Last weekend was spent getting my house in London decked out for Christmas . My daughter, Lyla, is so excited about this time of year (even though she's 20!) and came back from university in Spain for the occasion. Now the tree is up and decorated, ornamental reindeer are in the garden and polar bears that light up and flash are outside the front door. I used to have a massive Santa's sleigh the length of the house, which I got from Costco - though not this year. With my beauty business and the launch of my book, Fearless, 2023 has been crazy for me, so I'll be giving myself ten days off - and I can't wait. However, as much as I love Christmas, I know it can also be an expensive, stressful and exhausting time. What do you wear on the big day? To the office party? And can anything be done to quickly transform dull, parched winter skin? It's why I've put together some of my top tried-and-tested tips, that I hope will help Femail readers look and feel their best this season.
Heels you CAN dance in all night
Festive footwear has always demanded sacrifice - specifically the sacrifice of comfort, balance and, ultimately, the bone structure of your feet. We want to dazzle in sparkling sky-high stilettos, but to do so know we must pay a high price. Until now. Yes, it's a Christmas miracle. This season the most stylish party shoes, all available on the UK high street, are also actually wearable. You can wave goodbye to crippling court shoes and there's no need to master walking in mules. Teetering around the office party is a thing of the past, thanks to cleverly placed heels and cushioning technology. So, what to go for? We welcomed the return of platforms with open arms for spring/summer, and they've had a fabulous makeover this season.
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THE ROYALS
Queen Letizia's ex-brother-in-law sensationally claims he had a romantic relationship with the royal before marrying her sister - as he shares unseen selfie of the royal where she 'confesses her love'
Queen Letizia's ex-brother-in-law has sensationally claimed to have been in a romantic relationship with the royal before he married her sister Telma - as he shared a never-before-seen image as 'proof'. Jaime Del Burgo (right), 53, who is currently based in the UK, has recently contributed to a tell-all book about the Spanish royal, where he claims they were still romantically involved after Letizia's 2004 wedding to King Felipe. The entrepreneur - who claims he was dating Letizia (left) when she met King Felipe (inset) - shared an undated selfie the Queen, 51, took in a bathroom mirror years ago as evidence of their relationship on X, formerly known as Twitter, last night. In the selfie, the royal had styled her brown hair in a single plait and is wearing a black pashmina - which Jaime claims belonged to him.
Queen Letizia stays stoic after bombshell book
Queen Letizia of Spain has been photographed attending the Annual Meeting of the Cervantes Institut in Madrid with her husband King Felipe - as the pair are rocked with outlandish rumours. The Spanish Royal Family have been rocked by shock claims from Queen Letizia's ex-brother-in-law, Jaime Del Burgo, who says that he had a relationship with Letizia, 51, before he married his now ex-wife, her sister Telma.
Who is Team Sussex and who stayed loyal to Team Wales? How Harry and William's high society friends have split their loyalties as its revealed the Sussexes aren't invited to the Duke of Westminster's wedding
The Duke of Westminster, godfather to George and Archie, is said to want to avoid tension by bringing the warring siblings together at this wedding. So who is loyal to who? Here FEMAIL reveals the friends who are firmly part of William's posh posse - Harry's loyal band of brothers - and who is stuck in the middle.
'All of us are so lucky to have had her for so long': Zara Tindall says Queen Elizabeth II's death has left a 'hole' in her life as she praises her grandmother's 'huge influence'
Zara Tindall has opened up about missing her grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and said she was 'a huge influence' in her life. The royal, 42, who is the daughter of Princess Anne , spoke to The Australian Women's Weekly magazine about her bond with the late Queen, who died in September 2022 at the age of 96. Zara said: 'When you've got someone who's a huge influence in your life [it leaves a hole]... all of us are so lucky to have had her for so long.' The mother-of-three, who is a professional equestrian, also chatted about the special bond she shared with her late grandmother over horses.
Princess Beatrice's winter warmer!
Princess Beatrice wrapped up warm for the chilly London weather on Tuesday as she headed to the Fayre of St James Christmas Carol Concert with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at St James' Church in Piccadilly. The 35-year-old daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York, showed off her sartorial prowess in a £1,295 Temperley London coat, which she paired with black heeled boots.
Music to her ears! Kate reveals Princess Charlotte has inherited her musical talent and is learning to play the piano
The Princess of Wales, 41, proudly discussed her daughter's musical prowess while attending the Royal Variety Performance at Prince Albert Hall in London on Thursday. She told pianist Lang Lang - who had just performed with a 13-year-old blind girl named Lucy - that her eight-year-old daughter has recently taken up the instrument. Lang Lang told Hello! Magazine : 'We talked about Charlotte. Her Royal Highness talked about Charlotte's piano playing, I'm sure she's good. Her Royal Highness said to me that she said to Princess Charlotte "Hey, look, if you practice a lot you can be like him".'
