Table of contents for 10-Dec-2020 in Chat

Christine and her son loved Christmas but, tragically, this year he won’t be here to celebrate with her (p44). Kristie’s brave little boys took on a killer together - and won (p34). And Emma shares how a snowman helped play matchmaker for her and her hubby (p30). As well as your usual faves and our top prize puzzles, we’ve got you covered if you’re stuck for a party top (pl2) Christmas crackers (p29) or DIY gifts that look (almost) too good to eat (p40)! Stay safe and well this week.…

METALLIC STYLE TIP Turn heads in these gorgeous blouses - a glamorous way of dressing up any look! SEQUINNED STYLE TIP Add a bit of glitz and glamour to your festive wardrobe with these sparkly tops. VELVET STYLE TIP This luxe fabric instantly elevates an outfit. It looks chic paired with faux-leather or tailored trousers. From £10 SATIN STYLE TIP This jacquard blouse looks way more expensive than it is. We love the statement wide sleeves and diamante buttons.…

World health Do you want to burn calories without even thinking about it? Try some DIY! Research shows sanding burns the most calories, with women ripping through 392 calories an hour! Others include gardening (306 calories) and wallpapering (180 calories).** Swap and see Try swapping your usual foot cream for Lotil with aloe vera extract. It contains antiseptic and antibacterial elements to help fight infection and soothe your feet – and there’s also evidence to suggest aloe vera can help improve blood circulation. (£5.38 for 114ml, weldricks.co.uk) Fix that itch… According to research which analysed our googling habits, it turns out that women in the UK and the US suffer most when it comes to vaginal itching.* Related searches include ‘vaginal discharge’ and ‘dryness’, with the UK searching these symptoms…

Partner and ex problems QI have a 6-year-old son from an old relationship and a 1-year-old with my current partner. I know we don’t know how COVID-19 restrictions will pan out for Christmas Day, but I know my ex will want to come and see his son open his presents if possible. But my partner and ex don’t get on. I cheated on my ex when I met my partner. I could stay upstairs, but I’d miss my son opening his presents. I’m worried they’ll fall out, have a punch-up and spoil it. Please tell me what to do. Adele, 27 A Why would you have to leave? Why can’t your partner go upstairs? He doesn’t need to have anything to do with your ex. No matter what happened or…

Katie Viney, 47, Bicester Pulling my festive jumper over my head, I battled to tug it over my bust and belly. By the time I’d wrestled my way inside, I had red cheeks and was out of puff. ‘You look great, love,’ my husband Tony smiled. ‘Very Christmassy.’ But I felt ridiculous - and, as usual, guilt started to eat away at me. A size 26, I usually hid away under baggy clothes. But it was Christmas 2016, and I’d decided to make an effort and wear something jolly for the occasion. I was regretting it now. Still, I put on a happy face for our kids, Rhiannon, then 16, Ellie, 14, Ben, 12, and Lottie, 10. ‘Who wants a Quality Street?’ I said, grabbing a few sweets from the…

Christine Cunningham, 39, Cardonald Hanging a bauble from a branch of our Christmas tree, my son Paul stepped back to admire his work. ‘Just the star to go on the top now,’ he grinned to me. ‘Looks great, son,’ I smiled. Every year, Paul, then 18, and I would tackle the Christmas decs together. His brother Liam, 19, and six stepbrothers never got a look-in. It was December 2018 and Paul was enjoying his favourite time of year. A bit of a mummy’s boy, Paul and I were the best of friends. As a child, he was always clinging onto me for cuddles. And that didn’t change as he got older. A keen rugby player, Paul also took part in a martial arts called bushido. But he wasn’t afraid to…

WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 What connects comedian Stephen Merchant and TV presenter Konnie Huq? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Very shy (5) 4 Pitch tents (4) 6 Actor who played Indiana Jones, _ Ford (8) 13 Without interruption (3-4) 14 Vivid red colour (7) 15 Large box which might hold treasure (5) 16 Public transport vehicle (4) 17 Mortar (6) 18 Light shoe worn in summer (6) 20 Rodents (4) 21 Concur (5) 22 Fugitive or bandit (6) 25 Albert _, physicist (8) 28 Overused expression that no longer has meaning (6) 30 Go in (5) 32 Piece of paper with writing on it (8) 34 Sheriff’s assistant (6) 35 Head of a company (4)…

