Tabla de contenidos para December 2023 en Red UK

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT PRESENT? TREAT A LOVED ONE TO A RED SUBSCRIPTION. TURN TO PAGE 70 FOR OUR GREAT OFFER. New traditions The déjà vu that goes hand in hand with Christmas is hard to avoid. No matter how often I tell myself that next year we’ll do it differently (beef instead of turkey… A far-flung island instead of at home… One present instead of 20…), we usually end up sticking to what we’ve always done. Because that’s the nature of a tradition, isn’t it? It’s returning to the same beloved things ad nauseam. Don’t get me wrong, I am very much a creature of habit, and it’s only at the beginning of January that I have these whimsical thoughts about reinventing Christmas. As November approaches, I’m already deep…

The Christmas Industrial Complex begins sometime in early October. That’s when the adverts start, featuring cosy family scenes of multi-generational households clad in matching festive jumpers exchanging beautifully wrapped gifts. But that is not my Christmas. For the last 10 or so years, I’ve spent Christmas on my own. The first time, it was half circumstance, half very reluctant choice. I didn’t have a partner or children, and my parents are now dead. My favourite family members were in Australia and I’d recently become estranged from my unfavourite family members. Also, I don’t drive and I resented paying ridiculous surging fees for a cab to a friend’s Christmas dinner. So, I spent Christmas Day solo, feeling like a card-carrying spinster of the parish and fully prepared to have a miserable…

ALL WRAPPED UP The wrapping paper Curlicue’s beautiful gift wrap is completely plastic-free and made in the UK from 100% recycled paper. curlicue.uk The tape Regular plastic tape can’t be recycled, so try using paper tape instead – Eco Boy’s is just as strong, but fully recyclable and comes in pretty designs. plasticfreedom.co.uk The furoshiki fabric gift wrap Go one step further with reusable fabric gift wrap, known as the Japanese furoshiki method. FabRap’s purpose-made fabric wrap is ethically created from 100% certified organic cotton. fabrap.co The ribbon Opt for ribbon made from Tencel – it’s biodegradable, meaning it’s 100% compostable. kudosgiftwrap.co.uk CHRISTMAS CRACKERED The recycled one Conscious Crackers’ plastic-free crackers are handmade with recycled, recyclable and compostable materials. The gifts inside are a welcome sustainable alternative to the usual…

After starting a materials science and engineering degree at Queen Mary, University of London, Australian-born Meredith O’Shaughnessy worked at all the big London nightclubs of the Noughties before founding two businesses, Meredith Collective, an immersive experience studio, and Oh La La! Macarons. ‘They’re not that different from each other,’ she says. ‘Whether I’m building an immersive experience or making a 4.2cm macaron, it’s all about the details.’ I LOVED THE VIBRANCY AND FREEDOM THAT NIGHTLIFE OFFERED. On weekdays, I worked in PR, and at weekends I worked in nightclubs. I started at Bagley’s before moving to Heaven. When Kensington Roof Gardens was refurbished in 2001, I was asked to be the club manager, overseeing the opening of Babylon restaurant at 23 years old. I don’t think there’s a celebrity of…

Good Material by Dolly Alderton (Fig Tree, £18.99, out 9th November) Stand-up comedian Andy is plodding along happily until his girlfriend Jen dumps him. Suddenly he’s homeless, hopeless and heartbroken. It’s not until Andy embarks on a mission to win Jen back that he realises how much growing up he needs to do. If Dolly’s memoir Everything I Know About Love perfectly summed up being twentysomething, then this, her second novel, is a tender and funny love letter to our tumultuous 30s. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride (W&N, £20, out 9th November) In 1930s Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Jews, Blacks and immigrants live in uneasy harmony in the poor neighbourhood of Chicken Hill, until the formidable Chona opens the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store. The community that forms…

My favourite book as a child was… The Borrowers by Mary Norton. I remember sitting on the floor and being so enchanted by this miniature world beneath the floorboards. I used to imagine them living in my own home – I’d leave my hair clips by the skirting boards, curious to see if someone would really come and take them. The character I love the most is… Elinor from Sense And Sensibility. As a teenager I preferred to align myself with Marianne, who was, it seemed, so passionate and spirited. But now I consider Elinor my favourite. She’s clever and eminently practical, yes, but she’s also compassionate and kind, and she feels so very deeply, in a way that feels more true than any of Marianne’s drama. I love her…

