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10 pantry items you’re probably keeping for too long

<p><strong>Should you toss these pantry items?</strong></p> <p>It’s likely that many of the items you store in your pantry have a surprising expiration date months (or even years) from now. But just because a product hasn’t expired yet doesn’t mean that it’s in its ideal state for consumption. </p> <p>While you already know which foods you shouldn’t eat past the expiration date, like milk and cheese, it wouldn’t be surprising if you didn’t give a second thought about the food in your pantry. It may be worthwhile to double check the items you have had sitting in your pantry forever. And make sure you think about removing these foods that shouldn’t go in your pantry in the first place.</p> <p><strong>Quinoa</strong></p> <p>The shelf life of whole grains like quinoa and farro is largely dependent on their fat content. Heat, air, and moisture are the top three enemies of whole grains because the elements can negatively affect their healthy oils, which in turn can cause your grains to go rancid sitting in your pantry. </p> <p>“Grains should always look and smell faintly sweet or have no aroma at all,” states the Whole Grains Council. “If you detect a musty or oily scent, the grains have passed their peak.”</p> <p><strong>Turmeric</strong></p> <p>Your favourite ground spices like turmeric, paprika, and nutmeg generally lose their potency after about two to three years. </p> <p>Eating old spices isn’t harmful to your health, but they won’t add any flavour to your recipes anymore. Do a quick sniff and taste test to determine if your spice is still fresh.</p> <p><strong>Baking powder</strong></p> <p>The same rules for ground spices apply to baking ingredients as well. Bags of baking powder and baking soda will lose their leavening power over time, which means a sad, flat cake for you. </p> <p>You can test their leavening power with this easy science experiment in your kitchen: Mix baking soda with vinegar and baking powder with hot water. If they foam up and bubble, it means the ingredients are still fresh enough for baking.</p> <p><strong>Nuts and seeds</strong></p> <p>You’ll want to eat un-shelled nuts like almonds and peanuts within a matter of a few weeks to a few months. “Nuts and seeds typically have a high amount of oil in them and that oil will start to go rancid after a couple of months in your pantry,” Tryg Siverson, chef and co-founder of Feel Good Foods, told INSIDER. </p> <p>Signs of rancidity on a nut or seed include a grassy or paint-like odour and dark or oily appearance. For optimal freshness and longevity, place the nuts and seeds in a clear freezer bag and pop them in your fridge for up to a year.</p> <p><strong>Tea</strong></p> <p>Your tea bags should be consumed within a year because the oils in the tea will go old and give your morning cup of tea a bad flavour. The same goes for your coffee beans and grounds. </p> <p>According to Isabel Maples, MEd, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, you’re best off consuming beans and grounds within two to four weeks. Instant coffee lovers have a bit more time: about two months.</p> <p><strong>Brown sugar</strong></p> <p>An opened bag of brown sugar tends to dry up and harden from exposure to the air after four months in your pantry. </p> <p>Slip the brown sugar into a resealable plastic bag or airtight container to keep it soft and make it last longer.</p> <p><strong>Olive oil</strong></p> <p>Light and heat are not olive oil’s friends. You shouldn’t get sick from an old bottle of olive oil, but an opened bottle of the stuff can taste a bit off after six months. </p> <p>If you don’t use olive oil often, only buy a small bottle so you can use it before the flavour spoils.</p> <p><strong>Whole grain flour</strong></p> <p>Most people store their flour in the pantry, but you should actually store it in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh longer. And does flour ever expire? Whole grain flour lasts up to eight months in the fridge and up to a year in the freezer. </p> <p>“Whole grain flours turn rancid before white flour does,” Maples said. “It doesn’t affect food safety but does affect food quality and taste.”</p> <p><strong>Potatoes</strong></p> <p>The spuds typically last up to two weeks in the refrigerator and two months in the pantry. You’ll know their time is up when they start growing sprouts and developing soft black spots on the skin.</p> <p><strong>Brown rice</strong></p> <p>Although brown rice is a slightly healthier alternative to white rice, it doesn’t last nearly as long on your pantry shelf. “With brown rice, there is oil in its bran layer,” Siverson told INSIDER. “When that oil goes rancid, it gives brown rice a shorter shelf life of about six months. You can store it in the freezer for up to a year.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/10-pantry-items-youre-probably-keeping-for-too-long?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Food & Wine

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Five wardrobe essentials that never go out of style

