Gibraltar Insight™ December 2023

DECEMBER 2023

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D ECE M BE R ISSUE 87

Contents

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24

28

Business Insight

48

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

50

ARNOLD BAROBISCIO UNMASKED

13 BRITISH OVERSEAS TERRITORIES AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE

51

FESTIVE FACTS

52

WITNESS THE FITNESS: HOLIDAY FITNESS TIPS

Community Insight 16

RGP CAMPAIGN TACKLES CARD FRAUD

18

THE HRH PRINCESS ROYAL VISIT

Police Insight 11 RGP OFFICER MEETS HRH THE PRINCESS ROYAL

Christmas Insight

Health Insight 65

ARIA: GIFT YOURSELF A NEW YOU

66

WORLD AIDS DAY

68

WELLNESS IN WINTER

Features 6

MOTORING A CLASSIC FIAT WITH A TWIST

10

HISTORY CEUTA FOR GIBRALTAR

14

I DID IT 'MY WAY': THE CHIEF MINISTER INTERVIEW

24

CHRISTMAS ON THE ROCK

20 GIBUNCO INTERNATIONAL LITERARY FESTIVAL

26

AN ECO-FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS

54

CHRISTIAN HOOK

28 HOW THE VICTORIANS CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS

56

GIBRALTAR FOOTBALL

58

WAVE FC

60

RUGBY

64

EDUCATING ABOUT FOOD WASTE

70

SOUL CONTRACTS

71

MARRIED ON THE ROCK ADOPT DON'T SHOP DOGS

32

CHRISTMAS POEMS FROM THE ROCK

34

CREATE CHRISTMAS AT HOME

35

QUIZ TIME: TOYS

36 ACE ART: ARTWORKS THAT DEFINE CHRISTMAS. 38

FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY GAMES

72

40

SEARCHING FOR SANTA

73

A PET IS FOR LIFE... NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS

42 GIANA SPITERI: HOW TO HOST A GREAT PARTY

74

ADOPT DON'T SHOP CATS

75

PACS: CHRISTMAS @ PACS

45

76

HOROSCOPES 2024

QUIZ TIME: XMAS FOOD

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Gibraltar Insight Deputy Editor: Jean King

Gibraltar Insight - the Rock’s longest running magazine.

Accounts & Administration: Rosemary Salah-El-Din

Published by GBZ Media Ltd, 8A/Unit 6, Crutchetts Ramp Gibraltar GX11 1AA.

Creative Director: Ben Lewis Executive Editor: Ross Ford

Printed by Roca Graphics Limited, 21 Tuckey’s Lane, Gibraltar GX11 1AA

General queries, contact: +350 54023304

Copyright (c) 2023. All rights reserved.

Advertising & Sales, contact: jeaninsight@gibtelecom.net​ +350 54023304 Email: hello@gibraltarinsight.com Web: www.gibraltarinsight.com Socials: @GBZinsight @MumOnTheRockGBZ @BermudaInsight @SYOGuide @GBZmedia

The names Gibraltar Insight, Bermuda Insight, Mum On The Rock, SYOG, Superyacht Owners’ Guide & GBZ Media are marks of GBZ Media (Overseas) Limited, used under exclusive licence. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Gibraltar Insight places great importance on the accuracy of the information contained within this publication, but cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. Views expressed by contributors and/or correspondents do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Neither Gibraltar Insight nor GBZ Media Limited is responsible for any claims made, or material(s) used, in advertisements.

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MOTORING INSIGHT

WORDS BY MARTIN WARD 6

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MOTORING INSIGHT FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE WANTED TO OWN AN OLD CLASSIC FIAT 500, BUT THEY ARE RARE, AND GETTING RARER, RELATIVELY EXPENSIVE AND NOT ALWAYS IN THE BEST OF CONDITIONS. BUT THE ONE I REALLY WANTED WAS THE 500D, WHICH ARE EVEN RARER, BUT HAS THE REAR-OPENING FRONT DOORS, MORE COMMONLY CALLED ‘SUICIDE-DOORS’ The 500, or Cinquecento was first manufactured in Italy in 1957, and went on in production until 1975, almost four-million were made in 18-years. The 500 came from the size of the engine, an air-cooled 479cc, twin-cylinder that produces just 13hp. In 1960 the 500D replaced the original 500, and had a slightly larger engine, 499cc that produced a whopping 17bhp.

It was sold as a small city car, but back in the day, families would set off on their holidays with luggage strapped to anywhere on the car, how they did it, I’ve no idea.!

I heard about the one I bought from a friend, a lucky find, as the 500D are very few and far between with hardly any for sale throughout Europe or UK. This also had the benefit of being the “Transformible” having a fully folding fabric roof, again, very rare.

I bought the little car unseen, but did know the previous owner was “Pine-

wood Studios” in the UK, and had been in a film. I saw photos of the 500, gathering dust, in a corner of Pinewood.

The Fiat was delivered to my home, and when it arrived I couldn’t believe just how small they are. A quick inspection, and it was in much better condition than I could have imagined. It was probably better than new, and, it is 59 years old.

The engine compartment was absolutely immaculate with just about everything new. It had a brand new interior, and had obviously had a very good and extensive repaint all over. Not a scratch or mark on it anywhere, no rust, a brand new subframe, new brakes, tyres, it was a brand new car.

A bit of digging, and I found out it was used in the new Indiana Jones film “Dial of Destiny” and been driven by Harrison Ford. The car spent five- months in Sicily doing the filming in the narrow streets, then back to Pinewood for more filming. What a find...

The Fiat 500, like the Mini, E-Type and many more are just iconic cars, and now to own one is a real pleasure, however driving the Fiat is not much of a plea-

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sure. Like all old cars, not the easiest or nicest of things to drive, as we are now used to all the mod-cons. It certainly lacks power, a crunch gearbox and brakes that you have to allow plenty of time to stop. No heater, no power steering, no radio, just very basic.

But it’s great fun to drive despite its little quirks, and I’m so happy I found it.

It now gets regular work doing such things as advertising, promotional work and weddings, all organised through fiat500hire.com.

I go out to my garage, and just look at it, sit in it, and admire it, what a work of art…

But in 2007, the 50th Anniversary of the original launch, the ‘New’ Fiat 500 made its debut some 32 years after production of the original. I went to Turin for the Press Launch in 2007, and what an event that was, it was spectacular.

Since then well over four-million ‘new’ Fiat 500’s have been sold, including the all-electric version. So the success story continues.

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THE ROCK’S LONGEST RUNNING MAGAZINE

Gibraltar Insight is The Rock’s longest running magazine. For over 25 years we have been distributing this high quality print and online magazine to a wide and loyal audience, catering to Gibraltar’s unique lifestyle, business, lifestyle, sports and culture.

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We are passionate about our Rock, the people who live here, the stories we tell, and our valued partners.

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HISTORY

Ceutafor Gibraltar1868

WE FEAR SPAIN WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO SATISFY IN THE MATTER OF GIBRALTAR. WE READ IN THE POLITICA OF THE 24TH OF JULY 1864; “WE (SPAIN) UNDERSTAND THAT THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT INTENDS TO PROPOSE TO SPAIN TO EXCHANGE GIBRALTAR FOR CEUTA. We look with disfavour upon this exchange, because if we give to England our fortress of Ceuta as payment for Gibraltar, Spain will lose her influence in Africa, an idea which affects Cisneros (Editor: Spanish Sahara), and which was imparted to Isabella the Catholic in a will.”

In reply the Times of the 23rd, contains the following letter:Having had the fortune to be quartered in Gibraltar for about six years, and cannot expect us justly to entertain the notion of restoring to her the latter place while she keeps possession of the former, much less has she a right to offer it to us in exchange. The same principle which operated in allowing us to give up Gibraltar must of course be carried on to giving up Ceuta also. Then we should have no port at the entrance of the Mediterranean, which Admiral Grey admits is a necessity.

Ceuta is looked upon by Spain as a very indifferent sort of place, and justly so; she makes use of it principally as a penal settlement for the worst kind of convicts, while Gibraltar has, among its various values, that of the British gold sunk in it. True, there are things wanted

at Gibraltar such as dry barracks excavated in the Rock, which would be secure against bombardment; and a good harbour where ships might be refitted; a better supply of water and drainage, both of which are now in progress. Ceuta possesses a climate which is, I believe, well known to be unsuitable to Englishmen. The supply of water at Ceuta is very different, the place being principally dependent on Spain for that necessity of life. It is also very difficult if not impossible, to render it secure against an attack. A harbour and breakwater are difficult of formation at Ceuta and can be erected only at great expense.

The balance between forts and ships consequent on the improvement in artillery is in favour of Gibraltar. A few 12ton guns mounted on Moncrieff’s system would be a caution to Admiral Grey’s Ironsides and although not a house in Gibraltar would be out of easy range, we have yet to learn that a place can be taken by knocking down houses. I think anyone who knows Gibraltar would not hesitate in saying that the present Garrison there, augmented by another brigade or brigade and half of artillery with a good stock of provisions for themselves and their guns, could hold its own against all comers.

The Moncrieff ‘System’ A Captain of the Edinburgh Military Artillery, Colin Scott Moncrieff, first introduced the idea of a disappearing gun to the British Government in1858. He had successfully produced a design that overcame many shortcomings inherent in existing methods of mounting guns.

The most significant feature of his revolutionary method was that it

afforded greater protection to the crew manning the gun and to the gun itself.

He designated it the ‘Protected Barbette system’, a term later usurped by a different method of mounting guns leaving Moncrieff’s method with the designation ‘Disappearing gun’.

During the course of many attempts to gain recognition for his system Moncrieff refined and perfected his design.

The 1859 Royal Commission considered it to be of great potential and advocated its incorporation into the grand defence scheme, thereby saving great expense

over existing methods, which involved huge sums in order to hide guns behind great armoured shields or in expensive armoured turrets. Moncrieff made many claims for his system, but the authorities chose, for reasons that they never made plain, to ignore him and his system. He had some support from such eminent authorities as William Drummond Jervois, later Colonel Jervois, Inspector General of Fortifications and secretary to the 1859 Commission. Moncrieff’s ‘system’ was a method of mounting guns and deploying them in hidden emplacements such that an enemy could not bring guns to bear on them owing to their being exposed only at the moment of firing. The Authorities did not seem to understand this essential factor in the method and chose instead to scat-

ter Moncrieff mountings around existing fortifications as though they were an alternative to barbette emplacements.

Moncrieff finally washed his hands of the matter after a fruitless and exhaustive campaign to gain recognition for his novel invention. An early attempt (1871) to evaluate the mounting resulted in the building of a complete battery of nine pits on Flatholm Island in the Bristol Channel. Twenty of his Pattern I carriages for the 7-inch 7-ton R.M.L.were built, nine of7 which were fitted to Flatholm island, three at Lavernock near Cardiff to defend the Severn Estuary, and three each at Forts Camden and Carlisle to defend Cork

Article supplied by History Society Gibraltar.

Email: historysocietygibraltar@hotmail.com Dedicated On the 100th anniversary in 2018, to RAF Gibraltar, by the History Society Gibraltar.

WORDS BY PAUL BAKER 10

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POLICE INSIGHT

RGP OFFICER MEETS HRH THE PRINCESS ROYAL It was a proud day for a Royal Gibraltar Police officer after she received the King’s Coronation Medal from HRH The Princess Royal during a special ceremony at the Convent last Saturday.

Detective Constable Frances Dreher was nominated to receive the medal on behalf of all eligible RGP officers who are set to receive the medal.

DC Dreher, who works in the RGP’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “It was a huge honour to be the RGP’s representative to receive the King Charles III Coronation Medal from HRH The Princess Royal.

“We spoke briefly about my time in Response Team, the File Preparation Unit and the Economic Crime Unit. She said that working in a small community means I must get to know people quickly, which is certainly very true!

COP ASSISTS INSPECTION OF BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS’ LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES The RGP’s Commissioner of Police has just returned to Gibraltar after assisting with a two-week long inspection of the British Virgin Island’s law enforcement agencies.

The comprehensive review by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) looked at a number of matters including the structure, resources, funding, conduct and standards of the Royal Virgin Islands’ Police Force (RVIPF), HM Customs, Immigration and the Prison Service.

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BUSINESS INSIGHT

Gibraltar's Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia alongside representatives of other British overseas territories were invited to a reception hosted by His Majesty the King at Buckingham Palace. The reception was followed by an official dinner hosted by the speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

GIBRALTAR'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS COME TOGETHER FOR A SILENT REFLECTION FOR PEACE His Excellency the Governor David Steel, The Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and the Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia Hosted Gibraltar's Religious Leaders in a one minute silent reflection for peace at No 6 Convent place.

This follows the conversation that His Excellency and Chief Minister enjoyed with his Holiness pope Francis, during which His Holiness emphasised that Gibraltar's interfaith Harmony and respect should be preserved and treasured.

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FEATURE

I DID IT

‘My Way’ Jo Ward talks to The Chief Minister, The Hon Fabian Picardo about the peaks and troughs of the past year and gets his thoughts on building a better future for the children of Gibraltar. There is also a revelation about who he thinks will lead Gibraltar going forward!

It’s been a year since Insight featured the Chief Minister, and it was during that interview last November that The Hon. Fabian Picardo serenaded me with the first two lines of ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham as we looked back at his past, talked about the present and forward into the future. “How apposite that I serenaded you with ‘Last Christmas’ - who'd have thought that the lines in there would become so relevant to me,” he says. Asked if the Frank Sinatra classic ‘My Way’ would be his song now, he agrees that it is “starting to become my exit stage left anthem”, although there was no crooner’s rendition of the tune this time.

Having congratulated the Chief Minister on the success of winning his fourth term in a row in the snap general election on the 12 October, when the GSLP Liberal Alliance won by a narrow margin, gaining nine out of 17 seats in parliament with 49.9% of votes, I asked how he had felt about the closeness of the result. “We knew that it was going to be a different sort of election,” he states.

“We had been in government for twelve years and we knew that we needed to renew our team - a government that has been there for twelve years with the same leader is as near to a sitting duck as you can get - and we are very pleased to see that our opponents managed to pluck defeat from the jaws of potential success.”

“There is an old adage that says ‘oppositions don't win elections, governments lose them’ and looking back it is obvious to me that the government had lost this election and that the opposition managed to lose it themselves too.”

The Chief Minister replies to my question about how he felt when he knew he had just scraped a win by using a football allegory. “I was delighted,” he comments. “You ask Lionel Messi or Alan Shearer if they would take a win in the World Cup 1-0 - or whether they would insist on 6-0 - and I am pretty sure they would all tell you 1-0 is good enough, and in political terms we have won by more than the GSD won its fourth successive general election - so in terms of the competition between us and our rivals in this particular game, we didn't do badly.” He adds: “as we were getting to the end it was very obvious that it was about the last seventeenth and sixteenth candidate into the House and it was pretty damn tight, but as the night wore on it became clear that the gap at the bottom was not going to close and we were in!”

The razor edge finish means the coalition will be in office with just one more MP than the opposition, the first time this has hap-

pened since 2006. “After 2007 people in Gibraltar could vote for ten rather than for eight and the majority that was established with the block vote was three - so now we have moved for the first time once again to a majority of one,” the Chief Minister explains. I ask if the death or retirement of one of the GSLP or Liberal ministers could see a change of government with a by-election.

“That's right, but it never happened between 1969 and 2006, so although it is suddenly fashionable to once again think about that - I do hope that even my sternest critics will be wishing good health on me and all my ministers and wouldn't want to win it that way - well at least fight it, because there is no guarantee that they would win it.”

