Table of contents for 09-Dec-2021 in Chat

It’s nearly Christmas – but you probably don’t need me to tell you that. Anyone else already finding bits of sticky tape everywhere, feeling scared to check their bank balance and hearing Michael Bublé in their dreams? Well, our huge bumper issue of Chat is here to give you back a bit of me-time. Grab yourself a hot choc (or mulled wine!), curl up under a blanket and get stuck into 90 pages of shocking real life and true crime plus Christmas feasts, party looks, gift ideas, tips, health, puzzles, prizes and a bit of festive fun. Stay safe, well and merry!…

What connects actors Dan Aykroyd and Alice Eve? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the four-word prize answer. ACROSS 1 Animated film about an ogre (5) 4 Couple or duo (4) 6 Threw water on (8) 13 Large Berkshire town (7) 14 Prisoner (7) 15 Sudden terror (5) 16 Wet weather (4) 17 Smoothly (6) 18 Spoke to God (6) 20 Place, location (4) 21 Taylor _, Shake It Off singer (5) 22 Relating to the mind (6) 25 Skins actor, _ Hoult (8) 28 Confidential (6) 30 Subsequently (5) 32 Marine creature (8) 34 Capital of Russia (6) 35 Part of the leg (4) 38 Lucky charm (6) 39 Keyboard instrument (5) 40 Cocktail made with mint and rum (6) 43…

’Twas the night before... EXPECTATION Donning your glad rags and meeting a few mates for cocktails seems like a classy Christmas Eve... REALITY ...until someone gets in a round of shots and you wake up to a mate passed out in the living room and a stonking hangover. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings? Pass the sick bowl. Mrs CLAWS EXPECTATION Inspired by all the online pics of cute pets dressed in funny outfits-dogs wearing reindeer ears, cats in elf costumes-you reckon it’d make the purr-fect Christmas card... REALITY ...your cat sees the Amazon delivery man coming and somehow knows. And when you try to get her in the Santa hat – ouch! Grumpy cat eat your heart out. NO!tivity EXPECTATION Your kid’s playing Shepherd Number 2 in the nativity,…

All I want for Xmas is a ciggie! Q My family hate smoking and won’t even let me nip outside for a fag. How will I manage at their place on Boxing Day? Xenoulla, east London A If you’re an occasional smoker and aren’t physically addicted to nicotine, then getting through the day will mean distracting yourself from the habit. Take mints or gum, go for a walk with your family, play games, and occupy your hands by holding a pen or glass. Sharing your ordeal with your family will help, too. If you smoke more than 10 per day, or need a ciggie within half an hour of waking up, chances are you’re addicted to nicotine, and withdrawal symptoms such as irritability and poor concentration will make your day…

Chocolate and raspberry yule log We’ve given a fruity, white chocolate twist on this classic Christmas pud. SERVES 16 PREP TIME: 30 MINS, PLUS COOLING COOK TIME: 35 MINS • 200g Belgian white chocolate • 6 large eggs, separated • 175g golden caster sugar For the filling • 300ml carton double cream, whipped • 2tbsp icing sugar • 1tbsp vanilla bean paste • 4tbsp golden caster sugar • 6tbsp raspberry jam • 250g raspberries To finish • 90g Belgian white chocolate • 1tsp sunflower oil • 2tbsp icing sugar • ¼tsp edible gold glitter • Edible rainbow dust glitter You will need • 38x26cm Swiss roll tin, greased and lined with baking parchment, piping bag and holly leaves, to decorate 1 Heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Put the white…

In 2016, a previously unknown edition of the First Folio of Shakespeare was discovered at Mount Stuart House on which Scottish island? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to spell out the prize answer. ACROSS 1 Public transport vehicle (3) 3 Bath (3) 5 Small deer (3) 6 Large barrel or tank (3) 7 Look at (3) DOWN 1 ‘Kill two _ with one stone’ (5) 2 Champion rower, _ Redgrave (5) 4 Flying mammals (4) WIN £50 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 88 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

FILL ME IN What is the only mainland country that contributes players to the West Indies cricket team? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Roberto Romanello, Vanessa Selbst and Kristen Bicknell are competitors in what type of tournaments? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles. 3 letters ALB ASH ASK GAS LEE NAB OFF OLD TAB YET 4 letters APES EARN PLAY POLO SAGA TAKE TOUR 5 letters JUDGE MANIA THROB 6 letters BOBCAT MOJITO NEARBY NUDGED OBLONG POTATO 8 letters EARMUFFS WIN £100 Puzzle 15 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page…

