I was born in 1953. It was also the year of the Queen's coronation and many people went out and bought TV sets for the special occasion. Even so, Britain still only had just over 2 million licensed sets, a fraction of the number today. When you realise how things have changed so radically - and within your own lifetime - it's quite a surprise. On Christmas Day in 1953 viewers were treated to seven hours of television from the single channel output of the BBC. With so many channels to choose from around the clock these days it sounds positively frugal.
The Queen's Christmas message was still broadcast on the radio only and came from New Zealand that year. On the tv people were watching the Beverley Sisters, Norman Wisdom and Max Bygraves. As I grew up some of my key memories of Christmas revolve around watching Christmas tv. Every Christmas morning, Leslie Crowther of 'Crackerjack' fame, toured a children's ward of a hospital. It was guaranteed to tug at your heart strings and it was followed by Top of the Pops, the Queen's Speech and then a big blockbuster film before ending with a Morecambe and Wise Special in the evening. By that time I'd usually finished my selection box chocolate bars and was considering eating those satsumas or that beautifully wrapped orange that had come in my stocking. They were such a rarity in my childhood, packaged in beautiful tissue paper. Back in those days food was most definitely seasonal!!
In times when there is so much to watch I have gone the other way and watch less and less tv. Just because there is more of it, it does not necessarily mean it is all good stuff but there is one 'must watch' thing for me this year. I cannot wait to see the way the BBC treat Great Expectations. In the year that we are going to be inundated with celebrations of Dickens they've chosen to kick off with one of my favourite books of all time. Even though the novel is not set around Christmas they are teasing us with previews and clips all of which are adorned with the seasonal music of The Carol of the Bells. It is beautiful music and sets the scene for what I hope will be sublime television and one of my tv highlights of the holiday.
7 comments:
I have just sat and watched that film again........ I love the bit where Santa clicks his fingers upwards and says "snow"! ...... and it snows. I am also looking forward to Great Expectations.
Changing the subject: We have a walnut tree now!
Have a wonderful Christmas both of you. x
Love that carol Lesley.... so lovely and not so common!
I agree with what you say about TV.Sometimes I really wonder how some things are allowed. AND then theres the good shows you sometimes get that are so dense and well done that its a shock...like that 'Cornwall Christmas' show the other night. Hope you found it!
Have a wonderful holiday season and may 2012 bring great inspiration and abundant blessings!
x S
Oh what a trip down memory lane! I am with you about watching less TV now there is more of it although we didn't have a set till after I had left school in the early 60s. But I do know that Muffin the Mule was a favourite in my own childhood. Now I tell my husband that if he didn't get the licence free I'd get rid of the TV altogether! Bah humbug! Great Expectations is about the only thing worth watching this weekend I think I'll stick to the radio instead. Hope you have a happy Christmas however you spend it.
That was a trip down memory lane... especially Leslie Crowther going round the children's wards on Christmas morning. We don't watch much tv either but I'm looking forward to Great Expectations. Happy Christmas Lesley.
Christmas tv as a child was maddening - we'd all sit down to watch 'the big film' and then my dear grandparents would spend the whole time loudly discussing who this actor/that actress was and what they'd been in before. ".....No, not him he was in.....what was it? You know, it was the one with whats-er-name in, yes her, she was married to......oh, you know...." You get the idea!
You're so right about watching less and less tv even when there is more and more on it! Quality not quantity, I suppose.
We're planning on watching the BBC Great Expectations too.
x
Happy Christmas Lesley. Wishing you a fantastic 2012 full of art, wildlife and new experiences.
Love Lucy xxxxx
I've been so caught up in trying to splurge on my own blog that I've missed out on reading other blogs that I love. It's karma that you've included this video of The Carol of the Bells. While we were away we heard it loads of times and no one (in the family) could tell me what it was. I love it and now I know its title too. Thanks you.
I watched GE -- shame on me, I've never read the book (it's in the pile) so I wasn't aware of where it deviated from the original. I enjoyed it. My favourite shot was the tiny little carriage going along the bottom of the screen (in ep1) with all the rest of the picture the vast sky.
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