Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Take a Break Monthly

Paw-ty time! My pups Loki and Kronos are ready to see in the new year and party! Christine Williamson, 63, of Workington, Cumbria Taking a break My daughter Paige, seven, saw me doing the puzzles in TaB and wanted to have a go herself! Amberley Coombe, 42, of Bristol Nice and icy Here I am with my friend Rose, 32 (right), in an icy lake. Wild swimming has changed my life – I can’t get enough of it! Kim Dolby, 38, of Swindon, Wilts Winter walkies Here’s my favourite winter pic of my partner Lee, 52, walking our dog Skye in the snow. It looks like she’s got baubles on her fur! Helen Cassels, 47, of Chadderton, Gtr Manchester Snow cat This was my late cat Tilly when she first…

My younger sister Jessica raced down the beach and dived into the sea. As I watched her quickly floating away from the shore, I yelled, ‘You’re going too far!’ But it was only when the lifeguard blew his whistle that she reluctantly swam back. ‘What were you doing?’ I snapped. ‘Just floating,’ she shrugged, puzzled by my distress. Although just 13 months separated me and Jessica, we were chalk and cheese. I was the responsible big sister, focused on my studies, while she was a free spirit, following whatever took her fancy. ‘I’ve found a match’ But although she drove me crazy at times, I loved her to bits and we were really close. When we hit our teens, I teased Jessica for fancying really nerdy lads. ‘They’re so into…

Our money advice expert Faith Archer is an award-winning money journalist and blogger at Much More With Less. Faith was deputy personal finance editor at The Telegraph and is a regular on BBC radio. She aims to make money matters such as family budgeting, pensions and tax easier to understand. Raise a bit of extra cash towards the cost of Christmas and clear clutter at the same time, by selling belongings you no longer want or need. Advertising items on the internet means you can reach a wider audience than with a car boot sale or small ads in local shops. Put our tips into practice to start selling successfully and get the best prices. Do your prep Consider when you sell items as you probably won’t get the highest…

● Three nights’ B&B accommodation● £100 for food and drink● £200 spending money Escape with us on a mini-break to a place steeped in tradition and royal history… Solve our puzzle and, if you’re our winner, you and a partner will be heading to Caernarfon for a three-night break with £200 spending money. You’ll stay at the Celtic Royal Hotel, where a young Princess Victoria – soon to be Queen Victoria – and her mother stayed in 1832, earning the hotel its regal title. After a night in a deluxe room, unwind in the recently revamped spa and gym and enjoy the soothing hydrotherapy pool, steam room and sauna. With £100 credit to spend on food and drink, why not visit the hotel’s elegant Castell Restaurant or relax in the…

Switch up your cleanser Stay clear of any tight or dry feeling after cleansing by opting for a balm, oil, or milky formula during the colder months. Not only does Nip+Fab Ceramide Fix Cleansing Balm, £19.95, feel lush on your skin, it’s super-nourishing too. If you have sensitive skin, Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-replenishing Cleansing Oil, £19.75, is the one for you. The soothing formula seals in moisture for up to 24 hours. Or try Byoma Milky Moisture Cleanser, £13.99, which is packed with ceramides and oat extract for super-soft skin. Apply SPF daily Just because it isn’t summer, doesn’t mean you don’t need any SPF. Harmful UVA rays are present year-round and can cause premature skin ageing. Keep your complexion protected with The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen SPF30,…

After months of research, I was ecstatic to finally be heading home with a fleece carry-case on my lap. Inside was some rather precious cargo. ‘I wonder when we’ll get to see his little face?’ my boyfriend Lewis asked. ‘We might have a wait on our hands,’ I replied. We’d just collected Charlie – a 12-week-old African pygmy hedgehog – from a breeder, but he’d yet to unfurl from his ball. I knew this breed of hedgehog required a lot of care, and it could take Charlie a while to show himself and feel comfortable being held. Back home in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, we placed Charlie in his deluxe vivarium – a tank specially heated to keep him warm enough. And as soon as I plopped a juicy mealworm near him,…

Orange olive oil cake Serves: 10 Takes: 1hr 10min, plus cooling • 190ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing (see Tip)• 300g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting• 165g caster sugar• 2 eggs• 170g Greek yogurt• Zest of 1 orange, plus 4tbsp juice FOR THE ICING • 240g icing sugar • 1tbsp orange juice • Orange zest, to decorate 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C. Grease and dust a 22cm bundt tin with flour, shaking out the excess. 2 Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the oil and sugar for 5min or until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 3 Combine the yogurt with the orange zest and juice, then add to the cake mixture along with the flour. Fold to combine. Spoon the mixture into the bundt tin, smoothing the…

Pulling my little girls into my arms I gave them a squeeze. ‘I’m going to see your sister again today,’ I told them. I was 19 weeks along with my third child and my girls Heidi, two, and Maisie, nine, were so excited about the new baby. This was the easiest pregnancy I’d had and, as I headed to my scan, I thought it would be straightforward. However, as I lay on the bed, the sonographer kept peering at the screen. ‘I’m struggling to pick up the four chambers of her heart,’ she said eventually. ‘But it’s probably something and nothing.’ I was referred from our local hospital in Nuneaton to Birmingham Women’s Hospital for another scan the next day. There, doctors revealed something shocking. They told me and my…

Makes scents Having scented candles around the house is a real treat. But when it’s burnt down, there’s always wax leftover. Instead of letting it go to waste, I scrape it out and pop it in my wax-melts burner. It means I can enjoy the lovely scent of the candle all over again. Alice Elliott, Elland, W Yorks I can handle it! It’s great to give your furniture a refresh every now and again, but I’ve found painting any drawer or cupboard knobs can be really messy. To make it easier, I pop mine on the end of a matchstick or cocktail stick, then poke the stick into some polystyrene or stiff cardboard. It makes it a much less messy job. Carol McClymont, St Brides, Newport Knitty not knotty I…

Settling down in my nursing chair, I placed my baby boy, Charlie, on to my lap and said, ‘Let’s get you ready for bedtime.’ Just then, the door to Charlie’s nursery opened and in came our dog, Meg. Circling her tail, she settled at my feet, listening as I sang a lullaby. I’d got Meg as a puppy, and she’d been mine and my partner Ross’s little companion for over six years. She was a sweet girl, but I’d been a bit concerned about how she’d cope when Charlie came along. I needn’t have worried, though. She was happy to sit with us when I was feeding Charlie and, when he was weaning, they became great pals. Sitting in his high chair, Charlie would stretch an arm down to the…

Fancy stocking up on a free weekly shop? Enter our brilliant competition and you could win £100 in the supermarket vouchers of your choice! You can take your pick from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, M&S or Iceland. Just think of all the tantalising treats that could be in store – big juicy steaks, delicious ready meals, smoked salmon, Belgian chocs, your favourite wines and beer. And of course you could fill your store cupboard with a host of essentials, from washing powder to tea and coffee. Sounds like a tasty prize? Then grab that pen and get puzzling! 3 LETTERS Can, New, Pay, Tea 4 LETTERS Beef, Deal, Fill, Item, Jams, List, Mash, Pint, Pork, Stir, Tuna, Wrap 5 LETTERS Bacon, Jelly, Mocha, Packs, Piece, Prawn, Tasty, Wafer 6 LETTERS Bitter,…

