We’re embracing the festive spirit this summer, and from 4 to 19 December 2025, you can win some of the best experiences in Cape Town.
Day8: Win a 4-night midweek stay for two people at the Riverview Hout Bay luxury self-catering apartment, valued at R6600, courtesy of DK Villas.
Spend four nights at DK Villa’s Riverview, a one-bedroom apartment conveniently located a stone’s throw from the beach and a short drive from Hout Bay’s best shopping, restaurants, and attractions. Ideal for two guests, amenities include an open-plan lounge and kitchen, a fully equipped kitchen with top-of-the-range SMEG appliances, including a kettle, coffee machine, toaster, dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, as well as complimentary Wi-Fi.
To enter, complete and submit the online entry form below.
The competition ends on 15 December 2025, at 23:59 pm SAST. The winner will be announced the next day, at 9am.
Terms and Conditions:
The prize is valid until 31 December 2026, and is not redeemable for cash.
The self-catering accommodation is subject to availability. Cleaning services are not included during your stay.
The prize is only valid from Monday to Friday, excluding any long weekends, Public Holidays, and Western Cape school holidays. High Season of December 2025, January 2026, February 2026, March 2026 and 15-31 December 2026 are also excluded.
There is a R2000 refundable breakage deposit, which is not part of the prize.
No parties or functions are permitted.
In addition to the above, please view our T’s and C’s here.
The Hallmark Channel is far and away the best place to find the corniest, cheesiest holiday movies.
And during the Christmas season, that’s just what many people are looking for. They want to light a Yankee candle, brew some peppermint tea and sink into a world where beautiful people get just what they want for Christmas.
Watch With Us loves a good Hallmark Christmas movie, so we decided to do a civil service and rank the very best ones you can watch right now on Hallmark+.
Did your favorites make the cut? Read on to find out!
Humble seamstress Emily (Lacey Chabert) devotes herself to her family’s Philadelphia business, but she finds her world turned upside-down when she discovers that her European boyfriend, Leopold (Stephen Hagan), is a royal prince and heir to the throne of a small sovereign country. Leopold takes Emily back to his home to met his family for Christmas with intent to marry her. However, Leopold’s mother has other plans for him.
With some The Princess Diaries sprinkled in, A Royal Christmas hits all the notes you want from a royalty-themed Christmas Hallmark movie: everyone learns a lesson, everyone looks beautiful, love prevails and, of course, the beautiful gowns. Plus, Chabert and Jane Seymour shine in the film.
Estranged identical twin sisters Kate and Christ Lockhart (both played by Candace Cameron Brue) are stuck planning their respective holiday parties when they decide to switch things up. In order to see if one twin has things better than the other — and unbeknownst to their families — the twins swap lives, and the lessons they learn from the experience may just make for the best Christmas they’ve ever had.
Switched for Christmas makes for an adorable Christmas tale of family, friendship and learning to understand and appreciate your loved ones — and what would a Hallmark movie be without a little romance as well? It doesn’t hurt that the movie has a good sense of humor too, and with Cameron Brue playing an impressive dual role.
In a gambit to give his parents a good Christmas, speech writer Jaime (Tyler Hynes) makes a deal with his ex-girlfriend Emily (Bethany Joy Lenz) to come home with him for the holidays and pretend that they’re still together. However, it doesn’t take much before the act starts to unravel — especially when they realize their dormant feelings for one another are coming back.
This is a great Christmas Hallmark movie to watch for some silly antics, as Jaime and Emily do their best to maintain their week-long ruse in front of Jaime’s family, but it ends on a heartfelt note when the two exes realize they still love each other. Lenz and Hynes have wonderful, believable chemistry, and the film sports the perfect warm and festive holiday atmosphere.
Bachelor Zachary Stone (Brandon Routh) is only committed to one thing, and that’s being single. But when a stray cat winds up on his doorstep, he starts to realize that a little company in his day-to-day life might not be so bad. However, things take an unexpectedly romantic turn when he meets Marilee (Kimberly Sustad), a veterinary student who helps teach him how to take care of his new feline friend. Can the two make it work despite their differences?
