Top 10 Favourite: Christmas TV Specials
It's that time of the year again when all the Christmas specials are back on the box. I for one love watching them all, especially the ones from the 90's (let's be honest it was a simpler time) as I can remember them being on first time round. So let's all reminisce together as I go through my top ten favourite Christmas TV specials.
Vicar of Dibley - The Christmas Lunch Incident (1996)
Going all the way back to 1996 with this Christmas special from The Vicar of Dibley. Poor Geraldine, still being quite new to the village, ends up agreeing to go to four different Christmas Day dinners. Much humour ensues when we see Geraldine tackling all four Christmas meals which ends up with her crawling through the village as she's unable to walk from being so full. As always with this show it's bonkers but fun, and therefore a must watch at Christmas.
Special mention - I was struggling to pick between this Christmas special and the one from 1999 called Winter which is why I've decided to give it a special mention (slightly cheating, I know). In this special Geraldine decides she wants to put on a huge nativity play involving all the villagers. Things soon take a dramatic turn however when Alice, who's appropriately playing Mary, goes in to real labour just when Mary is supposed to. I have fond memories of watching this first time around and really love watching it each Christmas.
Christmas Lights - TV Movie (2004)
This is the only unique one on the list as in this was a one-off TV movie that had a series created after it as ITV clearly saw some potential that more could be done with the characters. The show went on to have two series - Northern Lights and City Lights. There was also another Christmas TV movie made at the end of the series called Clash of the Santas, unfortunately though I felt that special wasn't anywhere near as good as this one. At the beginning of Christmas Lights we learn that Howard and Colin are both married to sisters and are fiercely competitive with each other. Howard ends up getting a promotion, however with Howard's new position it means he has to let some staff go. Unfortunately, Colin is at the top of the list as he's been spending less time working and more time on the Christmas lights for his house. Things soon get out of hand and the two men end up adding more and more lights to their houses in order to outdo each other. There's an emotional twist near the end that takes the audience and the characters by surprise, and ends up being the thing that brings both men to their senses about what's really important in life.
Gavin and Stacey - Christmas Special (2008)
Smithy seems to have solved the age old problem of present wrapping as he discovers that wrapping all his gifts in tin foil saves on time. Although, I don't think the makers of sellotape would be all too happy if everyone decided to go with this approach! It's Christmas time in Essex and we see Gavin going for a job interview in Cardiff (which he gets) as him and Stacey are planning to move to Barry Island much to the dismay of Pam and Smithy when they find out. Chaos then erupts with punches being thrown not helped by the fact that much alcohol has be consumed what with it being Christmas Eve. Thankfully things are resolved the next day. With everyone enjoying Christmas Day, Dave shocks Nessa by proposing. Smithy doesn't seem happy about the engagement, is it because he's worried about their son Neil? Or does Smithy like Nessa more than he claims? This Christmas episode is brilliant just like the rest of the episodes of Gavin and Stacey. Definitely on my list of special's to watch this Christmas.
Flint Street Nativity - TV Movie (1999)
Now this is one of only three Christmas special's on the list that wasn't part of a series. This TV movie has such an array of British actors all of which I don't have space to list but with the likes of Frank Skinner, Dervla Kirwan and Stephen Tomkinson you really have nothing to worry about acting wise. It's about a class of 5 year olds putting on their first nativity play, the only twist being that all the 5 year olds are being played by adults! The actors are also playing their own parents which is another fun little twist. but it's also really nice to be reminded of all the things we have long since forgotten from our primary school days. It's sounds a bit out there but it's really sweet and truly very funny (to the point where I have ended up cry laughing at it!) With ITV3 not having shown it in the past couple of years, last year I decided to see if it was available to buy on DVD and to my surprise found out it was being sold on Amazon for £5.99. So for any of you interested in seeing it again, or for the first time, it would definitely be 6 pounds well spent!
