Do you know all the names of Santa’s reindeer?

If you’re well versed in all things Christmas, you might know that one of his trusty sleighers is a reindeer named Dunder previously named Donder or Donner.

And that gave kebab connoisseurs I Am Doner a bright spark; to make the fried goods using reindeer meat.

I Am Doner came up with the idea after their success with a similar Christmas-themed kebab last year. This year they’ve gone one step further and created it out of reindeer meat.

The idea for the Döner & Blitzen kebab came to the folks at the store on a trip to Finnish Lapland and was inspired by the traditional food of Finland’s indigenous Sámi people, who serve reindeer in a flat bread.

The meal is a blend of reindeer and beef doner meat, topped with tangy lingonberry crème fraiche, Christmas dinner gravy, parsnip crisps, spicy chilli jam, root veg sauerkraut and traditional stuffing.

If not to everyone’s taste, or for those wanting something plant-based, the reindeer meat can be swapped out for I am Döner’s vegan doner or any other meat.

I am Döner Founder Paul Baron said: ‘We launched a Christmas kebab last year and it went nuts, it got us thinking about what we could do this year. As a chef, I am always looking for inspiration from the world around me and when the opportunity came up to visit Lapland, meet other chefs and discover their cuisine, I jumped at the chance.

‘It was there, in the home of Santa Claus, that we discovered how important reindeer meat is in their culture. We met a reindeer farmer whose family had been farming this way for over 300 years and an award-winning chef that helped us understand the ingredients and flavours they use.’

From each purchase, 50p will be donated to local children’s causes in Yorkshire.

Reindeer meat is low in fat and is considered one of the leanest meats, according to the restaurant’s research. It contains more than double the values of some nutrients than others and is high in B-12, omega-3, omega-6 and essentials fatty acids. It’s also naturally farmed, traditionally eaten in Nordic countries.

A large kebab costs £9.45 and a regular £6.95.

Would you try it?

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‘It’s that time of the month again,’ Ella told her friend, rubbing her stomach.

Although Ella was 16, she couldn’t bare to tell her friends that she had never had a period – so instead she would pretend.

She thought it would happen some day – she was sure she was just a late developer.

But it wasn’t until a trip to the doctor revealed that she had actually been born without a womb that she realised how serious it was.

Ella had Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH), a condition which affects one in 5000 women worldwide.

The condition means that the uterus, cervix and upper vaginal canal failed to develop properly when the woman was in the womb.

Women with MRKH have normal genitalia on the outside and usually it is not discovered until they reach puberty.

It means that anyone with the condition cannot carry a baby as there is nowhere for it to grow.

The women usually have functioning ovaries and produce eggs so can have children that are biologically theirs through surrogacy.

Some also need to use a dilator to slowly stretch the vagina over time and others may need surgery to create a vagina from a skin graft, followed by dilation.

Many find it difficult to speak about the condition and they suffer from anxiety, depression and problems in relationships.

But for these four women, meeting through a Facebook support group encouraged them to be more open about having MRKH and helped them to accept what it meant.

Ella, 26, London

I was 16 and I hadn’t got my period so I got referred from my GP to Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London.

I had an ultrasound there and they found that I was completely female with ovaries but I had a tiny non functional uterus and no cervix, also an underdeveloped vaginal canal.

It turned my life upside down and it was hard to take in.

I think one of the biggest things is the embarrassment at that age. It’s difficult to talk about when you are a teenager. You might already be experimenting with sexual relationships that don’t quite work, and the fact that you aren’t the same as all the other girls who are starting their periods means conversations are awkward and you feel isolated.

I spent about four days in hospital to begin my dilating therapy. It was a traumatic time. I then had to do it for about three months morning and night. My advice to other girls would be it’s worth it in the end. Everything works normally.

I also worried about not having children pretty much the moment I was told, even though I knew I had eggs and there were options. When I was 17 or 18 and still now, I would cry a lot about not being able to carry a child.

You grow up thinking this is something every female will do one day. I think being told you can’t just makes you want them because it’s been taken away from you.

During my last years at school and at college, I didn’t cope well with the mental struggle. Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital provided emotional support and I saw a psychologist for cognitive behavioural therapy, which helped.

I think I experimented a lot more with relationships than I would have had if I didn’t have MRKH. I didn’t care about my body at all. It didn’t work as it should so why would I? It was also a case of me wanting to feel normal and wanted.

I have suffered from a lot of anxiety and depression with MRKH and I didn’t tell my friends the name of the condition until a few years ago because I was scared of them googling it.

I felt like it was a bit of a taboo but speaking about it with other girls online has helped me talk about it a bit more openly. The reactions from loved ones have also been incredible. I wonder why I didn’t them sooner now.

MRKH can consume you and make you feel isolated.

I had a poor relationship with myself, and I punished my body for what it couldn’t do, which completely ruined my mind. I wanted to block it out, in any way I could. It got to points where I felt like I couldn’t cope any more, but so many things in life are worth living for.

I’m 26 now and I have been with someone for three and a half years.

He’s incredibly understanding and he completely gets me. He makes me feel stronger and is the reason I love myself more for who I am.

I feel lucky that I have my own eggs and that I can have my own biological child through IVF and surrogacy. When we are ready I would like to go through Surrogacy UK. I’m also in absolute awe of surrogates.

I am daunted by it and I know it’s going to be a really emotional rollercoaster but I am excited about that different journey. I would also love to adopt, I think I would want to even if I didn’t have MRKH.

Other people having babies does remind me of what I will never go through, but this doesn’t take away my happiness for them.

After 10 years, I feel like I’m growing with MRKH rather than it overwhelming me. I’ve travelled the world, and have a fantastic career. I have pushed myself beyond belief.

I have people around me who have empowered me to be the best version of myself.

The most frustrating thing is that it’s not well known, even GPs don’t know about it and you have to explain every time you go there.

