• On 8 Dec 2022
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• Christmas, Food And Drink, Shopping
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Which Is The Most Popular Supermarket For Your Christmas 2022 Food Shop?

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I look at a new study which revealed that Marks And Spencer is the UK’s most Googled supermarket for Christmas food in 2022.  

Christmas Food Shop

Christmas is nearly here, and one of the best things about the festive season, in my opinion, is all the food! Christmas cheese is a glorious thing, then there’s the snacks, the meals, the snacks between the meals, or the nibbles you have between the snacks between the meals.

So, with that in mind, you want to make sure you’re getting a tasty treat. So where are we all doing our Christmas food shop this year?

Experts at New Casinos analysed Google search data to discover the most searched for supermarket in the UK for the Christmas food shop.  

Marks And Spencer

The most searched-for supermarket for Christmas food is Marks And Spencer, with an average of 25,000 searches a month.  The search term “M&S Christmas food” recevied more than double the queries of the second-placed supermarket. 

M&S has 90 dedicated Christmas items ready to order, including brand-new to 2022 products such as the ‘Lobster Mac & Cheese Crostini’, and the ‘Hot cheese grazing platter’ and five Christmas items for vegans.

Waitrose

With 10,000 monthly Google searches, the second most popular supermarket in the UK for Christmas food is Waitrose. Heston Blumenthal has three items for this year’s Christmas, Turkey Breast, Festive Peking Duck and an Espresso Martini Chocolate Torte.  

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s comes in third place with 7,300 average monthly searches . Their deadline for delivery orders is midnight on the 16th of December. Compared to last year, Sainsbury’s has seen a 50% decrease in searches for their Christmas food. 

Tesco

The fourth most popular supermarket is Tesco, with 7,100 monthly Google searches for their Christmas range. The interest in Tesco has stayed steady since 2017.  

Aldi

One of my favourites, Aldi, ranks as the fifth most searched for supermarket for this year’s Christmas food shop, with an average monthly search volume of 4,400. 

Morrisons

With an incredible 203 Christmas products to order, Morrisons comes in sixth place. 22 of their products are listed as gluten-free, 14 cater to those having a vegan diet, and 64 items are for vegetarians. According to Ahrefs, the term ‘Morrison’s Christmas food’ receives 4,100 searches, on average per month. 

Iceland

Another of my favourites, Iceland comes in seventh. They offer a roast bundle of one main and five sides for £28, and have an average monthly search volume of 2,100, which is 22,900 fewer searches than supermarket competition Marks and Spencer.  

Asda

Asda is in eighth place with an average monthly search volume of 1,900.

Lidl

Lidl comes in as the ninth most popular supermarket for a Christmas food shop. Lidl has seen a steady decrease in interest for its Christmas products since 2019.

Google Trends

The research also analysed Google Trends to discover when the nation starts planning its Christmas feast, with the interest in ‘Christmas food shop’ typically starting to rise in September.   

Over the past five years, M&S has been the most popular Christmas food search on six occasions, however, in 2018 “Waitrose Christmas food” won the festive food fight, receiving more search interest than M&S. Waitrose Christmas advert 2022 focuses on the all-year-round care that goes into making Christmas special.  

M&S’s most popular Colin the Caterpillar cake has been recreated ‘with his skates on’, for the Christmas shop.  

Christmas Shopping

“Christmas can be an extremely exciting time, with many companies making a huge profit from this season. It is interesting to see which supermarkets are winning the race to be the most popular choice for Christmas food and that some are taking over other prominent shops,” said a spokesperson from New Casinos. “With the rising cost-of-living challenges, Christmas is undoubtedly an expensive time of year. Many supermarkets are attempting to ease the burden with a range of price points and Christmas dinner deals. Asda have stated “Whatever your budget, there is a Christmas for everyone” whilst Waitrose has announced a ‘festive £40 for four’ including all of the trimmings and desserts.”  

Methodology  

The search term “*Insert supermarket name* Christmas food shop” was entered into Ahrefs to determine the average monthly search volume. It was also entered into Google Trends to analyse any changes in interest 

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• On 7 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Fashion, Gift Guides
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Fashionable Christmas Gifts That Men Will Appreciate

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out the top tips from fashion experts at TM Lewin for gifts that the men we love, and their wardrobes, will appreciate this Christmas!

I love buying Christmas gifts, and I love seeing the faces of people I’ve bought for on Christmas morning. But, in some cases, I find the men in my life a little trickier to choose for, especially if I want to buy a man something nice and new to wear!

The phrase “gifts for men” has been searched online by an estimated 96,000 this month alone, so it seems I’m not alone in wondering what to get! So, the help of TM Lewin’s James Kearns, it’s time to start ticking off your Christmas shopping list now. He has created premium list of timeless, stylish clothing and accessories that every man will love this Christmas and beyond, and taken a load of pressure off my plate!

1. Knitwear

Renowned for luxuriously soft, scratch-free texture and heat-retaining capabilities, cashmere jumpers are an absolute must-have in every man’s wardrobe. As well as being lightweight, comfortable, and impeccably stylish, a cashmere jumper is the perfect layering piece for every man’s winter wardrobe now it’s so cold. What more could you ask for in a gift?

If cashmere is outside of your budget, Merino knitwear might just be the answer you’re looking for. Merino wool is incredibly comfortable, durable, and practical, and the moisture-wicking fabric impressively regulates body temperature, but the breathability allows for wear during the warmer and cooler seasons alike. If your giftee loves the outdoors, Merino knitwear would make for the perfect gift.

