It seems I should have issued a Government Health Warning, so I will remedy that today. If as a result of ‘opening’ my advent calendar, your book budget plummets and your book shelves bulge – I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY. Clear?

Today’s offering is Kate Adie’s Corsets to Camouflage: women at war. Former war correspondent, Kate Adie, looks at the contribution of British women to the war effort, principally but not exclusively, in the two world wars. She covers not only the armed forces but nurses, land girls and munitionettes. Her own experiences reporting on the gulf war conclude the book. I particularly like the personal touches, when the author reveals snippets of her own family history to illustrate situations or outlooks. The book is illustrated with some not very clear black and white photographs of women involved in conflict at the beginning of each chapter and some much better plates in colour and black and white. This is not just a book about warfare, it is an important contribution to women’s history and an account of changing attitudes to women in traditionally male roles.

So this week I have been decorating the Christmas tree. I know this seems early but my decorations will be abandoned straight after Christmas and I wanted to get my money’s worth. Regular readers will know that my Christmas decorations hold a special significance for me and may also remember the awful incident two years ago when I thought I had lost them. Fortunately no such trauma this time. The tree may be a little smaller than the ideal – it fitted in the room without difficultly but I am please to have it there. I also assembled the History Group’s entry for the village Christmas tree competition. Last year our entry won a prize but this year groups have seriously upped their game and some entries resemble a Harrod’s window display. My excuse for our somewhat low-key effort is that we’ve been spending time on history group activities instead; nonetheless we wanted to be support the event. It is the taking part and all that.