I’m personally still getting used to being open but I feel better for sharing it and I want to reach out to others.

We are all over the world and need to support eachother. There are great online pages and charities that are connecting us. I set one up to meet a group of girls in London soon.

I’ve never had any close friends who share the condition and who fully understand so I am really excited.

I am sharing my story because I want to be who I needed at 16.

Joanne, 31, Hillingdon, West London

I first found out I had MRKH when I was 17. My mum was worried I hadn’t started my periods and the GP had been saying for over a year that I’m just a late starter and it would happen but my mum knew something was wrong so demanded a referral to a gynecologist.

I had various blood tests, examinations and an ultrasound that confirmed an absent uterus and cervix.

The consultant that diagnosed me basically said I could never bear a child and that was it – I was discharged from hospital care. He didn’t even give me a name for my diagnosis. It was three years later I found out what my condition actually was.

For as long as I can remember I wanted babies and I had always assumed I would be a mum some day.

However when I was diagnosed I basically shut that right down and kind of had the view that I never wanted children anyway. I think that was a defence mechanism and my way of coping.

It’s been a really long road. I harboured a lot of emotions and pretended I was okay.

I turned to alcohol massively because I thought I was having fun but in reality it helped the painful emotions and it made me feel good and confident.

I would seek attention when I was out to gain better self esteem. I guess it was a way to make myself believe people would like or love me, regardless of my diagnosis.

I became depressed and at times a little suicidal. I just couldn’t understand why this was happening to me.

When I was 20, I had enough and figured there must be support for me, so I googled it and came up with MRKH and found my saviours at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital (QCCH)

On my first appointment I was dropped with another bombshell. Usually girls born with MRKH are born with either absent or shortened vaginas and mine was shortened so I would need an inpatient stay for treatment.

All the professionals at QCCH are amazing and still are 11 years on I still get regular emails, but I feel that the lack of support initially and lack of referral to QCCH in the first place made it so much harder for me.

I was left for three years with a condition I didn’t understand.

I completed the treatment and had so much counselling with them once a week for about a year and now I’ve accepted it. I embrace my diagnosis I’m not ashamed of it.

I worked in maternity for six years and in some ways it helped me massively but it was really hard for me. In my mind, I thought I can’t have a baby myself however i can help and support ladies that can.

Sometimes it’s hard when friends and family members are having babies but I’m genuinely happy for them.

I have suffered a lot of anxiety and panic attack disorders over the last five years but I’m coping so much better now.

I’m still really hopeful that I’ll be a mum one day. Surrogacy has never really been a route I’ve wanted to go down.

I feel like it’s really complicated, it’s costly and there’s so many legal issues around surrogacy. It’s just not for me.

I’m hoping to adopt in the future. I know that a child doesn’t have to be biologically yours to love it just as much and there’s so many children out there that need a loving home.

I am in a relationship now with a wonderful man who supports me through and through but telling him petrified me.

My diagnosis caused so many problems in previous relationships that I had my heart broken so many times and I developed a fear of abandonment so afraid that yet another man would walk out on me because of it.

I told my current partner in dribs and drabs never really coming out with the full story to see how he would react to small snippets but he now knows everything now and he is wonderful about it.

He loves me regardless of my diagnosis, he supports me through all of my bad days which I still have occasionally.

I believe everything happens for a reason and my MRKH is a part of me, it’s who I am I’m not ashamed of it I embrace it so much, I don’t let it control me anymore.

There’s so much more support out there now than there was before and there’s more of us coming out as a group and supporting each other it’s amazing.

Kelly, 38, Liverpool

I was diagnosed with MRKH in around 1995 or 1996 when I was about 15 or 16 years old.

At first it was a shock as I’d never heard of the syndrome before. I had been referred to find out why I hadn’t started my periods so to be told I actually didn’t have a womb was a lot to take in.

I’d never really given having children much thought when I was diagnosed as I was so young and so it wasn’t on my radar so to speak.

It was one of those things that I always thought of maybe one day I will with the right person so to be told that MRKH affects my fertility was something that I just took in my stride as my philosophy became you can’t miss something you’ve never had.

It has definitely had an impact on me since I was diagnosed, due to not being able relate to other women when they talk about periods and pregnancy but I don’t let it get to me.

As I have never known any different, I don’t let it affect me in a negative way as I feel, this is something I was born with and it has its advantages as well as it’s disadvantages.

I feel surrogacy is a wonderful thing and a gift as it’s a big thing for a woman to do to enable women like myself to actually have their own biological child.

As this is one of the few options I have to have my own child, then it is something I would consider if I wanted to settle down and start a family. It would all depend on the situation and status of any relationship I was in.

I’ve always been honest and upfront in relationships about my condition from the outset and brought it up as soon as I’ve felt comfortable too.

Usually within the first few weeks, I mention it as it can be a good conversation starter and I can educate people at the same time, due to it being not something that is openly talked about.

Zoe, 28, North London

I had constant pain on the left side of my ovary and was always told it was due to a cysts but during that period I was struggling to keep anything down – I had multiple visits to the GP and hospital but no one really seemed to be able to establish the problem.

I found out at the age of 14 just before my 15th birthday following my visit to the University College London Hospital where they had informed me that I had to have the womb removed as the horn will never function.

At that age I found out I felt useless, hopeless and like no one will ever want to be with me as I am unable to have children.

I blamed my mum for a very long time after being told I had MRKH as being under the age of 16 at the time I was unable to make the decision myself.

I wanted them to try whatever was possible to try to connect it and make it a functional womb but that was never possible.

My mother had made the decision for me to have key hole surgery to remove the horn of the womb along with the large cysts that were sitting on my left ovary.

I’ve always wanted to have children even from the very young age of when I was finally diagnosed.