The Nine Lives of Christmas is a fun rom-com with the perfect amount of schmaltz, made all the more enjoyable by Routh and his dynamic with Sustad. The movie is an ideal, easy Christmas watch, with some critics even feeling that the script and characters were better written than the book it was based on.
Hardworking single mom Jennifer (Brooke Burns) has become a bit of a Scrooge around Christmas, and her young son barely believes in Santa Claus. However, when her Uncle Ralph (Henry Winkler) brings over a man named Morgan (Warren Christie) whom he met on his flight, Jen and Morgan hit it off, but Morgan doesn’t like Jen’s attitude towards the holiday. For them to make it work, Morgan has to teach Jen how to get into the Christmas spirit.
While The Most Wonderful Time of the Year features a fairly familiar premise, it’s executed in a refreshing way through its smart scriptwriting, genuinely funny moments and the inclusion of Happy Days legend Henry Winkler. With fun, mismatched chemistry between Burns and Christie and a brisk script, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is a Christmas movie highlight.
The premise of the 1987 Tom Selleckmovie Three Men and a Baby gets a Christmas twist in Three Wise Men and a Baby, when three brothers named Stephen (Paul Campbell), Taylor (Hynes) and Luke (Andrew W. Walker) find themselves stuck caring for a baby over the holidays. After an abandoned infant is left at the doorstep of Luke’s work, the brothers, who have grown apart over the years, must now work together in an unexpected situation.
Well-written, genuinely funny and featuring a terrific cast, Three Wise Men and a Baby is a Hallmark holiday favorite for a reason. The characters are believable and have well-developed relationships with one another, and the movie balances the perfect mix of humor and heartfelt moments.
Screenwriter Lucy Hardgrove (Joy Lenz) has been hired to write the script for a remake of a beloved Christmas classic filmed at the historic Biltmore house. However, when Lucy’s script isn’t up to studio standards, she’s sent to the house for inspiration — where she finds herself traveling back in time to 1947 when His Merry Wife! was filmed. As she uses it as a chance to learn more about the film, she gets cozy with one of the stars, but her presence in the past threatens the film’s future.
Many consider A Biltmore Christmas to be the ultimate Hallmark holiday classic, but also a fantastic Christmas movie in its own right. The plot frees itself from many tired Christmas tropes while still hitting the right beats and heartfelt moments. The music, sets, costuming and performances all come together to make A Biltmore Christmas can’t-miss during the holidays.
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Abraham Quintanilla, the father of late singer Selena Quintanilla, has died. He was 86.
“It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…,” the late singer’s brother, Abraham “A.B.” Isaac Quintanilla, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, December 13, announcing his father’s death. Abraham’s son also shared a photo of his father, wearing rose-colored sunglasses.
The cause of death has not been made public.
Selena’s father married her mother, Marcella Quintanilla, in June 1963. In addition to their famous daughter and A.B., the pair also welcomed daughter Suzette.
Abraham took on the role of Selena’s manager as her music career took off. Her musical rise was truly a family enterprise, as A.B. played the bass and Suzette played the drums in her band.
In 2021, Abraham shared excerpts from his memoir A Father’s Dream: My Family’s Journey in Music with 3News. He also told the news station of the book, “It has a lot of things in there the public wants to know. Because there’s always been, and now it’s grown even more curiosity about Selena.”
He added, “You have to understand that people have sometimes the wrong image of musicians. But they forget one thing: that being involved in music is also a business, and for me it was a business, it became a business.”
While speaking about the beginning of Selena’s career, Abraham reflected on what the experience was like for the entire family. “At first it was a dream and then within time it became a reality because Selena became one of the leading female artists in the world,” he said
Selena was shot dead in Corpus Christi, Texas, at the age of 23 by her former friend and business associate Yolanda Saldívar, who was also accused of embezzling money from the singer’s business in the months that preceded the shooting.
Coroners ruled the death a homicide despite Saldívar’s claim it was accidental.