This June, Michael Theriault was found guilty of aggravated assault but Christian Theriault was found not guilty of that charge. Both were found not guilty of obstruction of justice. While Dafonte Miller denied wrongdoing and charges against him were dropped, the judge told the court he found his innocence ‘not credible’. Also casting doubt on Michael Theriault’s line of defence, the judge said, ‘I would have expected the first thing out of Michael Theriault’s mouth as he was chasing Mr Miller while wearing only socks would have been, “Stop, you are under arrest. I’m a police officer.’’’ He accused him of wanting to carry out ‘street justice’ and said that it had been a ‘one-sided fight’. The judge added that while it wasn’t his job to conduct an inquiry into…

What’s going on with my wee? Q I’ve noticed there are air bubbles in my urine. Is that normal? Dora, Catford A No, and it usually points to a vesicocolic fistula, a connection between your bladder and bowel that allows bowel gas to pass into your bladder and appear as bubbles in your wee. You might also notice poo in your wee, repeated urine infections, foul smelling wee or urine flowing from your back passage. The connection can be the result of infection or inflammation in your bowel, an injury, surgery or, occasionally, cancer. It’s important to find the cause and your doctor will probably arrange an X-ray with dye in your bladder to show the position of the fistula, and maybe a cystoscopy, a procedure using a thin telescope…

STALKER KILLER A 19-year-old woman was killed by her stalker ex at her Brighton home on 25 August 2016. Shana Grice had reported Michael Lane to the police on multiple occasions. He’d bombarded her with messages and calls. One time, Lane had even let himself into her flat and watched her sleeping. Despite reporting the incidents to Sussex Police and Lane being cautioned, Shana’s concerns weren’t taken any further. Lane slashed his ex-girlfriend’s throat before setting fire to her home. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in jail. MP MURDERED Jo Cox, 41, the MP for Batley and Spen, was fatally shot and stabbed on 16 June 2016 in Birstall, near Leeds, by a right-wing terrorist, during the EU referendum campaign. She…

In Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, which creature refuses to tell Alice its age at the start of Chapter III? Solve the crossword, then read down the yellow squares. The yellow shaded squares will spell out the competition answer. Across 1 Model and socialite, _ Jenner (5) 4 Fish that goes with chips (3) 6 Harvest (4) 7 Home for pigs (3) DOWN 1 Actor, _ Knightley (5) 2 Matt _, Little Britain actor (5) 3 Conclude (3) 5 Choose (3) WIN £50 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

Kristie Maher, 37, Coventry As the bowling ball smashed into the skittles, sending them toppling over, we all cheered loudly. It was February 2019 and my son Connor’s 7th birthday. He’d just scored a half strike! And his brother Taylor, then 11, had been watching him like a hawk. ‘My turn,’ Taylor called, grabbing his ball. ‘Bring it!’ Connor laughed. I rolled my eyes. Typical of my boys, they loved a competition. But they loved each other dearly, as well. Hours later, they were chatting 10 to the dozen, scoffing burger and chips. ‘I let you win because it’s your birthday,’ Taylor teased. Back home, with sister Keira, then 13, Connor raved about his celebrations. Only, for the next week, he seemed exhausted. ‘He’s just worn out from his birthday…

As Tony and I walked into our first Slimming World group, we were both feeling nervous. Standing on the scales, I couldn’t bring myself to look at the numbers. But later that night, I looked at my group notes and my jaw dropped. ‘I weigh 21st 3½lb!’ I cried to Tony. I was mortified that I’d let myself get so big. I was morbidly obese. It was the reality check I needed. Tony was equally as pumped. He prepped and cooked all our healthy Slimming World meals. Following the plan, we could still eat our favourite dishes, like pasta. We just had to cook it the Slimming World way, which is healthier and leaner. That first week, we each lost 6lb, and over the coming months the scales continued moving…