Since my diagnosis I have found it extremely hard to deal with not being able to conceive my own child and have always felt like a failure or that I will never be accepted by someone as I’ve always believed that the minute I open up and tell someone that I love that I’m not able to have children, they will run away.

I have accepted surrogacy as being one of my options in having children and I have already started looking into how much it will cost to freeze my eggs for when I am ready to follow the process through.

I would give anything to have my own child one day.

Currently I am not in a relationship. I split up with my partner a little while ago.

I never actually told my partner at the time face to face as I was far to embarrassed so I found it easier to do it over text. I think now if I was to have to tell another partner it would be a lot easier for me to do this face to face.

My partner at the time was understanding and always came along to the meeting and hospital appointment and would always reassure me that he loved me for me and we would one day make sure we had our own child.

As I have grown older I believe that I would be able to speak to anyone about my condition now as hard as it is.

I still have my off days but I am much more confident and open about it.

I believe it was roughly two years ago now where there was an open day at UCLH which I had attended to and I spoke out to a group of other ladies with the same condition about my journey.

Don’t lie, you’ve been waiting to see some people showing off their best sexy pose on top of coffins (or inside them) for a while now.

The suspense is over; the Lindner calendar returns once more to make death look hot (giving the people what they want?).

To celebrate ten years of nudity atop coffins, the undertaking company has decided to show men in their calendar for the first time.

Now you can see male and female models frolicking on coffins – while a naked photographer takes their picture

What a treat.

The calendar which is produced every year was inspired by the classic Pirelli (glamour) Calendar, reimagined by the coffin manufacturer to help boost sales.

Zbigniew Lindner, founder of the Polish company, came up with the idea to produce the cheeky calendars in 2009, but this year is the first to feature men after bowing down to pressure from fans.

Lindner is now planning to sell around 15,000 calendars.

A spokesperson said: ‘The Lindner calendar is now ten years old.

‘For a decade, it has become our hallmark to combine opposites – beautiful, naked human body with the perfect matter of our exclusive coffins.

‘This time, we decided to contrast different art materials with each other, inspired by paintings and sculptures from various eras, all with a pinch of cinema magic.’

In previous years, they’ve come under fire for being ‘insensitive’ but they insist it’s all a bit of light-hearted fun.

Founder Zbigniew said: ‘So much work goes into our coffins that are only seen for a few moments at the funeral.

‘We wanted to show that a coffin shouldn’t be a sacred object.

‘We think it’s furniture – it’s the last bed you’ll ever sleep in, and we enjoy showing off our beautiful coffins.

‘Many people make a living off death – the Church, coffin makers, hearse drivers, florists, undertakers, funeral homes etc.

‘We just want to have some fun, and what better way than to show them off with beautiful naked people.’

You can buy the calendar online for £33 if it floats your boat.

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According to new figures, more tenants are successfully negotiating rent reductions.

In October, 3.7% of tenants negotiated rent reductions – the highest figure since records started in January 2015, according to Arla Propertymark, previously known as the Association of Residential Letting Agents.

But for most of us, asking to pay a bit less isn’t straight forward.

Here are our tips for how to approach the conversation with your landlord:

Just ask

There’s no harm in just politely asking the question – the worst that can happen is that your landlord says no. It may also depend who you are speaking to. An estate agent might be more difficult to negotiate with than a private landlord. Give your landlord a chance to think about it. Don’t leave it until the day before your lease expires.

Remind them of your strengths

If you’ve lived in the same place for a while and your landlord knows you are a good tenant who they can trust, highlight that. It’s probably easier for you to pay a little less than if they have to find someone else.

You can do things to show them you are financially stable and committed to staying where you are by paying a few months rent in advance or offering to extend your lease.

Talk about the problems with the flat

You might be very happy in your property but there’s always a few little things that need a bit of TLC.

If your landlord wants to put the rent up, speak to them about things you would like to be fixed up if you are paying more money. If they don’t accept your offer to pay less, they might at least do a little bit of renovation.

Know the value of what you are renting

Have a look online at how much similar properties in your area cost to rent. If your rent is more expensive than other places, speak to your landlord about how they justify the extra cost. If it’s smaller than other places or lacking things like a garden, mention that in your negotiation.

Compromise

If your landlord isn’t willing to agree to the reduction you want, see if they will comprise or perhaps they can include some of your bills in the rent to save money.

But be quick – those behind the study say rents could rise again in the new year and the increase in rent reductions may be due to a pre-Christmas lull.

The number of tenants experiencing rent increases fell for the second month running in October, with 24% of letting agents reporting that landlords increased rents, compared with 31% in September and 40% in August.

The supply of available properties increased from an average of 194 per letting agency branch in September to 198 in October.

This is the highest figure seen since December 2017, when supply stood at an average 200 properties per branch, Arla Propertymark said.

David Cox, Arla Propertymark chief executive, said: ‘Last month’s findings indicate that power in the rental market could be shifting towards tenants, with a record number negotiating rent reductions, and less landlords hiking rent costs.

‘However, it’s more likely that this is indicative of the time of year and come the new year, we’ll see rent prices starting to creep up again.’

‘Those who don’t pass the costs on will eventually have to exit the market, which will increase competition and boost prices.

‘Changes landlords have faced include a stamp duty hike for people buying second homes, including buy-to-let properties.’

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It’s advent calendar season and opening that little door is one of the best bits of each day.

As we count down the days to Christmas, the excitement grows.

But it seems the big day was a bit earlier than expected for some festive fans when their advent calendar told them there were 16 days to go when they opened the second window.

Somehow, the makers of the calendar Woodmansterne managed to miscalculate as there are actually 23 days left until Christmas.

Those who bought the calendar in John Lewis stores took to Twitter to point out the mathematical mistake.

But of course, mistakes happen and they weren’t too hard on the retailer, laughing that they were just disappointed they have to wait longer for turkey and presents.

A spokesperson for Woodmanstrene said: ‘We are devastated to learn there is a mistake on one of our advent calendars.

