Tabla de contenidos para December 2022 en Prima UK

I don’t know if you are like me when it comes to Christmas, but I always think, ‘This year, I’m going to shake it up and do things a bit differently.’ Of course, when it comes to it, I fall into the same routines. I’m rushing around trying to buy things last minute and not stopping to enjoy the moment enough. Working on this festive issue has certainly reminded me that I truly mean to make this Christmas as special as possible. With so much bleak news about, adding a little sparkle where you can seems truly fitting. I’m not talking about spending a lot of money. We’ve tried to make the ideas in this issue as budget-friendly as possible. After all, baking a beautiful cake or knitting a gift…

Having been best friends with Laura for 25 years, I didn’t believe there was anything she could possibly say to shock me. Yet what she’d just suggested, calmly sitting on my sofa back in November 2019, had me lost for words… We met at school aged 12. Laura was less extrovert but had a wicked sense of humour. She and I were yin and yang, turning to each other in good and terrible times. When we were 19, her brother Stephen, 25, was tragically killed in a motorbike accident and she came straight to my house for comfort. Years on, she’d call to tell me Rob, her childhood sweetheart, had proposed, then about her pregnancies with her two gorgeous girls. Laura was chief bridesmaid when, in May 2019, I married…

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DO BUY SECONDHAND No longer a no-no, one in six Brits gave a preloved gift last year. ‘I often buy from charity shops, car boot sales, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace,’ says Gemma Bird (@moneymumofficial), author of Money Mum Official: Save Yourself Happy. ‘Secondhand toys are fine for children, especially plastic ones, which you can disinfect. Children often spend more time playing with the boxes anyway!’ For discounts on new items, eBay’s Brand Outlet has bargains from retailers such as Marks & Spencer and Next. DON’T OVERDO IT ON THE FOOD It’s the season of excess, but if you tend to over-cater, try the food portion calculator at lovefoodhatewaste.com, which is ideal for working out quantities. While many of us go all-out at Christmas, buying more expensive products to treat family and friends,…

Mum Anne Kemp, 75, daughter Suzanne Watson, 52, and granddaughter Melissa Watson, 23, live in Ilkley, West Yorkshire. Anne is a former nurse. Suzanne is a communications specialist, school governor, charity trustee and a Deputy Lieutenant within West Yorkshire. Journalism graduate Melissa is currently studying for a PGCE to become an English teacher. The family adore Christmas and always have done. They love to dress up on Christmas Day. Take the stress out of party-season styling with a stand-out jumpsuit. Look for a vibrant hue, figure-flattering fit and extra-special details to make your look worthy of an extravaganza. Slip it on and stride out! Jumpsuit, £69.99, xxs-xxl, Mango. Earrings, £14, Anthropologie Dance the night away in a festive fit-and-flare dress. Feminine and fashion-forward, no frock flatters your figure quite like…

More is MORE! For a delicate application of eyeshadow, use a fluffy, domed brush. Fluffy bristles diffuse colour. Rae is pretty happy in the hair department; the only thing she wants for? ‘More of it, please!’ So, hairstylist Clare Hansford used extensions. ‘I like woven weft extensions – they’re natural-looking and easy to use,’ says Clare, who clipped them lightly through Rae’s hair to add body, telling us they are brilliant at making hair more photogenic (good news for festive snaps!). Rae was surprised at how lightweight and comfortable they were. The colour of Rae’s eyes (soft green) is opposite purple on the colour wheel, so, according to makeup artist Julie Read, the most festive and flattering eyeshadow shade would be soft lilac, which she applied lightly across the lids in…

There are few things scarier in life than a medical emergency. It’s always important to call 999 if you suspect you or someone else needs emergency assistance. But the wait for an ambulance to arrive can be anxiety-inducing, not least because wait times are increasing. Although the target is for ambulances to arrive within 18 minutes for emergencies such as heart attack and stroke, the average in England is 40 minutes. At Christmastime, this could end up being longer, as A&E attendance usually increases over the festive period. But if you’re unlucky enough to deal with an emergency this season, you might be reassured to know there are things you can do while you’re waiting. STAY CALM IN A CRISIS Some do this easily, but if it’s hard for you,…

