Are you drinking too much at Christmas?

Christmas is a time of year notorious for Brits drinking a bit too much, in fact, a recent study found almost two-thirds (61%) of drinkers in the UK over-indulge in alcohol over the festive season.

But with the current cost of living crisis how much are our festive drinking habits costing us?

As part of a new report, the research team at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere, have crunched the numbers to reveal how much brits are spending on alcohol each week over the Christmas period.

https://delamere.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-addiction 

According to the findings, those who binge drink over the festive season by consuming 22 units or more a week, will spend a whopping £62.55 on wine, while those who drink beer will spend £41.20.

For those who tend toward drinking cocktails and spirits during Christmas, the data revealed they'll spend £50 and £51 a week respectively. 

If you’re worried you could be taking your drinking habits a little too far this Christmas, the team of experts at Delamere have compiled a list of common signs individuals worried about either their own drinking habits, or those of a loved one can look out for.

Signs and symptoms of a functioning alcoholic include: 

Frequent intoxication and smelling of alcohol

Loss of control around alcohol use

Hiding alcohol in strange places such as their garage, at the office, in bushes or in their car

Drinking between work times or appointments, or drinking just enough to keep their alcohol levels topped up if they are alcohol dependent

Frequent binge drinking after daily responsibilities are taken care of

Justifying their drinking as a way of unwinding after work, a busy day with the kids or as a reward

Becoming irritable, anxious, restless and unable to sleep if they are unable to drink

Regularly drinking in the morning before going about their day, or at odd times of the day such as lunchtime in order to avoid alcohol withdrawal symptoms

Always drinking at social events and ‘preloading’ prior to attending a social event

Avoiding social events or activities that don't involve alcohol

Alcohol has become a problem at home, with them either drinking excessively alone at home or disappearing to a pub or bar straight after work for hours

Becoming defensive or flippant when challenged over their drinking

Denying they are an alcoholic, reasoning that they still hold down a job or take the kids to school on time

Alternating alcohol and prescription pills in order that they can function

They may become erratic, spontaneous, angry or change their character completely whilst intoxicated

Difficulty in recalling events that took place whilst heavily intoxicated – experiencing an alcoholic blackout

Risk-taking, they may well drive to work or drive children to school whilst still over the limit from the previous night or from taking a morning drink

(Image courtesy of  Gerd Altmann and Pixabay)

Côte restaurants celebrate cracker of a Christmas campaign to support children who go to school hungry and help reduce paper waste

Côte restaurants is celebrating its special festive campaign to assist children who are living with food insecurity and who are at risk of going to school hungry, as well as aiming to reduce paper waste, too.

Every year the team at Côte restaurants spends £40,000 on Christmas crackers for guests to enjoy with their festive meals.

But this year, with the cost of living crisis impacting upon many families, they decided to donate this money to Magic Breakfast, instead. The charity provides nutritious breakfasts to hungry school children as fuel for learning and expert support for their schools. They are aiming to end hunger as a barrier to education in UK schools for children living with food insecurity.

Côte’s Christmas menu will run right through 'til December 24. Guests have enjoyed a seasonal, French-inspired 3-course Christmas menu, just without the additional Christmas crackers. 

The donation will now support thousands of children and will also help to combat mass paper waste created by the use of Christmas crackers.

Côte has already donated in excess of £200,000 Magic Breakfast and is aiming for more to follow in the new year, in addition to the Christmas crackers £40,000.

Jane Holbrook from Côte restaurants explained: “Magic Breakfast do amazing work that positively impacts the lives of thousands of children. We are big fans of what they do and over the last couple of years our team and owners have donated over £200,000. We decided we could and should do more, so we’ve donated the money we would have been spent on Christmas crackers to them, so they can buy thousands of breakfasts for children who really need them.”   

Côte restaurants are dedicated to giving back to the local community they live in, with a number of events planned for 2023. They want to introduce staff and guests to the charities they work with and the challenges they face.

This Christmas, Côte also donated 21,000 turkey and vegetable portions to The Felix Project in London and a further 2,300 portions to six Crisis sites in London, Birmingham, Merseyside, Newcastle, South Wales and Coventry.

https://www.cote.co.uk/christmas.

(Image courtesy of Côte restaurants)

New consumer research from OXO show what we Brits like and loathe about Christmas

Christmas comes every every year, just like clockwork, and while many of us have made small changes to our Christmas routines over the years, just how does the traditional Christmas stack up against busy, modern lifestyles?