Purple reign! Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is elegant in a two-piece suit
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden looked remarkable in a show-stopping two-piece suit today while stepping out in the UK.
Duchess Sophie enjoys the show!
Duchess Sophie, 58, has been visiting Colombia this week at the request of the Foreign, Development and Commonwealth Office, where she is undertaking engagements in support of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda working to end sexual violence in conflict.
Princess Victoria cuts an elegant figure in a striking power suit at a WaterAid seminar in Stockholm
RUSTLE UP
- Sun-blushed tomato chicken Kiev This variation on the usual chicken Kiev has a delicious tomato filling. It is decadent but well worth trying. Serve with a green salad.
- My traditional steak and kidney pie A good steak and kidney pie is a wonder to behold. It's best to start preparing this the day before
- Carrot cake with orange buttercream and walnuts This is made extra special by the addition of dates, which give it a slightly Middle Eastern flavour
- Chocolate fondants People are scared about making these, fearing they won't achieve the melting chocolatey middles, but once you get the timing right, fondants are really easy to do
Core blimey
- French apple rose tart Apples and pears as you've never eaten them before
- Slow-cooked pulled pork wraps with apple salsa Core blimey: Slow-cooked pulled pork wraps with apple salsa
- Bramley & butternut squash soup with gorgonzola cream Apples and pears as you've never eaten them before, in a savoury tray bake
- Poached pears with blackberry drizzle and hazelnut shortbread Poached pears with blackberry drizzle and hazelnut shortbread
masterful meals
- Masterchef 2008 champion James Nathan's pea and white truffle soup with Parmesan galettes
- Masterchef 2014 Champion Ping Coombes's nasi goreng with sambal belacan
- Masterchef 2010 champion Dhruv Baker's cherry and hazelnut chocolate roulade
- Masterchef 2016 champion Jane Devonshire's roast pheasant with a chestnut and cider cream sauce
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DON'T MISS
The great Christmas sandwich taste test! FEMAIL tries 45 sarnies and wraps from supermarkets and cafes - and a VERY surprising one comes out on top
UK supermarkets are offering a plethora of treats this year, from vegan sarnies to salmon wraps. But with so many on offer - how do you know which is worth splashing out on and which should remain on the shelf this year? FEMAIL's Bridie Pearson-Jones, with the help of some hungry colleagues, tried out more than 40 of the UK's high street offerings, to discover which offerings will get you into the Christmas spirit, and the ones that are more of a festive flop....
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BEST REAL LIFE
Woman reveals what it's like to work at the South Pole where it's dark for 24 hours a day - from being allowed only two 2-minute showers a week to a month-long Christmas in July
Michelle Endo, 32, from San Francisco (pictured left and right) took a hospitality manager job in November last year so she could visit the Pole without having to fork out thousands of pounds - with week-long trips to the station by plane from Chile costing $59,900 or more per person. The travel enthusiast has shared the highs and lows of living in one of the most hostile environments on Earth, after becoming one of just 261 women to witness the South Pole during its perpetually dark winter months of May to August. But despite the hardships, the traveler also got to enjoy the unique and incredible experiences the Pole has to offer - including a unique Christmas tradition and the 'out of this world' Southern Lights. Pictured inset, a Christmas tree at the Pole put up for festive celebrations.
Adeerable! Orphaned rescue deer becomes best friends with toddler who spends hours playing with him
TRENDING NOW!
Sign of a good sense of humour! Hilarious posters are bound to stop anyone in their tracks
People from around the world have shared some very witty signs they've spotted on their travels and Bored Panda has collated them into a hilarious gallery. One amusing sign explains how a road ahead is closed, before adding: 'Stuff broke... fix it later.' (right) while another poked fun at doctors scribbly handwriting (left). Pictured inset: One cheeky note, thought to have been discovered in the UK, insisted 'unattended children will be given Red Bull and taught how to swear'.
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Not works of art! Chrissy Teigen and Saoirse Ronan lead the worst dressed stars in bizarre ensembles at the 3rd Annual Academy Museum Gala in LA
From oddly-coloured 'nude tones' to over the top ruffles and garish orange prints, some on the red carpet commanded attention for all the wrong reasons at the Acadmey Museum of Motion Pictures in LA. Leading the badly-dressed pack was Chrissy Teigen (left) who had a rare miss in a Tony Ward Haute Couture gown with over the top ruffles. Hari Nef (second left) also picked a bizarre nude with a plunging back, while Saoirse Ronan (right) opted for a beachy vibe with a shell-inspired bandeau top. While Saoirse could be accused of being a little too bland, Lily Gladstone (second right) had the opposite problem in a garish orange number.