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This Is The Rudest Thing You Can Do As A Guest This Christmas

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Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas ― but as someone who struggles a bit at social ’dos, I often wish there was a guidebook on how to be a good guest.

Well, it’s not quite the behaviour manual Jane Austen would have recognised, but new research from DFS offers more or less that.

The company surveyed 2,000 adults based in the UK and asked them what they deemed to be the greatest guest offences over the festive season.

One answer stood out above all else, getting 47% of the overall vote (and 56% from those aged 65 and over).

Which is?

Being late seemed to annoy more people than any other faux pas, the survey found.

Body language and behavioural expert Adrianne Carter, who paired with the furniture company, explained: “Guests are expected to be on time because late arrivals can disrupt the planned schedule for food and activities.”

She added, “Arriving late without a good reason can be seen as disrespectful to the host and the occasion, suggesting a lack of consideration for the effort put into organising the event.”

With that said, she advises against an early entrance, which can “throw the host into a tizzy and start the occasion off on the wrong footing.”

Bang on time (or thereabouts) seems to be the best-received choice.

What else annoyed people?

Per the DFS survey, the next-biggest bugbears for hosts were guests not bringing a drink (41%), then not taking their shoes off (33%).

“Arriving with drinks, as 41% of hosts expect, is a gesture of contribution and support,” Adrianne said.

“It acknowledges the host is providing the majority of the effort and is a token of your appreciation. It also takes the pressure off the host having to provide every drink option.”

So far as shoes go, she advised us to at least ask if we should remove them: “even if the host says to keep them on, they’ll be pleased with your offer.”

Some good news, though: only 11% of Brits say they’d be annoyed if guests turned up underdressed.

“The data shows that most hosts want the time to be enjoyable and relaxing for the guests,” Adrianne revealed.

“More formal dress code suggests a more formal atmosphere, which isn’t always conducive to the home environment, it can feel stuffy and rigid.”

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Is It Just Me, Or Does Tap Water Get Colder In Winter? I Asked An Expert

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I’ll be completely honest here: I know as much about plumbing as I do marine biology or rocket science (which is to say, next to nothing).

So when I told a friend “you know, I always think tap water is way colder in water,” I had no idea how to respond when she asked how I thought that’d happen.

An even more embarrassing admission; I’m not even sure where the reservoir that holds the water that runs through my sink is, or if it’d even be possible for the liquid in it to be affected by the weather.

So, I thought I’d ask Myles Robinson ― former boiler repair company owner and current CEO of UK Composite Doors ― whether I was losing it in the run-up to Christmas, or if this was a real thing.

So… Is tap water really colder in winter?

Yes, Myles says.

He told HuffPost UK: “tap water is definitely colder in the winter. It all comes down to a combination of factors, the water source, the pipes, and how they interact with the colder weather.”

“Most water systems draw from reservoirs, rivers, or groundwater. In winter, these sources naturally drop in temperature, especially in areas with freezing conditions,” he continued.

“Even groundwater, which is insulated by the earth, gets colder as the ground above freezes. So, the water entering your home starts off colder during winter months.”

If you’re thinking “wait, wouldn’t it warm up in the pipes?”, we were in the same boat ― but Myles has answers.

“Pipes running through unheated spaces, like basements, crawl spaces, or underground, are understandably more exposed to the colder air or ground temperatures in winter,” he explained.

“As the water sits in these pipes, it cools even more before reaching your tap. The longer the run of pipe from the main supply to your tap, the more pronounced this cooling effect can be.”

Does tap water get hotter in summer too?

I knew I wasn’t imagining lukewarm glasses of water in the colder months!

“Interestingly, in the summer, the opposite can happen. Heat from the air or soil can warm up the water in your pipes, making it feel less refreshing than winter’s icy flow,” Myles said. Huh!

By the way, if freezing tap water is bothering you, the home expert says there are steps you can take to get rid of the problem.