‘If you are affected, please contact info@caltime.co.uk with your address and a photo of your advent calendar and we’ll do all we can to put it right as quickly as possible’

John Lewis added: ‘We’re so sorry for the disappointment caused when customers opened up this advent calendar. The supplier is working closely with us and other retailers to put this right as quickly as possible, and for any customer who has bought one of these advent calendars from John Lewis we will offer them a full refund.’

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In South Asian wedding culture, it’s the norm to hide the groom’s name in the bride’s wedding mehendi, or henna as you may know it.

One bride wanted to go against tradition and add her own twist to it as an ode to how she met her husband-to-be.

Dipti Mangottil from Chennai, India, wrote ‘memes’ on her wrist rather than fiance Praveen Balachander’s name as the two met through their mutual love of popular funny internet culture.

And you’ll love what she had written on her other arm. Bacon.

After constantly being tagged on the same memes by a mutual friend, Dipti and Praveen decided to connect with one another.

They immediately hit it off and realised their common interests, like memes and bacon, and soon decided to make it official.

‘When baby boomers ask us how we met, we say ‘memes!’ Dipti told Buzzfeed.

‘Couples romance over strawberries, chocolate, champagne and stuff. We just fry bacon,’ she added.

In popular Indian wedding tradition, henna artists will hide the groom’s name in the mehendi and turn it into a game.

The groom must find his name imprinted in the dark hues and the quicker the better. But some make it harder for the groom to find than others, hiding it in intricate details.

Some brides choose to have just their partner’s initials while others choose to write it in part, with some letters on one hand and some on the other.

Brides have even been known to write their own names together with their fiance’s.

Of course, some women prefer to make their partner sweat for a bit, choosing to forgo the name altogether and opting for a symbol that represents them.

If their name means light for example, the bride might choose to have a lamp decorated on her palm. Go figure.

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It’s finally December and time to get the tree up.

But when you only have them up for a few weeks a year, you don’t want to spend a fortune on decorations.

So where can you go for some nice baubles and festive ware that doesn’t cost too much.

For maximum coverage on the Christmas tree, the best option is to buy a box of matching baubles.

Argos have 25% off Christmas decorations, which means you can get these packs of 80 baubles, in a variety of colour schemes, for £6.83.

They also have these packs of 48 round baubles in traditional red, gold or silver for under £5.

Ikea also have boxes of baubles for £9 in a range of colours or you can find these boxes of 20 baubles for £3.

if you want some more decorative baubles, B&M have a range of intricate luxury baubles costing £2.99 for a pack of six.

When you want to add some more personality to your tree, individual quirker baubles can be great.

Primark have a range of cute items for £1.50 each and plently of nods to your favourite things – including Harry Potter, Disney and Friends.

Meanwhile Paperchase have an entire range of cute objects to hang on your trees, including a croissant, avocado and french baguette. They are slightly pricier at £5 each but there’s a three for two offer so you can grab three for £10.

In terms of other festive decorations, you can pick up inexpensive fairy lights at Argos or Homebase, who both have offers across some of their range or try discount supermarkets like Aldi.

For tinsel, try B&M bargains, where you can get 2m of chunky tinsel in a variety of colours for £1 or try a pound store to pick up lots of sparkle at a cheap price.

For some other finishing touches, you can get this artificial wreath that you can use again and again from Wilkos, currently half price at £12.

To make the whole process a bit easier, you can pick up cheap decorations while doing your grocery shopping too.

As well as a whole range of baubles, lights and trees, George at Asda have these stockings for just £5 and these wooden start candle holders for just £8.

Sainsbury’s currently have 25% off their decorations, including these reindeer cutout decorations

And Morrison’s have a great range of unusual shaped but modern baubles for between £2 and £3.

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I was in year nine, spending lunch in the school courtyard with my friends, when out of nowhere a boy from one of my classes ran up behind me, put his hand underneath my skirt, and then ran away.

I was in shock. Had he been dared to do it? Was it just a silly prank, performed of his own accord? Either way, I experienced several boys acting like this towards girls when I was growing up.

Teachers may have seen and told them off from time to time but they were never really disciplined properly. I can’t help but think it meant those boys grew up to understand their behaviour as being bad – but not bad enough to warrant action.

Although this is just a story from my experience at school, I’m completely certain that it echoes stories of so many others up and down the country, as well as around the world.

That’s a lot of boys growing up into men with skewed perceptions of consent. It’s for this reason that I believe we should all be taught about consent – starting from a young age.

While there are plans to introduce it to the curriculum, there is more that can be done until that happens – and that is why I am going into schools and trying to fill a massive gap in teaching.

Many still don’t quite understand that consent doesn’t begin when a couple get intimate. In fact, TIME reported that 35% of sexual assault victims didn’t report their incident to the police, as it was unclear that it was a crime or that harm was intended.

In a survey from 2010 from Havens, a network of specialist sexual assault referral centre, it was reported that only 77% of men between the ages of 18-25 understood that having sexual intercourse with a woman who has said no was rape.

So, we should be teaching young children what it means to respect the space of others and what to do if someone makes them feel uncomfortable in any situation.

This shouldn’t be hard to understand either. There are no grey areas. ‘Yes’ means yes and ‘no’ means no. The ‘yes’ most certainly doesn’t mean ‘I want to be convinced or persuaded into saying yes.’

When I did my last workshop with a group of secondary school children, they were divided into groups based on their gender. This was done so the young girls and boys could feel more comfortable when discussing any sex-related questions.

A lot of boys are growing up into men with skewed perceptions of consent

Most of them were able to simply define what consent meant, but were unsure of how to express and communicate that they wouldn’t want to be touched in a certain way.

I gave examples of how to greet someone who might be a bit of a ‘hugger’, by demonstrating that they could simply wave or even give them a high five instead.