American housewares brand, OXO, known for its universally-designed range of premium kitchen tools, has just undertaken a new survey amongst UK consumers to discover how many of us stick to our traditions, and what our most and least favourite Christmas cooking tasks are today.

Christmas dinner differs depending on where you come from in the UK

• Stuffing is the accompaniment of choice in Northern Ireland, with 2 in 5 of people choosing to pad out their plate with this herby side dish

• Yorkshire puddings have made their way onto the Christmas plates of 50% of households up and down the country, with these delights most popular in the North East, with 3 in 5 people in the region adding Yorkshire puddings to their Christmas dinner

• Cranberry, mint and bread sauce all spring to mind when thinking of festive condiments, but in a huge break from tradition, tomato sauce has started to make an appearance with 2 in 5 18 to 24 year olds choosing to add ketchup to their Christmas turkey dinner

What we love and loathe

• When it comes to things we like and things we loathe most about Christmas food prep, planning the timings came out as number one on the list of most stressful Christmas cooking tasks with 5 in 10 people dreading this Christmas task

• Taking a step back to see excited faces at the dinner table is by far the most rewarding Christmas experience, with 6 in 10 of those aged 65 and over enjoying this part of Christmas dinner the most

• Of course, OXO had to ask which kitchen tool people rely on most to make Christmas dinner a breeze with a good roasting tray and reliable peeler coming out on top

Following a challenging year, many UK households have decided to tighten the purse strings and cut back on the amount of money spent on gifts and going out over the festive period. 28% of people have decided to set a gift spend limit when buying for loved ones, while 27% of people plan to visit pubs and restaurants less frequently as a way to save money this year.

OXO is a premium US brand that offers a wide range of high-quality, long-lasting kitchen, cleaning and organisation tools that effortlessly combine innovation with purpose. Guided by the principles of universal design, the brand is known and loved for engineering tools that fit comfortably in every type of hand starting with the iconic OXO Good Grips Swivel Peeler in 1990.

www.oxouk.com

Incidentally, my wife and I own a range of OXO kitchen tools, which we really love!

Silent grief: Supporting the 13 million struggling after bereavement as grief leads to poor mental wellbeing and loneliness this Christmas

Research conducted by YouGov for Co-op Funeralcare highlights that as many as 13 million UK adults are battling grief following a recent bereavement are experiencing feelings of loneliness or dealing with challenges to their mental wellbeing this Christmas.

With over 28 million UK adults (54%) having experienced the loss of a loved one over the last five years, celebrities, charities and MPs have, alongside the Co-op, offered their advice and support to those people struggling after a bereavement in the run up to Christmas and beyond.

The findings come after a report from the UK Bereavement Commission earlier in 2022 which highlighted how important community support is for the bereaved. In response to the report, the essential role community plays in supporting the bereaved was discussed only last month at a Westminster event hosted by the Co-op, the UK’s leading bereavement charity, Cruse Bereavement Support and sponsored by Carolyn Harris MP.

Highlighting the importance of community, for just under half (49%) of bereaved adults spending time with people who knew their loved one helped with the grief. Pointing to the need for workplace support, 15% of bereaved adults outlined the need for employers to act, saying taking time off work helped them cope with their sense of loss.

However, findings reveal nearly half of bereavements were sudden or unexpected, and getting through the funeral (36%), clearing out belongings (25%) and breaking the news to others (22%) were amongst the most difficult challenges faced by those closest to someone who had died.

Aftercare

In response to the findings, Co-op is focused on expanding its support to families after the funeral and in partnership with Cruse is bringing communities together to support the bereaved. The partnership aims to empower individuals to provide everyday support to those in their communities who have experienced bereavement. Co-op in conjunction with Reach PLC has also in the last month launched a new podcast, ‘Let’s Talk About Grief’ where celebrities share their experience of grief and loss to help others going through similar feelings.

Gill Stewart, MD of Co-op Funeralcare explained: “Our colleagues throughout the country are continuously working with members of their local communities to ensure bereaved families are shown the utmost support during their time of grief. 

"But as the UK Bereavement Commission rightly pointed out, it takes a village to ensure those dealing with the loss of a loved one still feel included in community life. For many the sense of loss can be overwhelming, even more so at this time of year, and our research highlights the power of community being supported by others can make all the difference at a time of grief.”

Speaking of his own experience of losing his father and brother, TV personality Jake Quickenden said: “There’s no perfect way to deal with grief, you have got to find your own way of dealing with it. Grief is something that never disappears, and I don’t think it really gets easier, it is such a strong emotion and it changes your mindset. 