Over a third of Brits have dipped into their overdraft at some point since the lockdown began in March, according to research by Compare The Market. And of these, some 17% are still in the red. The study by the price comparison site found the average amount people went overdrawn by was £515, rising to an average of £597 among those aged 45 to 54. Did you know? Some 107,000 fraudulent insurance claims were uncovered by insurers in 2019, according to the Association of British Insurers. This is a jump of 5% on 2018. TOP TIP Nothing puts the Bah, Humbug! into Christmas like overspending. Keep track of expenses as you go.…

Aries 21 March-20 April You’re always enthusiastic when it comes to your love life. Remember, your partner might be looking for time to chill out rather than rushing around completing jobs. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May If you’re feeling stubborn, focus that energy into sport. Or something that improves with time and effort would suit you - it could even turn into a profession. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Making money work for you is a priority, you need variety and stimulation, and thinking like an entrepreneur will help you where money-making is concerned. • Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Being home-loving, maybe set time aside for baking, as well as sewing. You…

THE BIG QUIZ The answers to all but one of these questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch, reading forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally. To help you, we’ll tell you that the answers are in alphabetical order in each section. However, one answer can’t be found in the grid. This is your prize puzzle answer. THE SILVER SCREEN - KNIGHT 1 Which Australian actor, who died unexpectedly in 2008 aged 28, starred in A Knight’s Tale (2001) and The Dark Knight (2008)? (5,6) 2 What was the order of Force-wielding knights whose ranks Luke Skywalker joined after training from Yoda in the 1980 film The Empire Strikes Back? (4) 3 Based on a real historical order of knights, the keepers of powerful church secrets in Dan Brown’s The…

Garden of Wisdom Vitamin C 23% Serum & Ferulic Acid, £10, victoriahealth.com An affordable, fantastic vitamin C serum that helps brighten dark spots, even skin tone and gives a gorgeous glow under make-up. A real skincare champion. Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, £15, charlottetilbury.com Apply a few spritzes of this to set your make-up and it will stay put all day. It also makes for a great refresher when your skin might start to look a little drab later in the day. Burt’s Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream, £10.99, burtsbees.co.uk If you suffer from dry hands during the winter, apply a generous amount of this incredibly rich cream and leave it to soak in overnight. You’ll wake up with restored, replenished skin. Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner in…

Chat PUZZLES 50 CLOSING DATE FOR ALL ENTRIES IS 22 DECEMBER 2020 (Three days later for postal entries) TEXT Simply text CHATA followed by a space and your answer/s (spaces between answers please) full name, door number and postcode to 84988 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…

Georgina Mole, 24 Walking into the kitchen and hearing what was blasting out, I frowned. ‘Mum!’ I cried. ‘Come on, Georgina, I love this one,’ Mum chuckled. It was September 2019 and my Christmas-crazy mum Lesley, then 42, was already playing Aled Jones’ Walking in the Air. And she was singing away loudly in a high- pitched warble. ‘You’re mad,’ I laughed. Every year, come September, Mum would start blaring her beloved Christmas songs. And there was nothing me or my siblings Caylea, then 22, Brandon, 13, and Brianna, 11, could say to stop her. She even started watching festive films. But the most important rule was that the decorations had to be up before her favourite TV show started. Yes, early in November, before Ant and Dec popped up…

Val Earl, 88, Eltham As our daughter Jessie sat at the piano, her fingers caressed the keys and her sweet voice filled the room. Friends and family listened, while busily chatting or unwrapping gifts. It was Christmas Day 1979. A celebration like many others we’d shared in years gone by. Jessie, then 22, had been playing piano since she was 5. So bright and funny, she lit up any room. As she sat under the fairy lights, she filled me with pride, not for the first time. Later we all laughed as my husband John, then 52, tried and failed to light the Christmas pudding. ‘Same every year,’ chuckled our son James, 24. After Christmas came and went, Jessie returned to art college in Eastbourne. As the months flew by,…

It isn’t unusual for the police to get a phone call in the early hours of the morning about an altercation. And 28 December 2016 was no different. But what was strange about this call was that the incident had taken place on a street in an upmarket part of town. A quiet, leafy and usually peaceful road – not the type of place to normally attract trouble. Christian Theriault, then 21, said he and his brother Michael, then 24, had caught a man breaking into their parents’ pickup truck on the driveway in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. They told officers that they were restraining the culprit while they waited for the police. The first officers on the scene found teenager Dafonte Miller, 19, lying in the snow, with Michael Theriault’s…

