Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Nov-2024 Double Issue i Woman

Self-confessed festive fanatic Amanda Holden’s face lights up like a Christmas tree when Woman mentions the most wonderful time of year. The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 53, who is mum to Lexi, 18, and Hollie, 12, reveals her family traditions, the reason she won’t give her husband Chris Hughes gift ideas and why she likes to take a bottle of champagne on her Christmas Day dog walk! ‘I love having family in one place, at the same time’ Hi Amanda! What do you love most about Christmas? I’m going to sound like the winner of a beauty pageant, but I really like the family coming together. I think that is the main thing, having everyone in one place, at the same time – it’s all about family. I love the…

How to get fabulous festive legs Strong legs are like puppies. They’re for life, not just for Christmas – and they take a bit of effort and dedication. So, as December is nearly upon us, we need to get a move on. Let’s roll up our sleeves and get stuck in. The first thing to understand is that fat and muscle are two different types of tissue. So ‘giving it large’ with the squats and lunges will definitely firm up the muscle, but to lose the fat on top (sorry to be blunt), you need to be in a calorie deficit (yes, that old chestnut). That means making small but important changes to the food you eat, so that your body delves into your fat stores to make up the…

Last Christmas, my Camden home was a tinsel explosion, an all-white colour scheme of twinkling lights and paper snowflakes adorning every window. As I sat around the table with my husband, Jeremy, and our daughters, Chloe, then 12, and Daphne, eight, the air around us seemed to shimmer with a magical glow. It was the glow of being alive, because I am so lucky to still be here. Looking back, 2022 was set to be the best year of my life. I had a career I loved as global head of communications at an investment management firm, and that August I’d achieved a lifelong dream of climbing Kilimanjaro with Jeremy. For seven hours, we ascended in total darkness in temperatures of -20 degrees. I remember picturing the shame I felt…

SAVOURY SHOWSTOPPERS Whether you’re up for a turkey dinner or something a bit different, these mains are sure to impress. BEST TURKEY CROWN Glorious Treacle Glazed Turkey Crown, 2-2.5kg, £60-£75, Waitrose An effortless centrepiece for smaller gatherings. Complete with pork, chestnut and bacon stuffing, and brined for juiciness, judges praised the tasty meat and glaze, and smoky bacon lattice. It’s slightly messy to carve, but makes a winning option for time-poor cooks. BEST WHOLE TURKEY Exceptional Heritage Slate Turkey, 4-5.5kg, £10/kg, Asda Cooking for the masses? This free-range beauty stood out, with judges commending it for its taste and looks. The meat is mild yet flavoursome, and the pan juices make an exceptional gravy. We’d suggest a slightly shorter cook than instructed (use a meat thermometer to avoid over cooking),…

MATT WILLIS Forget the Grinch who stole Christmas, Busted’s Matt, 41, was the Grinch who stole the show when he donned this impressive outfit. COLEEN NOLAN Loose Women’s Coleen, 59, really went the extra mile with this sparkly bauble costume. We want to hang her on our tree! AMANDA HOLDEN Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda, 53, loves dressing up and over the years has appeared as everything from an elf to a saucy Santa. But our favourite has to be this reindeer outfit. If Rudolph goes missing we know who will be on standby! DUNCAN JAMES We wouldn’t mind if Duncan’s version of Santa came down our chimney on Christmas Eve. The star, 45, certainly got the sexy Santa memo. ED SHEERAN We’re not sure who was responsible for making singer…

A GLIMPSE BEHIND ROYAL WALLS Yes, yes I know – it feels like it’s far too early to think about Christmas. But as we all know, it creeps up on us far too quickly! I don’t know about you, but I always get a little spooked at Halloween and realise there’s only just over seven weeks left. To that end, the Royal Collection Trust, which looks after the royals’ magnificent art collection and runs all the money-making activities for the royal palaces, has released its Christmas schedule. And it’s fantastic! For those in England, the State Apartments at Windsor Castle and State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will be decorated with magnificent Christmas displays and there are special guided tours throughout the festive season. For those north of the border, the…

Looking at my reflection, my heart sank. The size-18 work tunic I’d been given to try on just about fastened, but there wasn’t a lot of, well… give. For the first time since finding out I’d got my dream job as a newborn hearing screener for the NHS, I felt disheartened. Making a career change in my late 30s had felt like an exciting new start and, so far, the induction process had been going well. I’d been told the training would take five months and there were just a few admin things to sort before I could begin – among them being fitted for my uniform. I’d managed to squeeze into the size 18, but Christmas was coming up. ‘There’s no way I’ll still fit into it by the…

Slipping into a party dress and heels and heading out for festive drinks with your other half is always a treat, isn’t it? I love getting dressed up and seeing my husband Gage, 32, channelling 007 in his tuxedo, as we jump in a cab to a glitzy Christmas bash. Sipping bubbly, enjoying three-course dinners in swanky ballrooms adorned with glittering Christmas trees, and swaying on the dance floor to festive tunes – we’re no different from most other married couples. Except for the fact that, at the end of the night, rather than returning to a hotel room just us two, we’ll usually have another married couple in tow – and we’ve not invited them back to ours for mugs of hot cocoa and cosy chats. Instead, we’ll peel…

