Every December, Sophie’s Great War Tours opens a little window into the past. Three years ago, we started a simple idea: an Advent calendar for history lovers, 24 days of daily posts that honour the people, places, and objects that shaped the world we live in.

In 2022, we focused on military objects. From trench art to gas masks, each post revealed how much a single object can say about a life lived at the front.

In 2023, we turned to specific battlefield sites, exploring the landscapes that still hold the imprint of history, the quiet ridges, forest edges, mine craters, and shattered towns where extraordinary moments unfolded.

Last year we looked at the stories of unsung heroes whose stories deserved to be told.

Every year has been different but each December has reminded us of the same truth: history becomes real when we connect with the people who lived it.

This Year’s Theme: Letters From the Front

For 2025, we’ll be sharing snippets from letters of those that served in conflicts throughout the 20th Century. Some are hopeful, some are heartbreaking, some are unexpectedly funny, warm, or wonderfully ordinary. All of them are human.

These letters are windows into courage, boredom, fear, love, frustration, humour, and hope. They remind us that behind every uniform, every medal, and every battlefield, there was a voice and someone waiting at home to hear it.

If you’re someone who cares deeply about history, remembrance, and the personal stories that bring the past to life, this year’s calendar is for you.

Join Us This December

Follow along on our social channels from 1st December as we open each envelope, unfold each page, and bring a new voice from the past into the present.