Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2025 i Woman's Weekly Living Series

"Tis the season to be jolly, and there are even more reasons to be merry with our bumper festive issue. At Woman’s Weekly, we believe the best Christmas is made by hand and shared from the heart, so inside you’ll find 100 sparkling pages of homemade crafts, mouth-watering recipes and gifts to delight family and friends. Savour the preparations, so when the big day arrives you can relax in a home filled with warmth, joy and memories to treasure. Because Christmas is also about taking time for yourself, we’ve added puzzles, fiction and fun too – perfect for cosy moments with a cuppa between projects." Fa la la la la!…

YOU WILL NEED ✱ 2 litre hot water bottle✱ Paper and pencil✱ Ruler✱ 30x85cm piece of wool felt in mustard✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Embroidery thread in white✱ Embroidery needle✱ A4 sheet of wool felt in white 1 Place your empty hot water bottle on a piece of paper and use a pencil to draw around the edge. With a ruler, straighten the lines at the neck of the bottle, using our image as a guide. Add 2cm around all the edges of the hot water bottle to create your front template. 2 For the two back templates, measure 28cm up from the bottom of the template. Draw a horizontal dashed line to mark this length. Then measure 18cm down from the top of the template and draw a horizontal dotted line…

Goat’s cheese and squash filo parcels Treat the vegetarians at your table to a special main with these mouthwatering parcels. MAKES 4PREP 25 minsCOOK 50 mins ✱ 1tbsp olive oil✱ 500g butternut squash, seeded and cut into 2cm cubes✱ 1 red onion, chopped✱ 4 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed✱ ½tsp dried chilli flakes✱ 200g fresh spinach✱ 50g pine nuts✱ 150g goat’s cheese✱ 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves only✱ 4 sheets filo pastry, cut in half✱ 50g butter, melted 1 Heat oven to 170C Fan/Gas 5. On a baking tray, drizzle the oil over the butternut squash, onion and garlic. Season and add the chilli flakes. Toss together and bake for 20 mins, until just tender. Set aside to cool. 2 Meanwhile, put the spinach in a colander and pour over…

Rich chocolate torte This gluten-free beauty needs just a handful of simple ingredients. SERVES 12 PREP 20 mins, plus overnight cooling COOK 45-50 mins ✱ 250g butter, cubed✱ 400g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces✱ 250g caster sugar✱ 5 large eggs, separated✱ Chocolate curls, fresh raspberries and cocoa powder, to decorate YOU WILL NEED ✱ 20cm springform cake tin, sides and base lined with baking paper 1 Heat the oven to 130C Fan/Gas 2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. In a separate pan, gently dissolve the sugar in 4tbsp water. Once dissolved, boil for 1 min, then add it to the chocolate mixture. Cool for a few mins, then stir through the egg yolks. 2 Whisk the egg whites to…

Christmas pudding cake pops A bite-sized treat that’s perfect for homemade Christmas gifting. MAKES 12 PREP 40 mins, plus chilling ✱ 300g Genoa fruit cake✱ 25g unsalted butter, softened✱ 50g icing sugar, sifted✱ 150g dark chocolate✱ 100g green sugar paste✱ 50g red sugar paste✱ 100g royal icing sugar YOU WILL NEED ✱ 12 cake pop sticks (find in the baking section of good supermarkets), small holly leaf cutter 1 Crumble the cake into a food processor. Mix the butter and icing sugar together until you have a smooth buttercream, and add to the cake. Pulse the mixture together to form a ball. Divide into 12 equal-sized pieces, roll into balls, around 30g each, and chill for 1 hr. 2 Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of…