2. Leather gloves 

Leather gloves are a classic gift for the refined man. They will never go out of style, exude sophistication, and are world-famous for their durability, waterproof qualities, and longevity. Leather gloves are the perfect gift for men who want to introduce a touch of elegance into their wardrobes.

3. Chelsea boots 

Chelsea boots are a style all-rounder associated with well-dressed men. Whether the dress code is casual flannel and jeans or formal workwear, these versatile shoes can be worn with almost any outfit. On top of that, chelsea boots are typically crafted from durable, long-lasting Italian leather, making them a timeless investment.

4. Classic black suits

If your man’s social calendar is packed with work events and formal parties, you cannot go wrong with a classic, slim-fit black dinner suit, sometimes known as a tuxedo. This versatile suit can be styled to suit smart-casual and formal settings alike. For formal and swanky settings, your giftee can keep things elevated with a dress shirt and bow tie, or if the party is a family Christmas do, simply swap out the dress shirt for a black merino roll neck.

5. Cufflinks 

Small details can truly elevate an outfit, so enhance any shirt with a striking pair of cufflinks. From gold to silver, bright to muted, or even personalised, the possibilities are endless. The more adventurous and brighter you opt for, the more likely you are to have a conversation starter on his hand or, rather, his sleeves.

6. Weekend bags

Whether it’s for work trips or weekend getaways, a man on the go is sure to appreciate the practicality of a well-made weekend bag. If they like to travel in style, a leather holdall balances the line between convenience and elegance perfectly. Alternatively, if you’re leaning towards durability, canvas weekend bags are an excellent choice for the outdoorsy man.  

Perfect Gifts For Men

To round off his list of perfect gifts for men this holiday season, here is James Kearns had to say on the importance of finding well-made, sustainable, and timeless gifts:

“Upgrading your boyfriend, husband, friend, or family member’s wardrobe with a special investment piece will always be a welcome gift. There’s no better gift than clothing and accessories that will stand the test of time, and if you can treat your loved ones with a timeless gift they’ll love far beyond Christmas day that also happens to be incredibly well-made, you’ve got a win-win situation on your hands! Ultimately, it’s the thought that counts – but nurturing those quality connections with a quality gift is truly special to me.”

The study was conducted by TM Lewin, which supplies high-quality menswear to the British public since 1898. 

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• On 6 Dec 2022
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• Social Media, Travel
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The Most Instagrammable Marinas In Europe To Visit For Some Winter Sun

On the JJ Barnes blog, I look at research from Catamaran Charter Croatia about the most beautifully instagrammable marinas we could visit for some Winter sun… and let my dreams of travelling Europe wander.

Going on holiday somewhere sunny and beautiful in the Winter feels like the most fabulously aspirational idea. Traveling is always a wonderful privilege, but escaping the cold grey of the British wintertime is especially fabulous. So, if we could go anywhere, why not go somwhere that’s beautiful to splash over our social media?

New research by European based yacht charter group Catamaran Charter Croatia has revealed the most Instagrammable European marinas for Winter sun, with the Porto Montenegro marina taking the top spot in the rankings. 

Porto Montenegro

The analysis revealed that Porto Montenegro, situated in the beautiful, fortified town of Kotor, with an average Winter temperature of 9 degrees, had the highest number of hashtags on Instagram, making it the most Instagrammable. The hashtag #PortoMontenegro has 173,309 posts on the platform to date.

Limassol Marina

Limassol Marina, located right in the heart of Limassol in Cyprus with an average winter temperature of 14 degrees, comes in second with 76,803 posts on the platform for #LimassolMarina. Limassol is Cyprus’ second largest urban area, with its marina accommodating up to 650 yachts.

Club Náutico de Porto Cristo

The third most Instagrammable marina is Club Náutico de Porto Cristo. Located in the quiet Spanish town of Porto Cristo, just along the eastern coast of Mallorca, this marina’s popularity stems from its charming yet luxurious character bringing in tourists and sightseers from across the globe. The marina has a total of 52,280 posts on Instagram for #ClubNáuticodePortoCristo, and the average temperature in the winter is 10 degrees.

Porto Adriano

Porto Adriana in Mallorca, Spain and is the 4th most instagrammable marina. Extremely popular among luxurious yacht sailors, and relaxing cruises, its appearance is exceptionally beautiful. The marina has 41,589 posts in total on Instagram for #PortAdriano. 

Vilamoura Marina

In fifth place is Vilamoura Marina in the city of Quarteria in Portoruga, with #VilamouraMarina totalling 28,274 posts on Instagram. The city has an average winter temperature of 14 degrees, and a vibrant and lively atmosphere which caters to visitors of all ages, which makes it the perfect destination for a winter getaway.

Port Hercule

Port Hercule is the sixth most Instagrammable marina, with 21,975 posts for #PortHercule. The marina is situated in on a bay in the only deep-water port on the French Riviera, in of the hottest and most expensive areas in the world, Monaco. Resting on ancestral rocks, the port was used for the Greeks and Romans to trade, which is why many tourists enjoy visiting and indulging in the marina’s history.

Puerto Banús

The seventh most Instagrammable marina for winter sun is Puerto Banús harbour. This gentle port is located southwest of Marbella in the picturesque Nueva Andalucía and has an average winterly temperature of 14 degrees. To date, the marina has 21,263 posts on Instagram for #PuertoBanúsHarbour.

