Superworm, review: Julia Donaldson’s Christmas Day gem can captivate even the most cynical viewer
Oh, how parents will have related to Superworm (BBC One) on Christmas Day! In the opening pages of her popular 2012 picture book, the squishy pink hero…
The 10 best carols to enjoy this Christmas (including one that will annoy the French…)
There are lots of reasons to love a carol. It might be the thumping good tune, it might be the story it tells, or the ingenious words,…
How to decode the art of the Nativity
Artists have been searching for ways to depict the birth of Christ, which, it is sometimes easy to forget, lies at the very heart of the Christmas…
A Kitten for Hitler: the most offensive Christmas film ever made
Out of the kindness of his heart, and in the hope of achieving world peace, Lenny travels alone to Germany, and presents Hitler (Phil Pritchard) with a…
The best Christmas films to watch on Netflix UK in 2021, from Single All The Way to David and the Elves
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without fixing your eyes on the TV, for hours on end, watching festive films. It doesn’t even matter that many of them are completely terrible….
Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, review – Aardman delivers a fun, cuddly family watch
In the age of streaming everything on all your devices whenever you feel like it, family viewing – something you can watch together round the flat-screen hearth…
The Amazing Mr Blunden, review: a fun festive tale – if you can handle a real fright
A new Mark Gatiss show is fast becoming as essential to a proper Christmas as a family argument. As ever on Christmas Eve, we will enjoy his…
Is Santa’s sleigh road legal? Why Father Christmas might be flouting British laws tonight
The sleigh has few practical advantages over a modern car, but even our resolutely pragmatic motoring desk understands the importance of tradition at this time of year….
Dear Prue: ‘What’s one sure-fire tip for Christmas food?’
Dear Prue, We will be doing turkey and cold cuts but I’d like one light meal, either breakfast on the big day or even Boxing Day lunch,…
The festive Australian cake that reminds me of my godmother
A crackle on the landline, then a pause. “William?” comes a distant voice. “It’s your godmother Mary. I’ve set the egg timer. We’ve got 20 minutes.” That…
The far-flung places where your Christmas dinner comes from
Ginger India India is, and probably always has been, the biggest producer of the roots of the ginger plant, though different varieties grow all over South Asia….
Lost Morecambe and Wise episode from 1970 to air Christmas Day will be ‘signposted’ as a classic
A Morecambe and Wise episode lost for 50 years is to be aired on the BBC on Christmas Day and will be “signposted” as a classic to…
Blackburn Sings Christmas with Gareth Malone, review: a sumptuous feast of spirit and sentimentality
However adventurous we may be in the kitchen, many of us return to the old certainties of Delia, Mary and co when it comes to Christmas food….
Ghosts Christmas special, review: bursting with seasonal charm, goodwill and mischief
A series more or less purpose-built for the Christmas special, Ghosts (BBC One) has warmth, silliness and no fewer than nine spooks, where Charles Dickens only had…
Superyachts, police escorts and private beaches: How the mega-rich do Covid-secure Christmas
One thing the very rich avoid at all costs is Christmas in Britain. The most magical time of year is miserable when not spent aboard a superyacht…
Dementia, Dad and me: Seven ways we get through Christmas
Christmas is all about memories, and making them. But what happens if memory dims like fading winter light? It’s a topic that my family and I are…
Drugs, steak and tears: the brutal truth of working in a restaurant
“I think if we made it now, we’d have included more about the staffing issue,” he admits. “It would have been even more stressful, even more intense…
Unpicking the mystery behind the ‘yarnbombing’ craze
Under the cover of darkness on November 30, six teams were dispatched to the streets of St Albans in Hertfordshire. They skulked around corners, determined to stay…
How The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe made the BBC take children seriously
But not everyone was a fan. The BBC’s Points of View read out letters mocking 13-year-old Sophie Wilcox’s weight and slating Dempsey. “Someone wrote in and said,…
Dear Prue: ‘Should we go booze-free this Christmas?’
Dear Prue, My father-in-law has recently given up alcohol, much to the whole family’s delight. He drank far too much for years and it had become a…
The best wines, sherries and ports to pair with a Christmas cheeseboard
Christmas grants us so many opportunities to showcase the finest food and drink, and one of my favourite moments is putting together a festive cheeseboard and cracking…
This £13.99 champagne is a Christmas bestseller – so what is its secret?
So to some of us, at least, it is no surprise that Veuve Monsigny NV has just been declared the second best-selling champagne in the UK, only…
My terrible Christmas break-up taught me the power of spending the festive season alone
It’s the most wonderful time, yes the most wonderful time… Oh. This Christmas has been anything but wonderful. Covid-induced anxiety, cancelled social plans, the fear of catching…
Covid has ruined Christmas, but not in the way that you think
The pressure mounts as we inch towards the Big Day. It’s worse this year than it was last, and then it was pretty bad. But Christmas Day…
Your complete guide to lateral flow tests – and whether they might save your Christmas
For the past few months, our lives have been ruled by a swab up the nose. Comparisons to a pregnancy test (which the lateral flow resembles) are…