A Wartime Christmas

A nostalgic look at Christmas during wartime, based on the memories of wartime veterans and their families, and including accounts of Christmas under fire, Christmas in POW camps and Christmas on the home front

For those who lived through wartime Christmases the celebrations during those years had an especially poignant flavour. This unique anthology recreates those times of heartache and brief moments of pleasurable escape and happiness. Share with wartime veterans and their families memories of Christmas under fire; read about the gift of a pig for POWs' dinner from the Japanese emperor and how Glenn Miller's disappearance almost ruined the AEF Christmas show; enjoy ENSA veterans' anecdotes of Christmas concerts in the most awkward situations. From Christmas on the Russian Front, on board ship in heaving seas and a soldier's experiences in Egypt, 'It ain't arf hot' pantomimes and the Archbishop of York's Christmas message in 1940, to an account of life in the Warsaw ghetto, here is a collection of what made Christmas special during the years of the Second World War. Illustrated throughout, A Wartime Christmas showcases the hope, warmth and colour that the occasion inspired during those bleak times.

The SUNDAY TIMES bestselling Christmas saga. The perfect read for the cold winter nights! THIS CHRISTMAS, CAN LOVE FIND A WAY? 1941, Isle of Dogs. The little community on Slater Street has fought valiantly to keep their spirits up through the long nights of the Blitz. Though her husband Alan has been called up to serve his country, Kay Lewis is determined to give their young son Alfie as merry a Christmas as any other. But when a strange woman arrives on her doorstep, Kay's world is shaken to the core . . . When the woman claims that Alan has been leading a double life, Kay begins to wonder whether she ever knew her husband at all. Then disaster strikes as Alan is reported missing in action. With no way of discovering the truth, Kay will have some difficult decisions to make if she is to protect her family and keep her faith in the man she thought she knew. A heart-warming and nostalgic Christmas family saga set at the heart of wartime London, about finding hope in the darkest of times. Perfect for fans of Sheila Newberry and Rosie Goodwin Praise for CAROL RIVERS: 'Surely one of the best saga writers of her time' – Rosie Clarke 'A gripping page turner' - LEAH FLEMING 'Brings the East End to life - family loyalties, warring characters and broken dreams. Superb' - ELIZABETH GILL

A compelling tale of ordinary East Enders caught up in extraordinary times, from the Sunday Times bestselling author.

Christmas has been regularly celebrated during wartime. From the Christmas truce of 1914 out in no-mans land on the Western Front, to prisoners of war cooking up their very unique Christmas dinners with whatever they could get their hands on in German POW camps in the 1940s, the privations and difficulties caused by conflict has never stopped people indulging in a little holiday cheer. This lavish gift book, illustrated with one hundred objects, photographs, and works of art from the unmatched Imperial War Museums collection, tells the stories of those who lived through these challenging times, when wrapping paper was banned, rationing was in full force, and children were separated from their families. Also included are tips and tricks for creating recycled presents and greetings cards and recipes to cook a delicious wartime Christmas meal. Wartime Christmas explores the dichotomy apparent in celebrating "peace to all men" while continuing to fight a war of aggression.

It's 1943 and despite the dangers, Sukie and Pattie left Devon behind to work at the bustling Edwardes Hotel in Covent Garden, serving everyone from army officials to theatre goers. With Sukie working 'upstairs' on reception and Pattie a chambermaid 'downstairs', they see everything that goes on and find themselves quickly falling in love with both London and the hotel. Until tragedy strikes, leaving Sukie desperately in need of hope in her darkest hours. Only to find that the hotel and its staff help her regain her feet, so when she discovers that the hotel is facing financial difficulty, Sukie knows she will do anything to save it. As war rages on and the festive season just around the corner Sukie has to find a solution before the place she now calls home is taken from her forever. Can the girls work together to save the Edwardes Hotel and make this a Christmas to remember? Full of romance, heartbreak and friendship, this gripping new wartime saga from Kitty Danton offers an exciting and heart-warming read for fans of Annie Groves and Ellie Dean.

Here we trace the history of the Second World War through six wartime Christmases, with fascinating information on how people in Britain, Allied troops at home and British servicemen aboard celebrated the festive season. This highly illustrated and informative guide explores how people made the most of trying times, hanging paper chains in air-raid shelters and enriching Christmas cakes with gravy browning. Through rationing, bad news and good, absences, losses and homecomings, Christmas cheer bubbled up during these dark years. For many, of course, Christmas proved a sad time, with reflections on the years of peace gone by, toasting loved ones far away, and thinking of those who would never come home. But for six years Christmas and the New Year were celebrated with song, jokes, simple gifts, and the wish that ‘next year the war will be over’.