Turkey curry Turn leftover turkey into this fragrant and healthy favourite. SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 30 mins ✱ 50g butter✱ 2 onions, sliced✱ 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced✱ 2 thumb-sized pieces fresh ginger, grated✱ 4tbsp curry powder✱ 6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed✱ 100g soft dried apricots, halved✱ 200ml chicken stock✱ 1tbsp mango chutney✱ 400g tinned tomatoes✱ 400g leftover, cooked turkey, shredded✱ Toasted almonds and coriander, to garnish 1 Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, and cook for 5 mins until soft and starting to become translucent. 2 Add the garlic and ginger, then cook for a further 3-4 mins. Add the curry powder and cardamom pods, and cook for 2 mins more. 3 Stir through the apricots, chicken stock, mango chutney…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Approximately 30cm/12in high. MATERIALS 1 x 50g (145m) ball of King Cole Big Value DK (100% acrylic) in each of Green (Emerald 4050), Red (4029), White (4020), Black (4053) and Pink (Blush 4058)*. Pair of 3mm (No. 11) knitting needles; washable toy stuffing; stitch holder. TENSION Not essential for this project. ABBREVIATIONS Dec, decrease (by working 2 sts tog); k, knit; p, purl; skpo, slip 1 st, k 1 st, pass slipped st over knitted st (to decrease 1 st); st(s), stitch(es); ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); tog, together; up1, pick up loop lying between needles and work into the back of it. NOTES Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate. Figures in square brackets are worked…

ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS In Cold Turkey, Edina shuns her usual holiday with Patsy to host Christmas lunch. Cue outrageously over-the-top gifts and food, and a mix-up when Patsy is believed to have dropped dead... PATSY’S PLOT TWIST Patsy chokes on turkey, having not eaten solid food in decades. WHO TO WATCH WITH Your oldest sweetie darlings! FIZZ FACTOR ★★★★★ GAVIN AND STACEY The romance that bridged Barry and Billericay captivated us in the noughties, but in last year’s finale, fans finally saw the outcome of Nessa’s 2019 cliffhanger proposal to Smithy. YES! MOMENT When Mick objects during Smithy’s wedding to Sonia. WHO TO WATCH WITH The person most likely to ask, ‘What’s occurring?’ HAPPY EVER AFTER SCALE ★★★★★ MR BEAN Merry Christmas, Mr Bean sees Rowan Atkinson’s beloved buffoon wreak havoc…

Lamb tagine This is one of those great dishes that improves when made ahead of time, guaranteeing a magical Christmas Eve dinner for all. SERVES 6PREP 45 minsCOOK 3 hrs 15 mins ✱ 2tbsp oil✱ 1kg casserole lamb, cut into large chunks✱ 1 red onion, finely chopped✱ 4 garlic cloves, crushed✱ 2.5cm piece ginger, grated✱ 2tsp coriander seeds, crushed✱ 1tsp cumin seeds, crushed✱ 1 cinnamon stick✱ ½tsp turmeric✱ 1tsp dried red chilli flakes✱ 850ml fresh chicken stock✱ 2 carrots, roughly chopped✱ 2 sticks of celery, roughly chopped✱ 3tbsp tomato puree✱ 75g preserved lemons, quartered✱ 85g green olives, pitted✱ 2tbsp parsley, roughly chopped✱ Cooked couscous or rice, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Brown the meat in batches on all sides. Remove and set aside. 2…

Medallion decorations These simple decorations can be crafted from any kind of paper, from pages of old books to coffee filters – make in a variety of sizes and papers and hang in a group. YOU WILL NEED ✱ Decorative paper✱ Glue✱ Acrylic gems✱ Double-sided sticky tape✱ Darning needle and thread 1 For each medallion, cut two rectangles the same size – we used 10x5cm for the larger medallions, 5x2.5cm for the smaller. 2 Make narrow folds on each rectangle back and forth along its length – as if you were making a paper fan – to create a tight concertina. 3 Fold the concertina in half widthways and crease firmly. Gently open each side of the concertina out, then bring the inside edges of the fan together and glue…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS 35cm x 26cm MATERIALS 4 x 20g (43m) balls of Sirdar Happy Cotton DK (100% cotton) in White (Dolly 761), 2 balls in Green (Wicket 781) and 1 ball in each of Red (Lippy 789), Brown (Cookie 777), Yellow (Quack 788), Navy (School Days 758) and Purple (Currant Bun 756)*. Size 4mm crochet hook; 30cm dowel or knitting needle for hanging; thin ribbon; tapestry needle. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 20 stitches and 21 rows to 10x10cm, over double crochet, using 4mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; st(s), stitch(es). NOTES Change colour on the last yarn round hook of the previous stitch. Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate. Background With 4mm hook and White, make 52ch. 1st row (right side):…

