Innholdsfortegnelse for Festive Special 15.12.2019 i Pick Me Up! Special

They say the greatest gift is the gift of giving, and what better time than Christmas to really show our generosity towards others? This month, we’ve been inspired by so many selfless acts of kindness. When her best friend needed her the most, Julie (pg40) put her own wishes aside to give him the greatest and most selfless gift she possibly could. She ended up changing her own life – and his – and now they couldn’t be happier. Mum Francesca (pg35) is using her generosity this season to help other parents. When her baby started choking at just four months old, she was powerless to do anything. But now, not only has she learnt vital lifesaving skills, but she also wants to share them with everyone to prevent the…

Browsing the internet for degrees, I was trying to find a new calling in life. I'd been working behind a bar for years and I just never really imagined myself doing anything else. But, when the bar I was managing closed down in 2006, I saw an opportunity to try something new. That's when I scrolled across a midwifery course. It couldn't have been any further from bartending, but I liked the sound of it. After all, I'd always loved newborn babies. Only, it wasn't until the day before the university interview that I realised it wasn't going to be home visits and cuddles… I would be delivering! The thought terrified me, and I wondered if I'd made a mistake, but then, I realised, I'd never be bored! So, I…

FOR her FOR him FOR Kids FOR Pets…

Clarence Court Christmas Eggnog Makes 6 portions (around 1 litre) 565ml (1 pint) milk 200ml double cream 1 vanilla pod, halved, seeds scraped out (or 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste) Half a whole nutmeg, grated (plus a little extra for serving) 2 sticks cinnamon 2 whole cloves 4 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs, separated 100g golden caster sugar 130ml Cockspur fine rum 3 tbsp demerara sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon METHOD: 1. Pour the milk and cream in to a saucepan. Add the spices (including the empty vanilla pod) and place on a medium heat. Bring to a simmer (but not boiling) and allow to cool for 5 minutes and infuse. 2. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well until light and thickened. Strain…

Stepping out on the busy streets of London with my son Oak, then 10, we were on our way to Great Ormond Street Hospital. He knew he had to help them Oak had just recently been diagnosed with autism, Tourette’s, dyslexia and anxiety. So, to help with all of this, he’d been referred to GOSH for weekly courses. He was quite excited by the idea of going to London, but when we arrived, he was shocked by the amount of homeless people. He’d never been to London before, so he’d never seen how bad it really was. And in our town, homeless people on the streets aren’t all that common. ‘Why is everyone ignoring them?’ he asked me. I didn’t know how to answer. For Oak, everything is black and…

Dropping the kids off at the gates, I felt like I was walking through thick sticky treacle. I was on the daily school run, but my mind was somewhere else. At 43, I had four lovely children and a wonderful husband, but I was absolutely miserable. My periods were also extremely heavy, which wasn’t helping anything, either. In need of help, I marched myself down to the doctors. ‘It’s depression,’ I was told. But it didn’t make any sense. I had an amazing home life, so I didn’t understand how I could even be depressed. But I was given antidepressants and was sent on my way. Then, four years later, I completely broke down. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong,’ I sobbed to my dad, Michael. ‘You’re not depressed, it might…

Winter weather can wreak havoc on your favourite faux fur. The wind and rain will have your furry coat looking matted and tangled if you don't take proper care of it. But fear not, it's easy to clean when you know how. 1. BRUSH YOUR FUR Think of your new coat as your pet – brush the hairs with a firm bristle brush in the direction of the hair once a week, especially if it's rained. 2. AIR DRY Never use a hairdryer to clean your faux fur! Instead, lie the item flat and leave to air dry naturally. This way, the weight of the water won't distort the shape of the coat. 3. CHECK THE TAG Check the washing instructions to see if it's machine washable. Many faux fur…

Watching my children, Tiegan, 10, Oliver, nine, and Spencer, three, rushing round to get ready for school, I took a deep breath. At 40 weeks pregnant, the morning rush was a lot more tiring. ‘Are you okay?' my partner, Rob, asked. ‘I think I'm going into labour,' I said. Phoning my sister, Teri, and Mum, Sally, I told Rob to stay home with the kids. ‘I thought she'd be overdue like the others,' I said. ‘But she's coming two days early!' Waiting for them to arrive, I focused on my quick contractions – they were coming every five minutes! ‘Put your foot down!' I said, clambering in the back seat of my sister's Kia Venga. Please hold on, baby, I pleaded. But as my sister turned the car at a…