Marcella Quintanilla and Abraham QuintanillaBob Levey/WireImage
Us Weekly obtained the original 1995 report that confirmed that Selena died from a bullet wound to her lower right shoulder. The coroner further confirmed Selena died from “exsanguinating internal and external [bleeding] due to [a] perforating gunshot wound.”
“It is my opinion that Selena Quintanilla Pérez, a 23-year-old woman, came to her death as a result of an exsanguinating internal and external hemorrhage, in other words massive bleeding, due to a perforating gunshot wound of the thorax (chest),” coroner Lloyd White wrote.
Saldívar was charged with first-degree murder and was convicted in October 1995. Despite making a parole request in December 2024, as of November 2025, Saldívar has not been released from custody. Saldívar has served her sentence at a women’s prison in Gatesville, Texas.
“It was the parole panel’s determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldívar and set her next parole review for March 2030,” the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles confirmed via a statement obtained by Us.
“While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions of fans around the world far too soon,” the Quintanillas said via Instagram at the time. “Selena’s legacy is one of love, music, and inspiration. She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to uplift generations with her voice and her spirit.”
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Summer House fans have been part of Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula’s relationship from the very beginning — and have weathered every storm with them, including rumors of a split.
While Cooke, 43, and Batula, 34, faced many bumps on their road to marriage since tying the knot in September 2021, they appeared to have mellowed out. That was until earlier this fall when speculation sparked that the couple were living apart amid marriage woes.
A source exclusively told Us Weekly in November that Cooke and Batula were still living together — but admitted that they were “going through a challenging time.”
Despite their struggles, the insider said Cooke and Batula are “both committed to making the relationship work.”
Cooke and Batula, meanwhile, have hinted at their recent hardships in teasers from the upcoming season 10 of the Bravo series and online.
Scroll down for everything we know about the pair amid their alleged marriage struggles:
Have Kids Factored Into Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s Issues?
Courtesy of Amanda Batula/Instagram
Batula and Cooke butted heads over their future during the season 9 Summer House reunion in May, especially over Cooke’s desire to be a father despite being busy in his career.
“He’s gonna have to be on my page. If he could grow the baby, it could be on his timeline. But it’s happening in this body,” Batula exclusively told Us at the time, noting she was frustrated over how Cooke addressed the topic throughout the season.
She explained, “There was a lot of stuff on this season that was like, him wanting to be a father, and, like, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, but he’s having this conversation with other people, and not the person that’s supposed to carry his child.”
“So if he was actively [saying], ‘Hey, I want to have kids. Like, we should start trying to have kids,’ that would be different,” Batula added. “That’s not a conversation that we’re having.”
She then argued,“[Kyle has] been DJing, he’s gone every weekend. Like, in what world exactly? I know that he wants to be a father one day, but I know he’s not ready. And if he was ready, you know, I think he would be like, ‘I’m ready to have a family.’”
Inside Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s BravoCon 2025 Weekend
The couple seemingly quieted split rumors — at least temporarily — when they sat next to each other at the “Summer House Always Wins” panel during BravoCon 2025 on November 16.
During the three-day convention in Las Vegas, their Summer House costar Lindsay Hubbard also shut down speculation that the pair hit a rocky spot.
“It’s like any relationship, there’s ups and downs,” Hubbard, 39, exclusively told Us of Cooke and Batula’s dynamic on November 14. “I know that they’re so in love with each other, and they’re very much together. Like, come on.”
Courtesy of Amanda Batula/Instagram
Are Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke Living Together?
Batula poked fun at rumors she and Cooke are no longer living under the same roof by showing off her alleged new pad via Instagram.
“Hey guys, it’s taken me a while to talk about this, but I just wanted to confirm the rumors that Kyle and I are living separately. This is my new house,” she said on December 7, panning around a small dark area that was later revealed as a children’s playhouse.
Batula teased, “I just wanted to show you guys. This is my new house. It’s small, it’s kind of all that I can afford.”
The reality star took it a step further, showing off a wreath on the small house, saying, “I decorated for the holidays, I’m really excited. I could really use your support at this time and some privacy while we figure this out. Thanks so much.”
