Table of contents for 4 December 2025 in Chat

If you picked up your copy of Chat today and thought it felt fatter than usual, you’re not wrong. But it’s not down to us scoffing too much cheese and glugging Baileys (well, not yet)… That’s right, it’s time for our Christmas bumper issue! We’re stuffed with extras to get you ready for the big day. There’s tasty festive food to make or buy, pressie ideas for every budget, and outfits you’ll feel fab in, whatever your size. Plus the puzzles you love, seasonal silliness and even more shocking real-life reads than usual. So why not bin off that pile of wrapping and get stuck in? Enjoy!…

On the landing in our pyjamas, me and my big brother Daniel giggled excitedly. ‘Wait here while I check,’ whispered our mum Tracy, then 30, creeping downstairs. Seconds later she was back. ‘Santa’s been!’ she cried. ‘Yay!’ we cheered, racing down to open our pressies. Mum always made Christmas special. We never had much money. Our dad Joey, then 29, had a drug habit but Mum worked hard as a dinner lady, saving what she could for gifts. The following year, in 1994, when I was 11 and Daniel was 12, everything changed. That November, we came in from playing outside and Mum was in the hallway. ‘Pack a bag, we’re off to Rochdale,’ she announced. Miles away from our home in Birmingham, but all our cousins lived there. In…

Her beaming grin and shining eyes said it all. Charlise Mutten, 9, posed for a Christmas morning photo in December 2021. Full of excitement, she held up two white teddies. In a second snap, she grinned beside her mum Kallista Mutten. It was a rare treat for Charlise to spend time with her mum. See, for the past five years, she’d lived with her maternal grandparents Deborah and Clinton Mutten in Queensland, Australia. Her mum was a drug user and her parents had custody of Charlise. She was thriving, doing well at school. She loved animals and wanted to become a vet. Before Christmas, Deborah and Clinton had agreed to let her travel nearly 420 miles to stay with Kallista in Sydney. They thought Kallista had cleaned up her act.…

1 Plan ahead Having a sensible breakfast or lunch before the big Christmas meal will stop you from overindulging, says Dr Deborah Lee of doctorfox.co.uk . ‘At parties, stand away from the buffet table so you don’t keep picking. And don’t smother everything in gravy – one cup contains as many calories as a glass of red wine.’ 2 Refocus your fun time Get out the games and prioritise catching up with family and friends, says Dr Lee. ‘Focus on conversation and activities instead of food and drink. ‘If you know you’re prone to emotional eating, find other ways to bring your mood up – like indulging in a long, hot bath or making time for a facial or manicure.’ 3 Think before your drink Alcohol is full of empty calories,…

Can you set a puzzle in this format? Send it, with a photo of yourself, to the address on p5. There’s £20 for every one we use! This week’s puzzle was compiled by Bailey Mcguire, Cleethorpes, North East Lincs WIN 5 x £20 Puzzle 6 ACROSS: 1 Interested in painting, drama, poetry 2 Extra/additional 3 A request or appeal 4 Observes DOWN:  Units of measurement for electric current 2 An actor’s part or job 3 Woody plant with a trunk 4 Affirmative Your answer:…

A big bah, humbug! Q eryone around me seems so excited for Christmas, but truthfully, I’m dreading it. All the pressure, the family tensions, even the fake smiles – it all feels overwhelming instead of fun and exciting. I just want the whole thing to be over and done with. Is that terrible of me? Ari, 48 A Absolutely not, pet. Christmas can be whatever you want it to be. A movie day on your own, a walk with friends, hibernating with your partner. Get through it in whatever way you choose, flower. This is an emotional time of year for so many people. Celebrate the way you want, and don’t worry what other people think. Lonely this Christmas Q This time of year doesn’t fill me with joy. It…

Top tip Decorate with whatever sweets you have to hand or get the kids involved by letting them choose! Reindeer bark A doddle to make – sure to be a hit with grown-ups and kids alike. MAKES 10 SHARDS READY IN 20 MINS 300g white chocolate, chopped 100g dark chocolate, chopped 100g milk chocolate, chopped  10-12 pretzels, halved 22-24 candy eyes 10-12 Smarties Handful of crushed candy cane 1 Melt the white, dark and milk chocolate in 3 separate bowls over pans of simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave. 2 Pour the white chocolate onto a large, baking paper-lined tray. Spread evenly – 5mm thick. 3 Dollop the milk and dark chocolate on top, spreading gently with a spoon to make reindeer face-shaped blobs. 4 Press the…

