Innholdsfortegnelse for November 23, 2012 i Woman's Own

I’m already busily planning my Christmas gift list as I love to give presents. But this year, my family and I have decided it’s one present per person with a £50 limit. Every year, we buy more and more things we don’t need, so this year’s Christmas Day will hopefully be all the better for spending less money and more time with those closest to me. That said, should my husband win the lottery between now and 24 December, there is a nice Rolex I’ve got my eye on...   facebook.com/womansownmagazine twitter.com/womansown womansowneditor@ipcmedia.com 020 3148 6565…

Turn down the heating! The countdown to Christmas has begun and, this year, I’m determined to avoid the desperate last-minute rush. Now is a good time to start writing your cards. I know a lot of people send e-cards and texts these days, but I still like to send traditional cards. I put on a DVD of It’s A Wonderful Life, and get to work. This year, I plan to use the internet even more than usual to buy pressies. I’ll be putting in a big order to M&S for hampers, flowers and wine, then raiding Jo Malone for their candles. It’s not unheard of for me to spend an evening in my pyjamas getting half my Christmas shopping done in one go. Hot street Shopping online is brilliant because…

festive In the nicest possible way, Jenny Eclair seems to have been around forever. In her own words, she’s been a stand-up comic for ‘donkey’s years’ and, in 1995, was the first solo woman to win the Perrier Award for comedy. Since then, she’s finished third in I’m A Celebrity… and has become a novelist. Jenny, 52, and her partner Geof have a daughter Phoebe, 23, who is at university. In the run-up to the big day, there are times when the season of goodwill seems more like the work of the devil. Browsing the internet, reading ‘strange facts about Christmas’, the one that made me laugh is discovering Santa is an anagram of Satan. For example, when your supermarket runs out of extra wide tin foil, you leave a…

Christmas chic Dress, £75, 8-20, Star by Julien Macdonald; shoes, £50, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson; necklace, £15, and bracelet, £10, all Debenhams A maxi dress skims your shape and this style creates a waist Dress, £85, 8-16, A Wear; shoes, £29.50, M&Co Draped necklines will boost a smaller bust Dress, £55, 8-24, Holly Willoughby at Very; bracelet, £8 for set of three, New Look A ruched waist creates hourglass curves Dress, £59, 6-22, M&S; necklace, £30, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson at Debenhams Flatter your arms in barely-there sleeves Dress, £69, 6-22, M&S Woman; shoes, £19.99, New Look; bracelet, £10, Debenhams Dark prints have a clever slimming effect Dress, £79, 8-20, Boutique at M&Co; bracelet, £15, Debenhams; bag, £25, A Wear Dress, £42, 6-22, Next Available in 3 lengths…

Christmas glamour 3 of the best Eye palettes • FOR MAKE-UP PROS Check out the 12-shade MUA Dusk Til Dawn palette, £4, Superdrug. Choose the colour to suit your mood, from daytime nudes to adventurous shades of navy and purple. • FOR A TREAT Fabulousness, £32, M.A.C, doubles as a chic clutch and contains frosted and velvety bronze shades with a hit of cool blue. • FOR A FAB GIFT Style meets practicality with the Limited Collection Owl Eye Palette, £7.50, M&S. With its cute packaging and wearable colours, it will make a great Christmas stocking filler. Bye-bye bingo wings Save Nip + Fab Upper Arm Fix, £12.95, uses caffeine to burn fat cells, while special tightening ingredients tone bingo wings. Even the bumpy texture of the skin is smoothed.…

EMMA RECOMMENDS Christmas can be stressful. Check out adviceguide.org.uk for info about concerns that may arise DR RADHA RECOMMENDS Monitor your alcohol intake over the festive period on the NHS website at nhs.uk/change4life I’m worrying about work DEAR EMMA, My youngest will be starting nursery full-time in January. My husband says this means I can go back to work five days a week but I’m so happy just doing part-time, and I’m hating the idea of Christmas as a result. Yvonne, 44, Lancashire I’m so sorry you’ve got this fear of what lies ahead. Try to see Christmas as a time for a new start, rather than something to dread, and focus on finding out what’s right for you. Once you can do this you’ll be in a better position…