Creating a GoFundMe page, I hoped I'd be able to raise the funds. I desperately needed £8,000 in order to pay for my precious pup's surgery. Our beloved English Bulldog, Katie, had just been diagnosed with a liver defect and had six months to live unless she had the £8,000 operation. But the problem was, even if we raised the funds, there was only a slim chance she would survive the grilling surgery. ‘But we have to try,' I told my husband Ronald. By now, Katie's health was seriously deteriorating – she could barely walk. Whenever she tried to totter out into the garden alone, she would just tumble down the steps. That's when I came up with the idea to fundraise for her. I was a retired teacher and…

WEEK 1 Now’s the time to get organised. If you haven’t already, start that Christmas shopping. Make lists and plan. Getting prepared now will help banish any last-minute stress. But remember, Christmas should be about making memories. Get the family together, pick out a Christmas tree and start decorating the house. Make it festive and blast out your favourite Christmas album as you go! Why not try… writing a letter to Santa? It’s a busy time of year for Father Christmas, and this week is the last chance for your little ones to get their letters to Christmas HQ. Post your letters by Friday 6 December and Santa will try his best to reply. Send letters to: Santa/Father Christmas Santa’s Grotto Reindeerland XM4 5HQ Checklist Put the Christmas decorations up…

Squeezing my way down the narrow aeroplane aisle, I found my seat. ‘Finally,’ I puffed, squishing myself in. But, to my horror, as I grabbed the seatbelt, it wouldn’t fasten over my stomach – it wasn’t even close. ‘Excuse me,’ I whispered quietly to the flight attendant. ‘Please can I have an extender?’ I was hoping she’d handle my request discreetly. But then she bellowed down the aircraft! ‘The lady in 20D needs a belt extender!’ she called to her colleague. Mortified, I felt my cheeks burn hot and flush red. It was March 2017, and I was on my way from my home in Sydney, Australia, to meet up with my sister in Melbourne. I spent the entire flight filled with absolute shame. At a size-26, I was under…

Light it up Have you ever counted the lights on your Christmas tree? We bet you don’t have as many as this one. Every year, Universal Studios Japan, lights up its theme park with this dazzling display, which last year included 580,806 lights! RUN RUN RUDOLF! Every year, over 3,000 charity runners dressed as Santa take part in a Santa charity fun run in London’s Victoria Park to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. This year’s run takes place on 8 December – sign up at www.gosh.org. Festive feast Hungry anyone? The record for the UK’s largest Christmas dinner was made in 2014 and stood at a whopping 9.6kg. The festive feast for one, comprised of a turkey, carrots, parsnips, broccoli pieces, cauliflower pieces, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets,…

2020 trends: As consumers, our travel needs are  always changing. So, once again, Booking.com have released their New Year’s travel predictions. Second-city travel – To avoid crowds, people will seek lesser known destinations for a relaxing getaway. Pet-centric destinations – From cat spas to hotels offering doggy afternoon tea, we want accommodation that pampers our pooches! Travelling in slo-mo – Travel in 2020 will be all about taking it slow and favouring the likes of trains and boats over air travel. Culture Shock Going abroad provides the perfect opportunity to relax. But when in holiday mode, we can often forget that we are a guest in another country. So, Taxi2Airport.com carried out a survey to find out what us Brits associate with being a ‘good tourist.' 81% believe we should learn basic…

As I heard my husband Liam, 26, cheer in the living room, I laughed from the kitchen. ‘Goal!’ he cried happily as I waddled in with two mugs of tea. But then… ‘You shouldn’t be doing that,’ he frowned, sitting me down. It was July 2015 and I was 28 weeks pregnant. Following a bleed, I’d recently spent nine days in Liverpool Women’s Hospital. And now, the doctors had confined me to strict bed rest. ‘I’m OK,’ I sighed. But I was soon distracted by the Arsenal game – who were our favourite football team. He thrived from day one We loved watching our local rugby team, the Warrington Wolves play, too. Liam and I both come from sporty families. So, when our daughter Isla was born in August 2012,…

Wetting my razor and lathering on shaving cream, I started my morning routine. It was February 2017, I was 36. Only, I wasn’t just shaving my legs or armpits, but my face, too. Since I was 14, I’d suffered with abnormal hair growth. It’d started slowly. The hairs on my upper lip getting darker and thicker, until I practically had a moustache. Distraught, I sobbed to my mum Cynthia, now 71. ‘Girls aren’t meant to look like this,’ I cried. ‘We’ll sort it out,’ she soothed. She took me to a salon near our home in Pennsylvania, USA, and asked them to wax my lip. As the beautician ripped the hairs out, I prayed that’d be it. But a few days later, the hair started growing back. I became fixated…

