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Aussies outraged over price of staple snack

<p>Australians have expressed outrage over the price of Tim Tams, after one Reddit user spotted the staple snack being sold in stores and online for $6 per pack. </p> <p>“I (remember) when a double pack used to only be about $4.50. F**k this shit,” the user who posted the photo stated.</p> <p>Others blasted the price hike as excessive and "un-Australian". </p> <p>One commenter pointed out that the iconic Australian biscuit was potentially cheaper overseas, despite the import taxes. </p> <p>“That’s in Australia? They’re half that in Canada and they have to import them from Australia,” one said.</p> <p>“Like many other shrunken and quality reduced products I can live without them," another added. </p> <p>Arnott's traditional flavours are currently listed at $6 in Coles and Woolworths, while a family packet will set buyers back $7. </p> <p>An Arnott's spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the price hike was due to increased input costs. </p> <p>“Like most Australian manufacturers, we are experiencing a significant increase in our input costs, including the surging price of cocoa," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“This has led us to make the difficult decision to increase the price of our Tim Tam biscuits.</p> <p>“We continue to invest in promotional programs with our retailers year-round, to ensure consumers can buy our products at great value prices.</p> <p>‘The changes are necessary for Arnott’s to remain competitive as an Australian manufacturer and to continue to make the delicious products Australians know and love.”</p> <p><em>Image: Reddit</em></p>

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Doctor debunks air fryer myth

<p>Air fryers have become somewhat of a commodity in many kitchens worldwide, with them rising in popularity over the past few years, so news that they could be damaging to our health may cause quite a stir.</p> <p>However, similar to how uncredited information seems to circle the internet, a doctor has told viewers not to take the latest warnings over “toxic” air fryers too seriously.</p> <p>One online user posted a TikTok claiming they had found out "air fryers were toxic because of the material used”, so UK doctor Karan Raj decided to weigh in on the matter.</p> <p>"The biggest worry from fear mongers centres around the non-stick materials used, also known as forever chemicals,” he said in a clip that’s since raked in over a million views.</p> <p>"Forever chemicals” earned the name because they don’t break down in the environment or in our bodies. Also known as PFAS, they are resistant to water, grease, and heat and are found in a number of everyday products such as food packaging, cosmetics, clothing and toilet paper.</p> <p>"Fun fact, every time you sit down to eat microplastics fall from the air and land in your food, or are already part of your food," he explained.</p> <p>The issue of “toxic” chemicals leeching into your food from cooking in an air fryer "is only really an issue if the air fryer is damaged,” Dr Raj added.</p> <p>It is recommended to minimise how much damage and scratching there is to the non-stick coating of the fryer so the chemicals don’t get into your food.</p> <p>"Clean it safely, avoid using abrasive scrubbing tools, use wood or silicone utensils and use liners," he said.</p> <p>"And if you're really worried about the non-stick coating, you can use a ceramic or stainless steel air fryer.”</p> <p>People in the comments thanked him for the explanation. " Some people will trust anyone EXCEPT actual Doctors,” one user teased.</p> <p>Dr Raj went on to ask his followers what their favourite meal to cook in an air fryer was, adding, "Air fried chips just taste special".</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q" target="_blank">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Counting down to Christmas</strong></p> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM" target="_blank">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></em></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/" target="_blank">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></em></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647" target="_blank">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ" target="_blank">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained" target="_blank">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><strong>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</strong></p> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a rel="noopener" href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/" target="_blank">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw" target="_blank">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972" target="_blank">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></em></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765" target="_blank">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757" target="_blank">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

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From Love Actually to Christmas On The Farm: how rom-coms became a festive season staple

