Table of contents for 24 December 2025 in Chat

Welcome to this week’s Chat… Some of you will be feeling smug that your Christmas prep is all done. Others probably chucked your Chat in a trolley overflowing with turkey, crackers and rolls of sticky tape, and are wondering if you’ve missed the postal deadline for your cards. (You have a couple of days left!) No matter how busy you are, find an hour to sit and read your fave mag. This week, I love Rachel’s story (p30) about what she found in her mum’s attic. And how much it’s all worth! Something to think about when those credit card bills arrive in January… Have a great week,…

Back home, I knew I needed to tell Joshua that I was expecting. With permission from the police, I arranged to FaceTime him. ‘You’re going to be a dad,’ I told him and he burst into tears, promising to step up. ‘This doesn’t mean we’re back together,’ I warned. Still, Joshua came along to my 18-week scan. We were overjoyed when we discovered we were having a little girl. Then the sonographer looked concerned. ‘There’s an issue with your baby’s stomach,’ she explained. A diaphragmatic hernia meant she’d need an op straight after birth. Joshua and I broke down. Despite everything, in that scary moment I was glad he was with me. Until we left the hospital. ‘She’s not mine, is she?’ Joshua spat. Too upset for his nonsense, I…

Is she contagious? Q My 5-year-old daughter has red cheeks and a mild fever. Her teacher said it’s slapped cheek syndrome. Should I keep her at home? Also, my neighbour is pregnant, is that a worry? Olivia, Dumfries A Slapped cheek syndrome is caused by parvovirus B19. It mostly affects kids and is usually mild, with red cheeks and cold-like symptoms. The contagious stage is before the rash appears, so by the time you noticed the cheeks, she was likely no longer infectious. Most children recover without treatment – just rest and fluids. You don’t need to keep her off school unless she’s feeling unwell. Do let your pregnant neighbour know, as parvovirus can be risky in early pregnancy. Otherwise, it’s nothing to panic about. Lots of kids get it…

WIN 2 × £25 Puzzle 9 To mark the retirement of NBA legend Kobe Bryant in 2016, New Era produced a limited edition of eight examples of what type of clothing each costing $38,000? To find out, solve the puzzle… Add a letter anywhere in each of the boxed-off words to fit the clue, eg, Type of window = GALE + B = GABLE. Write the added letter in the space provided. Read down the added letters to spell out the prize answer. Type of window Swell Thick glue Sleeveless garment Illegal payment Listened Talent or skill Flat surface Sorceress American state Tennis, for example Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 56 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

He’s in love with a ghost Q I’ve been with my partner for three years, but he’s still in love with his girlfriend, who died five years ago. I feel like I’m living in her shadow, and that I’m trying to compete with a memory I can never live up to. He says he loves me, but part of him is still with her – so how do I cope with loving someone who can’t let go? Kirsten, 43 A Bless you, hun. This is a tricky one. You’re trying to build something beautiful while being haunted by your ex’s past – and you deserve to feel fully chosen. Remember that grief and love can exist at the same time, flower. Tell your man it’s OK to remember her, but…

3 ways to… save on home insurance You don’t need to overspend to be protected. Here’s how to cut costs 1 Put in the legwork Some 25% of Brits let their home insurance auto-renew without shopping around.* But this could be a costly mistake. Start by getting quotes from price-comparison websites, but don’t forget to check offers from insurers that aren’t listed on those sites. If you need buildings insurance as well as contents insurance, it’s often cheaper to buy a combined policy, although always check the prices of separate policies. 2 Get it right Make sure you get the right amount of cover. For contents insurance, you might find a contents calculator useful. (Find one at gocompare.com.) If you need buildings insurance, you’ll need to calculate your home’s rebuild cost. This is usually…

TEXT Simply text CHATA 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 Chat Comp Club now and…

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In northern Europe, small pigs made out of what foodstuff and known as Glücksschwein or julegris are traditionally eaten over Christmas or New Year? The number next to the clue tells you which line the answer’s in. We’ve put a section in to start you off! There may be two Across answers in one line. Down words fill themselves in. The shaded squares spell out the one-word prize answer. WIN £100 Puzzle 2 2 Relating to plants 4 Knight’s title • Member of a Catholic religious order 6 Basket-weaving willow • Golf peg 8 Condescend to Your answer:…

Becky Mitchell, 50, Teignmouth, Devon My eyes opened. Hazy and confused, I looked out of the window to see the world whizzing by. Just then, I jumped up with a start. I’d almost missed my stop! It was July 2012 and, at 37, I was fit and healthy, and usually had bags of energy. I spent my weekends cycling up mountains or running for miles. But the past few days, I’d been exhausted after working all day as a PA at the Environment Agency. Now I’d fallen asleep on the bus. Maybe I’m coming down with something, I thought. Back home, I climbed into bed at 7pm, too exhausted to even make dinner. And when a rash appeared on my chest, I made an appointment with the GP. ‘It’s probably…