Marina Botafoc

Marina Botafoc, in Ibiza in Spain is in eighth place. Despite Ibiza being extremely tourist-heavy, the Marina Botafoc is rich in beauty, elegance and charm, offering exclusivity and glamour to the old town. The average temperature during winter months is 12 degrees, and this marina has 20,750 posts on Instagram for #MarinaBotafoch.

Port Vauban

French yachting harbour, Port Vauban, ranks ninth with #PortVauban totalling 17,523 Instagram posts. A mecca for all things superyacht, located in Antibes on the French Riviera, the port’s current layout has been in use since the 1970s, but the original port dates back to ancient times, allowing locals and tourists to taste this French city’s history. The temperature during winter is 10 degrees on average.

Port Saint Tropez

The tenth most Instagrammable marina belongs to the French city of Saint Tropez. Despite the city of Saint Tropez being particularly known for its famous beach clubs and bars, Port de Saint Tropez marina is an extremely popular luxury yacht destination. It has an average winterly temperature of 9 degrees. The marina has 12,925 posts on Instagram for #PortdeSaintTropez, which secures its tenth position.

Winter Getaways

“Winter getaways are becoming an increasingly more popular choice for holidaymakers,” said a spokesperson from Catamaran Charter Croatia. “It is fascinating to see such a large numbers of hashtags for so many beautifully luxurious and picturesque European marinas, showing how many social media users love uploading stunning snaps of the super yachts and ports these countries have to offer. It also proves just how popular the social media platform is for uploading holiday photos and sharing a glimpse of some of the most exclusive areas in Europe.” 

The Most Instagrammable Marinas In Europe For Winter Sun

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• On 5 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Fashion, Money, Shopping
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How To Recreate Famous Festive Fashions On A Budget

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I look at tips from style experts at Nasty Gal for recreating the iconic Christmas looks we all love, but can’t afford to buy, on a budget!

After missing out on Christmas Party Season for two years of Covid misery, more and more people are looking to make up for lost time! Searches for “party dress” are at an all-time high with a 127% increase.

While my natural instinct is to spend the entire cold season wrapped in layers of fluff and never leaving my house, I have to admit I do love an opportunity to get dressed up and go out to have some fun. But what to wear? And can I afford to get dressed up?

Iconic Christmas Looks

The festive season has produced iconic looks in the past, and Christmas queens come back every year to inspire our shopping choices for the upcoming festive parties as well as our everyday winter wardrobes.

In preparation for the upcoming festive season, style experts at Nasty Gal reveal how to recreate five of the most iconic Christmas outfits on a budget this winter. 

Mariah Carey – “All I Want For Christmas”

For many of us, the first person who comes to mind when we think of Christmas icons is the Queen of Christmas herself, Mariah Carey!

Over the years, All I Want For Christmas Is You has racked up over one billion YouTube views across the original track and newer versions, and it remains the most streamed Christmas song to this day. 

In the 1993 video, Mariah Carey can be see at a snowy amusement park, bundled up in a red cinched ski jacket and matching trousers tucked into a pair of chunky white boots. She accessorises with white gloves and a cosy red knitted Fair Isle hat with her hair in plaits underneath.

Ski clothes can be expensive, but there are options to get the same impact without the investment. Padded and puffer jackets are much cheaper and will give your outfit the same ski-luxe vibe at a fraction of the cost. Sometimes we can lose our shape in chunkier coats, so cinching the waist with a belt accentuates your figure and gives you a more tailored silhouette.

Puffer jackets were a huge trend last year and are having another moment this winter, as searches have surged by 291 per cent worldwide now compared to the previous five years. 

Destiny’s Child – 69th Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

The Rockefeller Christmas tree has been an icon of New York for almost a century, and the fashion icons Destiny’s Child performed at its 2001 lighting ceremony in all-white matching outfits with fur accents, designed by Tina Knowles. Beyoncé’s off-shoulder white dress with a fur trim and a peekaboo cutout neckline, was worn with white calf-length boots, a cute winter hat with matching fur trim, and silver drop earrings.

Fur-trim dresses were a big trend last year and will make an even bigger comeback this holiday season. Google Trends data reveals searches for ‘fur trim dress’ and ‘fur dress’ are skyrocketing 1,718 per cent and 180 per cent right now compared to average levels seen over the last five years.

To recreate this look without the celebrity price tag, pair a white fur trim dress with a faux-fur jacket and white boots. Add a touch of holiday sparkle with some silver jewellery, perfect for reminding coworkers who the Beyoncé is at your office holiday party. 

Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier – The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

If you’re looking for a statement coat this Christmas, look no further than Christine Baranski’s performance as Martha May Whovier in The Grinch.

On average, there are 3,500 searches a month for ‘Martha May Whovier costume’. 

Town bombshell Martha wears a classic Christmas colour palette of red, green and gold, snowy whites and blues, but the exaggerated fur-trimmed baby blue robe with billowing sleeves is what solidified her status as a Christmas style icon.

To channel Martha’s camp festive style into an everyday version of this look, wear a light blue fur or borg trim coat with silver strappy heels and silver jewellery.

Tilda Swinton as Jadis the White Witch – The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Tilda Swinton’s transformation into Jadis, the evil White Witch, for the remake of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe became an iconic Christmas look.  Seventeen years later, over 1,800 searches are made for the witch’s costume each month.

