“I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know,” yes, it true we used to have plenty of white festive seasons when I was younger and living 2,300 km to the north.

And who knows I might get another white Christmas this year, as by the time you are reading this I will be lost in a London airport. I guess I could have used a Chris Rhea lyric to open, but this time we aren’t driving home for Christmas but flying, thanks to Scrooge Airlines (AKA Ryanair).

Driving home for Christmas - Photo Mark Thomas 

Ryanair really reminds me of catching the school bus when I was a child, it does the job but is a little lacking in luxury. More practical than plush. But they are the only one flying to London this Christmas so I shouldn’t really knock them.

So this year it’s turkey and stuffing for me, followed by Christmas pudding and mince pies. To be honest I am not really a great fan of any of this festive food but it’s Christmas so I go with the flow.

There will be only a few presents under the Christmas tree and we’ve all agreed to go down the route of a Secret Santa, although I’m pretty sure it won’t be that secret for long.

I don’t know about you but I believe that presents at Christmas should be reserved only for children. If you want to give to an adult then give to a charity instead, I assure you that they need the money more than your relative needs another bottle of perfume.

Not to mention the tradition of pretending to love your presents. Nothing beats that awkward moment when you unwrap socks with Santa hats on them and have to muster the enthusiasm of someone opening a winning lottery ticket. “Oh, wow! Just what I needed!” you exclaim, while mentally filing them under "emergency dusting cloths."

I tell you the one thing that I won’t miss about Christmas in Dubrovnik, those bloody fireworks. Christmas for our pets is a nightmare. “I thought they were banned,” said my wife. “They were, but making a law and enforcing it are two completely different things,” I replied. “But you don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to catch them, they are firecrackers!” she answered.

She had a point.

Firecrackers are openly on sale in many stores and presumably parents are giving their children money to buy them. There is a lot of stupid going on in that last sentence! How long will be before there is a Tik Tok Challenge involving fireworks that children will sheep-like follow just to get likes. Again we will read about a child who has been blinded or suffered third-degree burns.

If you are a store owner selling firecrackers to children, you are an utter moron.

Thankfully I will have a break from the festive madness this year. There’s something uniquely comforting about Christmas Day in England. For one day, the usual clamour of daily life seems to take a collective pause, and the country, bustling and chaotic 364 days a year, is wrapped in an unusual stillness.

Even the constant hum of motorway traffic fades to a whisper, the hustle of shops and cafés is silenced, and for once, the relentless pace of modern life slows to something resembling serenity.

Yet, Christmas Day isn’t without its complexities. For some, it’s a stark reminder of loss or loneliness, a day when the world seems to magnify absences. The pressure to meet the ideals of a “perfect Christmas” can cast a long shadow, and the day’s stillness, for some, brings not peace but a deafening silence. Remember, above all, that Christmas is a time to think of others and to put others first. So, as I swap the mild winters of Dubrovnik for the frosty charm of England, I’m reminded that Christmas isn’t a place or even a specific meal—it’s a feeling.

It’s the cosy comfort of a shared laugh, the cheesy carols everyone pretends to hate, and the moment of quiet reflection when the chaos settles. Even with all its clichés, chaos, and inevitable calorie overload, Christmas Day in England has a charm that’s hard to beat. It’s not about perfection or Instagram-worthy moments; it’s about shared experiences, laughter, and maybe a little too much brandy in the custard.

So wherever you are this festive season, whether in England, Croatia, or somewhere in between, I hope you find joy in the little moments, the unexpected laughs, and the people around you. I wish you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas. Cheers!

I wish you all a very merry and peaceful Christmas.   

Read more Englishman in Dubrovnik…well, if you really want to

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About the author

Mark Thomas (aka Englez u Dubrovniku) is the editor of The Dubrovnik Times. He was born and educated in the UK and moved to live in Dubrovnik in 1998. He works across a whole range of media, from a daily radio show to TV and in print. Thomas is fluent in Croatian and this column is available in Croatia on the website – Dubrovnik Vjesnik

Croatian Ivan Jurić, 49, has been appointed manager of Southampton after parting ways with Roma. He signed an 18-month contract, taking over from Russell Martin, who was dismissed following a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham.

Southampton, recently promoted to the Premier League, sits at the bottom of the table with five points and has not won a match since November 2. The squad is valued at €306 million.

