Staying In

Best TV Binge Watches For Twixmas

The sofa and a leftover tub of Quality Street always play a large part in Twixmas (that is, ‘betwixtmas’: the space between Christmas and New Year). As TV lovers, this is prime time to catch up on all of the agenda-setting TV shows of the year, plus finally stream the shows that are returning for another season in 2026. Here are three to get you started…

Adolescence

Undoubtedly one of the best and most talked about dramas of 2025, if you never watched it before, Twixmas is the perfect time to binge this four-part drama. Starring Stephen Graham as the father to Owen Cooper’s accused murderer of a son, each episode was filmed in one shot, earning a whopping eight Emmy Awards. Also starring Erin Doherty, Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay. Stream on Netflix.

Goodbye June

OK not a TV series, but Kate Winslet’s festive directorial debut has concluded its cinema run and is now streaming, and it’s the perfect adult family watch. Winslet stars as one of an ailing mother’s four disparate adult children, gathered beside her sickbed for the holidays. The Titanic star is joined by Helen Mirren as the quick-witted June, staunchly declining on her own terms, along with siblings in the form of Toni Collette, Johnny Flynn and Andrea Riseborough while Timothy Spall stars as their exhausting father. Stream on Netflix.

Hijack

Vaguely remember when everyone was talking about Idris Elba and a plane hijacking thriller? That was 2023’s Hijack, which will be returning for a second season on 14 January – so it’s time to squeeze in a binge-watch so you can be part of the conversation this time around. No spoilers, but the seven-part series tells the hour-by-hour story of a hijacked plane travelling from Dubai to London, with corporate business negotiator (Elba) aboard and simply refusing to die today. Also starring Christine Adams, with Toby Jones set to join for season 2. Stream on Apple TV+.

Already tuned in? Here are 15 more shows to sink your teeth into this Twixmas.

Going Out

Go For A Country Walk

Too much sofa and screen time. Get outside and stretch your legs instead. Round up the family (and dogs), and head out for wide-open spaces, and if you need a little motivation to get you moving, how about the promise of a roaring fire, a proper pint and something comforting on a plate at the finish line? Here are three country walks that pair fresh air with a stellar pub.

Abergavenny: Sugar Loaf Mountain

In the heart of the Black Mountains, Sugar Loaf stands at 596m high and offers glorious panoramic views across South Wales, the Brecon Beacons, and into south-west England. Climb the deliciously named landmark near Abergavenny for a walk through gentle, rounded heather and bracken-clad shoulders of the mountain, criss-crossed with paths. Finish at The Crown (Old Hereford Road, Pantygelli, Abergavenny NP7 7HR) and enjoy real ale and local Welsh produce on the patio and terrace. Learn more about Sugar Loaf Mountain at nationaltrust.org.uk

Northumberland: Northumberlandia & the Lady of the North

Your walk here will be marked by a unique piece of public art set in a 19-hectare community park. The centrepiece is ‘The Lady of the North’, a stunning human landform sculpture of a reclining lady, scaling 100 feet in height and spanning a quarter of a mile. Once done ogling and walking the four miles of footpaths on and around the landform, visit The Snowy Owl (Blagdon Lane, Cramlington NE23 8AU), a country pub oozing rural charm and rustic character on the site of Plessy North Moor Farm. Learn more about Northumberlandia at thelandtrust.org.uk

Somerset: Glastonbury Tor

This prominent hill overlooks the Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury and Somerset. The landmark offers 360° views and is one of spiritual significance; its Pagan beliefs are still celebrated today. Swing by the Who’d A Thought It (17 Northload Street, Glastonbury BA6 9JJ) for a casual pint in the rustic, Glastonbury 18th Century pub. Learn more about Glastonbury Tor at nationaltrust.org.uk

Find more inspiration in our full guide.

Three of the Best…

Books of the Year

The C&TH team nominate their best reads of 2025

Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah

‘The long-term trauma of children left behind in war is vividly imagined by the Nobel prizewinner who did manage to escape war-torn Zanzibar for a successful life in the UK. Karim and Badar are two promising young men on markedly different paths, yet both fall for beautiful Fauzia. The author’s compassion for these three young people as they navigate a difficult world is deeply relatable.’ Hardback, £18.99, BUY IT

Belinda Bamber, reviewer for the C&TH Book Club

Clown Town by Mick Herron

‘There is only one book worth recommending. I was an early adopter of Mick Herron of Slow Horses fame, and his latest masterpiece Clown Town has just emerged. If you are a fan of the Apple TV series, the books are a must read. The dialogue from anti-hero Jackson Lamb is on another level.’ Hardback, £22, BUY IT

