Innholdsfortegnelse for December 1, 2015 i Woman's Weekly

It’s That Time Of Year In the always one-step-ahead world of magazines, we’ve been in Christmas mode for some time now (there’s a prize for the first member of the team to mention the ‘C’ word in their planning meetings. (It’s usually around about July and a close-run thing between the cookery and knitting departments.) But we know that as well-prepared as we are in our efforts to bring you as many gorgeous festive ideas as possible, there are a lot of readers who are even better organised and have their cards written and their presents wrapped well before the first sign of chill in the air. While we salute you for your impressive efficiency, we hope that this first of our two annual bumper Christmas issues (the other one…

We love letters Woman’s Weekly, 110 Southwark St, London SE1 0SU. PS. It really helps when you put your details in capitals We do not return photos (apart from ‘You Look Great!’), so please do not send originals Email us Womansweeklypostbag @timeinc.com  Tell us your full name, address and daytime phone number, please Fancy a chat? Log on to facebook.com/  womansweekly We can’t wait to hear from you! Important! All contributions to Woman’s Weekly must be original and NOT duplicated to other publications. £25 will be paid to the writer of the ÔLetter Of The Week’, and the ÔGood To Meet You’ contributor will receive a gift or similar as stated at time of publication of contribution, for all rights in each letter printed. The Editor reserves…

Jean Jacques, 59, Birmingham Tell us about your look… I love fashion, but as I get older I’m less likely to wear a head-to-toe trend. I like wearing colour as it makes me feel more alive. I bought this coat from Debenhams and the jumpsuit is from Wallis – I think jumpsuits are great as they look elegant with very little effort! And the best bit of your body? My hair. Jackie Jones, 60, Gravesend Tell us about your look… I love scarves, boots and bags – I’m a real accessories person. I wear a lot of trousers and leggings as I’m not keen on showing my legs. These jeans are from Dorothy Perkins and the jumper is from Sainsbury’s. My favourite shop is Warehouse as…

Where I’ve been... Shopping, obviously! Endlessly... I’ve Christmas shopped everywhere this year: Guildford, Cambridge, Stratford, Cardiff… What I’ve seen... The musical Elf, at the Dominion theatre in London’s West End. SO Christmassy! Who I’ve met... My dearest friends. It’s that time of year. What I’ve bought... YSL Top Secrets All-In-One BB Cream Skintone Corrector. It’s a miracle! I’m popping one in my sister’s stocking.…

Jenny stirred her tea and tried to think positive thoughts. It was important that she gave a good impression when she met Grace. No one wanted to share living space with a party pooper. That visit to her mother’s last night had worn her out. She shouldn’t have gone round in the first place. But a phone call would have been seen as cowardly. She should have stuck up for herself. She’d shown Mum the figures, explained how impossible it was to continue paying the mortgage single-handedly now she and Toby had split, then made things worse by gabbling on for ages about grasping new challenges. She should have guessed what would follow. The “Why can’t you be more like Fiona?” lecture. Ever since she could remember, she’d been subjected…

Comfort & Joy Fill your rooms with rich red colours, some woodland creatures and lots of lovely twinkly lights. Kensington 7ft Christmas tree, £180; wreath, £35; thatch rug, £200; John Lewis. Check armchair, £475; glisten wine glass, £24 for four, Next. Green velvet cushion, £35, M&S. Range side table, £159, MADE.com Leo table lamp, £95, Graham & Green. Decorations from a selection at Gisela Graham, Paperchase, Wilko, John Lewis. Stockings: mistletoe, £5.99, Dobbies; midwinter, £12.99, John Lewis and M&S. Mini tree, £13.99, Gisela Graham. Plaid wood ‘Merry Christmas’ garland £11.99, Gisela Graham. Joy light, £30, Sainsbury’s. Candles, from a selection at The White Company. Little trees, £25, Paperchase. White house tea-light holder, £3.50, Dobbies. Woodland Wonders Team whimsical characters with your existing baubles to update your Christmas scheme. Deer log…

