Back In Time With Maisie: 2018

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

2018 was the year the Christmas number one was a song about sausage rolls, comic book-inspired films dominated the big screen, and The Incredibles' sequel finally made it into the cinema.

Christmas Number One:

We Built This City... on Sausage Rolls (Ladbaby)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

This is Me (Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble)

Shotgun (George Ezra)

Perfect (Ed Sheeran)

These Days (Rudimental ft Jess Glynne, Macklemore & Dan Caplen)

Paradise (George Ezra)

One Kiss (Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa)

Feel it Still (Portugal. The Man)

Girls Like You (Maroon 5 ft Cardi B)

Leave a Light On (Tom Walker)

Youngblood (5 Seconds of Summer)

Highest Grossing Films:

Avengers: Infinity War

Black Panther

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Incredibles 2

Aquaman

Events, Music & TV:

War on plastic: Prime Minister Theresa May makes pledge to eradicate all avoidable plastic waste in the UK by 2042. She proposes a ban on plastic straws and cotton buds in England while supermarket chain Iceland announces it will stop the use of plastic for its own-brand products by 2023

Friends is added to UK Netflix

After four years off the air, Dancing On Ice makes a return to our screens. Jake Quickenden and his professional skating partner, Vanessa Bauer win

Toys 'R' Us goes into administration

Blue Peter reaches its 5000th episode

The 'Beast from the East' arrives in the UK. The heavy snowfall causes widespread disruption and leaves people stranded in their cars

The tax on sugary drinks is brought into effect

Louis Arthur Charles, the third child of Prince William and Kate is born. He is the fifth in line to throne

The statue of Suffragette Millicent Fawcett is unveiled in Parliament Square, London. It is the first statue of a woman to be placed here

Prince Harry and Megham Markle marry at St George's chapel at Windsor

England reaches the semi-finals stage of the World Cup for the first time since 1990. They play against Croatia and lose 2-1
The Lightning Seeds reach number one in the charts with 'Three Lions' for the fourth time

A 20ft 'Trump baby' blimp is flown over Westminster during the US president's visit to the UK

BBC One airs its new thriller, Bodyguard

Jodie Whittaker makes her debut as The Doctor

Kim Tate returns to Emmerdale. The return was initially for one week, but it's announced Claire King will reprise the role on a permanent basis

Channel 4 airs the ninth series of The Great British Bake Off, with Rahul Mandal being crowned the winner

Big Brother's nineteenth and final series is aired on Channel 5

Stacey Dooley and her professional dance partner, Kevin Clifton win the sixteenth series of Strictly

Flights are disrupted at Gatwick Airport due to reported sightings of a drone over the airfield

A House Through Time, The Button, The Split, Killing Eve, Derry Girls, and The Circle also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

Back In Time With Maisie: 2010

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

2010 was the year Andy outgrew Woody and co, Glee brought Journey back into the charts, and The Great British Bake Off arrived on our screens

Christmas Number One:

When We Collide (Matt Cardle)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Empire State of Mind (Alicia Keyes)

Pass Out (Tinie Tempah)

Don't Stop Believin' (Journey)

OMG (Usher ft will.i.am)

Telephone (Ladt Gaga & Beyonce)

Bad Romance (Lady Gaga)

Love the Way You Lie (Eminem ft Rihanna)

I Gotta a Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)

She Said (Plan B)

Airplanes (B.o.B ft Hayley Hayley Williams)

Highest Grossing Films:

Toy Story 3

Alice in Wonderland

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Inception

Shrek Happy After

Events, Music & TV:

Matt Smith takes over the role of The Doctor, replacing David Tennant

Channel 4 airs its final series of Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother

Eastenders celebrates its 25th anniversary with a live episode in which it is revealed Stacey Slater killed Archie Mitchell

Kraft Food buys Cadbury's

Emmerdale actress Hayley Tammadon and her professional skating partner, Daniel Whiston win the fifth series of Dancing On Ice

Luther airs on the BBC for the first time

New gameshow The Million Pound Drop - later renamed The 100k Drop - airs on Channel 4

Asda buys all the UK Netto stores

Spelbound, a gymnastics troupe, win the fourth series of Britain's Got Talent

The final episode of Last of the Summer Wine airs after 37 years on our screens

The Bill is axed after 26 years

ITV's breakfast show GMTV is replaced by Daybreak, hosted by Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley

The final episode of Heartbeat airs

Downton Abbey debuts on ITV

Hollyoaks reaches its 15th anniversary

Prince William and Catherine Middleton become engaged

Coronation Street airs the death of long-running character Jack Duckworth

Coronation Street celebrates its 50th anniversary with a live episode. The storyline revolves around the tram crash which results in the deaths of Ashley Peacock and Molly Dobbs

So You Think You Can Dance, Junior Apprentice, Sherlock, The Octonauts, Come Fly With Me and Take Me Out also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Back In Time With Maisie: 2006

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

2006 was the year Leona Lewis became the first woman to win The X Factor, Daniel Craig made his James Bond debut, and the Queen turned 80.

Christmas Number One:

A Moment Like This (Leona Lewis)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Hips Don't Lie (Shakira ft Wyclef Jean)

Crazy (Gnarls Barkley)

I don't Feel Like Dancin' (Scissor Sisters)

I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (With Flowers In My Hair) (Sandi Thom)

Nasty Girl (The Notorious B.I.G. ft Diddy, Nelly, Jagged Edge & Avert Storm)

From Paris to Berlin (Infernal)

No Tomorrow (Orson)

Sexyback (Justin Timberlake)

Maneater (Nelly Furtado)

That's My Goal (Shayne Ward)

Highest Grossing Films:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest 

The Da Vinci Code

Ice Age: The Meltdown

Casino Royale

Night at the Museum

Events, Music & TV:

Life on Mars debuts on BBC One

Dancing On Ice starts on ITV for the first time. Ex-Coronation Street actress and her professional skating partner, Daniel Whiston, win

A whale is spotted in the River Thames

Chantelle Houghton enters the Big Brother house for the fourth celebrity series. She's a 'civilian' but has to convince the other housemates that she's famous. Chantelle goes on to win the series

The Winter Olympics takes place in Turin, Italy. Shelley Rudman wins Great Britain's only medal; a silver in women's skeleton

CITV gets its own TV slot, sharing a channel with ITV4 and running during the daytime

Michelle Dewberry wins the second series of The Apprentice

Top of the Pops is axed, only returning for Christmas specials

Previously viewed as a subscription service, FilmFour launches as a free-to-air channel

New TV talent show, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria airs on BBC One. Presented by Graham Norton, its aim is to find an actress to play Maria in a stage production of The Sound of Music

While filming an episode of Top Gear, host Richard Hammond crashes his jet-powered car and receives a serious brain injury

The One Show launches on BBC One

The Royle Family returns after six years for an hour-long episode, 'The Queen of Sheba'

BBC One airs a new version of Robin Hood, staring Jonas Armstrong , Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage and Keith Allen

Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood debuts on BBC Three

Mark Ramprakash and his professional dance partner, Karen Hardy win the fourth series of Strictly Come Dancing

Wendy Richard, who has played Pauline Fowler since the soap began, leaves Eastenders

Soapstar Superstar, Everybody Hates Chris, Hotel Babylon, Horrid Henry, Dickinson's Real Deal, The IT Crowd and How To Look Good Naked also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

 

Back In Time With Maisie: 2001

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

2001 was the year Kylie made white sheets sexy, Pop Stars gave us Hear'Say and Liberty X, and we were watching monsters and ogres at the cinema.

Christmas Number One:

Somethin' Stupid (Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Whole Again (Atomic Kitten)

It Wasn't Me (Shaggy ft Rik Rok)

Can't Get You Out of My Head (Kylie Minogue)

Hey Baby (DJ Otzi)

Don't Stop Movin' (S Club 7)

Teenage Dirtbag (Wheatus)

Angel (Shaggy ft Rayvon)

Pure & Simple (Hear'Say)

Because I Got High (Afroman)

Eternity/The Road to Mandalay (Robbie Williams)

Highest Grossing Films:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Monsters, Inc

Shrek

Ocean's Eleven

Events, Music & TV:

Game show Blankety Blank makes its return, hosted by Lily Savage

E4 is launched

A foot and mouth outbreak hits the UK

Damon Albarn's virtual band, The Gorillaz, releases its first album

The who shot Phil Mitchel storyline begins in Eastenders

Crossroads returns to ITV after being off the air for thirteen years

The first Celebrity edition of Big Brother airs for one week, as part of Comic Relief. Jack Dee is voted the winner