“If you’re noticing your tap water feels shockingly cold in winter, especially in older homes, you might want to check if your pipes are insulated,” he told HuffPost UK.

“Proper insulation won’t stop the water from being cooler—it starts that way from the source, but it can keep your pipes from freezing, which is a much bigger concern!’’

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Nato Chief Says Its Members Must Move To ‘Wartime Mindset’ As Putin Increases Threats To West

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Nato’s chief has urged the alliance’s members to adopt a “wartime mindset” over the growing threat from Russia in the coming years.

The secretary general, Mark Rutte, said all of Nato’s members should consider increasing defence spending above the current target of 2% of GDP.

Speaking in Brussels, he said: “Russia is preparing for long-term confrontation, with Ukraine and with us.

“We are not ready for what is coming our way in four to five years. It is time to shift to a wartime mindset and turbocharge our defence production and defence spending.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin has long blamed Nato’s supposed expansion to the east for pushing him chose to invade Ukraine in 2022, because he said it made Moscow feel threatened.

Ukraine wants to join Nato, but might be pressured to drop that bid in order to secure a peace deal with Russia when president-elect Donald Trump enters the White House next month.

Rutte said Nato members spent more than 3% of their GDP on defence during the Cold War, when tensions between the US and Russia were high.

He also said Nato need to be aware of China’s ambitions, especially when it comes to its intentions towards Taiwan.

His comments will be seen as an attempt to pre-empt Trump, who is expected to repeat his calls for all Nato member states to increase their defence spending.

In 2018, during his last term in office, Trump pushed for Nato allies to double their military funding target to 4% of GDP.

At the moment, many member states spend less than the 2% on defence.

Around 23 of the 32 members are expected to reach the target amount by the end of the year.

The UK currently spends just over 2%, but defence secretary John Healey reiterated last week that the UK is “totally committed to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP”.

He said 2.5% of GDP on defence would be “a level we haven’t seen in this country since 2010, when Labour was last in government”.

Labour has not put clear timeline on that promise, though.

Less than a week after he was elected in July, PM Keir Starmer also said the government have a “cast iron” commitment” to hiking defence spending.

He said: “At a time when we face multiple threats at home and abroad, we must make sure we are ready to defend ourselves.”

Yet he prefaced that this increase in defence would have to be “within our fiscal rules” and that a “strategic review needs to come first”.

In response to Rutte’s comments, a spokesman for Keir Starmer said: “We’ve said we’ll set out a pathway to 2.5% in the spring and we hope other allies will follow suit in due course.”

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This Common Mistake May Be Ruining Your Poinsettia Before Christmas

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Poinsettias weren’t always a common Christmas flower in the UK ― but flower company Bloom & Wild say they became that way thanks to their festive colour and star-like shape.

So if you’ve got one in your home, chances are you’re trying your hardest to keep it fresh throughout the festive season.

Thankfully, David Denyer, an expert florist at Eflorist, told HuffPost UK that there are some surefire ways to accidentally kill your festive plant before it’d otherwise fade ― including some “people often overlook.”

What could cause an early plant death?

“Pests are a big issue that people often overlook. Aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs are drawn to the fragile leaves of poinsettias,” David told us.

“If the leaves appear curled or feel sticky, it’s often a clear indication of a pest problem,” he added.

You can protect other surrounding plants by removing the affected plant from their area and treating it with insecticide or neem oil.

“Another comment problem is people often believe that yellowing leaves are solely due to overwatering, but in many cases, it could also indicate low light or a lack of nutrients,” David continues.

Poinsettias do need a bit of extra care in terms of nutrients, especially after they’ve been moved from one place to another or after Christmas. A slow-release fertiliser can make a difference in terms of overall health.”

How should I take care of poinsettia?

Even if you’re not worried about murdering your flower entirely, David has some tips for keeping it at its best.

Most of us over-water our poinsettia, he points out: “You have to focus on not letting the plant sit in water,” he stresses.

