Table of contents for 05-Dec-2019 in Chat

Our bumper festive issue of Chat is stuffed with real-life stories. Amber spent last 25 December under the knife. Find out why she’s celebrating now (p47). After two tragic Christmases Jake is hoping this year his family’s luck will change (p66). And Helen felt sheepish after buying her son a cringey Nativity costume (p61). Plus we’ve got all you need for the best Christmas yet, from party looks (p14) to gift ideas (p54) and food to impress (p64). Maybe you’ll win a festive bonus with our prize puzzles? Have a fab one!…

We tucked that letter into Lisa’s coffin when we buried her a few weeks later. Meanwhile, police arrested the driver of the car that had killed her. Martin Nelson had over 200 previous convictions to his name and had only just got out of prison. On that fateful day, he’d broken into a house and stolen the keys to an Audi. Then he’d driven recklessly through Belfast at speeds of up to 117mph, with a police helicopter hovering overhead. He’d jumped lights and driven on the wrong side of the road, flying through residential areas at over twice the speed limit. We’ll never know why Lisa was walking along the Ballysillan Road, beside the leisure centre, as Nelson sped towards her. We think she’d just popped to the corner shop.…

How can we prevent his bed-wetting? Q My little boy is 7 and still wets the bed. We’re staying with friends at Christmas – is there a way to guarantee a dry night? Giselle, Derby A It’s possible that sleeping in a strange bed might actually keep him dry, as he’ll sleep more lightly and is more likely to wake for a wee. And you can reassure him that around one in 10 children still wet the bed at this age. But your best bet is to ask your GP for desmopressin. This drug mimics the action of a natural hormone, ADH, which cuts the amount of urine that your kidneys produce, and a tablet at bedtime will usually ensure a dry night. He should stop drinking at least an…

3 ways  to… slash your Christmas shopping bill! As we prepare for the holiday season, many of us end up shelling out more than we mean to on presents. Here's how to stay on track. 1 Set a budget Work out how much you can afford to spend on gifts first, then decide how much  of your budget to allocate to each person. Write a list and tick off as you buy, keeping track of how much you've paid for each item. 2 Quick savings  Think about how you can reduce costs. You could make presents, anything from bath bombs to chocolate truffles. Plus, do you have any gifts stashed away that you don't want? Then regift them. 3 Pay less When you're shopping, always compare prices at different retailers…

NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS The house in Covina, Los Angeles, USA, was alive with the buzz of old friends and family, hugging and catching up. It was Christmas Eve 2008. Just like every year before, a celebration was underway at the home of retired couple Joseph and Alicia Ortega. Their daughter Sylvia was in dire need of some festive cheer. Her two-year marriage to Bruce Pardo, 45, had recently ended in a bitter divorce. Amid the festivities in Covina, a group of 25 family and friends, including the kids, called a group of 35 relatives in Mexico. The huge group chat was a family tradition. Moments after the call ended, there was a knock on the front door. Was it someone else come to join in the celebrations? With a smile…

Tina Partington, 58, Tadcaster I’ve always been a huge fan of bingo. Going down to my local bingo hall is something I’ve loved to do in my free time. Then, in 2009, a friend suggested Chat Mag Bingo. ‘It’s fun! Plus you can play from your own home,’ she said. So, I gave it a go. There were lots of bingo rooms to choose from. I was so impressed with how simple the games were to play. I loved relaxing with a game and a cuppa. And in the 10 years I’ve been a member, I’ve even won a few small jackpots, too. Then, in January 2019, on a day off work, I was on my way to Bradford to visit my mum Margery, 78, with my daughter Julie, 35.…

Nicola Adams, 37, Birmingham My hand flew to my mouth in shock as my son Shaun’s news sank in. ‘You’re going to be a grandma,’ he smiled. It was December 2013, and Shaun was only 16. ‘But you haven’t sat your GCSEs yet,’ I said tearfully. ‘We’ll make it work,’ Shaun shrugged. I knew he wasn’t ready to be a dad – he was too young. Me and his father Trevor, then 32, knew more than anyone just how tough it could be. Childhood sweethearts, we’d had Shaun when were young, too. We’d gone on to have two more boys and two girls. Life wasn’t perfect, but we’d managed. Sixteen years on and we’d only just started to enjoy a bit of freedom again. Squeezing in the odd drink at…

GUILTY On 21 August 2001, George Rivas was convicted of murdering Officer Aubrey Hawkins. During his sentencing hearing the following week, Rivas blamed his life of crime on a childhood blighted by abuse. But forensic psychiatrist Dr Richard E Coons testified that Rivas was a career criminal who continued ‘business as usual’ after killing Officer Hawkins, and said that he could not be rehabilitated. After being sentenced to death and put on death row, Rivas was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on 29 February 2012. Looking at his wife through a glass screen, he mouthed ‘I love you’ as the lethal drugs began working through his system just after 6pm. Rivas was the second gang member to be executed for his part in the murder. The other gang…