The superb tours from Riviera stay in a centrally located hotel and have a wealth of visits and excursions included in the price. Spend four days exploring Paris, with an experienced tour manager, and see what the city has to offer. Or, spend your time where you can switch off from the pressures of modern-day living in medieval Bruges. Experience the lap of luxury in three- or four-star hotels in preserved towns, each day escorted by a tour guide. Paris Four days from £259pp Selected departures from March to November 2016. Price includes: Eurostar and return rail from most mainline stations*, taxes and transfers Tours of Paris by day and by night, a visit to Versailles and to the Montmartre Bruges Four days from £249pp Selected departures from March to…

On the to-do list • Be vigilant and examine stored dahlia tubers and plunge them in a bucket of tepid water overnight if they have shrivelled. Dispose of any that are showing signs of rot. • It’s possible to clean the trunk of silver birch and make it bright and shiny. Wear gloves and rub off the oldest, algae-covered layers then lightly scrub with soapy water. • Before putting tools away for the winter, I clean and sharpen blades of saws and secateurs, hoes and spades. Wipe with an oily cloth to protect them from rust.…

During the winter months, our feet need extra care and protection whether we’re indoors or out. In particular, easing them into restrictive footwear can cause friction on toes, heels and other pressure points, or create a micro-environment that may damage skin. Blisters These can appear quite quickly, so carry a Compeed® Anti Blister Stick in your bag to rub on if you notice chafing. If a fluid-filled blister develops, get immediate relief by covering it with a shaped, moisture-absorbing blister plaster until it heals. Don’t pop it, as the skin of a blister works to keep out germs. Corns and calluses Calluses are yellowish thickened areas caused by direct pressure on skin surfaces – for example, under the ball of the foot, especially when wearing high heels. They usually produce…

Signing up couldn't be easier:  1 Create your profile. Don't forget, you can ask a friend or relative to help you 2 View your matches 3 Meet and get to know new people Companionship is such a wonderful thing and here at Woman’s Weekly we would love to help you find the friendships and, possibly, romance that can bring joy to your life. Nice To Meet You is our new dating service and it’s been created especially with you in mind. It’s the perfect, safe, secure online dating site. A place where you can meet like-minded people and form life-enhancing relationships. Sign up today and get a one-month FREE TRIAL before you join Nice To Meet You – Where Your Next Adventure Starts To join, visit dating.womansweekly.com…

In a change from the usual service, here is a special story for Christmas. It might be slightly familiar, but it goes without saying that the characters are purely fictional. Any resemblance to any real person or charity shop you might have read about on this page is obviously terribly embarrassing but a completely amazing coincidence. It was Christmas Eve in the charity shop, and the manager, Mrs Ebenezer Beasley, was looking for a boiled sweet in her drawer. ‘Bah! A humbug!’ she snapped. ‘I was hoping for a barley sugar.’ And so Mrs B was not in the best of moods when she turned to her assistant, Mrs Dear, who was hovering in the background: ‘What do you want?’ ‘Tomorrow is Christmas Day,’ said Mrs Dear. ‘And I wondered…

Ready For Your Close-Up? Our lovely models, Suzanne (top left and right), Del and Peggy (top, and bottom right) being beautified by the make-up team and shot by photographer Liz. Why bother to do up your own shoes, Suzanne, when two people will do it for you! Christmas Prepped And Tested This was stylist Sue’s super-organised props table (above) for the Christmas meal shoot ( page 40 ). And this (below) was the team enthusiastically trying the outrageously delicious meringue swans. I think they liked them!…

What makes me happy. Seeing my family happy, and tending to my garden. I can’t live without. Cake! I have a sweet tooth and just can’t get enough of it. My best bit of advice. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. My favourite bit of Woman’s Weekly. The knitting patterns and the recipes. Tell us about yourself by answering the questions above and letting us know your age and occupation. Send them to us, with a daytime phone number and a good-quality photo/jpeg of yourself (for the address, see the next page). You’ll win this beautiful Spring Rose and Germini bouquet, worth £26.99, which will be delivered to your door. For more beautiful bouquets from just £9.99 with FREE delivery nationwide, call 0844…