Ed Vaizey, C&TH Culture Editor

One Boat by Jonathan Buckley

‘A small Greek town is revisited by a grieving woman who reconnects with the friends she made there a decade earlier. A quiet but technically brilliant novel in which themes of identity, guilt and responsibility are deftly interweaved. It has been a great favourite at Sandoe’s and was longlisted for the Booker Prize: we were sorry it didn’t make it onto the shortlist.’ Paperback, £12.99, BUY IT

Johnny de Falbe, of John Sandoe Books

Staying in Forever…

Property Of The Week

A look back at our favourite property of the year…

Who’s Madeline? That’s been the question on everybody’s lips ever since Lily Allen dropped her tour de force of an album West End Girl: a scathing bare-all which details her divorce from Stranger Things star David Harbour with forensic precision. The star of its opening track – and a much envied Architectural Digest tour – Allen and Harbour’s dreamy NYC brownstone has officially hit the market. While their marriage didn’t make it, it seems the pair still have much in common – namely an over-zealous enthusiasm for florals. Designed by Billy Cotton and complete with over-the-top Zuber wallpaper and Pierre Frey drapes, it’s a biophile’s dream.

On the market for $7.995m. Find out more at thegambinogroup.com 

Competition Time

Win a £2.9m Cornwall dream home with Raffle House

Win a wellbeing bundle from Ishga worth more than £700

Win a 3-night stay at Palacio Arriluce in Bilbao, Spain

Psssst…

Today we associate it with leftovers, big walks and slashed prices, but in Irish tradition 26 December was Wren Day: when men and boys hunted a wren, revered as the ‘king of birds’. Succeeding would spell prosperity for the coming year. Dressed in straw masks and colourful motley, they would then parade their wrens on top of a staff decorated with holly, ivy and ribbons, play music, sing songs and collect donations.

The Full Story

Staying in with Phoebe Hollond

We go behind the scenes with interior designer Phoebe Hollond, founder of London-based design firm Studio Hollond, as she tells us her top Twixmas hosting tips.

Tell us about your favourite space at home…

I love spending time in my kitchen and the dining room. It is the most recently completed space in my home, and it feels the most grown up. 

Bespoke details  – like the antique Versaille flooring, my Serpentine table, the large Muran chandelier and the trellis detailing on the roof lantern – sit alongside all the little personal trinkets we have collected over the years. It makes the space feel completely personal to our family.

What makes it the best setting for a night in?

The kitchen leads onto the dining room, which in turn leads onto our garden. This means that when we are having a night in – whether it’s with friends or just a lovely dinner with my husband – there are many spaces that you can be in even though they are all connected. 

What’s your interior design style at Christmas?

I am very classic when it comes to Christmas style. I adore velvet bows and will often put them on lampshades and at the bottom of the staircase and all over the tree. I keep the lighting classic, warm glows – no multicoloured flashing lights please! There’s also a fair amount of greenery, like a garland down the side of a staircase or over a mantelpiece. 

How do you like to set up your living room for hosting at Christmas?

A combination of hanging paper stars and a lot of candles, as well as a couple of huge oversized witches balls. Christmas is all about the golden glow, a few unique and surprise interior decoration pieces, the sound of carols coming from the speaker and the smell of scrummy pigs-in-blankets. And, of course, an antique bar cart which contains delicious port for the cheese.

Moving to the dining room – what do you think makes a fabulous festive tablescape?

Again, I go classic here. A colour palette of white, cream, gold and silver makes a very elegant tablescape – since there are usually garlands and colourful bows around, I think it is nice to go more chic and simple on the table. Beautiful crackers on the table are a must, as is a sprinkle of star confetti on the table.

What is your go-to dinner party menu? (And what are you serving it on?)

I am the queen of roasts – and the antique oval platters inherited from my grandparents are a great thing to serve all the food on.

Next up, the bathroom. Do you have any go-to brands that uplift the room (and no doubt impress guests)?

I’m a huge fan of Ortigia. I love their liquid hand soaps and the beautiful containers they come in. I also normally buy the lavender bar of soap from D R Harris because it looks so pretty and the packaging is to die for. There’s always a candle burning in there – my favourite brand is Cire Trudon, as these smell delicious and look beautiful. 

If you have a five-minute warning of unexpected guests, how do you make your home look ready in a hurry?

I light candles, open bottles of wine and quickly hide all my daughter's toys!

Do you prefer staying in or going out? 

Going out, especially at Christmas. I love to go to the carols and adore seeing London lit up at this time of year. The streets are full of merriment and the shop fronts are designed in such a beautiful way – it feels like you’re on a movie set.

Read the full interview here.