I've seen a few different commercials over the last month or so that lean pretty heavily into the idea of gifting a smartphone for the holidays. Some of them are pretty quiet, like actors in an AT&T's commercial putting a small bow on an iPhone XS box and calling it good. Or we've got the other end of the spectrum, with a T-Mobile commercial that shows different people opening up their present and getting super stoked to find a smartphone waiting for them.

A smartphone has felt like a weird purchase to me in times past, mostly because there's that carrier line that has to be attached to it. That, and they're pretty expensive! But for a family, or just a group of friends on the same account, a smartphone does sound like a pretty awesome gift.

And this year I've spoken with a few people who are, or have already, gifted a phone to a loved one.

I got into a conversation about phones with an employee at a big box retailer recently, and he let me know that his Christmas gift to himself was an upgrade from an iPhone 7 to the iPhone XS Max. He was very excited about the upgrade. And then he told me he picked up a red iPhone XR for his mom (she returned the favor by getting him an Apple Watch Series 4, so this is an Apple household to be sure).

A friend of mine recently broke away from an old plan they were on and went on their own way with their fiancé. While in the store the employee sold them on four new lines (big day for that person!) and, as a result of saving some money because of the carrier deals in place, their kids are getting phones for the holidays, too.

I can only imagine there is going to be a lot of bouncing and yelling on Christmas Day when that wrapping paper comes off.

So, gift giving and receiving is right around the corner and I wanted to find out if you are planning on giving a smartphone this year. Or maybe you're asking for one? If so, which model are you hoping you get, or plan on getting for yourself? Let me know!