Happy New Year from That's Christmas and That's Food and Drink

The husband and wife team who responsible for running That's Christmas and That's Food and Drink (that's us!) would like to wish everyone a happy and joyous New Year.

We would like to thank our friends in the public relations industry and food and drink companies and gift companies and other designers and creators of fine gifts from diaries and calendars, to jewelry to toasters and air fryers and from games to electronic equipment and food and drink makers and providers for their fantastic help in writing the posts on our sites.

And we would like to take this opportunity to thank you, our readers no matter where you are.

That's Christmas will continue publishing news and features throughout the coming year when these are relevant but it will largely be resting until the next pre-Christmas season starts up again.

However, That's Food and Drink will be continuing to publish news and features about the food and drink industry over the coming year.

We will also take a look at tweaking our blog designs to make them more user friendly.

If you would like to be featured on any of our sites please email afj_uk@yahoo.com.

(Image courtesy of Tham Nguyen from Pixabay)

Embark on a Mythical Journey: Cappadocia's Call to the World

One Nation Travel, a pioneer in curated travel experiences, has just rolled out its latest line-up of competitive Cappadocia tours from Istanbul, inviting adventurers to delve into the heart of Anatolia. This launch highlights Cappadocia as a pivotal centre of attraction, contributing significantly to Turkey's tourism income and bolstering the local economy. 

That's Christmas believes this will make an excellent Chirstmas gift for the travel-loving special person in your life.

Cappadocia is a landscape that seems conjured from fairy tales, with its towering fairy chimneys and vast, undulating valleys. Recognised worldwide for its unique geological formations, rich historical tapestry, and enchanting underground cities, the region beckons tourists from all corners of the globe. One Nation Travel capitalises on this allure by offering meticulously planned tours, ushering travellers into the surreal pleasures of Cappadocia's warm embrace.

Early Booking: Your Ticket to Wonder

With the rising allure of this mystical region, One Nation Travel encourages early booking. The demand for Cappadocia tours from Istanbul is soaring, mirroring the high-flying hot air balloons dotting the region's sunrise-streaked skies. Securing a spot on these tours not only guarantees a seat on a journey of a lifetime but also ensures participation in the burgeoning tourism that supports the local communities.

The Top 5 Cappadocia Tours: A Tapestry of Experiences

One Nation Travel has designed an array of tours to match every traveller's time constraints and desires:

Cappadocia Day Trip from Istanbul: Ideal for those short on time, this whirlwind adventure packs in the best of Cappadocia's magic in a single day.

1 Day and 1 Night Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul: Extend the enchantment with an overnight stay, allowing for a sunset spectacle and a dawn awakening amid the otherworldly terrain.

2-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul: A deeper dive into the region's marvels, this tour balances sightseeing with serene nights in a traditional cave hotel.

3-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul: Explore further the tapestry of Cappadocia's ancient civilization, with ample time to wander through its historic wonders.

4-Day Cappadocia Tour from Istanbul: The ultimate Cappadocia experience, this expedition grants time to fully immerse oneself in the natural and cultural treasures.

Authentic Accommodations and Cultural Extravaganzas. 

Each journey is designed to be more than a tour; it's a step into the pages of history. One Nation Travel recommends staying at a traditional cave hotel, where modern luxury meets ancient living spaces carved into stone. To elevate the experience, they advise joining the iconic hot air balloon rides at dawn for panoramic views of the valleys below.

Culminating the experience, travellers can attend a mesmerizing dervish sema show, a spiritual journey through the whirling dances or indulge in a Turkish night show, an explosion of colour, music, and dance. Each night can end with a taste of Turkey's culinary legacy at a local restaurant, providing a feast for the senses.

One Nation Travel's Cappadocia tours from Istanbul present an unmatched opportunity to uncover the secrets of this historic region. With a high demand for these tours, early booking is recommended to ensure a place in these limited-capacity experiences that promise to be both life-affirming and transformative. 

Book your trip and secure the best online deals at https://www.onenationtravel.com.

"Boost Your Business for Free with That's Food and Drink & That's Christmas Blogs"

In the digital age, online presence is a crucial aspect of promoting your business. With countless marketing strategies available, it's often challenging to find cost-effective ways to reach a wider audience. 

However, two valuable resources stand out - That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs. These popular platforms offer businesses a unique opportunity to promote themselves for free. In this blog post, we'll explore how these blogs can help your business gain visibility, build credibility, and drive engagement without breaking the bank. (Yes, we are blowing our own trumpets. But if not us, who else?)

1. Showcase Your Products and Services

One of the most effective ways to promote your business is by showcasing your products or services. Whether you're in the food and beverage industry or have Christmas-themed offerings, That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs provide a platform to feature what you have to offer. These blogs often have a dedicated section for business features or product spotlights. By submitting your business or product, you can reach their large, engaged audience who are already interested in your niche.

2. Gain Credibility and Trust

Being featured on reputable blogs can significantly boost your business's credibility. Both That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs have earned their readers' trust by consistently providing high-quality content. When your business gets mentioned on these blogs, potential customers are more likely to trust your brand. This is an excellent way to build a positive reputation and influence the decision-making process of your target audience.