"I like to think of grief as all the love you have left for a person, that you can’t express for them anymore. I look at life so differently since losing my Dad and Oliver, some days are more difficult than others but every day is a day that I get to see my family, see friends, make memories and live.”

Steven Wibberley, CEO of Cruse Bereavement Support said: “At Cruse, we know how vital support in the local community is for people dealing with their grief. The recent UK Commission on Bereavement highlighted the importance of support from family, friends and community in helping bereaved people. 

"We are proud to be working in partnership with The Co-op on our Connecting Communities project, to improve grief awareness and support in local areas and ensure bereaved people are not tackling their grief alone. I was delighted to introduce the project to MPs and colleagues from across the bereavement sector at our recent Parliamentary event and we hope that this support continues as the project develops next year."

Coleen Nolan, TV personality, singer and podcast host for Co-op Funeralcare’s new ‘Let’s Talk About Grief’ show, stated: “Despite so many of us having experienced loss (and I have experienced my fair share myself), especially within the past couple of years, death and bereavement are still taboo topics, and there is still such guilt around experiencing grief. Many of us feel like we are placing a heavy burden on those around us when we’re dealing with bereavement, and choose to manage our feelings in silence instead of reaching out for help.

"It’s noy surprising that feeling unable to share your feelings after experiencing the loss of a loved one can be profoundly alienating, as we often feel nobody will understand what we are going through, when really this isn’t the case.

"It is my sincere hope that we take on the learnings shared by the UK Bereavement Committee and look at our own communities with more empathy and selflessness - as you never know who may be secretly battling the negative feelings that come with bereavement."

(Image courtesy of Garn Finger from Pixabay)

Tesco’s exclusive energy-saving ultimate roasting potato returns in time for Christmas

An energy-saving, high quality roasting potato that sold out within mere weeks of being launched last year has returned in time to help us slash the cooking time of our Christmas dinners and thus save energy and money.

The ‘Nemo’ variety, sold by Tesco as Finest British Roasting Potatoes, has been created exclusively for the supermarket by one of the UK’s largest potato suppliers, Branston.  

As well as creating perfect roasters, the Nemo variety can reduce cooking time by up to a quarter compared to the average potato according to Branston. 

Not only does it need less water and fertiliser than other varieties to grow, but its environmental impact is further reduced by its unique 25% quicker cooking time, saving energy in the home.

Tesco potato buyer Hannah Moseley said: “The Nemo was trialled last year and became so popular by word of mouth that all supplies sold out in a record four weeks, and it has taken until now to grow more.

“Customers have told us they consider the Nemo to be the ultimate roasting spud on account of its perfect rich, fluffy texture, crispy outer skin and golden colouration.”

Nemo is a natural hybrid developed through carefully crossing an exceptional tasting fast-cooking Peruvian variety called Inca Bella and a popular, red-skinned salad variety called Franceline which grows well in the UK climate.

Dr David Nelson, Director of Agronomy at Branston said:  “We were very pleased with how well Finest Roasting sold last year - it flew off the shelves in four weeks. This year we were in the fortunate position of being able to supply almost triple the volume, which we hope to sell just as well as last year. 

“This is a Tesco exclusive variety, therefore, there is very limited seed available. Seed multiplication takes four to five years to build up, and this is why we are only able to gradually build volume, but given how delicious they are, we thought it was better to save them for Christmas! 

“Not only do they taste great, but they can be roasted quicker than European varieties, which can hopefully help save on cooking time”. 

The Tesco finest roasting potatoes cost £2.50 for a 3 kilo bag. 

www.tesco.com.

Christmas Misses? ParcelHero points out many stores have stopped online orders

Home delivery experts ParcelHero says delays caused by recent bad weather and strikes mean some popular stores have already ceased taking online Christmas orders.

Last-minute shoppers may have left it too late to buy online from their favourite stores in time for Christmas, says home delivery expert ParcelHero. 

Strikes and backlogs caused by last week’s severe weather mean some retailers can no longer guaranteeing they can deliver in time for Christmas.

ParcelHero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., says: "From Ann Summers to Waterstones, many of the UK’s leading retailers have decided to call it quits on Christmas deliveries already.

"Even before Arctic weather conditions hit the UK, deliveries were backing up. Retailers and individuals have all been switching to couriers to avoid the impact of industrial action in the traditional postal network, and this unexpected extra volume of parcels has taken some courier networks by surprise.

