The Australian Women's Weekly Christmas 2023

It seems like just yesterday I was navigating the tricky first few months back at work after becoming a mother while finding my feet in the role of my dreams as the new Editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly. In fact, that was six years ago, and it was the start of the most challenging, exciting and fulfilling period of my career. I watched proudly as the magazine I loved won awards, secured exclusives with influential and remarkable people and helped countless women progress world-changing projects through our Women of the Future initiative. I also got to work with some of the most talented, passionate and genuinely wonderful people, and loved (nearly) every minute. It’s hard for me to write that this is my last letter as Editor of The…

“It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Letter of the month Who doesn’t love Helen Mirren? (“Throw Caution To The Wind”, AWW, December). While initially it was her acting range that caught my eye, Dame Helen’s sense of style and self is what elevated her to icon status. Her face, beautiful and real, celebrates her age. As your cover states, there is real joy in ageing. Mature women are now dressing for themselves – just ask my other idol, centenarian Iris Apfel. Ladies, it’s time to lose the fear and enjoy wearing what you like. You’re never too old for style – or fun. Mullaloo, WA. Labour of love Memories of my mother making everything, from overcoats to cocktail and daytime dresses, flooded…

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of COUNTRY The Australian Women’s Weekly acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we now call Sydney, where this magazine is published. The Weekly also pays respects to Elders past and present. EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES The Australian Women’s Weekly, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001, phone (02) 9282 8000, visit womensweekly.com.au The Australian Women’s Weekly is published by Are Media.  SYNDICATION ENQUIRIES syndication@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ACN 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. © 2023. All rights reserved. Printed by IVE Warwick Farm, 8 Priddle Street, Warwick Farm, NSW 2170. ISSN 0005-0458…

Friends old and new converged to toast the holidays as cameras rolled for our Christmas with The Australian Women’s Weekly TV special. Sarah Harris returns as host while former Studio 10 colleagues Jessica Rowe and Denise Drysdale drop in to cause merriment (and a little mayhem!). Food Director Fran Abdallaoui is joined by ex-MasterChef stars Amina Elshafei and Khanh Ong in the kitchen, with more celebrities making cameos throughout. Tune in for all the fun! Join us for Christmas with THE AUSTRALIAN Women's Weekly ON CHANNEL 10, 7.30PM FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILL HORNER. NICOLE WEARS AJE DRESS. FRAN WEARS SCANLAN THEODORE DRESS. SARAH WEARS CUE DRESS FROM MYER. JESS WEARS ROMANCE WAS BORN DRESS. DENISE WEARS CAMILLA DRESS. WARREN WEARS COUNTRY ROAD SHIRT. KHAHN WEARS INDUSTRY SHIRT. BALSAM…

Ada Nicodemou & Lynne McGranger When Ada Nicodemou hosts her annual friends Christmas bash this year, her co-star Lynne McGranger already knows what to bring. “My Caesar salad,” she says with a throaty laugh. “That’s all I can make, I surround myself with people who can cook.” “You don’t need to bring anything,” Ada demurs. “But you always want to so, okay, bring a salad.” The pair met on the Home and Away set decades ago and quickly became firm friends, sharing a dressing room, a love of books and sense of fun. And while they’ll spend the actual day with their individual families – each with “food, laughs and lots of rosé” – every year they’ve marked the occasion together in some way. Before wrapping up for the year…

Katrina’s dreams were always big, but uncomplicated. Or so she thought. She wanted a baby, and a home with a yard and room for a swing set. Having grown up in the Yarra Valley, a green swathe of Victoria known for its vineyards, her vision of an idyllic childhood meant space and fresh air. She was 23 when she met a kindred spirit in then 27-year-old Steve Kirk and began to feel that her ambitions were within her grasp. “He was a little nerdy, but cute,” Katrina recalls warmly. “We never got off the phone.” One of their first dates played out like something Nora Ephron might cook up to show that the heroes of a romantic comedy belong together: Steve had wanted to take Katrina to a yoghurt shop…