They questioned whether or not this might come off rude. Why should greeting someone in a way that makes you feel entirely comfortable be perceived as such?

The new updated sex education criteria needs to focus on more as than just consent. Acceptable behaviour encompasses so many different things. Young boys should not have to fear being touched inappropriately by a girl.

In turn, young girls should not have to worry about their bra straps being snapped and played with and later in life, they should not have to fear having someone trying to dance with them in a club when they haven’t shown interest.

There are no grey areas. ‘Yes’ means yes and ‘no’ means no. The ‘yes’ most certainly doesn’t mean ‘I want to be convinced or persuaded into saying yes.’

I have no doubt that by teaching these lessons at a young age we will create a safer space for future generations, where conversations about consent are normalised.

To put this situation into context, the last time the sex education guidelines were updated was in 2000. Think about how much has changed since then in the way we talk about sex and relationships: Section 28 was repealed, gay marriage was legalised, the 8^th was also repealed, not to mention the huge impact of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.

It’s worrying that we’ve waited this long to simply teach children in schools about boundaries and what to do when they feel as though someone is being inappropriate or not respecting them. From a young age, they should know what healthy relationships and sexual encounters look like.

If another 18 years go by, and these issues are still not delved into and discussed properly, I will be gravely disappointed.

Consent is about so much more than sex. It’s about basic human principles and respecting other people.

Dami can be found at Simply Oloni

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Welcome to Modern Etiquette, a brand new series where we ask the pressing questions of 2018.

This week we’re talking about the sticky issue of breaking up with your personal trainer. It might be a first world problem, but it’s a problem none the less.

Signing up with a personal trainer is a great idea. It gives you a focus, helps you stick to a schedule and probably means you’ll get more done in the gym.

On the other hand, it’s December, the month of mince pies, fleece based clothing and not leaving the house. The idea of zipping yourself into something stretchy and being forced to expend effort of a treadmill is, let’s be honest, increasingly unappealing.

The problem with having a personal trainer is sort of the same as the point of having one – you’re obliged to stick to prebooked sessions. But if you’re cancelling sessions, phoning it in when you’re at the gym and generally not getting much out of the experience, then it might be time to stop paying for your PT.

Alternatively it might be that you still love working out, but that you’ve got a couple of routines with which you are comfortable, or maybe you want to explore other options and classes. Whatever the reason, it’s perfectly understandable not to want to keep seeing your personal trainer. But, telling them that can feel pretty daunting.

Obviously you want to be a decent, respectful person towards your PT. And on top of that, if you annoy your PT then you’ll end up feeling awkward if you continue to attend the gym where they work. So all in all, it’s best to be mature and polite about it.

‘Lots of PTs sell blocks of sessions, and won’t be at all surprised if after you’ve had six or eight sessions you want to go it alone for a while. But if you’ve got an ongoing relationship then it is good to give notice’ said Alex, a PT from Middlesex. ‘If one of my clients wanted to stop seeing me I would appreciate a week or two’s notice so that I can put the word out that I’m available for new session times.

‘January is a very busy time in the fitness industry, so if you are considering ending your relationship with a personal trainer, doing so ahead of January is a good time.’

You don’t have to have the conversation in person if you don’t want to – an email is absolutely fine – and often when terminating contracts an email is a better idea, as it means that both parties have written confirmation of what was agreed.

If you’re nervous about ending the relationship with your trainer, try to remember that they are professionals and they’re unlikely to be offended by your choice.

‘At the end of the day, we want the best for our clients’ explains Alex. ‘We’re not just here to make money, we care about the health and well being of the people we work with, and we never want someone to feel obliged to keep attending sessions if it’s not convenient or suitable.’

Modern Etiquette is a weekly series. Rather than telling you what to do with a salad crescent or which shoes are most appropriate for Ascot, we’ll be working out how to navigate shared houses, drugs, ex-boyfriends and that moment when you send the screenshot of the person you’re bitching about to them. 

Next week, we’ll be talking about what to do if you think your romantic partner might be about to propose, but you really don’t want to marry them.

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It’s December and we all know what’s up.

The festive period means you can do anything under the guise of ‘it’s Christmas’, meaning spending, eating as much as you want, and of course wearing the most OTT outfits.

If you want to look the part but are tired of jumpers that are so last year then we have some quiry ones that are sure to get a few laughs and maybe even sure the title of best Chrimbo jumper at work.

And if you order now, you can parade them around the workplace to get the festivities started.

Here are some of the quirkiest jumpers we’ve found:

Christmas means Christmas, Iwoot, £24.99

Dashing Theroux the snow, Grindstore, £21.99

Gangsta Wrapper Christmas Jumper, Notonthehighstreet, £27

It’s Christmas jumper, Etsy, £22.66

Flossing around the Christmas tree, Etsy, £16.55

Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Muggle, Grindstore, £21.99

Santa Dab, Grindstore, £21.99

All the Jingle Ladies, Grindstore, £21.99

All I Want for Christmas is EU, Iwoot, £24.99

Cool Santa, Iwoot, £24.99

French Bulldog Santa Style, Iwoot, £13.99

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This festive Nativity scene has an adorable twist – where all of the people are replaced with dogs.

Joanne and Toby Kingston, 45, threw themselves right into the Christmas festivities this year whilst working at their dog groomers, Wags to Riches.

Posing up nine of their best clients, the couple managed to recreate the Nativity scene of the birth of Jesus in it’s entirety, with just dogs as the models.

With a mixture of spaniels, collies and bichon frise – and even Barney the puppy cockerpoo playing ‘Jesus’ – the photos take a whole new stance on the traditional scene.

But despite how perfectly the photos turned out, Joanne explains that she only had half-an-hour to maintain the attention span of the pooches.

Joanne, from Mountsorrel, Leicestershire, said: ‘The pictures came out perfectly, and we think they really depict the Nativity scene well and in a funny way.

