Getting all cosy and sitting down to watch some festive films is such an important part of Christmas for so many of us.
But after we’ve made our way through Home Alone, Elf, Love Actually, It’s A Wonderful Life, and all those other classics that we just have to stick on every time the festive season rolls around, we usually end up turning to some of the newer releases that have popped up various streaming platforms in recent years.
Films made for TV have historically had a bit of a reputation for not being that good, with people tending to avoid them unless they fancy wasting a couple of hours they won’t get back, but the rise of streaming and, of course, the global pandemic has changed that – with many filmmakers now even favouring the powerhouses of Netflix and Amazon Prime over a cinema release.
It seems festive films are no different either.
For better or for worse, Holidate, The Princess Switch, Single All The Way, The Knight Before Christmas, and A Castle For Christmas are just a few of the seasonal flicks to have made it onto streaming platforms and garnered millions of views over the past few years.
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But there’s a new Christmas film that’s just come out on Amazon Prime this year, and a big part of it might look familiar to people from Greater Manchester and the north west.
That’s because Macclesfield has got itself a starring role in Your Christmas or Mine?
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It might sound a little odd at first, but you could argue that the north west town near Stockport that’s just over the border into Cheshire is as much of a star of the new film as its leads Asa Butterfield and Cora Kirk are.
Your Christmas or Mine? follows the story of young student couple James and Hayley, played by Butterfield and Kirk, who both decide to surprise the other at Christmas time, only to have to accidentally spend the festive season with each other’s families instead.
Hayley ends up with James‘s military father, Lord Humphrey The Earl of Gloucester, at his country house, while James, on the other hand, is stuck with Hayley‘s dysfunctional working class family.
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And that family just so happens to be in Macclesfield.
While the mid-sized Cheshire town isn’t often on a lot of people’s radars, or can’t claim to be famous for much more other than being the hometown of late Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, the magical Macclesfield Forest, and the home of Jodrell Bank, it now has an unexpected heavy feature in a 2022 Christmas film to add to that list.
Your Christmas or Mine? is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video now / Credit: Amazon Prime
For those familiar with Macclesfield, the film features regular mention of the town’s name, given that one of the main character’s is from there and the it provides the backdrop for a good chunk of the film, as well as featuring plenty of the cast speaking with a classic north-western accent throughout.
Unfortunately though, if you were looking to actually see the town on the big screen, you might be left a bit disappointed, as filming didn’t actually take place in Macclesfield.
Instead, the famous Pinewood Studios provided the backdrop for most scenes filmed inside, while Buckinghamshire and the capital London were used for the majority of the external shots.
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A romantic gesture turns into a Christmas nightmare 😨 If he's not on this train… 🤬 Your Christmas or Mine?, coming 2nd Dec!@asabfbpic.twitter.com/CTWtSEQjNz
Released earlier this month, reviews for Your Christmas or Mine? seem to be somewhat mixed, but if you’re looking for a feel-good festive rom-com to stick on this Christmas, and you fancy seeing Macclesfield shine, then there’s no harm in giving it a watch.
Featured Image – Amazon Prime
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The simple hack that can save healthcare workers and teachers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
In fact, even those working in education can cut their costs, too.
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £500 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
As mentioned, education workers can also benefit from similar money off, with an extra £50 per person through the TUI x Discounts for Teachers partnership, as well.
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager for TUI, said in a statement: “Getting away is absolutely vital for wellbeing, especially for those working in high-stress healthcare and education roles.
“With the cost-of-living crisis still putting a strain on household budgets, we know how hard it is to stretch your pay to cover a much-needed family break. By unlocking these exclusive TUI deals, we hope to give our key workers the realistic recovery time they deserve without the financial worry.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes and teachers looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
The new James Bond game is full of Easter eggs – including a nod to Manchester United
Danny Jones
Even if you’re not a big gamer, you may have seen that a rather popular new James Bond game recently dropped: 007 First Light – and if you’ve played it yourself, you will have no doubt come across many Easter eggs and references throughout, including one to Manchester United.
As we happen to be currently playing it for ourselves, we’ll admit that hearing any mention of our hometown or even just quintessentially UK nods that any Brit would enjoy was likely to result in putting a grin on our faces.
That being said, apart from whenever the next FIFA—sorry, EA Sports FC drops, we weren’t expecting to hear Man United brought up in one of the biggest video games of the year.
In fact, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that nobody has this on their 2026 bingo card.
Credit: @CaptPierce93 via r/Manchester (screenshots shared to Reddit)
It may just be a slightly tongue-in-cheek throwaway line in a cutscene, but it’s still been enjoyed by many around the world.
As player ‘CaptPierce93’ writes in his caption of his Reddit post sharing the snippet: “The game has a good splash of product placements that don’t get overwhelming; an earlier portion of the game even has radio chatter of a Manchester City and Liverpool match as well.”
He’s right as well: we’ve come across lots of different little interesting nuggets and cameos during our limited playtime, and it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to seeing what else we can spot.
While any Mancunian or true, dyed-in-the-wool United fan will no doubt squirm a little at the use of ‘Man U‘ (we’re thinking like when people ‘Manny’), it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.
You can see the specific scene in full down below.
Such a surreal few seconds.
There’s something very satisfying about hearing ‘Greenway’ – played by recognisable British actor Lennie James (Snatch, The Walking Dead, Blade Runner 2049) – utter the words “Stretford End”.
And before you ask, no, he isn’t a Red: the South Londoner is a Spurs fan and is also said to have a soft spot for Valencia, as it happens.
We’re pretty sure there aren’t any other Manc references to keep your eye out for, but we’ll let you know if we stumble upon more as we continue playing the game.
There’s something about videogame Easter eggs, in-jokes and refs like these that we never tire of; you just never know what little tidbits are going to inspire someone…
Emily Sergeant -
13th December 2022 