1 Drink up You’re likely to feel less thirsty over winter, but failing to drink enough risks drying out your skin. ‘Having the central heating on can also dehydrate you, so make an effort to drink at least eight tumblers of water every day,’ says Dr Deborah Lee of doctorfox.co.uk. ‘The higher your BMI, the more you need to drink. If you have a cold or flu, you’ll also need to up your intake.’ 2 Have cooler showers You may feel like warming up with a long, hot shower or bath but these can strip skin of protective oils, says Deborah. ‘Gentle cleansing, morning and night, is a better option to remove pollution, which disrupts your skin’s protective barrier and dries it out. Also avoid rubbing yourself down with a towel and stick…

Emma Malloy, 33, Carluke Slicing through the crisp white fondant icing, pink sponge appeared beneath. ‘A girl!’ I grinned at my new husband Ross, then 29, as our wedding guests cheered. It was June 2023 and we’d just tied the knot. Already 17 weeks pregnant, we’d done a gender reveal… with our wedding cake! We were overjoyed to learn that our son Harris, then 15 months, would be getting a little sister. ‘Our perfect little family,’ I smiled to Ross. The rest of the evening was a double celebration. But a couple of weeks later, at the 20-week scan, our joy was turned on its head. ‘There’s an anomaly with the baby’s heart,’ the sonographer said. Ross gripped my hand, both of us silent with worry. The next day, a…

Backflips, cartwheels and being tossed up into the air are things Kiersten has always considered fun. Alongside her best friend Madyson, she was proud to be part of her school cheerleading squad. Photos show her beaming widely, wearing her black and red uniform. And videos capture her cascading across the floor, performing complex gymnastic routines. ‘I was the girl who would get thrown in the air. I’d be on one leg, they’d throw me up and catch me on the other leg,’ Kiersten explains. ‘I thought I’d be that 40-year-old mum who could still do a backflip on command.’ Madyson nods. ‘If you’d have asked me, I would have bet on it as well,’ she agrees. Now 22, as Kiersten looks through her old cheerleading memorabilia, tears well up in…

Samantha Walker-Roberts, 31, Oldham, Greater Manchester Sitting at the computer in the kitchen, dressed in my school uniform, I typed a message into the teenage chat website. It was summer 2006, and age 12, I had ADHD, struggled to fit in. But I’d heard some girls at school talking about this website where you could talk to other teens. Soon, I was chatting to an older boy called Paul, who said he was 18. I’m 13, I lied, wanting to sound grown up. I opened up about school and how lonely I felt. Let’s swap numbers, Paul wrote. It was so exciting – I’d never had a boy interested in me before. Paul called me that day, and the next and the next. Hiding away in my room, whispering to…

Emily Jackson, 45, from Stockton-on-Tees What’s your favourite hobby? Beekeeping. I’ve been keeping bees for about seven years. I think it’s a fascinating hobby. Outside, working with the bees, you have to be fully focused. It’s very peaceful and good for my mental health. What do you like doing while enjoying a cuppa? I live in a busy, noisy house with two teenagers. In the morning, when they’re still in bed, I enjoy my first cuppa in silence. If I feel like a treat, I’ll also have a pain au chocolat. What were the highlights of 2025 for you? We have a Merlin pass so we’ve visited Thorpe Park, Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures, Madame Tussauds and the London Eye. It’s been a year packed with adventure and thrills. WE…

FLATS STYLE TIP Look for flats with embellishment or a satin finish. They’ll go with everything from sequin dresses to velvet jumpsuits. SLINGBACKS STYLE TIP Team slingbacks with leather-look trousers and then throw on an oversized blazer for an edgy take on tailoring. MULES STYLE TIP Pair mules with a silky slip skirt for an elegant look that lengthens your legs. Add a fluffy knit for some texture. FROM £12.81 PLATFORMS STYLE TIP Balance the boldness of platform heels with a sleek minidress or opt for a 70s vibe with some tailored wide-leg trousers.…

Beth Usher, 32, Southend-on-Sea True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Unwrapping a birthday gift, I struggled to grip the parcel. ‘Can you help, Mum?’ I asked. It was July 2006, my 12th birthday, but despite my excitement, my hands were just too weak to peel back the paper. ‘I think you need to see the doctor,’ my mum Hilary, then 39, frowned. I’d always struggled with cold, weak hands. Sometimes my fingers turned white, too. Even holding a pen properly could be difficult. Now I was getting older, it was just getting worse. At the doc’s, blood tests revealed I had juvenile idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis (JIA), a chronic autoimmune condition that causes swelling and stiffness in your joints. ‘You’ve also got Raynaud’s,’ the doctor added. A condition that reduces blood flow to your…

What word denotes the lowest deck on large ships, immediately above the hold? To find out, solve the puzzle… Enter the answers to the clues in the grid. Every word is an anagram of its neighbours, plus or minus a letter. Read the shaded squares in number order for the prize answer. 1 Gateways, entrances 2 Regular inspection round 3 Ancient Greek philosopher 4 Iridescent gemstone 5 Sever 6 Walk heavily 7 Moved with a long stride 8 Manually powered pleasure boat 9 Immature frog WIN 3 × £50 Puzzle 8 Your answer:…