3. Reach a Targeted Audience

The key to successful promotion is reaching the right audience. That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs are specialized in their respective niches, which means they have a dedicated readership interested in food, beverages, and Christmas-related topics. This focused audience is more likely to engage with your content and convert into customers, making it a valuable opportunity for businesses in these sectors.

4. SEO Benefits

Getting featured on these blogs can also have indirect but powerful SEO benefits. When your business is mentioned in a well-established blog, it creates valuable backlinks to your website. These backlinks can improve your website's search engine ranking, making it easier for potential customers to find your business when searching online.

5. Social Media Exposure

Both blogs have active social media profiles and regularly share their featured content. When your business is featured, it's likely to be shared across their social media channels, giving you additional exposure to a broader audience. This can lead to increased brand recognition and engagement on social platforms.

6. Leverage the Christmas Season

For That's Christmas, the Christmas season is a perfect time to gain exposure. Businesses related to Christmas gifts, decorations, and festivities can leverage the blog's holiday-themed content to showcase their offerings and generate more sales during this peak period.

7. Networking Opportunities

Engaging with That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs also opens doors to networking opportunities. You may connect with other businesses in your industry, exchange ideas, and potentially collaborate on future projects.

In conclusion, That's Food and Drink and That's Christmas blogs offer businesses valuable exposure and promotion opportunities for free. By leveraging their established platforms, businesses can reach a targeted audience, gain credibility, improve SEO, and enjoy the benefits of social media exposure. If you want to increase your brand's visibility and grow your customer base without breaking the bank, consider reaching out to these blogs for potential features. It's a cost-effective way to enhance your marketing efforts and build a strong online presence for your business.

To learn how we can help you for free (There's a reason why we have Google Adsense on our blogs!) please send an email to us at afj_uk@yahoo.com.

Savvy Shoppers are looking for Christmas bargains

Esendex data has learned that over three-quarters (78%) of UK consumers will stop spending up to a month before Black Friday so they can snap up bargains in the sales. Retailers need to be ready early, with over half (51%) of consumers wanting to hear about Black Friday up to two weeks in advance, and a further 28% wanting news a month ahead.

Head of Professional Services at Esendex, Chris Gorman, says the data shows UK shoppers are looking for personalised marketing, with SMS text and email top of the list and WhatsApp growing in popularity. “These channels are where shoppers talk to each other, so why not the companies and brands they buy from?

“With statistics showing 48% of people are on their phone between four and eight hours a day, and seven in ten checking any unread notifications within five minutes, SMS and WhatsApp are two of the quickest ways to grab the attention of customers.”

Optimise the online experience!

Ecommerce has gone some way towards levelling the field for small and large retailers. Building an online presence makes products more accessible than a bricks and mortar store, and gives smaller retailers access to a larger audience, too. A well-built website that’s optimised for mobile users with a smooth online experience, can improve brand credibility, extend reach, and make promotional campaigns more cost-effective.

Extend platform choice

On average, UK consumers are bombarded with between 6,000 and 10,000 ads a day, even outside of peak trading periods, so little wonder that the battle for engagement is intense.

When shoppers are looking for bargains, they're often shopping on all channels at once. And those hunting for bargains on four or more platforms will spend on average 9% more with a business than single channel shoppers.

Deliver value, not just discount

It’s easy to think peak season sales are all about discounts, but consumer behaviour has changed, and value isn’t always about price. UK consumers are more conscious than ever of a need to support smaller independent businesses and to contribute to their local community.

Obviously, That's Christmas sees a massive increase in people visiting our site from August/September onwards to Christmas Even itself, as they search for Christmas gifts, foods, drinks, new and traditional recipes to try and, especially keeping in mind the current cost of living situation, as readers of That's Christmas are smart and savvy shoppers, they are also looking for money saving bargains, too!

Please remember to save http://thatschristmas.blogspot.co.uk to your favourites bar or folder!

https://www.esendex.co.uk

(Image courtesy of R-region from Pixabay)

Plan ahead for Christmas and save money!

It's often difficult buying what you need for Christmas, the food and drink, presents, decorations, etc.

However, with the current economic situation, things might be a bit tighter than usual, this Christmas.

Some people will flex the plastic or even take out expensive loans and then face a New Year of penury and hardship as a result.

But it doesn't have to be like that at all! Here is the simple That's Christmas Plan Ahead for Christmas Programme!

1) If your shop or supermarket has a savings club, sign up for it and save a small amount of money for Christmas.

2) If you see an item that would make an ideal Christmas present for a family member, buy it when you see it (so long as the price is keen) and put it away for Christmas.

3) Rather than buying a large amount of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) at Christmas and risking buying more than you'll need, add a bottle or two to your weekly shops between now and Christmas. If you find you need more you can always pop out to the shops when you need to.

4) Bearing in mind use by and best before dates, stock up on foods for Christmas well before the Christmas season. And avoid any potential pre-Christmas price rises that might occur!

5) Get crafting! You might be surprised at how good you can be with making special bespoke Christmas gifts for friends and family members. Also, why not try your hand at making unique Christmas decorations? Hobby Craft, Home Bargains, Poundland, Rymans and The Works all stock craft items and art items.

