Innholdsfortegnelse for Festive Special 2020 i Pick Me Up! Special

This Christmas, as we hang up our decorations and carefully wrap our presents, we’ll be thinking of our loved ones more than ever. After months apart, and too many Zoom quizzes to count, we’ve been reminded of the importance of family. Shaun (pg10) knows all too well how much we should treasure our loved ones while we still can. Although his beloved dad is no longer with him, he lives on through 20,000 twinkling lights and a van-size replica of the Coca-Cola Christmas truck. And he’s not the only one lighting up the meaning of family this month. After landing her feet in the UK, Datsa (pg38) put all her energy into creating a better life for her two boys. Now, she lights up the likes of Amanda Holden’s walls…

Rubbing my arm, I groaned out in pain. ‘It really hurts,’ I cried to my mum, Vivienne, 37. They told me it was tennis elbow ‘It’s probably just growing pains,’ she assured me. I was 15 and my right elbow had been giving me some gyp, but I didn’t think it was anything serious. But when it hadn’t got any better a week later, Mum dragged me to the doctors to get it checked out. ‘It sounds like it’s a tennis elbow,’ my GP told me, sending me home with some painkillers. ‘If it gets any worse, come back.’ The next day I was still in agony, and so they sent me straight to A&E. There, medics performed an ultrasound, took blood tests and a biopsy to see what was…

Looking down into the glistening eyes of my five-year-old daughter, she stands confidently with a beaming smile. ‘Mum, I can do this,’ Sophia-Rose tells me. Sophia-Rose was undergoing an assessment for the potential diagnosis for autism during the beginning of lockdown. During her life, she would become distressed at any change of routine and often struggled to just step outside of our home. But, on 30 March this year, Sophia-Rose decided to bravely step outside with urgency and determination to give gifts to the local community. Over 1,000 gifts Unbeknown to her, she would later become the ‘Local Hero’, as chosen by two nearby  supermarkets. Sophia-Rose had seen the rainbow drawings in the windows of the houses along the street. ‘Mummy, why are they there?’ she asked me. After explaining…

Swivelling around in my chair to look at my gorgeous five-year-old son, Alfie, I imagined how wonderful he would look in his shepherd costume. I was so proud that he had bagged one of the main parts in the Nativity play at school. ‘Why can’t we just put him in a dressing gown with a tea towel over his head?’ my husband Chris said, sighing at me. Alfie looked down in disappointment. With a grin on my face I clicked confirm order. ‘It’s only £16.99,’ I said. The outfit came with a free inflatable sheep too, which I knew would really top off the whole look. Alfie’s outfit was going to be the best one there. I sent my boy off to school with his brand-new show-stopping costume and couldn’t…

Bennett Opie is one of the oldest, private family-owned food companies in the UK and is based in Sittingbourne, Kent. Their wide range of cocktail products, including speciality pickles, chutneys, olives, ginger, luxury fruits, sauces and compotes, are all perfect for Christmas! Products available at Tesco and Asda. For more inspiration visit www.opiesfoods.com Stem ginger glazed ham A Christmas show-stopper and perfect buffet centerpiece. INGREDIENTS: 4 bulbs of Opies Stem Ginger in syrup, finely chopped plus reserved syrup 1.8kg smoked gammon 1.5 litres ginger beer METHOD: 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C Place the gammon in an oven proof pan and cover with ginger beer ensuring the joint is covered (top the pan up with water if required). Bring the pan to the boil, cover and transfer to the oven…

Paul Kelly and his family have been rearing flawless turkeys since 1971, producing high quality turkeys for the Christmas season. Now a household name, the KellyBronze brand has become synonymous to British turkey excellence, loved by celebrity chefs and the public alike. Here are Paul's top tips and some recipes to make the most of the leftovers! Always place your turkey breast down on the baking tray when you cook it. This is because the majority of fat deposits are in the back of the bird, so as it begins to cook, the fat renders down through the bird providing optimum flavour and keeping it moist. Invest in a meat thermometer - it's the only way to ensure your turkey is perfectly cooked. You should always check cooking times according…

Bleeding mole Q I’ve got a mole under my armpit that keeps bleeding. Should I get it checked out? Nora, Doncaster A It is always important to get moles checked out when you notice a change, particularly if there is a change in the size, shape, colour of the mole, or if it begins to become crusty, itchy or bleed. Moles are very common and the majority of them are benign and not harmful to our health. Occasionally, especially those  with risk factors such as excessive sun exposure and pale skin, these moles can lead to skin cancer. Getting moles that have changed or have suspicious symptoms seen by your GP for further investigation or monitoring is good practice. They will be able to look at the mole under a…