Keith Oliver, 64, Canterbury Walking into the doctor’s office, I was unsure what to expect. It was New Year’s Eve 2010 and, for the past few months, I’d been under the care of a memory clinic. See, back in March I’d started struggling with my concentration and balance. It was affecting my job as a headteacher and also my studying for a master’s degree. I’d taken several falls, suffered with dizzy spells. ‘I think it’s just an ear infection,’ I’d told my GP. But he wasn’t convinced. He sent me for an MRI scan, and then I was referred for memory tests. The psychiatrist explained my scan had shown signs of early-onset Alzheimer’s. My wife Rosemary, then 69, and I were stunned. My mother had suffered from dementia, and I…

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 Janet Carney, from Preston ACROSS 1 Scottish island 2 Norse god of war 3 Short term of ‘do not’ 4 Coloured fluids for printing DOWN 1 Author – Picoult 2 Thick noodles 3 Place for ice skating 4 Tiny garden insects WIN 5x £25 Puzzle 6 Your answer: HALF & HALF In Hindu and Sikh religion, jhatka is a method of preparation for which foodstuff? 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…

ARROW WORD In Puss Gets the Boot, the first of what would become the Tom and Jerry cartoons, Tom has what name? 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 £1000 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 Gloria Stuart was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in which film? The answer is the one missing from the grid. AMADEUS ARGO CHICAGO…

FILL ME IN Which capital city stands on the River Hrazdan? 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 £100 Puzzle 14 Your answer: CIRCLE TIME Lone Pine, established in 1927 by Claude Reid, is the oldest wildlife sanctuary for which animal? Fit the words into the grid, then read down the letters in the shaded circles to find the prize answer. 3 letters ARKCOSDIDELMHIDKIDNUNSADTWOUSE 4 letters AJARAKINBAKEEDITETCHLAKETAKE 5 letters KORMAQUACKSCRUB 6 letters ANTHEMDASHESDECADEDISARMREASONSEQUIN 8 letters EXTENDED WIN £100 Puzzle 15 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

3 ways to… avoid scams when buying a puppy If you’re planning to add a four-legged friend to your family, it’s essential to do your homework first says Bill Lambert, Head of Health and Welfare at The Kennel Club. 1 Do your research ‘Our data shows 25% of people who bought a dog during the first few months of the pandemic spent less than two hours doing their research,’ says Bill. ‘This leaves them vulnerable to scams, such as when criminals pose as breeders and take victims’ cash for dogs that don’t exist. It also means they’re unlikely to spot the signs of an unscrupulous breeder, which means the dog could be from a puppy farm.’ 2 The risks ‘Puppy farmers keep their dogs in appalling conditions; they churn out…

Fluffy mulled wine marshmallows Perfectly soft and bouncy, these little bites have all the flavours of the festive season in a marshmallow. MAKES: AROUND 50 PREP TIME: 25 MINS COOK TIME: 5 MINS • 3tbsp icing sugar • 3tbsp cornflour • 125ml smooth orange juice • 20g powdered gelatine • 1tsp vanilla extract • 1tsp mulled wine spiced syrup • 400g caster sugar • 50g liquid glucose • 2 egg whites • 1 orange, zest • Edible glitter • You will need: Sugar thermometer 1 Sift 2tbsp of icing sugar and 2tbsp cornflour over a baking tray lined with baking paper. 2 Pour the orange juice into a pan and sprinkle over the gelatine. Place over a very low heat and stir until dissolved. Turn off the heat and stir…

Ready, Steady, Cook BBC1 The cookery challenge show, which returned earlier this year, is back. Rylan Clark- Neal hosts as chefs team up with members of the public to create dishes from bags of mystery ingredients. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom NETFLIX Set in 1920s Chicago, this one-off drama follows trailblazing blues performer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) as she battles with her white manager and producer over control of her music. The late Chadwick Boseman stars as trumpeter Levee who longs to find fame himself. The Masked Singer: Unmasked ITV HUB When the second series of celebrity singing competition The Masked Singer returns to ITV, Capital Xtra presenter Will Njobvu will host this spin-off show, featuring interviews and gossip. Murder They Hope GOLD Following last year’s adventure, Dial M for Middlesbrough,…

Q How can I prevent mascara smudging under my eyes? Louise Visor, 54, Essex A Mascara often smudges due to watery eyes or transfers because of oily lids. The secret to smudge-free lashes? Waterproof mascara. Those with sparse lashes will love the thickening formula of Essence I Love Extreme Volume Waterproof Mascara, £2.80, justmylook.com. The wand coats every lash in carbon-black pigment and won’t transfer. Lashes longing for length will love L’Oréal Paris Unlimited Waterproof Mascara, £10.99, Boots, as the manoeuvrable wand reaches every lash. This formula is a tubing mascara, meaning it coats individual lashes, forming a ‘tube’. It won’t budge, though it’s removed with warm water. We love Rimmel London Glam’eyes Day 2 Night Waterproof Mascara, £7.99, Boots, which creates two looks. Choose the pink Volume cap for…

Pixi Clarity Tonic, £24, cultbeauty.co.uk The gentle salicylic acid and probiotic combination in this toner will dissolve dead skin cells while keeping skin nourished, so you’re left with a brighter, smootherlooking complexion, with zero irritation. Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads, £17, Boots Glycolic acid is a fantastic antiageing ingredient and does a great job at minimising fine lines. If used regularly, these daily pads will gently resurface the skin to reveal plump, smoother skin underneath. Garnier Organic Thyme Perfecting Toner, £5.99, Boots If you have sensitive skin that’s extremely reactive, try using this toner. It will exfoliate with a mild dose of salicylic acid, but is infused with organic barley water and thyme essential oils to soothe inflamed skin. TOP TIP Wash make-up brushes every week to…

On Christmas Day 2019, no one knew what was going on behind the closed front door of the Pascal family home in the West Roxbury area, near the city of Boston, USA. The pretty suburb was home to many young families with little ones who’d probably woken up early to see if Father Christmas had arrived, squealing with glee at their piles of presents. Perhaps this is what happened in the Pascal home, too. They appeared to be the perfect family, after all. Erin, 40, and husband Adam had little Allison, born in 2015, and Andrew who’d come along three years later. Erin was a graduate from the prestigious Brown University, and had climbed the communications career ladder to great success. She was described by a former colleague as ‘a…

Chat winners issue 36 (3 September 2020) £1,001 CASH K Verity, Fleetwood. £1,000 CASH J Miller, Wolverhampton £500 CASH M Purves, Dalkeith; E Painter, Willenhall. £250 CASH A Mercer, Huddersfield. £150 CASH M Fawcett, Bradford. £100 CASH B Matthews, Croydon; L Seal, Bridgnorth; C Mooney, Huddersfield; I Jackson, Lowestoft; L Legg, York. £60 CASH J Spicer, Rayleigh. £50 CASH G McMahon, Winsford; D Varndell, Pontefract; C Hawker, Wallingford. £30 CASH M Hanley, Kelsey; M Holloway, Alfreton; T. Carter, Kirkby-in-Ashfield; E. Rochfort, Sunderland; J Cater, King’s Lynn. £25 CASH R Doyle-Morris, Stamford; D Plastow, Brentwood; N Barrett, Ely; A Pearson, Aldershot; J Lillywhite, Fareham; C Baglow, Barnstaple; J Fordyce, Dorset; R Tester, Andover; P Amor, Bedford. Anyone from your town in the kist this week...? Chat PUZZLE 2 18130 Chat PUZZLE…

That day in June 2018, I could tell that you weren’t yourself. You were tired and withdrawn, curled up on the sofa. A million miles away from our happy, outgoing 6-year-old daughter who loved school and her brothers Henry, then 6, and Reuben, 9 months. Even the teachers had picked up on it. You’d been struggling during PE lessons. Then... ‘Her temperature is 42 degrees!’ your mum Charlotte, 34, announced. We rushed you to Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, where the doctors ran tests. Then, your mum and I were taken into a room. ‘Amelie has acute lymphoblastic leukaemia,’ the doctor told us. It’s a type of cancer that affects white blood cells All I could think was, Why you? Why our family? The next 24 hours were a complete…