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Toca Hair Salon - Christmas Gift
Education and Entertainment
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Cut, color and style Santa Claus beard and hair! In this Christmas edition of the smash hit Toca...
The Night Before Christmas in Crochet: The Complete Poem with Easy-to-Make Amigurumi Characters
Clement C. Moore and Mitsuki Hoshi
1.0
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Book
Amigurumi (which means knitted stuffed toy) is the Japanese art of crocheting stuffed animals. The...
Kara Skinner (332 KP) rated The Mistletoe Bride in Books
Sep 10, 2019
Sometimes we all need a little bit of a pick-me-up during the holiday season. It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year and all that, but it’s frickin’ stressful. Between the in-laws and the holiday shopping (not to mention the calories. Yikes!), December can quickly turn into a jolly nightmare. However, The Mistletoe Bride is perfect for getting into the holiday season.
You see, Eve is having her own trouble this Christmas season. Two weeks before Christmas, her fiance breaks everything off with her because he had been having an affair with his secretary and had gotten her pregnant. This leaves her single and with two tickets to paradise she had been going to surprise her husband with. And she plans to do something crazy. Instead of moping at home, or going on vacation by herself, she plans on asking a perfect stranger on going on vacation with her.
Nick Christmas is shocked when a beautiful and mysterious woman asks him to go on a trip with her, and he’s a little wary, too. But after talking with her for a few minutes in a coffee shop, he’s drawn to her. He’s more than ready to go on vacation with Eve and help her forget her sorrows, but he knows there’s more to everything than an innocent holiday when she starts hearing bells in his laugh. After all, Nick is destined to become the next Santa Claus– and it looks like Eve is destined to be his bride.
First of all, “Two Tickets to Paradise” by Eddie Money will get stuck in your head when you’re reading this. So if you know the song but hate it (but why would you hate it, unless you’re insane?), this might not be the best stress reliever. (I happen to like the song just fine, so no harm done to me.)
Like I said before, this is a great pick-me-up for the holiday season. And that’s all it is: a pick me up to enjoy that will get you in the mood for Christmas. If you like made-for-TV Christmas romances, then you’ll probably like The Mistletoe Bride. It’s adorable. Eve is all innocent and vulnerable and kind, and Nick is all strong and protective and kind. He really wants to help Eve heal from the damage done from her last relationship, and he doesn’t rush her even though he knows she’s his mistletoe bride. It’s incredibly sweet. And I really like how Scarlett Jade build the magic and myth of Santa Claus like she did. Inheriting the role of Santa, a magic suit that fits all Santas perfectly, the knowledge of everyone, as if he’s a god…. it’s pretty awesome.
But the book isn’t perfect. It was anticlimactic, honestly. Yes, there was a lot of suspense what with the Winter Elf trying to destroy Christmas and the race to the altar and everything, but it was rushed. The Winter Elf didn’t even come in until later and probably just to add a little spice to the mainly bland aftermath of Eve’s and Nick’s betrothal. The big villain in the whole book just wanted to make toys for Santa’s workshop. That’s it. I mean really? It’s a romance, not a thriller, I know, but we could have drawn it out a little bit more.
There also shouldn’t have been any sex scenes in this book. I know, this is a really strange complaint for me. After all I love sex scenes and they’re never a problem, right? (But hell is not freezing over right now because the Winter Elf is too effing busy making toys for Santa to cause some damn chaos!) The thing is, the love interest is Santa. Even if he’s young and about to marry his soul mate, he should not have sex appeal. Why? Because he’s Santa. He defined at least a third of my childhood (I really love Christmas) and he’s supposed to be a jolly gift-giver who loves cookies. Having a Santa Clause with sex appeal is like having a Mickey Mouse with sex appeal. Just. Don’t. Do it.
Even Spock thinks a sexy Santa is weird.
Since I was in the right mood for this book when I read it, I’m giving it four out of five stars. But most days I would probably only give it three.
You see, Eve is having her own trouble this Christmas season. Two weeks before Christmas, her fiance breaks everything off with her because he had been having an affair with his secretary and had gotten her pregnant. This leaves her single and with two tickets to paradise she had been going to surprise her husband with. And she plans to do something crazy. Instead of moping at home, or going on vacation by herself, she plans on asking a perfect stranger on going on vacation with her.