FESTIVE BEFORE-YOU-GO TOILET SPRAY Around the Christmas period, there are lots of people popping in and out of your house. That means lots of people 'pooping' in and out of your bathroom, too. To save yourself from unpleasant bathroom smells during the festivities, purchase a clever little Secret Santa Poo-Pourri. This original before-you-go toilet spray stops bathroom odour before it begins! Simply shake your bottle, lift the toilet lid, spritz 4-6 sprays of Poo-Pourri in the toilet bowl, a seat and lock and load. When you flush, enjoy the refreshing bouquet of natural essential oils! Perfect for the festive season, Secret Santa smells of cinnamon, vanilla and citrus – even your toilet will be festive! Encourage your visitors to spray before they go, or even gift a gift to special…

Marrying her partner, James Tylka, in December 2014, Katelynn Armand thought she’d got her happily ever after. With their new-born daughter Brynn, the couple were the vision of happiness. But things soon turned sour. The two quickly became known to authorities for domestic violence and arguments. It was clear to family and friends that they had a turbulent relationship and after just six months of marriage, they decided to split. James had become addicted to drugs and was clinically depressed, so Katelynn had to put herself and their daughter first. However, for the sake of 11-month-old girl, they agreed to stay in touch and co-parent. But despite Katelynn’s efforts to get James help, their relationship remained very hostile. As they started divorce and court proceedings they would frequently row. With…

Perfect for Christmas parties, these mocktail and cocktail recipes are all made with the new Cranberry & Apple juice drink from Ocean Spray. Try a classic cosmopolitan or a festive punch… Ocean Spray Cranberry & Apple juice drink, Tesco, £1.35 for 1litre. Classic cosmopolitan 125ml Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic® Juice Drink 50ml vodka 25ml orange liqueur A dash of fresh lime juice METHOD: 1. Pour the Ocean Spray® Cranberry Classic® Juice Drink, vodka and orange liqueur into a nice cocktail glass. 2. Add a dash of fresh lime juice and stir everything together. Enjoy! Warm spiced cranberry & apple punch 2.5 litres Ocean Spray Cranberry & Apple Juice Drink 50g caster sugar, optional 3 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp whole allspice ½ tsp ground nutmeg Orange slices, garnish METHOD: 1. Combine…

Tears streaming down my cheeks, I was totally overwhelmed by the beautiful moment. ‘Congratulations,’ the midwife smiled, as she handed me my newborn baby girl. ‘She’s beautiful.’ I gazed down at my daughter, with her peaches and cream skin and deep brown eyes. ‘She really is,’ I whispered, soaking it all in. It was 1996, and my partner Paul, now 48, and I decided to name her Jayden. It wasn’t long before we were able to leave hospital and take her back home to Folkestone, Kent. My two eldest – Lisa, now 29, and David, now 27 – were quite a bit older than little Jayden, so when they were at school, it was just the two of us. Wherever I went, she would come with me – my little…

Once you’ve finished off any last little bits it’s time to relax. Santa is finally on his way, so spend Christmas Eve with family and cram in the Christmas movies. Don’t forget to leave out some mince pies and carrots. You can track Santa’s movements through Google’s Santa tracker. Visit santatracker.google.com A festive fi m a day... THE 22ND - The Grinch THE 23RD - White Christmas CHRISTMAS EVE - Elf CHRISTMAS DAY – The Muppets Christmas Carol Checklist  Do your Christmas food shop Get festive baking. Why not make a gingerbread house? Track Santa Leave out mince pies and carrots…

This month... HOW TO HAVE A MINDFUL CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR DOG Forthglade and Certified Animal Behaviourist Caroline Wilkinson have provided festive tips to enjoy this Christmas with your pup… 1 Calm anxiety To help combat anxiety, allow your dog plenty of space and give them treats to make your dog associate Christmas with something positive. 2 Keep rules consistent Make sure everyone sticks to the same rules, so your dog knows what’s expected of them during Christmas. 3 Watch what they eat Tell guests what they’re allowed to feed your dogs so that nobody gives them something dangerous from the buffet. 4 Don't leave food out Decorations and snacks could get eaten by your dog, so don’t hang chocolates on the tree. Your pup's nose is…

Is it worth the effort? I always make resolutions and never stick to them. It’s depressing. Shall I not bother this year and save myself the disappointment? Cara, Birmingham YES  Pick Me Up! reader Louisa from Reading says: If you never stick to your resolutions, then this year don’t make them! Not achieving your goals can be really disheartening and depressing, and can almost have the opposite effect to demotivate you. Instead of setting unrealistic resolutions, plan how you can positively change your lifestyle permanently. For example, instead of signing up to the gym, find a new active hobby that you can do with friends. NO  Pick Me Up! reader Berta from Lincolnshire says: Make yourself resolutions that you can stick to! If they’re realistic and have a specific goal,…

