Librezine 2020 BUBBLES & BAUBLES EDITION
BLACK LIVES BOOKS THAT MATTER
COVID FILES
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!
BECKY’S BEAUTY TIPS
Christmas crossword Across 1. Pumpkin or mincemeat 3. Santa’s ride 6. Celebration 8. Newborn 9. North Pole crew 12.The holly & the --13.Words on a Christmas card 16. It’s opened on Christmas day
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Down 1. Alternative word to 16 across 2. Christmas drink 4. Christmas dinner centrepiece 5. Abbreviated December holiday 7. Festive Desert 8. ‘Jingle -----”
10.Christmas tree 11. What carolers do 14. French Christmas 15. Snow Glider Find the answers on the page 5
Contents 4/5 Black Lives Books That Matter 6/7 Top Ten Xmas Board Games 8/9 An Ethical Guide for Xmas 10/11 Covid Files 12/13 Becky’s Beauty Tips 14/15 Xmas Cupcakes 16 Mocha Marble Cake 17 Nativity Puzzle 18/19 Christmas Crafts
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Black Lives books that matter By Huriyyah Patel
Six anti-racism books you can gift this year to support conversations on black history and anti-racism.
1 - Between The World And Me By Ta-Nehisi Coates In a letter to his son, Coates offers a new framework for understanding America’s fraught racial history and its contemporary crisis.
2 - How to Be an AntiRacist By Dr. Ibram X Kendi Ibram X. Kendi writes how we can be a force for good when tackling racism.
3 - Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race By Reni-Eddo Lodge Lodge expresses her frustration with how conversations about race are being led by people who aren’t affected by it. This book offers a greater understanding of race relations in Britain. 4
4 - The Hate U Give By Angie Thomas
A gripping novel about a young girl’s struggle for justice in America where police brutality, inequality and prejudice is rampant.
5 - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing By Maya Angelou A memoir written by Maya Angelou describing her childhood in the American south in the 1930s. The book sheds light on her experiences as a victim of racism, discrimination and violenc but also offers a message of hope and joy.
6 - Just Mercy By Bryan Stevenson
A powerful story about America’s broken justice system and a black man who was wrongfully con victed of a crime he did not commit.
Christmas tree crossword answers Across 1 Pie 3 Sleigh 6 Party 8 Baby 9 Elves
12 Ivy 13 Greetings 16 Gift
Down 1 Present 2 Eggnog 4 Ham 5 Xmas 7 Yulelog
8 Bells 10 Pine 11 Sing 14 Noel 15 Sled 5
TOP TEN Xmas Board Games With everyone staying in this Christmas, it’s a good idea to stock up on some family board games to keep everyone entertained throughout the festive season, whilst having some good old belly laughs along the way. To help you choose the right one for you, I’ve selected 10 of the best on the market for your consideration. Game for Fame The aim of the game is to become the highest paid superstar. Although played in teams only one individual will win. Each team takes it in turn to pick up a money maker card and follow the instructions. Money maker cards allow you to move your counter around the board or earn credits for an individual player.
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The Logo Board Game The aim of this game is to correctly answer a
By Janette Davies
series of questions, relating to popular brands and logos, to move around the board and become the first person to reach the winning zone. Beat That To win this game players place a bet, using betting tokens, on their own ability to complete a wacky challenge on a challenge card. Those who succeed in the challenge win the points on their token. The winner is the person with the most points. Beat the Parents The aim here is to get your mover to the other side of the board first. But to do that parents need to answer questions about kids stuff and vice versa, completing fun challenges along the way.
Would I Lie To You This game recreates all the fun of the TV show. Players roll a die to pick up a category fact card. They then add their own version of the truth stated on the card. Points are earned by identifying the true version of the fact. Catchphrase The winner is the player with the most money at the end of the game. Players go against the clock to guess catchphrases shown on cards. There are three rounds: individual, rapid fire and super catchphrase. Players take it in turns to be the host The Hygge Game The Hygge Game is all about bringing people together by encouraging friends and family to share their stories and discuss the big and small things in life. The game has more than 300 thought-provoking questions designed to spark meaningful conversation and create the right atmosphere for a cosy and comfortable evening.