Best laid plans Put together a seating plan before everyone piles around the table for turkey, with conflict zones in mind. If Grandad’s views on feminism are more in line with the 1950s than Aunty Jane’s, who spent most of the summer on women’s marches, put them at opposite ends. Even better, stick Grandad in the other room with the kids – he can fit all the batteries in their toys and have some fun with them instead. Write a naughty list Scribble down the names of whoever misbehaves, then dish them up the smallest slice of Christmas pud. You can refer back to it next year when it comes to decide who gets spoilt and who gets the modern-day equivalent of a lump of coal. Oops, how Rude-olf you!…

WIN £500 Puzzle 18 The answers to all but one of these quiz questions can be found hidden in this wordsearch grid, 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 answer. COLUMBUS 1 John Stith Pemberton, a pharmacist who lived in Columbus, Georgia, in the US, is remembered as the founder of which globally recognised product? (4-4) 2 Located in the Terra Sirenum region of Mars, Columbus is what type of landscape feature? (6) 3 Director and producer Chris Columbus wrote the screenplay for which 1984 Christmas comedy horror film? (8) POLO 4 US rapper Polo G had a top 10 hit…

Prodding the stop button on my alarm at 4am, I got ready and headed out to my car. It was November 2021 and for the past five years, I’d been working as a cabbie. I loved meeting people, and even after clocking up more than 6,000 rides, I’d never had a bad passenger. It was coming up to my busiest time of year: Christmas. I couldn’t wait to be ferrying around festive shoppers and partygoers. That morning, I made three airport runs before my app pinged again at 11am. The name was Dontarius. I’m outside, I messaged, with the make of my car when I arrived at the flats. Soon after, a man who looked to be in his 20s came out, wearing a blue T-shirt, trainers and a puffer…

Spotting an inflatable Santa blowing in the wind in someone’s front garden, I smiled and pedalled harder. It was Christmas Eve 2020 and my favourite time of year to get out on my bike. I loved whizzing past all the festive lights and decorations. Even if the chill in the air did make my nose look like Rudolph’s. Aged 21, I was a keen cyclist. And had been ever since my mum Anita and dad Stephen bought me my first pink bike with stabilisers for my 3rd birthday. In my teens, I’d joined the local youth cycling club and started entering mountain bike and cross-country cycling comps. Now, I loved plotting map routes using the Strava app on my laptop to explore new places. Once finished, I transferred them onto…

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DRESSES WITH SLEEVES STYLE TIP Look for dresses that will boost your shape with clever details like floaty sleeves that will flatter your upper arms without feeling restrictive. STYLE TIP Lower height, block heels and subtle platform soles will support your feet better than sky-high stilettos, so you can dance the night away. FROM £6.99 WIDE-FIT SHOES BOLD BLAZERS STYLE TIP A tailored jacket can add polish to even the simplest of outfits. Belted or buttoned styles will add definition to your waist too. STATEMENT SKIRTS STYLE TIP A-line skirts skim over your hips and tummy to create an hour-glass silhouette, while a pencil skirt will boost curves beautifully. FANCY KNITS STYLE TIP Forget novelty jumpers — opt for embellishment and subtle motifs that work now and well beyond the…

True-life PATIENT CASEBOOK Holding up my phone, I snapped a picture of my baby girl Mila-Rose. Bundled up in her winter coat and bobble hat in front of the Christmas tree, she looked so cute. But I knew what that hat was hiding. It was Christmas 2014, and a month earlier she’d been born with a small strawberry birthmark on the top of her head. Docs said it was a haemangioma, a benign growth made up of blood vessels. It’d developed in the womb. But they didn’t know why. ‘It will get bigger, but then it will just fade away,’ he reassured me. It’d got bigger all right… ‘It’s more than three times the size,’ I said to my sister Lyndsay, then 31. By now, the skin on the top…

What do actors Bryan Cranston and Matt Damon have in common? To find out, solve the crossword then read down the shaded squares to find the five-word prize answer. WIN £1,001 Puzzle 5 ACROSS 1 Loft (5) 4 Legend (4) 6 Flowers (8) 13 Goes on a journey (7) 14 Permitted (7) 15 Watchful (5) 16 Broad smile (4) 17 Monarch’s seat (6) 18 Kendall _, model (6) 20 Caustic liquid (4) 21 Telephones (5) 22 Simple lottery (6) 25 In a truthful way (8) 28 Responds (6) 30 Aquatic mammal (5) 32 _ Arquette, actor (8) 34 Capital of England (6) 35 Sunset direction (4) 38 Books of photos (6) 39 Wash with clean water (5) 40 Cooking instructions (6) 43 Unit of electricity (4) 44 Jail (6) 45 Careful and detailed (8) 48 Perceive, feel (5) 49 Disappear (6) 51 _ Cumberbatch, actor (8) 54 Fix (6) 55 Greek island (5) 56 Princess _, Star Wars character…

What place inspired the title of a 1980 single by American band The B-52s and through that the title of a 1991 Gus Van Sant film? Solve the crossword, then read down the shaded squares to find the prize puzzle answer. ACROSS 1 Not bright (3) 3 Elderly (3) 5 Place for drinking (3) 6 Timid (3) 7 Foot digit (3) DOWN 1 First public appearance (5) 2 Code of dots and dashes (5) 4 _ of Thunder, 1990 film (4) WIN 4 x £20 Puzzle 13 Your answer: TO ENTER Turn to page 88 for details or visit comps.lifedeathprizes.com/puzzles…

3 ways to… cut costs at Christmas It’s an expensive time of year, but there are steps you can take to help. 1 Make a budget First, go through your finances and work out how much you can actually afford to spend. Next, allocate how much you’ll fork out on each area, such as on presents, food, drink and socialising. Having a clear budget puts rules in place early so you’re less likely to overspend. It can also help you see where there are areas you could save on. For example, if you’re going to a party or a large family and you usually exchange gifts, could you agree to set up a Secret Santa instead? And if you exchange gifts with friends, suggest you do something else this year – a cheaper…

The coffee table was groaning under a feast of festive treats. Mince pies, chocolates in shiny wrappers, bowls of crisps, cheese and crackers. It was Christmas 2020, I was 22 and it’d been a great day celebrating with family. A big dinner, games, karaoke, and now time to relax in front of some festive telly. Along with some picky bits, of course. I wish I could say I was just over-indulging over this season to eat, drink and be merry. In reality I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it, all year round. And it’d taken its toll. I was only 5ft 4in, but weighed around 18st in my size-24 Christmas jumper. Truth was, I still wasn’t used to being so big. When I’d started at uni four years…

What do you enjoy most about this time of year? I enjoy the festive lights and Christmas carols. It reminds me of days past, growing up with my grandparents. As an NHS nurse, it’s also an excuse to dress up in Christmassy work scrubs! If you could go anywhere for Christmas, where would you go? We flew out to Orlando, Florida, last year. It was a whole different experience from when we flew to Lapland the year before. Give me the sunshine any time… brrrrr! What are you doing for Christmas this year? Staying at home and snuggling up in front of the fire. I’m also starring in panto this year, in Cinderella, and have a lot of lines to learn for my role as the Fairy Godmother. What’s your…

What type of animal belongs to the order Ephemeroptera? 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 1 Curly hairstyle District of London 3 Sincerely, actually 5 Cricketing protection On behalf of 7 Kitchen implement (3-6) 9 Unnamed (abbrev) Pull hard and suddenly Your answer:…

Exchanging smiles, me and my husband Gage, then 25, clinked glasses with our new friends Vicky and Steve. We’d all got chatting on an app a few weeks before. Now, in July 2017, we’d arranged to meet at their place for drinks. Vicky was so chatty and funny. Beautiful too. And Steve was gorgeous, with dreamy blue eyes. As I chatted to them both, I felt something. A sexual spark. And I knew that Gage was feeling it too. He couldn’t keep his eyes off Vicky. So when I suggested that we all head upstairs to the bedroom, everyone agreed. ‘Let’s go,’ Steve said, clutching my hand as Gage slipped his arm around Vicky. Far from feeling jealous, I felt turned on. See, me and Gage had decided to open…

I'm peeing myself Q Since turning 50, I’ve started leaking a little urine when I laugh or sneeze. I’m worried about managing it over Christmas, and that it’ll get worse. Is this just part of ageing, or can something be done? Bethan, Preston A This is called stress incontinence and it’s common – especially after childbirth or around menopause. It happens when the pelvic floor muscles weaken, causing small leaks when you laugh, cough, sneeze or exercise. Start with pelvic floor exercises (also called Kegels), which can really help. The NHS recommends the Squeezy app, which guides you through exercises and tracks progress. It’s available for a one-time payment of £2.99 on the App Store and Google Play, and some NHS areas offer it free through the Squeezy Connect service.…

Stepping outside, I breathed in the frosty air. ‘So, where are we going today?’ I asked my friend Val. It was early morning in December 2019, but I could already see fairy lights glowing in the windows of shops and houses we passed. And the distant hills were dusted with snow. Wrapped up warm, Val and me were off for a hike. Neighbours in a retirement complex in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, we were surrounded by beautiful countryside to explore. There was lots of socialising too! Weeks later, in the bar, I got chatting to another resident, Rob, then 73, and mentioned our hikes. ‘I love walking too,’ he smiled. ‘Let’s all go together next time,’ I suggested. So days later, the three of us met bright and early. We trekked up…

Burger fries Everyone’s favourite combo rolled into one, it’s sure to be a party hit. SERVES 6 PREP 20 MINS COOK 25 MINS 600g frozen French fries 1tbsp each garlic and onion granules 150g bacon lardons 400g minced beef 5 gherkins, finely chopped Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped 1tbsp chopped pickled jalapeño (from a jar) 1tsp Dijon mustard 3tbsp tomato ketchup 4tbsp mayonnaise 100g Cheddar, grated 1 Heat the oven to 200C Fan. Toss the fries with the garlic and onion granules and season with salt. Spread in a single layer over a large baking tray and cook for 20 mins until golden. 2 Meanwhile, fry the lardons over a medium-high heat until golden. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat. Crumble the mince into the…

The doorbell rang and I leapt up and opened the door. ‘Hello you two,’ I said, beaming. Brothers Michael, then 44, and James, then 42, shuffled in shyly, followed by their social worker. It was October 2024, and I’d just signed up to work for a local scheme, Shared Lives. They find families to help and house adults in need. I’d worked as a carer before, looking after my dad Subhash for 17 years before he died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in January 2024. I wanted to make him proud and do something to really make a difference. So now Michael and James had come to stay with me and my husband Govind, then 47, and my kids Yash, 19, and Tanisha, 15. The brothers both had learning…

There was a smell of sugary icing and sweet fluffy sponge as I bagged up another cupcake. ‘I’m almost out!’ I told my happy customer. It was October 2016, and I’d been running my cake business, Happy Cakes, for seven years. Supplying cafes across Oxford, making hundreds of cakes to order. Today, I had a stall at a local food fair, and my brownies and cakes had been really popular. I was chuffed. The best part of my day was knowing I’d made people’s days sweeter. So when I got chatting to a woman on another stall, I was excited. She explained she ran Oxford Food Bank, giving our food packages to people in need. ‘We’re organising a giant Christmas Day lunch for 300 vulnerable people,’ she told me, explaining…

The door burst open and my daughter raced in, trailing muddy snow all over the kitchen floor. ‘Summer!’ I scolded. ‘Sorry, Mum,’ she said. It was December 2016 and Summer, then 10, had always been a tomboy. One of five kids, along with Destiny, then 11, Sebastian, 6, Daisy, 4, and Gabriel, 9 months, she was a bundle of energy, messy and wild. Even if it was freezing outside, she’d be out there playing in the snow. Still, I loved seeing her happy. Only, after she started high school, I noticed a change in Summer. She was tall for her age and bigger than most of her classmates, which affected her confidence. When she got home, she’d retreat to her room. Even refuse her tea. ‘What’s wrong, love?’ I asked,…