What was it that made the Chief Minister stand again? Was the main reason so that he could finish and tie-up the ongoing Treaty negotiations? “I was very clear about two reasons why I had to stand for election and I had been equally clear that I did not want to do a fourth term, I only wanted to do three, but I had spent a lot of public money when Covid came, making sure that people had food on the table, making sure that our professionals had the PPE they needed, making sure that we had the stocks of the tests and the medicine that we needed in the GHA and running the economy as if we were in effect a communist country,” he states, car-

WORDS BY JO WARD 14

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FEATURE rying on to say that “a lot of people, the vast majority of Gibraltarians, backed us when we were doing that and if I had called a General Election in a selfish way in December 2020 or 2021 - we would have won with a massive majority of the percentage of the vote.”

The Hon. Fabian Picardo emphasises that he had been negotiating the Treaty for a number of years and that he was unable to finish the Treaty negotiations, not because of a failure in the way that they managed the negotiations but simply because Pedro Sánchez called a general election in Spain. “This was rightly so, because he had done so badly in the regional elections - and therefore we were unable to engage for six months.”

“I knew that in order to finish those negotiations successfully Gibraltar would be better off with the same lead negotiator at a political level rather than changing the negotiator - so for those reasons I decided that my personal plans should be put on hold and I should stand for election again,” he clarifies.

“I could see that the negotiation was going to be very tight, I could see that the issue of the finances was clearly going to affect people, so about a year ago I made it clear that I was going to stand again, and I am very pleased that in the end, given the choice to back me or sack me, they backed me.”

The Chief Minister comments that this is a reality of Brexit. “Entering the Schengen zone requires you to be able to justify to the Schengen authorities why you are going to be there. If you are a Gibraltarian with a red ID card, we have been able to negotiate, in good faith, that they are going to continue to permit Gibraltarians access without the requirement and the criteria that any other third country national has to meet to access the Schengen area - even a non-visa requiring national - that is to say a British national.”

“If we are able to finalise the Treaty, as I am sure we will be able to do from the point of view of Gibraltar at least, it will bring a fluidity which we have never experienced before for all categories of identity card holders in Gibraltar and all categories of persons in the European Union, so it is a solution that is going to make the future reality for the Gibraltar frontier and Spain something which we have never seen before.”

Stating that he has been released from any ambition to do it again that might have led him to make decisions which were in the interests of himself and his party in seeking re-election, the Hon. Fabian Picardo says that: “all I am interested in doing is finishing the things that I have started and dealing with any new issues that arise in the best possible way for Gibraltar. My personal popularity is no longer an issue at all in the context of how I see the future.” Does he sleep well? “I have always thought that a clear conscience means that you sleep completely well, so my head hits the pillow and I am asleep in a flash.”

In his acceptance speech, the Hon. Fabian Picardo promised, amongst other things, diplomatic reform, more transparency and improved services. The GSLP Liberal Manifesto 2023 reveals plans for the beautification of Casemates and Main Street. I ask where the money will come from to do that.

“Gibraltar continues to be prosperous,” he replies. “The reality is that our public finances are not as strong as they have been because we spent so much on Covid - and part of what we spend has to be recovering the Covid debt and ensuring that we make those repayments. That doesn't mean that we are not able to afford projects and therefore the government will fund those projects and in some areas there may be private sector involvement as well.”

One of the main issues at the moment is the situation at the border, with some British nationals being refused entry into Spain.

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“One of the things that I didn't say during the course of the interview was that Lord Gavin Barwell and I were in Downing Street discussing some of the aspects of the Withdrawal Agreement, and he said come into the Prime Minister's study - she is going to be in Parliament for the next five hours or so - so we took over the Prime Minister's study where we laid out our papers all over her desk and unknown to us Parliament had adjourned, the Prime Minister stormed into her study to find me and Gavin shooting the breeze, talking about the intricacies of the Gibraltar chapter of the Withdrawal Agreement,” he laughs as he says this. “Luckily she was always very positively disposed to Gibraltar, and she recognised me immediately because we had been in very close contact, and she said 'carry on, I'll go upstairs' - so it was therefore very easy for me to interview her.”

Would the Chief Minister be inclined to write and publish his own memoirs once he leaves office? “I'm very keen to write down a lot of what I felt,” he confirms. “I keep a small set of recollections, and in these days of electronic decision making it means that you have a record of just about everything.” Although he says he is not so keen to write the history of his time in government because he thinks that will be written by third parties - and will be understood by different people in different ways – he is very keen to share with Gibraltar what his feelings have been at different times so that people understand what the role requires from an emotional point of view. “I think too often we concentrate on matters relating to finance and to business and the hard documentation that is involved in running a country – and we don't often pause to think about feelings, and different people come at this from different angles – Sir Joe Bossano was a Trade Unionist, Sir Peter Caruana was a lawyer and I am a lawyer too, but I never wanted to be in government because I wanted to just make laws.”

Apparently Harold Wilson used to say that 'it is the ability to sleep soundly and a sense of history that makes an effective Prime Minister'. I ask the Chief Minister if he is looking forward to the challenge of four more years as Chief Minister and does he still have the energy and wellbeing to take this on. “I certainly have the energy and vigour to do it, I wouldn't have done it otherwise, and I know what I have got to achieve.”

The Chief Minister was quoted as saying that: 'I give Gibraltar everything, every day, every time, without fail'. Does that still stand? “Absolutely, it is the only reason why I was prepared to stand because I knew that I still had it in me to do that and to deliver the things that I need to deliver.”

of course I lived those days, not alongside Lady May, because I wasn't always in London - but very close to Lady May and her government as they went through the ups and downs of the Withdrawal Agreement, and it was therefore instinctively very easy for me to do because I didn't have to gen-up on the issues as I had lived them.”

Stressing that the stark reality is that there is nothing that can currently be done, the Chief Minister says that it is an indication of what they are dealing with in the context of this negotiation and that people should realise that the choice is not between a Treaty and the sort of status quo we have had since 2016 or indeed since 2020 when the UK left the European Union. “It is about full application of the Schengen border code to every resident of Gibraltar - Gibraltarians with red ID cards included - or a Treaty, and of course that will mean that Gibraltar will fully apply similar measures to anybody entering Gibraltar from Spain which will mean that there will be a snarl up at the frontier on both sides, every day at every hour of the day. This is what both the Spanish government and the Gibraltar government, the UK government and the European Commission are trying to avoid.”

Our talk then moved on to the fact that recently the Chief Minister changed roles and became the interviewer rather than the interviewee when he talked to the former Prime Minister Lady Theresa May about her book The Abuse of Power at the Gibraltar Literary Festival. “I enjoyed that and

“I am probably the first Chief Minister to talk about love, when I was elected in 2011, and that is what motivates me the most.”

What is the legacy that the Hon. Fabian Picardo wants to leave behind for his children and the children of Gibraltar? “If you look at the Gibraltar of 2011, both in physical and metaphysical terms, I think even my detractors would agree that it is a better place and in my view it has been that every Chief Minister of Gibraltar and every government of Gibraltar has improved Gibraltar greatly.”

“I have had the benefit of being able to do that in the modern age, in the digital age, in a Gibraltar that had already been greatly transformed, so I was taking a Gibraltar that could be changed in a very positive way into the place that it is today which undoubtedly, in my view, is better for my children than the Gibraltar that they might have been born into in 2011 when I because Chief Minister.”

“My role now is to find, influence and if possible deliver that the next Chief Minister of Gibraltar should also be somebody who is determined to improve Gibraltar even further in that way - and I think I know who SHE is!”

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COMMUNITY INSIGHT

RGP CAMPAIGN TACKLES CARD FRAUD Detectives from the RGP’s Economic Crime Unit have been raising awareness of Card Not Present Fraud (CNPF) in the town centre today.

Suspicious Activity Could Indicate CNPF:

The officers visited dozens of businesses on Main Street to explain how the scam works and to raise awareness amongst both retailers and members of the public.

2. Expensive purchases.

that

1. The use of multiple cards and declined attempts.

3.

Taking control of the POS machine.

4.

Rushing or distracting the cashier.

Over the past three years alone, several retailers in Gibraltar have lost over £100,000 after being targeted by fraudsters.

5.

Constantly using their mobile telephone.

6.

Using non-UK issued bankcards.

As part of the RGP campaign, a specially designed poster is being distributed to businesses, which highlights the suspicious activity associated with CNPF.

DC Bright added: “Usually fraudsters would travel to Gibraltar in small groups of 2-3 persons in order to target local retailers. However, we have also received reports where these fraudsters are conducting these purchases over the telephone with a view to collect the items purchased at a later date.

Detective Constable Emily Bright, of the Economic Crime Unit, said: “In general, a fraudster will enter a store and attempt to make payment using a fraudulent bankcard.

The fraudster will often take control of the Point of Sale (POS) machine and manually enter the details of the fraudulent bankcard by selecting the ‘Card Not Present' option.

“The message from the ECU is that by working in partnership with local businesses, we will create an environment in which it is increasingly more difficult for fraudsters to operate.

“The payment is then authorised, and the fraudsters leave the store with the goods. Most of the time, the retailer will only discover that the transaction was fraudulent once they receive a Chargeback Letter from the card issuer informing them that the cardholder did not authorise or participate in the transaction. The disputed amount is then debited from the retailer’s account.

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FEATURE

Gibunco Gibraltar International Literary Festival Dr Wendy Mitchell.

On the 31st July 2014 Wendy was diagnosed with Young onset dementia. She is now 66 years young, lives happily alone in Yorkshire, has 2 daughters and continued to work full time in the NHS until the end of March 2015, when she chose to take early retirement to enable her to enjoy being herself while able.

Ms Mitchell was bestowed two honorary doctorates from the Universities of Hull and Bradford respectively and two of her books What I Wish People Knew about Dementia and Somebody I Used to Know were Sunday Times Best Sellers. She has a new book out titled One Last Thing - With The End In Mind.

would choose to have, but if thought of as this, it can make the diagnosis much less daunting.”

On the ignorance of Alzheimer's and dementia as a whole in the past, especially, was one subject I had to bring up.

Dr Mitchell was key to mention that decades back to when the old ‘asylums’ existed.

on what you CAN do and not what you can’t, then life can still be filled with laughter and adventures. I never dwell on my losses. I have no control over what dementia has stripped away from me, so instead I focus on the things I love to do. I focus on now, on the moment.

The only certainty any of us have in this life is this very moment as no one knows what’s around the corner.”

DR WENDY

On being an inspiration to others?

“When I wrote my first book, I never imagined other people would want to read it. I This past weekend (17-19 Novemwas just happy to ber) saw the return of the Gibunco hold a book in my Gibraltar International Literary Feshands to call my tival. Many authors with all areas of own. Then when expertise came to the Rock to talk suddenly, I began about their works but one that defito be contacted nitely caught my attention was Dr by other people Wendy Mitchell. thanking me for my book, it was very humbling.

“This is where ‘mad’ People were writing to say a people were imsimple ‘thank you’. Othprisoned and never ers, especially the ones seen again. Thankfully that from people with deera has now disappeared. mentia themselves, There’s still a lot more were even more for people to learn but humbling, when we’re making headway they were saying into seeing dementia ‘I’m no longer as a complex brain afraid’.

There disease.

Dementia is so little supisn’t age related. I have port for people friends in their 20’s, affected by de30’s 40’s and beyond, mentia in my life all living with dementia. that I’m grateful You’re just more likely to to have been given get dementia the older you the opportunity to become.” write books about my journey with dementia; Of course positivity is not a word simply to show people that you hear often, especially around dethere is still a life after diagnosis.” mentia. Dr Mitchell was quick to tell me that she is lucky as she is a glass half full Dr Mitchell has a blog where she person. “Personality has so much to do documents her day to day at the with how we cope with anything in our www.whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/ lives, especially a diagnosis of dementia.

If you only look at the downsides, you will sink into a depression and decline far quicker. It’s certainly a bummer of a diagnosis and not something I would wish on anyone, but if you concentrate

MITCHELL

As her visit to the Rock was a lightning one, we arranged via X and Lord and behold this interview became a reality.

“I’ve rarely been abroad in my life, but dementia has brought me such wonderful opportunities. I call these the ‘gifts’ from dementia as I know dementia would hate to think of giving us anything nice as a result of its invasion into our lives. The opportunity to visit Gibraltar for the first time was one such gift. Gibraltar was a ‘WOW’ experience for me. At every corner the only word I could think of was ‘WOW”. It’s a hidden gem of a beauty in Europe. I was looked after so kindly and wonderfully

by Daphne Alcantara, Husband Jimmy and Karen Truman and had the best time ever.” expressed Dr Mitchell.

I quizzed her of course how your life can change from the moment you are diagnosed, she said; “At diagnosis, you’re often made to feel as if a diagnosis is the end of your life and when people hear the word dementia, they often skip straight to the end changes.

Well it has to have a beginning, it has to have a middle, long before the end stages appear. So think of it, not as the end, but the beginning of a different life, a life of adapting. Not one that any of us

WORDS BY DAVID DIAZ 20

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Christmas on the Rock

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DISCOVER WONDER

EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR CHRISTMAS HERE ON THE ROCK

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How to have an Eco-Friendly Christmas PRESENTS It’s hard, but buying less is a great way to have a more sustainable Christmas.

Instead of going over-the-top with presents, how about implementing a limit on the number of gifts you exchange, or make a pact to only buy for the children in the family. To ensure that products don’t end up in landfill, consider gifting an experience day out or a voucher for a meal or even concert tickets, these are things that will make lasting memories without contributing to excessive waste.

How can we help to save the planet this Christmas? We may have already been implementing some of these suggestions for ages, such as saving cards from previous years to cut up and use as tags for the following year, but there are plenty of other things that we can do to make sure we have an eco-Christmas.

Support craftspeople and buy goods that have been locally made or by artisans who are paid fair wages. Look for gifts made from organic and ethically sourced materials.

Brown paper is the safest recyclable wrapping and what’s more, it is cheap and easy to find. Jazz up your gifts with some hand drawn Christmas designs and embellish with dried oranges tied on with string which will not only biodegrade but will smell amazing.

How about trying to produce some homemade gifts? Whether that is knitting a scarf or baking some biscuits, personal presents are always accepted in the spirit of love in which they are given.

Homemade Bath Salts will be gratefully received and are one of the best sustainable DIY gifts. In a large bowl, mix: 6 parts coarse sea salt; 3 parts Epsom salts, and 1 part baking soda. Add a few drops of essential oils of your choice and combine adding a few drops of food colouring if wished and then decant into a an old, clean jar rather than buying a new one.

SUSTAINABLE WRAPPING The fashion industry is one of the worst polluters nowadays, so why not think about wrapping presents sustainably using reusable fabric instead of wrapping paper? This is a common practice in Japan where it is called ‘furoshiki’.

You will need a square piece of fabric, maybe cut from a piece of clothing that you don’t wear anymore. Wrap the gift (there are plenty of tutorials online) and then decorate with some natural items such as cones or ferns to make it more attractive.

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To make dried oranges, preheat your oven to 120c fan (275 Celsius) and slice the oranges in 2cm thick circles. Place the slices on an oven rack and bake for 2 to 3 hours or until completely dried.

Store in an air-tight container until needed.

FOOD The best way to have a greener Christmas when it comes to food is to plan ahead and try to shop locally. Order from shops and supplier that use minimal packaging, if you can. Making food yourself cuts down on packaging, even though you will need the basics, things such as flour won’t be as highly packaged as ready made goods.

