All posts tagged: Christmas

The moment I knew: He was five hours late to Christmas lunch – then I realised why | Australian lifestyle

The moment I knew: He was five hours late to Christmas lunch – then I realised why | Australian lifestyle

Published by Sam Flores

It was the year 2000 and my belief in love was crushed. I’d been in a five-year relationship, only to find out my ex had cheated the entire time. In some small part, I saw it as my own fault – I’d always been attracted to proverbial bad boys. Adding to the angst of being betrayed, I’d been writing novels – mysteries set in the Australian wilderness – that kept being rejected. I was not in a sunny place. And then I met Adam. We were randomly seated together at a dinner party and I was unable to resist his warmth. His smile was luminous, he looked like Christmas. ‘He was so easygoing and funny’: Samantha and Adam at their wedding in Port Douglas in 2006 He was one of those rare people who listened to others with dedicated focus, making me feel like the only person at the table. And as I talked about what an awful place the world could be, Adam gently stressed the merit and beauty it possessed too, as though …

24 Best Father’s Day Gifts for Dads (2026)

24 Best Father’s Day Gifts for Dads (2026)

Published by skeptic

The only Father’s Day gift I can recall my own dad getting was a plate of fried sardines. It was prepared by my mother, his ex-wife, who knew how gratefully he’d receive a dish he grew up with in the Italian neighborhood of a steel town dying with such theatrical flair that Bruce Springsteen named a song after it. (An acoustic Springsteen song, at that.) We lived in a nearby city that had plenty of red-sauce restaurants, but they weren’t serving tinned fish in those days. As my father had only the most limited of food preparation skills and didn’t date the kind of women who could cook, this was the only way he’d ever taste that flavor again. As Father’s Day gifts go, being united with a long-lost recipe from childhood is pretty good. If you can pull it off, that’s what you should give your dad this year. Otherwise, I have here a few ideas I’ve spent the last few months gathering for various types of dads and across many different budgets. With …

New Doctor Who special tipped to be delayed from Christmas 2026

New Doctor Who special tipped to be delayed from Christmas 2026

Published by Daniella Wilson

Doctor Who’s planned return this Christmas reportedly may be delayed until Easter. The BBC’s flagship sci-fi show was last on our screens in May 2025, when Ncuti Gatwa bowed out as the 15th incarnation of the titular space traveller after two seasons. In the final moments, he was seen regenerating into Billie Piper, who previously played beloved companion Rose Tyler, leaving a major cliffhanger over what’s to come. There have been long-held plans for the show to return at Christmas 2026, with showrunner Russell T Davies previously stating that BBC bosses were left “with jaws agape, loving it”, when he shared plot details for the special. However, The Sun now claims that the festive special may be pushed back while producers continue to search for the next person to take over the role of the Doctor, and the special may instead air over Easter 2027. The BBC declined to comment when approached by Radio Times. Ncuti Gatwa as Doctor Who. BBC Studios/Disney/Bad Wolf/James Pardon While Piper was seen on screen after the regeneration at the end …

‘Bitter Christmas’ Star Milena Smit on Pedro Almodóvar and Cannes

‘Bitter Christmas’ Star Milena Smit on Pedro Almodóvar and Cannes

Published by Daniella Wilson

One or two summers ago, at Pedro Almodóvar’s house, while Milena Smit’s sister and nephew swam in his pool, the young actress suddenly found herself sitting alone with the host. In the middle of his soiree, the Spaniard had crept away from the other guests to tell Smit some exciting news. “He [said], ‘I have a character in my new film for you,’ ” Smit remembers. “He told me, ‘I wrote this character especially for you, inspired by you, your tone of voice, how you walk, [how you] breathe,’ ” she continues. “I was in shock. I said, ‘I’m in a dream!’ ” It was no dream. The 29-year-old Smit fell into this business entirely by chance. While working as a model in Madrid, the casting team for David Victori’s 2020 thriller Cross the Line happened upon her Instagram and asked that she join the Mario Casas-starrer. Her performance caught the attention of a certain cult director, who would then make Smit a co-lead in 2021’s Oscar-nominated Parallel Mothers, opposite Penélope Cruz. It would be the beginning of a …

FrontGate Media adds streaming TV advertising partnerships with The Christmas Channel, FaithChannel, and GoodVue Network

FrontGate Media adds streaming TV advertising partnerships with The Christmas Channel, FaithChannel, and GoodVue Network