THEME PARK BREAK WINNER Yvonne Humphreys, Newcastle, Staffs ‘Our summer plans were cancelled when my granddaughter developed appendicitis on the first week of the school holidays. This Alton Towers break win means we can still have some fun and make lots of happy memories. We’re all so excited – thank you Take a Break!’ CROATIA HOLIDAY (PRIZE ANSWER: BEACH) R Knights, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancs. GLASGOW BREAK (PRIZE ANSWER: POWER) Mrs C Booth, Bradford, W Yorks. £1200 BIG BONANZA (PRIZE ANSWER: SHUT) K Beattie, Aberdeen. £1000 CELEBRITY CROSSWORD (PRIZE ANSWER: WORKED AS A PLASTERER) C Burgess, Uckfield, E Sussex. ALTON TOWERS SCAREFEST BREAK (PRIZE ANSWER: SCREAM) Y Humphreys, Newcastle, Staffs. CRICUT JOY XTRA™ MACHINES (PRIZE ANSWER: ARTIST) H Ellerbeck, Bedford. R Foster, Helston, Cornwall. A Mclean, Blackburn, Lancs. J Sellers, Driffield, E Yorks.…

I turned to the figures sitting in a circle around me and said, ‘Hello, everyone.’ For the past decade, I’d been working as a teacher in a primary school and I loved it. But my class for the day weren’t children, and they weren’t about to learn how to do maths and spellings. Instead, I was about to start teaching something that had been a passion of mine for a while. I turned to my students and said, ‘I’ll help you to explore your desires, needs and boundaries, and find your voice in the bedroom.’ ‘This is my calling’ I’d been interested in the subject of sex and intimacy for years, holding workshops after school or at the weekends for singles, couples and groups. I’d helped loads of people get…

Walking wonders A waterproof coat will have you covered no matter the weather – perfect for weekend strolls! Workout essentials Give your sportswear an update with a temperature-regulating gilet City chic Teaming a wool-blend coat with tailored joggers is a shortcut to style success…

Shuffling down the aisle at the register office, I focused on the man waiting for me, rather than the shame flushing across my cheeks. Kieran’s eyes were full of love… If only I felt the same way about myself. I can’t wait till this is over, I thought as a friend took photos. I had no bridesmaids, just a best man and our daughter Katelyn as flower girl. ‘I can’t wait till this is over’ There were no hordes of guests, and no elaborate reception. In fact, the wedding was at 1.30pm, and I was at home by 5pm, pulling off my size 26 maxidress. I adored Kieran, but the idea of everyone looking at me was horrific. It was little wonder, really, as I’d been obese since I was…

Concentrating on the feel of the reins in my hand, I urged my brown-and-white dressage horse, Foxy, into a canter. I tried to ignore the growing pain in my lower back. After I’d spent the afternoon painting a hallway for my dad and had a long day at my dog grooming business, I’d cycled to the stable yard. I certainly wasn’t a stranger to a bit of hard work, but now my back was killing me after my evening ride. ‘I must have pulled a muscle on that ladder,’ I muttered to Foxy as I dismounted. Then I still had her stable to muck out and by the time I cycled home, I was in agony, pedalling through my pain with gritted teeth and tears in my eyes. ‘What’s wrong,…

Read it! Our Dear Daisy by Rosie Goodwin Rosie was pruning in the garden when the idea for Our Dear Daisy struck Rosie says, ‘I had to rush inside and jot it down. I’m always thinking of doing a storyline I haven’t written about before – hence the blacksmith and his daughter. It’s wonderful seeing the characters come to life, and I care for each and every one of them. Daisy is a gentle-hearted soul. But she is also made of stern stuff, which is just as well because, as is usual with my characters, I give her a hard time.’ Set in 1880, the story follows Daisy, who lives a happy life with her father, Jed, after losing her beloved Irish mother and younger brother. But when Jed falls…

Rivers 1 What’s the longest river in the world?2 Which river runs through Dublin?3 What’s the longest river in the UK? Actresses 4 Which actress played Princess Margaret in the 3rd and 4th seasons of The Crown? 5 Drew Barrymore rose to fame as a child actress in which 1982 film?6 Julia Roberts won an Oscar for best actress for her performance in which film? Winter 7 The Winter Palace can be found in which city?8 Which city has hosted the winter and summer Olympics?9 How many sides does a snowflake have? TV comedy 10 Which comedian and actor plays Alan Partridge?11 What was the name of the prison in BBC sitcom Porridge?12 Who played Queen Elizabeth 1 in Blackadder II? Pot luck 13 Who is the patron saint of…

• Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast• Evening meal• £200 spending money Pay a visit to Shakespeare’s birthplace – on us! We’ve got a two-night break for two up for grabs in beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon. Solve our puzzle and, if you’re our lucky winner, you and a partner will be staying at the Hotel du Vin, in the heart of the historic town. The original part of the hotel was built in 1798 and has been carefully restored to retain its character and charm. Enjoy dinner at Bistro du Vin, which serves French classics with a modern twist, while the cosy, low-lit bar offers many of the world’s finest and best-kept secret wines. Breakfast is included in the prize, plus dinner for two on one night and £200 spending money, so you…

SHOP WATCH: Nutmeg at Morrisons Embrace cosy season with new loungewear styles from Nutmeg. From matching sets to knitted separates, these chic designs are so good they’re certainly not just reserved for the sofa! Pair with your favourite trainers and puffer coat for a laid-back weekend look. Get them before they go Upgrade your accessories for the new year with Deichmann’s classic styles. Black slingback heels and a houndstooth handbag are a sophisticated addition to any outfit. Argyle knits Sporty style tops have been having a moment recently and right now it’s all about golf-inspired knitwear. Channel the trend in diamond print jumpers, vests, cardigans and even scarves.…

Happy New Year, everyone! What are your hopes and dreams for 2025? To take the plunge and get fit? Treat the family to a once-in-a-lifetime trip? Or to give your home a fabulous makeover? Whatever you’ve got planned, let us help you turn your resolutions into reality with an amazing prize that’ll definitely see you celebrating in style… Once again, we have £1000 in cash ready to be won. Crack our competition and, if you’re our lucky winner, you’ll be ready to spend, spend, spend! Just think what you could do with all that lovely lolly in your pocket. Maybe you’d like to take it easy at a blissful spa, enjoying a massage and a treatment or two. Or perhaps you’d prefer to get away and treat the family to…

The best health advice for you and your family As I opened the hotel room curtains, the sun streamed in. ‘I can’t wait to get in the pool,’ I told my hubby Stephen. It was the first day of our family holiday to Turkey and I was eager to soak up some sunshine. But as I got myself and our one-year-old daughter Ava ready, my hand brushed the lump in my neck. When I’d first noticed it a few weeks earlier, I’d seen my GP who thought it was just a swollen gland. Now, it felt bigger, harder and tender to the touch too. But I put it down to the flight and the heat. Pushing aside any worries, I got on with enjoying our holiday. However, the lump was…

Q My elderly gran was admitted to hospital with sepsis. Fortunately, she has recovered, but why did her paramedics keep talking about the ‘news’? A The paramedics were talking about your gran’s NEWS score, which stands for national early warning score and involves measuring blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, blood oxygen levels, body temperature and general alertness. Points are allocated according to the measurements and the higher the score, the more likely the patient needs urgent skilled care. Q Are there alternative treatments? My son, 18, has scabies and has to apply a special liquid all over his skin to kill the mites, but he has autism and won’t do this. A Yes, there are tablets he could take as an alternative. Ivermectin has recently been licensed in the…

Big Bonanza is Take a Break’s big prize, big choice comp. Our winner can pick any prizes on this page that tot up to £1000! It’s new year, new you time! Why not kick off 2025 by planning some delicious, healthy meals you can rustle up in a new air fryer. While dinner’s cooking, jump on the exercise bike for an energising home workout. Or maybe you’d rather relax on the sofa with a hi-tech laptop, shopping the January sales? Stick a plush new rug under your feet and you’ll be in heaven! Or take £1000 in cash! CODE BREAKER Each number in the grid represents a different letter. We’ve placed one word which shows that 19=F, 15=L, 7=O and 10=W. We’ve filled in the Fs for you. You can…