Utilise your freezer, making sure that it is fairly empty before the big day so that leftovers can be stored rather than going to waste. Remember to label what you put in there though.

Cut down on food waste by only buying fresh food that you know will be eaten. For instance, don’t buy too many sprouts ‘just in case’! Another way of reducing food waste is by turning the vegetable peelings and turkey bones into stock or broth that can be frozen for use in the future.

WORDS BY JO WARD

Alternatively, don’t forget to compost your uncooked fruit and vegetable peelings. This can be done even if you only have an apartment balcony by using a plastic bin or a bucket with a lid. Line the bottom with shredded newspaper or paper bags. Add your food waste. Cover with soil or wood chips. Aerate the mix every few days and make sure to cover all the food waste with soil afterwards.

Once full, continue to aerate every few days, but stop adding to the pile. In about 4 weeks’ time you will end up with soil that you can use on your houseplants.

DECORATIONS Make sure to reuse your old Christmas decorations, even if they are made of plastic. However, try using natural materials as well such as pinecones or popcorn tinsel, and this is where those dried orange segments can come in handy when strung together to form a sweet smelling garland.

Avoid buying Christmas crackers that contain plastic toys. Start saving those toilet roll tubes and buy some cracker snaps online. Thread the snap through the toilet roll until the same amount is poking out at each end and tape in place on the inside of the tube. Using recycled paper, roll the tube up and tape in place. Tie one end with ribbon, then fill with paper hats, a joke and some small environmentally friendly treats such as small chocolates, wooden toys, or even personal poems. Tie the other end up, decorate the cracker and if you want you could add a name tag.

VOLUNTEERING Finally, one way to have an environmentally friendly Christmas is by giving back to the community and spreading goodwill. How about volunteering your time with a local charity, or inviting someone into your home who you know is on their own? Create lasting memories while also making a positive impact on the planet.

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HOW CELEBRATED

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WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH

Thanks to the marriage of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, by the end of the 20th century, there was a grandeur to the way Christmas was celebrated.

ing cards was helped along when in 1870 a halfpenny postage rate was introduced as a result of the efficiencies brought about by those new fangled railways.

Family members would get together for the annual Christmas dinner and there is a festive spirit in the air. Children would be delighted with small gifts given to them by the elders. From Christmas crackers to cards to Christmas trees, everything originated in the 19th century.

Christmas Food

No era in history has influenced the way in which we celebrate Christmas as much as the Victorians.Before Victoria’s reign, nobody in Britain had heard of Santa Claus or Christmas crackers. Christmas cards were not sent and most people did not enjoy Christmas time off from work.

Christmas dinner was probably the biggest meal of the year for the Victorians. There was no widespread refrigeration until the turn of the century, so what was on the dinner table varied from region to region depending on what was available. Most people had a ham and a turkey or some other readily available fowl, both with different types of stuffing/dressing, as well as various side dishes. Mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato pie or pudding, sea-

Charles Dickens wrote a Christmas Carol which was published in 1843. It actually encouraged rich Victorians to redistribute their wealth by giving money and gifts to the poor.

Decorating the home at Christmas also became a more elaborate affair. The medieval tradition of using evergreens continued, however the style and placement of these decorations became more important.

The old custom of simply decking walls and windows with sprigs and twigs were somewhat frowned on. Uniformity, order and elegance were encouraged. There were instructions on how to make elaborate synthetic decorations for those residing in towns.

Christmas Cards The illustrator and artist John Calcott Horsley designed the first Christmas card in 1843. These cards showed a family raising a toast alongside scenes of charity.

Giving Christmas cards proved so popular that by 1880 over 11.5 million cards were produced. Initially, Christmas cards were expensive, so children were encouraged to make their own. The popularity of send-

Christmas Party Game Parlour games and entertainments were a large part of the Victorian Christmas party for both children and adults. Snapdragon was one more adventurous game that adults played, involving a shallow bowl of heated brandy and raisins being set alight before players took it in turns to snatch the raisins out and eat them without burning themselves. Musical chairs proved a safer option for children.

Invented by Tom Smith, a London sweet maker in 1846. The original idea was to wrap his sweets in a twist of fancy coloured paper, but this developed and sold much better when he added love notes (motto’s), paper hats, small toys and made them go off with a bang.

Gifts

Home Decorations

Queen Victoria’s German husband Prince Albert helped to make the Christmas tree as popular in Britain as they where in his native Germany, when he brought one to Windsor Castle in the 1840’s. Decorating trees at Christmas was a festive activity popularised by Prince Albert’s heritage, trees in the royal household were adorned with lit candles and trinkets and the interiors filled with evergreen decorations.

Christmas Crackers

So what did a Victorian Christmas look like:

At the start of Victoria’s reign, children’s toys tended to be handmade and therefore expensive. Inevitably, only richer households could afford them. However, with factories came mass production, which brought with it games, dolls, books and clockwork toys all at a more affordable price. Affordable that is to middle class children. In a poor child’s Christmas stocking, which first became popular from around 1870, only an apple, orange and a few nuts were placed in it.

The Christmas Tree

Christmas Carols

sonal vegetables, oyster soup, mince pie, plum pudding, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies, candy canes and a myriad of other dishes could be found on the Victorian table. Figgy pudding and nesselrode pudding, a moulded ice pudding made from pureed chestnuts were also popular.

Christmas Drinks Smoking Bishop is a type of mulled wine, punch, or wassail, especially popular in Victorian England at Christmas time, and it is mentioned in Dickens’ 1843 story A Christmas Carol. Warm and spicy alcoholic drinks have always been a popular festive drink in winter. Mulled wine was a Victorian favourite and a non-alcoholic version, Negus, was even served to children. Wassail punch was traditionally served to carolling groups after their singing was done.

They would be invited into the Victorian home to warm themselves and drink from the wassail bowl. The recipes varied from family to family but the most important element was that it be hot to get rid of the winter chill.

Though Christmas hymns can be traced as far back as the fourth century, the tradition of ‘wassailing’ – going door-to-door singing popular Christmas songs – comes from the middle ages. The Victorians updated this tradition by putting old words to new tunes and writing new religious and secular carols. Often after the Christmas feast, everyone gathered around the Christmas tree to sing.

Although Charles Dickens did not invent the Victorian Christmas, his book A Christmas Carol is credited with helping to popularise and spread the traditions of the festival. Its themes of family, charity, goodwill, peace and happiness encapsulate the spirit of the Victorian Christmas and is still as relevant today.

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This Christmas This Christmas I want to be… now let me see… a bringer of joy to every girl and boy.

The light that lights up the face of a child when it’s given a brand new toy “Surely you want to be more” cries ambition from behind the door.

Alright then, let me see… This Christmas I want to be…all things to all men, but then, That may be a problem because not all men are noble upright and good. Tell me Do you really think I should?… be all things to all men? Has anybody ever Been that before?

Now let me try again, this Christmas I want to be… a weaver of dreams.

Not any dreams but those which need to come true.

Can you imagine as Lennon did A world without wars, no silent screams, no distinctions, no more bloodshed God forbid.

All he was saying was “Give peace a chance” alas for John that dream never came true.

What about Me and You? What about those dreams which need to come true?

Do we just keep on dreaming? Is there something more inspiring that we could do Like saying no to our own lies instead of making them out to be true?

This Christmas I want to be… the innocent kisses under the mistletoe A children’s choir singing carols in the evening glow, we would sing for the soldier And for his enemy too, then sing for the prisoner who’s locked up tight We shall sing one for the homeless, a tune called ‘Silent Night’.

We would pray for the hungry, the lonely, the battered and the abused, we should sing for Santa’s elves so they don’t get confused and climb into our pockets to jangle that penny which we can give to those without any.

Now you can all wish with me… This Christmas I want to be…

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YULETIDE PROGRESS Grandad kissed the reindeer cushion and Amos stole his beer Patsy pulled up her pantyhose in front of the brigadier And they all sang Merry Christmas till the dog started to moan Mum blamed the Brussel sprouts and blew one of her own It lingered close to auntie Mimi who looked up in disgust Mum went to flush the toilet as another one bit the dust The vicar winked at Veronica loosened up his collar He whispered a lewd compliment and made the sign of the dollar They spoilt each other rotten thanks to Barclay loan And they all sang Merry Christmas till the dog started to moan Freddy fried the Christmas tree as he was mending the lights “Switch the telly on Margo and leave them Turkish delights The King’s about to make his speech” - “ Oy! Me brandy’s disappeared” Said Ted as his leg went dead - “Oy! Me leg’s gone weird” Nobody noticed the children, as if Christmas had never been Huddled together lost to the world glued to their iPhone screen “Should we raise a glass to progress? Was this gathering a good idea?

If it’s so much bother getting together let’s all stay home and Skype next year” And the lights went up as the wine went down so everyone went back to their phone And didn’t sing merry Christmas and the dog didn’t moan Sally Jones didn’t find fascination with the newfangled iPhone “Gimme old fashioned Yuletide getting sloshed and wetting the bed Funny how Christmas changes the way we throw a party” said Ted “Who would’ve said that fifty years ago Auntie Mimi looked hot and tarty Look at her now nothing to say, all knitting and crumbs with rosy cheeks from the party She don’t need them glasses, blind as a bat, does things by feeling Cool as a cucumber and tough as nails, why did the boys nail her bloomers to the ceiling?”

They hugged and kissed all totally pissed preparing to say goodbye True to form Auntie Mimi cried as she demolished the last Christmas pie.

WORDS BY JOE ADAMBERRY

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Whether it is a cinnamon scented candle, a beautifully handmade wreath or dazzling decorations for your rooms, the beauty is it will be entirely unique to your home and your tastes.

Below are suggestions that will enable you to create a Christmas atmosphere in your home.

CANDLE LIGHTS Candles always feel festive which makes them perfect for decorating your home this Christmas. Candles can also be used in a variety of ways as well. Adding some small candles to jars with a sprinkle of fake snow can make a magical outdoor decoration.

using some simple fairy lights. Although the effects will not be be quite as dazzling, they will still capture the Christmas spirit and bring joy.

A way to do this is to use tape to display the lights around your windows and ensure they are secure. It will look beautiful from the outside and more importantly, will bring festive cheer to your home.

WINDOWS STREAMERS By using Christmas baubles, you can make inspired window decorations. Tie some colourful ribbon around the hoops in the baubles and then tie them to the

Candles have become a staple for many homes and are available in many different scents, sizes and prices.

CREATE

AT HOME A CHRISTMAS WREATH It is not necessary to display Christmas lights all around your home to celebrate Creating a truly wonderful Christmas the Christmas season. You can achieve atmosphere in your home can be a great outdoor festive decoration with achieved by a whole array of Yuletide some minimal touches as well and one of inspired choices. the most effective ways to achieve this is with a classic Christmas wreath. top of your curtain railings. One or two Whether you choose an artificial or real together might not look like much but wreath, the impact will be the same. Decif you make a dozen or so it will make a orated wreaths can be costly but you can great indoor decoration and will ensure buy a plain one or make your own artifiyour home looks incredibly festive. cial one if you have the right materials.

Paper Snowflakes By decorating it yourself, you create a These make fun Christmas decorations personal and individual look. Shops and for practically any room and are espegarden centres have a large range on ofcially desirable for children’s bedrooms. fer to suit any taste.

Paper snowflakes are easy to make and WINDOWS LIGHTS you’ll find plenty of guides on the interViewing homes that have sensational net to get more intricate designs and light displays during Christmas is an best of all you only need some paper activity many of us enjoy. However, it and a pair of scissors to make them. is possible to achieve similar results by

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CHRISTMAS CRACKERS Luxury crackers an be beautiful but somewhat pricey – be creative and make your own instead. Fillable crackers are fun to make and choosing mini gifts and treats tailored to the recipients adds a much more personal touch.

For those who love to buy stylish crackers, there is a huge variety on offer: from supermarket versions to high end varieties. Whatever your budgetary limit, there will be a box to appeal to you.

CHRISTMAS CUSHIONS Cushions are amazing decorative pieces and can be used all about your home. Shops usually start selling Christmas items from late October and Christmas themed cushion covers can provide immediate Yuletide impact when decoratively placed around your home.

They create warmth whilst displaying Christmas fun.

MANTELPIECE DECORATIONS A mantelpiece can be subtlety or lavishly decorated at Christmas. Holly and candles make great decorative pieces but you could even use some Christmas decorations for a different look. Use some tinsel and wrap it around the front of your mantelpiece and you could also add some Christmas lights to provide an additional glimmer.

A FESTIVE GUEST MENU To add a splash of pizazz to celebratory occasions, you can give guests a taster of their lunch or dinner by chalking up your festive menu on a blackboard, using foliage or fairy lights. Equally, handwritten name cards or menu notes can provide a personal feel. For those who are time challenged, name cards can be bought from stationers or stores. Whether hand crafted or not, these nods to the season make it particularly special.

WORDS BY KATHLEEN NORTH

DISPLAY YOUR CHRISTMAS CARDS If shelf space is limited, create a hanging display to show your favourite Christmas cards. Use a mix of different colours and widths of ribbons, cut in a variety of different lengths. Then simply attach each length to a wall or picture rail using small tacks. Secure cards with mini pegs. Special cards convey warm, seasonal feelings that so are important at Christmas.

MUSIC Music evokes memories, past celebrations and nostalgic feelings at all times – but especially at Christmas.

Listening to songs, carols or pieces of music create a wonderful, warm and festive feel within a home. Music envelopes us with what is happening in our lives now and takes us back to special times in our past. There are very few Christmas traditions that conjure up the Christmas spirit with as much poignancy as music.

DIFFUSERS AND ROOM SPRAYS Similar to candles, diffusers and room sprays can create the scents we associate with Christmas. Cinnamon and musk are popular choices as well as pine and oranges. Diffusers are portable so can be placed anywhere and everywhere to provide that inimitable Christmas smell.

Room sprays are immediate so can give an instant Yuletide lift to any room or space.

Every Christmas home is different, so however you decide to decorate yours, create a magical and unique abode for you and your family.

TOYS STORIES! These toys were bound to have been past favourites. See how many you recall which is sure to bring back some happy memories.

1: W hich toy consists of a tube containing mirrors and pieces of coloured glass 2. Do you know which popular Art and Crafts toy that was originally created to clean wallpaper and was marketed as a toy in the 1950's 3. Which game was played on a large plastic floor mat with six rows of coloured circles 4. Do you know the name of these popular die cast boys toys created by the welsh company Mettoy which shared their name with a breed of dog

6. Invented back in 1952 which toy is named after a vegetable complete with interchangeable features and is still popular today.

9. Which toy consisted of two solid plastic balls on a piece of string which if got out of sinc caused sore knuckles

7. Which 1950s toy consisted of a large plastic hoop which is still popular for health benefits

10. What was the name of the popular toy from the 1960s which consisted of a spring loaded stick and handles which Children bounced around on

8. W hat 1950's American toy soldier produced by the toy company Hasbro offered four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces Action Soldier, Action Sailor, Action Pilot, Action Marine and later the Action Nurse.

Answers on page 74

5. What battery operated toy had pieces called Bread Basket, Spare ribs, Water on the knee and Funny Bone

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Christmas is one of the most awaited holidays of the year it’s also possibly one of the most decorative. We fill our houses with Christmas decorations and images of the birth of Christ and of course Santa. There are so many images that remind us of Christmas and in this article we will be looking at famous artworks that define Christmas.

1. Adoration of the Magi by Albrecht Dürer (1504) – The adoration of the Magi is oil on wood painting by Albrecht Durer. It was commissioned by Frederick the Wise for the altar of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg, and is considered one of Durer’s best and most important works.

