A Horrid History of Christmas

Historic tales of tragedy and trauma during the festive season

Alongside fatal rail crashes, freak weather conditions, and devastating fires, the holiday season has witnessed a plethora of almost unbelievable accidents, including the amateur mechanic who died with his head stuck in a car engine, the footballer who leaped into a quarry to retrieve a lost ball, and the Christmas party guest who fell down a flight of stairs and broke his neck. This collection of historic horrid happenings from across England demonstrates that Christmas is not necessarily a time of peace, joy, and goodwill to all men. Full of merry madness and hearty heartache, this treasury might make readers want to bypass the festivities altogether.