After winning ITV's Pop Idol, the newly-formed band, Hear'Say release their first single. 'Pure and Simple' reaches number one in the charts

John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, punches a protester who threw an egg at him

Liverpool Airport is renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport in tribute to the Beatle

Richard and Judy leave This Morning after presenting the show for thirteen years

Home and Away airs on Channel 5 for the first time

Brian Dowling wins the second series of Big Brother

Eastenders increases its episodes to four per week

News breaks of a terror attack in the US

Charles Ingram wins the jackpot on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, but is later accused of cheating by having his wife and another contestant cough to signal correct answers

The final episode of Saturday morning children's TV, Live & Kicking is aired on BBC One

Ant & Dec present their last episodes of SMTV Live and CD:UK

The Office, Will & Grace, Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, The Kumars at No. 42, Soapstars, Phoenix Nights, and As if, have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

The 12 Christmases of You & Me Playlist

 

One of the fun things about writing a book is compiling an accompanying playlist - especially when it's a Christmas book you're writing and you get to choose festive favourites!

The 22 songs in The 12 Christmases of You & Me playlist all feature in the book, and there's everything from seasonal classics like Elton John and Cliff Richard, to warm-and-fuzzy-feels-generating carols. So sit back and enjoy, preferably with a mince pie and/or hot chocolate.

Please note: For those taking part in Whamageddon, the playlist is 'safe' as I've used Taylor Swift's version of 'Last Christmas', which is allowed under the rules. However, once the playlist finishes, I have no control over what's played next, so be on your guard...

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Back In Time With Maisie: 2000

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

The year 2000 marked not only a new decade but a new millennium. During the year we had a cartoon builder reach number one in the charts, Tom Hanks made friends with a volleyball, and Big Brother began its run in the UK.

Christmas Number One:

Can We Fix It (Bob the Builder)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Who Let The Dogs Out (Baha Men)

It Feels so Good (Sonique)

The Real Slim Shady (Eminem)

Rise (Gabrielle)

Pure Shores (All Saints)

Toca's Miracle (Fragma)

Reach (S Club 7)

Rock DJ (Robbie Williams)

I Have a Dream/Seasons In The Sun (Westlife)

Fill Me In (Craig David)

Highest Grossing Films:

Mission: Impossible 2

Gladiator

Cast Away

What Women Want

Dinosaur

Events, Music & TV:

Catherine Hartley and Fiona Thornewill reach the South Pole - a first for British women

Kathy Beale and Ricky Butcher leave Eastenders

A bus crash in Emmerdale kills off character Butch Dingle

The Tate Modern is opened in London

Euro 2000 is co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium

In Cornation Street, thirteen-year-old Sarah Platt gives birth to daughter, Bethany

The UK's version of Big Brother airs on Channel 4, presented by Davina McCall. 'Nasty Nick' Bateman is ejected by the show after attempting to influence who the other contestants vote for.
Craig Phillips wins the £70,000 prize

Home and Away airs for the last time on ITV before its move to Channel 5 next year

The Queen's Mother celebrates her 100th birthday

The Weakest Link debuts on BBC Two

Protestors block the entrances to oil refineries due to high fuel prices, which leads to fuel shortages when people start to panic buy

The Slater family arrive in Eastenders

The Olympic Games are held in Sydney, Australia. Great Britain win 11 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze medals

Emmerdale increases its episodes to five nights a week

Judith Keppel is the first person to win a million pounds on ITV's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?

Doctors, My Family, Waking the Dead, Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, At Home with the Braithwaites, and Fat Friends also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

Back In Time With Maisie: 1999

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

In the final year of the 90s, Britney Spears arrived on our screens in her school uniform and pigtails, Star Wars made a return to the big screen and Haley Joel Osment saw dead people.

