Every Christmas millions of Christmas cards are sent to around the world. To celebrate the Christmas season we have chosen a selection of Christmas cards held at Dorset History Centre.

Collected by Revd James Cross, the vicar of Sturminster Marshall, this image is made up of a selection from the 60 photographs of men and women from the town serving in the armed forces during the First World War.

October's document of the month is a visual plan of the battle of Trafalgar, 1805 (Reference: D/LEG/Z/16).

September is when children return to school after their summer holidays.

August is a traditional month when people go on holiday. The document of the month for August is made from the covers of four guides for Bournemouth, which we have put together to make one image.

Each year the French celebrate Bastille Day on 14 July. To mark this occasion we have chosen two documents that record the fall of the Bastille in 1789 and the Napoleonic War that followed the Revolution.

Many other countries already celebrate an Armed Forces day, or Veterans Day, including Egypt, Canada, Poland, South Korea and the United States of America. In the UK the day is intended as an opportunity for the nation to show their support for the men and women who make up the whole Armed Forces community. 2009 will be the first time that Armed Forces Day will have been officially celebrated nationally in the UK.

For the month of May we have chosen images from the Poole Pottery Archive; floral designs as May also marks the opening of the Chelsea Flower show.

Britain is often called a nation of animal lovers and April's documents of the month reflect our long term care and love of our pets.

This month we celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March and Mother's Day on 22 March.

February's document of the month tells a tale of a Valentine and unrequited love.

January's document of the month looks at the dangers of the sea in a time before radar and GPS.