Christmas (TV) Nostalgia

So Christmas Day is over and we are into Boxing Day.

You know what? I did'nt really feel Christmassy this year! It was great seeing Josh and Sophie opening their presents and Shaz was knocked out with her Iphone, the Christmas Dinner was fantastic and we had a great day.

Bit it didn't feel like Christmas!

We were looking forward to the "Christmas Specials" on the telly, although I wasn't too fussed with the Soaps, but the Christmas Top of the Pops was, to say the least, disappointing. Apart from the fact that "Rage Against the Machine" beating Joe "X-Factor" Whoever, bit where was Jimmy Saville? Where was Dave Lee Travis? Where was Noel Edmunds (Probably doing, "let's make a deal and get as many people as possible to cry at Christmas)

The Christmas Dinner was timed to perfection to coincide with the Queens Speech and it was time for a quick nap. But it still didn't feel like Christmas.

We were looking forward to the Royle Family special, but it wasn't exactly Fools and Horses. Now you new where you were with Del and Rodney at Christmas. Every year it was the highlight of the Christmas Day schedule and never disappointed.

One year, 1992 BK (Before Kids), we were due to go to Gloucester for Christmas, so had nothing in the house food wise. Bit we both went down with flu, well Shaz only had Flu, I had "man flu", which resulted in us having to cancel our trip and stay at home! We slept through most of the day, but managed to rustle up a chicken breast, boiled new potato and tinned peas Christmas Dinner and a Sherry just before the Fools and Horses Christmas Special. Then we went back to sleep!

Thanks to the wonder that is Sky TV and the GOLD channel, I managed to get a retro look at a couple of F&H Christmas Specials and they were still brilliant, even though I have probably watched them dozens of times.

Funny how there was not a mention of Christmas in the episodes on show, even though they were the Christmas Specials!

Later on, much later on when the kids were in bed and the Port and Stilton were out, we tuned into a programme looking back on the phenomena that was Christmas Light entertainment and Lo and Behold there were the gods of Christmas Telly, Morecambe and Wise.

Eric Morecambe was once asked by a famous guest, why there was so little reference to Christmas in their Christmas shows, to which he answered, "repeat fees"

Sure enough the Easter Bank holiday was time for the repeat of the Morecambe and Wise Christmas show!!!

The programme continued to review the greats of British (mainly BBC) TV, with the various Specials by Val Doonican, Cilla Black, Sir Cliff and the fabulous Two Ronnies!!! I remember a Val Doonican show when for a bit of fun he tried to announce his guests name backwards, but the only one that made sense(?) was his own........Lav Nacinood!

They also showed the old America specials by Andy Williams and an attempt by Perry Como to show a traditional Engkish Christmas, circa 1830, with Petula Clark!!!

One dancer explained that the hardest thing about doing the show was that it was hard to get into the Christmas spirit, when you were supposed to be doing a Christmas themed dance routine when it was the hottest day of the year in August!!!
So, this year, where was the James Bond Movie? Where was Billy Smarts Circus and where was the trip around a Childrens Hospital in London with Leslie Crowther/Ed Stewpot/Noel Edmonds? (Delete as applicable)

The trouble is, that with all of the Sky and Digital channels and all of the repeats as well as the advent of DVD's all of the latest blockbusters have already been available and the Classics are on all of the time!

Be honest, you probably tuned into watch Zulu, the Great Escape or the Sound of Music every year!


Mind you, I wouldn't want to be in Albert Square over Christmas, the chances of not being whacked over the head, shot, pushed down the stairs, going mad or being knocked over by a Car are pretty slim
The best bit about Christmas, is the programmes telling us how good Christmas used to be and how Grumpy people spend the festive time and what the top 100 best thingies are, where complete unknowns tell us about what other minor celebrities have been up to, with the vain hope that they will appear as subject matter in 12 months time.

But remember, Lawrence of Arabia, it's not only for Christmas!!!