Innholdsfortegnelse for Monday, 9 December 2024 - Double Issue i Woman's Own

The lead-up to Christmas can suddenly feel very full on. Even when you think you have plenty of time, the day can sneak up on you. It’s not here yet, though, so never fear! On p58 you’ll find fabulous finishing touches to decorate your home, and our brilliant food team has you covered on what to put in your trolley, too. Jen, Jess, Rose and Georgia have spent hours cooking and sampling to bring you 50 of the best Christmas buys in our Ultimate Taste Test. Turn to p50 to check them out! Those crisps with a glass of red would go down nicely right about now! There’s also plenty to smile about in this issue. On p74, read two real-life romcoms. Love stories don’t always run smoothly but it’s…

SO CHIC IN TARTAN For 2017’s Christmas Day service, Kate, who was pregnant with Prince Louis at the time, wore a colourful red and green tartan double-breasted peacoat with gold buttons by Italian designer Miu Miu. She teamed the look with black accessories, including a luxurious black faux-fur hat. BRILLIANT IN BRIGHT BLUE To attend church on Christmas Day in 2023, the princess looked smart in all blue. Her structured coat was by Alexander McQueen and she wore sapphire and diamond earrings that belonged to Princess Diana. WINTER WHITES Last year at her annual concert, Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, Kate looked radiant. She wore an ivory blouse and trousers by British brand Holland Cooper and a bespoke coat from Savile Row tailor Chris Kerr. She teamed it with earrings by…

THE BIG SCREEN From Home Alone and Elf to classics like Miracle on 34th Street, movie ratings website Rotten Tomatoes have made their list of critically acclaimed holiday films. And their findings just might be as unexpected as that Christmas new vacuum cleaner the other half ‘thoughtfully’ bought you… Number one is the classic Judy Garland film Meet Me in St Louis from 1944, which critics rated a 100% perfect movie. Two and three are also from the 1940s with James Stewart’s The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and 1947’s Miracle on 34th Street. After that comes 2015’s Tangerine (no, me neither), 2019’s Klaus and Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). The worst ever festive movie according to the critics? The Nutcracker (2010) with Elle Fanning. So bad, I’ve…

Buy of the week Beat festive fatigue with Doctor Seaweed Pure Seaweed (£15 for 30 capsules, doctorseaweed.com). Containing plant-based iodine for natural energy boosts. HEALTH MATHS 3 steps to manage seasonal skin allergies If you do one thing Outsmart the menopause When you’re hosting and cooking the ‘Big Day’ feast A warm, stuffy home could make menopausal hot flushes feel worse. ‘They can be triggered by heat, humidity, alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods at this time of year,’ says GP Dr Sarah Brewer. ‘If you’re stressed, symptoms tend to be heightened.’ But don’t fret – being prepared can help prevent discomfort from putting a downer on the festive celebrations. Wear layers of clothes that you can easily peel off, keep a fan in the kitchen and drink lots of water.…

Health ask us He’s making threats Q My ex and I separated a few months ago, and after initially agreeing to split everything, he’s now decided not to. My sons have decided to spend Christmas with me so he’ll be alone and he’s now lashing out. He’s refusing to sell the house or give me any money and, on top of this, he’s started threatening me. He’s always been a bully but he’s started saying he’ll ruin my life, and I need to watch out. What should I do? A The first thing is to get legal advice and protect yourself. Tell the solicitor everything, including all threats. If you have a joint account, either party is legally entitled to empty all funds, so speak to the bank and a…

Imagine excitedly making your way downstairs early on Christmas morning, opening up the door to your lounge to see… carnage. Then you realise, rather than Father Christmas visiting in the dead of night, you’ve been invaded by opportunistic burglars, stripping your home of the gifts you’d carefully selected and wrapped for your family, as well as any electronics lying around, jewellery – even your car. As well as guaranteeing huge and expensive gift stashes, thieves see this time of year as the perfect opportunity to strike, as many people leave their homes unattended to visit friends and family. Year on year, thefts are up by 17%, with Christmas seeing a notable spike of residential burglaries, and this December, there will be an estimated 19,000 break-ins across the country. So how…

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READER QUESTION Q Prices seem to fluctuate a lot on Amazon. How do I know if I’m getting a good deal? A Before buying on Amazon, check the item on the website uk.camelcamelcamel.com, which shows the price history of millions of products on Amazon. Before you buy, don’t forget to shop around to see what deals you can get at other retailers too. Go green for less Get 10% off your first order of natural deodorants at Salt of the Earth, including this festive limited-edition Spiced Gingerbread Deodorant Spray (100ml, £7.49), when you sign up to its newsletter at saltoftheearthnatural.com*. It’s certified vegan too. 3 easy ways to... save on food at Christmas Cut the cost of your festive food bill with these handy tips 1 GET ORGANISED…

