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How to Make Being Single During the Holidays Actually Fun

Each year as the holidays approach, I notice my single clients’ anxiety levels rise. Fearing lines of questioning and judgement about their dating lives from family and friends, as well as a dread of arriving at parties without a date, many of them see the holidays as dangerous terrain. Often, single people are asked to […]

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Apple’s long overdue Magic Mouse redesign is coming, but the current one is just fine

After 15 years of jokes and complaints, it seems Apple is finally ready to move on to a new Magic Mouse design. In his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Cupertino plans to update its Mac’s mouse and fix some of the most recurring concerns users have about it. According to the journalist, Apple […]

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Google’s ‘Willow’ chip aimed at leap in quantum computing

In some scientific fields, such as data encryption, drug and materials research or machine learning and , conventional or “classical” computers have reached their limits. The calculations that researchers need in these fields are taking an infinitely long time to complete, or have become simply impossible. That’s why researchers around the world are working to […]

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Fearne Cotton speaks out about the ‘pressure’ she feels amid marriage split from heir to Rolling Stones fortune

TV presenter Fearne Cotton shocked her followers with the news in recent days that her 10-year marriage to Jesse Wood, son of Rolling Stones founder Ronnie Wood, was over. The presenter has had a turbulent week, having revealed a major healthcare just two days before news of her marriage breakdown. She had announced that she […]

The post Fearne Cotton speaks out about the ‘pressure’ she feels amid marriage split from heir to Rolling Stones fortune appeared first on RollerCoaster.

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Irish mum builds ‘truly magical’ Christmas tree for her son with autism

Irish mum Anita Nolan went above and beyond to make Christmas special for her little boy Donnacha who has autism by making him his own sensory tree. Gushing that her son’s reaction to her handmade tree will be a memory she will ‘forever cherish’, Anita explained that the project comes after her son had broken […]

The post Irish mum builds ‘truly magical’ Christmas tree for her son with autism appeared first on RollerCoaster.

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Candice Swanepoel stuns as she strips off to red lace lingerie for sizzling new Victoria’s Secret shoot

VICTORIA’S Secret beauty Candice Swanepoel stripped to festive lace lingerie as she posed for a sizzling new shoot.

The catwalk queen flashed her rippling abs in a red lace bra and thong, paired with a matching suspender belt.

Candice Swanepoel in a red Victoria's Secret Christmas campaign.
TNI Press
Victoria’s Secret model Candice Swanepoel looked sensational as she stripped to red lace lingerie for a new photoshoot[/caption]
Candice Swanepoel in red lingerie for a Victoria's Secret Christmas campaign.
TNI Press
She threw her blonde hair back as she perched on a balcony[/caption]
Candice Swanepoel in Victoria's Secret Christmas campaign.
TNI Press
The mum of two later switched to an ice blue bra and thong, worn with skyscraper heels[/caption]

Candice, 36, threw a red silk shirt over her elbows and struck a sultry pose as she perched on a balcony.

The supermodel left her blonde hair in loose waves and threw them over her shoulder for the racy shoot.

The South African beauty – who is one of Victoria’s Secret’s iconic Angels – then switched to an ice blue lace two-piece which she paired with skyscraper heels.

She pulled on a festive sparkling eye mask to complete her look for another cheeky picture.

After she uploaded a selection of the snaps to her Instagram page, Candice wrote: “Unwrap the magic of this holiday season.”

Fans were quick to comment, and one said: “Awesome shot!” before one hailed her an: “ANGEL.”

A third mused: “Red is definitely killer on you!”

One then surmised: “Wow u r the hottest.”

Earlier this year, Candice teamed up with fellow supermodel Behati Prinsloo for another Victoria’s Secret campaign.

She also wowed fans as she slipped into a ruffle dress and lavender lingerie.

BODY CONFIDENCE

Candice previously revealed it was motherhood that made her feel more “beautiful.”

She shares children Ariel, six, and Anaca, eight, with fellow model and ex-fiance Hermann Nicoli.

Yet despite being one of lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret’s most famous models, she has admitted she has struggled to love her body.

The parent of two spoke exclusively to The U.S. Sun, as a new ambassador for Anne Klein, and admitted: “In my teens, I was extremely thin and got teased for it, which is the case for many models.

Which models were in the 2024 Victoria's Secret Fashion show?

THE iconic fashion show is back after a six-year hiatus. Here are the big names who graced the runway...