3 ways to... save cash on Christmas shopping Here’s how to avoid busting your budget on gifts! 1 Planning is all Start by working out how much you can afford to spend on Christmas overall, then how much of that you want to spend on gifts. Next, write a list of everyone you’re buying for and how much you’re happy to spend on each. This means you’ll have everyone covered and you won’t be at risk of spending more than you can afford. And is there anyone, such as friends or colleagues, who you can speak to and agree not to exchange gifts with this year? It’ll help cut costs further. They’ll probably appreciate it, too! 2 Do your research Think about what you’d like to buy, then use comparison…

Nicole Hudson, 27, Huddersfield Clicking my phone on, I checked the time once again. Already 7pm, I sighed. There was still no sign of my boyfriend Kyle, then 21. I’d imagined by now, we’d be snuggled up together in front of a Christmas film. Our son Riley’s stocking stuffed to the brim. Yet, that Christmas Eve, in 2012, Kyle had gone to a casino. Leaving me home alone with Riley, then 2. Riley was the perfect age to get excited about Santa. ‘I want a proper family Christmas,’ I’d told Kyle. So he’d promised to be back to help me work through the mountain of toys, paper and sticky tape. Yet he wasn’t. I don’t know why I was surprised, though... We’d been inseparable when we’d first met in a…

£25 for any photos that we use on Picture Perfect. They must not have been sent to any other publication and you must include written permission from a child’s parent/s or guardian/s. Post to Picture Perfect, Chat, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP, or email chat_magazine@futurenet.com Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a SAE. And please don’t forget to include your full address and a contact number.…

Asleep on the job My Oliver, then 3 months, was so busy being Santa’s little helper over Christmas 2014, he nodded off in his bouncer for a long nap. He’s now 7, and will be tearing round the house with big bro James, 9! Sarah Haselwood, Oxted Twinning Meet my identical baby girls Abby and Beth, aged 8 months on Christmas Day 1998. I brought them up alone, and they loved dressing the same when they were little. Now 23, Abby is a biochemist and Beth a London paramedic. Claire Hattrick, Andover Littlest elf Rocco, then 7 months, had his first nibble of Christmas dinner back in 2018. He and big sis, Ruby, 6, are now busy writing to Santa, with a bit of help from Raphael, 8 months! Beci…

FROM £10 COSY COATS STYLE TIP Layer a faux fur cover-up over a party dress for that luxe look. SPARKLY TOPS STYLE TIP Pair a statement top with your fave black trousers for an easy party outfit. STATEMENT EARRINGS STYLE TIP Jewel drop earrings will frame your face and up the glam factor. PRINTED DRESSES STYLE TIP Dress up with heels for an evening do or add trainers and a knit for the day. BRIGHT BLAZERS STYLE TIP A cover-up in a statement hue will make you stand out from the crowd. BLOCK HEELS STYLE TIP Switch your stilettos for a comfier heel this year and dance the night away with ease. PARTY BAGS STYLE TIP From sleek metallics to stand-out prints, complete any evening look with a small but…

When Za’Zell Preston’s children crept into the living room on Christmas morning 2011, there was no chatter and excitement. The two little girls, then 8 and 3, felt only fear. They’d seen and heard too much the night before to know this wasn’t going to be a day filled with joy. And now, as their stepdad William Wallace made them open their presents, they saw their mother. Propped up on the sofa. Cold and motionless, a pair of sunglasses covering her eyes. ‘Mummy ruined Christmas,’ their stepdad growled. ‘She got drunk and ruined Christmas.’ William, then 30, and Za’Zell, 26, had been in a volatile relationship for three years. In 2008, he’d been jailed for battery, sentenced to 45 days. Yet by December 2011, the young mum hoped that William…

Debi Wallbank, 47, Shropshire With heavy eyes, I reached out of bed for my phone, which was buzzing with messages. Merry Christmas! streams of friends’ texts read. But, on 25 December last year, I was feeling far from festive. Deeply depressed, I’d gone to bed on Christmas Eve hoping I’d never wake up again. My mood had first dipped in 2013. I always felt tired, and I noticed my periods were becoming irregular. Probably just stress, I reasoned. I loved Christmas, though, so ploughed on, putting up the tree, wandering the shops as festive songs jingled. Laying on a huge feast for my husband. But inside, I felt empty, and over the next three years it worsened. I’d ballooned from a slender 9st to 14st. Short-term memory problems impacted my…

OVER TO YOU Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p3. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Heather Devlin, Droylsden, Manchester ACROSS 1 Not fast 2 Enclosure 3 Measure of land 4 Car-horn noise DOWN 1 Crust of wound 2 Delicate fabric 3 Monster 4 Cry WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: HALF & HALF Chris Colfer won a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe for his performance as which character in the TV series Glee? Cross out a letter in each square to get a grid filled with words. The uncrossed-out letters in the shaded squares give the prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 7 Your answer: BRICK TRICK Described as…