Your recent article on hop picking in Kent [‘When A Holiday Meant Hop Picking’, 22 September] brought back my own memories of long, hot summers spent swimming in the river, falling out of trees and playing with new friends. Too young to help with the actual picking, I had dawn-to-dusk fun in the countryside. It was such a change from the smoke and noise of East London. My poor exhausted family would sit around campfires at night singing popular Lonnie Donnegan songs until they collapsed into their beds. Fantastic times that were all too brief and now gone forever except in our memories and faded photographs. Terry Baldock, Droitwich, Worcs Thank you, Terry! We love to hear from you, so do get in touch if you have something to say…

When I arrive at Ruth and David Nixon’s home in Beckenham, London, two grinning faces meet me at the door. Four-year-old Lucas and his sister Matilda, 23 months, are chasing each other; Tilly’s toy pushchair rattling down the wooden hallway as Lucas squeals for her to follow him. ‘They’ve always got on very well,’ their mother Ruth tells me as we watch the game unfold. ‘He’s so fantastic with her – really caring and protective.’ It’s a familiar, ordinary scene – toys strewn across the otherwise immaculate dining room while two healthy and happy siblings laugh and play excitedly. But the Nixons are an extraordinary family. Tilly was born with a rare liver condition, which meant she needed an urgent transplant. Last year, Ruth made the brave decision to become…

Suzanne ‘From my up-do to my heels, I love everything about my new look’ Top, £118, sizes 18-30, Navabi; trousers, £45, sizes 6-22, Autograph at M&S; hair slide, £9, Claire’s; earrings, £8, Dorothy Perkins; bracelet, £18, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson at Debenhams; ring, £8.50, Dorothy Perkins; clutch, £45, Accessorize; shoes, £149, Lisa Kay Sue Top, £35, sizes 8-24, M&S; skirt, £54, sizes 8-16, Closet; earrings, £5, Dorothy Perkins; bracelet, £15, Butterfly by Matthew Williamson at Debenhams; shoes, £29.99, New Look Peggy ‘You’ve made me feel like a million dollars in these clothes!’ Top, £69, sizes xs-l, and trousers, £65, sizes 8-18, Phase Eight; bracelet, £6, Allusions at BHS; clutch, £55, Dune; necklace, £25, Jon Richardson at Debenhams; ring, £8.50, Dorothy Perkins Sue, 62 ‘Wow! This cape feels so glamorous, so…

By the 12th day of Christmas, if you have a generous true love, you would have been given: A Partridge In A Pear Tree, Two Turtle Doves, Three French Hens, Four Calling Birds, Five Golden Rings, Six Geese A-laying, Seven Swans A-swimming, Eight Maids A-milking, Nine Ladies Dancing, 10 Lords A-leaping, 11 Pipers Piping, 12 Drummers Drumming. Which adds up, should you have room to receive all these splendid gifts, to: 184 birds, 140 people (variously milking, dancing, leaping, piping and drumming), 40 golden rings, and 12 pear trees. 1 A Partridge In A Pear Tree ‘I grew up surrounded by orchards,’ says Ben Bardsley, 30, the fifth generation of his family to run Bardsley Farms in Kent – supplying apples, apricots, plums and pears to Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and…

Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge MEASUREMENTS 36cm/14in high. MATERIALS Bear: 2 x 50g (100m) balls of Sublime Natural Aran (100% wool) in Ecru (429)*. Oddment of Aran yarn in Black. Pair of 3¾mm (No.9) knitting needles; washable toy stuffing. Scarf: Small amount of DK yarn in Red and White. Pair of 3¾mm (No.9) knitting needles. TENSION 24 stitches and 32 rows, to 10 x 10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3¾mm needles and Aran yarn. 22 stitches and 28 rows, to 10 x 10cm, over stocking stitch, using 3¾mm needles and DK yarn. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; st, stitch; sl, slip; tog, together; skpo, sl1, k1, pass sl st over; p2togb, p2tog through back of sts; inc, increase (by working twice into same st); dec, decrease…