Only Fools and Horses - Time On Our Hands (1996)
"I'll light the fire while you place the flowers in the vase that you bought today". Ah, whenever I hear that song I automatically think of this Christmas special. The 15th out of 16 Christmas specials sees the Trotters dream of becoming millionaires finally come true. This being my favourite ever episode of Only Fools and Horses mainly because we finally see them become millionaires and it's great that John Sullivan allowed the audience see that and see how the Trotters, especially Del, deal with something they had dreamed of for so long. Would it live up to what they had always envisioned in their heads? So when we see Del struggling with it because the fun part was always trying to get there, what happens when you lose that? You lose the fun. Del Boy was always a character that loved the thrill of the chase so felt lost when he no longer had that. Del got his old life back however in another Christmas special that aired a year after this one and we saw Del and the rest of the trotters lose all their millions from bad investments. To be honest I would have preferred the show to have ended with this episode and we could have imagined them all just being happy with their millions but it felt very true to the character that 1. Del would miss his old life and 2. They would lose it all.
A Christmas Carol - TV Movie (2000)
Ross kemp playing a bad guy - why does that sound familiar? Unlike Grant Mitchell, Eddie Scrooge is a loan shark. Eddie, not having been the nicest guy in the world, ends up re-living Christmas Eve over and over again whilst being visited by 3 ghosts - his father, his ex-colleague and a familiar looking child. This all happens as they try to make Eddie see the error of his ways and become a better person. There have been many different takes on A Christmas Carol over the years but with the added mix of the film Groundhog Day, this TV movie definitely still works 17 years on from when it originally aired. ITV3 have been showing this TV movie for the past few years over the Christmas period but unfortunately it looks like they aren't bothering this year. It seems they think showing a load of episodes of Midsummer Murders is more Christmassy! Know that I'm judging you, ITV3! Tut!
The Royle Family - Christmas with the Royle Family (1999)
It's Christmas Day and Dave's bought heavily pregnant Denise a mobile phone which she's using to call Barbara on from upstairs, much to Dave's dismay as it's only meant to be for emergencies. Later on in the episode Denise's waters break. In one of the most famous scenes from the show we see Jim get very emotional as he has to reassure a worried Denise that she'll make a great mum. With this really touching scene and the rest of the episode filled with the brilliant comedy that you would come to expect from The Royle Family it makes for a great festive watch.
Special mention - I obviously had to give The Queen of Sheba (2006) a special mention as it is one of the, in my opinion, best ever episodes of The Royle Family. The only reason I didn't pick it as my main choice is because it is quite emotional what with Nanna passing away so I thought I'd pick the funnier episode.
Miranda - The Final Curtain (2015)
Even though this was the second episode of a two parter, I decided not to cheat this time and instead have chosen just the one episode which is the last ever episode of Miranda. The reason I picked this one is that it was incredibly emotional to watch Miranda finally get her happy ending with Gary. We also see Miranda come on leaps and bounds in terms of standing up to her mother, something she had needed to do for a long time, so it was great to see her have that empowered moment. Miranda also realises she is capable of doing things alone, and doesn't need to be with Gary but wants to be. A lesson we could all learn there, I think. To be fair it would only make sense to watch the first part of this two parter as well as the second just so you can follow it properly as the second one does follow on from the first. I really feel out of all the episodes of Miranda that this is definitely the best!
The Greatest Store in the World - TV Movie (1999)
With a cameo from S Club 7, what's not to love? Also, not from a series but based on a book of the same name, this TV adaptation is harmless fun and pure joy from beginning to end. Livvy, Angeline and their mum Geraldine (Dervla Kirwan) are all living out of a camper van but when the van gets destroyed they end up being made homeless. With nowhere else to go mum Geraldine has the idea for them to all stay in a department store. With comfy beds, food and all the different departments to explore, it ends up being a great place to stay. Unfortunately they run the risk of being caught by the nice but suspicious doorman, Brian (or Mr Whiskers as the girls call him!) When a burglary takes place at the store it's up to Geraldine and her kids to help save the place that they have been calling home for the past few days. Unfortunately this isn't available on DVD nor has it actually been shown on TV in quite a few years, you can however watch it on YouTube. I feel like I should petition for the BBC to release it on DVD or at least show it on TV so I could at least record it. Come on BBC, sort it out!