5 Second Rule The goal of this game is to score the most points by giving three answers before the balls twist down to the bottom of the timer. Each player takes turns in the hot seat. The player next to the hot seat takes a card which begins with “Name 3 …..” and the player in the hot seat has to give three answers in five seconds to score points. The Game of Life This game takes you through life choices earning cash and money value along the way. The winner is the person with the most cash and money value at the end of the game. Talisman Each player moves from the outer world to the inner world to claim the Crown of Command. Players wander the outer, middle, and inner worlds trying to acquire equipment, weapons, and companions. Once they complete a Talisman quest, players will enter the inner world and face its challenges to finally reach the Portal of Power to claim command.
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an ethical guide For Xmas There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a difficult year for everybody. It is more important than ever to support each other this Christmas. Many small businesses are likely to be struggling, whilst certain bigger businesses are thriving; keeping this in mind, we may be able to help when deciding where to buy our Christmas presents - both in person and online.
Recommended Independent shops: 1 - Magma - books, zines, gifts 2 - Colours May Vary - books, prints, gifts 3 - Fred Aldous - art and craft supplies, stationary 4 - Moo like a Monkey - toys, children’s clothes 5 - Picadilly records - CDs, vinyl 6 - The Recycled Candle Company 8
At this time of year, we should also look at how we can make our Christmas behaviour more eco-friendly.
Go Green this Christmas: • Avoid glitter: glitter is terrible for the environment, since it is made from plastic, which contributes to the growing problem of microplastics in the environment. Microplastics are consumed by plankton, fish, and birds, and have a detrimental impact. This year, large retailers such as Morrisons and John Lewis have banned glitter from their own-brand items. • Use products made with recyled materials • Shop second-hand: Buying second-hand is not only eco-friendly but also more economical for those on a limited budget. During lockdown, charity shops have been forced to close their doors. However, some have expanded their online accessibility and we can now order a range of items delivered right to our doors.
Top picks: • https://onlineshop.oxfam.org. uk/shop • https://giftshop.redcross.org. uk/ • A wide range of charity shops have items available online: https://charity.ebay.co.uk/ • Christmas Bee Saver Kit: Bees are vital to our planet, helping pollinate the crops and plants that sustain us. Buy a Christmas Bee Saver Kit for a loved one, and receive bee-friendly wildflower seeds, a bee identification guide, Christmas goodies and much more. • Recycle your Christmas tree: Most councils have allocated locations where people can leave their tree after Christmas. Or you can usually take them to your nearest municipal tip/ recycling centre. • Send a Christmas e-card: An unbelievable 1.5 billion Christmas cards are thrown away by UK households each year. There is a wide range of attractive e-cards to be found online, which are also free to use. By Rachel Webb 9
COVID FILES
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
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Conspiracy theories have become pretty mainstream throughout the 2020 Covid pandemic, most of which have originated online via various social media platforms, blogs and You Tube. This is not surprising as throughout lockdown many of us tried to acquire our own research about a virus which there was no prior evidence or data to guide us, and as a consequence everyone had their own idea about this new virus and its effects on the world around us. We are all familiar with the term ‘fake news’ now thanks to a certain orange individual, but unfortunately ‘fake news’ can reach more people and spread faster than the truth, especially when politics or global pandemics are involved. Combine this with the notion of ‘Confirmation Bias’, which allows algorithms (computer performing tasks) to spread information and content that fits nicely into our pre-existing values and beliefs, and we see a rise in the number of people being misinformed and taking less credible thoughts as objective facts.
Let’s rewind to political issues in the UK prior to coronavirus and whether the nation should leave or remain in the European Union. The majority of voters chose to leave and the term ‘Brexit’ came into our vocabulary which brought about division between people. Yet coronavirus virus initially united everyone as we were all in it together, not just within the UK but across continents too as we were all able to learn from each other on how to tackle the situation. Now we are eight months on, a second lockdown, and another tier system in place. However in that time we have all been exposed not only to a deadly virus but also exposed to a deadly arena of misinformation and guidance. There are so many sources of data and information on the internet,
and everyone is free to believe what they want but we should all choose our sources wisely and not simply regurgitate another person’s opinion. Form your own opinion by checking from the following..... Credible Source Check List 1 - Is the article in-depth? (referenced/citied/bibliography) 2 - Who is the article targeted at? (academics, doctors, general public, trade, industry)
Now is the time to be more vigilant and intelligent about where we acquire our knowledge from, and collectively we should take the time to always cross reference, fact check and be objective. Remember the truth is out there but it’s up to you to find it. By Zoe Rothwell
POEtry Corner Bubbles & Baubles
A Gemma & Zoe collaboration
3 - Who are the authors? (credentials, organisation, publication, site)
I place a bauble on my tree, A bubble around my home. I’m still unsure of whom I’ll see, And whom might be alone.
4 - Is the source from an academic book, scholarly article or a non-biased website? (peer reviewed journal, broadsheet, government reports)
For this has been a scary year A glimpse for one and all To see the strength behind the fear The love behind the wall
5 - Does the source have supporting evidence? (graphs, charts, statistics, documentation) 6 - Have you used other fact checking websites to validate your findings? (Snopes for fake news)
As time removes unwanted dust We mend our troubled hearts For leaves that paint the path with rust Bring forth a brand new start The light will shine on festive cheer A sound to end the fight My smile will form from ear to ear Our world will re-unite! 11
Becky’s BEAuty tips for maskne
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xmas cupcakes Christmas Cupcakes If you haven’t gotten into the Christmas spirit yet, then the smell of gingerbread cupcakes baking in the oven is sure to get you there! This recipe is delicious and easy to follow, and also lots of fun - especially when you have family or friends to help out.
Ingredients 150g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 250ml black treacle 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 350g plain flour 2tbsp cocoa powder 2 ½ tsp ginger 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground allspice ½ tsp salt 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 250ml milk Ready-to-roll fondant icing 14
You’ll also need muffin tins and cupcake cases.
1.Preheat the oven to 175˚C. 2.Put the sugar and butter into a large bowl, and mix until the butter becomes soft and fluffy. If you can, use an electric whisk - unless you want an arm workout!
3.Add in the treacle, the egg and the egg yolk, and mix 4.In another bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt, and mix it together.
5. Heat up some milk separately, either on the stove or in the microwave, and mix in the baking soda so that the milk foams up. After this, mix the dry and soft mixtures together in one bowl, and then stir in the milk.
6.Fill the cases with the batter so that they are just a little over half-way full. Bake for 20 minutes. Then take them out of the oven and place onto a rack for at least another 20 minutes to make sure they’re cool.
10.To make an ear, create a heart shape out of the icing and then pinch the two arches of the heart together.
7.That was the easy part. Now it’s time to decorate - no, it’s not as easy as it looks on Bake Off! If you’re not up for the challenge, you can just decorate these with glace icing or buttercream. But if you want to go all out for the festive season then get out your rolling pin and some ready-to-roll fondant and prepare yourself with a drink of choice. Coffee, Baileys - personally, I combined the two. First of all, start with the background layer. Roll out the fondant and cut out a circle, then fit it on top of the cake.
11.To create a leaf, roll the icing up into a bean shape and draw a line down the middle with a knife. 12.Now that you have the basics, you can make up designs of your own. Have fun with it, even if you make a mess they’re going to taste great anyway.
8.Now add on the next layer before you get to the finer details. Use cookie cutters or a knife to help you get the right shape. 9.Roll up icing in-between your fingers to make little circles and lines for the facial features. Indent the icing with a knife to add any finishing touches, like a smile! This recipe makes approximately 20 cupcakes. By Elise Vipond
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Marble Cake Huryyah’s Mocha Marble Cake As winter approaches and the cold weather sets in, there’s nothing like taking sanctuary in your kitchen and baking warm, comforting cakes. One of my favourite winter treats is this mocha marble cake! I can’t take full credit however; recipe credit goes to BBC Food: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/marble_cake_64138 What you need: 2lb loaf tin 175g butter 175g caster sugar 3 free-range eggs ½ tsp vanilla extract A pinch of salt 225g self-raising flour 2 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp cooled strong black coffee 2 tbsp milk
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Method: • Preheat your oven to gas mark 4. • Lightly grease the loaf tin using a clean kitchen towel and a little bit of butter. • Line the tin with baking paper. • Use a whisk to cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. • Lightly beat the eggs and whisk them into the butter and sugar mixture little by little. • Whisk in the vanilla extract. • Grab a clean bowl and sift in the self-raising flour and salt and add into the butter, sugar and egg mixture. • Divide the batter into equal portions. • In separate mug, mix the cocoa powder and coffee to make a smooth paste. • Add this paste into one portion of the batter and mix well. • Add milk into the other portion of the batter until it’s well combined. • Spoon in the batter, alternating the flavours to create a marble effect. • Bake for 50-60 minutes ensuring it’s baked through. • Cool cake before taking it out of the tin and slicing.