Easy-peasy A Bit More Tricky Hard–ish Quite A Challenge Instructions overleaf MEASUREMENTS To fit sizes 76 (81-86) (91-97) cm/ 30 (32-34) (36-38) in. Actual measurements 78 (89) (98) cm/30¾ (35) (38½) in. Side seam including hem edging All sizes 26cm/10¼in. Length to back neck including hem edging 45 (46) (47) cm/17¾ (18) (18½) in. Sleeve seam including cuff edging All sizes 26cm/10¼in. MATERIALS 5 (6) (6) 50g (285m) balls of Anchor Freccia 3 ply (100% cotton) in Silver Grey (00397)*. Size 2.00 and 2.50 crochet hooks. TENSION 13 repeats to 10cm and 15 rows to 9cm over pattern, using 2.00 hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch, chain; dc, double crochet; st, stitch; tr, treble; dtr, double tr; htr, half tr; yrh, yarn round hook; chsp, chain space; slst, slip st; dc2tog, work 2dc…

How To Design Your Own Knitted Cardigan with Tina on Friday 15 April Would you like to be able to alter a knitting pattern to your own specifications? Now's your chance. We'll teach you how to work out a pattern for a simple stocking-stitch cardigan in double-knitting yarn. It's also aimed at budding designers with some knowledge of knitting. 10am Welcome, with coffee and tea 10.30am Draw line diagram with detailed measurements as required 11am Work out the tension from your own swatch to be used to translate all the measurements into stitches and rows 11.15am Calculating back and front instructions and working out all shapings 1pm Lunch 2pm Calculating sleeve instruction and working out all shapings 3.30pm Tea break 3.45pm How to incorporate a simple stitch pattern into your…

Q I never had nosebleeds as a child, so why am I getting them now? A This is probably just bad luck. They’re most common in young children and people over the age of 50, especially those who take blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin or warfarin. Nosebleeds usually start in blood vessels over the dividing cartilage at the front of the nose. These can become more fragile with congestion (colds, allergies). Trauma, nose-picking, raised blood pressure, pregnancy, some nasal or blood disorders and rare medical conditions can trigger them, too, so see your GP. They may refer you to a specialist for a telescope examination (nasendoscopy), and/or cautery treatment to seal off the blood vessels. Nosebleeds can be scary, but usually stop if you pinch the whole of both nostrils…

Kevin Clifton How do you like your tea? I like normal English breakfast tea with milk, no sugar. Who would you like to have a cup of tea with? Robbie Williams. He’s my idol – I’d like to ask him loads of questions about performing! When was the very first time you were on stage? When I was five or six, I was in a show at my ballet school called the The Ugly Bug’s Ball. I was a spider with legs poking out everywhere. It was the only show I was chosen for, so I had a bit of a strop and told everyone I didn’t want to do ballet any more after that! If you weren't a dancer, what would you be? A WWE wrestler! What's your favorite…

Book The Last Tango Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace are back for their final ever production. After 20 years dancing together, the dynamic Strictly duo are now touring the UK until July 2016 to say goodbye to audiences everywhere – and they plan to go out with a bang! For full venue details and to book, visit thelasttangotour.co.uk Enjoy Edinburgh Christmas Maze Get lost in Edinburgh this Christmas! From 20 November until 4 January, the city will be home to a magical Christmas tree maze. Adults and children can race to the centre, discovering the elves’ workshop along the way. Advance booking essential. For details, call 0844 545 8252, or visit edinburghschristmas. com/whats-on/ Christmas-tree-maze1 Visit Winterville You’ll be walking in a winter wonderland in London’s Victoria Park when annual festival…

Wicked Wit ‘What do you call an elf who sings? A wrapper! Not many people can claim to have truly travelled to both ends of the earth, but wildlife cameraman John Aitchison has done just that – and brought back some of the most memorable footage of our time of the stunning wildlife he found there, much of which will be familiar to anyone who has watched classic wildlife documentaries such as David Attenborough’s wonderful Frozen Planet . Here, Chris shares amazing behind-the-scenes stories of the bravery, patience and persistence of the camera crews who camp in the wilderness for weeks at a time to capture on film the elusive animals that live there. The Shark And The Albatross (£17.99, Profile Books)…

Have you noticed that it’s very normal to hear a tinkling version of White Christmas or Frosty The Snowman while looking around garden centres in August? I’m not complaining – I see this as a decent warning so I can be duly diligent... so I can start to rev up for my OTT, or even OCD, festive season. The fact is, The Perfect Christmas takes some planning. At least mine does. Sorry, I mean ours. Of course I do. I sometimes fear that we live in a rather too cynical world where there seems to be a temptation to expect everything, including Christmas – especially Christmas – to be a bit of a let-down. Well, I reject that. I really go for it! I start planning invitations, outings and menus…

The Suits-All Lip Step 1 Line your lips with a creamy pencil. Never go outside your natural lip line, even if you’re tempted to make them look plumper. Step 2 Using the same liner, colour in the lips. This acts like a stain so your lipstick lasts longer. Step 3 Apply your lipstick carefully with a lip brush. It gives you more control than applying straight from the bullet. WE LOVE Lord & Berry Ultimate Lipliner in Romantic Rose, £9, lordandberry.com, and Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipstick in English Rose, £7.99. The Easy Chignon Step 1 Backcomb your roots then pin the top section of hair at the crown to create height. Leave a few loose tendrils around the face to soften the look. Step 2 Sweep hair over to…

Smoked Salmon Crostini With Cucumber & Pear Pickle Sage, Lemon & Thyme Roast Turkey With Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing Drums Cheesy Leek, Squash & Chestnut Filo Crowns Roasted Rosemary Root Vegetables In Goose Fat Red Wine Gravy, Cassis Cranberry Sauce, And Crème Fraiche Bread Sauce Grand Marnier Christmas Pudding Meringues With Glühwein Berry Compote Southern Comfort Eggnog Cocktails CHRISTMAS LUNCH TIME PLAN PREPARE AHEAD Grand Marnier Christmas Pudding FREEZE AHEAD Turkey Stuffing, Sausage & Cranberry Stuffing Drums Cheesy Leek, Squash & Chestnut Timbales Parboiled root veg UP TO 3 DAYS BEFORE Swan Meringues Cassis Cranberry Sauce Berry Compote Eggnog THE DAY BEFORE Smoked Salmon Crostini With Cucumber & Pear Pickle Stuff turkey and refrigerate overnight Filo Crowns Crème Fraiche Bread Sauce FOR 2PM LUNCH  9.30am Heat the oven to 200°C…

Decorating homes with holly and ivy has always been part of Britain’s winter traditions. The Pagans used them primarily to ward off evil and bring hope and good fortune. But for centuries, they’ve been given top billing as Christmas decorations. Any fresh greenery found in your own garden can be transformed into decorations such as wreaths, swags and garlands. Add in a few thin branches, twisted into bowers, and you can hang sprigs of mistletoe, too. Hanging mistletoe during the festive season is probably Druid in origin, but it’s become a popular tradition all around the world, along with having a Christmas kiss underneath it! This parasitic plant can be found growing in the branches old trees, so keep your eyes peeled for free supplies. Wreaths, which traditionally represent the…

TINA EGLETON  WW's Technical Knitting Editor has over 40 years' experience. She's designed many of Woman’s Weekly's knitting patterns and is an expert tutor. FREDDIE PATMORE  Our Knitting Assistant has been crocheting since she was a child. She's gone on to become a published author and designer and loves teaching our workshops. MONIKA COBEL  Our newest member of the team has a calm and patient nature, making her an excellent tutor. She's now begun designing for Woman’s Weekly.…

Womb Transplant Hope Ten British women are likely to be offered womb transplants next year. And it’s hoped they’ll have pregnancies in 2017/18 using frozen eggs. Each operation will use wombs from registered organ donors – a procedure that has been successful in Sweden. If the operations go ahead (which depends to some extend on funding), they will be carried out by Imperial College London. An estimated 50,000 UK women are born without wombs, or lose them to illness. For details, visit wombtransplantuk.org. True Or False? Eating lunch on the go is a good way to lose weight. False, according to research that found walking (or working) as we eat makes us more likely to choose unhealthy snacks. Instead try to focus on what you’re eating and be ‘mindful’. What’s…

You can change bad emotional habits Q I’ve got a friend who always makes me feel bad. She often changes arrangements and then gets tetchy when I can’t meet when she wants to. I know I’ve not done anything wrong, but there’s something about her that makes me feel inadequate compared to her. I’m often prone to feeling like that and it isn’t very comfortable. I’d like to change but I don’t know how. Julie, Leicester A When we’re prone to responding in the way that you describe, it means we’ve created a habitual behavioural pattern. This means, as soon as anything happens that could trigger the response, the touchpaper is ignited and off it goes! Knowing that this is a familiar pattern is the first step to changing it.…

Where I went… Located in the Isère Valley, this is France’s flattest city, but it’s surrounded by a magnificent Alpine background. You can see mountains from the end of every street! What I did… Took the ‘bubble’ cable car over the Isère river up to the Bastille, a fortress located high above the town with incredible views of the mountains – I’d definitely recommend a sunset trip! The town’s museum for the French Resistance – and the part that locals played – was eyeopening (resistance-en-isere.fr). Try not to miss the contemporary art collections at the Musée de Grenoble (musee degrenoble.fr). Where I stayed… You can’t get closer to the heart of the city than the boutique, Le Grand Hôtel Grenoble, which dates back to 1870 (grandhotel-grenoble.comgrandhotel-grenoble.com). What I ate… Local…

Q What’s new in traditional espresso makers? In an espresso machine, water is forced through the coffee under pressure, the advantage being that you can choose from a wide range of ground coffee to suit your taste. Sophisticated models include the Duo-Temp Pro, £349.95, by Sage, which gradually increases the pressure to enhance the flavour. It uses a higher temperature for frothing the milk, then cools when ready for the next cup. For flexibility, consider Dualit’s Espress-Auto Coffee and Tea Machine DCM3T, £199.96, which can make coffee the traditional way, but also takes NX capsules and ESE pods. Q Is a bean-to-cup machine worthwhile? That tempting coffee shop aroma comes from freshly ground beans, but if you want a no-mess option, a bean-to-cup machine does the whole job, from grinding…

She sat back, the tug of her dress tight across her growing tummy. Her hand instinctively circled the child furled inside. The heat and the music washed away conscious thought. It felt good. Her eyes closed, her breaths lengthened, her fingers drummed out the rhythm of the band. In her head, she was gone from the village hall amid the desolate, flat and windswept fields, back to her rugged Yorkshire. It was one of those long, hot Sundays that seemed to happen every week before the world descended into chaos. They were newly returned from church, her hat on the side. A leg of lamb spat furiously in the oven. A mountain of vegetables from the garden sat in the sink ready for washing. Her tiny mother was busy with…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You won’t be able to escape from the stresses of life. Confronting the people who seem hell-bent on turning your life upside down is the only way to resolve a power struggle. You may get a surprise invitation or even be offered a job that will give you a chance to use your creativity. For more, call 0901 609 2591* Taurus 21 April - 21 May Although you love your friends, you’re tired of dealing with people who just won’t face facts. Instead of trying to convert them, cultivate friendships with those who share your pragmatic realism. You feel inspired to join a social movement devoted to making the world a better place. For more, call 0901 609 2592* Gemini 22 May - 21…