Dear Readers ...

Christmas is fast approaching, and our new Special, which comes complete with a CD of festive music recorded exclusively for us, is sure to get you in the mood for celebrating! We’ve 14 seasonal short stories and an eight-page mystery by Pamela Kavanagh to enjoy, plus recipes for traditional German treats and some cute crochet tree decorations to make.

Polly Pullar discovers why the partridge is associated with this time of year, Dianne Boardman tries her hand at glass-blowing to make baubles, and Gillian Harvey chats to the people who create snowy backdrops for our favourite films and TV shows. Solange Hando remembers childhood Christmases in France, Pat Coulter admires the yuletide displays in Bournemouth’s Russell-Cotes Museum and Richard Webber takes a look back at Christmas in wartime.