| The Promise of Christmas |
Jeff Lucas makes his annual pilgrimage up into the loft to locate the Christmas decorations. What he finds causes him to consider the true meaning of Christmas.
At last I located the elusive box that contained the decorations. Tearing off the brown tape, I was immediately disappointed. Most of the glittery, richly coloured orbs were shattered. My rough stacking of them last year had destroyed them. And then something shiny glistened at me from the bottom of the box – it wa
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| CultureWatch DVD Review - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince |
Wow, hasn’t he grown? Harry Potter has grown up a great deal in the last few years since we first met him. And so  have the films themselves.
The first two Harry Potter films may have been very faithful to the books, but their stiff acting, poor effects and inferior direction left them feeling rather dull. Under David Yates’s assured direction, the latest episode is what Harry Potter films should be like, and is only bettered by Alfonso Cuarón’s Harry Potter and the P...
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| Sing Christmas |
Thousands of people in pubs and clubs will be joining in with a big festive singalong to celebrate the birth of Jesus  Christ.
Sing Christmas is an interactive carol service broadcast live by BBC Radio Leicester at 7pm on Monday 21 December and people in venues across the region will tune in and sing along.
Last year over 100 pubs, clubs, community centres, care homes and many other places joined in. ‘We had a great time. Whole families shared in the singing and fun. It helped to li...
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| Turning points that change lives |
 Julia Ogilvy appeared to have it all. A high- flying businesswoman and an award-winning entrepreneur, she’s related to royalty by marriage – the Queen and Princess of Wales attended her wedding. But Julia found balancing the demands of her prestigious job and young family increasingly difficult. When tragedy touched her life, she began to question what really matters in life.
Julia’s turning point pivoted on two linked events; the terminal illness of her close friends&rsquo...
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| Defender of the faith - Linvoy Primus |
 Faith and football might not be obvious partners, but for Pompey defender Linvoy Primus both are a part of his life.
He’s come a long way in his football career and he’s not finished yet. At 36, his new contract with Portsmouth includes an ambassadorial and mentor role to the younger players.
Injured for nearly two years, Linvoy made a comeback to the Portsmouth first team this May. He received a standing ovation from the home crowd and was cheered each time he touched the ba
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| Ask Y |
Where God-questions are put to the test
This month’s question… Can’t I just figure out God for myself?
Sounds pretty easy doesn’t it? To use a bit of brain power and a smattering of commonsense to work out who or what God is, what he’s up to and what he wants from us.
But if that was possible we wouldn’t need Christmas. OK, I know that sounds strange but hang in with me for a moment. First, let me give you a few reasons why figuring out God ourselv...
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| Special Delivery |
Imagine. You are given a gift dressed in silver and tied round with ribbons and bows. You are excited and eager to  open your present to discover what treasure might be inside. This tradition will be experienced and enjoyed in many homes in the UK this Christmas.
Each year the Open Door Charity serving refugees and asylum seekers on Teesside prepares a surprise box for them. Inside will be placed various donated items including toiletries, sweets, stationery, hats and gloves. Each one will be
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| Christmas Presents |
 Advertising isn’t what it used to be!
Do you remember the days when you got the message loud and clear?
‘Hoover beats as it sweeps as it cleans’, for example, or ‘Go to work on an egg!’ or ‘Get ahead – get a hat!’ or ‘Put a tiger in your tank!’ or even, ‘Guinness is good for you’.
They don’t make them like that any more!
But did you see the television advert shown in the run up to Christmas last year? I
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| How to cope with Christmas |
Christmas should be a happy time, but the reality is that it can be a real strain and a worry for those whose finances are tight. Trying to buy presents and expensive food on top of the normal cost of living can push people over the edge financially.
Here are some tips on how to manage your Christmas finances:
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| Jose's story |
‘ Heroin stole everything from me. Any dignity I had, it took it. It took my womanhood – I became like an animal.’
For 17 years Jose was addicted to heroin and crack cocaine. She stole to finance her habit and spent over 10 years in prison. At breaking point she went looking for drugs to kill herself. What she found was a love that would transform her life.
Jose, now 48, was brought up by her mother and the man she believed to be her father in an unhappy home. ‘He ...
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| Poetic Vision |
 More than 20,000 people have been through the living room of Brighton artist Curtis Tappenden – not all at once – but still tough on his carpet!
That’s because for nearly 20 years he’s hosted an annual art exhibition in his home with wife Susanne. It’s just one outlet for his passion – to engage a secular world with the Christian message.
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| Breaking free from the street to the stage |
Actor Christopher Lee Power will be busy over Christmas. He’s appearing in panto at the Floral Pavilion, Wirral playing  the Baron in Cinderella. Oh no he isn’t – oh yes he is!
But Christopher’s childhood reads nothing like a fairy story. His life was not heading for a ‘happy ever after’ ending. He was born in 1968 the third of four children. Money was tight in the Power household. They lived in a tiny flat with no bath and a toilet in the yard. His dad was
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| Real Christmas |
 Shepherds and angels aren’t usually to be spotted on the local high street. But Christmas shoppers got more than they bargained for when Churches Together in Mapperley got creative with the nativity story last year and invited their community to Meet the Cast – literally!
Inspired by SGM Lifewords’ Christmas booklet, volunteers from local churches dressed as nativity characters for a Meet the Cast treasure trail, with children invited to search for everyone from Mary to the...
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| Give This Christmas Away |
Last year, the average person in the UK spent a whopping £395 on Christmas presents – and there is little to suggest  this year will be any different.
But what about those who won’t receive presents this year; families who may not even have cause to celebrate Christmas at all?
Circumstances might be worrying for many people in the country right now, but it is likely to be much worse for the vulnerable children and families overseas. For the sake of these families, let&rs...
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| Sporting Christmas |
Looking forward to Christmas ? A day or two off? And plenty to eat and drink?
Well, if so, spare a thought for professional sportspeople, most of whom won’t be enjoying time off. Footballers for example, will be training on Christmas Day for the Boxing Day matches. Many will spend Christmas night in a hotel.
To give just a few examples of teams who won’t be off duty on December 25th, Hereford must travel 149 miles to fulfil their fixture at Torquay on Boxing Day while Milton K
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