This fabulous pattern gives you two standout looks – great to wear whether you’re a guest or the host of the party. Get jazzed up in our softly fitting dress with pleated sleeves and add some statement jewellery to up the glamour. The flattering bubble-hem top looks great with slim-leg trousers and party heels for a sophisticated look. FREE* FOR PRIMA READERS NORMAL PRICE £2.99 EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Order your free* pattern online and only pay £1 for postage (price without offer is £2.99)! To claim your exclusive reader offer, simply go to hearstmagazines.co.uk/prima-pattern-dec-pri and place your order today! You’ll receive your FREE pattern direct to your door and pay just £1 for postage*. The price without this reader offer is £2.99, so don’t miss out. Alternatively, subscribe to Prima…

You will need ✳ 1 x 100g ball West Yorkshire Spinners Retreat Chunky Roving (100% British Wool) each in Adore 552 (Yarn A) and Pure 010 (Yarn B). ✳ Pair each 6mm and 6.5mm straight needles. ✳ Pompom maker and tapestry needle. Tension 14 sts and 19 rows to 10 x 10cm stocking stitch using 6.5mm needles. Abbreviations cm centimetre; cont continue; g gram; k knit; k2tog knit next 2 stitches together; p purl; p2tog purl next 2 stitches together; rem remaining; rep repeat; RS right side; St st stocking stitch (RS rows knit, WS rows purl); st(s) stitch(es); ssk slip 2 stitches knitwise, knit these 2 stitches together through back loops; single left-leaning decrease; tog together; WS wrong side; * repeat the instructions following the single asterisk as directed;…

TOM SAYS… ‘A scarf was the first thing I ever knitted, and this is another brilliant beginner’s project – a super-long scarf in block colours of chunky mohair yarn. Using a rib stitch adds texture, but also means the scarf lays flat so the edges don’t curl inwards and it’s fully reversible. For a designer finish, fringe the scarf in blocks of colour – it’s all in the detail!’ Measurements One size: approx. 32 x 210cm What you will need ● Debbie Bliss Nell 78% mohair, 13% merino wool, 9% polyamide; 100m per 50g. Quantity: A 2 x 50g balls in Jade (07) B 2 x 50g balls in Heather (04) C 2 x 50g balls in Lilac (05) D 2 x 50g balls in Willow (08) E 1 x…

No-bake gingerbread cheesecake Can we truly go through the festive period without something fragrant and gingerbread themed? No, we cannot. I love adding little gingerbread people and some cute sprinkles for decoration – it makes this the best showstopper for the Christmas table. SERVES 12+ PREP 30min, plus chilling DECORATE 30min FOR THE BASE • 90g unsalted butter• 300g gingernut biscuits FOR THE FILLING • 750g full-fat soft cheese, at room temperature• 75g icing sugar• 1tsp vanilla extract• 2tsp ground ginger• 1/2tsp ground cinnamon• 300ml double cream FOR THE DECORATION • 150ml double cream• 2tbsp icing sugar• Gingerbread cookies• Gingerbread cookie crumbs• Sprinkles 1 For the base, melt the butter in the microwave in short bursts, or in a small pan over medium heat. 2 In a food processor, blitz the…

Christmas is celebrated the traditional way inside Georgina and Benjamin Finn’s quirky Essex cottage. The countdown begins on 6 December as they mark the feast of St Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus, and their children, Gabriel, Mary and Bridget, hang gold coins on the front door. A Greek Orthodox monastery near the cottage plays a large part in the family’s life. ‘What immediately appealed to me about the Orthodox tradition is the number of feasts that mark the calendar,’ says Georgina. ‘I am a great celebrator of feasts, and none is better than Christmas.’ In the weeks before, the cottage is a hive of festive activity, with Georgina and Benjamin making a present for each of their children. ‘Once, we created a puppet theatre and another time, a big…