‘Summer House’ Season 10 Trailer Teases Amanda Batula and Kyle Cooke’s Drama
“I wanted him to stop going out and partying, and he found a career [as a DJ] where he goes out late and parties,” Batula said in a voiceover while speaking about Cooke’s choice of career.
Cooke proceeded to tell BFF Carl Radke that his wife “couldn’t care less” about his DJ career, confessing, “I don’t know what matters to her anymore.”
Elsewhere in the trailer, Cooke and Batula got into a full-blown fight about their relationship. “You know what I actually think we have an issue with? Compatibility, chemistry, intimacy,” Cooke claimed. “What about that s***?”
During the season 10 Summer House trailer, Batula told pals Hubbard and Ciara Miller that Cooke fell asleep at a fan’s house after one of his DJ gigs and allegedly “came home at 6:30 in the morning.”
“That’s f***ing insane,” Miller, 29, said in response, however, Cooke has since denied his wife’s claims.
“There’s no excuse for staying out as late as I did, but I want to be clear that I did not sleep at a fan’s apartment,” Cooke told People in a statement on December 9. “I was at an event that Amanda chose not to attend, which moved to a bar and then to an after-party.”
He claimed, “I don’t use anything to keep myself wired, so I think I ended up falling asleep on a couch, and suddenly it was almost 6 a.m. Do I regret the situation? Absolutely. But that’s the truth and full extent of what happened.”
Summer House premieres on Bravo February 3, 2026.
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We’re embracing the festive spirit this summer, and from 4 to 19 December 2025, you can win some of the best experiences in Cape Town.
Day 4: Win a shark cage diving and viewing encounter for 2 people to the value of R6710, courtesy of Marine Dynamics.
Marine Dynamics, an award-winning ecotourism and marine company, offers captivating shark cage diving experiences and marine Big 5 tours, all while remaining committed to preserving the marine environment and providing unforgettable marine experiences.
You and a loved one can come face-to-face with the ocean’s apex predators on a thrilling shark cage diving experience in Gansbaai, located around 2 and a half hours from Cape Town.
The competition ends on 9 December 2025, at 23:59 pm SAST. The winner will be announced the next day, at 9am.
To enter, complete and submit the online entry form below.
Terms and Conditions:
This prize is not transferable and may not be sold, exchanged for cash, or used as part of any commercial promotion.
The prize is valid for two people for a Shark Cage Diving experience with Marine Dynamics in Gansbaai.
Transport to and from Gansbaai is not included in this prize.
A conservation fee applies per person and must be paid on the day of the tour.
Bookings are essential and subject to availability. The exact meeting/pick-up time can only be confirmed the day before the trip.
The prize is weather-dependent. In the event that the trip is cancelled due to weather, it will be rescheduled within the voucher’s validity period.
The voucher is valid until 30 November 2026.
The prize cannot be redeemed by unaccompanied minors. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Should the guest choose not to enter the cage, no alternative or compensation will be provided.
Find Marine Dynamics standard terms and conditions and safety protocols here.
In addition to the above, please view our T’s and C’s here.
We’re embracing the festive spirit this summer, and from 4 to 19 December 2025, you can win some of the best experiences in Cape Town.
Day 4: Win a shark cage diving experience for 2 valued at R7500, courtesy of Shark Explorers.
Get up close and personal with South Africa’s most iconic ocean predators with Shark Explorers. Located in Simon’s Town, enjoy an unforgettable, safe, and educational shark cage diving experience for the whole family (ages 5 and up).
As an internationally recognised, award-winning operator, Shark Explorers is dedicated to ocean adventure, conservation, and showcasing South Africa’s incredible marine biodiversity.
The competition ends on 9 December 2025, at 23:59 pm SAST. The winner will be announced the next day, at 9am.
To enter, complete and submit the online entry form below.
Terms and Conditions:
The prize is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, and is subject to availability and weather conditions.
The voucher is non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Standard Shark Explorers trip policies apply.
The winner will be required to sign the Shark Explorers indemnity form on the day of the trip.
Transport to and from Simon’s Town is not included in this prize.
In addition to the above, please view our T’s and C’s here.
