Christmas Wishes With New Year Celebrations 2012

Beatty Christmas List 2012

Well kids, it's that time again. Please everyone post your lists! Including kids & significant others! It makes it soooooo much easier for us all I think :)

My Favourite Christmas... by Ali Harris

Welcome back to my Christmas 2011 feature! As you know, I've asked lots of authors to write something about their favourite Christmas, and I've been lucky to have a great response. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming the winner of my Chick Lit Book of the Year Award, Ali Harris!

Until recently, my favourite Christmases were all about the past, not just my childhood but the romantic past, the ‘olden days’, if you will. Just like Evie, my main character in Miracle on Regent Street, I’m a sucker for old-fashioned values and I’m such a romantic that I desperately want Christmas to feel like it does in the great old American movies, or even better, when I was a child.

But ever since I discovered that Father Christmas didn’t actually exist (I KNOW, it really ruined my festivities last year!) I’ve enjoyed the anticipation of the day much more than the day itself.  But whilst I adore the breathless preparations, watching magical Christmas films like It’s a Wonderful Life and walking through the frosty, fairy-lit streets doing my late night shopping and then wrapping the presents in front of a roaring fire, I can’t help but hanker after those bygone days when Christmas was truly magical.

But then I remind myself that even for those of us who doubt that an overweight old man in a red suit delivers our presents, this time of year can still be magical because it makes you feel like anything is possible. For us, Christmas is about believing in ourselves, in our family, our friends, in our dreams and life decisions. It’s about reminiscing without regret and looking ahead with anticipation. And that’s what I’ve been doing…until now.

Because this year with two children of my own – a 9 month baby girl and a nearly-3-year-old boy who understands Christmas for the first time – I’m blessed with the honour of being Santa Claus myself. I’m giving the magic, not receiving it. I can’t wait to put my little boy to bed on Christmas Eve, to tiptoe into his room when he’s asleep and fill his stocking with presents, then watching him wake on Christmas morning when he discovers with all the joy, innocence and wonder that only a child who believes can have that Santa Claus has been.

And I can tell you that this year, there’ll be no more hankering after Christmases past, or wondering what the future will bring. Instead, I’ll be concentrating on putting this Christmas in a little box for me to hold on to forever. And for that reason, this Christmas – the Christmas present – is my favourite of all.

You can read my review of Ali's brilliant book Miracle on Regent Street here. You can also buy the book in paperback or as an eBook!

Merry Christmas Eve!

My Favourite Christmas... by Sasha Wagstaff

Welcome back to my Christmas 2011 feature! As you know, I've asked lots of authors to write something about their favourite Christmas, and I've been lucky to have a great response. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming the fab Sasha Wagstaff!

I LOVE Christmas and everything about it, so this is going to be an absolute pleasure for me to write about!

On the 1^st of December (or as close to it as possible), I like to get the Christmas decorations down from the loft and set about transforming the house into a glittery, twinkly wonderland. (When I say ‘I’ here, I do, of course mean that my husband climbs up into the loft and does much of the pinning up of tinsel and lights). We carry this out whilst drinking homemade mulled wine (a la Nigella – hers is the best recipe I have found to date – very boozy with the addition of dark rum) and bowls of nuts and crisps.

I always watch Christmas films whilst wrapping presents – Love Actually, The Holiday, It’s a Wonderful Life are an absolute must (and for my husband ‘White Christmas as it reminds him of his youth). Again, present-wrapping should be accompanied by mulled wine, Baileys or champagne, ideally. I’m quite anally-retentive about present-buying – I have a spreadsheet (eek, I can’t help it – I’m a Virgo!) but I have a lot of people to buy for and otherwise, I’d be ditzy and buy the same things again. People often refuse to give me lists, saying ‘just buy whatever you think I’d like – you buy such lovely things’ – little do they realise that I stress and agonise about this level of pressure! (I love it really). Christmas Day is always spent with my parents and until all the children arrived, we would sit in the same place to open our presents and insist that my mother put up the same decorations year in, year out but these days, new decorations have replaced the old and we sit wherever we can find a pew these days as the children jostle to open all their gifts!

Christmas Day dinner must be eaten with the Top of the Pops Christmas special on in the background (or at very least, Christmassy music) and it’s a long affair, taking place over several hours, with cheese courses, liqueurs and chocolates, coffee and anything else we can cram in. Traditionally, we do a brisk walk around the block after the meal, to work off some of the calories and get some fresh air. It’s also fun nosing into people’s house as it gets dark and seeing them enjoying their Christmas Day afternoon or watching children trying out their new bikes in the street. We then have a picnic tea of cold meats, pickles and bread – delicious!

As much as I love doing the same things every year, I also like the idea of starting up some new traditions, especially since my eldest daughter is almost three. So, it’s new winter pyjamas for everyone to open / wear on Christmas Eve and the Christmas morning muffins I usually bake will have chocolate chunks added to them. I may even replace the champagne with hot chocolate – for the girls, anyway! I also love the sound of Jill Mansell’s glittery roast potatoes, so I might just have to try that one out and Veronica Henry’s mince pies with orange pastry and brandy butter sound divine….see, I love this whole Christmas lark!

All that’s left to say is: have a wonderful Christmas everyone…and enjoy your traditions, new and old x

You can read my review of Sasha's book Wicked Games here. You can buy the book as a paperback and an eBook now. 

Giveaway: Win a copy of 'Confessions of a Karaoke Queen' by Ella Kingsley

Thanks again to the lovely Hannah at Little,Brown, I have another amazing giveaway for you today! I have 5 copies of Ella Kingsley's fab new novel Confessions of a Karaoke Queen to give away, and all you have to do is fill in the Google form below to enter.

