A confession. I find the Christmas issue of healthy the hardest one the team creates each year. What can we share with you, or inspire you with, that feels Healthy, with a capital H, but also Christmassy, indulgent and fun? We start planning it months ahead, ensuring our double cover and food shoots are exactly right. And so, while we pour passion into every issue, this one has just a little bit more sparkle dusted over it, too.
What we’ve brought to the Christmas party this year is a sense of positivity. Specifically, how can we find enjoyment and meaning in a celebration that’s often stressful and exhausting? I hope our thoughtful features give some answers, both practically (How to ace Christmas, page 18) and emotionally (Your Christmas life debrief, page 30). I’ve always wondered how much the regular ‘healthy’ stuff – fitness, diet – matters to you over Christmas. Do you stick to your routines or cut yourselves a break? Absolutely loads of you answered our survey, and we were encouraged to see that it’s about balance. So I hope you enjoy our articles on why getting tipsy can be healthy, page 26, and a new way to approach the Christmas weight gain scenario, page 51. And do flip over for our food special, where you’ll find our favourite vegetarian and vegan recipes for every occasion the season throws up. Happy Christmas!