In the scene where Jadis meets Edmund, she wears a floor-length blue-grey wool and silk gown with a white lace overlay and an exaggerated, couture-inspired structured neckline. The colour palette consists of icy blues, whites and greys, which evolve throughout the film.

Searches for sequin dresses are rising just in time for the festive season – increasing by 128% worldwide compared to the last five years as we look forward to a lockdown-free Christmas.

Taking inspiration from Tilda’s ethereal glamour for a swanky holiday party look, opt for an ombre sequin dress – aim for blue-grey rather than blue to avoid looking like Elsa from Frozen. Throw on a pair of silver heels and wrap a white faux fur stole or jacket to complement the look and keep you warm. 

Cameron Diaz as Amanda Woods – The Holiday

Amanda Woods, played by Cameron Diaz, has a style which oozes LA cool with a colour palette of neutrals with pops of colour. While we’re obsessed with every outfit from her designer wardrobe, Amanda’s chocolate brown and cream shearling coat makes the top of our Christmas list, and despite being released 16 years ago, the coat is still Googled over 800 times monthly.

Pair a shearling jacket with an off-white turtleneck and flared jeans to recreate the effortlessly chic look. It wouldn’t be LA-style without accessories. Take inspiration from Amanda’s square black sunglasses and leather gloves to complete the look.

We couldn’t mention the Holiday without talking about the scene where Amanda stops by Graham’s (Jude Law) house in a sexy outfit to surprise him, only to discover his two daughters at the door. 

It’s glamorous and wearable all year round, perfect for an understated holiday party look. 

To recreate it at home, style a black blouse and off-white pencil skirt with a statement belt and gold jewellery. 

Nasty Gal

“After two years spent in lockdown wearing loungewear, trend reports show a growing desire to get dressed up and go all out,” said a spokesperson from Nasty Gal. “We all like to put a little extra effort in at Christmas to wear something glamorous, sparkly, and festive. Whether you’re looking for a special holiday party look or to update your winter wardrobe, there is so much style inspiration to take from these iconic festive moments”.

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• On 4 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Mental Health, Work Life
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Why Silly Distractions At Work Can Be Good For You

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out research that shows having a silly distraction can actually improve your work ethic and mental health.

I work really hard, and for long hours, to keep our business running. I have to multitask, working on articles, creating graphics, answering emails, maintaining social media, while also parenting and keeping the house running. It’s a lot of pressure, and there is rarely any let up. I’m fortunate that I love it, and I have the best partner to work with, but it’s easy to sometimes feel incredibly stressed and overwhelmed by how much there is to do.

Therefore, when I saw that a silly and fun distraction could actually IMPROVE my ability to work, I was immediately interested.

Positive Distractions

According to new research conducted by an international team of researchers from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management and Trinity Business School, positive interventions, such as watching a funny YouTube video that distract us from difficult tasks actually help to reduce our stress levels and overcome daily demands like dealing with annoying emails. In turn, this allows you to be more engaged, creative, and helpful toward your coworkers.

The research was led by Vera Schweitzer from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management with co-authors Wladislaw Rivkin (Trinity), Fabiola Gerpott (WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management), Stefan Diestel (University of Wuppertal), Jana Kühnel (University of Vienna), Roman Prem (University of Graz), and Mo Wang (University of Florida). The researchers gathered their results by examining 85 employees over 12 workdays, who received a daily text- or video-based positivity micro-intervention.

So, next time you find yourself secretly laughing at a video to give yourself a moments res, you should embrace it. It will help you to recover from a stressful morning and prepare you to make the rest of the day a success.

The paper, entitled, ‘Some positivity per day can protect you a long way: A within-person field experiment to test an affect-resource model of employee effectiveness at work’, was recently published in the journal ‘Work & Stress’.

Vera Schweitzer

“Our study shows that experiencing feelings of positivity throughout your workday can help you to remain effective ­ particularly when daily work demands require you to invest a lot of self-control, that is, regulatory resources to control your temper,” explained Vera Schweitzer, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management.

“Trying to stay calm after reading an annoying email, for example, is typically quite depleting for employees. Consequently, they might struggle to demonstrate self-control throughout the rest of their workday, which, in turn, would hamper their engagement, creativity, and behavior toward their colleagues.

“This is where positivity comes into play: Watching a funny video increases feelings of positivity. Such positive emotions allow employees to protect their regulatory resources even after dealing with resource-consuming self-control demands. In turn, this positively affects their effectiveness at work.”

Dr Wladislaw Rivkin

“Today’s work environments are increasingly demanding, but we have limited understanding of what organisations and employees can do to prevent the stressful effects of self-control demands such as negative emails or unloved tasks,” explained Dr Wladislaw Rivkin, Associate Professor in Organisational Behaviour, Trinity Business School.

“Our research shows that short positivity interventions can help employees make the best of their day and that employers and employees should consider incorporating more positivity into the workday! For example, organisations could provide employees with recommendations about short funny videos via a daily newsletter or by posting a ‘joke of the day’ on the intranet. By doing so, employers can help mitigate the negative effects of self-control demands.”

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• On 3 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Entertainment, Money
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Which Is The Best Value Streaming Service For Christmas Films?

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out research from experts at New Casinos to find which is the best value streaming service to watch Christmas movies on this year!

Christmas films are an absolute highlight of my Christmas season. Whether it’s old fashioned romcoms like Love Actually, goofy comedies like Elf, or something a bit darker, like Krampus, I’m in for it. And, of course, I’ve always got to watch Die Hard!