2. a- The Nativity of Christ is a fresco created by Giotto di Bondone around 1305. It is part of the “Scenes from the Life of Christ” series, which was intended for the chapel and ordered by a member of the knightly order of Gaudenti and a wealthy merchant and Enrico degli Scrovegni. The fresco is one of Giotto’s most significant works, both among his paintings that sought to depict the life of the Virgin Mary, in his own innovative style.

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WORDS BY JP BAUTISTA

3. Nativity at Night by Geertgen tot Sint Jans (c 1490) - The Nativity at Night or Night Nativity is by Geertgen tot Sint Jans and dates back to 1490. It is a panel painting in oil on oak. The painting shows the Nativity of Jesus, attended by angels, and with the Annunciation to the shepherds on the hillside behind seen through the window in the centre of the painting. It is a small painting presumably made for private devotional use, and Geertgen's version, with significant changes, of a lost work by Hugo van der Goes of about 1470.

4. A Winter Scene with Skaters near a Castle by Hendrick Avercamp (1608-9) - A Winter Scene with Skaters near a Castle is an oil-on-oak painting undertaken between 1608 and 1609 by the Dutch artist Hendrick Avercamp.

The painting was acquired by the National Gallery in London in 1891 and remains in its collection, as at 2020.

On acquisition it was square in shape, but during cleaning in 1983 it was established that Avercamp's original was circular, and the surrounding pieces were made by another artist. The gallery removed the additions.

5. (1566) - The Census at Bethlehem is an oil-on-panel by the Flemish Renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, painted in 1566. It is currently held and exhibited at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels, which acquired it in 1902. It is one of the first paintings in Western art to feature a significant snow landscape and was painted in the aftermath of the winter of 1565, which was one of the harshest winters on record.

6. The Annunciation

by Fra Angelico (143845) -The Annunciation (c. 1440–1445) is an Early Renaissance fresco by Fra Angelico in the Convent of San Marco in Florence, Italy. When Cosimo de' Medici rebuilt the convent, he commissioned Fra Angelico to decorate the walls with intricate frescos. This included the altarpiece, the inside of the monk's cells, the friar's cloister, the chapter house, and inside the corridors; around fifty pieces in total.

7. Snow Scene at Argenteuil by Claude Monet (1875) – Snow at Argenteuil is an-oil on canvas painting from the impressionist artist Claude Monet. It’s the largest of 18 paintings featuring his home town Argenteuil. Monet has rendered large areas of the canvas in closely like tones and colours of blue and grey. The application of smaller strokes of greens, yellow, reds and blues breaks up these large expanses and helps binds the picture together.

8. Adoration of the Magi by Leonardo da Vinci (1481) – The adoration of Magi is an early painting by Leonardo da Vinci. He was given the commission by the Augustinian monks of San Donato a Scopeto in Florence but he departed to Milan slightly after leaving it unfinished.

The Virgin Mary and child are depicted in the foreground and form a triangular shape with Magi kneeling in adoration. Behind them there are accompanying figures, including what may be a self portrait of the young Leonardo (on the far right).

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Family gaming is a great way to bond with each other and yes, there may be some arguments between siblings, no matter what age they are now, but ultimately playing games together benefits the entire family and will hopefully take everyone away from their electronic devices.

We all know how to play Charades, so here are some games which you might have forgotten but which will bring back long-cherished memories of past times, or some that are new but which will become a part of family gatherings for years to come.

Who Am I? Write down a famous character or person on a paper hat from a cracker (or a post-it note), then put the hats on or stick the notes on each other's forehead without revealing the name to the wearer. Once everyone has a name on their forehead they try to guess what character they are by asking other people yes or no questions. The goal is to not be the last person to correctly guess who they are.

Ornament Guessing Game Everyone guesses how many ornaments are hung up on the Christmas tree. Give each person a piece of paper so they can write down their guess. Once everyone has submitted their guesses, the closest guess wins (possibly a chocolate from the tree)!

The Cereal Box Game You will need: an empty cereal box and a pair of scissors.

Place the box in the middle of the floor, away from furniture.

Each participant should go to the box and pick it up with their mouth. The rules are: they should only touch the box with their mouths and only touch the floor with their feet. After each round, make the box shorter by cutting an inch off the top all the way round.

The less flexible participants will be eliminated when they start to stumble and fall over. Keep cutting the box until there is only one player left.

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The Chocolate Game You will need: a few wrapped bars of chocolate; a plate; a knife and fork; items such as a hat, jackets and gloves; a pair of dice. Sit in a circle on the floor and put the bar of chocolate and the knife and fork on a plate in the middle of the circle with the clothes.

Take turns to roll the dice. When someone rolls a double (e.g. each dice rolls a 6), they must put on all items of clothing then unwrap and eat the bar of

FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY GAMES THERE’S AN OLD ADAGE THAT A FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE AT CHRISTMAS WHEN WE GATHER TOGETHER WITH OUR LOVED ONES AND CAN TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY SOME SPECIAL TIME IN EACH OTHER’S COMPANY. chocolate only using the knife and fork to cut the chocolate and get it into their mouth. This player must keep going until another player rolls a double. At which point, the player must hand over the clothes to the next player who must try and unwrap and eat the chocolate bar with the knife and fork.

The Flour Game This game can get messy!

Gather together a bowl (this needs to be bone dry), a plate, a knife, a bag of flour and some sweets.

Fill a bowl full of flour and pack it down.

Continue to add flour until the bowl is full to the top and level it off. Place a plate over the bowl and carefully tip it upside-down and lift the bowl off, creating a mound of flour on the plate. Place a sweet on top of the mound of flour.

Each player takes a turn cutting the flour trying not to allow the sweet to

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fall. Players continue to take turns cutting the flour until the sweet falls. The person that cuts the flour which causes the sweet to fall has to then retrieve it with their mouth. It’s impossible to retrieve the sweet without getting a face full of flour!

Penguin Waddle Game Place a balloon between your knees and waddle across the room without dropping it. Try turning it into a race!

Add in some obstacles to go around.

This game can be played with any number of teams based on the number of people. One team member has to pass the balloon to the next team member. If any team member drops the balloon, they have to restart. The first team to complete the relay wins.

Biscuit Face Place a biscuit on each person's forehead. The first one to get the biscuit into their mouth using only their face muscles OR the person with the biscuit closest to their mouth after one minute is the winner.

Grab the Christmas Cup You will need some paper cups.

Divide the group into pairs and ask each pair to face each other. Set the cups so that each pair has one cup between them. Then, start giving everyone orders, e.g. to touch their heads, knees, shoulders, squat down, etc. And when no one is expecting it, shout ‘CUP!’ The person who successfully grabs the cup eliminates the other. Continue playing other rounds until only one person remains.

Snowball Toss Another game where you can utilise paper cups but this time with some white ping pong balls or marshmallows.

Set up the cups in a row. Each player takes turns tossing the ping pong balls or marshmallows, aiming to land them in the cups. The player who scores the most snowball tosses in 60 seconds wins!

THE MOST ORIGINAL AND UNIQUE GIFTS

Visit our shop at 271 Main Street, Gibraltar (beside the Law Courts). Tel: 20077881 Facebook: adam gifts & luggage / Instagram: adamgiftshopgib

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SEARCHING FOR

SANTA

FROM GOATS AND TROLLS TO WITCHES AND KINGS…

The magic of Christmas isn’t the same for millions of children around the world without a visit from Santa. Often too excited to go to sleep on Christmas Eve, some try to stay awake to see the beloved figure as he leaves presents in stockings at the end of their beds or by the hearth of the fireplace. In the morning, they wake up to find the crumbs of mince pies and an empty glass of brandy or milk which they had left out for the big man before they went to bed, alongside the remnants of carrots nibbled by his sleigh-pulling reindeer.

In some parts of the Western world we know the jolly fellow as Santa Claus or Father Christmas, recognisable by his luxurious fluffy white beard, a red nightcap and long jacket trimmed with white fur fastened round his tubby body with a large black belt, finished off by a pair of long black boots. This depiction of Santa is often said to have come about thanks to clever marketing for an advertising campaign by Coca-Cola from the early 1930s. However, Santa’s outfit is more likely to have been inspired by Saint Nicholas who was the Bishop of Myra in the 4th Century in the capital of the province of Lycia in Asia Minor, which was then part of the Roman Empire and today is in Turkey. Saint Nicholas was renowned for his kindness to children and generosity to the poor and had a reputation as a secret gift giver.

There are many stories and legends about pagan winter festivals which include a ‘Father Christmas’ type figure, all of which have become part of the modern version and with so many different depictions of the jolly old man, here are just some of the ways Santa Claus is portrayed from country to country.

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HO HO HO!

Father Christmas, United KingdOM Originally part of an old English midwinter festival, Father Christmas was normally dressed in a long green hooded cloak, a sign of the returning spring, and would wear a wreath of holly, ivy or mistletoe on his head and was known as ‘Sir Christmas’, ‘Old Father Christmas’ or Old Winter’. Christmas was barely celebrated at the start of the 1800s with the 25th December being just a normal working day. It was the publication of ‘A Christmas Carol’

by Charles Dickens that raised the status of Christmas from a pagan festival to the modern family holiday that we recognise today full of festive cheer and, of course, Father Christmas.

Papai Noel, Brazil Brazil is on the other side of the equator, so Christmas comes in the middle of summer. That’s why Papai Noel, also referred to as Bom Velhinho (Good Old Man), arrives from his home in the North Pole sometimes wearing silk clothes to keep him cool in the heat. On Christmas Eve, children set out their shoes to find them filled with small gifts in the morning.

Père Noël, France Traditionally, le Père Noël, or Papa Noël, brings toys to good little boys and girls after evening Mass on Christmas Eve. However in eastern France where the old traditions persist Père Noël is known to observe the traditional St. Nicholas Day by distributing his gifts on the night of 5th December. Children do not hang stockings, but instead leave their shoes and slippers by the fireplace.

Père Noël is assisted by the evil Père Fouettard (Father Whipper) who informs him as to which children have been good and which ones behaved badly during the year.

his daughters with dowries. When Noel Baba (Saint Nicholas) heard of their plight, he threw three bags of gold into the house through the windows, saving the daughters from being sold into slavery. Retold many times over the years, one version of this story has the windows barred, forcing Nicholas to hurl the coins down the chimney, landing in the girl’s stockings which had been hung up to dry!

Joulupukki, Finland

Joulupukki, with his origins in the pagan Nordic shaman tradition of people dressing up in animal disguises, was once a symbol of fertility and a frightening figure as opposed to the Santa we know and love. Also known as ‘Yule Goat’, he was an evil creature who didn’t bring presents and demanded that children behave, so winter festivals were held to keep him away.

Thankfully, Joulupukki went from Some people say that Santa lives at the North being naughty to nice.

Pole. In Finland, they say that he lives in the north part of their country called Lapland.

However you know him, the myths and legends meld into one and we all welcome the Mikulas is celebrated as a historical generous and magical character into our familiar similar to Saint Nicolas in homes every Christmas. many countries in Central Europe

The North Pole or Lapland?

Mikulas, Hungary

The Magic Key By the way, if you are concerned about how Santa delivers presents to homes without a chimney, it’s simple! He has a magic key that he uses to get into houses and apartments and he also uses the same key where the chimneys are too small for him to fit down.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Hoteiosho or Santa-san (Mr Santa), Japan Hoteiosho is a Japanese god of good fortune with eyes in the back of his head which he uses to know when children are naughty or nice.

Santa-san is more like the Western version of Santa as we know him and some children prefer to receive their gifts from Santa-san because they are scared of Hoteiosho.

Julenisse, Norway Nisse come from the Norwegian forest and live in attics and stables.

They are a part of Norwegian culture and often look like a cross between a gnome and Santa Claus – particularly at Christmas time. Based on the German legend of St. Nicholas, the Norwegian Julenisse is the patron saint of children and seamen. Julenisse was known for his kindness toward children, and on Christmas Eve kids leave a bowl of porridge out for him to eat. During the night, he hides presents throughout the house.

Yule Lads, Iceland Very different from the Santa we know, the Yule Lads (also known as Yulemen) are based on historical Icelandic folklore figures who were the sons of Gryla, their mother and Leppaludi, their father, who were trolls that lived in the mountains. The Yule Lads would descend from the mountains to prank or scare children who misbehaved and were accompanied by Yule Cat, a beast which would eat children who did not get new Christmas clothes. In modern Iceland, the Yule Lads are depicted as 13 men who travel around the country during Christmas, offering gifts to children who have behaved well.

Noel Baba, Turkey As mentioned above, Myra in Asia Minor, now modern day Turkey, was the home of the inspiration for Father Christmas.

According to legend, a shopkeeper was too poor to supply

including Hungary where it originated. According to folklore, Mikulas accompanied by his assistants, visits homes on December 5th every year where children are awarded gifts and candy for their good behaviour while children who haven’t behaved well receive a wooden spoon or pieces of raw potatoes or lumps of coal from Mikulas’ mean assistant, Krampusz.

La Befana, Italy Historically La Befana, the Christmas Witch, gave gifts to children during Epiphany Eve on the night of the 5th January. She was portrayed as an old hag who travelled on a broomstick wearing a black shawl, more akin to the way we think of a witch, entering homes through the chimney, leaving sweets and gifts for children who had been good and soot or a lump of coal for those who had been bad.

Nowadays, Babbo Natale, the Italian equivalent of Father Christmas, is becoming more popular and leaves his gifts on Christmas Eve.

Papá Noel, Spain Traditionally, Father Christmas wasn’t celebrated in December but nowadays Spanish children receive some gifts from Papá Noel on Christmas Eve, but they receive their main presents from the Three Kings (Los Reyes Magos) on the 6th January, the Feast of the Epiphany. Children are encouraged to write to the Three Kings in the same way that ours write to Father Christmas.

Ded Moroz, Russia The Russian Santa is known as Ded Moroz, or Grandfather Frost, but most English speakers simply call him ‘Father Frost’. Unmistakably Russian in appearance and attitude, he dresses in a similar fashion to Santa Claus, although he is taller and more slender in appearance and wears Russian-style coats in red, icy blue, silver, or gold, lined or trimmed with white fur. He carries a magical staff and never goes anywhere without his granddaughter Sengurochka, the Snow Maiden. They deliver gifts on New Year’s Eve, leaving them under the festive fir Christmas tree for children to discover in the morning.

Gibraltar Here in Gibraltar, as well as welcoming Father Christmas to our homes on Christmas Eve, we also celebrate with the Three Kings Cavalcade when the Magi: Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthasar, ride through the streets on floats as their page boys throw sweets to the children. Following the Spanish Christmas tradition, children may also receive gifts in the first week of January.

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HOW TO HOST A

THIS HOLIDAY

SEASON

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY CALENDAR FOR DECEMBER ALREADY STARTED FILLING UP WITH WORK EVENTS, GROUP GATHERINGS AND PARTIES. IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON HOSTING A CHRISTMAS OR NYE PARTY AND YOU HAVEN’T ASKED YOUR GUESTS TO SAVE THE DATE YET, NOW IS THE TIME! WHETHER YOU’RE HOSTING YOURSELF OR HEADING TO A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER'S HOUSE, HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR HAVING A GREAT FESTIVE PARTY. HAVE A THEME ’m a big fan of themed parties because even though it takes that little bit of extra effort, I find people always tend to immerse themselves more in the fun.

The theme could be something classic like Christmas jumpers, or have everyone dress up in something sparkly! I remember back in 2020 my family all decided to dress in Gatsby theme for New Years Eve to make being ‘stuck at home’ that little bit more enjoyable.