Nativity Puzzle
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE NATIVITY STORY Test your knowledge by filling in the gaps:
There was a young girl named ____ who was engaged to be married to a carpenter named ______. The Lord sent his messenger Angel ________ to speak to Mary. “Mary, you are going to have a baby and name him Jesus (which means saviour). He will be a very special baby sent from ____.” Mary was very shocked, but she trusted God. When Joseph heard about this, he was very worried. How can he marry Mary if she is having a ____? He was going to break off his engagement to Mary, when one night in his sleep and angel spoke to him, “Joseph, don’t be afraid to marry Mary, the baby she is carrying is from God, take care of them both.” When Joseph woke up he was no longer afraid and married Mary. Meanwhile, Emperor ______ ________ wanted to count all people living in the Roman Empire. He ordered everyone to return to their place of birth to be counted. So Mary and Joseph returned to Joseph’s hometown of _________, but when they got their lots of other people had returned too. It was so busy there was nowhere for the couple to stay. Eventually, a kind _________ said they could stay in his stable where he keeps his animals. That night in the stable baby Jesus was born. Mary wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a ______. Far away on a hillside were some _________ watching their sheep. Suddenly lots of _______ appeared lighting up the sky. The shepherds were very scared, but an angel said, “Don’t be afraid, we have good news for you, today in Bethlehem a _______ has been born for you.” So the shepherds went to find baby _____ and worship him. Sometime later, there were some wise men who studied the stars who noticed a brand new bright shining ____ which meant a new king had been born. The ____ men followed the star to Bethlehem with gifts fit for a king. They brought ____, ____________ and _____ for the new king, saviour of the world. Jesus grew up in a normal family like you and I, but as he got older he taught great lessons and performed amazing miracles to show the world how to live and love one another so they would be happy. Find the answers on the page 19
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CHristmas crafts Hello everyone, my name is Umamah and I work in the LRC. For Christmas I have designed and made hand sewn baubles on embroidery hoops so I thought I’d share with you how to create your own with a step by step guide. (Note: Embroidery hoops start at 3 inches and go up an inch to your required size - whichever size embroidery hoop you’d like would have to match your Christmas decor and tree - Bigger hoops can be used as the big star at the top, and smaller hoops as baubles). STEP 1. Cut a cotton material into a square using the measurements of +1 inch of your embroidery hoop. For example, if your hoop is 3 inches, your material should be 4 by 4 inches.
STEP 2. Place the material into the embroidery hoop.
STEP 3. Find a simple line drawing image that you would like to design and sew, this can be from online or you can draw this out yourself. I decided to go with a simple letter K. 18
STEP 4. Choose a coloured cotton embroi dery floss and a mixture of sewable beads or crystals. Tie a knot on one side of the string, thread the other through an needle and you’re ready to sew! Add beads accordingly.
STEP 5. Check the progress half way through to see whether all the beads are in the correct position and you’re happy with the colours. STEP 6. Finish off sewing the beads so the full pattern is com plete. Sew the back pieces together so the back is closed and add elastic and a little bow to hang the embroidery hoop. By Umamah Kala
Answers for Nativity Story: Mary, Joseph, Gabriel, God, baby, Caesar Augustus, Bethlehem, Innkeeper, manger, shepherds, angels, savior, Jesus, star, wise, gold, frankincense, myrrh
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