Kate Taylor, 53, Southampton As we tucked into our turkey, I was distracted ‘What do snowmen have for breakfast?’ my little girl Elsa, then 11, read aloud. I looked around the table at my family, all sitting at the dinner table wearing wonky paper crowns. We all shrugged. ‘Snowflakes!’ Elsa smiled, to a collective groan. A typical Christmas Day. But as we all tucked into our turkey dinner, I was distracted. You see, two months before, in September 2018, I’d found a tiny lump in my left breast. Thinking it was a cyst, I’d ignored it. But when it had ballooned a few weeks later, I’d gone to the doctor. Referred to Princess Anne Hospital, I was given a mammogram and biopsy. And just two weeks before Christmas, I had…

MULTI-MILLION BANK HEIST On 20 December 2004, a gang stole the equivalent of £26.5m from the headquarters of Northern Bank in Belfast. The night before, armed-gang members had taken the families of two senior bank officials hostage, ordering them to go into work as usual the next day, and to let them into the offices that evening. Despite various arrests, the case remains unsolved, with just one man convicted of money-laundering charges in relation to the stolen cash. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has claimed the paramilitary organisation the IRA were responsible, but it has denied any involvement. CHRISTMAS-EVE KILLING After chatting on a dating site, teacher Katie Locke, 23, met Carl Langdell (right) on Christmas Eve 2015. He'd told her he was a lawyer with his own firm.…

Amber Toon, 25, Burton on Trent Standing in the queue, with a couple of Christmas jumpers folded over my arm, a familiar feeling of sickness washed over me. Abandoning my shopping, I grabbed my son, Alfie, 3, and went straight home. It was 18 December 2018 and, after discovering I was pregnant four months earlier, I’d suffered morning sickness for the first few months. I’d felt OK recently. I’d even managed to do some Christmas shopping, and put up tinsel and decorations at home. But, now, I felt awful again. My partner, Mike, 27, was in France with his mates. So, that night, I stayed with my mum Deborah, 52, and she helped me get Alfie into bed. ‘Now, you rest, too, love,’ Mum smiled. ‘Good idea,’ I replied, crawling…

Coronation Street Roy’s brotherly love Roy recently discovered he had a half-brother, but his new-found sibling Richard isn’t a well man because he’s got a debilitating lung condition. After seeing how tough things are for Richard and his daughter Nina, Roy does his best to help, but makes things worse when his interfering leads to Richard’s carer quitting her job! What can he do to put things right? EastEnders Wife Swapping in Walford! Mick’s planning a competition that will see several Walford women temporarily swapping homes and families.  But as he tries to make sure everything runs smoothly, his wife Linda is arrested for drink-driving! Emmerdale Will Liam and Bernice tie the knot? There was a time when it looked like Bernice and Liam were over but now they’re back…

I married the wrong man! QI got married last Christmas, but already want a divorce. Our families are close friends, so when my husband proposed after a few months, I said yes, because it seemed what everyone wanted. Now, I’ve no idea what I saw in him. He drinks too much, never wants to go anywhere or do anything exciting. All the romance has gone, we’re never intimate and I lie in bed at night wondering what the hell I’ve done. But if I leave him, he and our parents would be absolutely devastated. I feel trapped, and sick with worry. Help! Aimee, 23 A If you really feel you married this man to please everyone else, then you need to tell him – gently – and walk away. Your…

Deena Dunne, 56, Oldham As I poured hot water from the kettle into the mug, I picked up my mobile phone from the kitchen counter. Time for a game of bingo, I thought. It was July 2019 and I’d signed up to Chat Mag Bingo a month or so earlier. I’d always enjoyed bingo, and my daughter Theresa, 29, and I would often go to our local halls to play. But there was nothing quite like a warming cup of tea and your own sofa for playing in comfort, especially when my schedule didn’t always match up with Theresa’s. Tapping on the app on my phone, I decided to select Session Bingo and bought a bundle of tickets for £5. It meant I got 15 different games for one price,…

Becca Gow, 32, Belfast Bouncing into the kitchen in pink unicorn PJs, with an eye mask on her head, my sister Lisa did a twirl. Struck a pose as I snapped a pic on my phone. ‘Ta-dah!’ she grinned, flicking her glossy dark hair. So dramatic! ‘You’re 32-going-on-12,’ I giggled. It was Christmas morning This was her favourite time of year 2017, and Lisa was just as excited as she’d been when she was a little girl. I was only 14 months younger than her. Growing up we’d been as thick as thieves, playing tricks on our big sister Kelly-Ann, 36. But me and Kelly-Ann were tomboys and Lisa was the girly girl. Little Lady Lisa. Her birthday was 19 December, so Christmas was her favourite time of year. In…

Jasmine McCaffery, 24, Blackpool Applying my mascara, I glanced at the pregnancy test beside me. Three minutes had passed – and in a few moments, I’d know if I was going to be a mummy again. Taking a deep breath, I turned it over and saw one distinct line. And one that was faded. Unsure what that meant, I threw the test in the bin. Tried to put it out of my mind and enjoy what was left of 2018. Just to be safe, though, I wouldn’t drink tonight. ‘But it’s New Year’s Eve!’ my partner Kyle, 22, protested. ‘I’ll drive instead,’ I smiled. Besides, I’d not drunk last New Year, either. See, in December 2017, I’d been seven months pregnant with our son, Lucas-Jay. At first, the pregnancy had…