Spicy potatoes with baked eggs Serves: 4 Takes: 1hr 20min • 1kg potatoes, cut into 4cm pieces• 2tbsp olive oil• 1tsp cayenne pepper• Salt and freshly ground black pepper• 225g baby corn (see Tip)• 400g can chopped tomatoes• 250g passata• 60g rocket leaves, plus extra to serve• 3 garlic cloves, sliced• 8 eggs• 75g goat’s cheese, crumbled 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C. In a 30cm round, shallow casserole dish or deep, ovenproof frying pan, toss the potatoes, olive oil and cayenne pepper together. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40-45min until the potatoes are tender and golden. 2 Meanwhile, boil the baby corn for 4-5min until tender, then drain and set aside. 3 Remove the potatoes from the oven and add the corn, tomatoes, passata, rocket and garlic to the…

Ready to party? We’ve joined with Butlin’s to give you the chance to win an adults-only Big Weekender break for four! Crack our puzzle and you could be off for a three-night Friday-to-Monday stay in a gold apartment at Minehead or Skegness, or in the hotel at Bognor Regis – with premium dining, a Bottomless Brunch experience, VIP passes and £200 to boot! Get ready for pool parties, silent discos, live comedy, Bingo Bango and lots more. On selected breaks, Replay presents the best of the ’80s, ’90s and beyond, with different stages for each decade. Other popular breaks include Back to the 2000s, ’90s Reloaded, Ultimate ’80s and We Love Ibiza for dance music fans. New Big Weekender names include Matt Goss and Charlie Simpson, who join returning favourites…

• Return flights• Seven nights’ half-board accommodation• £200 spending money Fancy a getaway to banish the winter blues? We’ve teamed up with Neutradol – the fresh air specialists with a product for every smelly situation – to give you the chance to win a fabulous weeklong break for two to Portugal. Solve our puzzle and, if you’re our lucky winner, you and a partner will be heading to the Parque Mourabel Oasis Village in Vilamoura, on the Algarve coast, close to bars, restaurants and a marina full of swanky yachts. Enjoy a favourite cocktail at the bar before dinner in the hotel’s restaurant, and don’t miss a chance to take a dip in the three pools before heading back from your break totally refreshed. On your return, you’ll want your…

CAPRICORN 22 Dec – 20 Jan A Full Moon in your opposite sign could have you more determined than ever to keep your New Year’s resolutions. In love, you’re hoping for more variety, spice and romantic moments. If commitment is on your mind, share your feelings and by the month’s end, you should have answers. Cash and contracts are also hot topics as 2025 begins – there are ways and means to turn the tide in your favour. Take turn with congratulations AQUARIUS 21 Jan – 18 Feb It usually takes Aquarians a few weeks to enjoy the New Year vibe, though you may have liked to linger a bit longer in 2024 with those who’ve headed off to pastures new. From the 20th, when the Sun lights up your…

As I stared out of the window, the doctor’s words swirled around in my head. There’s nothing in your womb.… Still, I couldn’t move my hand from my tummy. There may not have been a baby in there any more, but I couldn’t help clinging to the idea of what could have been. After three years together, my partner Phillip and I were desperate for a little brother or sister for my daughter, Alysa. But in the space of two years, I’d suffered three miscarriages. The first two had broken my heart, but this third one had shattered it into a million pieces. The worst thing was not knowing why it kept happening. I told Phillip, ‘I don’t think I’ll ever get to bring another child into the world.’ That…

The sonographer spoke and for a moment I couldn’t bring myself to look at my son Thomas. ‘It’s a boy!’ she’d announced. I gave my husband Stuart a worried glance before finally turning to 10-year-old Thomas whose eyes were brimming with tears. Since we’d told him there was a new baby on the way, he had been desperate for a little sister. Thankfully, after his teary moment, he came round to the idea of having a brother. ‘You can help us choose the name,’ I’d told him. We each wrote down three ideas and as I read out Thomas’s picks, I raised an eyebrow. ‘Frankenstein?’ I said. ‘Frankie for short,’ he replied with a grin. However, there was one name we’d all chosen – Harry. So the decision was made.…