  1. Adriana Lima
  2. Alaato Jazyper
  3. Alessandra Ambrosio
  4. Alex Consani
  5. Andreea Diaconu
  6. Anok Yai
  7. Anthi Fakidari
  8. Ashley Graham
  9. Awar Odhiang
  10. Barbara Palvin
  11. Behati Prinsloo
  12. Bella Hadid
  13. Blesnya Minher
  14. Candice Swanepoel
  15. Carla Bruni
  16. Devyn Garcia
  17. Doutzen Kroes
  18. Eva Herzigova
  19. Gigi Hadid (Opened)
  20. Grace Elizabeth
  21. He Cong
  22. Imaan Hammam
  23. Irina Shayk
  24. Isabeli Fontana
  25. Jasmine Tookes
  26. Jessie Aina
  27. Jill Kortleve
  28. Joan Smalls
  29. Josephine Skriver
  30. Kate Moss
  31. Layla Etengan
  32. Lila Moss
  33. Liu Wen
  34. Mathilda Gvarliani
  35. Maty Fall
  36. Mayowa Nicholas
  37. Mia Armstrong
  38. Mika Schneider
  39. Neelam Gill
  40. Paloma Elsesser
  41. Paula Soares
  42. Rania Benchegra
  43. Rianne Van Rompaey
  44. Sun Mizrahi
  45. Taylor Hill
  46. Tyra Banks (Closed)
  47. Valentina Sampaio
  48. Vika Evseeva
  49. Vittoria Ceretti
  50. Vivienne Rohner
  51. Xu Wei

“At that time it was the formula for finding new girls that were awkward in their teens but by the time they hit 20 had grown into their bodies, and had a few years of experience in the industry.

“Many people believe we have a certain confidence in our genetics but most of us still sometimes feel like that awkward teen.

“It’s a job at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what I think of my body on that specific day, as long as my client is happy, I’m happy.

“I’m there to deliver and play a role and that’s also how I coped with shyness in the very beginning.”

Asked whether she feels more or less confident modeling in a bikini since becoming a mom, Candice – who regularly posts her gym workouts online – said: “Not really.

“I am normal so we all have good days and bad days, but my body has made two little miracles, carried me around the world, and enabled me to experience life so intensely that I’m grateful.”

Candice Swanepoel in red lingerie and large wings at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Getty
The Victoria’s Secret Angel is one of the world’s most popular models[/caption]
Candice Swanepoel in a red Victoria's Secret Christmas campaign.
TNI Press
Fans were quick to brand her ‘the hottest’ after her sizzling new shoot[/caption]
Candice Swanepoel doing a weighted lunge exercise in a gym.
instagram/@candiceswanepoel
She has candidly opened up on her shape – from former trolling to the impact of motherhood[/caption]

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B&Q Christmas and Bank Holiday opening times: When is the home improvement store open?

SHOPPERS love B&Q because it has one of the biggest ranges of DIY goods in the UK.

However, the shop will be operating under reduced hours over the Christmas period. Here’s everything you need to know.

B&Q store exterior.
B&Q is one of the UK’s favourite shops
Getty Images

Big changes over Christmas

B&Q announced in October 2024 that they would be closing their doors on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

The hardware shop will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve, instead of its regular closing time of 8pm.

B&Q will operate with reduced hours on New Year’s Day in England and will be closed in Scotland.

You can check if your local B&Q will be changing its opening times by asking in store or checking their website.

Alternatively, you can email or phone their helpline.

Outside of these holiday dates, B&Q will be open as normal.

After Boxing Day, the shop will likely have a sale which is a great chance to get a bargain and make doing something around the house one of your New Year resolutions.

Online shopping

It is still possible to shop at B&Q over Christmas though.

Lovers of the DIY shop will need to use the B&Q website if they want to bag themselves a deal in the Boxing Day sale.

They might need to wait a little bit longer for their items though, because of delivery services being flooded with orders over Christmas.

B&Q store signage.
B&Q will be shut over Christmas Day and Boxing Day 2024
Getty

Shutting their doors

The hardware shop isn’t the only chain known for closing its doors on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Last year, Aldi, Iceland, John Lewis and Poundland all gave their employees a well-earned break over the two-day festive period.

Other brands including Tesco and Sainsbury’s occasionally reopen over Boxing Day but operate reduced hours.

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Tyrant Assad breaks silence for the FIRST time since fleeing Syria and insists Putin forced him into cowardly escape

BASHAR al-Assad has broken his silence and claims Vladimir Putin forced his cowardly escape from Syria on him.

