|
Saturday Edition
A very merry morning to you, members! Christmas Eve is finally here and we cannot quite believe it. We are so thrilled to be here with you this morning and we cannot thank you enough for starting your (almost) Christmas celebrations with us. We feel truly honoured to have so many incredibly supportive members be part of our community and we just want to take a moment to thank you all for dedicating a bit of time in your day, every day, to us.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, we want to wish you a very happy holiday. We hope this time is relaxing and recharging because my, oh, my, we have a lot in store for you in 2023!
Before we get into our Christmas Eve news though, we have the answer to yesterday’s riddle! If you don’t remember what it was, we don’t blame you. Yesterday feels like a lifetime ago, so let’s jog all of our memories…
What do you have left when all the Christmas gifts have been opened?
Oh, that’s right! I loved this riddle that was sent in by member Dennis R. because it really made me laugh! The answer is… A Christ-mess! Ah, quite a witty riddle if you ask me! Did you get the answer correct? If you did, pat yourself on the back because that is pretty impressive! We didn’t even think of ‘Christ-mess’ so we didn’t even come close. We, unfortunately, don’t have a shout-out waiting for you below today, because we gave our lovely team an early mark yesterday as a thank you for working so hard this year! But if you did get the answer correct, then know I (Maddie) am giving you a mighty cheer! Congratulations, Riddle Masters!
One more thing before we jump into the news, folks. I just wanted to remind you all of your local supermarkets and favourite stores' opening hours today and for the rest of the holidays. Just in case you need to pop into the shops any time soon! I don’t want you going all that way if they aren’t open. You can read all the stores opening hours here.
Now then, what’s happening across the world and around Australia today?
-
It took this woman a decade to save for a house. She lost those savings in a matter of minutes. Members, be sure to avoid this horrific scam.
-
Are your Christmas celebrations ‘bogan’? Australians have listed the foods, drinks, decorations and habits that they deem ‘bogan’, and my goodness, I feel attacked!
-
This little-known road rule could land you with a $344 fine and a loss of 3 demerit points! Did you know about this rule?
-
One Coles customer has been awarded $27,000 after slipping on a grape in-store. Is this fair compensation?
-
An ALDI shopper put her frozen vegetables in the microwave and what happened next left her, and everyone else, astonished. Has this ever happened to you?
-
A 60 Minutes star’s battle to stop his neighbours from renovating their balconies has come to a very bizarre compromise.
-
A ‘confusing’ detail in a traffic photo has divided the internet, but is there really a problem?
-
A Macca’s customer made a horrific discovery and my goodness, please don’t read this if you’re eating brekky…
-
Woolies has agreed to donate $1 to charity every time this beloved item is sold.
-
We all know Christmas is the best time to indulge! But how can you be mindful of the people in your life who may have an eating disorder?
-
A new study has found that a food additive in Doritos, M&Ms, Skittles and even Gatorade could trigger inflammatory bowel disease.
-
Do you love cured meats but don’t want to pay big bucks for them? Member @Happyjack shared this great little at-home recipe for making your own!
-
There is a shortage of a popular Asian food after the country's major supplier had to shut down due to flooding.
-
Finally, we have a stellar joke about advertising from member @Luckyus. If you need a good laugh, then read this!
And that, members, is a wrap of the news for your Christmas Eve! Not a bad way to start the celebrations if you ask me. 😉 And, you know what? The party doesn’t stop here! We’ve got plenty more in store for you below including a challenging Christmas-themed trivia question, a gorgeous ‘Yesterday’s Australia’ segment thanks to member @slks1, and an incredible photo of the Brandenburg Gate for our ‘Picture of the day’ thanks to member, @dragabagalong.
Oh, and don’t forget to check out all our games, including our newest 3x3 Word Thread! We also have our Word Pairs and Abbreviation Games for some fun brain training. And our beloved classic games, including Word Association Game, Rearrange, Add or Subtract Word Game! Keep a Word, Drop a Word Game, and Can you name 5? As well as our Sudoku puzzles, OzGrid and OzWord. And our card games, including Solitaire and Blackjack.
As always, members, stay safe and happy reading!
