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

Inside the prison, Christmas was marked, but modestly. There were a few decorations and inmates were given a Christmas meal. For inmates, these small gestures brought a small sense of normalcy and seasonal recognition within an overwise restricted environment. Christmas behind bars was never truly festive… but it wasn’t ignored, either.

 

Officer Goodwin at Shrewsbury Prison

 

What Christmas Was Like for Prison Officers

For prison officers, Christmas didn’t mean time off in the way most of us know it. They generally kept to their usual working hours, with only minor changes to the prison routine. Educational and work-based activities for inmates were typically paused around 22nd or 23rd December, then restarted in early January. Even during the festive season, the prison still operated as normal, and officers focused on maintaining stability and order.

 

One of our expert guides delivering a Guided Tour at Shrewsbury Prison

 

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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