<p dir="ltr">As the season’s transition from winter to summer, there’s no better time to have a wardrobe clear out. </p> <p dir="ltr">While many people like to top up their closet with the latest trends, patterns, colours and fits, it’s important to hold on to classic pieces that never go out of style. </p> <p dir="ltr">"A timeless piece is one that transcends trends and seasons, something that stands the test of time," Jye Marshall, board member of the Australian Fashion Innovation, told <a href="https://style.nine.com.au/latest/five-wardrobe-staples-that-never-go-out-of-style/a07a81ff-38d4-4524-827f-9816c0aee809">9Honey</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It doesn't have to be boring and should reflect your own personal style and celebrate your individuality. Whether it's an edgy cut or a vintage collection – it really depends on what brings you the most fashion joy."</p> <p dir="ltr">Next time you’re looking to purchase clothes, or you’re considering doing a wardrobe clear out, think about investing in these five timeless styles. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jewellery</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">According to new research from Klarna, almost one third of Aussies consider jewellery to be the most timeless, and most valued, item in their wardrobe.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Jewellery is often passed through a few owners, whether it's a sentimental piece from a family member or something you collected at a vintage store," Marshall says.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even the most basic jewellery can elevate any outfit, so hold on to your valuable pieces as they tend to go with everything. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Blazer</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">A classic blazer is one of the most noteworthy wardrobe must-haves, with 13 percent of Australians considering them the most timeless piece they own. </p> <p dir="ltr">Marshall echoes this sentiment, saying the versatility of the blazer is what makes it such a staple piece.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said, "This is a wardrobe must, with flexibility to dress up or down, smart or casual, work or leisure. The list goes on."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Denim</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Whether it's a jacket or the perfect pair of jeans, denim is destined to be found in most wardrobes. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Denim has a long history," he says. "It was traditionally made for workwear due to its properties of durability, and therefore makes the perfect staple piece."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Wool fibre garments</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Good quality knitwear is a must-have for any wardrobe, even though it only gets used for half of the year. </p> <p dir="ltr">Investing in good quality materials instead of synthetic wool will mean your favourite jumper lasts much longer than just one season. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I absolutely love a good quality knit," Marshall says. "Wool fibre garments have a variety of natural properties such as natural anti-wrinkle, anti-odour and it's breathable, these are all the traits I would be looking for in a piece that can be worn from many years to come."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Leather</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The versatility of leather is utilised by many, whether its a jacket, pants or the ultimate accessories. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Second hand leather garments like jackets or pants that can make great timeless pieces," Marshall says. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I love how great they look brand new and how easily they can be positioned as vintage after you've worn them out!"</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q" target="_blank">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Counting down to Christmas</strong></p> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM" target="_blank">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></em></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/" target="_blank">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></em></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647" target="_blank">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ" target="_blank">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained" target="_blank">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><strong>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</strong></p> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a rel="noopener" href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/" target="_blank">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw" target="_blank">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972" target="_blank">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765" target="_blank">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757" target="_blank">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

Movies

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></p> <h2>Counting down to Christmas</h2> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <h2>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</h2> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

Movies

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The one wardrobe staple the Queen has never been seen without for 50 years

<p>Queen Elizabeth II has had the same handbag in her possession for the last 50 years.</p> <p>The iconic bag, made by British label Launer, has been a staple in the wardrobe of the royals since Queen Elizabeth gave the company a royal warrant in 1968.</p> <p>A royal warrant is a warrant that’s been issued by the sovereign that authorises the company to display the royal coat of arms.</p> <p>The bag has been carried by the Queen over many years to iconic events, and its staple twisted rope emblem has been something royal watchers have kept an eye on.</p> <p>The Queen had the statement piece when she met the Kennedy family in 2000.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7822683/queen-elizabeth-clintons.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0f0e26d5797f43f9a35d1625b5327b71" /></p> <p>The handbag was also in a portrait that was painted by artist Benjamin Sullivan to celebrate 100 years of the RAF club in London.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7822685/queen-handbag.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/297a4729eabd466e8f96707c93a0f697" /></p> <p>"It was almost happenstance that it was placed there," the artist, Benjamin Sullivan, said during the portraits’ unveiling.</p> <p>"It's where she put it and I thought I could take it out. But then I thought it's actually quite a nice thing, a personal thing."</p> <p>Do you have a staple item in your wardrobe that you’ve kept for many years? Let us know in the comments. </p>

Beauty & Style

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The pantry staple experts say you should eat every day