Fastening my dog-collar around my neck, I felt like pinching myself. At the age of 65, I was about to step on to the altar to take part in my first service as curate deacon – or, in other words, a vicar-in-training. ‘How did I get here?’ I asked myself. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d find my vocation so late in life. Growing up, I wasn’t career-minded – I just wanted to get married and have children. I had my son, Eliott, in 1980, and then Craig, who was born with complex special needs, followed two years later. I’d always had faith, but didn’t have the time to go to church very often – everything revolved around the children. Sadly, my marriage broke up and we…

THOROUGH FITNESS TRACKING Fitbit’s latest entry-level fitness tracker is loaded with ways to monitor your health. As well as distance, step and calorie logging, the Fitbit Inspire 3 tracks blood oxygen levels when you sleep, so you get a fuller picture of your wellbeing. Available in three colours, with a choice of straps. £84.99; fitbit.com A PICTURE-PERFECT MOBILE Google’s Pixel 6a is a more affordable Android smartphone that still has the great photo features found on its flagship handsets. It lets you remove unwanted objects easily – no Photoshop skills required. There’s plenty of storage space, wireless charging and a battery that lasts up to 72 hours. Available in three colours. £399; google.com/store A DIGITAL RADIO WITH STYLE With a stylish Joules sausage dog print, the VQ Monty DAB radio…

‘I iron wedding dresses’ Kirsty Devine, 37, lives in West Yorkshire with her husband, Darren, and son, Jack, 14. ‘For the past 11 years, I’ve been running my own handmade decor business, Simply Divine Things, but when profits dropped because of the economic climate, I needed another income stream. Now, every Friday, I work at a bridal seamstress’s studio, pressing beautiful gowns and veils. ‘The seamstress who altered my wedding dress last year was very busy due to a backlog of weddings delayed by the pandemic, so I asked if she needed an extra pair of hands and she said yes. The only skills I need are care and attention to detail – and fast hands, because those steamers get hot! It’s a privilege to handle such gorgeous dresses, and…

Great value Festive reads Foodie find Style steal…

More of a trousers girl? Step out in a sleek jumpsuit. Choose a sumptuous fabric, such as satin, silk or jacquard, then team with an edgy sequinned biker jacket for the ultimate in up-to-date evening wear. Jacket, £159, 8-16, Mint Velvet. Jumpsuit, £99, 6-18, Warehouse. Earrings, £38, Anthropologie You’ll find shimmering stars sparkling across the high street this Christmas. Shine like the star you are in dresses, tops and jumpsuits glittering with celestial motifs. Dress, £140, 8-24, Monsoon. Rings, £6.50 for 2, Matalan. Tights, £12.99, s-xl, Trasparenze at Sockshop. Glitter balloons, £3.49, Ginger Ray Rae Radford and Bren Ward, both 60, live in South East London and have been friends since the age of three. Rae is a social media influencer and author and will soon be releasing her first…

If you’re looking for a pretty decoration for your sideboard or dining table, why not try these super-simple no-sew Christmas trees? Don’t worry if the shapes are slightly different – the handmade aesthetic adds to the charm! Wishing you all a fabulous crafting Christmas, You will need ✳ Wood slices ✳ Drill ✳ Dowels ✳ Glue gun or fabric adhesive ✳ Pen ✳ Card or paper for a template ✳ Scissors ✳ Fat quarters of different fabrics ✳ Stuffing (polyester or fibre, available from Amazon) ✳ Pencil ✳ Twine ✳ Buttons in different sizes ✳ Finely shredded paper and faux snow, to decorate (optional) To make ❶ Take a wood slice and drill a hole in the centre. This needs to be large enough for the dowel to fit into,…