So, with that in mind, if you’re going to choose a platform to get the best value for money, and still get as many Christmas movies watched as possible, which should you pick?

Best Value Streaming Services

To answer the questions, experts at New Casinos analysed the top 100 Christmas films with the most IMDB votes to get an index score for each film based on their position in the ranking. The score of each film was given to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+, if available with a subscription, then totalled to find the film index score. This was then divided by the monthly subscription fee to determine the final value score. 

Netflix

With a value score of 240.62, combined with the cheapest subscription fee of £6.99, Netflix takes the title of the best value streaming service for Christmas films. The platform boasts the highest film index score, so take your pick from family films like The Christmas Chronicles or comedies such as The Office Christmas Party. 

Amazon Prime

Amazon Prime is in second place, with a value score of 184.33. It has the highest fee of the three streaming services at £8.99, but its high film index score of 1657.11 still makes it an excellent choice. If you particularly enjoy a Christmas classic, the subscription includes films such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), It’s a Wonderful Life, and the beloved rom-com Love Actually for no extra cost. 

Disney+

In third place is Disney+, with a value score of 173.49. While the streaming service may not be the best value of the three, it does offer some of the top Christmas films with the most IMDB votes that we all know and love, such as Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Christmas Films

“As we enter the Christmas period, nothing gets us feeling more festive than cosying up and watching a Christmas film – but with a range of streaming services, there can be uncertainty as to which one can fulfil our desires without splurging too much,” said a spokesperson from New Casinos. “It’s interesting to see just how much higher the Netflix value score is than Amazon’s, and it is certainly useful to see where our money is better spent.”

The index score of the films were awarded to each of the streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime, if the film is available for no extra fee on the platform with a subscription, and added together to discover the total film index score for each service. Finally, the value score was calculated by dividing the film index score by the subscription fee to determine which streaming service is the worthiest of your money for Christmas films. 

Top 100 Christmas Movies

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• On 2 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Pets, Shopping
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New Gift Box To Treat Your Dog And Keep Them Safe And Calm This Christmas

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I take a look at a new Christmas Gift Box for pets offering owners the chance to include their dogs in the big day with a present of sustainable and nutritious treats.

If you follow my social media, you’ll know how important my pets are to me. Whether it’s my judgemental and haughty by day, clingy and neurotic by night, cat, Batman, or my ridiculously dopey and loving spaniel, Molly, my fluffy ones are an essential part of family life. So, at Christmas, this remains true!

Christmas Gift Box

It’s not just me who is crazy about their furry companion. The general opinion amongst dog owners is that there’s no way they can leave pets off the gifting list, they’re part of the family! Yet, many pet gift options are made with unsustainable materials and come wrapped in excess packaging so you get less for your money than expected, and the pet treats are often poor-quality and of low nutritional value.

The new Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) from Irish pet nutrition company Blue Pet Co. is affordable, sustainable, and nutritrious, plus it comes with an expert guide on how to make sure your dog stays safe and calm during the busy festive season.

GoShine Chews

Each Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box includes a taster pack of the brand’s best-selling GoShine Chews. A well as being a tasty treat, these chews help support skin and coat condition, and improve mobility, joint and muscle health, plus GoSmile Sticks for healthy teeth and gums. The Blue Pet Co. range is enriched with unique, highly nutritious marine extracts sustainably sourced from indigenous Irish seaweeds to support a dog’s skin, joint and oral health

The secret behind the Blue Pet Co. range is its unique proprietary ingredients, PhyCoidanTM , PhytoMaraTM and PhytoDentTM. These bioactive ingredients are extracted from seaweed hand harvested off the Irish coastline, ensuring the delicate seabed goes undisturbed and biodiversity and supply are protected. The seaweed-derived molecules are combined to create Blue Pet Co.’s range of functional nutrition supplements that target critical areas of health concern in dogs – joints and muscles, skin and hair, teeth and gums.

The supplements come in fully recyclable pouches and an outer gift box – with space for a Christmas message, so your fluffy friend knows you chose it with love. After all… they can definitely read…

Pet Stress At Christmas

The Christmas season can be stressful for people, but it can also be a confusing, overwhelming and over-exciting time for pets. Blue Pet Co’s resident dog behaviourist, Roz Pooley, is on hand to offer some advice for how to make it as smooth an experience as possible.

1. Give your dog a safe place

Ensure your dog has a safe place to retreat to where it can rest undisturbed. For open-plan homes, an area may need to be created using a large puppy pen with blankets as visual barriers. Your dog may need to learn to associate this place with calm and enjoyable things.

Prepare this place in good time and give your dog stimulating activities to do in there, such as a yummy chew, Kong, Lickimat or food puzzle etc. You can hide sticks and chews in a cardboard box with scrunched-up paper. Cutting up Blue Pet Co. supplements into small pieces can provide foraging fun.

A barrier can help children enthusiastically engage in their new toys without the dog’s involvement. Rather than tell a dog off for stealing things, set them up not to do this in the first place.

2. Give your dog something to do

Don’t want your dog underfoot while you cook? Don’t want them to scrounge at the table? Don’t want them to get in the way during the present opening time? Give them something to do! A long-lasting chew (given under supervision) or a frozen Kong can keep your dog out of the way without them becoming frustrated.

3. Be careful of certain foods

Cooked bones can splinter and cause internal damage when eaten, so be sure that all scraps go straight into an outside bin. Gravy, stuffing and other festive foods may have a high salt content that can upset stomachs, so licking the plate clean may not be best for your dog.

