Lifestyle of a Fashionista

12/15/23 Volume 2 Issue 51

Five on Friday

December 15, 2023

“City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style. In the air, there’s a feeling of Christmas.” — Bing Crosby, “Silver Bells”

One: 2023 Holiday Traditions – Try something new

One crucial plot line of a cheesy Christmas movie is participating in a holiday tradition or several traditions. I wrote about holiday traditions last year in Holiday Traditions. This year, inspired by my cheesy movie viewing, I’m adding some new ones. Most Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies have a lot of Christmas-themed activities. 

Read: https://lifestyleofafashionista.com/2023/12/15/2023-holiday-traditions-try-something-new/

Two: What to Watch

Christmas Countdown:

The Christmas Countdown is in full swing. Each week, I will let you know about the premieres of the new Christmas movies.

Hallmark (Peacock):

This is the last week for new Hallmark content.

See the full list from ET, Hallmark Channel’s 2023 Counting Down to Christmas Movie Lineup: See the Schedule!

The Secret Gift of Christmas (Dec. 15th), Bonnie (Ory) is a personal shopper who helps her new, widowed client Patrick (Russell) reconnect with his young daughter. Though Bonnie and Patrick’s ideas of shopping couldn’t be more different, she is determined to get Patrick and his daughter everything on their wish list.

Sealed with a List (Dec. 16th), This holiday season, festive Carley (Findlay) sets out to conquer her list of abandoned resolutions from last year. Aided by coworker Wyatt (Roderick), she finds love and the confidence to chase her dreams.

Friends & Family Christmas (Dec. 17th), Daniella (Gonzalez) has recently moved to New York to pursue an art career and decides to stay in town to share the holidays with her circle of artist friends, instead of going home to see her sweet, if overbearing parents. Amelia (Liebert) is a talented entertainment lawyer trying to stay focused on her work after a broken engagement. When Daniella and Amelia are set up by their parents, they agree to pretend that they are dating, to appease them for the holidays. However, as they spend time in each other’s worlds, they soon build a connection that is deeper than either of them could have hoped for.

Lifetime: (Watch live on Hulu if you have that type of subscription, stream it after it airs)

For the full list: Lifetime to release 12 new Christmas movies starring Teri Hatcher, Tia Mowry, and more — see the schedule

The Holiday Proposal Plan (Dec. 16th at 8 PM), Travel columnist Sonny Kravitz (Ali) and her ex-boyfriend Kip (Kove) are forced to team up to help their best friends Bree (Whitney Able) and Jarod (Geovanni Gopradi) get engaged. To set the backdrop, the four return to Sonny’s parents’ snowy chalet and set up twelve holiday traditions that are celebrated around the world to nudge Jarod to ask Bree to be his wife. But it seems that the proposal plan doesn’t just reignite the love between the engaged couple. Will Sonny and Kip rekindle what they once had? 

A Christmas Intern (Dec. 16th at 10 PM), With the holidays approaching, Cecilia (Harry) discovers that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, so she decides to make a surprise visit to her daughter Alexis (Carter) who created and runs “Cyber Santa,” an online gift giving business. Seizing an opportunity to spend Christmas with her daughter and get back into the game, Cecilia becomes an intern at the start-up company and the two learn the importance of family during the most wonderful time of year, while also finding love. 

Merry Magic Christmas (Dec. 17th at 8 PM), As Christmas nears, financial advisor Beth (Isaac) finds that her fortune is hinting all around her. She starts seeing a recurring number: 624, an angel number that will help make her heart’s secret wish come true. It mysteriously becomes the time she wakes up, how far she bikes and the countdowns she sets. Taking on a pro-bono financial case for the local children’s theatre, Beth meets Nate (Dunbar), whose financial inexperience may cause the theatre to shut down. The two must work together to raise money for the theatre and possibly find love along the way. 

Netflix:

Read: December new releases from Tulum and from Vulture.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (family film), A fearless band of chickens flock together to save their own kind from an unsettling new threat: a nearby farm that’s cooking up something suspicious.

The Crown (season 6, part 2), With the Commonwealth irrevocably changed, Queen Elizabeth II reflects on her life and legacy, and paves the way for her successors Charles and William.

Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only (Netflix Documentary), From back in the day to the top of their game, Kevin Hart and Chris Rock offer an unparalleled, behind-the-scenes look at their friendship and careers.

Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team (Netflix Documentary), The all-access sports series will allow audiences to intimately follow the U.S. Women’s National Team’s players and coaches and reveal an inside look at the most decorated team in soccer history. Viewers will get a first-hand look at the pressure, the euphoria, the joy, and the hardships that these world-class athletes experience as they strive to capture their third World Cup title in a row. Issues ranging from racial diversity, LGBTQ+ rights, equal pay, family, and motherhood are all brought to light as the narrative unfolds. 

Single’s Inferno (season 3), A new set of singles embark on a journey of love on a remote island — navigating drama, passion, and everything in between for a chance at Paradise. 

Max (HBO):

December 2023 from PureWow.

Barbie (2023 film)

Leo Reich: Literally Who Cares?! (Dec. 16h/HBO Original), Need a good laugh? Look no further than Leo Reich’s all-new comedy special, where he discusses everything from narcissism to the future of society.

OWN Holiday Movie: The Christmas Detective (Dec. 17th), A former beauty queen-turned-private investigator finds her calling, discovers true love, and spreads the Christmas spirit when she takes the case of a famous missing portrait at a boutique art gallery.

Hulu:

New on Hulu: December 2023 from Vulture.

Such Brave Girls (Hulu original series, season 1), Dysfunctional family sitcom following sisters Josie and Billie and their single mother Deb navigating life armed with nothing but poor judgement 

CMA Country Christmas

Disney+:

New on Disney+: December 2023 from Vulture.

Amazon Prime:

New on Amazon Prime Video: December 2023 from Vulture.

Reacher (season 2), Jack Reacher, a veteran military police investigator, has recently entered civilian life when he is falsely accused of murder.

Peacock:

New on Peacock: December 2023 from Vulture.

Apple TV+:

The Family Plan (2023 film/action, comedy), When enemies from his past track him down, former elite government assassin Dan packs his wife, teen daughter, teen son, and 10-month-old baby into their minivan and takes off on an impromptu cross-country road trip to Las Vegas.

Paramount+:

New On Paramount+ December 2023

Finestkind (2023 film/crime thriller), Two brothers from opposite sides of the tracks are reunited as adults. Desperate circumstances force them into a deal with an organized crime syndicate in Boston, and a young women gets caught in the middle.

In Theaters:

Wonka (fantasy/musical), Armed with nothing but a hatful of dreams, young chocolatier Willy Wonka manages to change the world, one delectable bite at a time.

American Fiction (comedy/drama), Monk is a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. NYT Critic’s pick

Three: What to Wear

A Duster Coat:

From People, Jennifer Lawrence and Anne Hathaway’s Timeless Coats Are So Easy to Layer — Copy the Look from $30

See all Duster Coats at Nordstrom

Four: What to Try

A French Manicure:

From Byrdie, Princess Diana’s Favorite Manicure is Trending Again

If you want to try a different version, from Byrdie, 14 Christmas French Nail Ideas Fitting for Any Holiday Soirée

Five: What to Do

In Boston:

From The B Side:

If you need a reprieve from Christmas decorations … It’s time to visit Noir’s Maccabee Bar in Harvard Square. This Festival of Light-inspired pop-up has traded in garland and trees for menorahs and dreidels, and they’re serving a festive menu of fittingly named cocktails like the “Oy, what a night,” and noshes, like the untraditional latkes with traditional condiments. You can book a table by calling the this number, or just walk in.

Almost 250 years ago, Boston spilled the tea. And by that we mean, happy almost 250th Boston Tea Party-versary! (it’s tomorrow). The city is holding several reenactments in honor of the day this weekend, as well as special tea party programming from the National Parks of Boston and the Mass. Freemasons. And if you want to celebrate in an, ahem, different way, Night Shift brewing is releasing a special “Tea Party” hard tea, which will be available in their Everett taproom, and Sam Adams released a green tea pale ale in honor of the occasion. 

PSA: Your holiday mailing window is closing fast. If you’re planning on shipping or buying gifts online this season and want them to arrive before Christmas, time’s a-ticking. Today is the last day for FedEx’s ground 5-day shipping, and tomorrow’s the last day for USPS ground shipping. For Amazon Prime, you have until Dec. 22, and for UPS, next week is crunch time. You can find more information about deadlines here.

From the Boston Calendar, 90 things to do in Boston this weekend

Including SantaCon Boston Saturday, December 16 · 12 – 7pm EST (At The Burren and other Boston bars). https://www.eventbrite.com/e/santacon-boston-2023-tickets-770540747117

In New York:

From PureWow, What to Do in NYC This December to End the Year On a High Note