CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS: Jack Frost

Still winter… if Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, you need this. 

From the blond cook.com

CHRISTMAS MOVIES: A Castle for Christmas (Netflix)

 

Brooke Shields and Carey Elwes star in this sweet Christmas movie destined to be a classic. Brooke plays a successful American author who travels to Scotland to get away from it all at home. 

She falls in love with Scotland and this gorgeous castle, and then discovers her father worked in this castle as a young man. 

The castle owner needs to sell it. The bank is pressuring him. 

She wants to buy it. 

Oh, I loved this little Netflix Christmas movie! An author takes a vacation from her best-selling author life and goes to Scotland. She tours a castle where her father worked and discovers it's for sale. 

Miles, the duke who owes the castle, like all good dukes worldwide, doesn't really want to sell the castle and leave his home, but he is being squeezed by the bank.

Gorgeous Scottish vistas and beautiful Scottish music make this film a perfect little Christmas gem.

And it has Carey Elwes in it! 

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SCHEDULE: December 30, 2024 - January 3, 2025

 

Mon., December 30 - 

Christmas Movie

A Castle for Christmas

(Netflix)

Tues., December 31 - CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL:

Jack Frost

2025

Wed., January 1, 2025 - NOTE FROM CAROL:

Happy New Year!

Thurs., January 2 - TV TIME:

Hometown Cha Cha Cha

(Netflix)

Fri., January 3 - BOOK:

December Wish

The Cat Collier Mystery Finale

by Carol Ann Kauffman 

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CHRISTMAS MOVIE: Missing: Red One (Amazon Prime)

 One of my all-time favorite Santas J.K. Simmons is back playing Santa Claus in this new, anxiously awaited 2024 Christmas movie entitled Missing: Red One. 

Well, it seems some bad character kidnapped Santa. 

(How rude!!!)

The casting in this was is terrific. Not only is J.K. Simmons Santa Claus, but the head of his North Pole Security is... Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. There are other notable casting wins in this one, also. Lucy Liu.

Chris Evans. Bonnie Hunt. 

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CHRISTMAS 2024 TRENDS: Blue and White Christmas

I love blue and white, at Christmas time or any time. There is a freshness to blue and white, while it still has a heavy traditional connection to the past. 

 

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NOTE FROM CAROL: Merry Christmas

 

Dear Gentle Readers,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday, no matter what you call it or how you choose to celebrate it.

I hope you are surrounding by hope, love, and joy. I hope you feel the love of your family and friends.

I hope you are not alone unless you want to be.

I hope you eat too much.

Please know you are appreciated. If you stop by every day or only when the mood strikes you, I am glad you are here. 

Some come for the "Verse", the book reviews and the book news. 

Some for the "Vision", the Art posts. Most come for the author and artist interviews. 

Many students of English as a Second Language from around the world use us to practice their new language skills. Welcome! We are a diverse group.

Looking back on the year 2024, may you see in your path evidence of growth, love, and kindness. 

Hugs,

Carol 

  

CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS: Espresso Mocha Crunch Mocktail

 

Add oreos to dress it up for Christmas. I used whole ones to side of stemware. Crushed Oreos on top. 

Note: I did not add the simple syrup. The Kahlùa made it sweet enough for my taste. I also added a little bit of vanilla. 

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CHRISTMAS BOOK: Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan

 

 

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SCHEDULE: December 23-27, 2024

 

Mon., December 23 - CHRISTMAS BOOK:

Midnight at the Christmas Bookshop

by Jenny Colgan

Tues., December 24 - CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS:

Espresso Mocha Crunch Mocktail

Wed., December 25 - NOTE FROM CAROL:

🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄 

Thurs., December 26 - CHRISTMAS 2024 TRENDS:

A Blue and White Christmas 

Fri., December 27 - CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

Missing: Red One (2024)

on Amazon Prime

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CHRISTMAS CRAFT: Snow Globe Gift Tags

 

These adorable snow globes are so cute! 

And they make perfect gift tags or tree ornaments. Your little ones will have fun coloring them. They’re easy enough to make as a whole family activity.

 

From Pinterest,  Handmade Charlotte.

However, if your “Little Christmas Gift Deliverer” does not read yet, these blank snow globes are ideal for pictures of the gift recipient.

One year, we bought a pair of those light-up reindeer antlers at the drugstore and early in the month of December, everybody who walked through the door of our house had to put them on while we snapped a photo. Some people really hammed it up! 

We used those wild and wacky reindeer photos on our gift tags that Christmas. 

From Pinterest

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CHRISTMAS 2024 TRENDS: Friendship Bracelet Christmas Tree

Okay, the big influence here isn’t Barbie this time, it’s Taylor Swift! You can either make your whole tree look like one giant friendship bracelet or dangle a few friendship bracelets from the branches. 

 Photos from Pinterest

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CHRISTMAS BOOK: I Need Christmas, An Oakville Family Christmas by Carol Ann Kauffman

 After a depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, successful civil engineer and former All-American basketball star Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the Christmas holidays a depressed and broken women. 

Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but morally decrepate Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first big love, who left her after two years of what she thought was a good marriage for a stripper he met at an office bachelor party for her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty. 

Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their multitude of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like traditions, she knows she needs them in order to heal. 

Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better about herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, throwing her back into the self-destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, and suspision she is trying so hard to escape.

She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé at work, the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him.

So, what’s the problem? 

Betsy feels it’s too soon for her to love again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like herself or what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears she will hurt the sweet, gentle Patrick.

Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season coupled with the many long-time holiday 

customs and Curry family traditions help Betsy to find herself again? Will she be strong enough to lift herself out of her self-induced prison so that she can take another chance on love?

Amazon Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Need-Christmas-Oakville-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B0193G3RA6

CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS: Charred Plum and Jicama Sangria

 

 

References:

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