The ousted leader said that he had no intention of fleeing the country but had to after the Russian base he was staying in was being bombed.

Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin meeting in Moscow.
AP
Bashar al-Assad says Vladimir Putin forced his escape from Syria on him[/caption] Satellite images show dismantled Russian military equipment at Khmeimim airbase in Syria.

The statement was published on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram channel and dated December 16 from Moscow and was Assad’s first in public since he was toppled more than a week ago by a rebel offensive.

He said: “At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by an individual party.”

Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad.
AP
Assad has been given asylum by Putin in Russia[/caption]

More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online

Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.

Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thesun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.

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I’ve had some disastrous Xmas party hook-ups – there’s a simple turn on that gets me into bed, says First Dates’ CiCi

FIRST Dates star CiCi Coleman is ready to be laughed into bed this Christmas as she sets her sights on finding herself a fella.

The blonde bombshell has been a waitress on Channel 4’s hit dating show for over a decade, helping unlucky-in-love singletons find their match – but now it’s her turn.

Cici Coleman in a white and black bikini in a pool.
CiCi Coleman has shared one of her biggest turn-ons
instagram/cici_coleman_
Cici Coleman taking notes.
Channel 4
She is part of the cast of Channel 4’s First Dates[/caption]
Cici Coleman relaxing in a bubble bath surrounded by candles.
cici_coleman_/Instagram
She reveals she suffered a broken heart following a seven-month relationship[/caption]

After recently splitting from a man she met in the gym, Cici’s on the hunt for a new lover.

And the 39-year-old, who has been romantically linked to Welsh hunk Gethin Jones, reckons Christmas is the perfect opportunity because she’s partial to a festive fling.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun ahead of the First Dates Christmas Special this week, she laughed: “I’ve definitely had a festive fling!

“When I used to work in a bank, the Christmas parties were always the most favourite time of year for some reason.

“I don’t know if it’s the tequila, but we suddenly grow a set, and we think that we should tell the person that we fancy at the Christmas party that we fancy them.

“So, yeah, there’s definitely been a few mistakes! But you’ve got nothing to lose.

“If the person’s not right, you’ll find out very quickly, and then you will move on, and you don’t have to spend another year gawping at them across the office or whatever.

“I definitely think it’s a brilliant time. I really do love it. Christmas just adds that element of a love bubble.

“You want to be wrapped up with the love of your life whilst that snow is coming down with a glass of wine just being a couple.”

Despite being linked to TV presenter Gethin, CiCi’s kept her love life largely out of the spotlight.

Cici Coleman in a yellow bikini, showing her weight loss.
Instagram
The blonde bombshell has largely kept her personal life under wraps[/caption]
Frankie Bridge and Gethin Jones at the 2:22 A Ghost Story Gala Night in London.
BackGrid
CiCi has previously been linked to Welsh TV presenter Gethin Jones[/caption]

But she admits she’s nursing a broken heart following a split from a guy she’d been in a relationship with for seven months.

She admitted: “I’ve just gone through a break-up. I think I’ve met some wonderful people on my relationship journey and I learned something in every relationship I’ve been in.

“I guess I’m quite lucky because I’ve chosen good partners and, you know, for whatever reason, it hasn’t worked out, but it doesn’t mean that they’re a bad person, it doesn’t mean I’m a bad person.

“It’s just if you’re not compatible, you’re not compatible. Break-ups hurt. They’re horrible. You have to cry it out. You have to really feel the feels.

“Heartache feels like the worst pain in the world, but you can’t rush it. It will get easier. There is always a silver lining, and there’s always a light on the other side of the tunnel.

“So I just always make sure I look forward and stay hopeful. I’m really looking forward to whoever that person is.”

When it comes to what’s on her list of things she’s looking for in her next boyfriend, the key for CiCi is a good sense of humour.

So does she reckon she can be laughed into bed? She smiled: “Definitely, yeah! It’s a skill as well, somebody that’s funny, right? Because not everybody can get it.

“You can sometimes come across as sarcastic. But actually, a genuinely funny person is really attractive.

“I like that sort of deadpan humour. If I’m on a date with someone who owns that, then I’m done! That’s me. I’m sold!”

‘Very flirty’

Cici Coleman in a bikini on a rooftop overlooking a tropical landscape.
Instagram
CiCi says she is ‘very flirty’ while on dates[/caption]
Woman in pink workout clothes using a foam roller.
Instagram / Cici_Coleman
Unlike some of the daters who come on the show, she says she doesn’t put on a show[/caption]
Man being kissed on each cheek by two women in brown vests.
Instagram
She admits getting flirty over Christmas[/caption]

She’s spent years watching others from the sidelines as they try and meet their match, and that’s given Cici a better understanding of the dos and don’ts of dating.

