Ahead of the holiday season, Kroger is making sure that the holidays remain a special time for making memories with loved ones. Rather than spending time stressed in the kitchen, Kroger has engineered The Holiday Apron, a first-of-its kind prototype and technological marvel, loaded with intelligent features. It is meant to remind us all that we shouldn't focus on the stresses around making food, but on food's power to connect us and help today's holidays create tomorrow's memories. This apron is the first wearable technology from Kroger and was made in collaboration with creative agency DDB New York. 

The DDB New York team worked with Emmy-award winning designers Diego Montoya & Ricky Reynoso and Smooth Technology, a group of artists and engineers based in Brooklyn, New York, on apron fabrication. The Holiday Apron features stress reducing technology for all five senses:

Feelings Notifier (sight)

Unique technology and material that can sense your body temperature, heartbeat and body movements, links to a digital display system woven into the fabric to project messages that let others know how the cook is feeling to ensure optimal holiday memories. 

Kitchen Calmer (sound)

When the apron senses the family is getting too rowdy by an increase in volume, a speaker will play a calming Christmas song to relax the mood or even a joke to break the tension

Aroma Therapy (smell)

A nostalgic Gingerbread scent evokes warm holiday memories to further calm stressed nerves. 

Massage-O-Matic (touch)

Special straps with mini vibrators built in will give those sore muscles a message to relax, so you can get back to making great memories with your family.

Kitchen Mishap Detector (taste)

The Kitchen Mishap Detector feature will detect a not-so-perfect food item and will automatically send a $50 gift card code to purchase a replacement meal from Kroger.

Influencers will receive the Holiday Apron, test out the prototype, and make today’s holidays be tomorrow’s joyful memories. In addition to the influencer program, there will be a short form video and a customised website.