Fashion LOVERS Brilliant BEAUTY Foodie FANS Stylish HOMES Modern GENTS Trendy TEENS Cute KIDS Pampered PETS Get Christmas ready with 6 issues of WOMAN for just £1!* Subscribe online at womansubs.co.uk/hol24 Or call 0330 333 1113 and quote H22C *When paying by UK Direct Debit. After six issues your payment will continue at £18.75 every three months. Offer closes 10 January 2025. For full terms and conditions, visit magazinesdirect.com/terms…

IF YOU LOVE TO WIN PRIZES THEN VISIT comps.womanmagazine.co.uk What does actor Benedict Cumberbatch say is a perfect day? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the six-word answer. ACROSS 11 _ Stone, Basic Instinct actor (6)12 Metal (9)13 One who inherits (4)14 Fungus (8)15 Person who avoids animal products (5)16 Red semi-precious gem (6)17 Blue cheese (7)18 Small country in Rome (7,4)20 First Greek letter (5)22 Long-running game show about letters and numbers (9)24 English county (5)28 Stumbled (7)29 Gives up work (7)32 Where boats are kept (6)34 Said again (8)36 Married men (8)37 Attractiveness (6)39 Canadian city (7)40 Tools for harvesting crops (7)45 Liz _, former PM (5)47 Exactly the same (9)48 Author of Wuthering Heights, _ Brontë (5)51 Vegetable often cooked with cheese (11)53 Shapes with…

Prince Harry is keen to spend the Christmas holidays in the UK with his wife and children – but Meghan wants to stay in the US. It’s a tricky time for Harry – he hasn’t spent Christmas here for six years and he could be forgiven for feeling rather lonely and estranged from his Windsor relatives. All the royals will gather at Sandringham in December, and I’m told that all the cousins, such as Eugenie, Beatrice, Zara and Peter Phillips, all look forward to the fun. Harry and Meghan, I understand, haven’t been invited to the traditional royal Christmas, but they have reportedly received an invitation from Charles Spencer, Harry’s uncle, to stay at Althorp and spend time with his mother’s side of the family. Harry has always remained close…

’Tis the season to be merry Holly loves a tipple just as much as the rest of us and her festive drink of choice is a snowball cocktail, which she makes with one part advocaat, three parts lemonade and a squeeze of lime juice. Cheers! Holiday feast It wouldn’t be Christmas without indulging in our favourite foods and come December, Holly, like us, can be found tucking into Quality Street chocs and mince pies. And for Christmas dinner, the former This Morning star, 43, and husband Dan go all out. ‘[We have] a traditional roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings, which I absolutely love to cook each year. Even on the years we’re not at home, I get heavily involved. It’s the most special meal of the year for me,’…

Get over food poisoning fast Don’t let your celebrations be ruined by stomach pain and toilet problems… Christmas festivities can leave the foodies among us very excited, but eating out and even enjoying some of your seasonal favourites at home can, in some cases, end in tummy disaster. Every year in the UK there are around 2.4 million cases of food poisoning, although I suspect it’s massively under-reported. The commonest culprits – salmonella and campylobacter – are largely linked to poultry, such as turkey, chicken and goose, so it’s no surprise that Christmas is a likely time to be affected. Food poisoning is caused by bacteria that contaminates food. It can happen if food is not cooked or reheated thoroughly, has not been stored refrigerated correctly, is handled by unwashed…

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JEWEL BLUES Prevent blue shades from feeling cold by matching them with other jewel tones and luxe materials like plush velvet to bring extra warmth. GOLDEN TOUCH Shimmery golden pieces will add a traditional vibe to your space by day and will look seriously glam after hours too. Mix with other metallic shades for added wow factor or tone down with soft white hues. BLUSH PINK Give traditional festive pieces a sugary new spin with candyfloss shades of pink, super soft textures and plenty of sparkle. Match with delicate silver hues for a grown-up feel. BOLD BRIGHTS Kitsch baubles, rainbow colours and playful finishing touches will add plenty of fun to your home. The more the merrier with this look – don’t hold back when filling your room with cheerful…

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It’s more than 20 years since EastEnders’ Alfie Moon married Kat Slater on Christmas Day in The Queen Vic. Since then, they have divorced, married other people, got back together and split up again. Now they are both single, but living together with their kids Tommy and twins Bert and Ernie. Will a family crisis bring them back together? Here, Shane Richie, who plays Alfie, reveals more… Kat and Alfie are having a hard time dealing with their son Tommy’s behavioural issues, which have come to a head with Social Services getting involved. How are they coping? Alfie is dealing with it a lot better than Kat, and he’s being a rock for her. There’s no ulterior motive from him, he just wants to help her get through this. He’s…

THROW THE RULES OUT THE WINDOW! How quickly the Christmas season comes around, and how quickly we abandon all self-control! Have you noticed that palpable shift yet? The invitations are coming in thick and fast, and soon the drinks and canapés will too! The usual rules don’t apply, and that’s OK. We work hard all year, balancing responsibilities and commitments. Now is the time for a little overindulgence and spontaneity. So, I say lean-in. Revel in the excited bustle of the high street, wear that ugly Christmas jumper with pride and get used to a beady-eyed Elf on a Shelf watching your every move. Get drunk at the office Christmas party, kiss your crush under the mistletoe (unless, of course, they’re married, or you are!). Say yes to a mince…