Xfinity Wants You to Pause Your WiFi This Holiday Season

Xfinity Wants You to Pause Your WiFi This Holiday Season

New Research Finds 4 in 5 Americans Say Screen-Free Time Together Would Beat Any Holiday Gift

New Holiday Mode in the Xfinity App Lets Families Pause WiFi with One Tap

Key Takeaways:

• Screens are crowding holiday memories. 67% say the moments they remember best happened with their phone nowhere in sight.
• Good intentions don’t always stick. About 2 in 5 have tried a “no devices” holiday rule, and half say it didn’t last.
• Taking a break just got simpler. Freeze WiFi on every device in the home, or just a few, with Holiday Mode, now available in the Xfinity app.
• A new holiday spirit joins the season. John C. Reilly stars as the Ghost of Christmas Very-Recent-Past in Xfinity’s new campaign.

This holiday season, Xfinity is making it easier for families to look up from their screens and be present for the moments that matter most. Today, Xfinity introduced Holiday Mode, a new feature in the Xfinity app that pauses WiFi with a single tap. It launched along with a holiday campaign featuring actor and comedian John C. Reilly as the Ghost of Christmas Very-Recent-Past.

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The need is clear. According to a new Morning Consult survey commissioned by Xfinity, 87% want to be fully present for the moments that matter this holiday season, yet fewer than half (46%) say they were fully present at last year’s holiday gatherings. Nearly 4 in 5 (79%) agree time together without screens would be a better gift than anything they could unwrap, and two-thirds (67%) say the moments they remember best are the ones where their phone was nowhere in sight.

For parents, it can feel like a daily standoff. More than half (58%) say getting kids off devices during family time is a battle, and that rises to 73% among parents of kids ages 5 to 13. 83% say they would use a way to pause the Internet on their kids’ devices during key holiday moments like dinner or opening gifts.

Holiday Mode: One Tap to Be Present

Beginning today, Xfinity is making it easier to unplug and be present with Holiday Mode. Found within the Xfinity app, customers can activate Holiday Mode to pause WiFi on one or many devices with a single tap – so customers can pause the gaming console, iPad or mobile devices when family members need a break – and then reconnects them just as easily when the moment is over. The goal is to give customers the gift of presence, creating screen-free time for family dinner, decorating the tree, opening gifts or enjoying game night.

“Our business is built around keeping people connected, so telling families to turn off their WiFi might seem like an unexpected move. But at Xfinity, we believe that sometimes the most important connections happen IRL. And at the holidays, stepping away from our screens makes room for the wonder of time spent together. Technology should enhance our lives, not get in the way of it,” said Julie Scelzo, Chief Creative Officer, Xfinity at Comcast.

How Holiday Mode Works

1. Open the Xfinity app and select Holiday Mode.
2. Choose the devices or people you’d like to pause.
3. Tap once to pause WiFi on those devices.
4. Enjoy the moment. When it’s over, tap again to reconnect.

Holiday Mode is available starting today through the Xfinity app for eligible Xfinity Internet customers.

Xfinity’s Ghost of Christmas Very-Recent-Past

This holiday season, Xfinity introduces the Ghost of Christmas-Very-Recent-Past, played by Academy Award Nominated actor and comedian, John C. Reilly, known for his roles in Chicago, Step Brothers, and Talladega Nights. In the campaign, Reilly plays a ghost with a very specific objective: reminding everyday people of the moments they missed when they were distracted by their devices. A first kiss under the mistletoe. Lighting the tree. Building the first snowman of the season. Reilly’s ghost appears mid-scroll to replay exactly what they looked past while looking down, and to nudge them to look up before the next moment passes them by.

“I don’t think anyone’s ever looked back on the holidays and wished they’d scrolled a little more,” said John C. Reilly. “The stuff we remember is the toast that went too long, the kids being goofy, somebody laughing so hard they cried. That’s the good stuff, and I love that Xfinity is helping more people be there for it.”

The campaign launches today across TV and online video followed by social in the coming weeks. Watch the spot at www.youtube.com/xfinity.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of Xfinity from October 8 to 11, 2026 among 3,001 U.S. adults (aged 18+). The data was weighted based on national population proportions.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

Rachel Williams
Rachel_zabinski@comcast.com

Natalie Munio
Natalie_munio@comcast.com

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