6) Shop around! You'll be pleasantly surprised to find the item you wanted to buy at a much lower price in a discount shop. 

7) Check out local/regional Christmas Markets to see of there are any you'll be able to get to. However, if you are looking out for genuine Continental Christmas products/produce then the German discount stores Aldi and Lidl are both well worth checking out. 

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk

https://www.poundland.co.uk

https://home.bargains

https://www.bmstores.co.uk

https://www.ryman.co.uk

https://www.theworks.co.uk

https://www.lidl.co.uk

https://www.aldi.co.uk

(Image courtesy of Jan Vašek from Pixabay)

Over the next few months That's Christmas will come out of hibernation

Yes, over the next few months That's Christmas will come out of hibernation and we will be bringing our readers all the latest news on Christmas gifting ideas, plus how to source items for delightful homemade Christmas gifts and trinkets.

That's Christmas will also be carrying news and features on Christmas season foods and drinks, plus Christmas-related foods and special seasonal drinks.

So please, watch this space!

And if you have news of a Christmas-related product or service that you would like to share with our readers, please email us at afj_uk@yahoo.com

IWOOT customer spreads joy and cheer... and it’s not even Christmas!

Over 3,000 customers invested in the utterly fantastic Christmas pudding bin bags from gift and gadget site www.Iwantoneofthose.com last Christmas.

IWOOT, which is owned by The Hut Group, the UK’s leading, multi-website online retailer received over 25,000 inbound emails, more than 16,000 telephone calls, 1,500 live chats and 2,500 social media queries over Christmas.

After such a demanding time of year, IWOOT’s customer service department were delighted to receive a poem from a happy customer who was clearly delighted by the product and service he received from Iwantoneofthose.com

Dear I Want One Of Those dot com
I am writing to you – London I’m from –
To thank you for bin bags so festively bright;
They were such a Christmassy delight!

The bin bags are strong and of excellent size
And to top it all, came with hard wearing ties
So rubbish stayed in, and made us feel good;
Who can help but smile at a huge Christmas pud!

There was a tense moment pre-bin bag appearance
As it dawned that amongst festive postal interference
The bin bags went missing, aghast I did feel
Black bin bags don’t cut it, pud shaped ones are unreal!

Mr Berry, Customer Service Headquarters chap
Hastily sent out replacements, apologised for the mishap
Festive bright pudding bags arrived well in time
For Christmas day, hence my most grateful rhyme.

So, in short, I give these bags maximum stars
And too for the IWOOT superstars;
Our Christmas season was entirely enhanced
I looked upon the bags and sang, laughed and danced
Once you’ve purchased these wonders you’ll never go back
To unfestive bin bags of boring-est black.

www.iwantoneofthose.com was launched in 2000 as an online retailer offering a selection of quirky, ‘off the wall’ gifts including gadgets, gizmos, toys, photo gifts, experience days and home and office accessories. IWOOT is an ideal gift shopping solution for those who have everything, a great place to buy things you don’t really need but really, really want! All orders come with free UK delivery.


(EDITOR: This is actually a fine example of good customer service. Some other firms would have shrugged their shoulders and said: "It's nothing to do with us! It's the delivery firm!"

But IWOOT did not do that. Although it was not their problem, they took responsibility for the problem and solved it to the satisfaction and delight of the customer. Well done, IWOOT! That's Christmas salutes you! May your order book be even fuller next Christmas!)

Thank you for helping with That's Christmas

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the providers of gifts, the producers of fine foods, beers, wines and spirits and the public relationship professionals who helped make That's Christmas such a success.

I look forward to working with you all again during the course of 2012.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the team behind the That's Team of online magazines!

We hope that you are able to get and to give whatever Christmas cheer and gifts that you want, and that next year will be a prosperous and joyous one.

We are now closing down for the holidays, although if an urgent story breaks, we might cover it.

If you need to buy an urgent, emergency Christmas present, please remember that you can buy Amazon Gift Vouchers (to either email or print off for the recipient!) at the That's Books Amazon Shop at http://thatsbooks.blogspot.com and everyone loves shopping at Amazon, don't they? So give them the chance to have a good Christmas gift that will look like you planned it well in advance, even though it is, really, all a bit last minute and all courtesy of That's Christmas and That's Books and Amazon!

Last minute Christmas gifts urgently required? We can help, Read on

Sometimes things go wrong. A present is lost in the mail, we find out we sent a present to the wrong person, or it turns out that the present is broken.

It is not too late to sort this problem out, however. And That's Christmas, together with sister site, That's Books can help you do this.

If you visit http://thatsbooks.blogspot.com/ and use the online That's Books dedicated online Amazon shop search box you can buy emailable Amazon gift certificates there in any amount you want!

Sorted! As we say.

And do have a good Christmas!

See former That's Christmas stories

Stuck for Christmas inspiration? Like to look back on last Christmas and see what stories That's Christmas was carrying then?

If that is the case, then just visit the following link http://www.thatschristmas.co.uk and you can look at what we carried back in the day, to coin a phrase!