<p>It is a visual language with which we are almost all familiar. It’s cold and snowing outside, but inside, next to a crackling fire, it’s warm and cosy. The tree is a deep green, festooned with fairy lights, glinting off the wrapping of the presents below. There is hot chocolate and sugar cookies and eggnog and candy canes, and the only things that can be heard are carols and the joyous laughter of our nearest and dearest.</p> <p>This image of Christmas is, of course, vastly different to what we usually experience in Australia – extreme heat, seafood platters, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q">white wine in the sun</a> – but it is still one with which we are very familiar. It’s present in all our retail settings, with their fake snow and holly and Santas sweating in their suits.</p> <p>And of course, it’s all over our media, in the increasingly ubiquitous Christmas romantic comedy film.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436574/original/file-20211209-138695-5pacow.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=8%2C17%2C5982%2C3970&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In The Knight Before Christmas (2019), a medieval knight is transported to the present day, where he falls for a high school science teacher who’s lost her belief in love.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Brooke Palmer/ Netflix</span></span></p> <h2>Counting down to Christmas</h2> <p>Christmas movies have a long history, dating back to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3ei1tseeM">1898 short film Santa Claus</a>, but the Christmas rom-com really hit its stride in the 21st century.</p> <p>Love Actually (2003), an ensemble film featuring multiple intertwined stories, is perhaps the best-known example. However, in terms of sheer quantity, it is difficult to look past the company that has made Christmas their core business: Hallmark.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437057/original/file-20211212-17-9ikar9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Love Actually (2003) is one of the most popular examples of the Christmas rom-com.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB</span></span></p> <p>Since 2009, the Hallmark Channel have run a seasonal block of programming called Countdown to Christmas, central to which are their Hallmark Christmas movies. Countdown to Christmas has become increasingly extravagant: <a href="https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/hallmark-christmas-movies-2021/">in 2021</a>, it began on October 22, and will feature a total of forty new movies, along with a (very) large number from previous years.</p> <p>While Hallmark Christmas movies have been a cultural touchstone for many years in North America, that hasn’t been the case to the same extent in Australia, because we haven’t had widespread access to the flood of programming.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437059/original/file-20211212-23-16hf6i3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Write Before Christmas (2020), a Hallmark Channel original movie, recently single Jessica sends Christmas cards to five people that have impacted her life. As each person receives Jessica’s card, they are sparked to act in their own lives to make them better.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hallmark</span></span></p> <p>However, the advent and popularity of Netflix’s Hallmark-style Christmas movies, beginning with A Christmas Prince and Christmas Inheritance in 2017, have led to a growing familiarity and engagement with the Christmas romance genre from local audiences.</p> <p>As a result, after many years with <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-very-aussie-christmas-70647">a dearth of local Christmas programming</a>, Stan released A Sunburnt Christmas last year, their first Australian Christmas original film. This year, they have another original Australian Christmas offering in rom-com <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_oEqfyLpMQ">Christmas on the Farm</a>, which premiered on December 1.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/r_oEqfyLpMQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>Christmas on the Farm is missing a key ingredient of the Hallmark Christmas romance: snow (in the Hallmark universe, the characters <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/12/14/16752012/hallmark-christmas-movies-explained">“can’t be waiting for the snow, there has to <em>be</em> snow”</a>). However, it boasts a screenwriter with Hallmark credentials in Jennifer Notas Shapiro, and draws on plenty of other tropes of the Christmas rom-com.</p> <h2>What makes a Christmas rom-com?</h2> <p>Hallmark has a reputation for conservatism, and we cannot fail to note that for many years, their movies featured exclusively <a href="https://thewalrus.ca/the-unwatchable-whiteness-of-holiday-movies/">straight, white, middle-class characters</a> <a href="https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/gac-family-christmas-movies-cable-tv.html?utm_campaign=nym&amp;utm_medium=s1&amp;utm_source=tw">falling in love</a> (although they are slowly beginning to diversity their casts).</p> <p>It is perhaps surprising, then, that Christmas rom-coms do not tend to be particularly religious. Instead, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972">as S Brent Rodriguez-Plate argues</a>, there’s a more secular reason for the season underpinning these films – “the power of family, true love, the meaning of home or the reconciliation of relationships”.</p> <p>Christmas rom-coms thus have a particular aesthetic (snow, mistletoe, ugly-but-snuggly jumpers), and a particular set of core values: family, community, selflessness, kindness, love. They’re rarely overtly supernatural, but the Christmas setting often gives rise to a little bit of “Christmas magic” or a “Christmas miracle”, which pushes our protagonists towards embracing these values.</p> <p>As a result, there are some very common plots, settings, and themes in the Christmas rom-com.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437069/original/file-20211212-23-d89k1x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In Happiest Season (2020), Abby, a lesbian, plans to propose to her girlfriend, Harper, in front of Harper’s family members. But she is in for a shock when she learns that Harper is yet to come out to her parents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p><strong>Home for the holidays</strong></p> <p>This plot is Hallmark’s bread and butter. One of our protagonists – usually the heroine – returns home for the holidays. This is often against her will: she’s usually a city-dwelling career woman, leaving behind a similarly career-driven boyfriend.</p> <p>But going home for Christmas reveals to her that although she might be successful, she hasn’t been happy. With the help of family and/or community and almost always a handsome hometown hunk (usually dressed in flannel), she learns to slow down and embrace what really matters to her.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437060/original/file-20211212-13-i6giq0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Time For Them To Come Home For Christmas (2021). During the holidays, a woman with amnesia catches a ride with her handsome nurse to investigate the only clue to her identity.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">IMDB.</span></span></p> <p><strong>Small towns</strong></p> <p>Our heroine is almost exclusively returning home to a small town, often with a Christmassy name and one or more struggling local businesses – a bakery, an inn, a Christmas tree farm.</p> <p>She must learn that work does not bring her joy, and that she needs to slow down and take stock. However, she nearly always finds herself using her corporate skills to re-energise and revive these businesses. For films which make it clear that we should not dream of labour, a surprising amount of attention is paid to stimulating the economy of small towns.</p> <p><strong>Christmas kingdoms</strong></p> <p>If our heroine is not going home for the holidays, she might find herself in a small, ambiguously European and unambiguously Christmassy kingdom. There, she’ll have a run-in with some local royalty, with whom she’ll swiftly fall in love.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437055/original/file-20211212-13-ln91xn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">In A Christmas Prince (2017), a young journalist is sent abroad to go undercover to get the scoop on a playboy prince who is destined to be king, all in the lead up to Christmas.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Netflix</span></span></p> <p>Netflix has leaned into this plot extensively in their Christmas rom-coms – it’s the foundation of both the Christmas Prince (2017-19) and Princess Switch (2018-21) trilogies.</p> <p><strong>No Grinches allowed</strong></p> <p>This is arguably the defining characteristic of Christmas rom-coms: they are sincere. Any cynicism towards the season is swiftly quashed. It is only by embracing the genre’s key values that the happy ending of the rom-com can be reached. Our protagonists must fall in love not only with each other, but also with Christmas.</p> <p><strong>A happy ending</strong></p> <p>Christmas rom-coms always end happily, with our central couple in love and everyone having a very merry Christmas. There is a familiar pattern to them - one does not watch these films to be surprised.</p> <p>Like many of the trappings of Christmas, watching these movies is a holiday ritual for many people, as comforting as putting on a Christmas jumper. They’re films to snuggle into, secure in the notion that for now, all’s right in the world.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/171819/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jodi-mcalister-135765">Jodi McAlister</a>, Lecturer in Writing, Literature and Culture, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></span></p> <p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/from-love-actually-to-christmas-on-the-farm-how-rom-coms-became-a-festive-season-staple-171819">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Netflix</em></p>

