDs are up to 80 percent more efficient than standard lights and last years longer.
• Motors: Check out the type of motor that comes with your animatronic. Servo-motor technology creates life-like movement in the face and body, while DC motors achieve a higher range of motion to bring big pieces to life.
• Environmental rating: This rating affects the longevity, efficiency and performance of the animatronic.
• Instructions: Quality animatronics will include step-by-step instructions on how to set up and care for your new holiday decoration.

Part of the fun with holiday animatronics is deciding how to display them in your home. Place them in your windows so that they can be seen both inside and outside your home. Position them inside the front door to greet your guests. Create a festive scene by placing animatronics around your Christmas tree.

If you have small children, set up their favorite animatronic in their room or playroom. Small animatronics even make cute centerpieces for large dining room tables or buffets. The point is to have fun and place your animatronics where they can be enjoyed.

Tip: Display animatronics as indoor-only decor to help protect the machinery and extend their durability.

Before packing your animatronics up until next holiday:

• Spot clean any stains with a cloth dipped in mild dish soap and water.
• Wipe or brush thoroughly all over to get rid of any dust.
• Check lights and cords to make sure they work.
  

Store your animatronics in the box they came in. Sometimes the box has instructions written on the outside, so you’ll want to have those handy from year to year.
You can also get a holiday storage bag that keeps animatronics dry and clean during the off season.