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HOME CV WHO Antiques dealers Cathy and Peter Bullen and their spaniel, Madge. WHAT A five-bedroom 16th-century timber-framed cottage in the Suffolk village of Bildeston. The couple arrived in Suffolk nearly 30 years ago and were drawn to the history of the house: ‘It was full of potential with wonderful original features,’ recalls Cathy. They spend half the year in France, visiting brocantes, where they fill their trusty van ‘René the Renault’ with items for their popular seasonal fairs. Fair Fête de Noël, 18th-26th November, boule-in.co.uk. SITTING ROOM Once the village pharmacy, Rose Cottage has also been home to East Anglian artist Elinor Bellingham-Smith, who was a great local character. She would doubtless have approved of the vibrant painterly palette of colours since chosen by the Bullens. The sitting room…

Winter, the often-demonised season, can be forgiven, as although the cold and slumbering it brings is at times brutal, it makes the spring a season to be longed for and loved all the more. The microclimates of city and walled gardens will see such little gardens envied by those with large ones in the countryside, as smaller gardens will nurture plants that are considered to be tender during especially cold and freezing nights. Winters are becoming windier, colder and, overall, it seems, drier, with rain flooding over a few hours rather than gently drizzling. So the watering of pots containing bulbs may be required little and often. Many butterflies hibernate through the winter, including the peacock butterfly, which is arguably the prettiest of all. The eye-like markings are used to…

Our resistance to winter is spurred by the hum of our 24-hour society, which drives us to keep moving against nature’s will. We may not be designed to retreat into a full hibernating slumber when the sun is shy, but our bodies – in the same way as plants – crave a period of dormancy… or at least a little slowing of pace. Wellness, in all respects, springs from winter’s rest. These recipes are a cordial invitation for you to embrace the essential transition of a winter wind-down. They seduce the taste buds but also fortify the immune system when we need it most, without sweating it out in the kitchen. Heeding the ‘Let food be thy medicine’ philosophy, they offer nourishment on a deeper level, using ingredients that shine…

1 BRISK WALKING Of course, getting outside into the fresh air has its own host of benefits, such as improving cardiovascular fitness, burning calories and strengthening leg muscles, but if keeping snug in the warm feels like more of a dopamine hit, try investing in a walking pad, such as the Urevo Under Desk Treadmill (£199.99, Amazon). Switch on an oil diffuser and your favourite festive film and you’re cosy cardio-ing. How to do it Try the viral ‘12-3-20’ workout, which is all about walking consistently at a steady pace. On your treadmill, you set your incline to 12, your speed to 3mph, and walk for 30 minutes. Or find a LIIT (Low Intensity Interval Training) routine for at-home treadmills on YouTube. Start with the 20 Min Interval Walking Treadmill…

MY CAN’T MISS PODCAST IS… Founders. My husband turned me on to it, and we listen to it a lot! It’s very inspiring. I also listen to The Nordy Pod, Huberman Lab and Honestly With Bari Weiss. THE CANDLE I LOVE TO LIGHT IS… Our Westman Atelier candle, Healing Wood. MY SIGNATURE LIPSTICK IS… A combo of our two Lip Suede compacts and sometimes I add a dot of Squeaky Clean in the middle for a little juiciness. MY FAVOURITE INDEPENDENT SHOP IS… Scout in Pound Ridge, New York, and Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm. MY FOODIE WEAKNESS IS… Pasta and French fries. WHEN I SEND FLOWERS, I CALL… Meredith on our team, who has an amazing eye for colour, and Mario Casarella. MY ONE-STOP MORNING COFFEE SHOP IS… S&S in Springs in East…