Dinnerladies - Christmas (1999)
Lastly, it's Dinnerladies last Christmas special, aptly titled - Christmas! After Bren's Husband (whom she's separated from) turned up just as Tony and Bren were finally sharing their first kiss, Bren now thinks Tony is acting weirdly because of her husband and so decides to break things off with him and quit her job. But unbeknown to Bren, Tony is acting suspiciously because he's been planning a surprise birthday party for her. Thankfully, Tony and the rest of Bren's co-workers reveal the surprise to Bren just before she's about to leave a note for Tony announcing her plans. Bren and Tony then end up going to Scotland for her birthday. I've always loved this show and think that Victoria Wood was a brilliant actress, writer and comedienne. So for that reason I'll definitely be tuning in to this special this Christmas.
*All of these specials (with the exception of Christmas Lights, A Christmas Carol, Flint Street Nativity and The Greatest Store in the World) can be seen on the Gold channel throughout the Christmas period.
Vicar of Dibley - The Christmas Lunch Incident (1996)
Going all the way back to 1996 with this Christmas special from The Vicar of Dibley. Poor Geraldine, still being quite new to the village, ends up agreeing to go to four different Christmas Day dinners. Much humour ensues when we see Geraldine tackling all four Christmas meals which ends up with her crawling through the village as she's unable to walk from being so full. As always with this show it's bonkers but fun, and therefore a must watch at Christmas.
Special mention - I was struggling to pick between this Christmas special and the one from 1999 called Winter which is why I've decided to give it a special mention (slightly cheating, I know). In this special Geraldine decides she wants to put on a huge nativity play involving all the villagers. Things soon take a dramatic turn however when Alice, who's appropriately playing Mary, goes in to real labour just when Mary is supposed to. I have fond memories of watching this first time around and really love watching it each Christmas.
Christmas Lights - TV Movie (2004)
This is the only unique one on the list as in this was a one-off TV movie that had a series created after it as ITV clearly saw some potential that more could be done with the characters. The show went on to have two series - Northern Lights and City Lights. There was also another Christmas TV movie made at the end of the series called Clash of the Santas, unfortunately though I felt that special wasn't anywhere near as good as this one. At the beginning of Christmas Lights we learn that Howard and Colin are both married to sisters and are fiercely competitive with each other. Howard ends up getting a promotion, however with Howard's new position it means he has to let some staff go. Unfortunately, Colin is at the top of the list as he's been spending less time working and more time on the Christmas lights for his house. Things soon get out of hand and the two men end up adding more and more lights to their houses in order to outdo each other. There's an emotional twist near the end that takes the audience and the characters by surprise, and ends up being the thing that brings both men to their senses about what's really important in life.
Gavin and Stacey - Christmas Special (2008)
Smithy seems to have solved the age old problem of present wrapping as he discovers that wrapping all his gifts in tin foil saves on time. Although, I don't think the makers of sellotape would be all too happy if everyone decided to go with this approach! It's Christmas time in Essex and we see Gavin going for a job interview in Cardiff (which he gets) as him and Stacey are planning to move to Barry Island much to the dismay of Pam and Smithy when they find out. Chaos then erupts with punches being thrown not helped by the fact that much alcohol has be consumed what with it being Christmas Eve. Thankfully things are resolved the next day. With everyone enjoying Christmas Day, Dave shocks Nessa by proposing. Smithy doesn't seem happy about the engagement, is it because he's worried about their son Neil? Or does Smithy like Nessa more than he claims? This Christmas episode is brilliant just like the rest of the episodes of Gavin and Stacey. Definitely on my list of special's to watch this Christmas.