Make it personal Give stockings and Santa sacks a personal touch this year. The Handmade Christmas Co offers a range of customisable options to create a piece that will be treasured for ever, from £8. UNDER £10 Finishing touches for making cards or baubles. Meet the maker Victoria Nutt, from Dunfermline, is the founder of Little Rosy Cheeks, maker of cheerful children’s labels to sew into clothes. Have you always been interested in craft? Yes. After school, I moved to Glasgow to study fashion with business. I learned to pattern draft and sew – and fell in love with garment making. Why did you decide to launch Little Rosy Cheeks? I always dreamed of having my own business, like my parents. When Covid hit and I couldn’t work, it seemed the…

You will need ✳ Tape measure ✳ Fabric pen ✳ Scissors ✳ Approx 30cm x 1m cotton ✳ Approx 30cm x 1m ponte jersey or wool ✳ Pins ✳ Sewing machine ✳ Iron To make ❶ Cut out a rectangle measuring 30 x 75cm in both the cotton and ponte/wool fabrics. ❷ Place the cotton and ponte together, right sides facing, and pin the two long edges together. ❸ Stitch in place with a 1cm seam allowance. Make sure you start and finish the seams 1cm in from the short edges. Press the seams open with an iron. ❹ Turn the snood the right way out. Fold the fabric widthways and pin the shorter ends of the outer ponte fabric right sides together. Then carry on pinning the inner fabric…

THE CAKE Chocolate stout Christmas cake Adding dark chocolate and stout makes for a rich, juicy cake that’s livened up with a generous pinch of spice and tangy zest. Deliciously moist, it doesn’t need to be fed while it’s maturing. SERVES 20 PREP 25min, plus soaking, cooling and maturing COOK about 4hr 10min • 500ml can Guinness or other dark stout• 300g sultanas• 300g raisins• 150g dried apricots, finely chopped• 75g chopped mixed peel• 175g butter, softened, plus extra to grease• 200g light muscovado sugar• 4 medium eggs, beaten• 125g ground almonds• 50g cornflour, sifted• 11/2tsp ground cinnamon• 1tsp ground allspice• 1/4tsp freshly ground black pepper• Finely grated zest 2 oranges• 90g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, finely grated or whizzed in a food processor 1 Bring Guinness to the…

£50 star letter After much thought, I was determined to cut down on my monthly outgoings and had planned to stop my subscription to Prima. This was until today’s post came through the door! How could I? There was my favourite magazine with puzzles, a short story, ideas on home improvements, recipes, knitting patterns, simple sewing suggestions and beauty tips, as well as interesting articles on so many topics. How much more can a 73-year-old want? Avril Evans Plant tip Last December, I bought a poinsettia plant. As with previous years, I expected it to last until early January at the latest. But this time I took the time to research advice on how to keep it going, and only really watered it when it was dry. Here it is,…

Christmas has always been a very happy time for our family. My elder daughter, Deborah, especially loved the run-up to it. She’d spend hours in her local garden centre in search of pretty baubles to add to her extensive collection and she loved booking pantomimes, ice skating and ballet shows for the family – my husband, Alistair, and I, her husband, Sebastien, and their children, Hugo, 15, and Eloise, 13. When it came to decorating, Deborah loved all things bright, colourful and sparkly. I’ve always preferred a more colour co-ordinated design, which meant that in typical energetic Deborah style, she insisted we always had two trees in my bungalow in Woking, Surrey, where we usually spent Christmas. One of them was decorated with my preferred colour scheme of pinks, golds…

1 Leave a book for a stranger Micro libraries offer pre-loved books in dedicated spots everywhere from street corners to train stations. Use littlefree library.org to locate your nearest one and drop off a book for someone else to enjoy. 2 Save a life The pandemic caused blood donations in England to hit their lowest point in 25 years. Find your nearest donation centre at blood.co.uk, sign up for a one-hour appointment (the actual donation is only 10 minutes) and save up to three lives each time you donate. 3 Pass on a teddy The Young Planet app (youngplanet.com) lets you list your child’s no-longer-used items (an old teddy, toys, an outgrown bike, too-small sleepsuits) for other parents in the area to collect and use. 4 Try translating Audiopedia.org is an online…