Movies

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Research reveals the hidden “tax” on Aussie staples

<p><span>A hidden “tax” has affected 50 per cent of Aussie shoppers, as they get charged more for everyday staples for no good reason.</span></p> <p><span>A new research by AMP found that common products sold at Australian supermarkets and retailers are priced at a higher cost when they are targeted at women.</span></p> <p><span>Women were found to pay an average of 29 per cent more than men for razors, 16 per cent more for body wash and 12 per cent more for underwear.</span></p> <p><span>There was also an 11 per cent gender price gap between men’s and women’s shampoo, a nine per cent difference in multivitamins and a five per cent disparity in jeans.</span></p> <p><span>AMP financial adviser Di Charman said while the price differences might seem negligible at a glance, they could add up over a lifetime and affect women’s financial health in the long run.</span></p> <p><span>“Some people might disregard the price difference between [men and women’s] products because it’s only a couple of dollars, but when you look at the differences in percentages, some are quite alarming,” she told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/research-reveals-blatant-gender-tax-added-to-aussie-staples/news-story/8bd48e80c32b2df80cdc72fdd068ba09"><em>news.com.au</em></a>.</span></p> <p><span>“When you use these items every day over a lifetime, it adds up, so don’t let your hard-earned dollars out of your hands easily.”</span></p> <p><span>When it comes to dealing with gender tax, Charman advised speaking up to the retailers and manufacturers. “Sometimes you’ve got to ask, ‘holy smoke, why is this happening?’” she said. </span></p> <p><span>“As women, we need to be a bit more vocal and perhaps give more feedback to organisations we’re purchasing from — all consumers should give feedback, because it’s the only way things change.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Hi <a href="https://twitter.com/BigW_Australia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BigW_Australia</a> maybe you can answer my Q? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pinktax?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pinktax</a> <a href="https://t.co/sM0XuPIcq8">pic.twitter.com/sM0XuPIcq8</a></p> — Candy J (@LiveLrnExplore) <a href="https://twitter.com/LiveLrnExplore/status/841190024250982400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2017</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Join the conversation about Australia's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pinktax?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pinktax</a> via this tumblr launched by <a href="https://twitter.com/GetUp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GetUp</a>:<a href="http://t.co/D1qe2E0I8T">http://t.co/D1qe2E0I8T</a> <a href="http://t.co/E5Bmv9e8AZ">pic.twitter.com/E5Bmv9e8AZ</a></p> — Daily Life (@DailyLifeAu) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyLifeAu/status/591016385859309568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2015</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/havaianas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@havaianas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/havaianas_au?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@havaianas_au</a> still not quite sure why women have to pay more for your flip flops.... 🤔?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/genderpricing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#genderpricing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/everydaysexism?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#everydaysexism</a> <a href="https://t.co/JBDmd8nauJ">pic.twitter.com/JBDmd8nauJ</a></p> — Dr Holly Jenkins (@DrHollyJJenkins) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrHollyJJenkins/status/1078209054785163264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <p><span>The pink tax has been a longstanding issue in Australia and throughout the world, with lobby groups such as GetUp! campaigning to see the gap abolished.</span></p> <p><span> According to the <a href="https://www.wgea.gov.au/topics/gender-pay-gap">latest statistics</a> from Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Australian women still earn 14.1 per cent or $239.80 less than men on average. </span></p> <p><span>“Women in Australia already earn … less than men, and when you factor in the gender price gap, we see that women are being paid less at work, and then paying more at the shops,” said GetUp! in its <a href="https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/women-s-rights/gender-price-gap/gender-price-gap">Gender Price Gap statement</a>.</span></p> <p><span>“It’s time we called out this practice for what it is: making women literally pay for gender stereotypes.”</span></p> <p><span>The campaign to remove extra charges from women’s products has previously achieved success with the abolition of tampon tax last year. The <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/tampon-tax-to-go-states-and-territories-agree-to-remove-gst/10332490"><em>ABC</em></a> reported that after 18 years of campaign, all states and territories agreed to scrap the 10 per cent GST from tampons and pads in January this year.</span></p>

Retirement Income

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Iconic Aussie staple about to go through a major change

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestle has launched a healthier version of a popular Aussie drink, Milo. They’ve announced a major change to the recipe and have launched a new 30 per cent less added sugar version.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is due to backlash after the product’s 4.5 health star rating.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there’s one question on everyone’s lips: Does it taste the same as the old one?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> According to the Nestle Australia’s spokeswoman, Margaret Stuart, it does. She told </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/food/drink/nestl-to-launch-new-milo-without-cane-sugar-but-does-it-taste-as-good/news-story/1da94bf834d4e2ba4224ea7365f8614d"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It tastes exactly the same, so much so, most people don’t even notice the difference,” Ms Stuart said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When we were working on developing Milo 30% less added sugar, our focus was on creating a product that looks like original Milo, tastes like original Milo, and behaves like original Milo — crunchy bits and all.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We found in testing that people really loved the concept, but they liked it even more when they tasted it. It really exceeded their expectations. It tastes great.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The development of the new Milo took two years and was developed in response to the changing nutritional needs of families.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nestle general manager Andrew McIver explained why they’ve done the best they can to hold onto the brand’s 85 yearlong heritage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Milo was originally designed as a nutritious drink for undernourished children during the Depression, delivering added vitamins and minerals in a format children enjoyed,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With parents increasingly concerned about added sugar in their children’s diets, we’ve created an option that is true to the Milo heritage and encourages people to drink milk, but delivers less added sugar.”</span></p>

Food & Wine

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The one wardrobe staple the Queen has never been seen without for 50 years

<p>Queen Elizabeth II has had the same handbag in her possession for the last 50 years.</p> <p>The iconic bag, made by British label Launer, has been a staple in the wardrobe of the royals since Queen Elizabeth gave the company a royal warrant in 1968.</p> <p>A royal warrant is a warrant that’s been issued by the sovereign that authorises the company to display the royal coat of arms.</p> <p>The bag has been carried by the Queen over many years to iconic events, and its staple twisted rope emblem has been something royal watchers have kept an eye on.</p> <p>The Queen had the statement piece when she met the Kennedy family in 2000.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7822683/queen-elizabeth-clintons.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0f0e26d5797f43f9a35d1625b5327b71" /></p> <p>The handbag was also in a portrait that was painted by artist Benjamin Sullivan to celebrate 100 years of the RAF club in London.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7822685/queen-handbag.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/297a4729eabd466e8f96707c93a0f697" /></p> <p>"It was almost happenstance that it was placed there," the artist, Benjamin Sullivan, said during the portraits’ unveiling.</p> <p>"It's where she put it and I thought I could take it out. But then I thought it's actually quite a nice thing, a personal thing."</p> <p>Do you have a staple item in your wardrobe that you’ve kept for many years? Let us know in the comments. </p>

Beauty & Style

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The pantry staple experts say you should eat every day

