A Holiday Tradition That Makes a Real Difference
What if your holiday decorations could do more than just light up your home? The Apollo H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament transforms seasonal celebration into meaningful community impact. This isn't just another smart home gadget. It's a Kentucky-made, open-source holiday ornament where 100% of profits support two vital causes: protecting vulnerable children through CASA of Lexington and advancing smart home privacy through the Open Home Foundation.
More Than Just a Holiday Ornament
The Apollo H-2 represents the second year of Apollo Automation's annual tradition of giving back during the holiday season. Designed and manufactured in Versailles, Kentucky, this smart ornament combines festive charm with cutting-edge technology, all while supporting charitable causes that align with Apollo's core values of community, privacy, and open-source innovation.
At just $17.99, the H-2 delivers premium features including 58 vibrant RGB LEDs (a massive upgrade from last year's 22), four dedicated song buttons, USB-C charging capability, and an upgraded ESP32-C6 processor with 8MB of flash memory. But what truly sets it apart is Apollo's commitment to donate every penny of profit to charity.
https://apolloautomation.com/products/apollo-h-2-annual-holiday-ornament
How the Apollo H-2 Works: Holiday Magic Meets Smart Home Technology
Right out of the box, the H-2 brings instant holiday cheer. Four buttons on the back trigger classic holiday tunes, each with custom LED light shows:
- Button 1: Jingle Bells
- Button 2: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Button 3: Let It Snow
- Button 4: Blue Christmas
The ornament can be powered either by USB-C or a rechargeable 16340/RCR123A battery, with convenient USB-C charging built right in. Hang it on your tree, display it on a shelf, or integrate it into your holiday decor anywhere in your home.
For Home Assistant users, the H-2 unlocks even more possibilities. Flash the optional firmware to add Wi-Fi connectivity, customize songs and LED effects, enable Bluetooth proxy functionality, and even use it for Bluetooth tracking. The device ships with basic firmware for immediate use, but the open-source nature means you can make it truly your own.
Supporting CASA of Lexington: Giving Children a Voice When They Need It Most
Half of the H-2's profits support CASA of Lexington, an organization that provides Court-Appointed Special Advocates for abused and neglected children navigating the family court system. CASA volunteers are everyday people who dedicate 5 to 10 hours per month to advocate for a child's best interests, ensuring they receive necessary services and don't fall through the cracks of an overburdened system.
In Lexington and surrounding Kentucky counties, CASA volunteers serve as consistent, caring adults who show up for children during the most difficult periods of their lives. They visit their matched child regularly, investigate their circumstances, attend court hearings, and make recommendations to judges about what's truly in the child's best interest.
The impact is profound. Children with CASA volunteers are more likely to find safe, permanent homes and receive the educational and therapeutic services they need. They have someone who listens to them, understands their story, and fights for their future.
By purchasing an H-2 ornament, you're directly supporting this vital work. You're helping ensure that more children in the Lexington community have a dedicated advocate in their corner when they need it most.
Backing the Open Home Foundation: Protecting Your Smart Home Privacy
The other half of H-2 profits supports the Open Home Foundation, the organization that governs over 250 open-source smart home projects including Home Assistant, ESPHome, Music Assistant, HACS, and many others that millions of smart home enthusiasts rely on daily.
The Open Home Foundation fights for three fundamental principles in the smart home space:
Privacy: Your personal data should remain under your control. Smart home devices should work locally, with cloud services being optional and opt-in only. You shouldn't have to modify your behavior because of an algorithm or worry about who's watching your data.
Choice: You should be able to mix and match devices from different manufacturers without vendor lock-in or artificial barriers. Open standards and local APIs ensure you're never trapped in a single ecosystem.
Sustainability: Smart home devices should be built to last, open to modification, and part of systems that help you track and reduce environmental impact. When hardware becomes obsolete for its original purpose, you should be able to repurpose it.
These principles align perfectly with Apollo Automation's mission. As a Works With Home Assistant certified partner and Made for ESPHome manufacturer, Apollo builds devices that prioritize local control, open-source firmware, and user freedom. Supporting the Open Home Foundation means protecting the ecosystem that makes this approach possible.
Why This Matters: The Bigger Picture of Charitable Giving
The Apollo H-2 represents a different approach to business. Rather than maximizing profit margins on a novelty holiday product, Apollo Automation chose to create something that serves a higher purpose. Every H-2 sale becomes a donation to causes that matter.
This model demonstrates that technology companies can be both successful and socially responsible. It shows that profitability and community impact aren't opposing goals. And it proves that customers care about more than just features and specifications when they know their purchase makes a real difference.
For CASA of Lexington, every dollar helps recruit, train, and support volunteers who advocate for vulnerable children. For the Open Home Foundation, every contribution helps maintain the open-source projects that millions depend on and funds advocacy work for smart home privacy rights.
Made in Kentucky: Local Manufacturing Creating Local Impact
Apollo Automation designs, engineers, and manufactures all products at their facility in Versailles, Kentucky. This isn't just about patriotic marketing. It's about creating high-tech jobs in a region that often sees its best talent leave for coastal tech hubs.
Co-founders Trevor Schirmer and Justin Bunton, both University of Kentucky graduates, started Apollo with a mission to prove that cutting-edge technology companies can thrive in Kentucky. By manufacturing locally and hiring Kentucky talent, they're helping reverse brain drain and build a sustainable tech ecosystem in their home state.
When you buy an H-2 ornament, you're not just supporting two charities. You're also supporting American manufacturing and a company that's building its community from the ground up.
What Makes Apollo Different: Open Source Values in Action
Apollo Automation stands out in the smart home industry by living its values rather than just marketing them. Every device ships with open-source firmware. All technical documentation lives on their public wiki. Hardware designs are shared on GitHub. They host monthly livestreams where they answer questions, share behind-the-scenes development, and listen to community feedback.
