I’m writing this in between packing to go away for Christmas tomorrow, so forgive me if what follows is a bit brief and confusing. This is my first Christmas present, a book about artist and writer John Hargrave’s movement The Kindred of the Kibbo Kift. It looks very intriguing, so I thought I’d share it quickly despite having very little knowledge about it…

Originally an all-ages splinter group from the Boy Scout Movement, Kibbo Kift was set up by Hargraves in England in 1920 with the aim of producing a group of creative sorts to lead society towards a happy poverty-and-war-free sort of place. It attracted support from plenty of notable writers, scientists and artists including D H Lawrence and HG Wells. The book’s intro explains, “Kibbo Kift’s sometimes bewildering aims and methods ranged across health and handicraft, pacifism and propaganda, myth and magic, education and economics….they believed, by the peculiar conditions of their time: so-called civilisation had been corrupted and was on the brink of collapse.”

Which all sounds very relatable and, judging by the book’s imagery, resulted in some pretty heavily forward-thinking art, costume and ceremony.

The book was published by Donlon Books, which is well worth a trip up to Broadway Market for – I came home with about four presents for other people.

Since this is the last you’ll hear from me for a bit. Have a very Happy Christmas / Holiday season. I’ll report back if, after reading this there are some amazing insights to share (I’m expecting there will be).

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