‘I married my office party fling’ Gavanndra Hodge lives with her husband Mike. Before Tinder and Hinge there was the office Christmas party. Finally, the year’s flirtations over the fax machine could be consummated, desires stoked and courage granted by the drinking of much cheap wine. Such activities might well be subject to HR investigations these days, but back in the noughties this was how we did it. Mike was on the arts desk of a newspaper and I was on the features desk. He drove a Vespa and I got the DLR. I didn’t really notice him until we moved office and his desk was relocated to behind mine. ‘Who is that handsome man who talks so knowledgeably about film and music, and who always offers to get everyone…

Aries 21 Mar – 20 April BEST BITS This year’s a game changer. With Venus moving through Aries for longer than usual in early 2025, the spotlight’s on romance. There’s also change for the better in your career. You can achieve lots in your working life around the New Moon on 29 March, and the Full Moon in the first week of October promises a new beginning in love! WATCH OUT An ex may return in early spring. Listen to your intuition before making any commitments. You could be easily swayed by their attention, but stick to your standards – you deserve the best. YOUR BIG BREAK A natural leader and innovator, act on your inspiration this year, particularly in early March, when Mercury moves through your sign. This is…

HALF & HALF In the martial arts world, what is meant by an ‘obi’? Find the answer by crossing out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. Once complete, the uncrossed-out letters in the shaded squares will provide you with the puzzle answer. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must ultimately contain all the numbers from 1 to 9. Bitesize Fit the words into the grid, using the clues given across and down. The shaded squares spell out the answer. ACROSS 1 Lighting device (4) 5 Nessun Dorma, for example (4) 6 __ Dee, singer (4) 7 Paradise (4) DOWN 1 Expanse of water (4) 2 Dry (4) 3 13th NATO alphabet codeword (4) 4 Ache…

JAMIE OLIVER, 49 ‘Christmas is a massive deal for us. We are so into it and love the whole build-up. It can never be cheesy enough! Christmas Day is good, quality family time.’ MARIAH CAREY, 55 ‘There are rules that I set. I don’t care who it is – the kids, if I have guests, whatever – nobody is allowed to play or watch anything other than a Christmas-related thing. If I wake up in the night and walk into the living room and the music isn’t playing and the lights aren’t on, I just can’t handle it.’ RUTH LANGSFORD, 64 ‘While other people are moaning about decorations appearing in September, I get really excited. I wrap every single thing, and colour-code them for each person.’ RYLAN CLARK, 36 ‘I…

Linda Robson has insisted she’s not interested in finding a man since ending her marriage to Mark Dunford last year, saying, ‘I don’t need a man. I’m not interested in dating, I’m too old now. I can’t be bothered with all that “jiggy jiggy.”’ But, a year on, could she be ready for a new man in time for Christmas? In what seems to be a U-turn, Linda, 66, recently revealed what she’d like in a partner, saying, ‘A sense of humour. And they’ve got to be clean!’ There’s no denying that some romance would be a welcome change for Linda, who said of her marriage to Mark, ‘The glue that kept us together was the kids. Once they moved out, there wasn’t much.’ And a source tells Woman’s Own…

Red alert What better way to embrace the festivities and cure your winter blues than with a pop of vibrant red? Head-to-toe tonal dressing adds instant sophistication and drama. Alternatively, brighten up your wardrobe with a single item or accessory in this universally flattering shade. Gold rush High-shine metallics are a go-to at this time of year. Pick one statement piece as the star of the show and team with more pared-back neutrals – white or black will always look chic. Jewellery is a great starting point if this feels a little daunting. Silver service The ultimate party neutral, this modern metallic looks great teamed with snowy white, from a crisp blazer to a cosy cable-knit. Elevate the style by opting for luxe-looking textures and interesting design details such as…

LOSE UP TO 7lb IN 2 WEEKS!* As the weather gets colder and with Christmas on the horizon, our healthy habits can sometimes feel harder to stick to. We’ve teamed up with Slimming World to bring you this easy-to-follow plan for you to get started. Fill up on these hearty and filling dishes and see the results for yourself! What’s more, you could lose up to 7lb in two weeks*. So, what are you waiting for? HOW IT WORKS 1 Follow the recipes. Feel free to repeat any days you enjoy! 2 Slimming World’s eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of energy density (the calories per gram in food), of satiety (how filling a food is) and how easy a food is to overeat. It’s a…

CLUES & ARROWS Fill in the clues in the direction of the arrows. Sudoku To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each column and each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Wordsearch In The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford, which inspired two Disney movies, what breed is Tao the cat? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BENGALBIRMANBOBTAILBOMBAYBURMESEFOLDKORATMANX MAUPERSIANRAGDOLLREXSIAMESESPHYNXWIREHAIR CROSSWORD ACROSS 6 __ Max Trujillo, star of Bad Dad and Apocalypto (5)7 Savours (8)10 There’s No One Quite Like __, 1980 hit single by St Winifred’s School Choir (7)11 With precision (7)12 Environmentally friendly cyclists (1-6)13 Unrecoverable money loaned (3,4)14 Too small to see (11)19 Ignored (7)21 Rules over (7)23 Gland near the kidney (7)25 Object propelled at a target (7)26 Affluent(4-2-2)27 Eyed up…

For Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, Christmas starts in September thanks to soapland’s forward planning. But Christmas lover Lisa, 48, doesn’t mind getting festive early, as it means celebrating twice. ‘Like the King has two birthdays!’ she jokes. Here, the actor fills us in on the things she loves most about the most wonderful time of the year, the heartbreaking reason she and her partner of 10 years, Al, choose to spend Christmas abroad, and why wearing sparkles is a must on the big day… Hi Lisa! What is Christmas like in the Dales? We have Christmas early and because we’re greedy, we have two Christmases. We normally celebrate Christmas [when they film Emmerdale’s Christmas] in late September or early October, because all the trees are up on set and we…

She’s been unlucky in love over the years, but it seems Alison Hammond could be finally getting her fairy-tale ending with her Russian masseur boyfriend, David Putman. Engagement rumours began swirling earlier this year when Alison, 49, wore a sparkler on her ring finger. But while she was quick to deny that David, 27, had popped the question, saying on This Morning, ‘I’m so sorry. I put it on the wrong finger,’ she did add of a potential engagement, ‘Not just yet. Maybe one day, who knows?’ In true comedic Alison style, she continued, ‘It’s just some cheap ring that I got from… probably Primark! It’s nice, isn’t it?’ But is the This Morning host hoping for a proper sparkler from her man this Christmas? ‘ALISON WANTS TO LOOK HER…

Apply a shimmery topcoat to your favourite shades to transform the finish. 3 steps to a salon-style manicure PREP Apply a base coat like Palette Base Coat, £8, palettelondon.com, to prevent staining and help to apply the colour smoothly. PAINT Apply two thin layers then wait until the coats have completely dried. For a more opaque finish, apply a third layer. SET A topcoat will lock in the colour and boost shine. Try Orly Shining Armor Topcoat, £16.50, orlybeauty.co.uk.…

Health ask us IS HE OK TO DRIVE AFTER DRINKING? Q My husband and I have always relied on taxis during the party season, but this year has been a bit tight financially, so we have had to tighten our belts. I don’t touch alcohol when it’s my turn, but my husband insists that he is fine to drive if he drinks one drink per hour, which worries me. Is this safe? A As a rough guide, we say that the average person metabolises a single unit of alcohol per hour. Regular drinkers may metabolise more, but one drink will be more than one unit and how quickly you absorb alcohol varies too, depending on things like whether or not you are eating as well. Your policy is much safer.…

Having been overweight since I was a child, by the time I was in my late 20s and had my own little girls, Millie and Maisie, my weight had completely spiralled. After my dad passed away, I sought comfort in food and put on more pounds. I felt unhappy, ashamed and frustrated about my weight. ‘I SOUGHT COMFORT IN FOOD AFTER DAD DIED’ LIFE WAS A STRUGGLE I was living on shakes as a substitute for food – and if I lost anything, it always felt impossible to keep it off. Before I knew it, I’d be back at square one. I was miserable and hungry, and I knew I couldn’t carry on that way. In 2013, my now-husband Lee and I decided to get married after 13 years together.…

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Glacier Express For the trip of a lifetime, this world-famous rail journey winds through the breathtaking Swiss mountains between Zermatt and St Moritz. In winter, the train offers stunning snowy vistas that can be enjoyed from panoramic windows. Despite its name, the Glacier Express isn’t fast – it meanders at 24mph, passing through snow-blanketed pastures and serene forests in the Rhine Valley before ascending into the mountains. The journey’s highest point is the Oberalp Pass, 6,670ft above sea level, with views of the Italian Alps. For an even more memorable experience, pair this journey with a ride on the Bernina Express, Switzerland’s other iconic scenic railway, which travels from Chur and St Moritz to Tirano, just across the Italian border. BOOK NOW: Railbookers offers four nights including the Glacier Express…

26 November-9 December 2024 ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr At times you can rush hastily into decisions, so give yourself space and time to be sure about what you want before acting. Balance head with heart. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May You love nature, connecting with the beauty of Mother Earth and her changing seasons. Spend time outdoors to rejuvenate your energy and get a boost. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Enjoy some quiet contemplation. If you have a choice to make, pause, ask for divine guidance and then proceed with the direction that feels right to you. CANCER 21 Jun – 22 Jul Your sense of self-worth can be very dependent on how others see you. So, try to gain a stronger inner confidence by acting…

Are you ready for Christmas?’ my hairdresser asks. Is he having a laugh? With so much to cram in, I don’t believe anyone is ever truly ‘ready’. Obviously, gargantuan amounts of shopping must be done. Plus, if you’re hosting, the house must be tidy, gleaming and beautifully decorated. On top of all that? Everyone says, ‘We must meet up before Christmas!’ It makes no sense at all. Bars and restaurants are jammed, everyone’s drunk, and some sweaty man in a suit is trying to lick your ear. All of which might be endurable – just about – if you weren’t too exhausted to enjoy the company of friends. Yet still we persist, cramming in those dates – ‘batching friends’, as one pal puts it, in order to see several in…