Christmas Magazines Through The Years Country Life Christmas Special 2019

What was 2019 like?

As I write, I am going back six years, but so much has happened in that time, especially politically, that it feels like sixty! It was the last year of daily life having a feel of normality before the Covid lockdowns, so let’s see what the main events and interesting asides were.

Queen Elizabeth was in the 67th year of her reign, but any thoughts of a peaceful winding down in her role were dashed by one of the most fractious political years on record. During the year she had two Prime Ministers, Theresa May and ‘Boris’ Johnson. Brexit negotiations and infighting had removed the former from power and his role in railroading (or perhaps bus driving) the country to the vote to leave saw him given the keys to No 10. Within months he had illegally prorogued parliament and, when he didn’t get his way over a no deal Brexit called a General Election in December and won an 80 seat majority over Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party. At the time, Covid was only just starting with the first recorded case in China on December 1, but until January the following year there was no real indication as to how much impact it would have. Looking back on the politics of that year, and those since, it is clear that the more measured approaches I observed in the 20th Century have gone, never to return.

With such an awful year, politically speaking, around the world it is surprising to find out that the New York Times called it the ‘Best year in human history’! They cited decreased child mortality, literacy rates reaching 90% worldwide, a decline in diseases like polio and increased digital connectivity. They may have had a point at the time, but the 2020s are going the right way to reversing all of the above apart from the last, which now means more people than ever have their world view controlled by a small number of powerful people. So, what did Country Life make of Christmas 2019?

Country Life Christmas Special 2019

After the somewhat sour and decidedly unfestive fare served up 12 years early, I had a feeling of trepidation when starting this particular issue. The jolly looking Father Christmas on the front once again doubles up as an Advent Calendar, and although this one remains unopened, the contents page informs the reader that the windows hide a cast of Christmas characters drawn by Alan Baker of Look and Learn. Maybe I will open it during Advent 2026! The editorial for 2019 is firmly back in the world of Christmas with a reflection on songs that have messages relevant to modern life. The connection between hope for the future and the hope engendered by a new born baby, the sorrow at the state of the world and the everlasting light promised in a Bethlehem that was in 2019, and still is in 2025, riven by conflict. It is thought provoking and hopeful. The following page is an article about my favourite carol, ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ tracing its sometimes confusing history. Finally, in the early pages of the magazine is a lovely article about a camel farm whose residents are in great demand for Nativity Plays. It’s a marvellous peek behind the curtain of some very British eccentricity.

The best mince pies are put to the test because, as Country Life states and I agree wholeheartedly, ‘Mince pies maketh Christmas …’! Of course, homemade is the best but if you aren’t going to make them from scratch then this was a guide to the best options. Interestingly, Sainsbury’s beat Konditor and Cook and Fortnum and Mason whose mince pies were four and six times the price respectively! In many magazines, you would be told how best to cook a turkey. In this magazine there are some interesting ideas for red cabbage instead. There is also a recipe for venison burgers but they’re too deer for me!

There are present ideas for The Host, The Hostess, Tricky Teen, Little Ones, Bachelor Uncle (!) and Made Personal. If you wanted to buy the most expensive items, the suggestions for each category were, a travel bag for £1295, fire opal and diamond earrings for £3500, a leather belt bag for £395, an alphabet chest of drawers for £1350, a Green stag head decanter for £3950 and finally a personalised backgammon set for £12000 totalling nearly £25000! They may be expensive, but some of the ideas are simply marvellous and I will look into them if I win the lottery!

There is an article called Doorways to Heaven where Ysenda Maxtone Graham, with tongue firmly in cheek for some of it, counts down the 25 musical moments she is looking forward to most as a kind of advent calendar. My favourite is Day 21 which reflects the joy of hitting the top note of Hark the Herald without squawking! The final page of the magazine is an interesting call for more superstition, or perhaps a willingness to believe, in a world that is becoming more materialist.

At the bottom of the final page the cartoon cannot resist political commentary. The three wise men following the star are told there is a change of plan and they need to sort out the UK instead!

Final Reflections

This set of articles have been something of a labour of love, and in many ways a real eye opener. The past definitely has been a different country, so it has been a lovely finish to read a magazine so full of Christmas spirit. Yes, the audience is quite specific, but in many ways their likes, dislikes and preoccupations are not so different from ours. They have more money to indulge in their tastes, but they look forward to certain aspects of Christmas and suffer others like we all do. It left me with a feeling that at Christmas there is still more that unites us than divides us, and it is a message I needed to hear.

My final magazine tomorrow brings us right up to date with a Christmas issue from 2025, but which one? You’ll have to visit this site to find out!