FESTIVE SEASON MUST HAVES 1. Unicorn Cosmetics Glow Ting Highlighters, £11.99, unicorncosmetics.com Available in three shades, this collection covers all of your highlighting needs. With a butter formula that is easy to blend, these highlighters provide a non-glittery finish that pops your skin. Choose from: Glo Go, Lit Up and Dew it. 2. W7 Total Eclipse Eyeshadow palette, £9.50, www.w7cosmetics.co.uk Give your eyes a pop of colour like never before with this pressed pigment palette. With nine soft matte shades, five duo-chrome shades and four shimmer shades, you can create dazzling eye looks that won’t let you down. 3. Matt Pro Ink Non-Transfer Liquid Lipstick, £4.99, Justmylook.com Nothing beats a bright red lipstick at Christmas. This bright shade from Catrice Cosmetics will sure help you stand out. Its liquid texture feels pleasantly light…

The city woke up to a bloody sight on Christmas Eve On Christmas Eve 2012, dedicated police officer Jennifer Sebena was out patrolling the abandoned streets of Wauwatosa, Milwaukee. It was the early hours and most of the city were still asleep. The day ahead promised last minute present shopping, carols and the warmth of decorations. But in the darkness, evil was waiting for her. Jennifer, 30, was ambushed and shot repeatedly in the face with barbaric ferocity. As the young officer lay dead in the street, the city woke up to a bloody Christmas Eve. Who would execute a woman devoted to protecting them? Jennifer left behind a widow who faced Christmas alone. Ben Sebena, 30, was a US Marine and a decorated Iraq war veteran. While Ben was…

Her head in her food bowl, I knew there was only one thing that could get my pooch to abandon her breakfast. Ash has always loved the chickens ‘Shall we visit those naughty chickens?’ I said to my four-legged friend, Ash. The chickens are the only thing she loves more than her grub, and with just one mention of them, she’s out the door. Racing down the meadow, her breakfast is soon a thing of the past. She’s become a sort of sheepdog to our chickens – a chog, my husband, Julian, likes to call her. We got her five years ago – a year after we moved to a smallholding in Yorkshire, where we’d inherited a flock of geese. We’d rehomed Ash after finding her in a rescue shelter.…

Grabbing my coat to leave the house, I jumped out of my skin as I heard Dad shout my name. As I swung open the door with full force, I saw my Dad, John, 59 chuckling to himself in his chair. I looked at him wide eyed. ‘What is it, Dad?' I said. ‘Quick, look!' he pointed towards the TV with a beaming, warm smile across his face. The Coca-Cola Christmas truck advert, of course. ‘Time to get the Christmas tree out!' he announced gleefully. Dad had always made Christmas magical for us. For me and my siblings, Louise, 29, and Ryan, 23, his excitement and happiness about it was contagious. Christmas morning was the best part. Waking up to a crackling fire and Dad sitting next to the tree…

Deck the walls Wrap some of the pictures you have hanging on the wall to look like packages. Cheap and cute wall decorations! Grace, Cardiff Reuse jars Keep old jam jars, place a tealight inside and wrap with ribbon - it's an easy but beautiful table decoration. Rosie, Yeovil Fairy nice door Hang fairy lights around doorways to give your home a grotto feel. Florence, Morpeth Bauble bathroom Put some Christmas decorations in your bathroom, no one usually thinks to but it can really make a difference. Niamh, Okehampton End of the roll When left with the cardboard from toilet rolls, use this to keep wrapping paper ravelled. Cut a slit and place it on the outside. Eva, York Christmas fruit bowl Shine up your apples with a rag and…

Intentional living expert and Founder of Creative Feng Shui, Sarah Stone, shares her advice on how to have a cosy and calm environment at home this winter. 1 Renew your home fragrance This means candles, diffusers and scent sprays. Change the scent with the season! 2 Let your home breathe Let your home have a breath of fresh air and some neutral light as frequently as possible. 3 Let it glow Use soft and warm lights to bring a cosy glow to your home, in the form of candles, fairy lights and lamps. 4 Cosy colours Colours can create feelings. Bring an accent of gold to stimulate health and oranges to create warmth. 5 Add depth Like an animal in hibernation, surround yourself with textures…

His reign of terror lasted just a week, but left three innocent men dead. Before his first murder, Gary Lee Sampson called the FBI and told them to come and arrest him. ‘I’m losing control,’ he said, revealing where he’d be waiting. Sampson turned up – the FBI did not. The operator had dropped the phone during the call which left Sampson free to slaughter three Good Samaritans. Since leaving school early, after struggling with dyslexia, Sampson embarked on a life of crime and had a string of failed marriages. At 41, he was a drifter when he returned to his hometown of Abington, Massachusetts in 2001, and a wanted man after robbing five North Carolina banks. Sampson was hiding out in the very town where his criminal activity started…

