Liam Livings visits us today.

Liam is offering a copy of his Christmas story and he would like to know your favourite part of Christmas. Leave a comment here. The winner will be picked on 26th December, at 6pm GMT.

 Question 1.      
What is your favourite
Christmas movie?

Hands down, without any
hesitation, The Holiday. Some people are very sniffy about it, saying it's
rubbish, it's schmaltzy, it's cheesy, it's not realistic. But those are some of
the reasons why I love it. It's got Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz in,
which is a brilliant start. It only lasts about ninety minutes – another
brilliant factor. It's a classic life swap, happy ever after, but even though
the vision of the UK in it is pretty chocolate box, I don't care, because it's
so festive and cheerful. I watch it every Christmas and love it just as much.
The storyline with the old man is so heart-warming too. Love love love. That is
all. 
Question 2.      
What is your best Christmas
memory

The most distant memories
when I was a child are very vague now, but a recent memory is the year Himself
and I went to Mum's for Christmas. Due to a variety of reasons it was only to
be us three on the day. Mum had felt quite sad about this, but Himself made a
big fuss, decorated the dining room and the table, cooked a duck with all the
trimmings and we pulled crackers and listened to Christmas songs during the
meal. After we'd eaten as much as we could, we retired to the living room where
we stuffed ourselves on Christmas TV in front of a log fire. It was magic. We
made a proper fuss of it when it would have been easy to say, let's not bother
as it's only us three. 
Question 3.      
What is the best present you've
received?

Peter York's The Eighties
and The Official Sloan Ranger Handbook. I was going through a slight obsession
with the eighties at the time and they were perfect. 
Question 4.       What is the best present you’ve
given?

A trip to Australia to
coincide with Himself's big birthday. We decided not to buy each other anything
that year and instead our gift was to have 3 ½ weeks travelling around
Australia. Except the 23hour flights, it was
wonderful.
Question 5.      
Santa Claus – real or fake?

Fake, but I wouldn't tell
any children that and spoil the magic. I think that magical innocence is
something to be kept as long as possible. 
Question 6.      
What is your favourite
Christmas book?

Someone usually buys me the
latest celeb autobiography for Christmas, which is, in its own way festive as
far as I'm concerned. My recent favourites have included: Jennifer Saunders –
Bonkers; Mary Berry – Recipe For Life. Both entertaining, heart-warming and funny
in places and perfect to curl up with on a winter's night next to a fire with a
glass of snowball filled to the brim. 
Question 7.      
Do you like eggnog?

Does advocaat count, with
lemonade and a glace cherry? It's then called a snowball. 
Question 8.      What do you eat at Christmas?

I'm not a big turkey fan, so
prefer duck or chicken, but if there's a houseful of us, or we're at someone
else's it’s usually turkey. My question is, if turkey is so great, why don't we
all eat it all year round, and not just at Christmas time? Just saying…
Question 9.       Be honest, when do you put up
the Christmas tree?

Depends if we're away for
Christmas. It usually goes up the first weekend in December. 
Question 10.       When do you open your presents?

Christmas day morning, with
champagne and nibbles, or a cup of tea and biscuits depending on where I am. 
Question 11.       Do you have snow at Christmas?

It has occurred sometimes
and other times not so much. It's more likely to snow in January / February in
the UK. There's nothing I can do about it, so if it snows I'm happy, if it
doesn't snow I'm also happy because it's a family holiday. 
Question 11.      
What is the best – all-time –
Christmas song. Ever!

Stay by East 17. It reminds
me of a lovely family Christmas in 1994 when it was number 1 in the UK singles
charts. The boys are from near where I live now, it has furry coats and fake
snow in the video and the songwriter from the band wrote it about missing his
mum after she'd died.  Tears, snow, big
coats, a good East End London accent – it has it all as far as I'm concerned

The Next Christmas by Liam Livings

Buylinks: Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com | JMS

Blurb: In a snowy small town in England, just before Christmas, garage mechanic David and office worker Christian are preparing to spend the festive period with Christian's parents. The parents who told Christian last year he wasn't welcome to their family festive celebrations since he told them he was gay.

But this year it will be different, the parents welcome their son and his boyfriend, David with open arms; different except for when it comes to their sleeping arrangements.

Will David and Christian's love overcome prejudice and old-fashioned views?

Can David actually enjoy playing Pictionary?

Will David's best friend, Tony stay sober enough to offer his own particular brand of no nonsense advice from his perfect Christmas with friends, when David is up to his neck in family problems?

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