We have 15 double passes for each movie to giveaway, to enter send an email to info @ hdinews. com. au with the name of the preferred movie in the subject line and leave your name, address and phone number to be in the draw to win.
And now for a little me time
MONTHLY CHALLENGE
GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Lorna Gordon
December is a time for celebrating, parties, and entertaining people at home, but is your home party ready? Many people enjoy hosting during this time, but the stress of making sure everything looks great can be a lot to deal with!
This month’ s challenge will help you to get ready for Christmas or New Year parties, and not cause you too much stress in doing so. The idea is to make a list of things that need to be cleaned, tidied up or fixed and do one of them each day to spread the deep cleaning, clutter busting or even present wrapping over the next few weeks.
Instead of spending an entire weekend giving your house that added Christmas sparkle and exhausting yourself, take the stress out of it and approach it in manageable chunks. You will be surprised at what you can achieve in a short amount of time, how satisfying it is to throw out things that have accumulated, or find a home for something that has been sitting on a table for weeks.
When you give yourself one job to do, it’ s less overwhelming and you are more likely to get it done. Start with a few easy jobs, maybe you need to be organising your shoes so they are in the proper storage area for your house, or clean your kitchen table. Once you start to build momentum and have a few successes under your belt, do some bigger tasks, like fixing a cupboard door, or giving the bathroom your guests use a deep clean. As each chore is ticked off, you feel happier and your house will look amazing.
You might even find that tidying the junk drawer is so satisfying that you decide to declutter another area, or that wrapping two presents turns into getting five of them out of the way. Get the family involved, even little kids can do basic jobs, like wiping skirting boards( something my kids strangely enjoy doing!) or packing up toys, whatever you feel is manageable for their age.
By the end of it your house will be ready to accept guests, and you can feel proud of the hard work you have put in without exhausting yourself in the process.
GIVEAWAYS
THE HOUSEMAID
In Cinemas December 26 Duration: 131 minutes Classification: CTC Censorship Advice: TBC
THE HOUSEMAID is a wildly entertaining thriller starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, based on the best-selling book. From director Paul Feig, the film plunges audiences into a twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. Trying to escape her past, Millie( Sweeney) accepts a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina( Seyfried) and Andrew Winchester( Brandon Sklenar). But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous— a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power. Behind the Winchesters’ closed doors lies a world of shocking twists that will leave you guessing until the very end.
SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT
One extra chore a day can get your house looking amazing for the holidays!
PODCASTS
PART TIME GENIUS
by Lorna Gordon
If you want to keep your tweens and teens occupied over the holidays or on long road trips, this podcast should be on your playlist.
Each episode looks at a different topic, all revolving around science. Don’ t let the idea of science put you or your kids off, these are offbeat ideas that will have you glued to your headphones.
Hosts Will Pearson and Mangesh Hattikudur bring on guests and experts to discuss weird and wonderful topics like, why did Venus fly traps develop a taste for meat, why is it so hard to get rid of lice( every parent’ s nightmare!) what did ancient Egyptian bread taste like, plus other strange topics.
I listened to a few episodes, it’ s easy to listen to and not too hard to follow some of the bigger scientific topics. Its mix of humour and the desire to
Answering the science questions that keep you up at night!
find the answers bring a light hearted look at science which can encourage children and adults to want to find out more.
So, if you have a budding scientist in your family, or want to listen to something that entertains and educates, then this is the podcast for you. The episodes are just the kind of thing that will keep you listening and have something to talk about with your kids when you have finished.
In Cinemas December 11 Duration: 96 minutes Classification: CTC Censorship Advice: TBC
SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT reimagines a 1984 cult horror classic in which a young boy witnesses the murder of his parents at the hands of a man dressed as Santa, only to grow up and become a killer himself. Haunted by trauma and fuelled by a twisted sense of justice, he dons the red suit, turning the advent calendar into a series of nights of terror. As Christmas Eve approaches, a small town becomes his latest hunting ground, where the naughty and bad pay the ultimate price. Blending psychological horror, brutal slasher thrills, a touch of the supernatural, and- more shockingly still- a sprinkle of romance, the film delivers a modern chilling new take on the ultimate holiday nightmare.
We have 15 double passes for each movie to giveaway, to enter send an email to info @ hdinews. com. au with the name of the preferred movie in the subject line and leave your name, address and phone number to be in the draw to win.
14 ISSUE 126 // DECEMBER 2025 MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS! theindependentmagazine. com. au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT