Table of contents for 19-Dec-2023 in Pick Me Up!

Scooping slices of juicy turkey and roast potatoes, I spent hours making Christmas dinner in 2020. Plating up, I served lunch for my partner Jonathan, 36, and our boys Hugo, eight, and Heston, seven. Personally, I was never a massive fan of a roast dinner, but Jonathan loved it. Only, as the kids tucked in, I watched him push his food around the plate. Having tested positive for Covid, I knew he was feeling under the weather. But his symptoms were being exacerbated by one thing – his weight. Wearing a 6XL in clothes, I wasn’t sure exactly how much Jonathan weighed, but I knew he wasn’t healthy. And this Christmas, it seemed worse than ever. The excess pounds made Jonathan tired all the time – he was constantly sleeping.…

Sat snuggled up watching a Christmas movie with my two children, Harry and Isabelle, it was 23 December 2021. Harry, five, had always been a bit of a cheeky monkey, but he’d sat patiently through the film with Isabelle, nine. My wife Debbie, 41, was out doing a last bit of Christmas shopping and it was nice to enjoy a chill day with the kids. ‘Daddy, I don’t feel well,’ Harry said all of a sudden. And his face looked pale. Suddenly his eyes started flicking in different directions and he started vomiting. Throwing up multiple times, it was terrifying to see him in that state. Calling Debbie, she came home as quickly as she could. In the meantime, I took Harry upstairs to the bathroom and dialled 111. I…

Your skin deserves the very best this winter and Awesome Botanicals are here to give you the spa-like treatment you deserve. A perfect stocking filler for anyone looking to spoil a loved one this Christmas. Please visit: awesomebotanical.com 1. What inspired you to set up Awesome Botanical? My story starts at the dining room table in 2020 – I had nothing but passion and a dream to create the most awesome self-care products. Plunged into lockdown, like many others I was struggling and my anxiety was sky-rocketing. I wanted self-care products that were scented using only essential oils that were bright and colourful in a dreary world and made me feel good about myself. I haven’t stopped formulating since! 2. What processes do you go through when coming up with…

Heaving bags full of festive food through the kitchen door, I started packing away the Christmas shopping. ‘Jingle bells, jingle bells!’ my daughter Maya sang, dancing around excitedly. It was the week before the big day and having just got home from the last big supermarket shop, I was focusing on trying to find a place in the fridge to fit my turkey. ‘Let me get a cup of tea, then we’ll finish the tree,’ I smiled, as Maya squealed happily. Maya, six, and her brother Nathan, five, couldn’t wait for Santa to come – they’d both been bouncing off the walls for weeks! ‘What do you want for Christmas?’ I’d asked her, at the beginning of December 2022. ‘A donkey!’ she grinned, and I laughed – Maya was animal…

Phone Jail, £9, Menkind The festive period, a time for sharing memories and laughs around the table. If only everyone would put their mobile phones down! This clever present idea could work wonders in your household. By locking everyone’s devices inside of the plastic cage, it means that you can have a conversation, stepping away from the digital world. Verdict: GENIUS! Get out of jail card! You could even make a rule that the first person to unlock the cage has to cook the Christmas dinner. A perfect last minute gift, too… Personalised Anti Winge Pills, £13.99, Menkind Want to win this Xmas with the most ludicrous gift for your loved one? We’re not sure how these will go down, especially with the mother-in-law! These tubes of mints are certainly bonkers.…

Dressed to the nines in PPE, I scanned the empty room. I was bored. In March last year, I was working in a Covid testing centre and as we were heading towards the end of restrictions, most people had already had their vaccine. And while it wasn’t the most exciting job, it was a welcome break from my previous one. You see, I’d spent the past six years working as an EMT. And by the end of Covid, I was really unhappy. Working long stressful hours, I barely got to see my wife Emily, 28, who was also an EMT. Sometimes we’d go six days without seeing each other. It got to the point where we would book shifts together just so we could spend time with each other. Day…

Sat in the kitchen, waiting for the lasagne to cook, I noticed a pack of Morrisons shortcrust mince pies on the side. It was only 11 November last year – but I’d always enjoyed a mince pie and would pick up a packet every now and then when they first hit the shelves in September. Only, I had a bit of a problem. In my household – consisting of partner Brian, 47, my daughter Tilly, 14, and son Leo, 12 – we had one very strict rule. There were to be no sweet treats or snacking before dinner was served. Oh, I’ll have one, I thought to myself cheekily. Quickly. Only as I bit into the tasty pastry, I heard the patter of footsteps on the stairs – one of…

With a new year comes new plans – and Claire Petulengro is here to help you make the most of your year ahead. Is it work, finances, love, family or friends that you need to put at the top of your list as you enter 2024? Read on to find out how to make the most of your year ahead. ARIES 21 March–20 April Family and friends The new moon on 11 January in Capricorn helps you to organise a schedule that works for you. Don’t let others tell you what to do with your spare time. You’ve come too far in the last 18 months to be told who you can and cannot be friends with. By October, you realise you can have a best friend as well as a…

We’re loving Christmas is all about yummy yuletide treats – here are some of our faves! Have you heard? Have you seen the incredible Christmas tree at London’s St Pancras International station? It’s not just any old tree though – this 12-metre-tall spectacular is made up of more than 3,800 books! With a winding staircase wrapping around 270 shelves, with eight cubby holes at the bottom where you can curl up with a festive read or chill out with a five-minute audiobook extract, this is a bookworm’s Chrimbo dream! Courtesy of Penguin Books and in partnership with London’s oldest bookshop Hatchards, enjoy tales from a whole range of authors including Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Zadie Smith, Michael Morpurgo, Richard Osman and Tom Fletcher. • See the St Pancras International Tree…

With rich tones of burgundy and Bordeaux trending this winter, celebrate the festivities in this stunning shade – you’ll look berry-licious! SNUGGLE SEASON Channel your inner Bridget Jones with Quality Street wrappers scattered across the sofa, while in your comfiest luxe loungewear. Here are our top picks from FatFace… • Shop in store or online at: fatface.com…

This week, our tip of the week will receive a great product from Addis! With a refillable bottle that can be used as a handheld spray, this 2-in-1 Spray Mop will clean spillages in no time. With a microfibre cleaning pad there’s no need for harsh cleaning chemicals – you just need to use water. The swivel mop head helps in reaching hard to get to places, and can be used on most floor types! For more information, please visit addis.co.uk Festive tipple I freeze cherries and olives in a chocolate tray. This way, they’re ready to add to drinks. Katie Gooding, Tidworth Bags of joy To seal gift bags, pile the strings through the opposite holes so when you pull each handle, it shuts the bag tight. Mary Hadley,…

INSTANT appointment With Dr Ross Perry, GP and Medical Director of Cosmedics (cosmedics.co.uk) Cold swap Q I’m worried about catching colds from seeing family over the festive season. Is there anything I can do to stop myself from getting ill? Yvette, Norwich A The most basic precaution against getting colds and flu is hygiene – washing hands regularly and avoiding close contact with anyone who may have a cold. Use tissues rather than handkerchiefs when you cough or sneeze, and then make sure you bin them as quickly as possible. My main advice is to get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy, balanced diet including lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Gargling with salt water will help relieve a sore scratchy throat. Honey in hot…

Strolling down a Tibetan street with my husband, I paused when I saw what was in front of me. Parked up by the restaurant, I spotted a huge overland truck in front of us. ‘We’re going to have to get one of those,’ I smiled over at my husband David, now 61. Pulling out my phone, I snapped a picture of the truck – and over the years I’d look at the photo as a reminder of our dream. You see, we dreamed of travelling together – and having an overland truck would help us get to stretches of the world that were inaccessible to most tourists. A heavy-duty vehicle would take us to places public transport couldn’t. I’d always loved to travel. Leaving my home country of Denmark when…

Amanda Macdonald is an experienced psychotherapist, counsellor and member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. She helps adults and children manage and overcome life’s hurdles – including stress and confidence issues. Visit bacp.co.uk or search Amanda Macdonald Therapy online I don't want to celebrate… Q I lost my partner this year and welcoming in the new year makes it seem like I'm leaving him behind – things that should have been celebrated feel so negative now. I don't want to move on – what do I do? Yasmin, Swansea A Losing your partner is so hard, and times like Christmas and New Year can feel overwhelming after such a sad loss. First and foremost, be kind to yourself. You have experienced a heartbreaking bereavement and taking care of…

Slipping into our matching pyjamas, I immediately felt in the Christmas spirit. Dressed head to toe like a box of Cadbury’s Heroes, me and my fiancé Lloyd, 32, had a tradition of wearing matching pyjamas on Christmas Eve. One year, we could be dressed like mince pies, the next covered in Christmas trees – but considering my sweet tooth, being decked with Double Deckers and Crunchies with this festive set from Jazzy Box was the best. ‘We look ridiculous,’ Lloyd laughed, only he’d grown used to our little tradition. Only, that year, in 2022, it wasn’t just Lloyd and I keeping up the tradition. As our daughter Marley, then just seven months old, also had her very own set of pyjamas to match. ‘You look so cute,’ I smiled at…

FILM AND TV 1 Which anticipated movie grossed £1.44 billion in the box office this year? a The Little Mermaid b Oppenheimer c Barbie 2 Which sci-fi franchise celebrated its 60th anniversary this year, with David Tennant reprising his role as the star of the show? a The X-Files b Doctor Who c Good Omens 3 Which EastEnders character, played by Danielle Harold, left the soap earlier this year after suffering from a terminal brain tumour? a Honey Mitchell b Lola Pearce c Whitney Dean 4 Coming out in September this year, which popular Netflix show released their fourth and final season? a Stranger Things b You c Sex Education 5 After a five-year hiatus, what reality TV show returned this year much to everyone’s delight? a Big Brother b Little Sister c Mad Aunt SHOWBIZ…

Feeling my eyes getting heavier, the dance floor was the last place that I wanted to be. In fact, even getting to Featherstone Castle for my friend’s 70th birthday in December 2019 took some persuading in the first place. Suffering from ME for the majority of my life, as well as being a full-time career for my son Leonardo, now 24, and caring for my mum, Angela, I wasn’t much of a partygoer. In my 50s I wasn’t bothered by all the noise and having to stay up late. Plus, Christmas was just around the corner. Even though it wasn’t really my bag, when the opportunity came to go to Featherstone Castle alongside my friends, I knew that Leonardo would enjoy coming along, too. At least it meant that we…

Carefully bending the twigs into place, my creation came to life. Dotted with a few artificial flowers, I started creating Christmas wreaths with foliage me and my fiancé Ryan, 30, had found on our daily walk during the December 2020 lockdown. Watching Love Actually and The Snowman as I spent an hour on each wreath, my craft filled me with festive cheer. I even made wreaths for my friends and family, too. ‘Why don’t you make an Etsy shop?’ they told me. I didn’t think they were good! I thought. But my love for crafting had been there all along. When I was little, I baked Christmas salt cookies with my mum Caren, 67. We looped ribbon around them and hung them on our Christmas tree – it was our…

Costa Mudslide (non-alcoholic) SERVES: 2 PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES COOK TIME: N/A YOU WILL NEED: □ 70g dark chocolate□ 250ml Costa Frappé□ 1 scoop vanilla ice cream 1 To begin, break 50g of the chocolate into smallchunks and place into a bowl. 2 Melt in 20 second burstsuntil fully smooth. 3 Use a teaspoon to drizzle the melted chocolate around the inside of two small glasses, then leave them in the fridge to set until you are ready to serve. 4 Next, place the CostaFrappé and vanilla ice cream into a blender and blitz until smooth. 5 Divide the mixture between the glasses and then grate shavings of the remaining chocolate on top of each drink. 6 Serve immediately and say cheers! Christmas Dark Chocolate & Latte Tart SERVES: 12…

Trudging around in the thick, white snow, on the outside it looked like a perfect festive scene. But little Ethan Hauschultz wasn’t building snowmen or sledding. Instead, the seven-year-old had been forced to do laps of the back garden as a punishment, where he lived with his guardians Timothy and Tina Hauschultz, and their 14-year-old adopted son Damian – Ethan was Timothy’s great-nephew. His crime? Failing to recite 13 bible verses that day. As he fought his way through muddy slush in the foot of snow that had been dumped on the Wisconsin town, Ethan carried a 44-pound tree trunk on his back – it weighed almost as much as he did. It went on for 10 minutes. Then 30. Then 40. And as he marched around, Damian supervised the…