- Jonathan, Vella, Sean, James, Sethia, April, Jarred, Ally & Maddie.
|
|
|
|
|
Source: Shutterstock
|
A. Tony Robinson
|
B. Rowan Atkinson
|
|
C. Miranda Richardson
|
D. Robbie Coltrane
|
Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image source: Shutterstock
Today’s ‘Yesterday’s Australia’ is brought to you by the lovely member, @slks1. Here’s what they shared, ‘I remember most Christmases but the one that always sticks with me is 1973. We had just moved to Darwin for my father's work. Left all our friends and family behind. I had just turned 12 and my brother was 9 and we were living in a motel until our house was ready. I was used to having all our extended family over on Christmas day. I was expecting a very lonely Christmas, stuck in our room reading. Mum and Dad did their very best to
make the day special. Later that morning the owners of the motel came and insisted that we join their family celebrations. The hospitality and welcoming atmosphere that was shown to us will always stay with me. It's the little gestures that matter most and stay the longest. The next Christmas also sticks in my mind as we were now back in Sydney and spent weeks trying to find out if the friends we made had survived cyclone Tracey. It was exciting when we saw them boarding a plane on one of the news broadcasts.’ Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with us @slks1, this is a lovely reminder to be as generous as you can, especially around the holidays, because you never know what someone is going through!
|
|
|
If you have a deal you think other members would enjoy, please submit it here.
|
|
|
1
|
Kenwood Hand Mixer $34.30 @ Target
Make baking easier with a Kenwood Hand Mixer from Target! This mixer is perfect for all the baking we are all doing this festive season, like making cakes, cookies, pavlovas and more. It features a comfortable grip and is super lightweight, so your hands won’t get sore. There are also 5 different speed settings so you can mix your ingredients to perfection. It also comes with a dough hook and beaters, so you have everything you need to get started. It's currently on sale for just $34.30, down from its original price of $49, so hurry and take advantage of this great deal before it ends, folks!
View Deal
|
|
2
|
Folding Portable Barbecue Charcoal Grill $38.88 @ Amazon*
Enjoy your favourite grilled foods all year long with a Folding Portable Barbecue Charcoal Grill from Amazon*. This grill is perfect for the backyard, camping, picnics and more. It features a compact and lightweight design that makes it easy to transport and a durable construction that ensures it will last for years to come. You can grab it today from Amazon for only $38.88!*
View Deal*
|
|
3
|
Dyson Big Ball Origin Barrel Vacuum $399 @ BIG W
Make cleaning your house a breeze with a Dyson Big Ball Origin Barrel Vacuum from BIG W. This vacuum is perfect for those who have allergies, as it features a powerful suction that can remove even the most stubborn dirt and dust. It also has a self-righting design so you never have to worry about it tipping over. It's currently on sale for just $399, down from $549, only at BIG W!
View Deal
|
|
|
|
|
|
Image Source: Member @dragabagalong
The Brandenburg Gate
Today’s incredible ‘Picture of the day’ was posted on our forum by member @dragabagalong. Here is the caption they posted with the picture, ‘The Brandenburg Gate is the most recognised tourist attraction in Berlin. After WWII when Berlin was split into four sections, American, British, French and Russian, it became the "gate" to the Russian sector. Ronald Regan famously stood here and demanded Gorbachev tear down the wall…’ Wow, member @dragabagalong, thank you so much for sharing not only this incredible photograph but the background
information too!
|
|
|
1
|
1818 Christmas carol 'Silent Night' composed by Franz Xaver Gruber is first sung at St Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria.
|
|
2
|
1877 Thomas Edison filed a patent for the phonograph.
|
|
3
|
1893 Henry Ford completed his first useful petrol-fuelled engine.
|
|
4
|
1939 World War II: Pope Pius XII makes a Christmas Eve appeal for peace.
|
|
5
|
1970 Walt Disney releases the animated musical The Aristocats featuring voices of Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Hermione Baddeley, Sterling Holloway, and Scatman Crothers.
|
|
|
Paddy called the RSPCA today and said,
‘I've just found a suitcase in the woods containing a fox with four cubs.’
Oh, this is a funny one. Poor, innocent Paddy! A big thank you to member @Skipton for sharing this with us. Click here to read the rest of the joke.
|
|
Robbie Coltrane played the Spirit of Christmas in the 1988 TV film Blackadder's Christmas Carol.
|
|
|
|