Nick Christmas is shocked when a beautiful and mysterious woman asks him to go on a trip with her, and he’s a little wary, too. But after talking with her for a few minutes in a coffee shop, he’s drawn to her. He’s more than ready to go on vacation with Eve and help her forget her sorrows, but he knows there’s more to everything than an innocent holiday when she starts hearing bells in his laugh. After all, Nick is destined to become the next Santa Claus– and it looks like Eve is destined to be his bride.
First of all, “Two Tickets to Paradise” by Eddie Money will get stuck in your head when you’re reading this. So if you know the song but hate it (but why would you hate it, unless you’re insane?), this might not be the best stress reliever. (I happen to like the song just fine, so no harm done to me.)
Like I said before, this is a great pick-me-up for the holiday season. And that’s all it is: a pick me up to enjoy that will get you in the mood for Christmas. If you like made-for-TV Christmas romances, then you’ll probably like The Mistletoe Bride. It’s adorable. Eve is all innocent and vulnerable and kind, and Nick is all strong and protective and kind. He really wants to help Eve heal from the damage done from her last relationship, and he doesn’t rush her even though he knows she’s his mistletoe bride. It’s incredibly sweet. And I really like how Scarlett Jade build the magic and myth of Santa Claus like she did. Inheriting the role of Santa, a magic suit that fits all Santas perfectly, the knowledge of everyone, as if he’s a god…. it’s pretty awesome.
But the book isn’t perfect. It was anticlimactic, honestly. Yes, there was a lot of suspense what with the Winter Elf trying to destroy Christmas and the race to the altar and everything, but it was rushed. The Winter Elf didn’t even come in until later and probably just to add a little spice to the mainly bland aftermath of Eve’s and Nick’s betrothal. The big villain in the whole book just wanted to make toys for Santa’s workshop. That’s it. I mean really? It’s a romance, not a thriller, I know, but we could have drawn it out a little bit more.
There also shouldn’t have been any sex scenes in this book. I know, this is a really strange complaint for me. After all I love sex scenes and they’re never a problem, right? (But hell is not freezing over right now because the Winter Elf is too effing busy making toys for Santa to cause some damn chaos!) The thing is, the love interest is Santa. Even if he’s young and about to marry his soul mate, he should not have sex appeal. Why? Because he’s Santa. He defined at least a third of my childhood (I really love Christmas) and he’s supposed to be a jolly gift-giver who loves cookies. Having a Santa Clause with sex appeal is like having a Mickey Mouse with sex appeal. Just. Don’t. Do it.
Even Spock thinks a sexy Santa is weird.
Since I was in the right mood for this book when I read it, I’m giving it four out of five stars. But most days I would probably only give it three.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Rise of the Guardians (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Remember what it was like when you were in elementary school and it snowed? Remember that feeling of anticipation waiting for your mom to say, “No school today kids”, and once she did you just knew you were going to have a blast? If not, you will when you see “Rise of the Guardians”, The newest animated movie from Dreamworks casts Jack Frost (Chris Pine), the Sand Man, Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher), the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman), and the Boogie Man (Jude Law). The later four, except the Boogie Man, all fulfill their individual roles and come together as a group to protect children as the Guardians.
Cast out centuries ago; Pitch (Law) concocts a plan to bring fear back into children’s hearts by turning their dreams into nightmares. This fear will make him more powerful and, as the Guardian’s lose children’s belief, they become less powerful and are not as able to fight him off. Around the same time that Pitch was cast out, the Man in the Moon picks Jack to be the newest Guardian. Jack is literally left out in the cold for the next 300 years which he spends having fun, creating mischief, and causing snow days. However, he is also on a search for what he is meant to do in life, and why he is here. Something that people of all ages can understand. Through helping the Guardians he finds his purpose.
You know you are at a good show when you sit in an audience consisting mostly of children and hear nothing but the movie. This was a great movie for kids of all ages; I laughed through the whole thing! I loved Santa Claus and his Yetis. They added comic relief that any adult will enjoy. The voice casting was spot on, and each character is relatable in some way. The story of finding one’s self will capture children’s attention and remind adults that they are always on that journey, but it is supposed to be fun. Both children and adults alike will be captivated by the dreams, wonder, memories, hope, and fun this movie provides.
