Christmas... in the News: Ramping up Christmas in Decatur, Salvation Army Matches Gift for Christmas in July Fundraiser & New Tulsa Christmas Parade Song

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

Hello from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We arrived yesterday and are looking forward to spending time together as a family. As I sat down at my computer tonight, I discovered some great Christmas news.

WAFF48 out of Alabama has reported that the Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority is getting ready with lots of fun Christmas plans. You can read more about them here.

Heartwarming news out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, comes to us from DAKOTA NEWS NOW. They shared that the Salvation Army, thanks to a gift from an anonymous donor, will match all gifts up to $25,000. What a wonderful way to spread the holiday spirit. Read more here. 

2 NEWS out of Oklahoma reported Leon Day (Noel spelled backwards) was the perfect chance to hear the new Tulsa Christmas Parade song. This year's theme is "The Sounds of the Season: Christmas with The Church Studio." Check out more here. 

Seeing way more news now that we have hit the halfway point to Christmas. Are you getting excited yet? 

Christmas in the News: Hotel Vin Hosts Christmas Pop-up, Chuck E. Cheese Animated Christmas Special & Celebrate Christmas in Florida

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

Hope you all had a nice weekend. Ours was busy with work and a dance recital. I'm unsure how many more of those there will be since our oldest daughter is now married, and our other daughter only has one more year with Dance Company at UNCW. 

The first bit of Christmas news comes from Texas, where the Hotel Vin in Gapevine plans to host a month-long "Christmas in July" pop-up, which KDAF CW 33 says will include "immersive decor, themed cocktails, and curated pop-up experiences." Want to know more? Click here. 

Variety reported that Nathan Kress, known to legions of iCarly fans as the actor who played Freddie Benson, will star in a Chuck E. Cheese animated Christmas special. According to the article, no streamer or network has picked up the project yet, but I hope for more news soon. You can read the full article here.

Travel & Leisure shared this article titled, "13 Ways to Celebrate Christmas in Florida, From Disney Parties to Boat Parades.' From theme parks to light shows to sand sculptures and more, it sounds like Florida offers something for everyone. Check out the article here. 

We are heading to North Carolina on Friday, so next week's edition of Christmas... in the news might be delayed. Enjoy your week!

Three Things to do in June to Prepare for Next Christmas

Here we are in the middle of June. The months are quickly passing, and before we know it, Christmas will be here. How are you doing with your holiday preparations? Have these monthly lists been helpful? What months did you find to be the easiest?

Below are the tasks in June that will help make the holidays less stressful. 

Decide on DIY gifts

Photo credit: Freepik.com

This is not something I do much of these days, but for those artisans out there, it's time to start thinking about what you're making. Back in January, you would have inventoried and organized your craft supplies, so by next month, you will be in a good place to purchase supplies. 

Consider and/or Make Travel Arrangements

Photo credit: Freepik.com

Some flexibility is needed for travel plans because you might not even know where you are going yet. But if you know visiting family is on your list, you can finalize those travel arrangements now. Whether you are flying, driving, or taking the train, you can put together your plans and sometimes order tickets. 

We've never gone away for the holidays, but I truly would love to spend Christmas on the Outer Banks of North Carolina one year. What would your dream Christmas getaway be? 

Browse Father's Day Sales and Online Gift Lists for Ideas

Photo credit: Freepik.com

I was at the mall today browsing for a Father's Day gift for my other half. This is the first year none of the kids will be home for Father's Day, so I am hoping to make it special for the two of us. They had so many amazing sales that I knew I could grab one or two things for Christmas as well. Several online sites compile Father's Day gift lists, like this one from Good Housekeeping, that might spark some holiday gift ideas as well. 

With these tips, you can make the rest of your holiday planning easier. 

Christmas... in the News: Wilmington Christmas Store Reopens, Behind the Scenes Filming Buffalo Bills Hallmark Christmas Movie & Christmas in July at Give the Kids the World Village

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

We have some heartwarming and fun stuff for you this week. The first bit of news comes from Wilmington, North Carolina, a place we know well. This story's origins are sad. Debby Woody owned A Christmas Shoppe on Front St, and had planned a move to the corner of 16th and Market. Debby passed away from a heart attack right after giving up her keys to the old location. Now, her husband and son will carry on the Christmas tradition at the new shop. I plan to stop by next time we are in Wilmington. You can read a report about it from WECT News 6 by clicking here.

WKBW 7 News out of Buffalo is sharing behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of Hallmark Channel's Buffalo Bills Christmas movie, Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story." Looks like it will be amazing, though I have to admit I'm no football fan. Check out the article here.

WDW Today reported that Give Kids the World Village will be hosting "Ice Cream for Breakfast with Santa" on July 19 and 20. This is a special event that looks like loads of fun. You can read more here. 

That's it for this week. See you again next week with more Christmas... in the news. 

Reminder I'm Looking to Review Your Christmas Products in 2025!

 

Photo credit: freepik

Being a lover of all things Christmas and as someone who has been reviewing products since 2007, I am looking to help you spread the word about your seasonal book, family-friendly movie, home decorating, or cooking/baking products.

Here is a short list of what I'm most interested in, but I'm open to other inquiries:

Books

• Picture books
• Chapter books
• Clean romance novellas

Movies

• Animated 
• Drama
• Clean romance
• Clean comedy

Decor and Storage Items

• Cottagecore
• Modern farmhouse
• Traditional
• Country/Rustic
• Indoor and outdoor
• Holiday storage products

Cooking/Baking

• Supplies--specialty pots, pans, utensils, cookie cutters, aprons, tools, etc.
• Ingredients
• Cookbooks

If you would like me to help spread the word, please contact me at ccmal(at)charter(dot)net, replacing at and dot with the appropriate symbols. Please put "Christmas Product Review" in the subject line of your email. 

Below are the stats from personal social media accounts as of June 14, 2025. Books might be cross-posted to The Book Connection or The Children's and Teens' Book Connection, so I am including that information as well.

Facebook friends 2.4K
Author page followers 589
Twitter/X followers 3,630
LinkedIn Connections 2,201
Instagram followers 1,532

Pinterest followers 229

Goodreads Friends - 792

The Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 10,532

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection - Average Monthly Visits 265

Christmas Year Round blog - Average Monthly Visits 2,781

Christmas ... in the News: Tickets Available for Cambria's Christmas Market, Waukesha Christmas Parade Memorials & The Holiday in Glasgow this December

 

Welcome to this edition of Christmas... in the news. This is a review of Christmas articles and news over the last week. 

Can you believe June is already here? Today felt more like fall than spring, but we are one step closer to the holidays as we enter a new month. Lots of interesting Christmas news this week too. 

4 Los Angeles News reported that tickets are now available for this year's Cambria Christmas Market. This event runs from November 28 to December 31, 2025. You can read the article here for additional details. 

Waukesha County: The Freeman recently shared news that the Waukesha Finance Committee recommended the approval of an agreement with the Waukesha County Community Foundation to establish a Parade Memorial Fund to honor the six people who were killed in 2021, when an SUV plowed through the parade route. Dozens more were injured. You can read the details of this proposal here.

We end this week's column in Glasgow, where Yahoo! News reports that the classic, The Holiday, will be screened in Glasgow accompanied by a concert orchestra. Doesn't that sound amazing? You can read more here. 

That's it for today. Hope you enjoy your week.