ARROW WORD Which member of the Royal Family once owned a villa called Les Jolies Eaux on Mustique? Solve the puzzle by following the arrows and writing in your answers. Then read down the letters in the shaded squares to find the prize answer. WIN £1,000 Puzzle 10 Your answer: SUDOKU To solve the puzzle, each 3 x 3 box, each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9. Solve the puzzle and the numbers in the highlighted squares will give you the prize puzzle answer. WIN £60 Puzzle 11 Your answer: WORDSEARCH Which of these Best Actress Oscar winners was also nominated for their portrayal of Joan of Arc? The answer is the one missing from the grid. BERGMAN COLMAN DAVIS FONDA HEPBURN KEATON KELLY KIDMAN…

Happy flippin’ Christmas! Q Last year, me, my new partner, his son and my children were supposed to have our first Christmas all together. Because of COVID-19 this didn’t happen. But this year it’s already turning into a disaster. They’re arguing over silly things like when to open presents and what we eat. I just feel like running off and leaving them all to it. How can I make it the happy time it’s supposed to be? Debbie, 53 A Families, eh? Stop putting so much pressure on yourself to have a perfect day. Blended families can be a minefield at Christmas. So don’t plan too much. Encourage the kids to make new traditions. Don’t stick to a menu or a set present opening time, just see where the day…

Julian Eardley, 53, Sittingbourne Bowing with the rest of the cast, I took in the cheers and applause from our teachers and parents. What a show! I thought. It was 1983 and, at 16, I’d just taken a starring role in my school’s production of The Bourgeois Gentleman. I loved acting as a hobby, but I’d never considered it as a career. Until the following year, when I was looking around Aberystwyth University’s Maths department and had a wake-up call. What am I doing here? I thought to myself. I was good at maths. It’d seemed the natural choice for me. But I was also creative and I adored acting. So I sneaked into the uni’s drama department to look around. The stage, props, the lively students walking the halls…

Aries 21 March-20 April With Venus under the influence of Uranus, accept all invitations you get. Use your free time to enjoy yourself, meet with friends online and cook for family. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Don’t get stuck in a rut doing chores or things that are mundane. Create a list – and put at least 10 things on it connected to your wellbeing. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Book a fun night out. Your wicked sense of humour could turn a head or two. It’s time for a great deal of fun. You’ll hear some unusual confessions… • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Your intuition is powerful, and you could uncover…

ROUND 1 Name the film from its most iconic quote 1 ‘Merry Christmas ya filthy animal’ 2 ‘The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear’ 3 ‘Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho’ 4 ‘Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings’ 5 ‘God bless us, every one’ ROUND 2 Name that film using only emojis ROUND 3 Match the festive flick to its tagline 1 A Family Comedy Without the Family 2 Two Dads, One Toy, No Prisoners 3 There Glows the Neighbourhood 4 This Holiday, Discover Your Inner… 5 He’s Very Naughty and Not Very Nice A Elf B Jingle All the Way C Bad Santa D Home Alone E Deck the Halls ROUND 4 Name that Chrimbo child star…

Emily Lewis, 28 A hint of cinnamon wafted through the kitchen as Christmas songs rang out. ‘Dreaming of a white Christmas,’ I sang, putting the finishing touches to my gingerbread house. Christmas is my favourite time of year. I love winding fairy lights around picture frames, writing cards, decorating the tree… It was December last year, and this one was going to be extra special. Not only had I just moved out of my mum and dad’s into my own place, but I’d found a special someone. Placing the last candy cane on top of the gingerbread, I heard the unmistakable sound of my guy padding towards me. Turning, I saw Lawson. ‘Hello you,’ I grinned. Lawson just looked at me, his chocolate-brown eyes full of pure love. Aged 27,…

TEXT Simply text CHATC followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 63333 Texts cost 50p plus standard network charge (maximum 160 characters per text). When you enter by text, you may in future get SMS marketing messages from Future plc and Chat. If you want to receive these, please end your text with OPTIN. Texting tips • Don’t put any spaces in an answer that has several words: eg: CHATISTHEBEST not CHAT IS THE BEST. • If the answer is a name, you need only give the surname: eg: CLOONEY not GEORGE CLOONEY. • You can use capitals or small letters, but don’t use any commas, etc. • Leave out answers you don’t wish to enter. INTERNET Join our…