Rachel Tompkins, 45, Bicester, Oxfordshire The back door swung open and I heard a crinkle of bags, then a crash. I looked up to see my mum Stephanie, then 71, and dad James, 74, walk into my kitchen, laden with bin bags and boxes. ‘Your dad’s cleaned out the loft,’ Mum declared. No mean feat! My parents had lived in the same three-bed house for almost 40 years. They’d moved there in 1986, when my sister and I were at primary school. Now it was January 2025, I was 44 and Louise was 43. For years, their loft had been groaning at the rafters. ‘You never know when you might need it,’ was Dad’s motto. So decades of old baby clothing, toys and keepsakes had been carried up the ladder…

Ice cream bombe with fudge sauce Add tableside drama to your dinner with this chocolate-topped beauty. SERVES 8 PREP 30 MINS, PLUS FREEZING 2 cherry Madeira loaves, sliced 600ml tub vanilla ice cream 100ml Baileys Irish cream liqueur (optional) 100g each mixed peel and glacé cherries, plus extra to decorate 50g each cranberries, raisins, chopped pistachios, plus extra to decorate For the sauce: 20g salted butter 1tbsp light soft brown sugar 120ml double cream 50g dark chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra to decorate 50g milk chocolate, finely chopped Cocktail cherries, festive decorations, sprinkles and sparklers, to decorate You will need: ● 18-20cm pudding dish lined with two layers of cling film 1 Line the pudding dish tightly with the slices of cherry Madeira loaf. In a large bowl, mix the vanilla ice…

Aries 21 March-20 April A project you have been working on for some time now will come to fruition in the very near future. Know that your persistence is about to pay off. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Sometimes we have to surrender to let go and move on. Think about what you need to release to make space for the new beginnings awaiting you. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June Your time and energy have been tied up with someone close to you, and though it was worthwhile, you now need to step back and focus on yourself again. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Someone you look up to is able to…

Q How can I help my make-up last as long as possible? Sarah Wallis, Woking A To ensure your make-up lasts as long as possible, you need to invest in both a primer and a setting spray or powder. Start off by applying your normal skincare ahead of make-up application, and then apply a primer as your first make-up step. E.l.f Power Grip Primer, £11, Boots, is a gel-based, hydrating face primer that grips your make-up in place for flawless all-day and night wear. Suitable for all skin types, but especially oily, dry and combination skin, this primer ensures your make-up lasts for hours of festive fun. In addition to using a hard-working primer, a setting spray or powder is also a good idea. If you have dry skin, then…

If you asked her loved ones, they’d describe Dominique Rem’mie Fells as one of a kind. ‘A unique and beautiful soul,’ said a friend. ‘Someone who could light up a room even when she was being quiet,’ said her dad, Keith Edmonds. At 27, Dominique had already been through so much. She’d started life trapped in the wrong body. After transitioning from male to female, she’d finally found peace. And her family supported her, no matter what. Dominique was proud of who she was. A talented dancer and artist, she worked in fashion, making outfits and wigs. She organised a trans empowerment fashion show and her friend, Madelyn, described her as ‘fun and vibrant’. ‘She always showed us these pieces of hers that were so brilliant, so creative,’ she said.…

Chat winners issue 37 (11 Sept 2025) Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £1,001 CASH P Dobson, Hull £500 CASH D Hughes, Carlisle ES Bean, Canterbury £250 CASH S Witchell, Caine K Colling, Solihull £200 CASH K Lunn, Sheffield £100 CASH DL Tuckey, Watford J Bright, Warrington C Watson, Dunfermline £75 CASH C Tiernan, Scarborough £50 CASH C Noakes, Ferndown L Berry, Shipley D Small, Eastleigh C Clarke, Aylesbury P Wilkinson, Stafford P Auld, Tunbridge Wells £40 CASH J Miller, Ashington £30 CASH H Crate, Winchester S Kotara, Swindon £25 CASH M Leslie, Plymouth E Pennington, St Helens £20 CASH J Archer, Burntwood J Webb, Highbridge E Upton, Evesham D Higgins, Gloucester E Boyes, Halstead M Hanby, Warrington L Frankland, Exeter H Clark, Norwich M Rogers, Royston…

Dear Mum, As my head popped out of the water, I could hear the crowd clapping. But there was only one face I wanted to see – yours. It was 2006, I was 13 and you and Dad, Eric, then 53, were so proud and supportive of my diving. I’d started aged 6, and you and Dad had driven me around the country, cheering me on as I took part in comps. An only child, I’ll proudly admit to being a bit of a mummy’s boy. ‘You two are joined at the hip,’ Dad joked. When I swapped diving for bodybuilding, aged 17, your support was unwavering. My biggest cheerleader, no matter what I did. After moving out in 2014, aged 21, I popped home regularly for a cuppa and…