1 • Two much-loved Christmas films were released - Love Actually and Elf. • Comedy show The Office came to an end with a two-part Christmas special. • EastEnders' favourites Alfie and Kat tied the knot on Christmas Day in the Queen Vic. 2 • The festive Corrie episode where Hilda Ogden left the Street attracted an audience of over 26 million. • Sylvanian Families topped kids' Christmas lists. • Lethal Weapon was released and became an action-packed Christmas classic. 3 • Girl band Little Mix triumphed on The X Factor, beating Marcus Collins in the final. • It was the year that the little boy from the John Lewis ad couldn't wait to give his parents a present, with a soundtrack by The Smiths. • Arthur Christmas, an animated…

Health S.O.S According to research, 82% of the population think that tinned tuna is an oily fish when it isn’t.* Salmon and sardines count, as do anchovies, pilchards, mackerel, herring and trout, which are all options often overshadowed. Aim to have a portion of oily fish once a week. Swap and see High cholesterol? Swap your Cheddar for Lo-Col (£2.30, Waitrose & Partners). This mature cheese alternative has been proven to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) by up to 12%. Plus, it has 75% less saturated fat than the regular stuff! Women’s confidence peaks during their 50s A study has shown that women are most confident during their 50s** – so much so that they feel more self-assured than men during this time. As well as reaching key life milestones, such…

Beef chilli casserole with cornmeal dumplings Delicious with rice or jacket potatoes, this chilli will warm you from the inside out! SERVES 8 PREP 10 MINS COOK 3 HOURS 45 MINS • 2tbsp rapeseed oil • 1kg diced stewing steak or brisket • 3 onions, roughly chopped • 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped • 2tsp ground cumin • 2tsp sweet smoked paprika • 1-1½tsp chilli powder, to taste • 3 sprigs of thyme • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes • 1½tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 1 large green pepper, deseeded and chopped • Lime wedges, large handful of coriander leaves and chopped jalapeño chilli peppers, to serve (optional) For the dumplings: • 200g self-raising flour • 90g polenta or cornmeal • ½tsp caster sugar • 90g cold butter, grated…

Lyn Bradley, 66, Levenshulme Piling woolly hats and gloves into a bag, my son Daniel had never made me prouder. Hand in hand with his little girl Lucy, then 4, they made for the front door. Dusk was setting in, the wind snarling as the temperature dropped. It was a freezing evening in December 2016. ‘Keep warm,’ I said, waving them off. But Daniel and Lucy weren’t worried about themselves. By handing out thick clothes, they were on a mission to keep the homeless of Manchester warm during Christmas. I was brimming with admiration. Always had been when it came to Daniel. He’d been my rock, even caring for me when I had uterus cancer in 2011. Soon after I was given the all-clear, we’d had more good news. ‘I’m…

My condition was so critical, surgery was booked at once – it was Christmas Eve. I should have been hanging up Alfie’s stocking, leaving a mince pie for Santa. Instead, I was stuck in hospital, unsure whether I’d see my son again. Alfie was now staying with his dad – my ex-partner – and we still hadn’t told him how ill I was because he was too young to understand. As nurses strung tinsel around my room, Mike and my parents gathered at my bedside with presents. Mum had wrapped me up a bottle of fancy gin. ‘I’ll save this,’ I smiled. Mike got me Jo Malone perfume, my favourite. That night, we said tearful goodbyes before I was wheeled off for surgery. I prayed it would work. Hours later,…

Helen Cox, 46, Cambus, Clackmannanshire Tapping away on my laptop, I found just what I was looking for. ‘Perfect!’ I smiled to my husband Chris, 47, pointing to a kids’ fancy-dress outfit online. It had pouty lips, long eyelashes, and more..! It was November 2018 and our little lad Alfie, 5, had landed the role of shepherd in his school Nativity play. ‘Why can’t we just put him in a dressing gown with a tea towel over his head?’ Chris sighed. ‘He’s got a main part,’ I insisted, confirming my order. ‘And it’s only £16.99.’ Bargain! It came with a free inflatable sheep, too – our shepherd would really look the part. A few days later, the outfit arrived. ‘He’s going to be the star of the show with this,’…

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On Christmas morning 1995, Robert and Gillian Smith should have woken up to a morning of opening gifts with their son Richard, 20, and daughter Louise, 18. Then they’d planned to head off to celebrate with relatives nearby. Instead, Robert and Gillian awoke to every parent’s worst fear. The door to Louise’s room ajar, her bed still made. She’d not come home. The night before, Robert had dropped his daughter, an office worker, at a friend’s house before she’d gone on to party with pals at Spirals nightclub in Bristol. She’d been due back home hours ago. Gillian suggested that Louise may have stayed over at a friend’s house – but when this was ruled out, panic set in. None of her friends had seen her since the early hours.…