#checkingittwice

It’s late and I’ve just been watching TV something I rarely get the opportunity to do. Movies247 often show some great movies and today it’s a little heart warmer called ‘Christmas In July’ set in the 1940’s starring Dick Powell.  This set me thinking about the actual concept of Christmas in July. It’s something I’m familiar with but not sure how popular it is in the UK.

Let me give you a brief over on it. Christmas is traditionally thought of as a winter season event with snow, icicles and cozy warm fires, but as many historians will remind us Jesus was born in the spring. So how did we end up celebrating a typically cold event at the hottest time of the year? There are a few theories knocking about, one is because those in the southern hemisphere are experiencing their ‘cold season’ another is that it is a great big money making scam.

Whilst I’d love to believe it was the more romantic sentiment of our Aussie friends offering a real Christmas Dinner (not cooked on a BBQ J) the reality is it’s probably an opportunity for retailers to leverage additional sale by dressing it up as festive.

Either way I’m a sucker for Christmas so when I turned the TV to QVC this evening and saw their advertisement for Yankee Candles they had got me hook, line, and sinker. Don’t judge me but July is now when I look for my bargains to kick start my Christmas shopping.

Here are my top tips to ensuring you get the best out of Christmas in July along with enjoying this extra bit of the season.

1. Set a budget

Before you even start make sure you know how much money you want to allocate to gift buying. Christmas isn’t cheap and if left to the last minute it can seriously damage your purse strings. But be careful if you start buying early there’s also a tendency to overspend.

2. Make a list...... so you can check it twice...

Once you know how much cash you have available you can start to think about what gifts you want to buy for people, and how you allocate your budget.

3, Keep your eyes open

There are lots of good sales that start with new autumn collections. Debenhams tend to hold a Blue Cross Sale and Next hold their large sale event. QVC also offer great savings on a range of Christmas goods from crafts and cards to clothing and jewelry.

4. Top Ten Toys

All your ‘must have’ toys are released around July so if you want to be ahead of the crowd watch out for the announcements on what’s going to be hot this year. Last year it was Hatchimals for kids, be interesting to see what’s on offer this year.

5. Enjoy it!

Get some friends round; share some eggnog, after all that’s what Christmas is all about. And make sure you sneak on ‘Now That’s What I Call Christmas’ album, there’s nothing more uplifting that Christmas music, it really makes you smile.

Hope you’ve enjoyed this quick overview to Christmas in July and that some of the tis help you achieve a smooth Christmas 2017.

Post below with any comments you may - look forward to hearing from you

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Description

Fake dating a hockey player for Christmas wasn’t on my bingo card.

Clare Johnson’s job is handling PR for the Dallas Stampede—not getting tangled up with one of the players. But when Mitchell Drake—charming forward, fan favorite, and very off-limits—asks her to pose as his girlfriend for one week in small-town Minnesota, she reluctantly agrees. What’s the worst that could happen?

Mitchell’s had six months to get over his very public broken engagement, and his family is done waiting. The last thing he needs is pitying smiles and whispered gossip. Clare is smart, sharp, and strong enough to hold her own with both fans and family—the perfect fake girlfriend.

But holiday lights and snowy nights have a way of blurring the line between pretend and real. Clare fits too easily into his world—bonding with his grandma, winning at pond hockey, and looking unfairly good in his flannel. The more time they spend together, the less fake it feels.

Full of small-town holiday magic, meddling relatives, and sizzling chemistry, Checking It Twice is a hockey romance about second chances and falling in love when you least expect it. Perfect for fans of fake dating, one-bed tension, forced proximity, and happily-ever-afters wrapped in Christmas lights.

Because sometimes the best gifts aren’t under the tree—they’re standing right in front of you.

My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A magical Christmas romance filled with small-town charm, a wonderful found family, effortless conversations, stolen kisses, heated moments, and increasingly dangerous closeness. There’s also a hockey hottie who desires more than the fake relationship he asked her to portray.

The butterflies will flutter in your stomach as you smile and giggle at their effortless witty banter. The tension and the realization that every touch is blurring the lines they’re supposed to maintain.

This is Clare Johnson and Mitchell Drake’s journey and I loved every second, unable to put this down! Absolutely addictive!

“It’s about not letting the past define your future. Taking risks even when you’re scared of getting hurt.”

Claire and Mitchell’s relationship may have begun as a facade, but as they gradually open up and their attraction and feelings for each other intensify, I find myself rooting for them. This heartwarming, addictive, and slow-burn romance takes an unexpected and exhilarating turn. Every interaction left me grinning, swooning, or kicking my feet in delight. It’s a beautiful and emotional Christmas romance that I couldn’t bear to end!

Checking it Twice - A Holiday Hockey Romance

Release Date: Nov 25th

• Amazon: https://amzn.to/46QfIp1

• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/241108202-checking-it-twice

Checking It Twice by Kendall Ryan A cozy, flirty Christmas hockey romance is coming your way! Cover just dropped—grab it here: https://amzn.to/46QfIp1

Hockey hero x holiday chaos x one bed vibes = Checking It Twice

Preorder now or read in KU!

https://amzn.to/46QfIp1

About the Book:

Fake dating a hockey player for Christmas wasn’t on my bingo card.

Clare Johnson’s job is handling PR for the Dallas Stampede—not getting tangled up with

one of the players. But when Mitchell Drake—charming forward, fan favorite, and very off-

limits—asks her to pose as his girlfriend for one week in small-town Minnesota, she

reluctantly agrees. What’s the worst that could happen?

Mitchell’s had six months to get over his very public broken engagement, and his family is

done waiting. The last thing he needs is pitying smiles and whispered gossip. Clare is

smart, sharp, and strong enough to hold her own with both fans and family—the perfect fake girlfriend.

But holiday lights and snowy nights have a way of blurring the line between pretend and real. Clare fits too easily into his world—bonding with his grandma, winning at pond hockey, and looking unfairly good in his flannel. The more time they spend together, the

less fake it feels.

Full of small-town holiday magic, meddling relatives, and sizzling chemistry, Checking It

Twice is a hockey romance about second chances and falling in love when you least expect

it. Perfect for fans of fake dating, one-bed tension, forced proximity, and happily-ever-afters

wrapped in Christmas lights.