Innholdsfortegnelse for 19-Dec-2023 i Woman's Weekly

Merry Cliffmas There are some things in life that throw a real focus onto how the years have gone by. Long-lived musicians are a good example. I was a tiny tot when Cliff Richard recorded Move It and Living Doll. I was a schoolboy when he came so close to winning Eurovision with Congratulations. When I first moved to London in 1979, the air crackled with radios playing We Don’t Talk Anymore, and later in the 80s, the nation smiled at his Comic Relief revival of Living Doll, then the Christmas classic, Mistletoe and Wine. So, it seems incredible that Cliff is still going strong today. Turn to page 10 for our exclusive interview.…

Sety Goly, 38 Tell us about your look I bought this trouser suit in Iran when I was visiting my family. It cost just £10 and was an absolute bargain. I also picked up these white orthopaedic pumps for £5. I do a lot of walking, so I need a really comfy shoe. I’ve had my jumper for ages (it’s such a good wardrobe basic), and my tote is from Paperchase. I love accessorising and found my hair bow online. What’s your favourite thing about yourself? I’m good at giving advice. YOU WORE IT WELL Jackie Hartnett, 1985, sent in by her daughter Anne Thomas In her late 50s, my mum decided that going on a cruise was the perfect excuse to wear her collection of gorgeous evening dresses. I…

We’re lucky to have a wonderful array of wild mammals and birds prepared to keep us company throughout the winter, rather than migrating or hibernating. Although we may not see those that are nocturnal, snowy tracks advertise their presence. And when the cold bites hard, they need survival strategies to make it through to spring. RESILIENT BLACKBIRDS A stalwart throughout winter, blackbirds are ground foragers, so their spindly feet are the most likely source of arrow-like prints in the snow. SURVIVAL TACTICS Downy feathers beneath blackbirds’ sleek plumage puff up and retain layers of warm air. When the ground is frozen, they opt for winter berries full of energy-rich nutrients. Despite their territorial nature, they may stick together in small groups over winter. Wild rabbits Rabbits are active all winter…

I’ve been acting for 50 years but I’ve never taken my clothes off until now. I signed up for The Real Full Monty purely because of my beautiful brother, Brett [Hutchinson], who died in April 2020 of a brain tumour. It’s an annual ITV series to encourage people to check themselves for signs of cancer. A bunch of celebrities tell their stories of cancer, then we have Ashley Banjo of Diversity teach us the dance to You Can Leave Your Hat On, sung by Tom Jones, which is the closing scene from The Full Monty movie. At the last minute the women take away the hats covering our breasts, while for the men it’s down below. ‘I still talk to my brother every day’ It didn’t bother me getting my…

For most of us, Christmas planning gets underway in the weeks before the main event, with last-minute dashes for presents. But for Louise Cast, also known as Mrs Claus, prepping for Christmas starts much earlier than it does for the rest of us, and is a year in the making. ‘I start planning on 1 January every year,’ says Louise, 48, from Kilwinning, North Ayrshire. ‘Every January, I go shopping in the sales for raffle prizes, and write to businesses for donations and support.’ Louise spent her career working in social services while also raising her four children, Brooke, 26, Morgan, 21, Faith, 19, and Logan, 17, with her husband, James, 45, before retiring in July 2022 to become a full-time foster mum to two boys, now aged six and…

ADVICE FROM OUR WOMAN’S WEEKLY DOCTOR Cramps usually affect the calf muscles but can occur in any muscle. Around 75% of cases occur at night when you’re asleep. During cramp, a muscle contracts, causing uncontrollable, acutely painful spasms lasting several minutes. Thigh muscle cramps tend to last the longest. It’s also common when resting after exercise. During a cramping episode, the affected muscles will become tight and painful, and the feet and toes will be stiff. After the cramps have passed, you may have pain and tenderness in your legs for several hours. There may be no apparent reason (idiopathic leg cramps), although theories include dehydration leading to a drop in salt levels, abnormal nerve activity during sleep or excessive leg muscle strain. Other possible causes include a sudden restriction…

He was working in the garden of his cottage when Nicola walked past. Handsome, craggy, probably in his late 50s, like her, he was shovelling snow off the path between white-coated shrubs. ‘Hello!’ she called. ‘Lovely day, isn’t it?’ He stopped, glanced at her, then turned away. ‘Oh well, can’t win them all,’ Nicola murmured, making her way down the track to her own cottage. The ‘un-neighbourly neighbour’, she christened him as she hung out fat balls for the birds. Her husband Robert had died earlier in the year. This would be Nicola’s first Christmas without him. Thankfully, she still had her daughter Annabel and family coming to visit her tomorrow, Christmas Day. She was looking forward to it so much. One last peek at the birds already hovering for…

Annabel squeezed her husband’s knee. ‘Stop looking so worried. We’ll be there soon.’ ‘Sorry, sweetheart. I can’t help wondering what we’ll find when we get there.’ Phil’s thoughts kept drifting back to the last time they’d spent Christmas with his parents. The house was cold and unwelcoming, with no decorations, not even a tree. They’d had to wear several layers of clothing to keep warm. But it wasn’t just that – there wasn’t enough food. As for drinks, if they hadn’t brought some with them, there would only have been the cheapest plonk. His father kept a tight hold of the purse strings. ‘Hopefully things will be different this year,’ said Annabel. ‘Now your mum is on her own.’ Phil wasn’t so sure. ‘They were married for so long, I’m…

Difficulty level TWIG TREES This nature-inspired set (left) is so simple to make, the whole family can get involved. YOU WILL NEED ✱ Twigs✱ Ribbon scraps✱ Scissors✱ Hot-glue gun✱ Dark green and natural card blanks✱ Gold glitter stars 1 Starting at the base of a twig, tie your ribbon scrap in place with a simple knot. Repeat the process up the length of the twig. 2 Trim the ends of the ribbons to create a tree shape. Use hot glue to attach the twig to the card and finish with a glitter star glued to top of the tree. METALLIC PRINTS Beautifully elegant, yet super quick and easy to do, these are ideal if you have a long Christmas card list. YOU WILL NEED ✱ Fern cuttings✱ Gold spray paint,…

If you were kind enough to attend last week’s lecture, you’ll remember that our charity shop has been honoured by a rare gift – a male volunteer. He is called George, he used to work in public relations, and he is an Olympic-class name-dropper (as Paul McCartney once mentioned to him). In his tweed jacket and red waistcoat, he looks a bit like Basil Brush, but on the upside, he is full of enthusiasm and bonhomie and all the rest of it. So you’d think he’d be the perfect candidate for a job that Mrs Beasley, our undisputed leader, had in mind. We were, as is often the case, having coffee and biscuits at the counter. In theory, Mrs B doesn’t approve of this practice. She claims it is not…

A CRACKING SHOW Glittering costumes, the Sugar Plum Fairy and a glorious Tchaikovsky ballet score ensure The Nutcrackerreturns to our stages year after year as a seasonal treat for the whole family. The Royal Opera House’s magnificent production opens this week in London’s Covent Garden, so get ready for magic, sword fights and a Christmas tree to rule them all. ✱ Book tickets at roh.org.uk Winter rambles As we approach the shortest day of the year, it’s more important than ever to get outside to enjoy the daylight and fresh air before darkness falls at teatime. Ramblers has been helping walkers find beautiful routes since 1935, and one of its top recommendations is picture-perfect Lacock, in Wiltshire – featured in period dramas and Harry Potter films. Walk across farmland to…

STATEMENT NECKLACES FLASHY TOPS FLATTERING FROCKS FANCY SHOES FESTIVE KNITS CHIC BAGS TOP TROUSERS SHINY SKIRTS…

I can’t ask for help Q I live on my own and need to have surgery. I’m fiercely independent, and this operation will mean I need help to manage my day-to-day life to begin with, and will then require further assistance. The thought of asking people is preventing me from doing it. I’ve put it off twice but I can’t any more. Aisling, London A From what you’ve said, I’m assuming you consider it a sign of weakness to ask for help. You think you ‘should’ be able to manage everything. There are times, though, as you’re aware, when we need to ask – that’s normal and nothing to be ashamed of. It might help to turn this around: how do you feel when a friend asks for help? I expect you’re…

ARIES LOVE The key to a successful year in the love department will be for you to learn to love yourself. Try to become more aware of the critical words you use and correct them with positive self-talk. The more you do this, the more you’ll open yourself up to a new relationship, and to more joy and harmony in your existing relationships. Your best months for love are March, April and September. FAMILY AND HOME Concentrate on simplification of your home and your general environment in 2024. Don’t look to increase and to enlarge, but rather to make your life easier to run and maintain. This will bring you great peace of mind, a sense of calm, and feeling more in control of your destiny. A good starting place…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Approximately 22cm/8¾in high. MATERIALS 2 x 50g (140m) balls of Sirdar Stories DK (60% cotton, 40% acrylic) in White (Smile 835), 1 ball in each of Beige (Glamping 832) and Yellow (Golden Hour 828)*, and a short length of DK yarn in each of Brown and Red for facial features. Size 3mm crochet hook; stitch marker; washable toy stuffing; pair of tweezers (to help with stuffing); length of narrow ribbon; silver or gold embroidery thread; starch spray. Yarn is available from theknittingnetwork.co.uk TENSION 21 stitches and 25 rounds, to 10x10cm, over double crochet, using 3mm hook. ABBREVIATIONS Ch(s), chain(s); dc, double crochet; dc2tog, double crochet 2 sts together to dec thus: [insert hook in next st, yrh and pull through] twice, yrh and pull through all 3…

Letter of the week A cosy with personality I knitted this tea cosy of Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, of Christmas song Fairytale of New York fame. I would love to see some character tea cosies on your patterns page. Jean Collins, Waterford TREASURE FOR THE TREE My daughter’s clever friend Cecily Rowland made this gorgeous bauble decoration for her. She will cherish it forever. Maddie Lynch, by email PAWS FOR THOUGHT Ginger went missing after last Christmas and it broke our hearts. We had contacted every vet in the area, put out posters and went out on social media. But in the end, we found him taking refuge in someone’s shed; he was being fed by a gentleman down the road. Now he’s home, alive and kicking – and happy.…

From the tiniest potted fir to the majestic Norway spruce towering over Trafalgar Square, Christmas trees are synonymous with the anticipation and excitement of the festive season. Brightening our homes with evergreen foliage is an idea that goes back centuries. Taking holly, ivy and mistletoe into our homes in the depths of winter is a tradition that probably goes back to the pre-Christian Druids – mistletoe was central to their religious ceremonies – and it serves as a welcome reminder of new life to come in the spring. However, the idea of a lit-up tree can supposedly be traced to 16th-century Saxony (Germany today) and the Protestant reformer Martin Luther. Walking home through woodland one dark, winter night, Luther was inspired by the stars twinkling through the canopy of trees.…

‘A sober Christmas taught me I didn’t need alcohol’ Gillian Brown, 43, lives in Ayrshire with her husband John, 46, and their son Alfie, six. She is the co-founder of Our Circle For Alcohol-Free Mums, and an alcohol-free coach. Growing up in Scotland, alcohol had always been a huge part of my life, from drinking in parks as a youngster to pubs as I got older. And when I met John in 2008, we became instant drinking buddies. Everyone around me was the same – I never questioned it. Then, when I had my son Alfie in 2017, I became extremely anxious. I tried meditating, exercising, and even went on medication. Nothing seemed to make a difference, and I found that after having a drink, I felt even worse. At…

Ciaté Liquid Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in Diva, £17, ciatelondon.com They say A long-wearing matte lip colour that’s designed to work as hard as you do, lasting all day long. The precision-tipped wand means that you don’t need to use a lip liner first – use the tip to line, then fill in the colour. It’s available in six bold shades. We say My lips can get a little dry and flaky in winter, so they don’t always play nicely with matte lipsticks. This one is so deliciously creamy that I don’t get any of that horrible pilling, and it’s as light as air to wear. It has superb staying power and pigment too. Stephanie Maylor, beauty editor Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment in Don’t Stop, £26, John Lewis & Partners…

Each round of this year’s quiz is focused on a different decade, from the 1930s onwards. The answers are on page 62. Have fun! ROUND 1: 1930s While it began with the Great Depression, glamorous bias-cut dresses were still a must for the evening. 1 Which distinctive art deco skyscraper opened in Manhattan, New York, in 1931? 2 Name the composer whose many hits in the 1930s included Night and Day and Begin the Beguine. 3 Who was the first female aviator to make a non-stop solo flight across the Atlantic in May 1932? 4 From where was the BBC Television Service officially launched at 3pm, on 2 November 1936? 5 The Spanish Civil War began in which year? 6 The first of a famous chain of British holiday camps…

Classic beauty in Italy and Croatia Departure point Venice is no secret spot, but book a pre-cruise night or two and discover some hidden local nooks. The onward voyage, across the Adriatic to Croatia, reveals Zadar (with its Roman remains), photogenic port Dubrovnik and ancient Split, crisscrossed with narrow, stony routes lined with wine bars. Sailing south, explore under-visited Montenegro, where Kotor town is cradled by mountains and fjords. There’s more: a day in Messina, Sicily, another in Naples and time in Florence before disembarking in Cittavecchia, for Rome. ✱ 11 nights from £757pp, flights extra, on a Best of Italy and Croatia cruise with Celebrity Cruises; celebritycruises.com Sunshine in the Caribbean Beyond the tourist-loved favourites there is a constellation of understated little Caribbean islands you won’t find in many…

Difficulty level YOU WILL NEED ✱ 35x35cm of 28-count Dark Rustic linen✱ 35x35cm of natural backing fabric✱ Embroidery needle and threads✱ 50cm length of ribbon✱ 73 small beads✱ Stuffing FINISHED SIZE✱ 18x18cm Stitching the design 1 The 0 or dashed lines on the chart should be matched with the centre of your main fabric. Fold the fabric in half, then into quarters. Where the fold lines cross is where you should start stitching. You can mark the centre with a line of tacking stitches to use as a guide. 2 Cut a 40cm length of embroidery thread. Using the number of strands stated in the key, work cross-stitches from the centre of the chart and fabric. Each coloured square on the chart represents one cross-stitch worked over one block of…

Difficulty level MEASUREMENTS Approximately 23cm/9in wide and 8cm/3in tall. MATERIALS 1 x 100g (282m) ball of Emu Classic DK (100% acrylic) in each of Red (Ruby 120) and White (101)*. Pair of 4mm (No. 8) knitting needles. TENSION 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10x10cm, over stocking stitch, using 4mm needles. ABBREVIATIONS K, knit; p, purl; ss, stocking st (k on right side and p on wrong side); st(s), stitch(es). NOTES Yarn amounts are based on average requirements and are approximate. Figures in square brackets are worked as stated after 2nd bracket. SNOWFLAKE MUG HUG With White, cast on 51 sts. Set-up row (wrong side): K all sts through the back loops. 1st to 20th row: Starting at the bottom right-hand corner, and reading right side rows from right to…

Jumbo wordsearch All the words relating to the arctic are hidden in the grid. Words may be read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. ALASKA ALPINE ARCTIC HARE ARCTIC FOX AVALANCHE BLIZZARD BOREAL CIRCLE CREVASSE FINLAND FJORD GLACIER GREENLAND HARP SEAL HIBERNATION ICE CAP ICE FISHING ICE SHEET ICEBERG IGLOO LAPLAND LEMMING MIDNIGHT SUN MOOSE MORAINE MUSK OX NARWHAL NORDIC NORTH POLE NORTHERN LIGHTS NORWAY PERMAFROST POLAR BEAR REINDEER SALMON SIBERIA SLED DOG SNOWMOBILE SNOWPLOUGH SNOWSHOE SUB-ZERO SVALBARD TUNDRA WALRUS WOLF YUKON 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: Taking money out of an…

Tom Gates: Five Star Stories by Liz Pichon (£12.99, HB, Scholastic) What child doesn’t love Tom Gates? The 21st book in the ever-so-popular series is sure to be a hit with the kids or grandkids. This time, we meet our schoolboy hero looking for inspiration as Oakfield School announces it is compiling a storybook. Problem is, they only want five star stories. Will Tom find his, and will he manage to complete it in time? Accompanied by creative doodles, it’s another five-star read from author and illustrator Liz Pichon. Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (£7.99, PB, Oxford University Press) Time and time again, this much-loved read comes up in the ‘best children’s books ever’ lists – and there’s a reason why. The red-haired orphan who lives on Prince…

yourastrologysigns.com ARIES 21 MAR – 20 APR This is a time of exploration and trying new possibilities. Be prepared to step out and do something completely different. TAURUS 21 APR – 21 MAY Don’t be overcautious, as this sometimes prevents you from taking up new opportunities. Take a calculated risk. GEMINI 22 MAY – 21 JUN What are you dreaming of? This is a good week for visualisation and for putting out positive vibrations into the ether. Don’t be afraid to dream big. CANCER 22 JUN – 23 JUL The frequency of love is magnified around you this week. All interactions can be harmonious and peaceful. LEO 24 JUL – 23 AUG Although obstacles may come up occasionally, don’t allow yourself to be distracted from your final goal. You will…