Holiday Viewing

It's that time of year again, holly, mistletoe, crackers and Christmas telly. I've never been to Britain during the holidays , though I did get a taste of what it might feel like one April thanks to an early spring snowfall that made Cambridge, where I was staying with chums, look quite Christmassy, if only for a day or so. Of course if I were lucky enough to spend this festive time of year in Merry Olde I'd spend a good portion of my time plopped in front of a television watching seasonal one-offs of popular series and endless hours of variety programming from the likes of Morcambre and Wise, Des O'Conner. The Two Ronnies and vintage Top of the Pops. I can't go near thr Radio Times website in December for fear of hopping a jet in an impulsive bid to see just a bit of the holiday programming that I know will never make it to these shores.

This year, along with the usual fare, there's a three part Christmas series starring Changing Room's Linda Barker al;ong with chef Patrick Williams featuring all manner of holiday tips and advice. Being a member of the Breakfast Club generation I can only imagine the joy "Have Yourself a Very 80s Christmas" would have brought me and it's but one of a group of nostalgic specials focusing on the music, TV and toys of yuletides past.One aspect of the British TV holiday experience i won't much miss is the tradition of watching mainstream Hollywood hits, and the occasional vintage classic, on and around Crimbo.the idea of sitting down after Christmas dinner to watch Jurassic Park or Alien just doesn't appeal to me - on the other hand I've never been much of a fan of college football during the holidays either so both my British and American pals think I'm crazy.

I won't be watching much TV come Christmas, or Christmas Eve for that matter, I'll have enough to do cooking an wrapping and eating and wrapping and cooking and unwrapping and eating and so on to be much of a couch potato (..mmm potato...)but i do have a number of shows I like to watch during the holiday's calmer moments. The list has remained pretty consistent the last few years with only one new entry this year...

Blackadder's Christmas Carol is a must see as is the Alan Cumming, Lenny Henry telefilm Beanard and the Genie (my fourth fave Crimble flick after A Christmas Story, Alistar Sim's A Christmas Carol, and Nat. Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. This year's new boy is Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire - now available in a bonus laden and unedited DVD. Homemade tapes featuring the best holiday episodes of Are You Being Served?, The Vicar of Dibley, 2.4 Children, One Foot in the Grave, Father Ted and Top of the Pops always get played through a few times as do compilation tapes sent from abroad of the best Christmastime music and variety shows.

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