Christmas Number One:

I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun (Westlife)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

Baby One More Time (Britney Spears)

Heartbeat/Tragedy (Steps)

Livin' La Vida Loca (Ricky Martin)

Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Eiffel 65)

Mambo No 5 (a Little Bit of...) (Lou Bega)

That Don't Impress Me Much (Shania Twain)

9pm (Till I Come (ATB)

Better Off Alone (Alice Deejay)

The Millennium Prayer (Cliff Richard)

Genie In A Bottle (Christina Aguilera)

Highest Grossing Films:

Star Wars Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace

The Sixth Sense

Toy Story 2

The Matrix

Tarzan

Events, Music & TV:

Macmillan publish Julia Donaldson's The Gruffalo

BBC's Casualty spawns spin-off, Holby City

Kim Tate leaves Emmerdale (and will wait almost 20 years before she returns)

Channel 4 airs Sex and The City for the first time

Russel T. Davies' Manchester-based drama Queer As Folk debuts on Channel 4

Noel's House Party is axed

Minimum wage is introduced to the UK, set at £3.60 for employees over 21, and £3 for those under 21

S Club 7 make their TV debut in Miami 7, a children's series aired on BBC One, which will launch their music career

Richard and Judy host the first British Soap Awards on ITV

Newsreader Trevor McDonald is knighted

Grant Mitchel leaves Eastenders

Wales hosts the 1999 rugby world cup

Roy Walker hosts his final episode of Catchphrase

The London Eye is unveiled

The Millennium Dome officially opens

Gimme Gimme Gimme, Tweenies, DIY SOS, The League of Gentlemen, The Naked Chef, Bad Girls, My Parents Are Aliens, Boyz Unlimited and Shipwrecked also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US

 

Back In Time With Maisie: 1998

In my time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me, Maisie travels back in time to Christmases of her past, and we're going to travel back with her and find out what was happening during the years she goes back to. 

1998 was the year when The Spice had their third Christmas number one, B*Witched Irish-jigged their way onto our music channels in double denim, and Blue Peter celebrated their 40th anniversary.

Christmas Number One:

Goodbye (The Spice Girls)

Big Chart Hits in the UK:

My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)

Believe (Cher)

It's Like That (Run-DMC vs Jason Nevins)

Never Ever (All Saints)

How Do I Live (LeAnne Rimes)

C'est La Vie (B*Witched)

No Matter What (Boyzone)

Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are) (Pras Michel ft ODB & Mya)

Truly Madly Deeply (Savage Garden)

Feel It (The Tamperer ft Maya)

Highest Grossing Films:

Armageddon

Saving Private Ryan

Godzilla

There's Something About Mary

A Bug's Life

Events, Music & TV:

Brookside reaches its 4,000th episode

Hayley Patterson (later Cropper) arrives on Coronation Street. She is British soap's first transgender character

Japan hosts the Winter Olympics

Sky One debuts animated series South Park

ASBOS are introduced in the UK to try to tackle anti-social behaviour

Deirdre Rachid is jailed on Coronation Street for a crime she didn't commit (she didn't do anything), causing a public 'Free Deirdre' campaign

The Good Friday Agreement is signed

The character of Helen Daniels dies in Neighbours (in the UK. The episode aired in October 1997 in Australia)

Deirdre Rachid is released from prison

Following the UK's win the previous year, the Eurovision Song Contest is held at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham

Geri Halliwell announces she's leaving the Spice Girls

Channel 4 airs So Graham Norton for the first time

The two-pound coin is introduced

SMTV Live, hosted by Ant & Dec and Cat Deeley starts to air on Saturday mornings

Chris Tarrant hosts the first episode of ITV's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

 Jim Royle and his family make their first appearance on BBC Two

Blue Peter celebrates 40 years on air. Shortly afterwards, presenter Richard Bacon is sacked for reportedly taking cocaine

Matthew Corbett retires from presenting Sooty after 25 years

Robot Wars, Dinner Ladies, Ally McBeal, Bob the Builder, CD:UK and Streetmate also have their British TV debuts

What if you could go back in time and fix the biggest mistake of your life?

Two years ago, Maisie’s best friend walked out of her life and she hasn’t heard from him since. When she wakes up in 1994, she naturally assumes she’s dreaming. But when she finds herself in the past again the next night and her actions in the dream alter her present-day life, she begins to wonder if she’s somehow hopping back in time. And if she is time-travelling, can she save her friendship with Jonas?

When Maisie is forced to relive Christmases of the past, will she face up to her mistakes, or make them all over again?

The 12 Christmases of You & Me is a magical tale of friendship, first loves, and learning to live in the present.

Amazon UK | Amazon US