Depending what your party group is like, there are some different types of party themes you could have, such as: • Paint and Sip night • Christmas movie & pyjama sleepover • Festive brunch • Christmas tree ornament DIY

MAKE A COLLABORATIVE PLAYLIST Just because it's Christmas, doesn't mean every song on the playlist has to be festive. Make a Spotify playlist that is collaborative so that your guests can add songs they also want to hear throughout the night, that way nobody can complain about the music! Spotify also has a feature that lets you ‘blend’ your music with other people who join the blend, which requires less effort than getting people to add songs to a playlist.

HAVE SOME GAMES LINED UP At most gatherings over Christmas we either play Heads Up (a more modern and fun version of charades) on my phone and a card game called 10 Clues that I got as a secret santa present.

Which I've played so many times I practically know all the answers already.

Depending on the demographic of your party, there are some games that will work better than others.

One that is a firm favourite in my friendship group is ‘Hot Seat’ which you can purchase at Music Corner in Main Street.

Each player takes a turn in the hot seat and must draw a card, then players need to try and answer the question in the same way the person in the hot seat would. Questions can be like ‘I am on the front cover of this morning's newspaper, what is the headline?’ It always gets us laughing!

HOST A SECRET SANTA PRESENT SWAP Who doesn't love giving and receiving presents? If you've got a big group of friends the easiest thing to do is just buy one present in the group through Secret Santa. DrawNames is a great website to randomly assign everyone a person to buy a gift for. You can also set rules here to make sure that you don’t pick the same person that you picked last year, for example. Alternatively, you could buy something a bit more generic and on the wrapping paper just write 'this is a gift for someone who loves music/travelling/is always cold'.

HAVE A FESTIVE COCKTAIL MENU A fun idea is creating a festive cocktail menu on the app/website Canva and then printing your menu on a frame and having it on display for your guests to choose from. Some fun ones that we tried last year were:

CRANBERRY MULE • 8 oz vodka • 8 oz cranberry juice • 2 oz orange juice • 8 oz ginger beer • Frozen cranberries • Rosemary

CHRISTMAS MARGARITA • 14 oz coconut milk • 2 tablespoons of coconut cream • 12 oz tequila • 8 oz triple sec • Lime juice If you want to add a special touch to your prosecco on New Years Eve, try adding some Chambord and raspberries in your glass first! Make sure to also add some non-alcoholic options to cater for everyone.

KEEP THE FOOD PREP LIGHT, FOR YOUR OWN SAKE. Hosting parties is fun, spending all day in the kitchen cooking 5 mains, 3 desserts and putting together a cheese board you found on Pinterest is not.

Depending on who your crowd is, try and ease the stress by either just putting a couple of grazing platters on the table or even have everyone bring a little something to put on the table.

You could even suggest having an 'international potluck' and have everyone cook or bake something from a different country.

6. MAKE FESTIVE PARTY BAGS FOR YOUR GUESTS No matter how old you are, it’s always nice when you’re presented with little gifts or surprises. Depending on your budget, you could just send your guests home with a polvorón or add a mini bottle of Bailey’s along with it.

If you hand out Christmas cards every year, why not write a personalised message for each guest in a card too.

I HOPE YOU’VE FOUND SOME OF THESE TIPS HELPFUL, AND I HOPE YOU ALL Giana Spiteri HAVE A WONDERFUL a local writer, is CHRISTMAS!

specialising in lifestyle, beauty & travel.

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WORDS BY GIANA SPITERI

instagram.com/ teawithgi

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Shaping Christmas for 80 Years

I N S I D E - O U T S I D E - B AT T E RY - S O L A R We have a great selection of festive lighting.

All plugs and adaptors are the UK style.

Safe and secure Limited stocks, shop early and so you don’t miss out !

Commercial lighting also available.

B o s t o n S t o r e , M i d t o w n - Te l 2 0 0 6 2 6 0 2

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XMAS FOOD QUIZ

1 In the Nat King Cole Christmas song "What was roasting on an open fire "

4 What yellow ingredient is layered over a traditional Christmas cake

2 What type of small cabbage is eaten as part of a traditional Christmas dinner in the UK

5 Which alcoholic spirit is mixed with butter and eaten with Christmas pudding

3 Which hot drink do the characters sing about in the Christmas film Polar Express

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6 Which Christmas sweet is referred to as a peppermint stick 7 What are small sausages wrapped in bacon called ?

8 What is the English name for Buche De Noel 9 What small silver coin was traditionally cooked into a Christmas pudding 10 What drink do Children leave out for Santa on Christmas eve Answers on page 74

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Arnold Barobiscio Following the successful publication of my first book called “The Memoirs of Arnold Barobiscio – The passage of a Gibraltarian through life in Gibraltar 1940/2010” in November, 2010 with a second edition on 2017, I have published a second book which I have named “Arnold Barobiscio Unmasked”.

The official launch, by Dr. John Cortes, The Minister for Culture, will take place on Wednesday 2nd August at 3:30 pm at the new Government Bookshop in Ince’s Hall. As was the case with my first book, any profit after covering expenses will be donated to the GBC Open Day. The profit from the sale of my first amounted to about £2000.

Unmasked

The book will go on sale immediately after the launch. The price of the book will be £9.95 and will be available from the Heritage Trust office in John Mackintosh Square, the Gibraltar Bookshop (Inces Hall), and hopefully from Adamberry Newsagent, the Gibraltar Museum, Air Terminal and Eroski and Morrison supermarkets and also from the author.

WINNERS Are grinners

The Lucky winner for the Newton Competition Apple Home pod Mini is who entered with the correct answer Tom Hanks to the question Which Hollywood actor played six different roles in the film The Polar Express.

Moira Gomez

Claus Olesen is the lucky winner of the fabulous Festive Christmas Buffet meal for two at the Barbary Restaurant onboard the Sunborn Hotel. He won this fantastic prize by answering with the correct answer Eggnog to our November Competition.

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SEASONS GREETINGS FROM THE TEAM AT INSIGHT!

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It was in March 1969 that John Lennon married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar. Still a member of The Beatles, the wedded coupled spent their honeymoon in bed, one week in Amsterdam and the other Montreal, as a protest against war. ‘Give Peace a Chance’ was written by Lennon and was his first single without the involvement of any of the other Beatles.

Lennon’s message of peace and love resonates even more so these days, but how can we live a peaceful life in what is increasingly becoming a world that is out of control. In our everyday lives we are faced with personal issues, whether that is to do with our health, work, relationships or financial troubles. Maybe one way of finding inner peace is to take pleasure in the simple things in life. Wouldn’t it be great to go back to a time when we were young and were able to live in the moment?

Depending when we were born, and despite the intense hardships of war and economic depression, most people can look back and reminisce with fondness. Life may have been complicated, but it also seemed simpler.

Children were allowed to play outside, ride their bikes without adult supervision and, depending on where they lived, could go and play in the fields or woods, only coming home for lunch or tea or when the streetlights went on.

Communities were often more tightly knit, where everyone knew their neighbours and left their doors unlocked. It was once a common sight to see a pram outside a shop while the mother popped inside to buy provisions, or to see babies in net covered prams in the front garden of a house so they could ‘get some fresh air’.

If living in peace is an attitude and way of life, the best thing we can do is to put the common good first and our own interests last. In other words, the more we achieve, the more others will follow and changing ourselves is better than trying to change others.

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‘Be the change you wish to see in the world’ is a quote often attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, however what he actually said was: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.

As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him…We need not wait to see what others do.” What he meant was to live peacefully, first change yourself, and then change the world.

Being at peace with who we are and learning to develop positive coping mechanisms in times of personal crisis is important.

Finding your purpose in life is one of those things that can bring peace to our frame of mind. Try living in alignment with your own integrity, values, and truth. One powerful practice that can help achieve this is mindful meditation. Mindfulness doesn’t mean that you have to meditate on a mountaintop or go to an expensive wellness retreat in order to find it. By focusing your attention on the present moment, you can reduce stress and anxiety and increase feelings of calm and inner peace, promoting joy rather than banishing unhappiness.

It’s about living in the moment, accepting yourself and focusing on your breathing.

You have to make the choice to practice mindfulness and become disciplined, because inevitably you will struggle to begin with, so commitment is necessary if you truly want to improve.

Rediscover past pleasures and those simple joys of life, just as you did when you were a child. Whether you enjoyed playing an instrument, taking photographs of the natural world, or reading books, there is

WORDS BY JO WARD

always time to go back to those abandoned pastimes. What was it that made you experience intense moments of happiness?

With the stresses of adulthood, we often forget how to relax and take time out.

If possible, get out into nature. Set an intention to be present and fully engaged with the natural world around you. Go for a long walk or sit under a shady tree and focus on being aware of all your senses. Look at the things around you with a childlike wonder.

Take heed of the words of Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh who acknowledged that any one of us can begin a more practiced awareness in any moment, simply by focusing on one breath at a time, one step at a time, and when we begin to do this, he says, the world starts to look a bit differently: “People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”

Allow time in your life for pleasure by creating an environment that allows you to indulge yourself with the things that you enjoy. Appreciating art and taking part in crafts has the ability to heal and transform.

Research has shown that crafting can bolster your mood, improve self-confidence, and reduce stress overall.

Without inner peace, you'll feel in a constant state of conflict so as Lennon said: ‘Give Peace a Chance’.

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Christmas Shopping? Want something unusual and beautifully handmade? Then we invite you to browse our fabulous shop in Casemates. We proudly display a variety of top-quality hand-crafted items for you to choose a unique gift for that special someone for Christmas, birthdays or just because...

Located on the balcony at 15B Casemates Barracks (there is a lift!) the Arts & Crafts fifteen members have specialised over the years in lovingly producing both traditional and modern craft products which form a “must-see” range to suit all tastes.

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FESTIVE FACTS Who knew that Santa has been tracked on his journey across the globe since 1955 ?

It all began when a young child believing that she was calling Santa Clause after seeing a promotion in a local newspaper, She accidentally dialled the unlisted Phone number of the continental air defence command (CONAD) operations centre in Colorado Springs. CONAD had been tasked with watching for a Soviet attack by air and alerting Strategic air command. The child’s call was answered by Col Harry Shoup who told the child that he could indeed track Santa’s location on his radar The tradition was born ! The task of tracking Santa has now been taken over by NORAD ( North American Aerospace Defence Command.

Outer Space Jingle Bells holds the Guinness World Record for being the first song played in space When, on 16th Dec 1965, The song was broadcast during NASA’S Gemini 6A space flight.

The astronauts played a joke on Mission Control by saying that they could see an object travelling at a low from North to South. This information was then followed by a rendition of the famous Jingle Bells song. .

SANTA! Did you know that the Coca - Cola Company is responsible for the depiction of Santa as we know him. Starting in 1931 Magazine ads were for Coca Cola featured St Nick as a kind jolly man in a Red Suit. Previously Santa had been depicted as everything from a tall thin man to an elf like figure The civil war cartoonist Thomas Nast drew Santa Claus for Harpers weekly in 1862 and this is the image that we still recognise today.

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WITNESS THE Fitness IDEAS TO SLEIGH YOUR POST FESTIVE FITNESS REGIME THE FESTIVE SEASON IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAISTLINE! GETTING MOTIVATED TO WORKOUT BETWEEN PARTIES CAN BE HARD, SO WE’VE LOOKED FOR INSPIRATION FOR WHAT’S AVAILABLE ACROSS GIBRALTAR TO KICK START YOUR PLANS FOR HEALTHY LIVING IN 2024.

For many people classes are a great source of motivation and a really positive way to socialise. Some like to attend classes with a friend, creating a weekly schedule to combine a catch-up with a healthy pastime. Others find the gym a really accessible way to meet new friends by joining a ready-made friendship group. Working out in a group can provide as much positive mental energy as physical energy.

If classes are your thing, then there are plenty to choose from. Infinity clubs offer over 120 classes a week ranging from Yoga and Pilates to Reshape & Rumble (high intensity spinning, boxing and cross-training classes in a darkened studio with lights flashing to the beat). Classes run from early morning to early evening. And the good news is that once you become a member, the classes are all included free of charge so you can control your budget.

You can browse a full A-Z of classes and locations on the infinitygroup.gi website.

If you prefer working out at your own pace, then it’s worth spending the time to find the right gym for you.

Sometimes that will be the closest gym and sometimes it might be a little further away, one that has the equipment, training zones and ambience to suit you and keep you motivated.

Within Gibraltar you have larger gyms with more training zones, more equipment and a buzzing vibe, like the recently extended Atlantic Health Club and the two floors of fitness at Ocean Health Club. Larger clubs tend to have more facilities, for example, these two have saunas, very good changing facilities with hairdryers and lockers as well as studios. You can also work with a Personal Trainer to help you plan the most effective workout to achieve your goals.

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Then there are boutique gyms: Sunborn Infinity and E1 Spa & Wellness. These are generally smaller, but quieter thanks to their slightly higher membership fees. The changing rooms are beautifully finished and you can expect little touches like the après workout wellness facilities (the amazing sauna-with-a-view on the Sunborn) which are the perfect treat after a workout.

Of course talking about the boutique gym at E1 Spa and Wellness is only half the story. This is without doubt the ultimate health and wellness workout in Gibraltar. The 22m indoor heated pool is perfect if you want to incorporate swimming as part of your regime and the cold plunge pool, large sauna and hammam have great healing and relaxation benefits.

James McCann, CEO of Infinity Group, Gibraltar’s leading health club operator ‘Our ethos is that health clubs are for everyone, because being healthy for life is something that we all strive for. We want to live healthier for longer.’

And if you’re the type of person that likes to mix it up and try new classes, different workouts, a little swimming and different locations, you don’t have to limit yourself to just one club. Infinity Health Clubs offer Multi-Club memberships and free trial sessions in many of their clubs.

Infinity Group offer a free trial gym session or class at four of their clubs. Find out more at infinitygroup.gi

Words by Kirsty Matthews - Infinity Group Gibraltar

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FEATURE

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FEATURE WHEN CHRISTIAN HOOK AGREED TO MEET ME AND CATCH UP FOR THIS CHRISTMAS EDITION I WAS ALREADY EXCITED BECAUSE HE HAD JUST WON ON SKY ARTS, THE APPROVAL OF DAME JUDY DENCH TO TAKE HOME THE PORTRAIT THAT SHE BEST LIKED OUT OF ALL

Christian HookARTISTS WHO HAD SAT AROUND HER AS SHE POSED and what a year in review

REGALLY LIKE ONLY A NATIONAL TREASURE CAN POSE. CHRISTIAN IS USED TO THAT MEASURE OF SUCCESS BY ENDORSEMENT AND ALTHOUGH HE’S REALLY CHUFFED

BY IT ALL, HE IS EVEN MORE CHUFFED THAT THIS YEAR THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM HAS FINALLY HUNG HIS WORK. WE ARE BEGINNING TO LOSE COUNT OF HOW MANY BRITISH AND SCOTTISH MUSEUMS HANG HIS WORK. SOME PERMANENTLY.

He doesn’t do celebrity portraits any more as he has moved on, but you would be wrong if you thought that his future is only in painting. Hook is more than that. Much more. Let’s just say that he is now pushing out the envelope in the field of electronic music married to moving images on screen, films for which he has written three scripts, and he’s faithfully trying to live his artistic dreams whilst creating new work, inventing new concepts and constantly challenging all that he sees around him. In short he is only interested in something if it has not been done before! “Creative people will always find new ways to get to a point which no one thought possible before.”