Winter mojito Ginger and apple add some winter spice to this party favourite. SERVES 4READY IN 5 mins ✱ 250ml spiced rum✱ 300ml sparkling apple juice✱ 2tbsp sugar syrup✱ 2tsp grated fresh ginger✱ Handful mint leaves✱ Crushed ice 1 Shake all the ingredients with crushed ice. Serve in highball glasses garnished with mint. Add extra apple juice to taste. PER SERVING 181 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 11g carbs PER SERVING 104 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 12g carbs PER SERVING 313 cals, 10g fat, 6g sat fat, 16g carbs PER SERVING 50 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 12g carbs PER SERVING 163 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 5g carbs COOK’S TIP Swap the apple juice for ginger beer for an even spicier riff. Earl Grey…

Oven glove and apron YOU WILL NEED ✱ 14-count waste or soluble canvas✱ Calico fabric✱ Embroidery hoop✱ Red and white embroidery thread✱ Embroidery needle✱ Scissors✱ Plain-coloured oven mitt or apron 1 Place the waste or soluble canvas over the calico fabric, and secure within the embroidery hoop. 2 Cut a 40cm length of red embroidery thread. Take two strands from the length and work cross stitches, following the cross stitch charts overleaf. Each coloured square on the chart represents one cross stitch. 3 Once the cross-stitched areas are complete, add the backstitch lines in one strand of red or white embroidery thread. When the design is finished, undo the embroidery hoop and remove the waste or soluble canvas. 4 Trim the calico fabric to a size that will fit your…

Jumbo wordsearch All the words relating to winter warmers are hidden in the grid. Words may be read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. AEROBIC EXERCISEAPPLE CRUMBLEBALACLAVABEANIEBOBBLE HATCANDLESCARDIGANCOCOADUVETEARMUFFSEIDERDOWNELECTRIC BLANKETFLANNEL SHEETSFLEECEGILETGINGER TEAHOODIEHOT-WATER BOTTLEJOGGINGLANTERNSLAYERSLONG JOHNSMACARONI CHEESEMITTENSNIGHT LIGHTSONESIEOPEN FIREPARKAPOLO NECKPORRIDGEPUFFER JACKETRISOTTORUGRUNNINGSCARFSLIPPERSPUMPKIN SPICED LATTETHICK SOCKSSOUPSTEW AND DUMPLINGSTHERMAL UNDERWEARTOASTED CRUMPETSNOW BOOTSSPEEDWALKINGWOOLLY JUMPER You’ll find the answers on page 95 Linkwords 1 Fit 10 words into the grid so that each links with the end of the word on its left and the beginning of the one on the right. Then unscramble the letters in the shaded squares to make a word. Clue: Alcoholic drinks consumed at the end of the day. Crossword Try the easy or cryptic clues, then rearrange the letters in the shaded squares for the answer. Clue: It may bring couples together…

YOU WILL NEED ✱ Two fat quarters (for outer and lining)✱ 120cm of 1.5cm-wide ribbon✱ Matching sewing thread✱ Scissors✱ Pins✱ Pencil and ruler✱ Safety pin or bodkin 1 From each fat quarter, cut a 12cm-diameter circle and two 20x32cm rectangles. Pair up a rectangle from each fabric with right sides facing and sew along one of the shorter edges, with a 1.5cm seam allowance. Press the seam open and repeat for the other two rectangles. 2 Pair up the sewn rectangles with right sides facing; pin. Use a ruler and pencil to mark a 1.5cm-wide channel on the outer fabric, 5cm down from the middle seam. Sew down the long sides of the rectangles with a 1cm seam allowance, leaving the channel markings unstitched and a 5cm gap on one…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ Oasis wreath ring (31cm)✱ Fresh foliage – we used conifer, eucalyptus populus with berries, Eucalyptus gunnii, Eucalyptus parvifolia and soft ruscus✱ Natural pine cones✱ Artificial gold berry picks✱ Artificial gold glitter pine cones✱ Mini gold baubles (approx 3-4cm diameter)✱ Gold baubles (approx 6cm diameter)✱ 5cm-wide gold satin ribbon (optional)✱ Florist’s scissors✱ Florist’s wire✱ Wire cutters✱ Buckets✱ Craft knife✱ Fabric scissors (optional) PREPARING THE FOLIAGE Gather fresh foliage from your garden, or source bunches from your florist. To condition the foliage, ready for wreath-making, you’ll need to remove any packaging, snip away the bottom 5cm of each stem or branch and remove any leaves from the bottom half. Place the stems and branches in the buckets filled with fresh water and acclimatise for 24 hours…