It closes on January 2nd 2012 at midnight, and is open to UK residents only. One entry per household. Good luck!

My Favourite Christmas... by Scarlett Bailey

Welcome back to my Christmas 2011 feature! As you know, I've asked lots of authors to write something about their favourite Christmas, and I've been lucky to have a great response. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming the lovely Scarlett Bailey!

My favourite Christmas was when I was a little girl, I must have been about six because my mum and dad were still married. I had a very seventies and eighties childhood, never really saw much of my dad because he got in from work after I went to bed and always seemed to be locked up in his shed every spare minute. And to make matters worse he wouldn't let me see what he was doing! I remember feeling very dejected and let down. And then that Christmas, as I crept downstairs early that morning to see what Santa had left me, I found out what Dad had been up to. My dad had been building me a dolls house in secret for all of these months! It was beautiful, a perfect Georgian mansion, almost as tall as me and decorated with wallpaper, carpet and lights that worked, as well as furniture that he had made himself. It was a gift full of love and care, and even at that young age, I think I sensed that, which made me treasure it all the more.  I have never been so delighted and surprised by a gift since, and remembering lying on the floor playing with that dolls house is still my fondest memory of Christmas.

Nowadays I still love to recreate that particular retro Seventies Christmas vibe! No fashionable or tasteful decorations for me, unlike Katy in The Night Before Christmas, who is fond of gingham and wicker, I love tinsel, sparkles, lots of lights, and all the colours all at once. I even still have some of the decorations that went on the tree when I was a child.

I adore Christmas carols, and Christmas songs, so I will have Bing on the i-pod crooning 'White Christmas' in the morning, while I'm preparing Christmas lunch, and then, after eating as much Christmas food as I can (without bursting) I will settle down on the sofa with my friends and loved ones, a very large glass of Bailey's and get ready for a movie. You can't go wrong with The Sound of Music, Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life, but my very most favourite film to watch on Christmas day is Gone With the Wind. Three hours of a girl called Scarlett kicking butt and snogging Rhett Butler. What better to round off a perfect day?

This year I'll be with the people I love, mostly burning or undercooking stuff, while my mum tells me where I'm going wrong, and I'm looking forward to having a house full of all my best people, after all, that's what Christmas is really all about, isn't it? Being with the people you love. Oh and lots and lots of lovely presents, too. Obviously.

You can read my review of Scarlett's debut novel The Night Before Christmas here. You can buy the book as a paperback or as an eBook now!

Chick Lit Chloe's 2011 Awards!!

Welcome to my very first  Chick Lit Chloe Awards for 2011! I've copiously examined each and every one of the 118 books I have read this year, and chosen what I think are the best of the best. Not all books could make it onto this list, but I think I've made the right choices! There have been so many fantastic books this year, and it wasn't easy to cut it down to just the few mentioned on the lists! Congratulations to all the winners, and also those who made it onto my shortlists as well! Enjoy!

Chick Lit Chloe's 'Book Of The Year '2011
 WINNER: 
- Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris

Nominees:
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Fallen Angels by Tara Hyland
- The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon
- Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman
- Me And My Sisters by Sinead Moriartt

Christmas Book Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey AND Miracle On Regent Street by Ali Harris

Nominees:
- Home For Christmas by Cally Taylor
- The Perfect Christmas by Georgie Carter
- Wrapped Up In You by Carole Matthews

Female Character Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Willow from Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman

Nominees:
- Romily from 'It Started With A Kiss' by Miranda Dickinson
- Evie from 'Miracle On Regent Street' by Ali Harris
- Gracie from 'Unlike A Virgin' by Lucy-Anne Holmes
- Issy from 'Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe' by Jenny Colgan
- Alice from 'Instructions For Bringing Up Scarlett' by Annie Sanders
- Stella from 'Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes' by Sue Watson

Male Character Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Steve from 'An Autumn Crush' by Milly Johnson

Nominees:
- Dermot from 'Breakfast At Darcy's' by Ali McNamara
- Jack Wolfe from 'Who's Afraid Of Mr Wolfe?' by Hazel Osmond
- Prince Richard from 'To Marry A Prince' by Sophie Page
- Guy from 'Monday To Friday Man' by Alice Petersen
- Rory from 'The Secret of Happy Ever After' by Lucy Dillon

Book Cover Of The Year 2011
WINNER: 
I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk 

Nominees:
- Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris
- (Un)Like A Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes
- One Minute to Midnight by Amy Silver
- Something From Tiffany's by Melissa Hill (original blue cover)
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Private Lives by Tasmina Perry

Celebrity Novel Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Denial by Coleen Nolan

Nominees:
- The Camera Never Lies by Tess Daly
- New Begininngs by Fern Britton
- The Importance Of Being Myrtle by Ulrika Jonsson

Tear-jerker Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman

Nominees:
- The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon
- Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Debut Novel and Author Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey

Nominees:
- Monday To Friday Man by Alice Petersen
- RSVP by Helen Warne
- Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson
- Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond
- It Happened in Paris by Molly Hopkins
- Lizzy Harrison Loses Control by Pippa Wright

Women's Fiction Book Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas

Nominees:
- The Look of Love by Judy Astley
- The House By The Sea by Santa Montefiore
- What The Nanny Saw by Fiona Neill
- Ophelia in Pieces by Clare Jacob
- The Mistresses Revenge by Tamar Cohen
- The First Wife by Emily Barr