WARTIME CHRISTMAS

An accessible look at Christmas during the two World Wars

Authors Anthony Richards Publisher Imperial War Museum Price £12.99 Released Out now

Whether it was an impromptu football match in no man’s land, the efforts of captured British servicemen in the 1940s or stories of the home front, Christmas festivities didn’t stop just because Britain was at war. This beautifully produced new book seeks to examine how Christmas was celebrated not only by those away fighting, but those left at home as well.

Wartime Christmas is a richly illustrated book that manages to cover an impressive amount of ground despite its relatively small page count. As is to be expected by a book published by the Imperial War Museum, the sources and historical information are impeccable, and there’s much of value in this slim volume for those with a passing interest in the subject or younger readers seeking to learn more about life in wartime.

From rationing to the separation of families, entertainment to religious worship, each chapter is concise, informative and makes good use of resources from the museum archives. The book’s greatest asset is the huge variety of materials that illustrate each chapter, from recipes for parsnip fritters and touching letters home to Christmas ornaments made by injured soldiers and even festive posters produced by POWS.

As an introduction to the subject, Wartime Christmas is excellent. It would’ve been nice to see some recommended further reading for readers who’d like to dig deeper, but as a gift book or a gentle starting point for a casual reader, it’s an ideal stocking filler. CC