Sweets, Chocolates, Liquors, Mince Pies and Christmas cake all contain ingredients that can make dogs very ill. Be sure to keep them in a secure cupboard or well out of reach. If presents contain food, ensure they are not left under the tree where your dog can access them – remember, they can sniff these things out even if they can’t see them.

Also, be mindful of your dog’s intake of food and treats. If you intend on giving them chews and treats to manage their behaviour, reduce their meal portions slightly to reduce overall calorie consumption. If your dog never experiences variation and higher value treats or foods, either avoid giving these or gradually introduce some variation in advance.

4. Consider penning your tree away

A decorated tree can be very enticing for your puppies or ball-obsessed dogs. Having your tree up high or penned away can prevent your dog from causing chaos and potentially ingesting dangerous items.

5. Ensure visitors know how to behave around your dog

If your dog is anxious around visitors, then ensure they have a safe place, as detailed in tip number one. If your dog is over-excited by visitors, giving them something to do to keep them busy may help redirect their behaviour onto something else. Visitors must be clear on what interactions help your dog feel confident or stay calm. Excitable voices, excessive attention, children running around, or unsolicited affection may promote undesired or dangerous behaviours.

If your dog has a history of resource guarding, ensure visitors understand not to take any item off your dog and to call you to deal with the issue. Text visitors in advance and remind them as they turn up, so they are well-informed on how to behave.

6. Bear in mind your dog’s existing exercise tolerance

If your dog is only walking for 45 minutes at a time, a three-hour Boxing Day walk may be too much for them. If your dog is used to three walks a day without fail, then a sudden drop to one walk a day may result in undesired behaviour.

Prepare your dog by increasing their walks a little, choosing a walk duration that suits them or increasing their rest periods in preparation for the big day.

7. Don’t forget alone-time

Too often, alone time is overlooked during the festive holiday season. After spending time in constant company, the sudden shift to your previous routine can then be a shock for dog. If your dog can cope when home alone, be sure to maintain this across the holiday season.

8. It may look cute, but is it fun for your dog?

Dog antlers, hats, jumpers, posing for the camera, cute pictures of kids with dogs. Too often, we see pictures of dogs looking uncomfortable in these situations. Look for signs that your dog is uncomfortable, such as the whites of the eyes showing, any signs of tension in the face, excessive lip licking or yawning, looking away or trying to move away. Your dog’s welfare is always more important than likes on social media.

Find more from The Blue Pet Co.

● The Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) is available now on bluepetco.com.

● Find Blue Pet Co.(https://bluepetco.com/) on Instagram @bluepetcompany and Facebook @thebluepetco.

● Blue Pet Co. is an Irish range of zero-waste, all-natural dog supplements made with seaweed sustainably sourced off the West coast of Ireland.

● The Blue Pet Co. Christmas Gift Box (£9.95) is a nutritious and sustainable way to treat your dog this Christmas. Available now on bluepetco.com.

● Set your home and dog up for a stress-free holiday period with expert tips from Blue Pet Co’s resident dog behaviourist Roz Pooley.

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• On 1 Dec 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Family
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Top Tips For A Stress-Free Christmas Season

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I look at advice from wellness expert Chloe Brotheridge and RESCUE® Remedy for how to have a stress free Christmas season.

Christmas Stress

Christmas is undoubtedly a busy time for many of us, and if you’ve got family and friends scattered around the place like I do, you might find yourself feeling a bit overwhelmed. There’s more things to do than you can shake a candy cane at, between the nights out, the visits to family and the added expense of gifts and Christmas party socialising, not to mention more alcohol (and inevitable hangovers!!) added into the mix.

If you’re a bit of a perfectionist you might agonise over buying the perfect gift, cooking a perfecr Christmas lunch, or getting everything just right on the day for your kids. Or maybe being out of your normal day-to-day routine stresses you out, especially if it means you have less time for yourself or are getting less sleep.

So, how can we make the countdown to Christmas festive, happier and less stressful? 

RESCUE®, the UK’s number one emotional wellbeing brand*, partnered with hypnotherapist, coach and author of ‘The Anxiety Solution’, Chloe Brotheridge, to come up with six practical strategies for how to help ease some of that Christmas Stress.

What would ‘good enough’ look like?

If you’re a bit of a perfectionist, remember that perfectionism isn’t actually about never feeling that things are good enough. It’s not the pursuit of what’s good, but instead the pursuit of what’s bad.

You can’t win, and it’s a sure way to burn out and never feel satisfied. If this is the case for you, ask yourself what ‘good enough’ would look like. What is a good enough gift, outfit or dinner? Then remind yourself that good enough is always enough.

Rethink your triggers

The Christmas period can be a minefield for things that can trigger painful emotions in ourselves and those around us. Whether it’s colleague who asks you ‘why you’re still single’ at the Christmas party, or a parent who treats you like you’re still 15, or your partner getting drunkand being argumentative, Christmas can be rife with potential stresses.

An effective way to navigate these difficulties is to think beforehand about what things may come up and then mentally rehearse how you’d like to respond instead. That might look like coming up with the ideal pithy reply, deciding to take the high ground and stay in your integrity or choosing to walk away and take some deep breaths. Making a plan for how you’ll respond will help you to manage these difficult moments more easily.

Try the ‘Physiological Sigh’

If you’re getting overwhelmed and frazzled from braving the shops on Christmas eve, being up until midnight wrapping presents, or burning the potatoes and setting off the smoke alarm, it might be time to try this breathing method to quickly promote feelings of calmness. Dr Andrew Huberman from Stanford University created the ‘physiological sigh’.