The menu TO START ✱ Chicory, walnut and goat’s cheese salad THE MAIN✱ Orange and thyme roast turkey ON THE SIDE✱ Stir-fried Brussels sprouts with lemon and garlic✱ Sesame roast carrots✱ Parmesan roast potatoes and parsnips✱ Chestnut, apple and red onion stuffing✱ Braised red cabbage with Christmas spices TIME PLAN Follow our timing to sit down to lunch at 2pm, cooking a 4kg turkey. 1-4 WEEKS BEFORE For the potatoes: Prepare to the end of step 1, then freeze. For the braised red cabbage: Prepare and cook as the recipe suggests, then freeze. THE DAY BEFORE For the chicory salad: Toast the walnuts and make the dressing. Store in airtight containers. For the stuffing: Prepare until just before baking. For the turkey: Make sure it’s defrosted if you bought it…

Star-topped mince pies These mini festive favourites are easy to make and freeze well too. MAKES 24 PREP 45 mins, plus chilling COOK 15 mins ✱ 225g unsalted butter, cubed and slightly softened✱ 100g icing sugar, plus extra✱ 2 egg yolks, plus 1 egg yolk, beaten, to glaze✱ 2 drops vanilla extract✱ 275g plain flour, plus extra for dusting✱ 400g mincemeat YOU WILL NEED: ✱ 24-hole mini muffin tin, lightly greased, 5cm round pastry cutter, small star pastry cutter 1 Pulse the butter in a food processor until soft, then sift in the icing sugar and pulse until mixed. Add the egg yolks and vanilla, and pulse until there’s no streaky yolk. Sift in the flour and pulse, until you can no longer see flour and the pastry comes together…

FINISHED HEIGHT 30cm YOU WILL NEED ✱ Access to a photocopier✱ Tracing paper and pencil✱ 20cm of 90cm wide skin-colour cotton fabric✱ 20x20cm square of black felt✱ 5cm of 90cm-wide pink cotton fabric✱ Black, pink and light brown stranded cotton embroidery thread✱ Matching sewing threads✱ Toy filling✱ Rouge✱ Cotton bud✱ 20cm of 150cm-wide pink dress net✱ 20x5cm rectangle of pink felt✱ A4 sheet of gold glitter craft foam✱ 40cm of 6mm-wide pink ribbon✱ 1.5cm of 1cm-wide sew-in Velcro✱ Two 6mm gold buttons✱ 40cm of 6mm-wide gold ribbon Making paper patterns On a photocopier, enlarge the patterns by 250%. Trace the patterns on to tracing paper, placing the face, leg, body, pants, front underskirt, bodice, shoe, and wings on folded tracing paper, matching the broken lines to the fold. Mark the…

It’s party time Luxury Caramelised Onion & Goat’s Cheese Tarts, 2‑pack, £3.50, Iceland Creamy goat’s cheese cuts through sticky, sweet caramelised onion in this puffed-pastry bite. The perfect vegetarian option for your cocktail party. Irresistible Three Cheese Bake, 140g, £4, Co‑op Rich, cheesy and deeply savoury, this warm dip makes an impressive addition to your cheese board, or can be served with crudités and some crusty bread for a rustic fondue-style platter. Exceptional by Asda Maple & Black Pepper Scottish Smoked Salmon, 100g, £TBC, Asda Edged with cracked black pepper for an extra-smoky flavour, this salmon is rich and delicious, with a subtle maple sweetness that keeps you going back for more. The Best Prawn Thermidor Kit, 355g, £5.50, Morrisons Delicate pastry parcels you assemble yourself for extra freshness and…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS To fit an average adult head MATERIALS 1 x 100g (282m) ball of Emu Classic DK (100% acrylic) in Blue (Admiral 137)*. Pair each of 3.25mm (No. 10) and 3.75mm (No. 9) knitting needles; cable needle; faux fur pompom. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk. TENSION 24 stitches and 30 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3.75mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS C4f, cable 4 front (slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and leave at front, k2, then k2 from cable needle); inc, increase (by working twice into same st); k, knit; p, purl; st(s), stitch(es); tog, together (decrease by working as many sts together as stated). NOTES Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate. Figures in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket.…