Published by Sam Flores

New partnerships deliver targeted access to Christian, family, conservative, and year-round Christmas audiences through cost-effective streaming TV and digital video campaigns. Orange County, Calif. — FrontGate Media announced today that it has formed new streaming TV advertising partnerships with The Christmas Channel, FaithChannel, and GoodVue Network. The additions expand opportunities for media buyers, advertising agencies, marketing directors, brand managers, and promotional partners to reach highly engaged family and faith-based audiences, including Christmas fanatics, Christians, book readers, and conservatives through digital video and streaming television campaigns. The announcement reflects the continued shift from traditional linear television to streaming, connected TV, and digital video advertising. As brands look for more measurable, targeted, and cost-efficient alternatives to traditional television buys, FrontGate’s streaming TV partnerships provide new access points for advertisers seeking values-aligned audiences in trusted content environments. “Streaming TV has opened a major opportunity for advertisers who want the credibility of television with the targeting, flexibility, and efficiency of digital marketing,” said Scott A. Shuford, Founder & Chief Engagement Officer of FrontGate Media. “The Christmas Channel, FaithChannel, and GoodVue Network each …

New Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas film confirmed for Prime Video

New Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas film confirmed for Prime Video

Published by Daniella Wilson

It’s been three decades since Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in Christmas film Jingle All the Way back in 1996 – and it’s now been confirmed that the Terminator icon will be back for more festive fun this year. Schwarzenegger will be playing none other than Father Christmas himself in new Yuletide comedy The Man with the Bag, and Amazon has just announced a 2 December release date on Prime Video for the movie. Adam Shankman – whose previous hits include The Wedding Planner, Hairspray and Disenchanted – will be directing the film, while the cast also includes key roles for Reacher star Alan Ritchson and Awkwafina. Want to see this content? This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose ‘Accept and continue’ to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes. Accept and continue As for the plot, the movie will revolve around the untimely theft of jolly old St Nick’s magic bag and …

Dame Mary Berry to receive prestigious Bafta Fellowship for ‘transformative’ Great British Bake Off role

Dame Mary Berry to receive prestigious Bafta Fellowship for ‘transformative’ Great British Bake Off role

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Culinary icon Dame Mary Berry is set to receive the prestigious Bafta Fellowship for her exceptional contribution to TV. The 91-year-old has described the honour as “the icing on the cake” and said she was “completely overwhelmed” by the news. Dame Mary will be presented with the accolade at the Bafta Television Awards in May. “What an honour for a cook to receive the Bafta Fellowship,” she said. “I couldn’t believe it – for just doing what I love.” Bafta, which bestows the fellowship as its highest individual accolade for “an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television”, lauded Dame Mary as “one of the UK’s most beloved broadcasters”. Dame Mary Berry attends the Sky Women in Film and Television Awards (PA Archive) Her career spans six decades, beginning in the 1970s, with her role as a judge on …

The Best Permanent Outdoor Lights (2026): Govee, Eufy, Cync

The Best Permanent Outdoor Lights (2026): Govee, Eufy, Cync

Published by skeptic

Weatherproofing. Every model needs an IP (weatherproofing) rating to survive outside, so if you don’t see one, don’t buy those lights. There’s usually a lower rating for the control box compared to the rest of the lights, so be sure you can put that somewhere that’s a little less exposed to the elements. (As mentioned above, make sure you have an outdoor outlet, and check if there’s only one on a certain side of your home in case it limits your installation options.) A range of installation options. You’ll want a set that comes with plenty of options for your own installation, including adhesive and drilled mounting options. What you need will vary based on your home design and materials; e.g., you’ll want adhesive for homes you can’t drill into. WIRED reviewer Kat Merck, who tested a couple of different permanent lights, liked sets with screw-on holders that the puck-style permanent lights can slide onto. Controls for individual lights. This should be a no-brainer, but some cheaper lights won’t offer this ability or have more …

Why You Should Never Use Olive Oil With Roast Potatoes And What To Use Instead

Why You Should Never Use Olive Oil With Roast Potatoes And What To Use Instead

Published by Sam Flores

I hate to sound arrogant, but I was pretty sure I’d landed on the perfect roast potato recipe until about an hour ago. The steps seemed so simple. Par-boil the spuds (I love roosters) for about ten minutes; put a shameful amount of olive oil in a tray to warm in a hot oven; chuff and season the spuds with semolina and herbs, and then roast. Right? Wrong, it seems. Because while every other step might be legit (like, Mary Berry-approved legit), I’m making a serious mistake with my oil. Beef tallow isn’t just a delicious, decadent addition to spuds, it turns out ― olive oil is among the worst oils you can roast your potatoes in, apparently. Specifically, extra-virgin olive oil. What? Why? It’s all to do with something called a smoke point. The smoke point of extra-virgin olive oil is around 165-190°C, which pales in comparison to duck fat’s 190°C and rice bran oil’s 260°C. Light or refined olive oil has a more impressive smoke point of 260°C, but it’s not as good …