A festive favourite enjoyed by all ages, write Paul Allam & David McGuinness An old school friend of Paul’s, Daniel Zanello, of Italian heritage, told him his nonna swore that you could judge good nougat by its chewiness. It should be soft and chewy in just...
Seventy per cent of us experience a spike in stress over the festive season, but some understanding of why we get anxious and the effect on our bodies can help us relax this Christmas Dr Jared Cooney Horvath Here we go again. It’s that time of...
Giving the gift of reading is a great way to get children into books. It makes books feel extra-special when they're wrapped up as a present for Christmas and given with love. We have listed some of the great books that we have reviewed for Christmas...
Our favourite Christmas treats come from Donna Hay! She is sharing her favourite tips and tricks for the ultimate festive celebration in her new four-part series, Donna Hay Christmas on Disney+. You can stream it or watch a trailer. Blanched Bean and Prosciutto Bundles Ingredients 800g green beans,...
Santa Claus is coming to town! Psychologist Professor Penny Van Bergen looks at how you can manage kids’ excitement in this last build-up to Christmas. School is out, and Santa is on his way, but there’s still a bit of a wait before he wriggles down...
20 people, 2.4 quintillion possibilities. Stephen Woodcock looks at the baffling statistics of Secret Santa Christmas, we’re told, is the most wonderful time of the year. For many of us, however, it is preceded by one of the least wonderful times: the awkward social spectacle of...
Halloween is an annual celebration on October 31. It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honour all saints;...
Some children just aren’t that into parties, writes Clare Wishart. Why do we have parties? What are we celebrating in that nebulous notion of ‘turning’ a new age? When I was growing up, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Now, I am a mother myself,...
Jennifer Fergus reflects on her relationship with her grandchildren, who live overseas. As I was introducing myself to my granddaughter’s teacher, a voice yelled out from across the playground: “Her real name is Grandma!” The teacher and I paused, looked at each other, and smiled. She...
As Vicki Englund lurks in the shadows of parties past, she bows to peer pressure and procures a performer for the party present. Pre-birthday-party tension. Every year, a couple of months before my daughter’s birthday, it starts. Most mothers and some fathers are familiar with it,...