<p><span>A new study has found that three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) a day can prevent chronic disease and cancer.</span></p> <p><span>Brown University associate professor of medicine Dr Mary Flynn also found that three serves of EVOO with a plant-based diet can also help with weight loss.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn, a specialist in breast and prostate cancer, studied the impact of a plant-based EVOO diet on prostate cancer and found that it was “extremely effective” at improving biomarkers for cancer and cardiovascular disease.</span></p> <p><span>The diet includes three tablespoons of EVOO a day to account for four to five servings of health fats that include nuts, olive and avocado.</span></p> <p><span>It also includes six to seven serves of wholegrain starch, minimum of four servings of vegetables, up to three servings of fruit, up to two optional servings of dairy and eggs, and 350g maximum of meat, poultry or seafood per week.</span></p> <p><span>The diet recommends for the red meat to be entirely eliminated, but if not, recommends no more than 170g a month.</span></p> <p><span>The diet removes cured meats, vegetable oils and margarine and mayonnaise with vegetable seed oils – saying they have an increased cancer risk.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn compared the EVOO plant-based diet with the diet recommended by the Prostate Cancer Foundation.</span></p> <p><span>The Prostate Cancer Foundation diet recommends decreasing carbohydrates, sugar, high fat food, charred meats, while allowing vegetable oil, margarine and salad dressings but no EVOO.</span></p> <p><span>Men followed the two diets for eights weeks and then picked the one they wanted to follow for six months.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn’s results showed that people with diets, including daily EVOO consumption, had lower rates of most chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancers, arthritis and type 2 diabetes.</span></p> <p><span>“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for prostate cancer patients,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p> <p><span>“A plant-based EVOO diet improves insulin function and lowers fasting insulin and glucose levels, protects against weight gain and reduces the risk of various cancers.</span></p> <p><span>“EVOO has been shown to decrease a number of risk factors for chronic diseases including inflammation, blood pressure, body weight, blood levels of insulin and glucose, oxidation and blood coagulation,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p> <p><span>“The diet isn’t just for cancer patients or prevention, it’s for everyone wanting to live a healthy life and prevent the risk of disease,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p>

Caring

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7 timeless items of clothing every woman should own

<p>Everyone loves a bargain, right? There’s nothing quite like that little thrill upon seeing a big, bright red “SALE” sign outside your favourite store. But, when it comes time to upgrading our favourite pieces of clothing – think jeans, a jacket or handbag – sometimes it pays to splash out a little. As they say, you get what you pay for. But when should you relax your budget and when should you stick to it?</p> <p>The best rule of thumb is to splurge only if it’s a great quality piece, will last for years, and won’t date too quickly. So, with this in mind, we’ve got a list of seven wardrobe staples every woman should own – and that no one should feel guilty about paying a little extra for.</p> <p><strong>1. Trench coat</strong> – When they’ve been popular for more than a century, it’s safe to say trench coats aren’t about to go out of style anytime soon. A good-quality one shouldn’t set you back more than a couple of hundred dollars, but it’s a worthy investment and will last a long time.</p> <p><strong>2. Leather jacket</strong> – While you’re stocking up on warm clothes, there’s nothing quite as timelessly cool as a leather jacket. No, they’re not just for bikers and punks! A classic black or brown leather jacket in the style of your choosing can be paired with just about anything.</p> <p><strong>3. Jeans</strong> – Ok, flares might be the exception to the rule, but by and large, jeans are always in style. To ensure yours stay in-fashion for as long as possible, go for a cut anywhere between slim leg and boot cut. Opt for a darker, blue-hued wash for an easy-to-wear everyday staple.</p> <p><strong>4. Boots</strong> – A good, comfortable pair of boots can easily take you from day to night. Extremely high- or low-cut boots tend to go in and out of fashion quite regularly, so stick to a length anywhere between ankle and calf-length. The heel height and colour are totally up to you – but you can’t go wrong with black or brown.</p> <p><strong>5. Black heels</strong> – For when you need a little extra fabulousness (or just a little extra height!) you can’t go past an elegant black leather pump. It doesn’t have to be so high that you dread wearing them – just enough to make your legs look defined and still be practical. Closed toes (either pointed or rounded) are classic, but if you like a risk, feel free to experiment with the style.</p> <p><strong>6. Blazer</strong> – A classy, tailored blazer isn’t just for the workplace. This versatile jacket can dress up even the most casual outfit (e.g. t-shirt and jeans) without making you look too formal or stuffy. As long as you stick to a classic silhouette and pair it with neutral tones, you can pretty much choose any colour you desire.</p> <p><strong>7. Little black dress</strong> – It’s the style that’s so ubiquitous, it has its own abbreviation (LBD). We’re guessing you have one in your wardrobe right now, but if you don’t, use this as an excuse to go shopping. A knee-length (or longer, if you prefer) black dress is the ultimate staple. Depending on the accessories you choose, each time you wear it, it could look like an entirely different dress.</p> <p>What would you add to the list? How many of these do you already own? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.</p>

Beauty & Style

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