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Jada Pinkett Smith takes a deep breath as she tries to put into words how it felt to lay everything bare in her new memoir, Worthy. ‘It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,’ she says. ‘It wasn’t like I was just writing about my life; it was like, “You’re going to dive into the crevices of when you felt your most unlovable self. You’re going to go in there and explore and explain, and put it on paper. You’re going to see all the events back to back. And you’re going to read it over and over again.”’ That sounds like utter hell, I tell her. ‘It was hell!’ she shudders. But it was also deeply cathartic for the 52-year-old actor and talk-show host, who is as well known…

Picture a magical Christmas and you’ll probably imagine a home festooned with lights and decorations, presents piled high under the tree, a table groaning with treats… For many of us, one of the words we’ve come to associate most with Christmas is abundance. But at what cost? Last Christmas, the average Brit spent £642 on presents and other festive treats, according to YouGov research. Looking ahead to this year, nearly half (42%)* of us think we’ll spend more than we should this festive season, with many expecting to fall into debt as a result. For some, the cost of Christmas takes its toll not just on the wallet but on their mental health, too, with 38% of Britons saying the cost makes the occasion ‘too stressful’ (a rise from 27%…

Rare Birds Book Shop, Edinburgh Based in picturesque Stockbridge, Rare Birds Book Shop is on a mission to champion female authors and to help you make space on your bookshelves for women’s writing across every genre. Afrori Books, Brighton Afrori was born out of a bookseller’s desire to give Black authors a platform for their work. As well as stocking books, the social enterprise also delivers anti-racism training for adults and school students, as well as hair workshops, writing workshops and more. Chapters Bookstore, Dublin Trade in your preloved reads at Ireland’s largest indie bookshop, where you can then pick up an exciting new novel. A family-owned garden-café on the first floor – a welcome addition to this Dublin institution – opened earlier this year. Book Bodega, Ramsgate This seaside…

EXHIBITION David Hockney: Drawing From Life Staged for just 20 days before Covid brought the shutters down in March 2020, the National Gallery reopens David Hockney’s landmark exhibition of portraits for the winter season. If you saw Hockney’s viral portrait of Harry Styles, there’s plenty more where that came from, as he also unveils more than 30 new portraits painted from life at his studio in Normandy. From 2nd November; npg.org.uk STREAM The Buccaneers As we wait patiently for Bridgerton series three, this ravishing eight-part drama about a cohort of rich American girls bursting on to London’s debutante scene in the 1800s looks set to be our next highly bingeable TV feast. Starring Christina Hendricks alongside a cast of newcomers, it’s based on Edith Wharton’s unfinished novel, set around the…

Gather round A woodland-inspired palette is sure to set a pretty tone for the table, with dusky berry pinks and warm oaky browns pairing beautifully with shades of deep damson and burnished gold. At each place setting, combine treasured pieces with a few new favourites. Rebecca Udall’s scalloped china and the embroidered table linen at Sharland England are worth adding to your Christmas list. Mix up textures for a layered look – dainty glass candlestick holders, for example, can work surprisingly well beside heavy handcrafted ceramics when their colours complement one another. Finish with a homespun flourish: a simple sprig of berries, tied loosely to a napkin, will add charm instantly. The holly and the ivy Garlands, wreaths and potted blooms add colour and texture to the festive celebrations. For…

Gingerbread I love this not-too-sweet gingerbread with molasses. The cake will keep in the tin and it is so wonderful to have this in the house – Christmas or not! You can fry some of the crumbs or any last couple of slices in brown sugar and butter and serve with ice cream. MAKES 1 x 26cm cake • 140g unsalted butter, softened• 160g dark brown soft sugar• 220g unsulphured molasses• 2 eggs• 1tsp vanilla extract• 3cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and mashed in a mortar• 280g plain flour• 1½tsp ground ginger• 1tsp ground cinnamon• 2 pinches ground cloves• ¼tsp ground nutmeg• 2tsp bicarbonate of soda• 110g soured cream 1 Preheat oven to 175°C (155°C fan) mark 3½ and line a 26cm springform tin with baking parchment, flattening the…