Christmas shape-up WHAT TO DO Choose the standard version to avoid the festive bulge, or the Christmas angel option if you’d like to lose some weight before New Year. STANDARD DIET • Pick 12 diet days between now and the end of December. The rest of the time you can enjoy festive eating, but don’t go crazy. • On diet days, pick one breakfast, lunch and dinner from the lists. • Make choices that mean you get your five-a-day fruit and veg (F&V) and two dairy portions (D) daily. • If you’re still hungry, have one snack a day from the list. • Any drinks additional to those mentioned must be calorie-free – for example, water, diet drinks, herbal tea and black coffee. CHRISTMAS ANGEL OPTION Lose up to 2lb…

FASHION DEALS Bag yourself a bargain and shop with debenhams online and in-store. Get 3% cashback for online sales. Plus, if you register your card on Quidco, you’ll get 2% when you shop in-store. ONE-STOP SHOP QVC has it all – beauty, jewellery, craft, household and electronic products from top brands! Shop online and get 5% cashback on all sales. DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR Do your weekly shop the easy way and go online. Order your groceries with Asda.com and get £5.50 cashback. Offer is open to new grocery customers only. Get the same great prices as in-store! HOME IMPROVEMENT Planning on doing a bit of diY for the house or garden? Shop online with Wickes and get 3% cashback plus free delivery on standard orders.   SHOP THE TRENDS…

Save While the traditional Christmas colours of red, gold and green are always a firm favourite, this year why not stretch your kitsch wings and try jewel colours? These brilliant buys from Tesco (left) are a bargain and start from 48p! Tesco 6ft western pine tree, £39.94; Bright Eva tree topper, £2.97; decorations, from 48p; bright glittered holly, 93p; foil gift bags, £1.94 for five. Splurge Fancy splashing the cash? For just a few pounds more, get a similar look with these stylish baubles from B&Q, starting from £2 each. We love the shiny purple reindeer! Reader rated ERICA DAVIES, 34, FROM LONDON ‘I love to have subtle hints of Christmas just dotted throughout my house over the seasonal period. This bauble jar adds the perfect amount of festive cheer…

With my laptop on my knee and a cup of tea beside me, I flicked through the photos on the screen. It was two days after Christmas and I was looking through all the pictures I had taken of the lovely day I’d just spent with my parents, Thelma and Graham, and my grandmother, Rosemary, at my home in Newbridge, South Wales. But then a photo flashed up and I gasped with horror. It was of me, standing in the kitchen, wearing a festive headband and a Santa apron. I’d been making the Christmas pudding at the time and Mum had appeared out of nowhere. ‘Smile!’ she’d beamed, and I turned and grinned for the camera. I’d never been very confident and I’d often hide behind other people in photos.…

SECRETS OF THE TIDES BY HANNAH RICHELL (£7.99, ORION) We were gripped by this compelling read about guilt and forgiveness, as we uncovered the longhidden, tragic secrets of the Tide family. Judy called it ‘a sweeping generational saga’, while Richard hailed it as ‘a richly rewarding read’. THE SEAMSTRESS BY MARIA DUEÑAS (£7.99, PENGUIN) This engrossing tale set during the Spanish Civil War was ‘a complete delight’, according to Judy. It follows the adventures of young seamstress Sira, who relies on her skills to find work after being abandoned abroad. We agree with Richard, who said, ‘Even after I’d finished the final chapter, I would have been happy with a few more!’ TOP PICK THE HOUSE OF SILK BY ANTHONY HOROWITZ (£7.99, ORION) This new Sherlock Holmes novel was one…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 Apr If you’ve been throwing energy at something you want and so far nothing has happened, it’s because there’s a piece of the jigsaw that has been missing. Now it appears. Don’t be amazed if it stops you in your tracks and forces a change of direction, which is what you need. • For more call 0901 609 4780 Taurus 21 Apr – 20 May Your relationship with your other half or best friend is either entering a rocky patch or a period where the balance shifts. If you’ve done all the giving and they’ve been all take, this is good news. Something needs to change, so don’t resist it. Long term, it’s a wonderful thing. • For more call 0901 609 4781 Gemini 21…