Dear Sharon, Coming down the stairs, in your red-velvet suit, black boots and fur-trimmed hat, you smiled. ‘What do you think?’ you asked nervously. My face said it all. Because, in the matching Santa suit I’d worn for the previous two Christmasses, I was chuffed to have my Mrs Claus beside me. And with our daughter Katie, then 33, also joining us that December 2019, as Chief Elf Candy Cane, we were ready to spread cheer. Even before your star turn as Santa’s first lady, you’d helped me raise thousands for charity. My first outing as Santa was back in 2017, when I was asked to dress up for a kids’ Christmas party. ‘You’ll certainly look the part,’ you’d giggled at my belly and white beard. You’d had a tough…

Beth Grimes, 33, Chester Our double buggy teetered with gifts as me and my husband Ian carefully lifted it from the train onto the platform. ‘It’s got more presents than Santa’s sleigh,’ I chuckled, stifling a yawn. It was 8pm on Christmas Eve 2019. After visiting relatives, Ian, then 39, and I were keen to get home. But bouncing excitedly, our kids Penny, then 4, and Casper, 2, showed no signs of flagging. Even Rufus, then 20-months, just visible under piles of glittery paper, was still babbling away. ‘Will we see Rudolph?’ Penny grinned. ‘You never know,’ I smiled. Out on the street, we started the 10-minute walk home, when I spotted a couple rowing in a bus shelter. Wanting to get the kids to bed, I paid little attention.…

Kelly Ferreira, 34, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire Excited gasps filled the living room as my eldest three scrabbled under the tree for presents. ‘He’s beeeeen!’ Ebony, 4, cried to Callum, 7, and Jessica, 6. ‘Who wants to help Romeo open his gifts?’ my fiancé Leandro asked. Our newborn was immune to the pandemonium, snoozing in my arms. Bless the others, though, they were all desperate to involve him, volunteering to open his gifts from Santa. ‘Look!’ Jessica said, showing Romeo the soft motorbike toy she’d pulled from the shiny paper. Watching the scene, I thought forward a couple of years, to when Romeo would be in the scrum with his brother and sisters. It was Christmas 2016, and Leandro and I had been together for four years. Wedding plans had gone…

In April this year, William Wallace, 39, was eventually convicted of second-degree murder. He was jailed for 15 years to life. ‘A young mother finally losing her life after years of violence at the hands of her husband is a heart-wrenching tragedy,’ Todd Spitzer, one of California’s top lawyers said in a statement. ‘That heartbreak is only exacerbated by the fact that her children witnessed much of the violence and were forced to celebrate Christmas in the presence of their dead mother. That is not a Christmas memory any child should be forced to have,’ he said. During sentencing, Za’Zell’s mother Saidell described Wallace as a psychopath, who only cared about himself. ‘He beat and tortured my daughter and at the same time mentally assassinated her children,’ Saidell said. ‘He…

‘IS MCDONALD’S OPEN ON 25 DECEMBER?’ Most of us look forward to a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings, but others are thinking Big Mac and Fries. Maybe a McFlurry. More than 12,100 people checked if McDonalds was open one Christmas Day, with other favourites including Costa and the local Chinese takeaway. Oh, and if you’re wondering, not all of them are...so check your local branch! ‘CAN I GET CHRISTMAS DINNER IN A CAN?’ Seems some lucky souls manage to duck dinner duties altogether, but what’s the easiest way to whip up a festive feast? Over 6,600 people searched for Christmas dinner in a can. Yes, apparently, it exists. Sounds delish! ‘HOW CAN I FALL ASLEEP ON CHRIMBO EVE?’ Nothing beats that feeling of being a kid the night…

Tracey Clarke, 57, Saltash As I squeezed a couple of extra pigs in blankets next to my turkey and heaped my plate with potatoes, I made a secret promise to myself. Next Christmas, I’ll be slim. It was 2017, and me and my hubby Mark, then 50, felt lucky to be surrounded by family. Our grown-up kids – Jamie-Leigh, then 25, Zoe-Louise, 22, and Aaron, 19 – had all piled round for a festive feast. And our first grandchild Charlie, then 9 months, was the guest of honour. His mum Jamie-Leigh, was happily feeding him his own version of Christmas dinner, mashed veg and gravy. ‘It’s lovely having a littl’un at the table again,’ I beamed. It reminded me how magical Christmas could be. Yet, pouring gravy over my mountain…