Well, that came around fast, didn’t it? David Bowie apparently said the reason time seems to speed up as you get older is that each year is proportionally smaller in relation to your age; so a year for a five-year-old is a much more significant period of time in proportion to their whole life than it is for a 55-year-old. So, now we’ve cleared up the mysteries of time and relativity, let’s talk about Christmas and the fact that it feels like it’s only been five minutes since we took the decorations down. And that’s my point. At this time of year, when it’s cold, dark and miserable, my question is: are Christmas decorations just for Christmas? My Swedish friend, Tania, (and we all know the Scandinavians do cool very…

For two weeks of the month, I’m a naturally logical and rational person. I’m curious and creative, calm and diplomatic. I feel motivated to do the things I love. I have a great sense of humour. I feel like ‘myself’. But for the other two weeks of my menstrual cycle, it’s like I’m someone else entirely. It has taken me years to unpick the parts of my life that are impacted by premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). My high-school years were unhappy for many reasons; looking back, it’s impossible to say that it was just PMDD that contributed to my poor mental health. In my teens, my attendance at school dipped below 20% – a big shift from being an ambitious high achiever in primary school. But more than that, it…

SKI AT VAL THORENS, FRANCE A mid a snow shortage in many of Europe’s top ski resorts, I feel very lucky to arrive at a winter wonderland for a stay at Le Fitz Roy in Val Thorens, France’s highest ski resort. Sitting at 2,300m above sea level at the peak of the Three Valleys, the largest ski area in the world with over 600km of runs, Val Thorens is renowned for its excellent snow, luxe hotels and après ski. For unrivalled views of the slopes, it’s not one to miss – nor is the newly renovated, five-star Le Fitz Roy hotel, it’s a ski-in, ski-out hotel that was originally built in the 1970s and renovated in 2020, before officially reopening in December 2021. With beautiful rooms and family suites, Le Fitz…

The dress A slinky slip dress is a match made in heaven for an oversize knit cardigan and slippers, channelling 1920s Hollywood glamour in absolute comfort. Simply switch in a tux jacket and killer molten-metallic boots to transform into black-tie attire. The top Heavy, indulgent velvet meets silky pj bottoms for a texture clash that makes for an intriguing mix. Equally, throw some feathers into the equation to dial up the wow factor and tuck matching trousers into knee-high boots. The suit In jewel-toned velvet, the suit gets a festive makeover. Partner with an asymmetric party top layered over a plain white tee and pile on the silver sparkle, or simply drape the jacket over a cosy knit for two ways to wear modern tailoring. The skirt A hero skirt…

We have to deal with mess almost every day – whether that’s working at a cluttered desk or tackling the stack of dishes in the sink. Yet we rarely interrogate what mess means to us. Perhaps you feel jittery until everything is tidy, and you’re known as the resident nag in your household. Or maybe you’re the ‘messy one’, which makes you feel defensive, ashamed or guilty. These feelings become amplified during the festive season, when our homes are invaded by relatives, the floor is strewn with tinsel and wrapping paper, and food seems to cover every surface. Many of us attempt to fight against the chaos as we hurry around tidying or beg kids to pick up after themselves. Or we fear judgement from visitors and worry that our…

Carrie Bradshaw’s Manolo Blahniks, Villanelle’s billowing Molly Goddard dress, Forrest Gump’s box-fresh Nike Cortez trainers: the wardrobes of on-screen characters can build as much of an iconic status as the actors wearing them. Which is why author and former fashion and textiles lecturer Marnie Fogg decided to devote a book, Screen Style, to the subject and to all the ways in which ‘clothes are deployed to define character’. She explores not only how clothes aid plot, but also television’s influence on the fashion world. ‘Manolo Blahnik became a household name with the first season of Sex And The City. By 2000, the brand was selling 30,000 pairs of shoes a year at US department store Neiman Marcus alone,’ says Fogg. ‘The sofa has become the new front row.’ Though so…

How did the idea for Good Material come about? I’ve always wanted to write a book about heartbreak. I find it so fascinating that, while humans are evolving more and more – we’re living longer and we understand the world better – heartbreak is something that we still haven’t evolved beyond. One of the biggest sources of pain that we can experience can come from the death of loved ones, or loving someone who doesn’t love you back. I really wanted to explore that. What keeps you coming back to the concept of love? I find people’s relationships – whether with romantic partners, family, friends or work colleagues – the most interesting part of life. When I look back at all the moments I’ve found funniest or enjoyed the most, they’ve always…