On the spot with... Joan Rivers The feisty New York comedian, actress and writer, 79, has one daughter, Melissa 1 Movie or theatre? Theatre. As long as they’re alive on stage, I don’t care. 2 William or Harry? Tough choice. To go out with, Harry. But to govern the country, William is perfect! 3 Christmas: spend it home or away? Home. As long as it’s with the family. 4 Night in or night out? Night out. Theatre with friends and then a restaurant to gossip. 5 Book or Kindle? Book. Nothing to discuss. 6 Dogs or cats? Dogs. I have four: two in NY, two in LA. 7 Lark or owl? Owl! 8 Summer or winter? Winter. You can hide your fat ass under lots of clothes. 9 Spend or…

Sarah Millican Sarah Millican’s big break came via a break-up. In 2004, aged 29, she was working in a jobcentre on £9,500 a year when her husband ended their seven -year marriage. ‘I’m weirdly grateful to him because he released me,’ says Sarah of her ex. This weekend she fronts a Children In Need special of her BBC show, The Sarah Millican Television Programme, with a second series coming in January. ‘When I had a proper job I had three days off over Christmas , but I get a fortnight now – it’s more than enough!’ Did you know... Sarah once worked as a producer of Mills & Boon audiobooks. WITH HER BOYFRIEND, GARY But no plans for kids - ‘I don’t feel maternal and don’t want to put my…

Festive secrets Let me ask you something. Right now, do you know what your husband is doing? ‘He’s putting in some overtime,’ you say. ‘Meeting friends for early Christmas drinks, doing some late-night present shopping.’ Well, think again. Because as the party season kicks in and we all start having a bit of fun, your husband could be lying in my arms and making love to me. There’s probably a knot of hatred forming in your stomach at my words. But before you brand me a harlot and a husband-stealer, take a moment to understand why it could be your husband I’ll be kissing under the mistletoe this Christmas… My passion for married men began after I found myself single in 1999. I was 32 and had just split with…

Christmas beauty Mum-of-one Liz has never had to dye her naturally dark brown hair before, but over the past year she has started to notice a few greys peeking through along her parting and underneath her hairline. As well as wanting to find a natural-looking, low-maintenance colour to disguise these signs of ageing, Liz was keen to learn how to blowdry her wavy hair in time for the party season. How to get colour-perfect hair Beauty Editor Stephanie Maylor explains three steps to creating a natural, low-maintenance, shiny style THE PROBLEM ‘As a blogger, I work from home so I don’t bother styling or colouring my hair,’ says Liz. THE COLOUR Liz was looking for a natural shade that would be easy to maintain – roots were a big no-no!…

Watching her children’s faces as they unwrapped their gifts, Denise Nolli didn’t know who was more excited. Usually, the mum-of-three saved up her wages as a part-time care worker to buy Christmas presents for her sons. But this year was different. She’d been approved for three credit cards and a store card for the first time ever and she’d gone shopping mad – without telling her husband, Andrew, now 71. She’d bought him a digital camera, and stereos and TVs for the boys, DVD players, expensive stocking fillers – spending more than £5,000. ‘When Andrew saw all the gifts on Christmas Day, he just remarked that I must be being paid very well,’ recalls Denise, 54. Denise carried on spending in the New Year sales, planning to pay off her…

Christmas boosters Christmas is coming and if your to-do list seems to be getting a little too fat, you may be starting to worry about where you’ll find the extra time you need to fit everything in. We can’t promise to add any extra hours to your day but, with our experts’ help, you can at least make sure your health is in its best condition for the festive onslaught. So take a deep breath – and a pen and paper – and add a few more items to your list, knowing these ones will help you get through everything and keep you smiling. Super immunity At the first sign of a tickle in your throat, take action with powerful immune boosters. Naturopath Erin McCann (being-balanced.com) says, ‘I like Bee…