It’s an easy trap to fall into because people often water their poinsettias frequently, but they don’t check if the soil has good drainage. The plant’s survival is more about the quality of the watering routine than the quantity.”

Misting the leaves with water is a much better option than drenching the leaves ― you shouldn’t leave droplets on the bracts or they’ll “develop unsightly spots,” David warns.

You might want to move your plant from that spot by your window too, the flower expert says.

“Poinsettias are incredibly sensitive to changes, particularly temperature fluctuations. Avoid placing them near places where drafts or sudden warm air from vents can affect them,” he told HuffPost UK.

“The changes in temperature can be subtle but enough to cause them to shed their leaves.”

And “While they enjoy bright, indirect light, some people make the mistake of giving them too much direct sunlight, which causes the leaves to burn.”

Looks like I have a plant pot to move…

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No 10 Tells Protesting Farmers Controversial Inheritance Tax Policy Will Not Be Changed

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The government will not U-turn on controversial changes to inheritance tax rules for farmers, No.10 has confirmed.

Keir Starmer’s official spokesman ruled out any climbdown as thousands of farmers, many of them driving tractors, once again descended on Westminster to protest against the policy.

Some of the placards on display read “No farmers, no food” and “Starmer Farmer Harmer”.

Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget that farms worth more than £1 million will become liable for the charge, albeit at the reduced rate of 20%.

Farmers’ leaders have warned that the move – which ministers say is necessary to help fill a £22 billion financial black hole left by the Tories – will put many farms out of business.

But asked if there could be a re-think on the inheritance tax changes, the PM’s spokesman said: “No. We have been clear that we understand the strength of feeling about the changes, but we are clear that this will only affect a small number of estates.

“Three-quarters of estates will be unaffected by these changes. But the government’s commitment to farmers is steadfast.”

He said the Budget had also seen the government pledge £5 billion-worth of support for farmers “which is already starting to land in farmers’ pockets”.

The spokesman added: “We recognise the strength of feeling, but we are committed to supporting our farmers, delivering rural economic growth and boosting Britain’s food security.”

Tom Bradshaw, the head of the National Farmers Union, had earlier told MPs that he feared some elderly farmers could commit suicide as a result of the policy.

If a farm is passed on to another family member, it is not subject to inheritance tax if the original owner lives for another seven years.

But giving evidence to the rural affairs committee, Bradshaw broke down in tears as he said: “Those people who are either in ill health or don’t believe they are going to be able to live for seven years may well decide that they shouldn’t be here on April 26.

“No policy should ever be published that has that unintended side-effect.”

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Putin Conveniently Forgets There Is An International Arrest Warrant Out For Him In Latest Speech

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Vladimir Putin seemed to overlook the international arrest warrant out against him while calling for everyone to adhere to the law.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president in March 2023 over his alleged involvement in the abduction of children from Ukraine.

The Court’s 124 signatory countries are therefore expected to arrest him if he ever sets foot on their land – meaning his travel plans have been significantly scaled down over the last 18 months.

Russia itself is not a signatory of the statute and has denied the claims against Putin.

Still, according to Russian state news agency TASS, the president claimed: “We stand united in advocating for the establishment of a just and democratic world order founded on genuine equality and adherence to international law, free from all forms of discrimination, coercion, and sanctions pressure, settling regional conflicts and crises, as well as combating the terrorist threat.”

Speaking in his message to participants of the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group events in Malaysia, he also emphasised the “great importance” on strengthening ties with Muslim countries.

He continued: “In the current challenging international climate, it is significant that our positions on key regional and global issues are largely aligned.”

It’s worth noting that Putin is currently offering up asylum to Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian dictator who was toppled at the weekend – Moscow propped up his brutal regime for years.

Putin is also allied with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un who is known for oppressing his civilians.

The Russian president himself is thought to have fixed the recent election so he could secure a fifth term in office.