Take a deep breath in through your nose followed by another smaller, quicker breath through the nose. After both in-breaths, exhale slowly out through the mouth. Do this one to three times to calm your nervous system quickly.

Ask for help

Many people, myself including, find it very hard to ask for, or even accept, help. But we should, because Christmas is not just our responsibility, and other people love us and want to make our lives better. So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, try thinking about some specific ways that others could help out.

Make the decision beforehand that if someone offers you help, you’ll say yes, even if it makes you uncomfortable. Write a list of tasks that could be taken off your plate, such as bringing a dessert to Christmas dinner, helping you to wrap the kids presents or taking the dog for a walk.

There are no prizes for doing everything yourself and many people want to help out and feel useful – don’t deny them the joy of helping!

Switch off and unplug

With everything extra that Christmas brings, it can be helpful to remove some of the mental noise from our lives, and a lot of that noise comes from phone apps beeping, emails filling our inboxes, or phones ringing constantly. Whatever it looks like for you, find a way to unplug and switch off. That might mean deleting the social media apps from your phone, steering clear of the news for a few days, making sure your out-of-office is firmly on, or deciding to put your phone in airplane mode after 7pm in the evening.

Stick with some routine

Our routine can be like an anchor that helps us to feel secure and safe, so the Christmas holidays can be very challenging and make us feel disrupted.

If this is something you struggle with, try and maintain some level of normalcy in terms of your routine. Whether that means going on a couple of runs or keeping up with your daily 10-minute meditations, sitting down to drink a calming tea before bed; staying consistent with certain aspects of your routine will help you to take care of yourself and make it easier to get back into the swing of things once Christmas is over.

Chloe Brotheridge

Chloe Brotheridge is hypnotherapist, mentor and coach at www.calmer-you.com and the host of The Calmer You Podcast. She’s the author of The Anxiety Solution and The Confidence Solution.

RESCUE® Remedy

Maintain your inner control and keep on top of your days with RESCUE® Remedy by your side. It is a combination of five specially blended Bach™ Original Flower Essences and can be used anytime, anywhere and is suitable for all the family.

The RESCUE® products are available from Boots, Holland & Barrett, Sainsburys, Superdrug, Waitrose, independent pharmacies nationwide and online at www.amazon.co.uk.

Products in the RESCUE® range are:

RESCUE® Dream Balm – £22.99
RESCUE® Peaceful Night Capsules – £14.99
RESCUE® Peaceful Night Duo – £19.99
RESCUE® Balance & Positivity Capsules – £19.99
RESCUE® Fresh & Focus Capsules – £14.99
RESCUE REMEDY® 10ml Dropper – £8.49
RESCUE REMEDY® 20ml Dropper – £10.99
RESCUE REMEDY® 7ml Spray – £7.99
RESCUE REMEDY® 20ml Spray – £11.49
RESCUE® Liquid Melts – £9.20
RESCUE® Night 10ml Dropper – £8.49
RESCUE® Night 20ml Dropper – £10.99
RESCUE® Night 20ml Spray – £10.99
RESCUE® Night Liquid Melts – £9.20
RESCUE® Cream 50g – £8.75
RESCUE® Pastilles – £6.45 (available in Blackcurrant and Orange & Elderflower flavours)
RESCUE PLUS® 20ml Dropper – £12.49
RESCUE PLUS® Lozenge Orange & Elderflower – £3.99

Food supplements should not replace a balanced diet & a healthy lifestyle.

RESCUE, RESCUE REMEDY and the Bach signature are registered trademarks of Bach Flower Remedies Limited.

Nelsons

Nelsons is the UK’s leading manufacturer of natural healthcare products, with a long-standing commitment to supplying the highest quality natural healthcare products that meet all regulatory and quality standards. Their brands are recognised and sold all over the world and include RESCUE REMEDY®, Bach™ Original Flower Remedies, Nelsons arnicare®, Nelsons Teetha®, Nelsons® Homeopathy and SPATONE®.

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• On 29 Nov 2022
• By Admin
• Christmas, Money, Shopping
• 0 Comments

These Christmas Toys From The 1990s Are Worth A Lot Of Money Now… Which Did You Have?

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I discover the toys from my childhood that are now considered so vintage they’re worth a fortune, explore some happy memories, and feel incredibly old.

If you’re a 90’s kid, like me, you’ll probably remember some of these toys and games that are now classed as vintage. My children have my old My Little Ponies, my old shape sorters, and even some of my old clothes. But, unfortunately, I fear I didn’t save the right things.

Researchers from Gembyte.com decided to take a look at eBay and find out for just how much money you can sell your old games, books and toys for, or how much you’d need to spend to get a taste of that nostalgia with your own children!

Doodle Bear – £66

This blows my mind. I LOVED my Doodle Bear and if you were an arty kid, like I was, chances are your parents bought a Doodle Bear for you too. They were ubiquitous in the 90s, but now they’re in high demand. A single Doodle Bear goes for £66. I wonder if my Doodle Bear is living in my parent’s attic…

My Pretty Ballerina Doll – £250

I did ballet for many years, but instead of a My Pretty Ballerina Doll I had a big troll doll in a tutu named Sylvia who is greately loved and still sits on my shelf. However, many aspiring young dancers loved this more traditional ballerina doll which had a flower on one hand used to move the doll around. It also had a purple doll stand. A My Pretty Ballerina box can fetch over £250 on eBay.

