According to new figures released by the ONS, the number of people getting hitched has plummeted since the 1960s. But some places are bucking the trendName: Marriage.Age: The first recorded evidence of a wedding ceremony dates to 2350BC, in Mesopotamia…
Rice, rice baby: Japanese parents send relatives rice to hug in lieu of newborns
Each bag matches birth weight and features baby’s face, so new arrival can be hugged in pandemic Parents in Japan are sending bags of rice that weigh the same as their newborn babies to relatives who are unable to visit them due to the pandemic.The bag…
My brother has two new children – and it’s making me sad
When you want to be a parent and can’t, this is a loss to be mourned, says Philippa PerryThe question I’m a 48-year-old woman in a loving relationship. I don’t have any children. I have two brothers – my younger one has four children with his partner. …
Avoiding recipe regret: how to record and revive your family recipes
Food looms large in family. But how can you prevent treasured family recipes from being lost to time?Lisa Goldberg still experiences regret when she thinks about recipes from her aunt she wasn’t able to record. “My aunt was the best cook … [but] I only…
A childhood desire to wear women’s pants has returned. Is it perverted? | Ask Annalisa
Don’t be ashamed. Shame is for the other people in your life who failed you, says Annalisa BarbieriAs a child, I stole a pair of my mother’s high-waisted, pink and white nylon knickers and wore them under my short trousers to school. I was six years ol…
In a house move blunder, I’ve blown it with my wife. Can I scapegoat the delivery men? | Romesh Ranganathan
My wife was in the new house waiting for a delivery. I was in the old one working. What could possibly go wrong?My wife and I rarely have a proper argument, so it came as quite a shock to both of us when one did come along. I would describe it as less …
How we met: ‘She gave me strong signs that she wasn’t looking for romance’
Vinca, 37, and Lee, 40, were housemates in Manchester before they fell in love. They live in north Wales with their sonIn early 2008, Vinca was a self-confessed party girl, living the high life in Manchester. She worked for a recruitment firm during th…
It’s a glorious feeling when you and your singles bubble buddy just hang doing nothing | Melanie Tait
A chance to watch old videos and eat junk does wonders for the soul after the sadness and loneliness of weeks of lockdown – even with no hugsWhen the singles bubble was announced, I found myself awash with what people much cooler than me call “the feel…
Legalising same-sex marriages made even the unwed happy | Torsten Bell
Anxiety and depression fell among those who were finally allowed down the aisleMost people getting married think it’ll make them happy. At least I hope they do – it’s not worth it for the ring or the £5-a-week embarrassment of the marriage allowance.Lu…
How to raise a boy: my mission to bring up a son fit for the 21st century
Increasing awareness of the price of toxic masculinity has led many parents to wonder how best to prepare the young men of the future. One father consults the expertsMy little son has a gang he roots for. All boys, dudes everywhere – they’re his gang. …