What Was Prison Like At Christmas?

What Was Prison Like At Christmas?

Have you ever wondered how Christmas felt behind bars? It’s a side of the season we rarely talk about, but for thousands of people every year, the festive period happens in prison.

Here are a few insights into what Christmas was really like in prison in more modern times, seen through the eyes of officers, inmate and visiting families.

What Christmas Was Like for Inmates

Inmates were served a bacon or sausage sandwich instead of the usual porridge. They were also served a Christmas Lunch and had a cold Christmas hamper for dinner. For many inmates, these small gestures offered a brief sense of normality and seasonal recognition within an overwise restricted environment.

What Christmas Was Like for Prison Officers

For prison officers, generally kept to their usual working hours during Christmas, with only minor changes to the prison routine. Dayshift staff were allowed an extended two-hour break so they could visit family. One former prison officer said that the yearly hire of a karaoke machine at the prison was a highlight of the season.

What Christmas Was Like for Visitors

For families, having a loved one behind bars at Christmas often brought a deep sense of sadness and loss. Even when people accepted this as part of the reality of imprisonment, the distance felt heavier during a season usually centred on togetherness and celebration.

If this has sparked your curiosity, you’ll be intrigued by what we’ve done with our Guided Tours this Christmas. From 29th November to 24th December, you can uncover how this season was celebrated on the inside and what life was like for the remaining 364 days of the year, too.

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