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Approximately 13cm in height. MATERIALS • 1 x 50g ball each of Rico Essentials Cotton DK in Red (A) and Brown (B), plus oddments in Black (C).• 3.5mm crochet hook.• Pair of 4mm safety eyes (optional).• Stitch marker.• Toy stuffing and wool/tapestry needle. ABBREVIATIONS ch chain; yrh yarn round hook; dc double crochet; rnd(s) round(s); rep repeat; sl st slip stitch; st(s) stitch(es); tog together; htr half treble crochet; tr treble crochet. SPECIAL STITCHES dc2tog double crochet 2 sts together (to decrease 1 st) as follows: * insert hook into next st, yrh, and pull a loop through; rep from * once more in next st (3 loops on hook), yrh and pull through all 3 loops on hook. PATTERN NOTES The body is worked entirely in rounds…

It’s hard to believe it’s been 18 years since Dr Martin Ellingham (Doc Martin) arrived in fictional Cornish village Portwenn with a grimace on his face. Since then, the show has cemented its place in TV’s hall of fame, winning rave reviews and fans for its smart scripts, hilarious characters and enduring love story. Ten series later, the show has come to an end, but fans are in for a final treat with its Christmas special. Here, we catch up with the cast to find out how they feel about the Doc’s final outing. ‘I’ll never get a job like this again’ As the titular Doc Martin, Martin Clunes has gone from anti-hero to one of TV’s most beloved and iconic characters. Doc Martin can be a bit of a…

JOYCE We have a halogen oven that we haven’t used in years but are taking it out of the cupboard! Prima says: A halogen oven is capable of cooking a meal three times faster than a traditional oven. YVONNE We’ll put the oven on only when it’s really cold, as it warms up the room, and we make sure it’s full of food that can be used over two or three days. SUE I cook more veg than needed for a meal and use the rest with bacon, tinned tomatoes and pasta. I also add diced veg to minced meat so it goes further. ALANNA The food waste app Olio connects neighbours with one another and local businesses so surplus food can be shared. It’s reduced my food shop by over…

The best friends The mother, daughter & granddaughter The sisters & business partners…

Sisters Sindy, 35, and Sandy Sohal, 41, from Ealing, work together as business directors of a driver hire company. The pair enjoy big family get-togethers over the festive season and love to decorate the Christmas tree together. Bring on the wow-factor with a full and fabulous skirt. Go all out, like you’re going to a ball, and team it with a sequinned top, or dress it down for less formal invitations with a knitted jumper. Show off the shape of the skirt by tucking your top in. Jumper, £52, xs-l, Oasis. Skirt, £99, 8-18, Coast. Ring, £120, Soru. Star ornament, from £18.50, Cox & Cox. Garland, £8, Wilko Don’t let your jacket be an afterthought. Look for embellished details, sheeny jacquards and sparkling finishes – so gorgeous you won’t want…

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS Create an everlasting Advent calendar by using up leftover materials. These mini stockings are perfect for filling with little treats, candy canes or even messages. Whether hung in swathes across a wall, along a garland or dotted around the tree, these little booties are guaranteed to keep giving year after year. You will need ✳ Pencil ✳ Card ✳ Scissors ✳ Felt or fabric in a selection of colours ✳ Pins ✳ Things to decorate with: decorative trim; wool; offcuts ✳ Hot glue gun ✳ Embroidery thread ✳ Sewing machine (optional) ✳ Tags ✳ Number rubber stamps (optional) ✳ Twine ✳ Ribbon To make ❶ Draw out a selection of mini stocking shapes on to some thin card and cut out to make the templates. ❷ Place…

