The Gift that Keeps on Giving
Christmas time is here, and if you’re like millions of other Americans, there’s at least one person on your shopping list that you have no idea what to get. Maybe it’s an uncle, maybe it’s a sister-in-law, maybe it’s even Mom and Dad. Regardless of who you’re shopping for, there’s always the holiday gift that’s guaranteed to please and that is an over-the-air antenna (OTA) antenna.
Strange though it may seem, an OTA antenna is the perfect Christmas present, and here are 5 reasons why:
1) Everyone Loves OTA Television
Netflix might be the hip new way to watch TV shows, but you still can’t beat broadcast television. Every day millions of people tune in to television networks like ABC or NBC to get their daily news or evening entertainment.
Buying an OTA antenna as a Christmas gift might not be the most obvious idea, but you can bet that your loved one will at the very least try it out. And unlike Netflix, your loved one will be able to use their antenna for years to come without ever having to pay a bill or sign up for a subscription.
2) An Antenna Saves Hundreds of Dollars a Year
Do you know how much someone spends on a cable subscription in a given year? Even if you purchase a stripped down package, most people still end up paying at least $100 a month! That adds up to over $1200 a year. Yikes! Wouldn’t that difficult shopper in your life love to get some of that money back?
What other gifts can you buy that can potentially save your loved one over a thousand dollars a year?
For many, buying an antenna is the very first step towards becoming a cord cutter. As a cord cutter, you can show others what to do, and what not to do as they navigate through all the different streaming options available.
3) Antennas Can Fit Into a Stocking
Another reason why an OTA antenna makes the perfect stocking stuffer is that they can literally fit into a stocking. A long time ago when people were dependent on the clunky and unreliable rabbit ear antennas of the past. But today’s modern antennas are sleek and discreet (check out the Leaf Metro). Imagine your loved one’s surprise when they reach into their stocking and find this small electronic device that can deliver free high definition TV for life.
4) OTA Antennas Give You More Than Three Channels
Believe it or not, there are more OTA channels than just ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox. Sure, they might be the biggest broadcast networks, but they’re not the only ones. Scattered throughout the United States, on various channels and subchannels, there are countless broadcast networks just waiting to be discovered.
Most of the time, these local channels will offer niche and offbeat programming that’s bound to suck you in for at least an hour or two every day. If you want to see what kind of programming is available, you can go to Untangle.TV and search by zip code (it’s surprisingly easy). Giving someone an OTA antenna might seem a little limiting, but in reality, the difficult to shop for person in your life is in for a richer experience than they realize.
5) OTA Antennas are Inexpensive
If you have a big family or a Christmas budget that’s not quite big enough, then an OTA antenna is a great gift to consider. While you might be able to find an antenna that costs more than $100, on the whole, most OTA antennas are very affordable.
Just do a little shopping online and you’ll see that even some of the better antennas, like the Mohu Leaf 30, will only run you $40 total. And that’s a heck of a deal. Think about it: infinite free HD television for $30 and some change. As far as bang for your buck, you can’t get better than that.
Buy Your Loved One an OTA Antenna for Christmas
Admittedly, an antenna isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas stocking stuffers. But when you really think about it, it makes perfect sense! Antennas are cheap, can save your loved one’s money, can actually fit inside a stocking, and have a little something for everyone.
If you’ve got someone in your life that’s hard to shop for (especially a techie), do them a favor and get them an OTA antenna – they’ll be glad that you did!