Cast out centuries ago; Pitch (Law) concocts a plan to bring fear back into children’s hearts by turning their dreams into nightmares. This fear will make him more powerful and, as the Guardian’s lose children’s belief, they become less powerful and are not as able to fight him off. Around the same time that Pitch was cast out, the Man in the Moon picks Jack to be the newest Guardian. Jack is literally left out in the cold for the next 300 years which he spends having fun, creating mischief, and causing snow days. However, he is also on a search for what he is meant to do in life, and why he is here. Something that people of all ages can understand. Through helping the Guardians he finds his purpose.
You know you are at a good show when you sit in an audience consisting mostly of children and hear nothing but the movie. This was a great movie for kids of all ages; I laughed through the whole thing! I loved Santa Claus and his Yetis. They added comic relief that any adult will enjoy. The voice casting was spot on, and each character is relatable in some way. The story of finding one’s self will capture children’s attention and remind adults that they are always on that journey, but it is supposed to be fun. Both children and adults alike will be captivated by the dreams, wonder, memories, hope, and fun this movie provides.
Top Christmas Songs, Music & Carols with Lyrics: Holiday Edition
Music and Entertainment
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"Voted No. 1 Christmas Music App in the AppStore!" "All Time Christmas Classics That Never Gets...
The World According to Star Wars
Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER #1 Washington Post Bestseller There's Santa Claus, Shakespeare, Mickey...
Life in Five Seconds: Over 200 Stories for Those with No Time to Waste
Matteo Civaschi, Gianmarco Milesi and H-57
Book
Winner of the Cannes Lions Bronze Award for Design 2013! In today's caffeine-charged, jet-fuelled,...
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
6.4
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Movie
It's the season of joy, peace, and goodwill... unless you live in Bailey Downs. Last Christmas Eve,...
Horror anthology Christmas
Chris Columbus recommended Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) in Movies (curated)
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) in Movies
Dec 18, 2020
Rare Exports is a proper gem of an alternative Christmas film.
It revolves around a British company drilling into the mountain Korvatunturi in Lapland, hoping to find a legendary gravesite. A local child Pietari spies on proceedings, and is convinced that this company have found the grave of the original Santa Claus, not the jolly red and white icon that everyone is familiar with, but the proper monstrous version spoken about in fairtytales in Piertari's books. This being a child centric horror, of course no one believes him, until all the other children in the village start to go missing, and shit starts going sideways.
Rare Exports strengths lies in its strong cast. Greta performances from Onni Tommila and Jorma Tommila (father and son in both the film, and real life, just for that extra layer of believability!) The pair, alongside the supporting cast keep everything pretty grounded, despite the absurdity going on around them.
The film's dialogue is largely in Finnish, and this coupled with it's sparse and snowy setting, lend the narrative a truly otherworldly but authentic feeling.
It's also effectively creepy, especially the skinny old man "Santa" that the group capture and cage up. The need to figure out what is really going on never lets up either, even as the plot flies towards it's increasingly WTF climax (there's a silly amount of dong by the way, just FYI).
Rare Exports is certainly worth a watch. It's delightfully barmy, and is a great tonic if you become weary of "traditional" Christmas movies. 🎅
It revolves around a British company drilling into the mountain Korvatunturi in Lapland, hoping to find a legendary gravesite. A local child Pietari spies on proceedings, and is convinced that this company have found the grave of the original Santa Claus, not the jolly red and white icon that everyone is familiar with, but the proper monstrous version spoken about in fairtytales in Piertari's books. This being a child centric horror, of course no one believes him, until all the other children in the village start to go missing, and shit starts going sideways.
Rare Exports strengths lies in its strong cast. Greta performances from Onni Tommila and Jorma Tommila (father and son in both the film, and real life, just for that extra layer of believability!) The pair, alongside the supporting cast keep everything pretty grounded, despite the absurdity going on around them.
The film's dialogue is largely in Finnish, and this coupled with it's sparse and snowy setting, lend the narrative a truly otherworldly but authentic feeling.
It's also effectively creepy, especially the skinny old man "Santa" that the group capture and cage up. The need to figure out what is really going on never lets up either, even as the plot flies towards it's increasingly WTF climax (there's a silly amount of dong by the way, just FYI).
Rare Exports is certainly worth a watch. It's delightfully barmy, and is a great tonic if you become weary of "traditional" Christmas movies. 🎅