“I’m very pleased. This is a big challenge, but I’m optimistic because I see a team that can improve. It’s important to connect with the fans right away. I want an aggressive team, and I believe Southampton supporters will appreciate that. I want us to play more aggressively and apply more pressing. We’ll need to quickly change the mentality because that’s my football philosophy,” Jurić said after signing the contract.

Jurić could make his debut on Sunday against Fulham, provided his work permit is approved, with a match against West Ham to follow.

Online dating has utterly changed the way in which we go about the courting process in order to find a suitable match that we might end up staying with for a significant amount of our lives. Moreover, it has opened up new ways that we can choose to date, whether that be searching for a quick hookup or attempting to find other divorcees who are carving companionship more than ever after a nasty breakup. However, one thing that remains true, regardless of the outcome you're looking for, is that men tend to be slightly more clueless in navigating the world of online dating than women. Obviously, there are exceptions, and the difference is not as massive as many will have you believe, but the fact is that men have a slightly higher propensity to come across as arrogant, rude, and more willing to bend the truth to ensure their egos are sufficiently massaged. In this post, we are going to help those men among you who are unsure how to play the online dating game correctly by proffering a few crucial tips that ought to land you more high-quality matches that should hopefully end up with you in a relationship with someone who shares your interests and is happy to be with you.

Image source: https://unsplash.com/

Choose The Right Applications And Sites

In many cases, this tip is relevant for all genders as it merely involves making sure you select an app that suits the very sort of dating you're going for. Because a dating website isn't a monolithic idea, there are numerous different types that cater to almost anything that you could imagine. From those offering a quick date to those appealing to the people who prefer to take things a little more slowly, you have the choice in how you can date, and the site you choose will dictate the sort of outcome you receive. By doing a bit of due diligence before pouring your heart into a profile that will never get seen or pestering other women for a hookup on a site that mainly focuses on long-term potential, you will save yourself a lot of time and a decent dollop of embarrassment.

Craft A Genuine And Engaging Profile

After ensuring that you have selected a website or application that caters to your requirements vis-a-vis dating, we can move on to the male-specific tips that will help you find love based on who you are as a person. The first of which is to learn how to craft the perfect profile that includes just enough information to showcase who you are as a person, to leave enough room to elicit follow-up questions from those who like the look of you and want to find out more. The idea here is not to splurge out anything and everything about yourself but to pick a few points that showcase who you are, what you're seeking, and what you enjoy. Your profile is often the first thing that a prospective match will look at, and making it too long or coming across as overly arrogant will scupper your chances of finding true love. Moreover, it will indicate to others what you expect from any potential relationship. It is that latter point that is so crucial, as it helps viewers get an overall view of who you are and determine if they deem yourself as a compatible match and want to continue to dig a little deeper. 

Image source: https://unsplash.com

Use Recent And Clear Photos

If you are in a certain age bracket and are still using a photo that you took from a decade ago that you think shines you in a good light, you might want to ditch it and choose another one. If your profile says you are in your late forties, you had better believe that most people will see right through your attempt at passing off an old football photo from your college days! Instead, choose one that is up-to-date and flattering in an honest way (e.g., by using natural light and showing you dressed in nice clothing). You should also ensure that you use an image that only contains you rather than a group, as it can be confusing, and many potential suitors will pass you up as they won't be able to pick you out from the others. Making this effort will garner more views and improve your chances of getting lots of great matches to follow up with.

Show Confidence Without Boasting

Confidence is often considered to be a highly sexy trait in men, but when it spills over into arrogance, this sexiness can quickly turn sour and leave a bad taste in other people. So the question for most is, how can you come across as confident without ending up looking like a bad Andrew Tate knock-off? The answer lies in being respectful and happy in your own body. You can list your interests down and never attempt to lie about who you are in order to score a match. To put it in other words, it's not about bragging about yourself, but instead being happy in your own body and owning who you are as a person.

Image source: https://unsplash.com/photos

Be Respectful In All Interactions

The internet has made it easy for people to be rude without facing any consequences for their actions, and this, in turn, has normalized this type of interaction. Nevertheless, you can buck this trend and ensure that in every interaction you have with someone else, you choose to take the route of respect, even when you are declining a possible match. You have the option here to become a true gentleman, and doing so can really shine through to others how you are as a person and help you generate a more confident personality that is highly appealing to most people.