‘We just used objects that were lying around to create the ‘Wise Men’, by using blankets and towels for their cloaks, and ordered a couple of objects to make it that bit more accurate.

‘We bought the King’s hat online for £6, and we luckily had a lot of the other bits lying around.

‘The main struggle was trying to keep the dogs attention and not have them distracting each other, so I only had about 30 minutes to do this.

‘I had to use a lot of ham and cheese as rewards and to keep them occupied – but I think they look like great models.’

Despite being pessimistic about how the photos would turn out, Joanne explains that both herself and her clients were thrilled with the result.

She said: ‘We had a great response to the photo of the dogs – everyone thinks it’s amazing how similar it looks.

‘I think as well, everyone just can’t help but talk about how cute it is because the pooches look adorable.

‘We made sure we gave the dogs a lot of fuss after taking the photo, but they were happy posing and wearing their costumes.

‘It was a great way for us to all get in the Christmas spirit in our own unique way.’

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Shoes tie an outfit together – but how much would you be willing to pay for them?

If you’re a bit of a baller then maybe you don’t mind forking out a couple of hundred pounds but would you draw the line at £10,000?

That’s the hefty price tag of these dapper men’s brogues which the creators say will last you your entire lifetime.

Before you close the browser and head off to the high street for some considerably cheaper shoes, you should know that these fancy ones come with 68 diamonds and 18 karat gold tips.

So you get what you pay for.

The Empire Diamond Brogues are the work of Chris Shellis, who has previously sold items to everyone’s fave icon Beyonce and has taken him a year to create it.

The elite footwear is offered by the House of Borgezie, a company based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

Encrusted with 68 diamonds in their soles, 18 karat gold tips on the shoelaces and insoles as well as a Birmingham stamped hallmark in gold, they are said to be one of the most expensive pair of men’s shoes.

The brogues also feature an ancient technology dating back 2,000 from when Roman soldiers strengthened their sandals with bronze support in the case.

Master craftsman Chris has also done the but using gold and is offering the shoes in a variety of colours – black, royal blue, red or racing green.

‘I’ve always had a passion for shoes ever since I was young, I’ve always looked after my shoes and brogues were a particular passion,’ said Chris.

‘These shoes enable the owner to walk on solid gold. If they are looked after properly they can last a lifetime.

‘The metal also has antibacterial and properties which offer possibly anti-rheumatic benefits.

‘We’ve got a number of high paying clients who have already made enquiries about them.

‘To be honest, ten grand sounds quite a lot but most people in their lifetime spend between £20,000 and £30,000 in shoes.

‘It’s true when they say that most men judge each other by the shoes they wear.

‘I think until recently it has been something that’s been neglected in a man’s wardrobe but nowadays men are paying more attention to themselves and their appearance.’

Do you want to pay that much attention to your shoes?

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As you get older, Christmas gets a bit less exciting.

First it’s the realisation that no, a magical fat man doesn’t bring the presents. Then it’s the battle of teenage hormones against enforced family fun. And then, as I’ve started to realise as I get towards my late twenties, it’s the crashing realisation that for a lot of women, Christmas is the most stressful time of the year.

We all know that women do more domestic labour than men do. 60% more, in fact.

So at Christmas, when suddenly the pressure to make your life into a Hallmark movie arrives, it’s no surprise that women – mums specifically – end up working like Santa’s elves. Aka, undervalued and unpaid.

In a YouGov poll from 2013, which surveyed just under 2,000 British adults and found that overwhelmingly women do the majority of the work to make Christmas happen.

According to YouGov: ‘69% of women say they send out the Christmas cards, while only 12% of men say the same. Buying the presents is split female to male by 61%-8%; doing the food shopping by 54%-13%; and cooking the Christmas dinner by 51%-17%.’

You’d think that after all that shopping and prepping women might want a break on the day, but according to the survey that’s not really on the cards.  39% of men said that they drink the most in the house on Christmas day, compared to only 14% of women, and when asked and who falls asleep first on the day itself 38% of men said they did, compared to just 13% of women.

So why does this happen? Surely the men of the UK aren’t consciously regressing into 1950’s husbands and consciously allowing their partners to take on all of the work?

Social media probably takes some blame, let’s face it – it usually does. We know that women are heavier users of social media, post more frequently on Facebook and Instagram, and according to recent research by GirlGuiding UK, 35% of young women listed ‘comparing themselves to others online’ as their biggest source of stress.

It’s easy enough to put your partner in charge of cooking lunch or wrapping all of the presents if you’re not bothered about getting that perfect Insta snap of your #FestiveBliss. But if you’re concerned about the way that your Christmas looks from the outside, then you might well end up trying to do everything yourself.

Similarly the recent parenting phenomenon to continuously focus on ‘making memories’ (a huge bugbear on parenting website Mumsnet) ramps up the pressure to be perfect at Christmas. These days it’s not just about a nice tree and a couple of good gifts. You’ve got to have a creative, clever advent calendar, an Elf on the Shelf who does inventive and creative things every night, a Christmas Eve box full of new pyjamas and a film to watch as a family* – the list goes on and on.

*You have to watch the family film because you’re Making Memories™, but you’ve also got to prep all of the food for Christmas day so that you can have a delicious feast and not be in the kitchen all day, otherwise you’ll miss out on Making Christmas Day Memories™. Basically you’re f**ked whichever way you cut it.

Then, on top of the massive pressure to make Christmas perfect for everyone around you, the existing imbalance in how much domestic labour men and women do, there’s also the inherently sexist ‘traditional’ vision of Christmas that so many of us have ingested.

Of course Christmas is a a time for traditions, of course, but I can’t help thinking it might be better if the traditions could be things like going to midnight mass or a nice walk before lunch, rather than ‘Daddy sits in the living room drinking while mummy does all the cooking, and then once she’s done all the work, he carves the turkey and gets the credit.’

