English Poet Thomas Tusser once said…“At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.” 🎄

In the blink of an eye, the most wonderful time of the year has come around again. To celebrate, Exact Editions is sharing articles from the digital archives of four of our publishing partners to inform, inspire and spread festive cheer 😍

Dive into these articles to fully immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit! 🎅 

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Sainsbury’s Magazine ‘Mix and Match’ December 2020 

Looking to spice up your mince pies? 😋

Whether you’re looking for a grown-up boozy twist, a sweet caramel treat or a tahini and pistachio-flavoured delight, the December 2020 issue of Sainsbury’s Magazine has the perfect recipe for you.

And  – even better  –  they’re all made from the same basic pastry recipe and jar of mincemeat! 

Read the article, pages 32-38, here.

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BBC History Magazine ‘ No Christmas Under Cromwell?’ Christmas 2011

“Thus are the merry lords of misrule suppressed by the mad lords of bad rule at Westminster.”

The Christmas 2011 issue of BBC History Magazine investigates popular resistance to the Puritan assault on Christmas during the 1640s and 1650s. Find out how and why Oliver Cromwell abolished all traditional festivities by order of the two Houses of Parliament sitting at Westminster.

Read the article, pages 20-25, here.

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The Spectator ‘Christmas Short Story: The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth’ 19-26 December 2009

“Bethany Mellmoth is in a quandary  –  and she doesn’t like quandaries. It’s December 20th. Five days until Christmas. The fact that this is a Christmas quandary makes it no more bearable.”

The short story ‘The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth’, written by Scottish writer William Boyd and illustrated by Carolyn Gowdy, is featured in the the 19–26 December 2009 issue of The Spectator.

Read the article, pages 60-63, here.

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Current Archaeology ‘From Stonehenge to Santa Claus: The Archaeology of Christmas’ Issue 238

“Most people are vaguely aware that our modern Christmas merges ancient pagan elements with Christian tradition. As an archaeologist, Frodsham wanted to explore these connections in detail, and trace them back as far as possible.”

Archaeologist Paul Frodsham’s book, entitled ‘From Stongehenge to Santa — the Evolution of Christmas’ takes readers on a 5,000-year journey through the celebration of midwinter.

Issue 238 of Current Archaeology uses his work to answer some of their readers’ burning questions: what are the origins of crackers and was Jesus really born on 25 December? 🤔

Read the article, pages 12–21, here.

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Access to the digital magazine issues included in this post will be active until the 21st February 2022.

Fully-searchable digital subscriptions to Sainsbury’s Magazine, BBC History Magazine, The Spectator & Current Archaeology are all available in the Exact Editions individual and institutional shops.

And last but not least — a big Merry Christmas from Exact Editions! 🎄