The Christmas tree was sparkling in the corner of the room, underneath lay brightly wrapped gifts. Later, we’d put on party hats and open the presents. But this was no ordinary Christmas morning. It was Sunday, 18 December, a week before we ought to be celebrating. And watching my little girls, Rebecca, five, and Isabella, 14 months, gaze at the decorations with wide eyes, I felt my heart break in two. I’d been forced to bring Christmas forward to make a day full of special memories. Knowing what I did about my baby, Isabella, what else could I do? She was born on 30 September 2010, with red hair and big blue eyes. Her dad, Christopher, then 29, and I loved her instantly. She was the much-wanted little sister for…

Christmas 2012 Best tablet computers Rick Schwartz, from leading media server Twonky, picks his top three tablet computers They are a perfect cross between the laptop and the smartphone, but with so many tablets on the market now, including the recently launched iPad Mini, how do you know which to buy? There are lots of features to consider, such as the screen size, storage space, battery life, Wi-Fi capabilities and, of course, the price. If it’s for work, being able to read documents will be a priority, or if it’s for entertainment, you’ll want to make sure your tablet has a decent memory for apps, music and movies. SAMSUNG GALAXY Tab 8.9, From £299.99, handtec.co.uk In a nutshell This mid-size tablet is ideal for catching up with EastEnders on iPlayer,…

Christmas recipes Cost per serving £1.25 Fabulous fish and leek pie SERVES 4 PREP TIME 10 MINS COOKING TIME 25 MINS YOU WILL NEED • 1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced in half • 25g butter • 25g flour • 2 leeks, finely sliced • 400ml milk • 320-400g pack fish pie mix (cod, salmon, smoked haddock, prawns) • 1tsp Dijon or English mustard • Handful fresh chives, chopped 1 Preheat the oven to 200˚C/Gas 6. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and pour over enough cold water to cover them. Parboil, drain and, when cool enough, cut into slices about 0.5cm thick. 2 Meanwhile, put the butter, flour and leeks in another pan and heat gently until the butter has melted, stirring regularly. Cook for 2 mins. Then…

Festive families ‘We make and recycle everything’ Looking at all the shiny new toys and gifts in the shop window, my heart sank. As a single mum of five, I couldn’t afford to buy expensive presents. All my wages from my job at our local chamber of commerce went on putting food on the table, but I hated thinking of the children missing out. Then I spotted a box of recycled cards in a charity shop. ‘I know,’ I thought. ‘I could recycle my own Christmas.’ It sounded mad, but I reckoned with clever ideas and planning, I could throw a big celebration without it costing the earth. Just like new So I set to work making my own decorations, advent calendars and wall hangings from paper and cardboard. I…

Christmas holidays Rugged moors of YORKSHIRE WHY GO Roam the frosty hills and friendly villages of the Dales, using the traditional Fountaine Inn at Linton as a snug base. STEP INSIDE Five smart new rooms are set in a barn so you can enjoy their plump beds and power showers in peace, then slip into the inn for a hot toddy by the log fire. Dogs are also welcome in some rooms. EAT AND DRINK The inn’s a foodie hub with a buzzy feel – reserve tables with your room. And you’ll find more pub choices at grassington.uk.com. FESTIVE FUN Just five minutes away is the lovely town of Grassington, with its cobbled square, where you can pick up gifts and listen to carol singers. PEACE ON EARTH A Boxing…

It seems odd looking at her now, but Hilary Devey was once so poor she couldn’t afford to buy Christmas presents. ‘I had no money, so we went without,’ she says. ‘I always knew I would succeed, but I had to sacrifice so much.’ Growing up in Bolton in the 1960s, Hilary vowed to provide for herself in the future. And it was while working in her parents’ pub, aged 12, that she suffered the first of many tragedies. She was raped. ‘I didn’t cry or sob, try to explain or beg to be forgiven,’ says Hilary. ‘I knew that my world had changed forever.’ Hilary picked herself up, met Malcolm and married him when she was 18. They divorced soon after. She then began to build a career in…