It’s also worth remembering that the pressure of Christmas doesn’t just start on the 24th of December. The shopping, food ordering, house cleaning, emotional tetris of whose family you’re seeing and when you’re seeing them: it all extends way beyond December 25th.

So this year, start offering help to your host, not half an hour before dinner when everything has already been peeled, but several weeks ahead. Offer to help clean the house pre Christmas. Suggest preparing some of the food ahead of time – without getting in the way in kitchen on the day.

If all else fails, have a whip round with everyone else attending Christmas and send your hostess off for a well deserved spa session when Christmas is over.

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If tearjerker Christmas adverts are anything to go by, your children love you but they really really want some cool gifts.

With the big day just around the corner, parents might be ticking away on that endless list of presents for the little ones and all other loved ones.

But one teacher is reminding parents that at the end of it all, it’s not the shiny new toys that children remember, it’s the happy memories they share with their families.

It might not seem like it right now with your toddler marking out pages in the Argos catalogue (or whatever the digital age equivalent is) for gift inspiration, but kids really do value memories over materialistic things, said the teacher.

The teacher wrote that after the Christmas holiday when she asks her students about what they got up to, they always replayed the times they spent with their parents or fun things they did with family members.

‘Every January when your child comes back to school, they tell me all about the Christmas holidays,’ she wrote in the letter to parents.

‘They tell me about the days when everyone stayed indoors and watched TV. They tell me about the freezing walk in the cold to get McDonald’s.

‘How you let them snuggle in your bed. They tell me about a visit to a friend’s on New Year’s Eve and how you let them stay up past midnight.’

‘They tell me how you played cards and took them swimming one day and forgot the towels.

‘They mention their gifts, but for them, Christmas is and your love and your time and routines and feeling safe. You are their favourite thing!’ she ended.

The poignant message was shared on Instagram by mummy and fashion blogger Orla Rall.

After seeing the sweet letter, she posted it on her page, saying: ‘This just nailed it on the head for me. Being totally honest I was starting to worry these past few days thinking to myself that I didn’t have enough presents for my girls on Christmas morning, but after reading this it’s after opening my eyes to the true meaning of Christmas.’

‘So to those of you who are worried and stressed with the cost of Christmas always remember, it’s not what’s under the tree, it’s who’s around it.’

Very wise words.

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The settlement of Ittoqqortoormiit in East Greenland has a population of 450 people – and the odd polar bear.

It takes three flights and a helicopter ride to travel the 1,486 miles from London and has temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius, making it one of the coldest places on earth.

So yes, it’s the perfect place for wrapping up in front of the fire to some relaxing music with a hot chocolate, knowing that there’s absolutely nobody around you to ruin it.

Adam Jay, the newly-appointed president of Hotels.com and epic adventurer himself, said: ‘Greenland as a destination is really hotting up – even though it’s minus 20 most of the time – as today’s travellers are seeking those rewarding, once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

‘This stunning peninsula is an epic bucket-list destination where you can go sledding with wolves, kayaking in the Arctic and maybe see the Northern Lights from your room.

The tiny town offers front-row seats to the cosmic display of Aurora Borealis – also known as the Northern Lights.

It’s also the gateway to the National Park of North-East Greenland, which is the biggest national park in the world.

And searches specific to Greenland have increased by over 50% compared to last year.

If you would like to visit the remote hotel, just apply the code REMOTE at the checkout. It’s exclusive to Hotels.com and is available to book now until 31 December 2018 (subject to very limited availability), for stays in the month of March 2019 only.

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Looking for a new home? Well, Frank Sinatra’s former pad is now on the market.

The stunning beachfront home was recently listed for £11 million, and has already received loads of interest.

According to public records, the home was bought by Sinatra and his fourth wife, Barbara, in 1990, and the pair would host get-togethers there that involved the likes of Dick Van Dyke and Gregory Peck.

The seven-bedroom home measures around 5,800 square feet and features the likes of an indoor and outdoor bar and a leopard print wall.

There’s also a hair salon and sauna, and the open-plan design offers incredible views of the ocean.

Listing agent Leonard Rabinowitz of Hilton and Hyland realty – and a friend of the Sinatras – said that his phone has been ‘ringing off the hook’ and prior to a showing they must vet clients.

Leonard said: ‘The ideal buyer would be someone, or a family, that will appreciate the greatness and the legend.

‘That said, we have seen interest from private equity players from the east coast with private planes that land in Malibu’s nearby Camarillo Airport.

‘Rather than spend a summer weekend in the Hamptons with questionable weather they get perfect weather and to rub elbows with celebrities on the beach like Pierce Brosnan and Danny DeVito.

‘On spring-summer weekends this was the happiest place on earth to hang out.’

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Jewish people around the world are currently celebrating Hanukkah – aka the Festival of Lights.

The festival, which kicked off on Sunday evening with the lighting of candles at sunset, lasts for eight nights and is a big excuse for parties and celebrations – not to mention eating a whole lot of doughnuts.

But if you want to wish someone a happy Hanukkah, what’s the correct way to do so?

Well you can of course give someone best wishes in their own language – but in this instance you can also do so in Hebrew.

In this instance you can say ‘Hanukkah sameach!’ which means ‘happy Hanukkah!’ or alternatively ‘Chag sameach!’ which is a standard greeting used on all Jewish festivals, which simply means ‘happy holiday!’

Alternatively if you want to really impress your Jewish friends and colleagues, you could also say ‘Chag Urim Sameach!’ – ‘urim’ meaning lights’ (hence ‘happy Festival Of Lights’)

Hanukkah – which kicks off on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev – corresponding with December in the Gregorian calendar – commemorates the story of the Maccabees, who rebelled against the Greeks 2,000 years ago after they tried to stop the Jewish people from practising their religion.

