Jolly frock-coated robins, majestic geese and arboreal partridges make for both literal and symbolic centrepieces at Christmas, says Matthew Dennison, as he revels in the cultural history of the season’s feathered fowl and game

At the height of his popularity during the early 20th century, Rudyard Kipling emerged as the standout literary star of his generation. Adored by the British reading public for his vivid storytelling

The myth Father Christmas delivers your children’s presents. The “truth” If he’s leaving gifts, he isn’t Father Christmas. That’s not what FC does. The first personification of Christmas that we know

With Hallowe’en out of the way, Christmas is the next big ghostly occasion in the UK traditional calendar. But what, one may wonder, of the rest of Europe? Ghost hunter Peter Underwood called Europe “

As C. S. Lewis’s enchanting children’s classic The Lion, the Witchl and the Wardrobe turns 75, Matthew Dennison pulls back the coats to explore its evergreen spell

You might be surprised to learn that there are more ghost sightings on Christmas Eve than there are at Halloween, so what better time for a ghost hunt? The festive season has always been favoured by l