Christmas wow! Volumise it Here Carol Vorderman, 51, transforms her long layers and eye-skimming fringe into a bouncy, face-framing style. Backcomb all your hair at the roots, including the fringe section – but don’t overdo it, you still want it to be soft. Brush back off the face and spritz with hairspray to hold. Add a chic accessory If you have short hair like Dannii Minogue, 41, you can create drama for the evening with a beautiful hair clip. We love Dannii’s burgundy feather accessory. Find similar diamanté and feather clips for £12 at uk.accessorize.com. On the side A side plait is chic, simple and – best of all – this youthful style knocks off years! Tess Daly, 43, goes from office to evening by simply pulling her hair to…

Christmas interview There was a time when Denise Van Outen was a rabble-rouser, a ladette and a fully paid-up member of the London party scene. She used to hang out at the hottest venues. She had showbiz pals like Zoë Ball and Sara Cox. She drank, she danced, she once even stole an ashtray from Buckingham Palace. But now? The Strictly Come Dancing star tells Woman’s Own she’s happiest watching cartoons in her slobby clothes with her two-year-old daughter Betsy. But don’t think Denise has laid her party girl persona to rest completely. She flashes a grin, lets out her trademark dirty laugh and pleads guilty to still having a mischievous side. ‘I like being a yummy mummy and I do like to go out,’ insists Denise, 38. ‘It’s completely…

Nominate A FRIEND AND RECEIVE £50 EACH Adjusting her fake white beard, my daughter Caroline picked up a sack of presents and hauled them over her shoulder. ‘Ho ho ho!’ she chuckled, stepping into a room of 40 pensioners, who burst out laughing and cheering. Smiling to myself, I felt so proud. It was Christmas 2011 and, once again, Caroline had made sure the festive season was extra special for pensioners from the Goodinge Community Centre in Islington, London. The same centre that I’d helped set up 29 years ago. Back then, there was nothing for people to do in Hyde Village, the housing estate where I live, so I started a drama group in my garden for 25 youngsters. It soon grew to 50 members. We moved to a local school…

seasonal swaps Update your fragrance wardrobe with our picks for Christmas and beyond. Oriental If you like… • Estée Lauder Youth Dew EDP, £26 (28ml) Warm and exotic, this classic, launched in 1953, combines floral top notes with rich spices. You’ll love… • Chanel Coco Noir EDP, £75 (50ml) The third fragrance in the Coco franchise, Chanel’s latest scent is romantic, grown-up and super-sexy. It’s layered with sandalwood, frankincense, vanilla and sweetsmelling tonka bean. And, by the way, did we mention the chic black glass bottle? Woody If you like… • Clinique Aromatics Elixir Perfume Spray, £44 (45ml) This rich scent is a fragrance classic. Oakmoss, white jasmine and patchouli make it sensual and feminine. You’ll love… • Gucci Première EDP, £45 (30ml), The Perfume Shop Another floral, woody choice,…

1we spend an average of £17 each on cards and postage. Try reusing embellishments and wrapping, and hand-deliver for a personal touch. 2 organise a Secret Santa with your family, with each of you paying £5-£10 towards each person’s present. Everyone gets something they actually want, and you only have to buy one gift. 3 Shop for Christmas dinner ingredients online and get them delivered in advance. That way, you’ll be less likely to impulse buy in the supermarket when the kids are nagging you! 4 Get glammed up for Christmas on the cheap by visiting your nearest hair and beauty college, where trainees charge a fraction of a full salon price. Jazz up old outfits with charity shops and eBay purchases, too. 5 Start saving for next Christmas now.…