The Greek king, Antiochus, tried to make Jewish people bow down before a statue of him that had been placed in the Jewish temple, praying to Greek gods – but they refused, and a small group called the Maccabees fought back, eventually recapturing Jerusalem.

The Jewish temple was destroyed in the process, and after they cleaned up they discovered that the ‘eternal light’ in the temple – which is continuously kept alight – had only enough oil left in it to last for one more day. However a miracle occurred, and the lamp stayed lit for eight days until more oil could be found.

Jewish people commemorate the miracle with the festival, which involves lighting candles for eight days on a special candelabra called a Menorah – with one more candle added every day until all of the eight are lit on the final night.

The festival is also an excuse for celebrations and parties – as well as eating foods fried in oil such as doughnuts, to commemorate the miracle that happened.

Festive party season is about to begin.

And with Christmas cocktails and mulled wine, if you are the designated, it can feel a bit like you are missing out.

Well Coca Cola has your back.

Although their offering isn’t anything more special than a soft drink, the company is at least giving away free drinks for anyone drinking home.

It’s the 11th year of the scheme but you might not have realised. It’s available at 7,000 bars and restaurants across the UK.

When you buy a regular Coca Cola, a Coca Cola Zero Sugar or a Diet Coke and show your car keys, you will get another drink for free.

The scheme runs throughout the month of December.

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Jewish people across the world are feeling celebratory with the arrival of Hanukkah – a very special festival full of candles, parties and celebrations.

The eight-day festival kicked off on Sunday night and will last until next weekend – meaning a week’s worth of celebrations are on the way.

Families will get together, exchange presents and light eight very special candles in that time – but what’s the meaning behind it all?

Here’s what you need to know.

When is Hanukkah and how long does it last?

In the Jewish calendar Hannukkah is on the 25th day of Kislev.

That means in the Gregorian calendar the date changes but typically falls between the end of November and mid-December. This year – 2018 – means that Hanukkah starts on the evening of December 2 and ends on Monday December 10.

What is Hanukkah all about?

Hanukkah – known in Hebrew as Chanukah – is an eight-day festival marking a period more than 2,500 years ago when the Jewish holy temple was seized by Syrian-Greek forces.

The Syrian-Greek King Antiochus then gave Jews an impossible choice – renounce Judaism or die.

That’s when a small group of Jewish rebels, called the Maccabees fought back and were able to recapture the holy temple. The Maccabees were led by the Jewish priest Mattathias and his son Judah.

But when they recaptured the temple they were horrified to discover that there was only enough oil left to keep the holy light (known in Hebrew as the Ner Tamid), a flame which was never meant to go out, lit for one more day.

The miracle that is celebrated on Hanukkah was that somehow the flame stayed alight for eight more days. which was long enough for the to make another batch of oil.

To this day, that miracle is celebrated with a traditional ‘lighting candles for eight days’ during the festival.

And – apart from exchanging presents – Hanukkah isn’t anything like Christmas. The above video, by Jewish band Six13, should explain everything.

How do people celebrate Hanukkah?

Every night (except Friday when the candles are lit before the Sabbath candles) during Hanukkah families light a candle after sunset and give presents to one another. It’s quite the celebration and often a good excuse for a bit of a party.

Feasting is pretty typical too with the tradition being to eat food that has been fried in oil to pay tribute the miracle of the everlasting oil. Foods typically include doughnuts and latkes, which is a special potato pancake.

Meanwhile games are often played with a special spinning top known as a dreidel – a custom explained by the fact that Jewish children who were banned from studying their religion in the time of the Maccabees would cover up their learning by playing with spinning tops when Greek officials passed by.

It’s since been immortalised in song, like so many other things associated with Hanukkah.

The candle that is lit each night for Hanukkah isn’t just any candle.  The candelabra it is held in is called a Menorah, which has nine candle holders.

That is one candle for each day of the festival and a ninth candle that is used to light the others.

This is called a Shamash. It’s traditional for the Menorah to be put in the window of each family’s home. The idea is that people who are passing outside can see the candles.

You don’t often see the words Muslim and Christmas together, unless it’s to ask them what they do during the festive period.

The answer varies among Muslims in Britain. Some prefer to go about their ways without paying much attention to the festivities while others celebrate the day rather than its religious connotations.

To bring audiences together and raise money for a good cause, charity Penny Appeal has put together ‘the world’s first Muslim pantomime’.

And it’s open to anyone, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

The show, If the Shoe Fits, follows the story of an orphan girl, inspired by an image of a child in Africa who’d recycled water bottles and used them as slippers.

It is written by the theatre company Once Upon a Family which consists of five real-life family members who play main roles in the panto.

The family show will include characters such as Ego the baddie, played by Abdullah Afzal who you might recognise from his lead role in the BBC TV series Citizen Khan.

You’ll meet other characters such as Dora the Explorer and Ruq the Orphan plus Uncle Attab and mum, doubling as narrator. It will feature Youtube stars including Michael Truong (Panto Prince), Mistah from the hit show Corner Shop too.

‘The audience can expect to be taken through an emotional rollercoaster, there are highs, lows – bring a box of tissues. But they will hopefully be enlightened and inspired in the end. It’s about having fun while learning about something amazing,’ said Anisa Kisson, who plays the lead role of the mother, to Metro.co.uk.

‘Unfortunately, there has been a backlash from people as pantomimes are held during the Christmas festive periods so people think they are Christmas related. But overall, we’ve had support more than backlash which is fantastic.’

Aamer Naeem, CEO of Penny Appeal added: ‘We are delighted to bring you the full UK tour of the world’s first Muslim pantomime.

‘We hope the shows will give families a chance to go out during the festive time of the year and enjoy a British tradition with a bit of a cultural twist but most importantly raise funds to support our Winter Emergency campaign to help those in need.’

The pantomime will be touring the UK from 30 November to 23 December. You can purchase tickets here.

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