This transparency extends to the H-2 charitable initiative. Apollo clearly states that 100% of profits (not just revenue) go to charity. They've carefully structured pricing to ensure maximum donation while covering manufacturing and shipping costs. The three pricing tiers on the product page allow customers to contribute even more if they choose, with all additional contributions going directly to CASA and the Open Home Foundation.
Perfect for Gift Giving: Tech Presents That Give Back
Looking for meaningful gifts for the tech enthusiast, smart home hobbyist, or socially conscious friend in your life? The Apollo H-2 checks every box. It's functional, fun, beautifully designed, and supports important causes. It's the gift that literally keeps on giving.
Unlike generic holiday decorations that get packed away and forgotten, the H-2 can integrate into a Home Assistant setup for year-round use. Creative users have reprogrammed their H-1 ornaments (last year's model) to serve as notification lights, doorbell indicators, or ambient mood lighting long after the holidays end.
Getting Involved: Beyond the Ornament
Inspired by the causes the H-2 supports? There are more ways to get involved:
Support CASA: If you're in the Lexington area, consider becoming a CASA volunteer yourself. The organization provides comprehensive training and support. If volunteering isn't possible, direct donations always help expand their reach and serve more children.
Support Open Source: The smart home open-source community thrives on contributions of all kinds. You can donate directly to the Open Home Foundation, contribute code to projects like Home Assistant or ESPHome, write documentation, test beta features, or simply share your automations and help others in community forums.
Choose Privacy-First Products: Support manufacturers like Apollo Automation who build devices with local control, open-source firmware, and no cloud dependencies. Vote with your wallet for the kind of smart home future you want to see.
Technical Specifications: What You Get
For those who care about the details, here's what makes the H-2 special from a technical standpoint:
- ESP32-C6 processor with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Thread, and Zigbee support
- 8MB flash memory for advanced firmware options
- 58 individually addressable RGB LEDs
- Four tactile buttons for music control
- USB-C charging and power
- Rechargeable battery support (16340/RCR123A)
- Pre-flashed with four holiday songs and matching light effects
- Optional Home Assistant integration via ESPHome
- Bluetooth proxy and tracking capabilities
- Compact, tree-friendly design with hanging loop
- Made in the USA with a focus on quality components
How to Order and Make an Impact
The Apollo H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament is available now at apolloautomation.com. At $17.99, it represents an affordable way to add smart technology to your holiday decor while supporting meaningful causes.
The product page offers three purchase tiers, all with the same H-2 ornament. Higher tiers simply represent larger donations to CASA and the Open Home Foundation, allowing you to contribute more if you're able.
Orders ship directly from Apollo's Kentucky facility, typically within a few business days. The company handles all fulfillment in-house, ensuring quality control and quick turnaround times.
Join the Apollo Community
Apollo Automation has built one of the most engaged communities in the smart home space. Join their Discord server at dsc.gg/apolloautomation to connect with other users, get support, share projects, and participate in the monthly livestreams. The Apollo Wiki at wiki.apolloautomation.com offers comprehensive documentation for all products, including detailed H-2 setup guides and firmware customization instructions.
The Bottom Line: Holiday Cheer With Purpose
In a world of disposable decorations and impersonal tech gadgets, the Apollo H-2 offers something different. It's a conversation starter about open-source technology and local manufacturing. It's a functional smart home device that delights guests. Most importantly, it's a tangible way to support vulnerable children and protect the values of privacy and choice in our increasingly connected homes.
This holiday season, your decorations can do more than just look pretty. They can advocate for children who need a voice. They can protect the open-source ecosystem that powers millions of smart homes. They can support American manufacturing and Kentucky innovation.
All for the price of a couple of fancy coffee drinks.
That's the magic of the Apollo H-2. It proves that even the smallest gestures, when multiplied across a community of caring individuals, can create real change. One ornament at a time, Apollo Automation and their customers are building something bigger than just smart homes. They're building a movement that says technology should serve people, privacy should be protected, and businesses should give back to the communities that support them.
Ready to light up your holidays and make a difference? Visit apolloautomation.com and bring home an H-2 today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the H-2 require Home Assistant to work?
No. The H-2 ships with pre-flashed firmware that works standalone. Simply press the buttons to play songs and enjoy the light shows. Home Assistant integration is optional and requires flashing custom firmware.
What charities receive the profits?
100% of profits are split between CASA of Lexington (supporting child advocates in Kentucky's family court system) and the Open Home Foundation (supporting open-source smart home projects).
Can I use it year-round?
Absolutely! Many users reprogram their Apollo holiday ornaments to serve as notification lights, status indicators, or ambient lighting throughout the year.
Is it really made in America?
Yes. Apollo Automation designs, engineers, and manufactures all products at their facility in Versailles, Kentucky.
What's the battery life?
When using a rechargeable 16340/RCR123A battery, runtime varies based on LED brightness and usage patterns. The USB-C charging makes it easy to keep powered up, and you can also run it continuously via USB-C power.
Are there different holiday songs available?
The default firmware includes four classic songs. If you integrate with Home Assistant and flash custom firmware, you can add your own songs using RTTTL format.
How do I get support?
Apollo offers support through their Discord community, email, and comprehensive wiki documentation. The team is known for being highly responsive and helpful.
Will there be an H-3 next year?
Apollo has committed to making the annual holiday ornament a yearly tradition, with improvements and updates each year based on community feedback. Sign up for their newsletter or join Discord to hear about next year's version first.
Ready to combine holiday spirit with charitable giving and cutting-edge smart home technology? Order your Apollo H-2 Annual Holiday Ornament today at apolloautomation.com and light up your home while lighting up lives.
