Angellica Bell: 'Christmas is about making memories, not debt'

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic It’s hard to quite think of someone who was as big a veritable child star as Brenda Lee was in the late ’50s and early ’60s a “late bloomer.” Nor can “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” really be considered an underdog song, after its accrual of quintuple-platinum sales over the decades. And yet it’s spent the last several years peaking at No. 2 each December, after spending most of its lifetime not annually charting at all.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been left 'humiliated' after their invitation to spend Christmas with the Royal Family was 'withdrawn' before it was sent out.

Owen Gleiberman Chief Film Critic “Christmas is not about money,” says Pepper (Jillian Bell), the passive-aggressive Christmas store elf in “Candy Cane Lane.” “Except that it is.” She could almost be describing Christmas movies. From the start, they’ve paired a celebration of the Christmas spirit, in all its enveloping toastiness, with a theme of raw economic desperation. You can trace this right back to the original Christmas movie — “A Christmas Carol,” and by that I don’t even mean the assorted film versions (though I grew up with them and especially loved the 1951 version with Alastair Sim) but the Charles Dickens novella, published in 1843, which essentially invented the modern Christmas.

Layton Williams has been dazzling us on Strictly Come Dancing and now he’s bringing the ballroom fun to Bad Education for its all-singing, all-dancing festive special. The 29-year-old, who plays Stephen Carmichael in the comedy reboot, says he was “absolutely thrilled” to show off his West End skills. “I’ve been gagging for a Christmas singy-songy musical moment from day dot,” he confesses.

Uh oh. Is Nick Cannon having some drama with one of his baby mommas again?

Two members of Fifth Harmony went into the recording studio together again for the first time in more than five years, and the result is a festive duet that you’ll want on repeat.

All of the road closures necessary this weekend have been announced ahead of the Manchester Christmas Parade - due to take place in the city centre on Sunday, December 3.

There’s a strong chance this woman will be dining alone for the holidays, all thanks to her being a Scrooge.

Fans are guessing the subjects of Sabrina Carpenter‘s new song, “cindy lou who.”

Tim Burton is clear that a sequel or a reboot of The Nightmare Before Christmas is not happening. In a new interview, the director talks about what he thinks about the idea of the stop-motion film getting a follow-up 30 years after the movie’s debut.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen jumping and cheering from the stands as they watched an ice hockey game in Canada, all while their family Christmas plans are up in the air. The royal couple watched the Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks play during the first period of an NHL ice hockey game in Vancouver, on Monday, 20 November.

Kerry Katona excitedly showed off her Christmas makeover at her £2million Cheshire home, as she got into the festive spirit.The 43 year old former Atomic Kitten star took to Instagram to share a video of her house as she drove down the drive in her £200k green Lamborghini. As the house came into sight, it looked like Santa's grotto, with twinkling lights adorning it.

There is no better indicator that the Christmas season is underway than the opening of Christmas markets across Scotland.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are likely to not be welcomed into the Royal Family's Christmas celebrations despite speculation that they might accept an invite if offered one.

Royal insiders have claimed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would not reject an invitation to spend Christmas at Sandringham, but that they are yet to receive one.Traditionally, members of the royal family gather at Sandringham House in Norfolk for Christmas, but since relocating to America, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have not attended a Royal Christmas since 2018.This is despite the couple having received invitations for the majority of those since, with the exception of those which took place during Covid lockdowns. And while the relationship between Harry and his family remains rather strained, he is reportedly back on speaking terms with his father King Charles, who is said to be hopeful of building a relationship with his grandchildren.

Writer Samantha Herman can’t get enough of the holiday season and being in love with love—so naturally, she writes Christmas movies for the Hallmark Channel.

With Strictly Come Dancing heading to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom this weekend, it appears that dancing fever has well and truly taken over the seaside town.

With its bright lights, cheery music and messages of goodwill, Christmas is meant to feel like the happiest time of the year. But for some it’s also a time of financial hardship and worry, with even more strain on already stretched purse strings. And this year, the nation’s households are going to be a staggering £3 billion worse off compared with the 2022 festive season.

Hallmark mainstay Lacey Chabert reunites with her Party of Five co-star Scott Wolf Nov. 18 in the channel’s A Very Scottish Christmas, a confection about a pair of once close siblings who reunite at their mom’s girlhood home in Scotland for the holiday.

Heading into the festive season this year, many of us are watching our pennies and worrying about how we are going to afford Christmas. We're still in the grip of a cost of living crisis, which has seen prices soar and rents increase. As a result, all of our ingredients for a fun festive season have also got more expensive.