Christmas in the News: Hallmark Channel Teams Up with Buffalo Bills

 

Welcome back! I was pleasantly surprised to find more Christmas in the News this week. Media outlets like USA Today reported that filming for Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story will start later this year, and the movie will be shot in and around Buffalo, New York. Sounds like this collaboration could be interesting. According to the article, last year's football romantic comedy was the "most-watched movie of the year." You can read more details here. 

Christmas in the News: Hallmark Channel's 2025 Countdown to Christmas News

 

Imagine how excited I was when I stumbled across some Christmas news earlier today. Sometimes, I check out NewsBreak in the early morning to catch snippets of local and faraway news. That's how I learned that Cinemablend was sharing what they know about Hallmark Channel's upcoming "Countdown to Christmas" schedule.

According to Cinemablend, Hallmark Channel will be offering a "Christmas-themed limited series" for 2025. It's currently titled "The Twelve Dates of Christmas,"  and is based on a book of the same name by Jenny Bayliss. Did you read that one? I haven't yet. 

One of my favorite actors, Jane Seymour (Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman) will be portraying a character, so I'm super excited. Might have to read the book before this series comes out. 

You can read the full article here. 

March Madness and Christmas

Photo credit: Freepik

My brain works in odd ways, so I thought it would be fun to see what I would get if I typed "March Madness and Christmas" into Google. 

Here are a few results:

New York Post: "Breaking Down How March Madness Selection Sunday Will Play Out"

Elvis Duran Show: March Madness or March Merriness?!

Melissa Manages: March Madness Saving for Christmas 03102025

Christmas in the City March Madness Bracket (Half of your donation will go to CITC).

Which post is your favorite?

Three Things to Do in March to Prepare for Next Christmas

Isn't it crazy that it is March already? Around here, we are just starting to see warmer days. Seedlings are sprouting inside, garden plans are underway, and the youngest has been home for break. I'm almost ready to start spring cleaning, though I wouldn't be surprised if we had another storm before spring officially arrives. It often works that way up here. 

In March, there are several things we can do to take the stress out of the holidays and keep us on track. Here are my top three. 

Start Your Christmas List

Spring cleaning provides you the perfect opportunity to know what you need to buy for next year. Everything is cleaned and organized. You've donated what kids have outgrown or what you no longer wear. Having everything in its place gives you the chance to take a mental inventory of what you need and add it to the Christmas list. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Consider Experiences Versus More Stuff

One year, our family got together and gave my in-laws a trip to Disney as a gift. They had taken the boys when they were kids, but never got to experience a trip like this by themselves. They loved it! As you're starting your Christmas list, think about what kinds of experiences those on your list might enjoy. Perhaps it is free babysitting so they can have a night out. Maybe it's a weekend away at a bed and breakfast. It could also be signing them up for classes to begin that new hobby they have been talking about. 

Photo credit: jcomp at Freepik

Set Your Budget

Now that you are starting your list, you need to consider a budget. Having a budget helps to reduce overspending. Working in connection with your Christmas list, you can determine how much you will spend per person and, as you buy gifts, you track your expenditures against the budget line for each person. 

These tips will keep you organized and on track as you prepare for the holidays. 

The Hallmark Christmas Experience

 

Photo credit: Hallmark 

Guess what! the Hallmark Christmas Experience is coming back in 2025! It will be taking place in Kansas City, Missouri from November 28 - December 21. Look for more information coming from Hallmark in June. 

Christmas Titles in Your TBR Pile

 

I've been cataloging my book collections recently, which led me to dip into my TBR pile. It is rather extensive, spanning hundreds of hardcovers, softcovers, and digital books. 

Out of the hundreds of titles I own, 39 of my Kindle books have Christmas in the title and 29 printed books have Christmas in the title. I truly enjoy seasonal fiction. 

How about you? Do you like books set during Christmas? Do you have a favorite Christmas title?  

Three Things to Do in February to Prepare for Next Christmas

It's time to think about what we can do in February to help prepare for next Christmas. Tackling holiday preparations a bit at a time helps to make them more enjoyable. 

Photo credit: YulliaKa on Freepik.com

Take advantage of end of winter sales

Believe it or not, spring fashions are already available in stores and online. That means winter is on its way out and prices are likely reduced. Picking up scarves, mittens/gloves, and even fuzzy socks for stocking stuffers and gifts now instead of waiting for fall can save you money. 

Photo credit: Freepik.com

Update your Christmas cards list

Though not everyone still sends cards, if you are a person that does, it is a good idea to go through all the Christmas cards you received in December and update your list. This is the reason I keep the envelopes with the cards we receive. It allows me to check if anyone's address has changed over the last year. If you keep your list electronically, you can easily add to it as the year proceeds. 

Make a list of holiday dessert recipes and start trying them out

I have dozens of cookbooks here. There is even one that only has Christmas cookie recipes. What I've found through the years, however, is that by the time November rolls around, I don't want to scour what to make for dessert, so we have the same things every year. That's not horrible, because we like them, but part of the joy of owning so many cookbooks is to try new things. By putting together a list of dessert recipes now, you can try some out and discover what you want to add to your holiday dessert tray this Christmas.

These three tips are just another way to take the stress out of the holidays.