Behind the scenes

Inside the Big Issue: Our legendary Christmas special!

Our legendary Christmas special is here – the final bumper festive issue of 2025! Buy a copy from your local vendor

It’s our legendary Christmas special – the final bumper festive issue of 2025!

This year has been packed with big issues from seismic political shifts to immigration-driven culture wars. From benefit cuts to long-awaited housing legislation. From the Houses of Parliament to the streets. We’ve been across the lot, offering insight, perspectives and analysis you won’t find elsewhere. In this week’s magazine. we take a look back at 2025’s biggest issues, how we covered them and what comes next.

We also have Gordan Brown, Richard Osman and Marina Hyde, 10Foot, Tim Key, Rosie Jones, Matt Chorley, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Jadinda Ardern, Lisa Nandy, John Swinney, Claire Foy, and the voice of Jet2. Need we say more?

Merry Christmas!

What else is in this week’s Big Issue?

The best of Letter to My Younger Self 2025

Every week, Big Issue asks public figures to imagine a conversation with their 16-year-old selves. The results can sometimes be revelatory, other times inspirational; tears have been shed and laughs are had. In this week’s mag, some highlights from the year, from Peter Doherty to Ed Davey.

Hope and uncertainty in Gaza this Christmas

Christmas in Gaza is like everywhere else and nowhere else. Emad Wafa Tawfiq Al-Sayegh, 59, afather of four, founded a factory producing porous metals, wires and bricks. He is a member of the YMCA Gaza board and tells us what Christmas has been like before and during the conflict, and his hopes for the future.

Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

What’s in Keir Starmer’s stocking?

It’s been a year to forget for many of our politicians. Happily, the BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Matt Chorley has drawn up an exclusive gift guide for the naughty, nice or just plain hopeless this Christmas.

Do you have a story to tell or opinions to share about this? Get in touch and tell us more

Change a vendor’s life this Christmas.

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Advertising helps fund Big Issue’s mission to end poverty

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