Our End-of-Year Watchlist & Reading List
- Edited by
- Team ICONS
- Words by
- Elizabeth Little
Laura - Co-Founder and CCO
"Not a particularly groundbreaking choice - but some things are a classic for a reason. Every year we watch Home Alone on Christmas Eve. Last year we watched it at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra, and it was simply magical. Worth booking well in advance (sign up to the newsletter in September for updates on the tickets as they sell super fast). This year we’re travelling around the holiday period, so I’ve made sure my reading list is full – I love a self help book, so at the top of my list is Mattering by Jennifer Wallace. 2025 has been a long year, so I’m hoping this book will help me feeling recharged for the new year!"
Georgie - Newsletter Editor
“Heart the Lover is a companion novel to Lily King’s Writers & Lovers, which I read and adored, a few years ago. So many people have been moved by this story that I’m keen to discover it for myself over the break. As for films, there’s nobody quite like George Clooney, and seeing him directed by Noah Baumbach feels like a guaranteed treat. To that end, Jay Kelly on Netflix will be the first thing I switch on!”
Phoebe - Social Media Manager
"I’ve been quietly working my way through the Harry Potter series (both audiobooks and films) in the run up to Christmas, but Boxing Day has been reserved for a family viewing of Season 2 of the Night Manager. Reading-wise I’m looking forward to escaping into the world of Stanley Tucci in his book What I Ate In a Year. It’s a diary of all-things-food shared with friends, family and on tour, hopefully it will be full of the usual wit I see on his much-beloved Instagram reels!"
Alex - Creative Assets Coordinator
“I’m a big Jane Birkin fan, so this Christmas I’m hoping to get my hands on her new biography by Marisa Meltzer. It’s not my usual genre, but I’m drawn to anything Birkin related. But to contrast the informative read, I’m using the rest of my downtime to watch the first season of the ‘90s sitcom Absolutely Fabulous – the girls in the office couldn’t believe I’ve never seen it! I think a funny, effortless watch like this is perfect for the Christmas holidays.”
Polly Knight - Fashion Director
"I’m counting down the days to Boxing Day for the next drop of Stranger Things, not very festive, but I’m very intrigued to see where it goes from here - eeek! I also LOVE a period drama so I really want to watch A Thousand Blows, quite the contrast to Stranger Things and still not very festive of me – sorry! I will be watching the classics, though, with Home Alone and Love Actually in amongst the sci-fi and period dramas. Book wise, I bought Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors before I went on leave for my mat leave read. Silly me to think I’d be able to read in that first year, so I’m going back to it this season and will hopefully finish it!"
Emma - Head of Partnerships
“The Names by Florence Knapp is the first book to have kept me captivated for a while and I look forward to reading the final few chapters from our cosy chalet in St Martin de Belleville over the Christmas break. And when I return, I cannot wait to watch the Christmas special of Amandaland – with both Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders, it’s my idea of TV heaven.”
Lily - Fashion Newsletter Editor
"Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the annual watch of Home Alone. It’s one of those films I’ve seen countless times, yet it’s still just as enjoyable to watch together as a family. And nothing captures the spirit of the season quite like John Williams’ soundtrack, which we happily play on repeat. Other family favourites include Trading Places and The Office Christmas special. And as I wait with bated breath for the Wuthering Heights remake in February, I’m planning a re-read – something I haven’t done since my school years – in preparation. I’ve also had Still Life by Sarah Winman and Sonia Purnell’s Kingmaker recommended to me, and I’m hoping to carve out some time during the school holidays to dive into them."
Grace - Social Media Assistant
“This Christmas I’ve asked for Nigel Slater’s A Cook’s Book, which is full of cosy, comforting recipes that feel just right for winter evenings at home. And while not strictly festive, I already know that while I experiment with new recipes over the next few weeks, I’ll be watching Sleepless in Seattle on repeat. I always watch it at this time of year, and the Christmas scenes are heart-warming and always give me a magical feeling.”
Elizabeth - Junior Content Writer
“I love rewatching classic Christmas films every year, but my all-time favourite has to be The Muppet Christmas Carol. It’s a surprisingly faithful adaptation of Dickens’ original story while still capturing all the charm and humour of a Muppet film. I always save it for Christmas Eve — it feels like the perfect way to start the celebrations. But until then, I’m really hoping to tackle some of the many books on my bookshelf. The Three Dahlias is first on my list — a murder mystery series I’ve been meaning to start for ages — and if I manage to finish it, I have plenty of audiobooks queued up and ready to go.”
Claudia - SEO Ecommerce Specialist
"This Christmas, the TV show I’m most looking forward to watching is Pluribus. I’ve saved it especially for the holidays so I can watch it with my family, which hasn’t been easy given the buzz around it. We all love apocalyptic thrillers, so it feels like the perfect festive binge-watch — the kind of show you end up talking about at the dinner table. When I’m not watching, I’ll be reading Playing Nice by J.P. Delaney, my favourite author and the kind of psychological thriller that’s perfect for getting properly stuck into over the holidays."
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