Putin has also brushed off the impact of the arrest warrant on his life recently, claiming in October: “Decisions of this kind are very easy to circumvent, it is enough to sign an intergovernmental agreement and that’s it – the jurisdiction of the ICC will be limited.”

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A Record Number Of Children Will Spend Christmas In Harmful Accommodation This Year

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While this is said to be the happiest time of year, with many of us putting up our Christmas decorations and enjoying a festive night out or two, it doesn’t quite have the same magic for those in poverty.

In fact, the latest government figures show that 159,380 children across England are spending this winter in temporary accommodation – the highest number on record.

A figure that is a 15% increase on last year.

Housing charity Shelter says: “The figures also show that there are 9,550 families with children stuck in B&Bs and hostels. Government rules say families should only be put in B&B accommodation as a last resort and only for a maximum of six weeks.

“B&Bs and hostels are considered some of the worst type of temporary accommodation as families are often cramped into one room, forced to share kitchens and bathrooms with strangers and where children have no space to play and are unable to have friends over.”

“They had cockroaches, mice, beetles, bedbugs and a bee infestation”

As part of Shelter’s collaboration with B&Q, people who have stayed in temporary accommodation shared their stories, which inspired a range of charity baubles.

Lauren, who was made homeless with her three sons says: “It was one room with one double bed and two single beds. It had a tiny fridge freezer, which kept defrosting and you couldn’t really store anything in it, and a microwave which was absolutely filthy, and we didn’t use”

Aimee and her two young children faced similar issues of cleanliness in their hotel room. She explains: “On the day we moved in we found old chips and ketchup stuck to the windowsill. They had cockroaches, mice, beetles, bedbugs and a bee infestation. The water came out of the tap a dirty colour and the toilet backed up.”

Sam and his family were actually placed in a flat but it was overrun with rodents and wasn’t fit to live in. He says: “We’ve got mice. We’ve got rats in the ceiling – running, fighting in the middle of the night. We had no electricity for two weeks, had no shower for about a month. It feels like I’m in a prison sometimes.”

Temporary accommodation is often unsanitary

Shelter’s ‘Living in Limbo’ report surveyed over 1,000 people living in temporary accommodation.

The report found that a devastating four in 10 reported problems with damp, mould or condensation, over a third had issues with insect or animal infestations and over half of parents say that living in temporary accommodation has harmed their child’s health.

“Utterly unacceptable”

Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Shelter, says: “It is utterly unacceptable that so many families will spend the festive season homeless and trapped in overcrowded, damp, unsafe temporary accommodation.

“Sky high private rents combined with a dire shortage of genuinely affordable social homes has caused homelessness to spiral and sadly it’s children who are paying the price. Too many are growing up sharing beds with siblings, in one-room hostels infested with cockroaches, bedbugs, and rats, in conditions that harm their health and futures.”

To find your nearest B&Q to purchase your tree and help donate towards B&Q and Shelter’s shared mission, visit their website.

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This £12 Amazon Find Gave Me A Third More Usable Oven Space

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We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

As Christmas draws near, I’ve been feeling the panic pretty much anyone who’s hosted a big dinner has experienced ― how am I meant to cook everything I need to when I’ve only got one oven?

Don’t get me wrong, I love my slow cooker (where I’m planning to make some spiced apple red cabbage on the day), and I’m not completely against steamed veggies.

But with Yorkies, stuffing, pigs in blankets, roast parsnips, spuds, and some kind of fowl in the mix, I genuinely started to lose sleep over how it was all going to come together.

That was, of course, before I spotted this £12 universal oven rack from Amazon, which instantly made all my fears look ridiculous.

It’s got adjustable arms that you can tighten or loosen with the bolts attached to both sides of the rack.

You don’t need any tools to tighten or loosen it ― a simple twist with your thumb and forefinger is more than enough.