Want to read more? For more top tips and expert health advice, log on to womansown.co.uk 3 step fix... Hangovers Overdone the partying? Here are three ways to feel better. • SIP THIS A rehydration drink (e.g., Dioralyte, below, £3.75 for six sachets, Boots) to restore lost minerals and salts, plus plenty of water. If you’re really poorly, take a soluble painkiller like aspirin and an antacid (e.g., Setlers, £2.29 for 36, pharmacies) to settle your stomach. • EAT THIS A banana or a kiwi to boost the potassium levels in your body that are depleted when you’re dehydrated. • AVOID THIS Your usual morning coffee. The caffeine will just dry out your system more, exacerbating your symptoms. 100% of the recommended daily allowance of the anti-ageing mineral selenium (200mcg)…

Christmas savings Save at Christmas without spending Here are my top tips to ensure you’re making the most of your hard-earned cash this Christmas 1 MAKE LOTS OF LISTS FOR YOURSELF To stop yourself getting carried away with spending on food, drink and presents, make careful lists of exactly what you need for each meal and each person’s gifts. Don’t stray from your plan and shop online to avoid temptation. 2 SEND CHRISTMAS E -CARDS With second-class stamps an eye-watering 50p each and an economy-boxed Christmas card around 22p, sending 50 could set you back £36. So why not send an e-card instead? Sites like 123greetings.com let you send 100 personalised Christmas e-cards for free! 3 USE YOUR LOYALTY POINTS Now is the perfect time to use all the vouchers…

The diamond jubilee, Olympics and Paralympics made 2012 a great year to be British. And, to celebrate our achievements, Reckitt Benckiser – the maker of Air Wick, Vanish and Finish – is giving one Woman’s Own reader the chance to enjoy Britain’s Greatest Christmas. The lucky winner will receive a fantastic Christmas shopping trip to London. The prize includes two nights at a luxury London hotel, £1,000 spending money and £500 towards travel. Once the presents are bought, it will be time to get your home ready for the holiday season. Give it a festive feel with the new Air Wick Black Edition Colour Change Candle. Infused with essential oils, the candle’s fragrance is complemented by a tranquil colour-changing effect, which shines through the patterned window. They are available in…

EXPERT ADVICE ‘For pigs in blankets that are crispy but not too dry, poach in a heatproof bag for 5 minutes, then fry in garlic butter’ TV CHEF GORDON RAMSAY Want to see more? For loads of top food ideas and delicious recipes, go to womans own.co.uk Cost per serving 85p 15 minute recipe Christmas compote SERVES 4 PREP TIME 5 mins COOK TIME 10 mins 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7 and bake an M&S Cornish Brie for 10 mins (follow the cooking instructions on the pack). 2 Tip 500g pack of dried fruit, 6 cloves, 6 black peppercorns, 100ml French brandy, 100ml orange juice and two cinnamon sticks into a large pan. Cook on a high heat – but without boiling – for 4-5 mins, stirring halfway…

1 It’s never too late Last Tango In Halifax BBC1, Tuesday, 20 November This love story for golden oldies is perfect viewing for this time of year. Childhood sweethearts Alan (Derek Jacobi) and Celia (Anne Reid) are reunited after 60 years apart. As they ponder what might have been, their respective daughters Gillian (Nicola Walker, Spooks) and Caroline (Sarah Lancashire) are just two of the obstacles in the way of long-delayed true happiness. 2 Mellow sounds December by Scala & Kolacny Brothers. Out now You might not know the name, but you’ll probably recognise the sound of this distinctive choir that often turns up on new-season trailers for big TV shows (Downton Abbey, Homeland). Now comes this album of alternative Christmas songs redone in their inimitable style. Win! We have…

Happy birthday! Star letter What a wonderful display of Woman’s Own covers in your 80th birthday issue [22 October]. I graduated from comics to the magazines my mum left on our kitchen table in my teens. It’s great to see the mag doing so well into the 21st century and embracing the internet without losing the hands-on experience of thumbing through magazines over a cuppa, which my teenage girls now enjoy as much as I did 35 years ago – and today! Helen Watkins, Oxford Win a bunch of f lowers Our star letter will win this striking Winter Lady In Red bou quet of exotic flowers in a vase, worth £49.90, courtesy of iflorist.co.uk Inspiring Katie Piper [8 Oct] is truly an inspirational woman, fighter and a survivor. I’m not surprised…