But while she admits she’s learnt not to put on a show like some of the daters who turn up to her restaurant, she admits she can’t help but be a big flirt on a date.

“I don’t know if I actually have a technique,” she laughed. “I just know that I’m very, very flirty. I think I like to laugh, and I love being in that space where someone’s either made me laugh or I laugh with them.

“But I probably laugh more because I’m into the person. On reflection, maybe the joke wasn’t that funny, but because I’m in that zone, it’s hilarious.

“You know, my head’s rocking back, and I think they’re brilliant. First Dates has definitely made me aware of what I do, and maybe sometimes too aware, because I think, ‘oh, I’ve done that. Well, don’t do that. Hold on a minute’.

“So I don’t know if it’s helped or hindered me! For example, me with a glass of tequila, I’m very flirty. My hands are in my hair, and I am a bit sweaty and gross.

“And God, if I saw that on TV, I don’t think I’d live that down! So I’ve learned to drink less. You don’t need to consistently cling to your hair, and the sweat that you think is shiny over your face, it’s actually not.

“I think there’s lots of things that I used to be paranoid of, whereas now I’ve kind of learned, OK just chill, shoulders down, leave your hair alone, you’re not sweaty, you’re fine.

“If you spilled some food, just trust that the person will tell you, it’s as simple as that.”

Big 4-0

As she prepares to turn the big 4-0 next year, Cici admits her outlook on dating in her fourth decade is very different to her care-free 20s.

She said: “In my late 20s, I did not care. I did not give a s***. In some ways ignorance is really, really blissful.

“And it’s lovely because you don’t have that self awareness, you just roll with it. You’re like, ‘no, he’s not right, next!’

“But with age, you do become more aware. You understand what you like and what you need. You understand what the word boundary means.

What your sexual fantasies say about you

By Emma Kenny, a TV presenter and psychologist

Raucous Role Play: If your partner enjoys dressing up for fun, it shows creativity and a desire to keep things exciting. However, it might signal that he struggles with responsibility.

Multi-Partner Fantasies: Craving variety doesn’t always mean he wants to cheat. However, it could indicate deeper feelings of unfulfillment.

Power & Control: A little dominance is normal, but if it’s always about control, it may hide insecurities.

Adventure: Men seeking thrills may push boundaries, so be sure your comfort zone is respected.

Passion: If he’s romantic, he’s emotionally tuned in—though occasionally avoiding tough conversations.

Flexibility: Openness to new experiences is great, but constant novelty-seeking could mean avoiding emotional connection.

Red Flag: If control is his ultimate fantasy, it may signal a deeper struggle with power dynamics.

“And all those things come together when you’re trying to find this person. And then to remind yourself also that perfect doesn’t exist, remember that people aren’t perfect.

“So it feels sometimes like a little bit of a contradiction. You’ve got to try and work out what’s really, really important and what your values and non-negotiables are.

“I think in my 20s, I didn’t have non-negotiables. It was just, ‘he’s hot, he makes me laugh. Done’.

“Whereas now it’s like, ‘okay, is there more to it than this?’ Like, let’s get the foundation right first and then build on top of that.”

Sunday swipers

Just like millions of Brits across the country, Cici has turned to dating apps to help her find love.

However, a tip from her life coach has changed the way she uses them. Gone are the hours spent swiping and doom-scrolling.

She explained: “My life coach banned me from using the apps on a Sunday night. She said Sundays are like your kind of hungover swipers, everyone’s like, ‘oh, you know, just come around for a hug’.

“Whereas if you do it after the gym on a Monday at 10am, you feel happy, you feel high, and you’re like, ‘oh my God, I’m ready, I feel really confident’.

“You’re not in this negative mindset of lack, instead you’re like, ‘let’s swipe for people that are actually matching what I want. Not Sunday night swipers’.

“That’s what I used to do. Now it’s all about going on a date after the gym, the endorphins are going, you just feel better about everything.”

Watch Channel 4’s First Dates Christmas Special Thursday [19th] at 9pm.

CiCi Coleman at a Breast Cancer Care fashion show.
Getty
After watching on the sidelines, CiCi is now on the hunt for a new man[/caption]
Group of restaurant staff in festive attire.
Channel 4
CiCi will be on the show’s Christmas Special this week[/caption]

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