Initiate Conversations With Thoughtful Questions

If you have spent a decent amount of time perfecting your profile, taking an image that is both up-to-date and flattering, and coming across as confident, you should begin receiving messages from those interested in taking things further. When this occurs, you need to be ready to respond with your own questions and answers that are thoughtful enough to keep things moving along. 

Online dating is thankfully no longer the kind of taboo that it was only a decade or so ago. However, many men are still unable to treat it like the separate entity that it is and will bring across many undesirable traits they might have already used and failed with in real life. By using these tips, you ought to be better placed to find whatever kind of love you're seeking.

Croatia is marking a Day of Mourning following a tragic attack at Prečko Primary School in Zagreb, where a 19-year-old former student killed one child and injured three others, along with a 62-year-old teacher who heroically intervened to prevent further violence.

Flags are being flown at half-mast across government and public buildings, while entertainment events have been canceled. Broadcasters are required to adapt their programming to reflect the somber occasion. 

Citizens gathered at the school playground and a nearby health center to light candles, leave tributes, and pray. A vigil was also held at the local church for the victims.

The attacker, who fled the scene and attempted suicide, is in custody and will be questioned once recovered. He was reportedly treated for mental health issues, with his family previously expressing fear and pleading with doctors to keep him hospitalized.

Police are investigating the motive behind the attack.

The 2024 ranking of the world's most powerful passports has been released, with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) securing the top spot for the fourth consecutive year. This global index measures the number of countries citizens can visit without a visa, and UAE nationals enjoy access to an impressive 133 visa-free destinations and 47 countries with visas on arrival, covering over 90% of the globe, reports the Daily Mail.

European countries dominate the ranking, holding 19 of the top 20 positions. Spain has surpassed Germany to claim the second-most powerful passport, while Finland has risen to third place, ahead of France, Belgium, and Italy. Despite slipping to fourth, France boasts the most powerful passport among G20 nations.  Croatian citizens can now travel to 125 countries visa-free and an additional 51 with a visa and Croatia ranks 23rd (or joint fifth) on the list. 

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom continues its decline, falling to 32nd place. British citizens can now travel to 125 countries visa-free and 49 with a visa on arrival, a far cry from 2017, the last time their passport ranked in the top ten.

Croatian captain Luka Modrić celebrated his 28th career trophy with Real Madrid as they won the inaugural FIFA Intercontinental Cup by defeating Pachuca 3-0 in Lusail, Qatar. Entering the game in the 70th minute, Modrić, who became Real's captain this season, further cemented his legacy as the club’s most decorated player.

This latest victory is another milestone in Modrić’s illustrious career, following his UEFA Super Cup win earlier this season.

British Airways has announced increased flight frequencies to Dubrovnik for the upcoming summer season, with services resuming earlier and more connections planned compared to 2024.

The carrier will restart its London Gatwick to Dubrovnik route on March 4, nearly a month ahead of last year. Frequencies will steadily grow throughout the summer. In June, the airline plans eleven weekly flights, up from nine. This increase continues into July and August, with twelve weekly flights scheduled—compared to nine and eight weekly rotations during the same months in 2024. September will see eleven weekly services, rising from last year’s nine, while October will feature nine weekly flights, up from daily operations, reports EX-YU Aviation. 

These enhancements underline Dubrovnik's popularity as a key destination for British Airways and its commitment to providing travelers with more options to experience the historic city.

Newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump has revealed his picks for several ambassadorial posts via social media, including his choice for the next U.S. ambassador to Croatia.

Trump announced that Nicole McGraw, a philanthropist, businesswoman, and renowned art collector, is his nominee for the role. Highlighting her achievements, Trump said: “She has brought beautiful art to the people through her leadership of the CANVAS Art charitable organizations and raised millions for neglected and abused children as a board member of Place of Hope.”

In addition to McGraw, Trump nominated Herschel Walker as the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas. Walker, a former NFL star and loyal Trump ally, ran for the U.S. Senate in Georgia in 2022. Trump praised Walker’s contributions as a businessman, philanthropist, and mental health advocate, noting his service during Trump’s first administration as co-chair of the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, reports N1. 

“During my first term, Herschel traveled to over 400 military installations worldwide, breaking the stigma around mental health. He also represented the U.S. in the 1992 Winter Olympics as part of the bobsled team,” said Trump, adding, “You’ll make Georgia and our nation proud because we know you’ll always put America first!”

The nominations have sparked discussion as Trump prepares for his second term, with Senate approval still pending for these ambassadorial candidates.