Holding my camera with one hand and furiously clicking my fingers at my six dogs with the other, I sighed. All of them were looking in different directions. ‘Maybe I’d have better luck holding up a pork pie,’ I groaned. ‘Never work with children or animals,’ my husband, Peter, then 43, laughed. It was Christmas 2010, and I was determined to get the perfect pic of everybody sitting under the tree. But the kids weren’t the problem. Both my adult sons had flown the nest. Our six dogs were running us ragged instead, but we wouldn’t have had it any other way. Now here we were with six of Santa’s little yelpers I’d grown up with pups, rescuing an Irish Red Setter called Bruce from the RSPCA when I was…

Aries 21 March-20 April It is time to start taking better care of yourself. Spend some time alone reflecting on what you need to move forward. Prioritise your wellbeing in this plan. ● Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April-21 May Sometimes you find it quite hard to ask for help. As an independent Earth sign, you like to feel that you can stand alone, but remember there is strength in numbers. ● Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May-21 June With Mercury, your ruling planet, retrograding (moving backwards) through the heavens this is the perfect moment to take stock and really focus on your needs. ● Call 0905 817 0692* for more Cancer 22 June-23 July Jupiter’s been in Cancer for the last six months,…

1 The game begins, so have a think… Mulled wine’s a festive drink – you’ll find your next clue on the kitchen _. 2 Santa has flown in from the North Pole. He’s left a gift for you in the cereal _. 3 You’ve found that quick! You’re doing fine. Your next clue is where all things are pine. 4 Reindeers love a snack before their flight. Check where their carrots hide on Christmas Eve night. 5 You’ve cracked four clues, you clever elf! The next one’s where you check yourself. 6 Jingle bells ring and carols you sing. Find your next clue where dinners go ping! 7 Santa’s beard is white and foamy. The next clue is where things get soapy. 8 Christmas films are such a delight. Your…

When angry shouts came from Flat 8, across the communal landing, it wasn’t anything the neighbours hadn’t heard before. Jazwell Brown, then 49, had a turbulent relationship with Joanne Pearson, then 38. They’d been together years, and both took drugs, including crack cocaine. Drug-fuelled rows were nothing new. Even today, late afternoon on Christmas Day 2024. Most people were sleeping off their turkey roasts by now, dozing in front of the telly. But from Jazwell and Joanne’s flat in Bletchley, near Milton Keynes, raised voices could be heard. Jazwell’s son Jake Brown, then 17, had just arrived. Joanne didn’t want to smoke drugs in front of the teen and refused to pass the crack pipe to Jazwell. In a flash, the intoxicated dad saw red. Picking up a screwdriver and…

Chat winners issue 35 (28 August 2025) £1,001 CASH E James, Lancing £500 CASH A Fuller, Richmond C Randall, Camborne £250 CASH L Wagstaff, Haywards Heath I Farmer, Worcester £200 CASH P Hutchison, Birmingham £100 CASH M Jackson, Gosport J Lloyd, Paignton J Marsham, Ilfracombe £75 CASH C Sibley, Devon £50 CASH J Dawkins, Cowes M Booth, Bicester S Smith, Birmingham R Pendrey, Airdrie E Smith, Brough P Griffiths, Swinton £40 CASH M Chicken, Stoke-on-Trent £30 CASH J Brant, Exeter M Beer, Neath £25 CASH H Muslek, Motherwell J Capper, Wrexham Anyone from your town in the list this week..? £20 CASH R Coombs, Monmouth J Collymore, London G Wilcox, Sleaford S McLeod, Newport T Fenwick, Louth J Tate, Basingstoke H Scotford, Stourbridge S Entwistle, Blackburn D Wheeler, Blandford Forum K Scott, Rugeley P Martin, Tewkesbury V Gardner, Nantwich J Carter, Oxford D Coote, Mablethorpe H Chuck, Waltham Abbey K Iles, Swindon L Donegan, Stoke-on-Trent K Holman,…