A History of the Millennium Jigsaw by Waddingtons Review



The artist Brenda Burke designed a stunning jigsaw which depicts Christmas scenes right from the 11th to the 20th century. The detailed scenes from this specially commissioned painting are highlighted with gold foil which captures the light.

A History of the Millennium is a special limited edition jigsaw puzzle by the artist Brenda Burke which comes with stunning gold foil detailing. This now vintage puzzle was released in 1999 by Waddingtons to mark the year 2000.

As well as being a wonderful tribute to the Millennium, this jigsaw also provides a fun game once complete for you to find 55 items in total across each century. It's a wonderful collectible and comes with a certificate of authenticity as well as a metal tree decoration.

A History of the Millennium Jigsaw by Waddingtons Puzzle Review


A History of the Millennium Jigsaw by Waddingtons Puzzle Review Jigsaws Puzzles Christmas limited edition gold foil Brenda Burke


Title: A History of the Millennium

Publisher: Waddingtons

Release date: 1999

Artist: Brenda Burke

Cutting style: Grid cut

Number of puzzle pieces: 1000

Finished size approx: 50 x 67 cm / 20 x 26 inches

I happen to have a special fondness for Waddingtons jigsaw puzzles and have collected all the original limited edition Christmas jigsaws up to 2007 along with all the metal tree decorations and certificates.


A History of the Millennium is one of my favourite designs from this range with it's special nod to the Millennium, the wonderfully detailed scene painted by the artist Brenda Burke and the stunning gold foil detail on top.

I love too that there is a fun search and find game to play once the puzzle is complete with 55 items to find. It extends the fun of this magnificent vintage design.

Puzzle Quality Notes


Santa claus Father Christmas sleigh jigsaw puzzle Waddingtons limited edition gold foil

Showing some of the gold foil detail which looks wonderful though hard to photograph well.

The puzzle, despite being vintage, is holding up well and although some of my pieces were peeling it is still in great condition overall. I simply stuck the peeling parts down with white glue.

Perhaps the most annoying thing for me is the smooth green backing which means this cannot be completed on my tilting puzzle board since the pieces just fall straight to the bottom.

The gold foil on this design is stunning when you see it in person whilst putting the jigsaw puzzle together and once complete. I initially thought that the gold foil was only on the borders, however it is also used as detailing in many other places to highlight items such as ice skating boots, tree decorations, heat from the fire and more.

Sadly this wonderful addition of gold foiling gets lost when trying to take photographs of it. It really is quite lovely and makes this jigsaw feel very special.

Jigsaw Puzzle Construction Order and Tips


I really worked from the outside in with this design. Starting with the edges, I then moved to working on the outer designs, generally working from the bottom, to the sides to the top.

I got a feel for roughly where pieces would go since every scene had slightly different colourways. Even the whites from the snow looked different according to what scene they were from if you looked closely.


The gold foil on the borders helps you to locate where pieces will go as well.

Once most of the outer designs were complete, I then started on the central design which shows a modern family around a dinner table with a festive feast.

What to Look for on Completing This Jigsaw Puzzle


Waddingtons a history of the millennium 1999 Brenda Burke vintage jigsaw puzzle puzzles jigsaws Christmas limited edition gold foil

In this jigsaw, there are 55 items in total to search and find. There are 10 pictures of the same item associated with the 11th century, 9 pictures of an item linked to the 12 century, 8 pictures of something to do with the 13th century and so on.

The answers are printed upside down on the back of the box for you. This took me quite some time to find everything.

Overall Experience With A History of the Millennium


It's a wonderfully nostalgic jigsaw puzzle. If you enjoy history as well, this should really appeal with the painted scenes through the centuries.

Also I really enjoy Christmas jigsaw puzzles all year round and Waddingtons designs, especially the older ones, are up there with some of the very best.

If you can get hold of one on an auction site or second hand, I don't think you'll be disappointed.


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Articles are accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in medical, business, financial, legal, or technical matters. All images on this site are my own or are product and public domain photos that are used with permission.