How to celebrate VE Day at home and in style

Veteran parades and public festivities may be off the cards, but you can still mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday 8 May from the comfort of your own home – or doorstep.  The current sense of community spirit, as demonstrated each week during Thursday evening's Clap For Our Carers, proves we can still acknowledge important moments and share a feeling of national pride while following social distancing guidelines. So break out the bunting, get baking and start practising those dance steps.  

Here at John Lewis & Partners, we have all the kit you’ll need to commemorate VE Day with flair. From Union flag napkins to the perfect British tea bags, we’ve got it covered. If you have a front garden, why not put up some bunting (if you've got kids at home, get them to pitch in) and take the decorations to your doorstep? English Heritage has created a special party pack which includes lyrics for popular 1940s songs, a Spotify playlist, dance moves for the Lindy Hop and a VE Day poster for your window.

Looking for some recipe inspiration? Silvana Franco, Partner & Food Editor, Waitrose recommends Cheese, Leek & Bacon Pasties and Strawberry Drizzle Cake, both perfect for a socially distanced VE Day celebration. For the cake, beat together 100g butter and 200g golden sugar until pale and fluffy; whisk in 1 large egg and 120ml milk. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 200g self-raising flour then spoon into a greased and lined 23cm cake tin. Arrange strawberries, cut-side down, on top of the cake then sprinkle over a little more sugar; bake at 180ºC for 50–55 minutes until set. Mash three strawberries then mix the juice with icing sugar and drizzle over the cooled cake. A slice of this and a cup of tea – or something a little stronger – are the perfect accompaniment to the Queen’s special televised broadcast on 8 May at 9pm, the same time her father, King George VI, addressed the nation 75 years ago.

Main images: Talking Tables.