Red inspires its readers to live better, no matter the season. Every month a new issue drops on their doorstep, your loved one is reminded how much you care. With effortless style, smart beauty, modern interiors and seasonal recipes, give the joy of one of the UK’s most loved wellness magazines this Christmas, from just £3 for three issues. SUBSCRIBE FROM JUST £3 SAVING 88% ‘I have bought other magazines but always come back to Red as it has everything: fashion, advice, interesting stories and all aimed at women with busy lives’ Lisa Patey, Red subscriber EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Gift a Subscription • EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Just £3 for their first three issues • INCLUDES free UK delivery direct to their door – they’ll never miss an issue •…

Who wouldn’t, given the chance, want a peek into some of Victoria Beckham’s most personal and precious memories? Her new fragrance collection – developed with master perfumer Jérôme Epinette – allows us that and more: three scents inspired by the most meaningful eras in Beckham’s life, starting with when she met David. Portofino ’97 is a citrus-skin-heady ode to one of their first secret getaways; the couple’s Parisian second honeymoon in 2004 inspired the sultry, sophisticated powder-musk Suite 302; and in San Ysidro Drive, joyful fruity florals and warm amber-vanilla reflect the optimism of their family’s move to California. Dreamy.…

Creamy celeriac soup with toasted hazelnuts This simple-to-make soup is mellow and fragrant, making it the perfect dish to start your festive meal. Celeriac is roasted before being blended with rosemary-infused stock and vegan cream, then topped with toasted hazelnuts, parsley and a little extra vegan cream. The result? A creamy, nutty soup, with perfectly balanced sweetness. SERVES 6 • 3 rounded tbsp blanched and chopped hazelnuts• 1 medium (approximately 800g) celeriac, peeled and evenly chopped into chunks• 1 onion, quartered• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped• Generous drizzle sunflower oil• 800ml vegetable stock• 1 rosemary sprig• 200ml vegan double cream, plus extra to serve• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, to serve 1 Add the hazelnuts to a dry pan and toast over medium heat for 3-4min until fragrant and light golden.…

SUSTAINABLE SNOWFLAKES Paper snow stars will add wintry whimsy to a window. (Difficulty: medium) Draw a large rectangle on a roll of white baking paper, with jagged triangles along the two short sides, as pictured. Repeat this shape along your paper roll until you have five spiky rectangles for a small star (12-36cm diameter), or 10 for a large star (40-59cm diameter). Cut out each shape, then make horizontal folds, like a concertina, about 1cm wide. Once you have a long, folded strip, fold in half so the short edges touch. Use a glue stick to coat the inside fold of each concertina, then pinch together until the sides stick and stay. Unfold, ensuring only the glued edges are sticking. Assemble the star by gluing the concertinas in pairs until…

Around 12 months ago, Hope Zuckerbrow began sharing her early-morning cardio routines on TikTok to ‘help heal her relationship with exercise’. In many of the videos, she would start by making coffee, lighting a candle, donning a pair of comfy socks, and then hop on to her walking pad (essentially a lightweight home treadmill) to do a 40-minute walk with the telly on. The key to her new-found desire to exercise, she said, was being as comfortable as possible. Having suffered from a serious case of ‘gymxiety’ in the past, this relaxing ritual felt less like working out and more a form of ‘meditational self-love’. Now a burgeoning TikTok trend with more than 6.3m views, ‘Cozy Cardio’ feels like an approach that we could all adopt when our hectic lives…

CAPRICORN OR CAPRICORN RISING 22nd December to 20th January You’re ending 2023 with Mercury retrograde in your sign, for at least half of the month. That suggests you have some unfinished business to attend to. Don’t be afraid to change your mind about someone or something. Do a life review. AQUARIUS OR AQUARIUS RISING 21st January to 19th February If you want to make the most of the last month of this year, it’s not about putting on a little black dress and going out and partying, sorry to say! It’s about you working out what fears held you back this year. That probably sounds comparatively dull, but if you can do this, your 2024 could be quite amazing. PISCES OR PISCES RISING 20th February to 20th March You have…