The last time we spoke on these pages he was embarked on work related to a film project riding on the huge success of Netflix series ‘Money Heist’ but it was paused as funds were held up. “We had the concepts for that project and all the music done for the film with Alvaro Morte (the professor in Money Heist). The creative team loved my music and my art related ideas. The concept involves my art works featuring in the film. As happens with these things, the funding for that project dried up because it was a crypto related deal which fell through. It’s all back on stream now and I will have to find time for it because I have a lot more on at the moment.”

“Local film director and former film star Ian Serra, who has Netflix dealings in Spain, came to see me. As I have written three films, we discussed possible projects and we shall have to see where that leads us so we will meet up again I expect”.

“I am going to start a new project with Sky Arts. They have asked me to meet with them to discuss my participation. Earlier this year I went to Malaga to paint and I worked on my ‘neon’ series. I discovered a way to work in another dimension and I have mastered a new technique to work with the marriage of painting, adding neon colours and UV lights. My recent exhibition in October at Clarendon (London) was where I launched the neon concept and it sold out.” “ I have recently worked with Jesse Trinidad, a very creative local DJ. I listen as I work, to classical music in my ears, as I first paint base layers. Then after finishing the base layers, I switch to techno music and start the over painting. This all happens in real time and I developed the way to make neon come through my colours. I finessed the results of my experiments and at my recent exhibition in Clarendon (London Gallery) I was very impressed by the results as the neon slowly came through my colours with the correct UV lighting. This was the result of a marriage of sonic landscapes

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played loud in the gallery (by DJ Jesse Trinidad) as the quasi three dimensional qualities of neon came through in my paintings. The gallery fell silent and it was more than I had expected.”

“This year I have also gone to Ibiza to follow the emerging scene of electronic music. Current top DJs have taken sound and vision to new levels as they are super talented musicians. In ‘Ushuaia’ I’ve had meetings with top DJs and I am now working with one called Argy. I want to develop interactive screens for the future, that hopefully will be therapeutic. I see how the healing powers of music and vision could transform an individual and recharge his emotional batteries.”

“This is very exciting work which is an extension of how I think and how I try to live through art. I have a project called ‘Resurrection’ where I want to channel new music and new art to bring to life concepts that have been dead. In all this I want to uncomplicate my life and feed my art to be switched on all the time and not have to switch on and off. I want to live as I work… free of trappings that distract creativity.”

“This is not for commercial reasons but so that art can be developed and shared in a better way. I still pursue the marriage of science and art at the highest levels, as in last year when I tried to paint the impossible. I want to develop an art residential hub in Bali where a communal house would be shared by artists and scientists, who will have adjoining studios and laboratories and a common area for dining where sharing of ideas would take place at meal times. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to develop art and new concepts in that sort of family gathering of great minds?”

I don’t want to interrupt his flow as his eyes light up with excitement at the prospect of great minds working together for the greater good. I am an idealist and would welcome art and science as a path beyond frontiers, beyond politics and beyond commercial considerations. I warm to his idea as I can see how much thought he’s put into it. Bring it on I say (in my head only, as I want him to continue).

There you have it – a revue and some insights into the mind of our number one artist and I daresay without hesitation, an international force who keeps turning heads and winning over new fans all the time. As always we chatted beyond our allotted time but we agreed that the conversation might be for another day in 2024 when we meet up again to review progress and the concepts which inspire this artist to get up in the morning and breathe art into his work.

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FEATURE

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BY STEVEN

BY JOHNGONZALEZ GONTIER GFA 56

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FEATURE

GIBRALTAR’S MEN’S UNDER 21S PULL OFF AN INCREDIBLE VICTORY TO COMPLETE A HUGELY SUCCESSFUL NOVEMBER INTERNATIONAL WEEK. GIBRALTAR’S MEN’S UNDER 21 NATIONAL TEAM ARE IN THE MIDST OF A TOUGH UEFA UNDER 21 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING CAMPAIGN WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN DRAWN IN GROUP C ALONGSIDE GEORGIA, SWEDEN MOLDOVA, NORTH MACEDONIA AND THEIR PERENNIAL U21 OPPONENTS THE NETHERLANDS. With four games played in the qualifying group, including an immensely difficult October home fixture against the Netherlands, Head Coach David Ochello and his staff were under no illusions that away dates in Moldova and the return fixture in Almere against the Dutch youngsters under the guidance of the former Ajax and Barcelona defender Michael Reiziger were going to be two of their toughest assignments in Group C in cold and unfamiliar conditions.

However, Gibraltar’s U21’s have been quietly putting in some very positive performances since they kicked off their Group C campaign in June of this year. Goalkeeper Bradley Avellano, who has experience of travelling with the Senior Men’s National team has been a revelation in goal, and the squad features some excellent young talent.

James Scanlon is making a name for himself in Manchester United’s youth team, regularly featuring in the UEFA Youth League for the English giants. Carlos Richards, the flying winger, continues to progress at Derby County and fellow wide man Liam Jessop has just moved to Chesterfield FC.

Borg was brought down in the penalty area in the 29th minute something historic was on the cards.

Borge picked himself up and slotted the penalty past the Moldovan goalkeeper to give Gibraltar an unexpected lead. It got even better in the second half as centre back Tayler Carington doubled Gibraltar’s lead.

Netherlands, restricting them to a 1-0 win, in front of their home fans, thanks to a goal scored by Noah Ohio, the Feyenoord frontman.

With the Holland game done and dusted, it was on to Moldova for the second of their two fixtures at the Stadionul Zimbru in Chisinau.

Gibraltar’s U21’s only had Bilal Douah missing, through injury, from the squad that faced the Dutch in Almere.

Dylan Borge then unfortunately struck a second Gibraltar penalty over the bar in the 66th Minute and despite the hosts pulling a goal back in the 80th minute, and a late onslaught, Gibraltar resolutely held on for the win and 3 points.

Their first win in Group C of the 2025 UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers and iconically Gibraltar U21’s first ever win away from home!

What a week for Head Coach David Ochello and his young Gibraltar stars!

If the performance in Holland was sensational, amazingly the U21’s found another gear in Moldova and from the moment captain Dylan

Importantly though, the team ethic instilled by David Ochello and his U21 backroom staff has been key to their progression and was vividly evident in the first of the two November away fixtures at the Yanmar Stadium in Almere. Gibraltar’ youngsters heroically frustrated the

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WAVE FC

From Shattered Dreams To UEFA Champions League?

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WAVE FC

In the world of football, young players often face a relentless battle to prove themselves and secure a place in professional teams. However, for various reasons, some talented individuals are released from their clubs at a young age, leaving their dreams shattered. It is crucial for these young footballers to be given second chances and opportunities to showcase their skills and potential. Firstly, releasing a player at a young age does not necessarily reflect their true abilities or potential for growth. Many successful footballers had faced rejection early in their careers but went on to achieve great success.

Secondly, by giving these players a second chance, we at Gibraltar Wave FC can tap into undiscovered talent and potentially find a diamond in the rough. In an industry where scouting and recruitment are highly competitive, overlooking young released players can mean missing out on exceptional talent.

Finally, providing second chances to young players sends a positive message about resilience, determination, and the importance of nurturing talent. It encourages a culture of learning from setbacks and provides hope for aspiring footballers who may have faced similar challenges.

Ultimately, by offering opportunities and support to young released players, Gibraltar Wave FC, with the help of the football community, can help them overcome adversity and potentially uncover the next generation of footballing stars.

Young football players sacrifice their studies to pursue their dreams of playing professional football.

These talented individuals commit to grueling training sessions, often at the expense of their education.

Unfortunately, not all of them make it to the top, and many face shattered dreams and uncertain futures upon release from their clubs. The clubs are of course not to blame and in fact do all possible to re route the players. However, the industry is so competitive.

THE HARDSHIPS OF REJECTION Being released from a football club can be devastating for young players. They have invested time, effort, and passion into their football

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careers, only to face rejection and uncertainty. As they watch their peers progress to higher levels of the sport, they are left questioning their future and feeling the weight of their sacrifices.

perplexity into a relentless pursuit of success, seizing every chance to showcase their talents and prove their worth.

A PATH TO THE UEFA CHAMPIONS THE PERPLEXITY OF STARTING LEAGUE For a select few, the journey of perOVER severance leads them to the pinnaAfter being released, young players often find themselves at a crossroads. The burstiness of their emotions, from frustration to disappointment, can be overwhelming.

They must navigate the perplexity of their situation and decide whether to continue pursuing their football dreams or to explore alternative paths.

EMBRACING SECOND CHANCES: RISING FROM ADVERSITY Despite the challenges they face, some young players refuse to let rejection define their future. With unwavering determination, they embark on a journey of resilience, seeking second chances to prove themselves in the football world.

THE POWER OF RESILIENCE

cle of European football – the UEFA Champions League. Their ability to overcome adversity and bounce back from rejection serves as a testament to their resilience and unwavering determination.

CONCLUSION: THE TRIUMPH OF SECOND CHANCES The stories of young players who have sacrificed so much to football, only to face rejection and shattered dreams, are testaments to the perplexity and burstiness of their journey. However, their resilience and determination propel them forward, ultimately leading to redemption and triumph in the UEFA Champions League. These individuals serve as powerful reminders of the incredible feats

Resilience becomes their greatest asset as they navigate the aftermath of shattered dreams. They refuse to be confined by their past setbacks and choose to embrace the burstiness of their emotions as a driving force to propel them forward.

FROM REJECTION TO REDEMPTION Through sheer perseverance and an unwavering belief in their abilities, some young players find opportunities to reignite their football careers. They channel their

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GIBRALTAR RUGBY

​A very intense game between Mons Calpe and Campion Rugby. Mons Calpe took a very early lead but Campion rugby scored back to back tries which put them in the lead for a brief period of the game. High intensity all round. But Mons Calpe secured a win in the last ten minutes to ensure victory Photo © Brandon Avillano

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INSIGHT PHARMACY MEDICAL DIRECTORY USING THE GHA APPOINTMENT SYSTEM Same day appointments – Only when necessary: If you need a same day appointment call 200 52441 between 8:15am and 11:00am If you need an emergency evening clinic appointment call 200 52441 between 4:00pm and 6:00pm Advanced Appointments: Patients who wish to make an advanced appointment or a telephone consultation with their named or preferred GPs may do so for up to 4 weeks in advance by; Calling 200 52441 between 11:00am and 3:00pm Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre

More than 20 medical specialties to make your healthcare our priority The Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre has more than 20 specialties, including these recently incorporated: • Dermatology • Paediatrics • Psychiatry

• Pediatric surgery • Neurosurgery

Vithas Xanit Gibraltar Medical Centre Unit 1, Lexington, Midtown, Queensway Rd, Gibraltar

• Gynecology • Diabetes consultation

Ask for an appointment vithas.es 200 42259

Booking online via Gov.gi: By using the Gov.gi eServices app

Other Services: Patients who wish to use the following services, • Over70’s Driving Medical • Blood Clinic • Well person or Sexual Health Clinic • Smoke Cessation Clinic May either a) Call 200 52441 between 11:00am and 3:00pm, b) Book online via Gov.gi c) On the Gov.gi eServices app

Other Primary Care services: Cancel an appointment - please call 200 72355 between 8:15am and 3:00pm or do so online via www.gha.gi Repeat Prescriptions – please call 200 07909 between 11:00am and 3:00pm or do so online via Gov.gi or in the Gov.gi eServices app Sick Note - please fill in the required form online via www.gha.gi or Gov.gi General enquiries - please call 200 72355 between 8:15am and 3:00pm.

For urgent medical advice, patients can call 111 at any time.

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ON DUTY PHARMACIES The Opening Hours for the Pharmacies On Duty Are: Monday – Friday: 7pm-9pm Weekends/Public Holidays: 11am-1pm & 6pm-8pm Duty Pharmacies for September: 5th to 11th Dec 2023 Bell Pharmacy 27 Bell Lane

Tel: 200 77289

12th to 18th Dec 2023 Omega Europort Pharmacy Euro towers Tel: 200 48584 19th to 25th Dec 2023 Wesley Pharmacy 299b Main Street

Tel: 200 67567

26th Dec to 1st Jan 2023 Crown Pharmacy 4 Casemates Square

Tel: 200 78598

Please contact our main Call Centre on Tel: 200 79700 or the Hospital Pharmacy on Tel: 200 07107 for any queries.

PRIVATE CLINICS Aria Medical Group HC Marbella International Hospital Vithas Xanit Gibraltar

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

Educating about

Food Waste According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP’s) Food Waste Index Report 2021, people globally waste 1 billion tonnes of food each year. A staggering one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. Not only that, but wasting food isn’t just a humanitarian or social issue - it’s also an environmental one, with food waste that ends up in landfill accounting for one-third of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, generating 8% of greenhouse gases annually.

Some of us will remember when there were no sell-by dates, when we trusted our senses and used our eyes and noses to tell whether a product was fresh or was safe to eat or not. The ‘sell-by’ date was introduced by Marks & Spencer in their storerooms in the 1950s, eventually making its way on to the shelves in-store in 1970, finally being called a ‘sell-by’ date in 1973.

use-by date listed on the product, and then cool and keep it in the fridge. This is because cooking kills any pathogens in the food and gives you a little more time to use it up. You must eat the food within 48 hours or freeze it to eat later.

One way to start reducing food waste is to educate our children about how it is bad for the planet, teaching them how to tell the difference between food expiration dates, such as ‘sell-by’, ‘use-by’ and ‘best before’. Maybe this is something that should be incorporated into all school curriculums?

After the use-by date, don't eat, cook or freeze your food. The NHS advises that ‘use-by’ dates are followed as, once they are beyond this date, more perishable foods such as fresh meat could cause food poisoning even when they look and smell fine, and remember you can’t smell the bacteria which make you ill. It is particularly important for the very young, very old, pregnant women and the very ill to follow these guidelines, as these groups are most at risk.

However, it’s not just children that get confused. How confident are you that you understand what the terms on food packaging actually mean? According to research by the European Commission, confusion around the meaning of these labels could be contributing to as much as 10% of food waste. With surging food prices and with every food shopping trip taking a toll on our finances, we're all looking for ways to make the most of what we have and eliminate waste wherever possible to save money.

How long can you eat food after 'best before'?

After the best before date listed on a product, the food will be safe to eat but may not be at its best. Best before dates appear on a wide range of foods including: frozen foods (such as peas, chips and ice cream), dried foods (such as pasta and rice), tinned foods (such as baked beans and canned tomatoes) and cheese.

By eating food that is past its 'best before' (but not its 'use by') date, we can reduce food waste and save money.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Tip: The ‘best before’ date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the packaging.

'Best before' vs 'Use by' The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE (best before end), is about the quality of the food, while the use-by date is about safety. You should not eat food past its use by date, but you can eat food past its best before date if it looks, smells and tastes fine.

Some foods such as fresh meat, fish and poultry, fresh pasta and chilled ready meals always need to have a ‘use by’ date for food safety reasons, others – including bread, loose fruit and vegetables and some cheeses, yoghurts and juices – don't.

The Food Standards Agency says that you can cook food until midnight of the

How long can you use after ‘sell by’ or ‘display by’ date?

Sell-by dates are only for use by the retailer, and refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale. This helps them better control stock while the product is on the shelf. Typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly.

HOW TO TELL WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT GOOD TO EAT: Meat It the meat smells rancid and has a slimy or sticky texture as well as discolouration,

these are all potential signs of spoilage on meat or chicken. With fresh produce, particularly meats, bacteria levels can get too high after the 'use by' date, increasing the chance of food poisoning.