Award-winning personal stylist Lisa Talbot shares her top tips to help you look and feel gorgeous at all times this December. www.lisatalbot.co.uk 1. Christmas Day The aim is to look stylish whilst feeling comfortable! Invest in a great little dress – whether that be a shirt dress or soft woollen one. The majority this season have no fixed waistband, so are really comfortable. Teamed with a gorgeous piece of jewellery, you will look amazing. 2. Christmas shopping Layers are important for shopping so that you don’t get too hot! Pair jeans with a trench coat, scarf and boots. Or a cape is a great alternative to a jacket. 3. Festive meal Style up straight leg jeans with an animal print shoe and a block colour shirt. Try out this season’s…

Expert Cathy Crewdson from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk provides five tips on how to be a savvy shopper during the era of shrinkflation. 1. Set a budget Having a certain amount of money to spend will encourage you to look at the best deals or alternatives and stay clear from the expensive products. 2. Make a list Stick to the products that you need to buy, but allow yourself to look at different brands and varieties to find a good deal. 3. Use coupons Quite often, coupons are personalised and based off your shopping habits, so they can save you a lot of money in areas that you already spend! 4. Supermarkets' own It's common knowledge now that supermarkets' own can often be just as good, if not better, than other branded options. Every…

I WILL WALK... By the age of 50, women will have walked more than 40,000 miles - the equivalent of travelling from London to New Zealand four times! A study of 1,000 women aged 50 plus found they typically take 51,330 steps, or approximately 24 miles, over the average week. From walking down the aisle or to and from work, this racks up to 2,669,160 steps a year or 1,263 miles. The study, commissioned by Hotter, also found that women spend the equivalent of nine days a year standing up cooking and five days exercising. MORE LIKELY TO CHEAT New research has found that men with deep voices are more likely to be unfaithful to their partners, after researchers in China looked at the pitch of a male voice to…

MADE WITH LOVE During Christmas time, it's really important to support small businesses and independent sellers. Buy directly from someone who has put their heart and soul into making you something special! Etsy is the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind stocking fillers, custom cards and personalised presents. Hollie Alexa Moxham sells beautifully high-quality art prints, adorable dog-themed greeting cards and lovely stationery items on Etsy. She also offers custom portraits for you or your pet! Go to www.holliealexamoxham.etsy.com ELF ON THE SHELF Running out of mischievous ideas for your Elf on the Shelf? Here is some fun, festive inspiration to get you through the Christmas holiday… 1. TACO TUESDAY – Wrap your Elf in a tortilla and cut a small circle for their face. 2. ELFIE – Snap a picture…

Santa's little helper Scamp loves Christmas, his favourite part is unwrapping presents, but he also likes wearing Santa hats. Emily, West Midlands Gerbil surprise I just discovered my two gerbils, Owen and Ed are both female. It looks like they might need renaming to Owena and Edna – oops. Adam, Leeds Protective pooch Mufasa loves receiving new toys for Christmas, although he’s often reluctant to share them. Hannah, Chippenham Midnight thief We can't leave cookies and milk out on Christmas Eve because this little minx, called Jammy, steals it before Santa can get to it. Sarah, Edinburgh…

Three pony-loving little girls from Essex are celebrating after a letter they wrote during their school holidays has delivered much more than they expected. Sisters Jessica, eight, and Esme, seven, and their cousin Orla, three, wrote to Pink Lady apples about their pony Mac, who loves to snack on the rosy fruit. Their letter explained that Mac had been rescued from a tough life at a riding stables where he had been mistreated, and so they like to spoil him with his favourite juicy apples and look after him. The team at Pink Lady apples were so impressed with the girls' letter and their pictures of Mac, that they got in touch with the cousins to arrange a special delivery of apples for Mac and a donation in his name…

Standing, frozen to the spot in my bathroom, I stared down at the two blue lines, my eyes filled with tears so I could no longer see them. But I knew they were there. ‘We did it!’ my boyfriend Mark, 29, whispered in my ear as he pulled me in for a hug. It was 15 November 2018 and I had been almost running out of hope that I might ever become a mum, but suddenly all the health worries of the previous few years just melted away. ‘It’s all been worth it,’ I smiled, spilling tears on Mark’s shoulders. Mark, a database developer, and I have been together for six years, but the problems had really begun in my teens... I had the most ridiculously heavy periods – sometimes…