‘Rather than disappoint customers, some stores have faced the problems head-on and declared that they can no longer guarantee delivery in time for Christmas. These include:

Ann Summers (last date was 19 December)

The Body Shop (last date was 19 December)

M&S clothing (“Christmas delivery is no longer available.”)

Paul Smith (last date was 18 December)

Pets at Home (last date was 18 December)

The Conran Shop (“Delivery in time for Christmas can no longer be guaranteed due to external factors.”)

Waterstones (last date was 19 December)

"The Christmas countdown shows no sign of stopping. Stores that will stop taking orders on Tuesday 20 December include:

Harrods

Harvey Nichols

Superdry

"Also, a significant number of stores stop taking their final Christmas orders on Wednesday 21 December. These include Boden, Gap, House of Fraser, New Look and The White Company.

"Retailers have had to react quickly to the escalating issues and problems in the delivery network. For example, back in November, Harvey Nichols gave a deadline of 23 December for final orders; now its last order date is today. This is a far more sensible approach than some other stores, which still don’t include final Christmas cut-off dates on their websites, leaving customers to order in hope."

He went on to say: "It’s not just  the impact of the strike in the traditional postal industry that created knock-on delays. There was already a shortage of seasonal staff like delivery drivers and warehouse workers following Brexit. It’s fortunate that the Amazon strike called at its Coventry distribution centre is not expected to take place until the new year, or there would be a lot of disappointed faces on Christmas Day around the UK.

"With all this Christmas confusion, ParcelHero has re-launched our popular Christmas tool in the nick of time. You can now discover retailers’ final online order dates in time for Christmas, find out the last mailing dates for presents to UK and international destinations, and see handy packaging and Customs clearance hacks to help ensure gifts reach their destinations in time."

 To check the easy-to-use retailers’ final order and final mailing dates tool, see: https://www.parcelhero.com/events/christmas-gifts-delivery

Lloyds Bank Christmas Fraud Warning: Six red flags shoppers MUST be wary of

Lloyds bank has issued a timely and urgent warning to last-minute Christmas shoppers to be wary of fraudsters this festive season.

The warning comes as research from Lloyds Bank revealed the number of online shopping scams increased by 20% in December last year, compared against December 2020.

With the rise in consumer activity online, comes the rise in internet scams and cybercrime, however this doesn’t mean you should totally avoid online shopping this Christmas.

Sam Whillance, who is an expert at online e-commerce platform Deal.Town, shares six red flags shoppers should be aware of before purchasing presents this Christmas.

Steer clear of deals that seem too good to be true

If a website appears to be selling designer clothes or jewellery or electronics for considerably less than the normal retail prices, always consider whether this is too good to be true. 

Often, you could be purchasing fakes or replicas.

Look for a privacy policy

A privacy policy, normally in a statement format, explains how the business collects, uses, and stores sensitive data from its customers. 

Whist laws and regulations worldwide vary, legitimate, reputable online retailers should have a clear privacy statement and if they don’t, this could be a red flag.

Check the SSL certificate

SSL, standing for ‘Secure Sockets Layer’, is an indication that a website is secure for shopping. 

In other words, it is an encryption method that websites asking for sensitive or personal information, such as your credit card details, should have. 

To ensure that a shopping website has an up-to-date SSL certificate, look out for a padlock icon in the URL bar of your web browser. Or alternatively, check that the URL starts with HTTPS, not HTTP (the S stands for ‘secure’).

Check if the website accepts credit cards

Credit cards are one of the safest methods for making online transactions. This is because its easier for credit card issuers to refund money lost to fraud.

Websites that don't accept credit card payments could be warning signal, as it is a lot more difficult for fraudulent websites to become certified by credit card companies.

Watch out for spelling and grammar mistakes

Legitimate brands will have the professionalism and accuracy to ensure the text and imagery on their websites are correct.

If a website is poorly written and contains numerous spelling or grammatical mistakes, it could indicate that the seller is not genuine. 

Other red flags may include low-quality images,  the inability to leave reviews, and no returns policy.

Look for a phone number and address

The majority of legitimate retailers will have a contact number and an physical address visible in either the header or footer of their website. 

If you aren’t 100% sure whether an online shop is genuine, copy and paste their address and phone number into a Google search engine, to see if their details are verifiable. 

Fake sellers will either not provide any address or use a fake one.

Check out Deal.Town here: https://deal.town