I wrapped my dressing gown around me and sat onto the sofa. ‘I’m shattered,’ I sighed. It was finally the Easter holidays so I was at home with my mum Sharon, 47, in Blackpool, Lancashire, on a much needed break from my job as a dinner lady at the local school. But I’d been struck down with what I thought was a stomach bug. ‘Oh Mum I really feel rotten,’ I said, clutching my stomach. The pain had got a lot worse and the thought of food was making my stomach somersault. ‘Have an early night and you’ll feel right as rain in the morning,’ Mum said. But waking up at 5am the next morning, I knew it was more than a stomach bug. My eyes were sore, the corners…

We’ve all said it… It will never happen to us. Even the most anxious new parent doesn’t imagine that the worst will happen to their baby. But I’m here to tell you that it can, and why we should all be more prepared for it… When my son Thomas was born on 15 April 2015, it was one of the happiest days of my life. He was six weeks early, but absolutely perfect. A healthy 6lb 13oz. After 11 days in the Neonatal Unit at Warrington Hospital, my partner Peter, then 45, and I brought Thomas home. Our daughter Olivia, then five, adored the new baby. I was breastfeeding and Thomas took to it like a duck to water, flying through his check-ups with the health visitor. On 9 May…

INSTANT + APPOINTMENT Dr Geetha Venkat has more than twenty years of experience and heads up the Harley Street Fertility Clinic. www.hsfc.org What are my options? Q How do I know what fertility treatments are right for me? There are so many options and I’m baffled. Abi, Southampton A Facing fertility treatment can be hard and often overwhelming, but don't panic. Knowing what the problem is will help to determine which treatment path is right for you,  and for some women, taking fertility medicines can help as they encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than normal. Operations are also an option and used to explore issues such as blocked fallopian tubes. Then there's assisted conception and this includes intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF). There is a…

Learn to be at ease with your feelings Loneliness can become problematic when we become consumed or overwhelmed by it. The more you can be at ease with loneliness and avoid identifying with the associated thoughts and emotions, the less painful it can be. Take a moment to step back, look inwardly and acknowledge the negative thoughts and feelings. You may find it easier to talk aloud about how you feel or write down your feelings in a journal. This can help you realise that your thoughts do not define you and gain more space from them. By accepting them you can detach yourself from this isolating feeling. This shift of perspective and mindset can take time as loneliness is a complex emotion. Understand that being alone and feeling alone…

The festive season is a time of indulgence, partying and celebrating. But, if you've gone overboard on your alcohol supplies this year, then chances are you'll have plenty of leftovers to use up! SPIRITS If Father Christmas didn't finish off his whiskey or brandy, then you can soak dried fruits in it instead. Perfect for adding in cakes or pouring over ice cream. Disaronno tastes brilliant cooked with plums in the oven, for a sweet dessert. SOFT DRINKS Coca-Cola is great for cooking ham or pulled pork. Cover the meat with cola in the slow cooker and leave to cook for hours. The sugar in the cola will make it caramelise beautifully! CIDER, BEER AND ALE These three are all great for enriching stews, pies and slow cooked meats. A…

When Christmas rolls around, most of us like to experiment a little – even if it does result in us scrubbing it all off and starting again. So, here are a few things you can do to festive up your look! Use a glitter eyeliner to add a dash of sparkle. Highlight your teardrop with a silver or gold eyeshadow. Run black eyeliner on your lower water line to make your eyes really stand out. Opt for a plum tone blusher over a pink. Add a gold or silver highlighter to your cheekbones. Try applying a body shimmer on your arms and collar bones. Never forget to rock a red lip! Apply some glittery gloss in the middle of your lips.…

Stepping out into the cold, frosty air, I watched my son Kyle, eight, moving things around in the shed. ‘What are you doing?' I asked him, puzzled. ‘You'll see, Mum!' he shouted back, pulling a wheelbarrow out onto the snow. Around 10 minutes later, I watched him from the window, pushing a cart full of grit. ‘I don't want anyone to fall and hurt themselves,' he told me, as he sprinkled grit on the frozen paths outside. Last November, I'd stacked it on the ice in front of Kyle. ‘These pavements are so dangerous in this weather,' I told him, moments before I went sliding on the pavement myself. Kyle had been so worried about me after, that he'd watch people on the streets like a hawk. ‘Do you think…