<p><span>A new study has found that three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) a day can prevent chronic disease and cancer.</span></p> <p><span>Brown University associate professor of medicine Dr Mary Flynn also found that three serves of EVOO with a plant-based diet can also help with weight loss.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn, a specialist in breast and prostate cancer, studied the impact of a plant-based EVOO diet on prostate cancer and found that it was “extremely effective” at improving biomarkers for cancer and cardiovascular disease.</span></p> <p><span>The diet includes three tablespoons of EVOO a day to account for four to five servings of health fats that include nuts, olive and avocado.</span></p> <p><span>It also includes six to seven serves of wholegrain starch, minimum of four servings of vegetables, up to three servings of fruit, up to two optional servings of dairy and eggs, and 350g maximum of meat, poultry or seafood per week.</span></p> <p><span>The diet recommends for the red meat to be entirely eliminated, but if not, recommends no more than 170g a month.</span></p> <p><span>The diet removes cured meats, vegetable oils and margarine and mayonnaise with vegetable seed oils – saying they have an increased cancer risk.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn compared the EVOO plant-based diet with the diet recommended by the Prostate Cancer Foundation.</span></p> <p><span>The Prostate Cancer Foundation diet recommends decreasing carbohydrates, sugar, high fat food, charred meats, while allowing vegetable oil, margarine and salad dressings but no EVOO.</span></p> <p><span>Men followed the two diets for eights weeks and then picked the one they wanted to follow for six months.</span></p> <p><span>Dr Flynn’s results showed that people with diets, including daily EVOO consumption, had lower rates of most chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancers, arthritis and type 2 diabetes.</span></p> <p><span>“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for prostate cancer patients,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p> <p><span>“A plant-based EVOO diet improves insulin function and lowers fasting insulin and glucose levels, protects against weight gain and reduces the risk of various cancers.</span></p> <p><span>“EVOO has been shown to decrease a number of risk factors for chronic diseases including inflammation, blood pressure, body weight, blood levels of insulin and glucose, oxidation and blood coagulation,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p> <p><span>“The diet isn’t just for cancer patients or prevention, it’s for everyone wanting to live a healthy life and prevent the risk of disease,” Dr Flynn said.</span></p>

Caring

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Celebrity chef Ben O’Donoghue shares his 5 money-saving pantry staples

<p>Channel Nine’s new show <em>Eat Well For Less</em>, hosted by Ben O’Donoghue and Leila McKinnon, aims to help Australians take back control of how we spend money on food.</p> <p>The average Aussie grocery spend comes to $156.54 a week, so the show has identified a problem that hits home for many households and families.</p> <p>One tip that the duo discussed in the first episode was making sure you write a shopping list and stick to it as you are strolling through the supermarket aisles.</p> <p>According to Ben, one mistake many Aussies make is forgetting to check the pantry to see what you already have before going to the shops.</p> <p>Buying things that we already own increases food waste because it means we have to throw away the items that go off before we can use them.</p> <p>Taking stock of your pantry is a great habit to start and Ben has shared his five money-saving pantry staples with <em><a href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2018/05/16/14/07/eat-well-for-less-ben-odonoghues-pantry-staples" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>9Honey Kitchen</strong></span></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>1. Stock cubes</strong></p> <p>Ben always has a good quality brand of stock cubes in his pantry so that he can whip up quick dinners and use leftovers with little effort. Ben said that they are great “to make really quick Asian noodle soup bases and then flavour up with fresh ginger and garlic, veggies and anything else for the kids”.</p> <p><strong>2. Curry paste</strong></p> <p>Ben said different curry pastes are essential to stock in your pantry because you don’t need to worry about them going off before you can use them. “It’s great to have a number of different curry bases,” said Ben. “Then you can build simple, healthy meals for the family and vary the flavours.”</p> <p><strong>3. Rice</strong></p> <p>Not only is rice cheap and easy to store, but it's a great ingredient to extend a meal if you have more mouths to feed. “It’s a good filler that lets you feed the kids quickly,” said Ben. “With so many different things you can do that are both savoury and sweet”, he believes it’s a pantry essential.</p> <p><strong>4. Fish sauce</strong></p> <p>Ben recommends stocking fish sauce as you can add a dash to soups and stews that aren’t Asian for a hit of flavour. “It’s great to add flavour and make dressings,” said the chef. </p> <p><strong>5. Spices</strong></p> <p>Ben believes it is important to build up a good supply of spices because of the way they can alter flavour in a second. “Spices are great for making homemade rubs and adding flavour to meals,” said Ben.</p> <p>What are your money-saving pantry staples? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

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