Turn the page for full instructions You will need ✳ 3(4:4:4:5) x 100g balls West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab DK (100% Wool) in Perfectly Plum 0362 (Yarn A); 1(1:1:2:2) x 100g balls in Deep Teal 0716 (Yarn B); 1 x 100g ball in Coral Crush 0361 (Yarn C); 1 x 100g ball in Citrus Yellow 0229 (Yarn D). ✳ 3.25mm and 4mm circular needles, 80-100cm long, for Body. 3.25mm and 4mm DPNs or 40cm circular needles for Sleeves. ✳ Stitch marker. ✳ 2 stitch holders. Tension 22 sts and 28 rows/rounds to 10cm stocking stitch using 4mm needles. Abbreviations Beg beginning; cm centimetre; cont continue; dec decrease; DPNS double pointed needles; g gram; inc increase; K/k knit; k2tog knit next 2 stitches together; m1 make 1 (by picking up loop between…

THE CANAPÉ Pigs in prosciutto with cranberry sweet chilli dip A deliciously simple start to your meal, these would also be great served with the turkey. Replace the cocktail sausages with quartered figs for a fruity twist. MAKES 18 PREP 15min COOK about 25min • 6 prosciutto slices• 18 raw cocktail sausages• 2tsp olive oil FOR THE DIP • 1/2 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped• 3tbsp smooth cranberry sauce (see Cook’s tip)• 2tbsp runny honey 1 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Cut each slice of prosciutto ham lengthways into 3 strips and wrap each sausage in a strip of ham (don’t worry if the ham tears a bit). Place on the lined tray and brush with the…

Enjoy creating your own winter wonderland at home with great-priced buys from your favourite shops B&M Matalan Styling tip Create a fun festive look with cute candy-cane accessories. John Lewis & Partners Styling tip Green and white is the perfect Christmas colour combination for a minimalist home. Dunelm Wilko George Home Styling tip Decorations in traditional shades of red and green never go out of style. Habitat M&S Styling tip Bring festive touches into your bedroom with Christmas-themed soft furnishings.…

Best for KIDS I had all these books road-tested by my friends’ young children – and they all received a firm seal of approval. Humbug: The Elf Who Saved Christmas by Steven Butler (Scholastic, £7.99) A great adventure story about the Humbug family, who give hope to a little girl who is sad that Christmas won’t be Christmas as her mum, a nurse, has to work. Edgar, aged six, said, ‘This was fun and made me laugh.’ Out now The Faber Book Of Bedtime Stories Illustrated by Sarah McIntyre (Faber, £20) This is a glorious book with contributions from authors Kate Saunders and Emma Carroll. Ani, aged three, loved that there were lots of stories her grandad could read to her. ‘The cover is pretty, too,’ she added. Out now The Big Christmas Bake…

MOON MESSAGE It’s not the New Year just yet, though this New Moon may encourage you to put your 2023 goals in place early. Be mindful about committing to more than is reasonable. Be willing to compromise. 23 November to 21 December Want some very good news for your birthday month? Your love life, your creative life, and anything to do with children (your own or someone else’s) is all about to improve. The fun factor in your life is on the up and up. Adopt a positive mental attitude and see what happens. CAPRICORN 22 December to 20 January The New Moon this month is in Capricorn, bringing your annual chance to start over. Don’t wait for January – make changes now. At home, life is going to be…

There’s no doubt we’ve faced some tough times this year, with the financial situation and, of course, the death of our dear Queen. But it’s important to look ahead, to Christmas, and to the joy we can share. And what could be better than to have a giggle? Laughing is so important. You don’t have to buy it – hopefully, it can just be found. So, I thought I’d share some things that make me laugh and, by doing so, you might smile and pass it on. For a start, I’m going to mention our family’s favourite film, Elf. We watch it every December and we all end up with huge smiles on our faces. Another favourite is The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Jude Law – it’s so warmly…