Sat watching Coronation Street, I felt a sudden rush of emotions flood right through me. While I knew it was only a soap opera, as I watched Yasmeen finally lash out on her controlling husband, Geoff, I couldn’t help but flinch. For me, those feelings were all too real. I had experience first-hand exactly what Yasmeen had been going through. ‘Are you alright, love?’ asked my husband, Steve, seeing me get so worked up. ‘Yes,’ I smiled sadly. ‘It just brings it all back for me.’ As Steve gave me a cuddle, I remembered just how lucky I was. I was safe - unlike the thousands of other women up and down the country who hadn’t managed to escape their abusive partners yet. ‘I just wish there was something I…

Can I limit my children's Christmas gifts? I feel like at Christmas, my kids get far too many presents and my house just gets full of toys. Would it be wrong to tell people they can only give one gift this year, and set a price limit? Helena, Kent YES  Pick Me Up! reader Alice, from Weymouth, says: Christmas is about giving and being appreciative of what we receive. Why dampen the Christmas spirits by setting unnecessary rules? Why not just declutter and donate gifts to charity before Christmas comes about every year instead? That way you’re making room and sharing the toys. NO  Pick Me Up! reader Aisha, from Doncaster, says: It is your house that the presents are cluttering so it is completely reasonable to ask for a…

Coming over to England in 2004, I very quickly fell in love with the British culture. Growing up in Latvia, it was all I ever knew. But over here, it was a completely different world. With various cultures, interests and things to see, I soon wanted to move here for good. And so, a few months later, I packed up my house in Latvia and booked a one-way flight. ‘I’ll bring you over as soon as I have settled,’ I told my two boys, Arturs, then 11, and Kristaps, 15. While I was excited for this new adventure, I wanted to get a stable job and home before I upheaved their lives. ‘Look after them,’ I said to my mum and dad, before kissing them goodbye. Over in England, I…

Sitting in an excluded room, I put my pen to paper. Despite suffering with severe dyslexia, I absolutely loved writing. However, despite my diagnosis, my teachers in school often dismissed me as lazy and I was placed in a room by myself. I loved English and all I wanted was to learn how to read and write, but I wasn’t wired that way. However, unleashing my creative side, I would spend my days writing short gothic stories, each reflecting my own inner thoughts. Of course, I couldn’t actually write in full sentences. Instead, I would use symbols and codes that only I understood. I would write whatever I could in sentences, but without any help from my teachers, I had to make do. I wasn’t going to let my dyslexia…

Laying back on the nurse’s chair, I chatted away as I underwent another smear test. Having had them since I was 24 and now 37, I was a pro at this. Only once had they detected anything but after a 15-minute procedure, everything was fine. I walked out of the hospital feeling confident, and I headed back to work as a food and beverage assistant. But then, a month later I received a letter informing me that I had ‘cancerous abnormalities,’ and needed to go back in for a scan. ‘I’m sure it’s all fine, I’ve had this before,’ I said, reassuring my mum, Rosie, 58. As I wasn’t worried, I went by myself but when four nurses were in the room, all holding my hand, I knew there was…

While there's absolutely nothing wrong with overindulging and celebrating with loved ones over some food or alcohol, the issue comes when we start to overindulge too frequently and experience feelings of guilt. This is counterproductive and can lead to a cycle of binge behaviours, usually as a result of something called the ‘what-the-hell effect'. It's the cycle many people fall into once they have indulged slightly, regretted indulging, and then gone back for more because ‘what-the-hell, you've already blown it'. So, what can we do to stop this? There's a number of small habits that we can adopt to prevent this cycle. Choose one to begin with, and practising it over and over until it starts to feel automatic, before trying to adopt another habit. If you take on too…

Find out what 2021 has in store for you, with celebrity astrologer, Claire Petulengro. Claire has just launched her own tarot cards, ‘The Claire Petulengro Romany Gypsy Tarot Cards’, created for anyone who can read or would like to learn how to read tarot with meanings written on the cards. Order your pack at clairepetulengro.tv/tarot/ and follow Claire on Facebook at clairepetulengro1 Aries March 21st - April 20th HEALTH You're not sure how you got through the last year, but you did. You realise you have to put your health first. I can see from your stars that a certain influence on your life brings stress into your daily routine. Make this the time you decide to stand up and take back control of your life and routine. Do it before…

Film and TV 1 In the 1991 film Father Christmas, who was the voice of Father Christmas? a Rowan Atkinson b Griff Rhys Jones c Mel Smith 2 Where did the Call the Midwife nuns set up a new clinic in the 2019 Christmas special? a Isla of Man b Outer Hebrides c Isle of Wight 3 On Christmas day 2009 Archie Mitchell was killed with what object in EastEnders? a A pub stool b A bust of Queen Victoria c A snowglobe 4 How does this line from It's a Wonderful Life end? 'Every time a bell rings...' a An angel sings b An angel loses c An angel gets his wings 5 Which characters were Del Boy and Rodney dressed as in the 1996 Only Fools and Horses…