A holly, jolly Thursday to you, friend! After 50 years, Christmas classics “Frosty the Snowman” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” are moving from CBS to NBC. “Frosty” airs tonight at 8:30 ET, and “Rudolph” airs tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET. Check your local listings for the exact times. Meanwhile, Rudolph asked Santa, “Why are Dasher and Dancer always taking coffee breaks?” Santa replied, “Because those two are my star bucks.”

🧏‍♀️ Say what? Hearing aids aren’t expensive and bulky like they used to be. If you or a loved one needs help, there’s no reason not to hear loudly and clearly with today’s discrete, affordable tech. Get a free hearing evaluation now from a doctor. — Kim

Internet cookies have been around for the last 30 years. Blame them on a programmer at Netscape who figured out a way for websites to “remember” users. Today, there are a few different types of cookies.

A first-party cookie is stored in your browser when you visit a website. It keeps things like your account or login info and shopping cart so you don’t have to fill them in each time. We like those kinds of cookies.

But what about cookies companies use to track where you go and what you do online? Some track you on websites other than the one you’re visiting. These are called third-party cookies. (I’d rather have a snickerdoodle, thanks.)

Blocking third-party cookies and tracking is one thing, but how about not being subjected to tracking methods to begin with? That’s where AdChoices and WebChoices come in. You’re gonna love this!

Secret to blocking tracking cookies

AdChoices is from the Digital Advertising Alliance, a group of advertising and marketing companies that self-regulates their targeted advertising. They do this so no one else like the government steps in to do it, of course.

The next time you see an ad online, look for the small AdChoices icon. It’s a blue triangle with a lowercase “i” in the middle. Click that to get details about the ad and block it.

AdChoices offers a nifty but virtually unknown tool called WebChoices. You can use this sweet thing to opt out of receiving ads from many companies in one step.

I kicked out 106 different cookies

• Go to https://optout.aboutads.info. WebChoices will scan your browser settings and computer to find out whether first-party and third-party cookies are enabled, along with a list of companies creating targeted ads for you.
• Click Continue. At the bottom of the page, you’ll see an option to Opt out of All. Click that.
• After the site processes your selection, click View Updated Results to see how it turned out.

The WebChoices tool works in whatever browser you have open at the time, so be sure to run it for each browser you use. Wow, where else can you get these practical, useful tech tips for free?

🍪 Speaking of … One time, I ate too much cookie dough and got sick. I guess you could call it an overdoughs. (I had to, sorry.)

Imagine being able to hear every little detail of life, crystal clear, again — without anyone knowing your secret? Unless you decide to share, of course.

The Horizon IX hearing aids are designed to go unnoticed. They’re tiny, rechargeable and connect to your phone for simple adjustments. And the sound? It’s so pure and natural, you’ll forget you’re wearing them.

Here’s the best part: hear.com makes it easy. Their award-winning team is there every step of the way, with flexible payment options. No stress, just better hearing.

Over 425,000 people are loving them. See what you’re missing and try them for yourself!

The FBI is sounding the alarm: I’ve been saying this for years: For sensitive convos, always use end-to-end encrypted apps. It took a massive telecom cyberattack from Communist China for the Feds to say it. Signal, WhatsApp, Google Messages and iMessage work for both calls and texts. PSA: RCS messages between iPhones and Androids aren’t encrypted.

📺 Ads as far as the eye can see: Walmart just spent $2.3 billion to buy Vizio. Why? Because they want to put their ads right in your living room, track what you watch and sell your data. Over 19 million people use Vizio’s SmartCast system. Here’s how you can turn off the tracking on your TV, Vizio or otherwise.

“You’re getting a raise!” Hackers are using corrupted zip and Microsoft Office files to bypass spam filters. One phishing campaign uses bogus employee benefits and bonus info to make you click. That triggers a QR code that — you guessed it — gives you a one-way ticket to Malware City. Don’t rely on free antivirus software. Protect yourself with TotalAV.*

A wicked amount of money: A mom is suing Mattel for $5 million. The “Wicked” movie doll she bought for her daughter had a link to a p*rn website instead of the film’s official page. Mom says visiting the site caused lots of emotional distress for them both … that only money can help.

It twerks: People are turning to TikTok to pay off medical bills. Some creators can earn cash from videos over a minute long, and viewers only have to interact once. A mom turned a live dance party with her kids into $2,500 to pay off her 3-year-old’s medical bills. It works!

Reel-y impressive tech: Amazon is dropping six new AI models. Reel turns simple text prompts into short videos. Here’s a little snippet. I’m impressed! For now, three text-generation models are live for certain developers. The rest drop for everyone else to try early next year.

🥴 AI am scared: TheySeeYourPhotos.com shows just how much Google’s AI learns from your pictures. Upload a photo, and it generates a detailed analysis, right down to objects, emotions and even your social class. It’s super interesting, but who knows where your photo will end up if you try the site?

🧔 … Because let’s be real: They never know what they want.

• His golf game will finally be up to par with a rangefinder (43% off). This thing is sweet.
• This beard-care kit (22% off) comes with wash, oil, balm, conditioner and shea butter.
• Is a man cave really a man cave if it doesn’t have a foosball table?
• Treat him to a cashmere scarf or cashmere sweatpants* that can go in the wash. I have a pair — they’re so cozy!
• A pizza stone ($35) is a nice change for the griller who wants to expand his cooking skills. It’s the yeast you can do!
• An RFID-blocking wallet (under $20), because how is he still using the same one from 1991?

✅ Need more ideas? I have a whole gift guide for guys on my Amazon Picks page.

💃 Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay are here: Show off (or shake your head in embarrassment at) your most-listened tunes of the year. For Wrapped, open Spotify on your phone or computer, then click the Wrapped tab at the top of the home page. For Replay, open the Apple Music app, and a slideshow will automatically pop up. On desktop, go to replay.music.apple.com.

Ho-ho-hope your packages arrive on time: Gmail’s package tracking now includes real-time updates. On your phone, tap Menu > Settings. Look for General settings (Android) or Data privacy (Apple) and toggle on Package tracking at the bottom. Want email that doesn’t track, ya know, everything you do? Check out privacy-first StartMail.*

⌨️ Keyboard master: On a PC, press the Windows key + a number to launch or switch to the corresponding program on the taskbar. Pro tip: Click, hold down and drag a program to reorder.

Try this, Mac friends: Hit Option + Cmd + L to quickly open your Downloads folder. If your browser is active, it’ll show your latest browser downloads. Nice.

Smart small-biz freebie: Chasms has full user guides on everything from tablets to browsers and even gaming consoles. The best part? You can click through screenshots of the actual steps — a real lifesaver if you’re helping someone troubleshoot. Be a smarty-pants and join the list for my new small-biz newsletter.

With an American Express Black Card, you can get to anyone, anytime.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie? I love “Miracle on 34th Street.” I don’t think “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, do you? Oh, and do you want to hear a holiday joke about potassium? K. (Sorry.)

Before you go … Is your hearing not as great as it used to be? Need a hearing aid? Maybe you know someone who does. Stop waiting. Hearing loss will just get worse, not better. See if you qualify for a 45-day free trial.

🗣️ Three cheers if you made it down here! If I can help you with something digital in your life or business, drop me a note. See you tomorrow with another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim