Innholdsfortegnelse for 13-Dec-2021 i Woman

Ican’t believe it’s less than four weeks until the big day. I’d like to say I’m organised, but that would see me firmly on the naughty list for telling fibs. However, this week’s HUGE 100-page festive issue will see me get back on track. Featuring the best last-minute supermarket gifts (from just 79p!) on p61, luxe loungewear to suit every budget (p22), the must-have mascara (p19) – a bargain at £3.30 – and extra pages of puzzles, sudoku and a TV quiz (p92), it really is time to embrace the season! Plus! We have exclusive Slimming World recipes (p54) – proving you can enjoy sweet treats without piling on the pounds. And that’s not all – there’s a free magazine worth £9.99 (p60) and a chance to win a Greek…

The Queen is determined to make up for lost time and host a ‘most memorable’ royal Christmas at Sandringham this year. COVID-19 may have cancelled 2020’s festivities, but Her Majesty intends to pull out all the stops when three generations of her family converge at the Norfolk estate on 24 December. Like families up and down the country, Christmas will have extra meaning for the monarch after last year’s customary gathering was wrecked by lockdown. Instead of being holed up in Windsor Castle, the Queen is planning to take an extended break in December to make sure everyone has a Christmas to remember. And few families know how to mark the highlight of the Christian calendar like the Windsors. Almost every aspect of their annual gathering is rooted in family…

1 Scrub a-dub-dub Bold colours can highlight dry and flaky lips, and cause lippy to collect in any uneven patches of skin. Taking a moment to exfoliate your mouth ensures smooth application, helps lipstick last nicely and feels so satisfying, too. Go gently as the skin is delicate here. Use your ring finger to massage Barry M Mango Lip Scrub, £4.99 in small circles, then tissue away excess. 2 Nuke redness elsewhere One thing to bear in mind when wearing red lippy is that it can highlight redness elsewhere. If you have rosacea or are prone to flushing, it’s a good idea to wear a medium to full-coverage foundation to create a nice even canvas. Modern, high-pigment formulas aren’t heavy and flat, Max Factor Facefinity All Day Flawless Airbrush Finish…

Last year’s party season was effectively cancelled for many people. But with restrictions on gatherings now over (for the moment at least), it’s no wonder many of us are gearing up for this year’s celebrations. Although some people have enjoyed quieter times during the pandemic and are anxious about returning to social events, others have missed them hugely and can’t wait to start partying. Whichever group you identify with (and you don’t have to be one or the other), there may be a lot of alcohol being offered to you in the next few weeks! ‘Alcohol reflexes affects your and memory’ Humans have been drinking alcohol probably ever since it was invented. But what actually happens to your body when you drink? Alcohol affects your brain and nervous system, and…

When fun, outgoing and full-of-life Chris, then 41, came into my and my daughter’s lives in September 2008, he changed everything. I’d been a single parent since Ronah, then seven, had been tiny, and having Chris in our lives filled a void for both of us. He was a father figure to her and the loving partner I’d been searching for. Within months we’d become a happy family of three, and it was hard to imagine life without him. Everyone loved Chris and his positive attitude. He was always happy and smiling, and it rubbed off on all of us around him. This was especially true at Christmas, when Chris turned into an overexcited child, piling tinsel on the tree, cranking up the radio in the car and singing along…

Walking the streets of London one cold January morning in 2018, my business partner Jonathan and I felt like we were on an obstacle course, dodging discarded Christmas trees. It was like a Christmas tree graveyard. We agreed there had to be a better way to do Christmas and Jonathan suggested renting live, potted trees. ‘I created Holly ’ Berry I found out that seven million Christmas trees are grown, cut and thrown away every year in the UK and I wanted to do something about it. London Christmas Tree Rental was born and a little while later another idea emerged, to grow smaller trees for children. I created the character of Holly Berry, who lives next door to Father Christmas and grows trees in her garden. The little trees…

Call the Midwife BBC1 As the nuns of Nonnatus House prepare for Lucille and Cyril’s wedding, Trixie and co are rushed off their feet in this year’s festive instalment. Miriam Margolyes is back, too! Walk the Line ITV In this talent show, acts will perform, but there’s a twist… the two who come out on top must decide if they want to leave with a cash prize or risk it all by staying in the competition. Maya Jama hosts, with Gary Barlow as head judge. Around the World in 80 Days BBC1 David Tennant stars as Phileas Fogg in this adaptation of Jules Verne’s novel, which follows the gent as he attempts to circumnavigate the world in 80 days. Strictly the Real Full Monty ITV Ashley Banjo prepares more celebrities…

PHILLIP SCHOFIELD The This Morning presenter, 59, donned a full Father Christmas outfit complete with a white fur trim, a long fake beard and a matching red hat. AMANDA HOLDEN Known for dressing up and, er, dressing down, Amanda, 50, looks great in this Mrs Claus number. We bet she’ll be rocking around the Christmas tree this year! HOLLY WILLOUGHBY The TV host, 40, transformed into a Christmas queen for the festive season back in 2019 ahead of her show Take Off with Bradley Walsh, which aired on Christmas Eve. The dress, which started off white, before being made red, then finally having a white fur trim added, was made by designer Samson Dougal. SIR ELTON JOHN The singer, 74, stepped into Christmas wearing this velvet Santa suit – jazzed…

The Duchess of Sussex has said sorry for failing to remember that she instructed her former press secretary to ‘brief’ the authors of Finding Freedom. The apology was made as Meghan’s privacy battle with The Mail on Sunday rumbles on. The paper’s lawyers insist this crucial piece of evidence – which casts doubts on her claim she never co-operated with the book’s authors – was missing from the account Meghan originally gave to the high court. If their claims are right, then since when was saying, ‘Sorry, I forgot,’ a reasonable excuse for appearing to mislead a court?…

MEET YOUR NEW FAVOURITE MASCARA There are always new mascaras on the market, but there is one that has caused a frenzy among beauty editors and influencers alike; Essence’s new addition to its iconic Lash Princess line-up. Fans have been requesting a curling formula for yonks and now it’s here – and it lives up to the viral fame of its predecessors. Designed with a peanut-shaped wand, which lets you get from root to tip to create volume and a defined-curl shape. The formula doesn’t get clumpy or flake, and there’s no smudging or transfer throughout the day. You only need one swipe to achieve the volume it takes at least three coats to get with other, more expensive, mascaras. Essence Lash Princess Volume and Curl Mascara is a snip…

Sleep expert Dr Pixie McKenna, from Dreams beds store, shares her advice on getting a good night’s rest when experiencing menopausal symptoms... 1 Wear breathable nightwear made from natural fabrics. 2 Ditch heavy bedding and, if you’re sharing with someone, kit them out with a spare duvet so you don’t overheat with their thicker bedding. 3 Invest in a fan to keep your side of the room cool (it takes a lot of negotiation to get a partner to agree to having a window open mid-winter). 4 Try getting up at the same time each morning and setting a strict bedtime each night, despite it being Christmas.…

Christmas is notoriously a time of overindulgence for many of us. We eat vast amounts of food, and splash out on gifts for loved ones. Given such extravagance, it should come as no surprise that the average Brit spends almost £740 more in December than in any other month of the year. But spending beyond one’s means at Christmas time sees a third of us resort to borrowing money to finance the festivities, and consequently plunges thousands into debt. And with us still navigating our way through the financial hangover of the coronavirus pandemic, this year we’re feeling the crunch more than ever. But what toll can increasing debt take on an individual? And is there a way to ease the mounting financial pressure? Woman investigates. ‘I WAS EMBARRASSED BY…

This is a warning for anyone who pays for car or home insurance. There’s a rules revolution coming that is likely to mean the end of cheap switchers’ deals. So this is my clarion call to urgently check now if you can get a better deal. From 1 January 2022, the financial services regulator’s new insurance rules mean that insurers will have to prove, on aggregate, that they charge their brand new customers the same as existing customers – and that includes any vouchers or cashback. The aim is to end the loyalty penalty – the fact that those who just renew each year often see their price walked up, meaning that after five years some pay more than double what new customers do. There’s a ‘but’… firms are unlikely…

Baked Camembert with nuts and rosemary What’s not to love about gooey, melted cheese… we used a 1kg Camembert, which you can order from any good cheese shop. Otherwise use 2x500g ones and bake for 20 mins or so. SERVES 10 PREP 5 MINS COOK 40 MINS ✱ 1kg Camembert ✱ 20g pine nuts, lightly toasted ✱ 25g pecans, lightly toasted sprigs of rosemary TO SERVE: ✱ Steamed baby new potatoes ✱ Cornichons ✱ Slices of salami 1 Take the cheese out of its packaging then put it back in the box (you want ideally a stapled box rather than glued, so it won’t come apart in the oven – we used Président). 2 Put the box base into the lid so you have a double layer. Now make diagonal…

Specially Selected Mini Chicken Sliders, 320g, £3.69, Aldi Katsu is still having its moment and these dainty sliders are sure to be a hit with the whole family. The mini burgers are available in Spicy Salsa or Katsu and hit shelves from 10 December. Turkey and stuffing balls, 300g, £1.50, Morrisons With these crisps you can inject some festive flare even when you’re serving up a platter of nibbles and drinks. These maize and potato balls have a meaty, herby flavoured coating. Mini Lasagne Bites, 222g, £3.50, Iceland A fun, novelty addition to your festive spread that will make your guests smile and provide a comforting snack, too. Wicken Kitchen Mini Mac Party Pots, 256g, £4, Tesco Over the years, mini portions of mac and cheese have become a popular…

Live. Laugh. Love by Coleen Nolan (£16.99, Little, Brown, HB) Coleen Nolan has been there, done it and got the T-shirt. Since bursting on to our screens with her sisters in a band at the tender age of eight, she is perhaps better known these days for her TV work. With a lot of advice to offer – from imposter syndrome in her career to navigating family life, the menopause, body image and dating apps – this honest and practical guide to living your best life is delivered in her usual down-to-earth manner. For more books information, see goodtoknow.co.uk/books Baby It’s Cold Outside by Emily Bell (£7.99, Penguin, PB) Norah Jones spent a summer in Italy 10 years ago where she met an Irish boy called Andrew. After spending a…

You, Gordon Ramsay and Fred Sirieix have worked together a lot. Do you ever try and out-macho each other? Well, Gordon is the alpha male. He’s the one who knows everything and is in charge. And you’ve got Fred, who is very competitive with Gordon, so they always end up butting heads. Then you’ve got me – and I just like to have fun. Who’s the most badly behaved? Let’s just say, I’m the one that’s usually late because I’ve been out, and I don’t always listen to the director when I should. ‘Women are all about love’ Who would win in a cook-off? Fred, because Gordon and I would be trying too hard to outdo each other. Fred is a clever French f****r and he would take advantage of…

Don’t let Christmas ruin your routine I feel I might have to resort to some undignified pleading here. Begging even. December is a time when we have the tendency to neglect anything that doesn’t involve shopping, eating, drinking, swinging our hips and guffawing with hearty laughter. Squats, veggies? Pah! They don’t get a look-in. Then January comes and we wonder why we feel lethargic, bloated, spotty, irritable and annoyed at the tightness of our trousers. The thing is, girls, sticking to our fitness routine (allowing a 10% drop-off at a push) is going to benefit us mentally. And if ever there was a time we needed help with keeping emotions stable, Christmas is it. Statistics from the world over show that during the various lockdowns, divorce rates rocketed through couples…

The following questions can be used as a very brief assessment of your drinking: C – Have you ever thought you should Cut down on your drinking? A – Have you ever become Angry/ Annoyed by others criticising your drinking? G – Have you ever felt Guilty about your drinking? E – Do you ever have a morning drink (Eye opener) for a hangover or to steady yourself? If you answer ‘yes’ to two or more of these, or just ‘yes’ to the early drinking question, then you may have an issue with alcohol. Your GP may be able to refer you to local community alcohol services or other forms of support. Charities such as Alcoholics Anonymous (alcoholics-anonymous.co.uk) and Alcohol Change UK (alcoholchange.org.uk) may also offer support.…

Richard Lane, director of external affairs at StepChange Debt Charity, shares some money-saving tips: 1 Make a monthly budget There are a number of online tools and apps that can help you with this. Once your budget is complete, subtract your estimated outgoings from your income. This will give you your ‘disposable income’, which is what you’ll have available to clear your debt or put towards your Christmas spending. 2 Can you bring in any extra cash? There are lots of ways to make a few extra pounds, such as using cashback websites and selling unwanted items on eBay. You could also consider taking on some freelance work alongside your main job. Or do you have a hobby that you could turn into a business perhaps? 3…

Meringue and Prosecco-berry trifle The classic Christmas dessert just got a boozy upgrade. SERVES 10 PREP TIME 30 MINS, PLUS CHILLING SKILL LEVEL EASY ✱ 500g fresh or frozen mixed berries (defrosted if frozen) ✱ 40ml Prosecco (11-12% ABV) ✱ 2 x 11.5g sachets raspberry sugar-free jelly crystals ✱ 200g low-fat custard from a can or carton ✱ 3 x 160g pots fat-free no-added-sugar vanilla yogurt ✱ 3 plain meringue nests, roughly crushed 1 Put 400g mixed berries into the base of a large glass bowl and pour over the Prosecco. Put the jelly crystals into a measuring jug, pour over 300ml boiling water, then top up with 325ml cold water and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool for 15 mins, then pour over the fruit. 2 Chill for 6…

‘The first few weeks were exciting, but the novelty soon wore off’ My husband, Gareth, and I both fell in love with this house as soon as we set foot inside it,’ says Sarah. ‘We loved the character and the original features, and it felt like a house that gave you a hug as soon as you walked in.’ Good to go The day we got the keys I started decorating, and the first few weeks were really exciting, though I have to say, the novelty soon wore off! All the fireplaces and cupboards were dark wood and the two front rooms had green carpet throughout, so it all looked dull and dingy. I immediately took down the chintzy curtains, but we wanted to live in the space and see…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Make sure you keep your eyes on those distant horizons. Whether in terms of miles or ambitions, a solar eclipse brightens your sights. Nonetheless, first some baggage needs to go. TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May No matter how many dreams have not come true, there are still more that can. Make an affirmation on the eclipsed new moon (4th) and await delivery of a dream. For your reading ☎09058 172558 GEMINI 22 May – 22 Jun This is the second solar eclipse in a year, and it portends great things. Expect a new and important relationship or a new and significant chapter in an existing one. For your reading ☎09058 172559 CANCER 23 Jun – 23 Jul Do you live to work or…

Gillian Anderson is among the cast of voices behind festive animation Robin Robin. The story follows the little bird of the title, who’s adopted by a family of mice after she hatches from her egg, which has fallen from its nest. But, as she grows up, she begins to realise just how different she is. Formerly of The X-Files, Gillian plays Cat, who encounters Robin and wants her inside her tummy! Here, she reveals more… Are you a lover of cats? What was it like to play one? I’ve always been rather allergic to cats so, as a result, they haven’t been a big part of my life or my family. But playing Cat was a lot of fun and invigorating. You also have to sing a song. What was…

TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING ! In the run-up to Christmas, the British Nutrition Foundation has begged people to limit their overeating by cracking down on portion size. What an extraordinary time to do it! Indeed, just as we all look forward to relaxing and putting our feet up with plenty of guilt-free overindulging on cheese, mince pies, wine, Quality Street and mint matchsticks (I could go on), they want us all to start eating like birds. Frankly, it ain’t gonna happen. But – timing aside – the BNF does have a point. Researchers found that millions of us chow through whatever we’ve put onto our plate regardless of how high we’ve piled it – and it’s a very big part of why we have soaring rates of obesity in this…