Baby Alive Real Surprises Baby Doll – £300

Taking care of your own child sounded fun as a kid, and many children loved this toy. Of course, now you might have found out it’s not as much fun as you thought it was, so you can sell it on eBay for up to £300, depending on its condition.

Princess Diana Beanie Baby – £420

It’s been 25 years since Princess Diana was tragically killed in a car crash. I was 12 years old and I remember coming into the kitchen to find my ma crying her eyes out at the news.

The Princess Diana Beanie Baby is a special edition commemorative plush toy that was released by Ty Inc. just months after Diana’s death. The purple bear, which features a white rose on the chest, was originally sold in December and all profits were donated to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.

If you’re definitely not sentimental, you can sell it for up to £420.

Nintendo GameBoy – £500

My friend’s big brother had a Nintentdo Game Boy and I was immeasurably jealous. When it first came out, it received mixed reviews from critics and deemed as technologically inferior to its fourth-generation competitors, but it outsold all of them within a few weeks and even became a cultural icon. If you have one lying around in mint condition, you can sell it for up to £500.

My Size Barbie – £595

My Size Barbie was meant to be like having a real-life imaginary friend, but I always found massive dolls creepy. I feel like they’re just too big… but if by any chance you still have your old friend around, you can sell it for £595.

American Girl Doll Samantha – £1,070

American Girl dolls were at their peak popularity in the 90s, especially Samantha. There are next gen dolls available, my 6 year old is a big fan, but if you have an original, you can sell it for up to £1,070 if you’ve got a full set.

Tamagotchi – £3,500

The original Tamagotchi sold for about £8, but I was so traumatised by the idea of them dying I would have spent 3 times that just to not have to deal with the stress of owning one. If you’ve got your hands on an original English Tamagotchi, you’re in luck, as you can sell it for up to £3,500. However, if by mad luck you’ve got a Tamagotchi Original White Lotte stashed away somewhere, you can sell it for £50,500 which is the most expensive Tamagotchi on eBay right now.

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• On 26 Nov 2022
• By Admin
• Social Media
• 0 Comments

Fake Followers Are An Instagram Problem, Even For These Famous Actors!

On the JJ Barnes Blog, I check out research from Scams.info into which famous actors have the most fake followers on Instagram, and ask what we can do to avoid the bots!

Fake Instagram Followers

I use Instagram a lot, both for my personal photos, and for work pages such as The Table Read. Any good social media expert will tell you that having interactions with followers is really important for a good quality account, and for that you need to have genuine people to interact with!

There are loads of obvious bot accounts spamming on all social media, and mostly I just ignore them and hope they go away (don’t feed the troll etc etc) but sometimes it’s really hard to tell who is real and who is fake. Luckily, it’s not just me who has that problem!

According to new research into famous actors’ accounts by Scams.info, using the Instagram analytical tool, Modash.io, they discovered that Zendaya has the most fake followers on Instagram. Over a quarter (27.47%) of her followers estimated to be fake.

Results

Zendaya

Scams.info found that the actress with the highest percentage of fake followers is Zenday, with 27.47% of her 157.2 million followers estimated to be fake. In comparison to her fellow Spider-Man: No Way Home co star, Tom Holland (16.98%) Zendaya’s estimated percentage of fake followers is 10.49% higher. 

Gal Gadot

In second place is Gal Gadot. Despite having approximately 67 million less followers than Zendaya (157,200,000), 27.24% of her followers estimated to be fake meaning Gadot’s estimated percentage of fake followers is 0.23% fewer than Zendaya (27.47%).

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart places third with 26.07% of his followers on Instagram estimated to be fake. Although Kevin Hart (157.7million) has roughly half the followers of Dwayne Johnson (364 milllon), the estimated percentage of fake followers is 2.07% higher than The Rock. 

Leonardo DiCaprio

In fourth place is Leonardo DiCaprio with 24.67% of his Instagram followers estimated to be fake. In comparison to fellow hearth-throb, Zac Efron, DiCaprio’s estimated percentage of fake followers is 1.11% higher than Efron’s. 

How To Keep Your Account Safe From Bots

Nicholas Crouch from Scams.info has told us how to keep personal information safe from scammers and bot accounts on Instagram:

“Spam bots, or fake accounts are automated profiles that manipulate real-life behaviour by following, liking and connecting with other users. Bots threaten online security, making it harder to see how many real humans engage with your content.

Turning on two-factor authentication is also a great way to keep your account protected, as a code is required if there’s a login attempt from an unrecognised account. Lastly, installing CAPTCHA on your website is a great security method and super effective in preventing bots and scammers. 

Always ignore unexpected messages and avoid clicking on any links. The quicker these accounts are reported, the quicker Instagram is able to deactivate bot accounts!”

Methodology: 

1. Scams.info were keen to find out the actors with the highest number of fake followers on Instagram.
2. To do this, a seed list of the most followed actors on Instagram was generated from Sacnilk.com’s list. 
3. Celebrities’ Instagram handles were analysed by Modash.io’s fake follower tool to generate an estimated percentage of fake accounts of the account’s following.
4. The estimated amount of fake accounts was subtracted from the respective account’s total follow to produce an estimated ‘fake followers’.
5. Actors were ranked in descending order by their total number of fake followers.
6. Data was collected between 15th and 16th November 2022 and is accurate as of then.

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