It extends from 36cm to 59cm, making it perfect for most ovens (it only took about a minute to make it fit mine).

After I’d fitted it into my oven, my first step was to try a dry run of the Crimbo dinner (basically, I did a roast).

I’ll be honest; I was worried there wouldn’t be enough height in my oven to properly accommodate everything I wanted to include, but by placing the top and bottom racks at the highest and lowest ridges respectively, I got away with a lot more than I thought I would.

So it’s pretty safe to say I’m sold on the addition ― you can nab your own here, if you like.

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Exclusive: Ministers Try To Rebuild Bridges With Whitehall After Starmer’s ‘Trumpian’ Attack On Civil Servants

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Ministers are trying to restore relations with their civil servants after comments by Keir Starmer caused fury last week, HuffPost UK can reveal.

In a major speech, the prime minister claimed too many in Whitehall “are comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”.

He said they had “forgotten, to paraphrase JFK, that you choose change, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard”.

That prompted Dave Penman, general secretary of civil servants’ union the FDA, to write to the PM accusing him of a “Trumpian” attack on his members.

A Whitehall source told HuffPost UK that senior ministers are “doing the rounds to show love” in their departments in an attempt to repair the damage caused by the prime minister’s comments.

One civil service source said: “We’re tired of being criticised in public and thanked in private – that’s what happened with the last government.”

In a further attempt at improving relations with officials, Starmer today wrote a letter to civil servants thanking them for their efforts.

He said: “From my time as Director of Public Prosecutions, I know first-hand just how fortunate this country is to have a civil service that is admired across the world.

“I saw it every day, I depended on it every day, I was proud to be part of it every day. And from all I have seen during my first five months as prime minister, my appreciation for your service to this country has only grown.”

But responding to the PM’s letter, Dave Penman said it did not go far enough.

He said: “I’m sure civil servants will welcome the message from the prime minister, recognising the challenges the civil service faces as it strives to deliver the government’s agenda and their shared desire to deliver better public services.

“But he needs to to go further. As minister for the civil service, the prime minister should not underestimate the damage his remarks last week made.

“If he is to deliver his vision for change, he needs to inspire, not denigrate the civil service.”

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Turkish President Erdogan Says He And Putin Are ‘Only’ Two Leaders Left In The World

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The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan just claimed he and Vladimir Putin are the “only” two leaders left in the world.

Speaking after Syrian rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled Turkey’s neighbour since 2000, Erdogan heaped praise on Russia’s authoritarian leader.

He said: “Now, there are only two leaders in the world. They are myself and Vladimir Putin.

“I am not saying this because one of them is me. But I have been in office for 22 years, nearly as long as Mr Putin. The rest are gone.”

Putin has been in power for the best part of 25 years and often accused of rigging elections to stay in power.

Turkey is seen as a flawed democracy where elections are still credible, but there are few checks and balances on its government.

It’s worth noting there are 195 governments in the world – so Putin and Erdogan are far from the only leaders left.

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, Erdogan also explained how important it was to remain close to Russia.

He said: “We want our dialogue to continue. It is important to continue politics.

“For instance, politics ended in Germany when Angela Merkel resigned.”

Merkel served as the chancellor in Germany from 2005 until 2021 when she stepped down.

Bizarrely, Erdogan’s comments come at a time when Putin is providing asylum to Assad in Russia after Moscow propped up his regime for years.

Meanwhile, the Turkish president has conducted several incursions into Syria over the last eight years in a bid to create a buffer zone on the border.

Erdogan has also been accused of aiding the Syrian rebels although Turkish officials have rejected such claims.

Turkey and Russia have also emphasised their close connection in the past, with Erdogan once describing Putin as a “dear friend”.

The Turkish president told CNN last May: “Russia and Turkey need each other in every field possible.

“The West is not leading a very balanced approach – you need a balanced approach toward a country such as Russia.

“We are not at a point where we would impose sanctions on Russia like the West has done.”

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