Fish Pay attention to the ‘use-by’ date. This indicates when your food is no longer safe to eat. Gone-off fish may be discoloured, have a strong sour or ammonia smell and if the fish is whole, look out for cloudy or milky eyes.

Fruit and Vegetables Check ripeness by touching them and checking for any bruises. Throw away any fruit and veg that is rotten, green, mouldy or smelling off.

Cheese Hard cheese, like Cheddar, will develop a mouldy outer layer. To save it, cut off the mould to reveal more perfectly edible cheese underneath. Mouldy soft cheese, like cream or cottage cheese should be discarded.

Milk Milk will smell sour when it’s starting to go off, and will curdle when really old. If it’s only just on the turn, it’s still safe to drink, although probably not very nice.

Interestingly, in a move that seems to have come full circle to those days when we decided if food was safe to eat, many UK supermarkets are now removing ‘best before’ dates from their packaging on some of their fresh products as part of a commitment to help customers cut food waste at home and save money by deciding themselves if the food is edible.

Ultimately, if something looks, smells, or tastes off, trust your gut and throw it away. You aren’t going to eat it anyway, but if it looks, smells, and tastes normal, enjoy it and don’t let it go to waste! Use some common sense and build a better food system for everyone.

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‘NEW YOU’ A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH DR. MARCO VRICELLA OF ARIA MEDICAL GROUP COULD BE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS CREATING THE 2024 YOU DESIRE.

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Cosmetic surgery can really transform lives, creating a more confident person. Facelifts, tummy tucks, liposuction and breast surgery including augmentation, uplift and reduction for example are all procedures which will make you look and feel your best, renewing your appearance. These procedures address issues that usually remain unchanged despite positive lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and exercise.

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To find out more please book a consultation with Dr Vricella at College Clinic, Regal House, Gibraltar. All consultations are private and free.

This is your opportunity to find out more, and to understand your suitability for a procedure, allowing you to make an informed decision.

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Remember, Aria Medical Group also offers free aftercare with post-operative follow up appointments in Gibraltar.

Tel: (+34) 671 639 353

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FREE Aftercare College Clinic, Regal House, Gibraltar

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WORLD AIDS DAY

1st DECMBER 2024 December 1st marks World Aids Day – an international day dedicated to raising awareness of AIDS caused by the spread of HIV infection.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.

While AIDS cannot be transmitted from 1 person to another, the HIV virus can. HIV is not passed on easily from one person to another. The virus does not spread through the air like cold and flu viruses.

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when your immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus.

HIV lives in the blood and in some body fluids. To get HIV, 1 of these fluids from someone with HIV has to get into your blood.

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The body fluids that contain enough HIV to infect someone are:

Symptoms of HIV infection

• semen • vaginal fluids, including menstrual blood

Most people experience a short flu-like illness 2 to 6 weeks after HIV infection, which lasts for a week or 2.

After these symptoms disappear, HIV may not cause any symptoms for many years, although the virus continues to damage your immune system.

• breast milk • blood • lining inside the anus HIV is not passed on through:

This means many people with HIV do not know they're infected.

• spitting

Anyone who thinks they could have HIV should get tested.

• kissing • being bitten • contact with unbroken, healthy skin • being sneezed on • sharing baths, towels or cutlery • using the same toilets or swimming pools • mouth-to-mouth resuscitation • contact with animals sects like mosquitoes

or

in-

Although there is still no cure, there are steps you can take to keep yourself and others safe.

• Early detection through testing – and starting of medication ART (Anti-retroviral medication). ART is a treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using anti-HIV drugs. The treatment involves a combination of drugs that suppresses HIV replication.

• Condom use.

• Undetectable = untransmittable.

If someone has an undetectable viral load, they cannot sexually transmit HIV to others.

• PrEP is a pre-exposure medication that helps protect you from contracting HIV. PrEP can be prescribed through the Well Person Clinic, with the programme aimed at those at higher risk of getting HIV. If you would like to book an appointment to be assessed for a PrEP prescription, you can call the clinic between 11am and 2pm on 20007842 - and for more information, you can email prep@gha.gi.

Information sourced from NHS England by Public Health Gibraltar

m arb e l la

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

GENERAL WELLNESS IN THE WINTER MONTHS To make sure that you can enjoy everything that the winter months bring you will want to make sure you stay healthy.

When you are indoors more often and in close proximity with others, that is the time when your chances of catching a virus is more prevalent and lower temperatures increase the chances of our getting ill as our immune systems can become weaker.

To help reduce the spread of viruses you should ensure that you wash your hands frequently and wipe down any surfaces with a sanitising cleaner. Stay hydrated and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth and make sure that you get enough sleep to keep your immune system strong.

When it comes to nutrition, eating a balanced diet and making nutritious choices with food, thinking about what you put into your body, is important and although ideally you should get nutrients from the foods you eat, it’s not always that easy, so that is where supplements can come into play.

Staying active is also crucial. There are plenty of exercises that can be done at home if the weather isn’t conducive to getting out and about. Try walking up and down the stairs more regularly or join in with one of the many workouts or get-fit dance sessions online.

It can be harder to get vitamin D naturally during the winter months, as the body creates it from direct sunlight, so taking a vitamin D supplement from October to early March can help regulate the amount of calcium in the body, ensuring our bones, teeth and muscles stay healthy, whilst research also indicates that it plays a key role in keeping your joints healthy. While symptoms of vitamin D deficiency do vary from person to person, it may be worth checking your vitamin D levels if you think you might be at risk or experience some of these signs:

low mood, weak muscles, fatigue, head sweats, achy bones and joints, getting sick more often and weight gain. Speak to your GP if you're keen to check your vitamin D levels.

There is also some evidence vitamin D may play a much larger role in the body through our immune responses, so taking one Holland & Barrett Vitamin D3 tablet a day can go a long way to ensuring you give your immune system a boost. While many of the benefits of vitamin D apply to everyone, there is some new research to suggest that it may have some beneficial impact on certain male hormones.

Children should get most of their vitamins through their diet instead of through supplements, but because vitamins are essential for ensuring the growth, development, and overall health of our children, especially during the winter months, the UK Department of Health recommends that all children aged 6 months to 5 years are given vitamin supplements containing vitamins A, C and D every day. Containing eight vital vitamins, chosen especially to support the wellbeing of young people, the onea-day Holland and Barrett Kids Multi Gummy is a yummy - and easy - alternative to tablets, helping kids to get that good stuff without any arguments.

Men sometimes neglect their health, often ignoring issues and not going to the doctor when they should. Something you may not have heard of is Ashwagandha root extract, an adaptogenic herb which has been used in natural practice for over 3,000 years. Ashwagandha has

multiple health benefits, some of which directly affect men as opposed to women, from improving the quality of sperm to boosting sex drive. Holland & Barrett Ashwagandha capsules support relaxation and can contribute towards general wellbeing.

Mushrooms are one of our favourite superfoods, with many of us enjoying their taste and health benefits in a wide variety of recipes. Reishi mushrooms are native to Asia and are among several medicinal mushrooms that have been used for centuries. They are a popular ingredient in Eastern culture. Some reishi benefits might include: supporting the immune system, maintaining blood sugar levels, supporting heart health, and decreased fatigue. Grass & Co deliver the highest quality and certified organic concentrated mushroom and vitamin-packed blends that deliver specific health benefits. If you’re new to functional mushrooms, the DREAM Reishi Mushrooms Vegan Capsules are a great starting point. Each flavourless capsule contains 200mg of the full spectrum of the mushrooms’ fruiting bodies and are rich in active compounds including beta glucan polysaccharides. This unique botanical blend also includes Vitamins B5, B6 & D which help to reduce tiredness and fatigue. Grass & Co. Mushrooms are non-GMO, gluten-free, cruelty-free and contain no additives, mycelium, grains or any fillers.

There are some side effects that can occur when taking Reishi mushrooms, including an allergic reaction associated with dryness in your mouth, throat or nasal passages, so when first using your Grass & Co. DREAM Reishi Capsules, it is recommended that you start low and go slow. Take the capsule with water as part of your bedtime ritual and take care not to exceed the recommended limit of 2 capsules per day.

Advisory Information: Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varie d and balanced diet and a healt hy lifestyle. If you are pregnant, breas tfeeding, taking any medicatio ns or are under medical supervisio n, please consult a doctor or healt hcare professional and always read the label before use.

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FEATURE

SOUL

Contracts

As more and more people become aware of their spiritual dimension and the global transition evolves, the concept of ‘soul contracts’ is gaining more popularity and people are becoming more curious about what the term actually means.

A soul contract is best described as a relationship between souls, decided upon before birth. In many belief systems, it is thought that your soul moves through many lives as it tries to reach its highest potential. The guiding experiences of your life may be determined before birth in what is called a soul contract.

It could be said that this ‘agreement’ helps to place you in a body where appropriate circumstances and souls can guide you.

The most common and most favoured idea is that of the romantic soulmate. And while this is certainly a large component, the reality is that soul contracts take many shapes and connections.

They can be family members, romantic partners, people you’ve had brief encounters with, work colleagues, bosses, your pet … the list is endless. All you need to be a soul mate is to have a powerful experience from which you grow.

As spiritual beings having a physical experience in the body, we tend to think (and have been taught) that life on earth is akin to going to school. Your life as you, is an earth experience through which you will have a series of lessons from which you will learn a greater understandings of who you truly are. Now, while this may be fairly accurate, I would suggest that life is more about having certain experiences form which we grow. Very often, a soulmate pops up to share the experience or even to propel us into and through the experience so that we can grow and evolve into the higher version of ourselves and, ultimately, find our way back to paradise. This, of course, is based on the premise that we are all evolving back to the place from whence we came. Where we can just ‘be’ in our divine essence, living in harmony in from the heart instead of in competition from the head.

A single soul contract can span many lifetimes before it is completed. But we can

AUTHENTICITY

also go on repeating it lifetime through lifetime long after it could have been completed and cancelled. It is also possible that new bodies are allowed to come aboard, starting afresh with no past memories.

being back in control of your life is just beautiful.

Remembering everything that has happened across your lives would be overwhelming, so some souls get a clean slate and can start afresh.

Soul mates? Soul connections?

Often, our greatest soul mates are those who inflict the most pain. It could be that the amazing person that you so fell in love with turns out to be horribly narcissistic and takes you apart, stage by stage. And it could just be that this person has made a soul level contract with you to help you experience your true, divine self. This person, who may confuse you and belittle you, demean and attempt to destroy you may be carrying out a very hard soul role to help you to evolve into a higher and more honest version of who you thought you were.

This does not mean that you stick around. it means that you move through the experience and embrace yourself as the divine being that you are. And move on – unless they get it too and grow with you. Then, you can possibly celebrate and move on together. Or not.

I believe that the idea of soul contracts comes from the Gaia philosophy, an idea that organisms interact with their environments and affect nature to maintain the conditions of their lives. And, while soul contracts are a part of many spiritual beliefs, there is no empirical evidence pointing toward their existence.

Rather than learning lessons we share experiences. We grow through experience and one of the things that hinders growth is the guidance we are given to walk away and not ‘accept’ poor treatment. Now, while we should never accept poor treatment, I would suggest that, before walking away, we would be better to mirror, reflect and grow. By having the courage (with support) to stay the course and accept soul responsibility for whatever experience we have brought into our life, we can recognise our own false perceptions of who we are and grow through them to evolve onto a higher level of existence on the planet …. And beyond.

If someone is belittling or demeaning you, you must stop and ask yourself why. Take your time, get your journal out and make notes on what is happening and what you are feeling. Read it back to yourself and imagine that this is mirroring the way a part of you sees yourself. We can only attract what we are in alignment with and so to attract this treatment into your life then part of you is in alignment with its energy.

It is not easy to get this but when you do, the feeling of seeing yourself clearly and

Sometimes the hardest periods in life, the hardest experiences, hold the greatest potential for growth.

Keep things simple, just look around and observe nature. Come Spring, the flowers never forget to grow. The trees never forget to grow leaves and the birds never forget to build their nests and lay eggs. The sun never forgets to rise or set and the moon never lets us down. The stars come out and sprinkle stardust in our eyes and we never fail to fall in love. This is divinity in action.

“You are a child of God, no less than the trees and the stars. You have a right to be here. “ Desiderata.

KATE MCHARDY MA(HONS) PGCE MSPH. SPIRITUAL COACH, TEACHER AND HEALER. The University of Light Group www.thehealingretreat.net katemch@gmail.com • +44 7712889534

WORDS BY KATE MCHARDY

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KIANNA & PHILIP MARRIED IN GIBRALTAR ON 15TH NOVEMBER 2023 PHOTOGRAPHER JENNA BROWN

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Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

CAFE

Cafe arrived at the pound in Aug.´22 and was about 2 years old.

He arrived with his friend Anis, who has been adopted, but Café is still waiting... During the day Cafe goes out on the patio with lots of other dogs and he loves to play. He is good on the lead and does not seem bothered by cars, people or other dogs passing by. He will happily stop and show how good he is to sit and give his paw.

Bonnie is around 5 years old. She gets on well with other dogs and is a very affectionate, loving dog. She forms bonds with people very quickly and she is gentle with children. She’s calm, house trained and used to living in a house before she was abandoned.

She is looking for a loving family who will keep her forever.

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More info: www.ainf.gi

OTTO

BONNIE More info: www.ainf.gi

SANTOS

Santos is 7 years old and good with all other dogs. He is affectionate, obedient, and submissive, he just wants to be loved. He would make a wonderful family dog.

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Spanish Stray Dogs UK

Otto arrived at the pound in Feb.´22 and was about 1,5 years old.

During the 1,5 years at the pound he has shared a cage with several other dogs, males and females, many have all been adopted, but poor Otto is still waiting for his turn… at the moment he share a cage with six other dogs without any problems. He already knows how to sit and give his paw and he gives the best cuddles. He is good on the lead on walks and does not seem bothered by cars, people or other dogs passing by.

More info: www.spanishstraydogs.org.uk

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A VET'S INSIGHT

A PET IS FOR LIFE...

NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS NOW THE FESTIVE SEASON APPROACHES THERE IS AN UNWAVERING DESIRE AMONGST SOME PEOPLE TO ACQUIRE A PET EITHER FOR THEMSELVES OR FOR A FAMILY MEMBER. This article is written not to deter people but produced in an effort to try and prevent impulse purchases, to try and make individuals more aware of the ramifications and responsibilities of taking on an animal.

Primarily what must be realised is that acquiring an animal, any living creature, immediately makes you responsible for that animal’s care, quality of life and survival. The principal animal charities at this time of year carry articles on dogs and cats primarily; unfortunately this is only a drop in the ocean.

How many people purchase birds, aquarium fish, hamsters, reptiles, guinea pigs etc? How many of these actually die in the first few months due to neglect?

Before getting a pet, you should always ask yourselves a few pertinent questions.

• Do you have the time to look after the animal? All animals require time spent on them, animal cages need cleaning, aquariums need cleaning , dogs have to be walked regularly, cat’s litter trays have to be cleaned out regularly, vivariums need to be monitored for warmth/humidity, etc ,etc. After the novelty wears off and the excitement ears off you still need to find the time, these animals are dependent on you. You have taken the responsibility of looking after a living breathing creature and they are totally dependent on you for their survival.

• Does the pet require any special care? The most common cause of death I have encountered amongst animals over all my years of practice has been bad animal husbandry.

I have seen dying reptiles bought into the clinic dying of starvation, primarily out of ig-

norance, where the animal has been fed the wrong diet or the temperature of the vivarium has been too low resulting in the animal not been able to digest its food.