Jackie Weight, 58, Bethersden, Kent Heading outside, I opened the BBQ lid and checked the meat was cooked to perfection. ‘Just needs an hour to rest,’ I grinned to my partner Dave, then 62, and friend Flo, 71. Only, I wasn’t sizzling sausages or flipping burgers in the baking sunshine. It was a cold, crisp 25 December 2020, just a couple of degrees above freezing. And, like usual, I was barbecuing a turkey for our festive feast. My BBQ love affair had started 18 years earlier when my late husband Rick bought me a lesson for my 40th birthday. Afterwards, I was firing up the barbie every chance I got. ‘I’m a dab hand at this,’ I laughed, grilling the juiciest chicken breast. The most succulent ribs. Within a couple…

Piers Morgan What a wally he looked storming off ITV’s Good Morning Britain back in March, eh? Morgan said he ‘didn’t believe a word Meghan Markle said’ in her Oprah interview, then lost his rag when weather presenter Alex Beresford called him out for his silly rants, and he quit his job. That’s 57,000 Ofcom complaints and bah humbug to you, Piers! Jamie Spears Poor Britney. After a public mental-health crisis in 2008, she’s allegedly spent 13 years having every move controlled by her dad. In September, the Baby One More Time singer successfully had Jamie removed as conservator of her estate, and now thinks he should ‘be in jail’ for ‘conservatorship abuse’. If a fraction of Britney’s accusations are true, then it’s coal for you, Mr Spears. Matt Hancock…

I listened intently as my agent explained the role. ‘It’s in a panto,’ she said. My thoughts flashed back to that first production of Queen of Hearts I’d seen with Gramp. I pictured myself as a royal prince, maybe a king, or even the panto villain. I’d enjoy all those boos and hisses. ‘Actually, it’s for a touring production of Sinbad, and I think you’d make a great dame,’ she finished. I’d never thought of playing a dame before, but playing Nurse Fatima Farahar sounded fun. So I auditioned... and got the part! In October 1999, rehearsals for The Lost Voyage of Sinbad got underway. Pulling on my costume and gracing the stage in a long blue kaftan and curly purple wig and fez hat, at 33, I finally felt…

STOCKING FILLERS Personalised Marmite jar, £10.29, 250g, marmite.co.uk Give the Marmite lover in your life their very own jar. Hot Chocolate Melting Santa, £1, 65g, Tesco Watch as Santa melts into a mug of hot milk to reveal fluffy mini marshmallows. Free From Salted Caramel Smash Bauble, £4, 158g, Tesco There’s no missing out with this vegan, milk-, gluten- and wheat-free smash bauble with chocolate buttons inside. DINNER WITH A DIFFERENCE Specially Selected Three Fish Roast, 600g, £11.99, Aldi (from 19 Dec) A fish feast of salmon, trout and smoked haddock with a Cheddar and leek filling in one easy roast. Irresistible Ultimate Christmas Dinner Roll, £4, Co-op Food to Go This is a winner. Christmas dinner in a bread roll topped with a pig in blanket skewer! Luxury Carvery…

When solicitor Dylan Rhys Jones was woken by a phone call in the early hours of Christmas Eve 1995, dread filled him. It was the local police. The man he was representing, cinema-chain owner Peter Moore, then 49, was being held at Llandudno police station. Accused of murdering four men. For two days, Moore had claimed it was simply mistaken identity. But now, apparently, he wanted to tell them something. And minutes after Jones arrived that cold December morning, he and several detectives were listening to a most disturbing confession. One that not only put the solicitor off his Christmas dinner, but left him needing counselling – and eventually resigning from his profession. Moore, a respected local businessman, told the stunned Jones and two detectives that he’d been brutally attacking…

Chat winners issue 35 (2 September 2021) £1,001 CASH J Hill, Ramsgate £1,000 CASH S Khan, Harrow £500 CASH K Werschner, Bedford; J Walkom, Peterborough £250 CASH T Watson, Camberley £150 CASH B Mackness, Hornchurch £100 CASH M Johnson, Heckmondwike; A Muirhead, Bootle; C McGoldrick, Glasgow; P Lacey, Great Yarmouth; C Newbold, Loughborough £60 CASH R Roach, Freshwater £50 CASH M Gee, Buxton; M Halsall, Bury; A Muirhead, Bootle £30 CASH H Smith, Carshalton; J Glass, Barnstaple; J Stagg, Melton Mowbray; S Thorpe, Swindon; J Moore, Plymouth £25 CASH N Kent, High Wycombe; K Gilbert, Spilsby; F Mason, Stanley; C Taylor, Tarporley; J Gwilliam, Droitwich; M Owen, Redcar; M Scott, Annan; L Beard, Redruth; A Harmer, Halifax Chat PUZZLE 1 95940 Chat PUZZLE 2 UNCLE Chat PUZZLE 11 748 Anyone…