How To Turn Your TV Into A Yule Log Fireplace For Holiday Yuletide Ambiance

When I moved into a new apartment four years ago, one of the selling points was the fireplace. Who does not like a crackling fire, especially during the winter months when there is a chill in the air? Alas, the apartment complex recently came under new ownership, and they decided to close up all the fireplaces for the time being, because apparently the insurance is too costly. Bah, humbug! That is okay, though, because one thing I have been doing for my Christmas Eve dinners for several years now is to stream crackling fires on my big screen TV. You can too (on your TV, PC monitor, tablet, or phone).

There are a plethora of options. Some play holiday music in the background, others focus solely on the sound of logs burning and crackling, which I find cathartic. And of course you could simply mute the sound if all you want is the sight of a fireplace. Whatever your pleasure, there exists a lengthy stream to add ambiance to your holiday setting, when you're not chasing themed loot in Fortnite's Operation Showdown or digging into Cyberpunk 2077.

Pets bring happiness to homes just by their very presence. If you feel the same way, then check out this stream on YouTube, called A Very Happy Yule Log...

The full stream is 3 hours long. It starts with a cat and dog sitting together in a large pet bed, though as animals are prone to do, they do not sit still and instead move about. Music plays in the background, and the decorations add a nice touch too.

If you prefer a more classic yule log fireplace, then this one fits the bill. Check it out...

The focus here is strictly on burning logs, with a close-up view of the fireplace. There is no music playing in the background, no decorations, and no pets wandering by. Just a simple fireplace to keep you virtually warm for 2 hours, albeit in 720p HD.

Do you need a longer burning fire, with a higher quality stream to boot? Then check out this one...

There are a few more logs on this one, but more importantly, the stream lasts for just over 10 hours. That should be enough to get you through the day and evening as you celebrate Christmas Eve and/or Christmas Day. And like the one above it, this one sticks to just the burning logs, with a close-up view of the fireplace and no music playing in the background.

If you plan to stream a fireplace on your TV, chances are you could benefit from a 4K Ultra HD stream (most new TVs these days support 4K). Well, here you go...

This is yet another one with just a close-up of the fireplace, and a quite a tall fire to boot. There is no music, but you do get to hear the noise of a rather larger fire. Crank up the heat and pretend it is the real thing, which is easier to do in 4K!

Streaming a fireplace in 4K is grand, but add Michael Bublé to the mix and, well, you have something wonderful on your hands. Have a look...

This one is a little shorter at just over an hour long, but is one of my favorites. The track list is 19 songs long, starting with "It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas" and ending with "Silver Bells" (and several songs in between). If you are looking to get into the holiday mood, this is a great one to, uh, fire up.

One of the newest entries to the streaming fireplace scene is from Hot Ones, the delightfully hilarious web series (also a TV show now) that conducts celebrity interviews while chowing down on increasingly spicy wings. Have a look...

Nobody's mouth is on fire in this one, but you do get 3 hours of a Hot Ones themed fireplace, with some neat wind sounds in the background. And it is in 4K Ultra HD to boot. If you are fan of Hot Ones, this might be your go-to Yule Log stream.

Finally, if you are subscribed to Netflix, check out the "Fireplace for your Home" series. It contains three hour-long fireplace scenes, two of which are accompanied by music.

And with that, from all of us at HotHardware, we would like wish you a very Merry Christmas and happy holidays!