• Can I afford to keep a pet? Animals are a continual drain on resources, they will need money spent on them throughout their lives, they are not a computer game that after the festive period is left unused in a cupboard!! Different animals carry varied financial burdens, but this must be quantified. Even different sized animals carry dramatically different costs, a Chihuahua will eat less and medication will be significantly less than a larger breed like a Great Dane. So before getting an animal please make sure you can afford the maintenance costs.

• How long can the animal live for? Remember once you have a pet you are in it for the long haul. You might be a rabbit for your child , this rabbit could live for 10 years, your child might be married and have his own kid before the rabbit passes away!! Parrots can live for decades as can tortoises!! My point here is that make sure you are aware of how long these animals will be around for and that you will be responsible for them throughout their lives.

AT ALL THE STAFF R TA AL BR GI E TH INIC VETERINARY CL WISH YOU ALL MAS A HAPPY CHRIST W NE T EA GR A AND YEAR.

• How large will the pet become? The most extreme cases that I have seen are individuals that have purchased small pigs that supposedly were supposed to be ‘miniature’ and remain small. If anyone is interested pop over to the Wildlife Park at the Alameda gardens and see how miniature a couple of these pigs have become!!! Another very sad case that I have witnessed is one where an iguana became too large and was released into the Nature Reserve, if was bought into the clinic dead as it had starved to death. On this note I would like to add that releasing an animal into the wild is beyond the pale, apart from the fact that it might die, it could in theory survive and put pressure on native species.

• Can I give the pet the care and love it requires? Obviously different pets will need different levels of attention. For example, a hand reared parrot will needs countless hours of your family time, otherwise they will develop medical problems brought on by stress. In fact a lot of medical conditions can be as a result of lack of attention, it is not enough to just feed and clean your animal.

Getting a pet for Christmas carries loads of caveats , these are living creatures that will be dependent on yourselves for their survival, so getting a pet carries loads of responsibility and you must be aware of this and prepared to take this on.

Saying all this I hope I haven’t sounded too negative, I personally have a bit of a menagerie at home, pets can give you a lot of pleasure and happiness, but please look have them. Have yourselves a Merry Xmas and prosperous New Year.

For more tion please rma info phone Gibraltar Vetinary Clinic on 200 77334

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CAINE

KIT

Caine is the most gentle of boys. He’s so loving, although initially shy, with the sweetest of natures. Caine is an incredibly endearing cat. A healthy boy at 14 years old and originally from the street, Caine would benefit from a peaceful home where he feels secure and loved.

Sweet “Kit", the kitten who lost his meow. Found on the street in an emaciated state, this incredibly loving circa 6 month old boy is now blossoming! He's a true survivor....and a very cute one at that. Yet to meow, we're hoping Kit's forever family will be the ones to hear his voice for the first time. Could that be you?

More info: (Facebook) @SaveGibStreetCats

More info: (Facebook) @SaveGibStreetCats

​ oy quiz answers from T Page 35 Quiz

1 Kaleidoscope

5 Operation

9 Clackers

2 Play dough

6 Mr Potato Head

10 Pogo stick

3 Twister

7 Hula hoop

4 Corgi

8 GI Joe

Food quiz answers Page 45 Quiz

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1 Chestnuts

6 Candy Cane

2 Brussel Sprouts

7 Pigs in Blankets

3 Hot Chocolate

8 Yule Log

4 Marzipan

9 Silver sixpence

5 Brandy

10 A glass of milk

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PACS

It’s @ PACS This year we will be helping the children to write a letter to Santa! We will also read “Dear Santa” by Rod Campbell to our toddlers at story time. It’s the follow-up to the classic Dear Zoo. Our toddlers love to lift the flaps to unwrap each present, until Santa finds the perfect present. The repeating phrases are ideal for a pre-reader. Another favourite is “How the Grinch stole Christmas” by Dr Suess. Its rhymed verses and unique illustrations make it a fun for parents to read aloud to their children.

Remember paper doilies?

They make the perfect stencil for snowflakes. For one of PACS Christmas crafts we simply secure the doily to a paper plate with paper clips.

Toddlers apply paint usually dark blue using a sponge.

Then they simply peel off the doily to reveal the snowflake pattern. A perfect short winter craft for toddlers. Another fun craft is painting pine-

AT PACS CHRISTMAS IS OUR FAVOURITE TIME OF YEAR. HERE ARE A FEW OF OUR FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS READS, CRAFTS AND RECIPES TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE WILL BE DOING THIS DECEMBER! cones to make mini-Christmas trees. Toddlers paint a pinecone using green paint and then add glitter and sequins to decorate. Its also great fun to find your own pinecone if you can make it to the woods for a winter walk with the family.

cookie jars as gifts for the family. Whether they are store bought or homemade, toddlers love decorating Christmas cookies with icing and sprinkles. In fact, some of their creations have more sprinkles than biscuit. We’ll also be making Bread & Butter pudding. Always a firm favourite.

We hope you can join us at our sessions this December to get into the Christmas spirit. Or try these stories, crafts and recipe ideas at home.

Whether you are celebrating your baby’s first Christmas or have excited toddlers and pre-schoolers who are beginning to understand the magic of Christmas, we wish you a wonderful Christmas.

In the eyes of children, we find the joy of Christmas; in their hearts we find the meaning.

Sensory Storytime will have lots of glitter, sparkle, fairies, elves and snowman and at Cooking Club we will make Christmas

What's On @ PACS TOTALLY TODDLERS - MONDAYS 9.45AM - 11.15AM Mid Harbours Family Centre. Come join us for Storytime, craft and play.

PLAY SENSE - TUESDAYS 9.45AM - 11.15AM Play Sense from 9.45-11.15am at Mid Harbours Family Centre.

A quieter play session for those children who may find our other sessions overwhelming. To book, please email pacsgib@gmail.com BUMPS & BABIES - WEDNESDAYS 9.30AM - 12.00PM The Methodist Church. Our regular social catch up for parents to be and babies in a home from home atmosphere. This is a relaxed session where parents can meet up with their young babies to enjoy a cup of tea, make friends and talk about the highs and lows of parenting.

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COOKING CLUB – WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY The Methodist Church. A fun session aimed at toddlers aged from 2.5 upwards giving children the chance to make and try different foods. Booking required.

SENSORY STORY TIME – THURSDAYS 12.30 - 2PM The Methodist Church. Come join us for some interactive Story Time Fun! Different themes every week!

DIDDY DISCOVERERS – FRIDAYS 9.45 - 11.45AM The Methodist Church. Come join us for free play, story time and song time fun!

MONTHLY CRAFT CLUBS Ages 2.5 upwards. Details will be announced on our Facebook page.

FACEBOOK PAGE D FOLLOW OUR : PLEASE LIKE AN OF OUR GROUPS L AL DATES ON FOR REGULAR UP R PACS GIBRALTA

Contact Us for more information!

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HOROSCOPES

Horoscopes 2024 ARIES (Mar 21 - Apr 20)

TAURUS Apr 21 - May 21)

This is the year for you to stop questioning everything, Aries, and start trusting. Asking questions is healthy, for sure and trusting blindly is not a good idea, however, there is a balance.

Start 2024 with a commitment to yourself to some introspection and mindfulness. To begin with your mind will chatter as your ego tries desperately to stay in control. That’s OK… persist and remind yourself that this is where your real power lies and not in overthinking or overanalysing. As the year progresses you will find that your new practice helps you to make decisions more easily and with less stress attached. Use this wisely to plan a summer trip. Just let it float into your awareness and trust that it is correct. Autumn brings the promise of either a new job opportunity or a promotion. If you feel the offer isn’t sitting comfortably then have the courage to say no thankyou. Your stars are well aligned and when you learn to trust your inner self more then you will discover a sense of quiet which is very healing.

There is no doubt you’ll have challenges this year, Taurus. Try to remember that the world is a changing place and everyone is having challenges in different ways. The key word is hope.

Hope simply means that you remain optimistic. Is your glass half empty or half full? It can be difficult to keep this kind of focus but it can be achieved and it is invaluable. As spring turns to summer, you will find that certain friends no longer seem to be so interesting to you and you may even find yourself declining social invites that would once have been very exciting. This is because you are no longer drawn to those social circles that engage in complaining and worrying about the state of things going around them. Instead, you will be drawn to those who feel positive and confident that they can make a difference.

An old friend will make an unexpected appearance toward the end of the year and this will be a welcome trip down memory lane. As 2024 draws to a close you will feel calmer and more relaxed, more confident, and sure of who you truly are.

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HOROSCOPES GEMINI (May 22 - Jun 22)

SCORPIO (Oct 24 - Nov 22)

Your patience will be tested early in January, Gemini, and you’ll find it tricky to stay calm and compassionate! You may find that someone tries to engage you in gossip about another person and your beliefs will be challenged. The guidance is to consciously speak in loving and empowering ways so that nobody feels judged and you remain comfortably in your own integrity. This situation will dissipate over the summer months and you will be able to relax with family and friends. As the autumn arrives there may be talk of moving house and also of becoming involved in a new business venture. This will be exciting but be sure to check out the small print before you sign on the dotted line. This should be well into the swing by Christmas and you can relax and get in the festive spirit! Anew member to the family will be introduced.

You are going to be working with your hands this year, Scorpio.

Metaphorically, (as well as physically) our hands hold things. If your hands are feeling stiff or weak then it is likely that you have been ‘doing’ too much, carrying too much. Whether this is emotional or physical, you must start the new year by delegating. Invite those around you to share some of what you have taken on. Our hands were made for creating as well as carrying and when we allow them to do this, magic happens. So, your guidance is to find a creative class be end of March and decide to enroll in it. Make the commitment … “2024 is my year of creativity”. By honouring this in yourself, you will inspire others to do the same and you will be contributing a great gift to this world. Our world is in need of such inspiration. Your Christmas gifts this year can be created with love by your own hands …. How awesome is that!

CANCER (Jun 23 - Jul 22) 2024 is a year for you to plan and prepare, Cancer. The last couple of years have not been easy, when one thing just seemed to be settled another wave came crashing. However, you seem to have found yourself again recently and you can start the year with plans in place and preparations to help them come to fruition. This may well involve moving to a new home or letting go of a relationship – or both! But, whatever, these changes are heralding good things to come and the rebirth of projects that you had all but given up on. Be sure to plan a summer holiday. Not just any old last-minute bargain but something you really want to do and make sure to enjoy every moment. Autumn is time to spend with family and also, it’s a good time to embark on a healthy living plan. Take the lead in the Christmas preparations… other family members may be surprised but they’ll be delighted!

LEO (Jul 23 - Aug 23) 2024 promises to be a good year for you, Leo. Lots of action and opportunities for you to engage in different activities and meeting different groups of people. This exactly what you need after a couple of years of things being quite slow and steady. Expect good things to happen and they will. Especially around Easter time when a surprise meeting will make you smile and resurrect old dreams that got lost in the mists of time. The warm summer months find your imagination fired up with possibility and you would do well to use this time to write out your ideas and bounce them off a couple of trusted colleagues or friends. Putting heads together can be super fruitful when you are on the same wavelength. A slight health worry towards the end of October needs attention so don’t ignore it and hope that it will go away of its own accord!! Deal with it, put your mind at rest and move on.

VIRGO (Aug 24 - Sept 23) This is the year for you to take stock of things you have put off, Virgo.

You’ve handled many setbacks very well and with typical fortitude.

And you have been methodically working your way through your daily responsibilities but now it’s time to step back, give yourself a break and re organize your priorities! Time waits for no man, as they say, and now you must step up and decide what you want in your life and set about making it happen. July and August find you supporting a close friend or relative through a difficult phase and, though challenging, you will feel privileged to have the necessary skills to do this. And you will be very much appreciated though you will prefer to keep a low profile. As the year draws to a close you will look back on an enjoyable and productive year. Christmas with family and friends will be a true celebration!

LIBRA (Sept 24 - Oct 23) This is your year to take action, Libra. If you were procrastinating last year, then there was good reason …. So many other challenges to deal with that certain important things got put on the back burner.

However, don’t be tempted to use this as an excuse. Make the decision to take action early in the new year when the fresh energies are carrying you. Start by interviewing your heart and ask, “What is most important to me? What is hurting me (that I can change)? Take time to do this and be aware of the thoughts and feelings that pop up.

As summer approaches, your motivation will have returned and you will be back on track with renewed enthusiasm. This is the time to get clear on your goals and you should have begun keeping a daily journal. By October, you need to be appraising your life and thinking ahead six months. By the time 2024 draws to a close, new opportunities will be presenting themselves and you will be very clear on which ones to say yes to.

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SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 - Dec 21) You start this new year feeling depleted, Sagittarius, and that is OK. The world is changing in many ways and, as part of this evolution, we are all having to learn new ways of navigating these changes and it is exhausting. For someone who likes to roll their sleeves up and get things done, it is very confusing and can, indeed, be quite soul destroying. Once you understand this you can harness your innate energy in new and healthy ways. Start the year in this way. Get reading about Christ Consciousness and what unconditional love really means. Welcome the spring months as nature intended, and as nature always does, with new life and the promise of abundance. Carry this energy with you through summer and you will meet new people who are on your wavelength and want to learn with you. Be gentle with yourself at this time, and as autumn rolls in. You will be leaving behind people and activities that you have held dear but have been growing out of alignment with. Happy Christmas!

CAPRICORN (Dec 22 - Jan 20) Whatever you are most passionate about is the direction you will follow, Capricorn. Think on this and it will resonate with you. Next then, think about what it is that you are following and check that it is in alignment with your highest beliefs. Our world is a very different place to what it was four years ago and most people are floundering because the old ways do not work now. People are lost. Are you lost or are you just unsure and confused? You are a leader, Capricorn, and this year you must take back your leadership role. People need you. So, start the year by looking closely at the direction you are going in and, if it feels right, then continue with more focused energy. If it does not feel right then cut it off at the root and listen to your heart for your new direction. You, of all the signs, have the understanding of physical and spiritual reality and you must you must rebalance that now. Follow this guidance for the year and everything else will fall into place.

AQUARIUS (Jan 21 - Feb 19) If resentment has been holding you back, Aquarius, then this is the year to take a good look at it and let it go. You cannot participate fully in your life while holding onto the past. As the world transitions, so must old ways of thinking. It is those old ways that have got us in the mess we are in and the minds of lightworkers and dreamers, such as yours, are essential to the healing of our planet… to the healing of humanity. Nature brings us into another new year. New life and new opportunities which we must embrace fully in order to survive. New life cannot survive under the cloak of resentment. Ponder on this throughout the early months of 2024 and when spring arrives allow yourself to ponder in wonder at the beauty of new life all around. No resentment there. Be willing to release old, outdated resentments and be prepared to show others how to do the same. And, in this way, you will create your absolutely best year yet!

PISCES (Feb 20 - Mar 20) Pisces, you have been worrying. Getting yourself emotionally caught up in things that you cannot change. And it is not your fault. Instead of worrying, hand over to the Universal Spirit. This can be through prayer, mindfulness, meditation or whatever form works for you. In this stillness you can ask for real solutions and for a greater understanding of your part in the incredible transition that is taking place in our world right now. Be loving from a place of loving and not from a place of fear. Start your year by committing to this practice small steps at a time. Worry less, pray more. And they will change places.

Make this your priority in all the things that come up in your day and allow them to flow without judgement. You will find your beliefs challenged and you will stumble across beliefs that you didn’t know you even had. This will also help you to see things from different perspectives and as the year progresses your energy will change accordingly.

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