Flint Street Nativity - TV Movie (1999)
Now this is one of only three Christmas special's on the list that wasn't part of a series. This TV movie has such an array of British actors all of which I don't have space to list but with the likes of Frank Skinner, Dervla Kirwan and Stephen Tomkinson you really have nothing to worry about acting wise. It's about a class of 5 year olds putting on their first nativity play, the only twist being that all the 5 year olds are being played by adults! The actors are also playing their own parents which is another fun little twist. but it's also really nice to be reminded of all the things we have long since forgotten from our primary school days. It's sounds a bit out there but it's really sweet and truly very funny (to the point where I have ended up cry laughing at it!) With ITV3 not having shown it in the past couple of years, last year I decided to see if it was available to buy on DVD and to my surprise found out it was being sold on Amazon for £5.99. So for any of you interested in seeing it again, or for the first time, it would definitely be 6 pounds well spent!
Only Fools and Horses - Time On Our Hands (1996)
"I'll light the fire while you place the flowers in the vase that you bought today". Ah, whenever I hear that song I automatically think of this Christmas special. The 15th out of 16 Christmas specials sees the Trotters dream of becoming millionaires finally come true. This being my favourite ever episode of Only Fools and Horses mainly because we finally see them become millionaires and it's great that John Sullivan allowed the audience see that and see how the Trotters, especially Del, deal with something they had dreamed of for so long. Would it live up to what they had always envisioned in their heads? So when we see Del struggling with it because the fun part was always trying to get there, what happens when you lose that? You lose the fun. Del Boy was always a character that loved the thrill of the chase so felt lost when he no longer had that. Del got his old life back however in another Christmas special that aired a year after this one and we saw Del and the rest of the trotters lose all their millions from bad investments. To be honest I would have preferred the show to have ended with this episode and we could have imagined them all just being happy with their millions but it felt very true to the character that 1. Del would miss his old life and 2. They would lose it all.
A Christmas Carol - TV Movie (2000)
Ross kemp playing a bad guy - why does that sound familiar? Unlike Grant Mitchell, Eddie Scrooge is a loan shark. Eddie, not having been the nicest guy in the world, ends up re-living Christmas Eve over and over again whilst being visited by 3 ghosts - his father, his ex-colleague and a familiar looking child. This all happens as they try to make Eddie see the error of his ways and become a better person. There have been many different takes on A Christmas Carol over the years but with the added mix of the film Groundhog Day, this TV movie definitely still works 17 years on from when it originally aired. ITV3 have been showing this TV movie for the past few years over the Christmas period but unfortunately it looks like they aren't bothering this year. It seems they think showing a load of episodes of Midsummer Murders is more Christmassy! Know that I'm judging you, ITV3! Tut!
The Royle Family - Christmas with the Royle Family (1999)
It's Christmas Day and Dave's bought heavily pregnant Denise a mobile phone which she's using to call Barbara on from upstairs, much to Dave's dismay as it's only meant to be for emergencies. Later on in the episode Denise's waters break. In one of the most famous scenes from the show we see Jim get very emotional as he has to reassure a worried Denise that she'll make a great mum. With this really touching scene and the rest of the episode filled with the brilliant comedy that you would come to expect from The Royle Family it makes for a great festive watch.
Special mention - I obviously had to give The Queen of Sheba (2006) a special mention as it is one of the, in my opinion, best ever episodes of The Royle Family. The only reason I didn't pick it as my main choice is because it is quite emotional what with Nanna passing away so I thought I'd pick the funnier episode.
Miranda - The Final Curtain (2015)
Even though this was the second episode of a two parter, I decided not to cheat this time and instead have chosen just the one episode which is the last ever episode of Miranda. The reason I picked this one is that it was incredibly emotional to watch Miranda finally get her happy ending with Gary. We also see Miranda come on leaps and bounds in terms of standing up to her mother, something she had needed to do for a long time, so it was great to see her have that empowered moment. Miranda also realises she is capable of doing things alone, and doesn't need to be with Gary but wants to be. A lesson we could all learn there, I think. To be fair it would only make sense to watch the first part of this two parter as well as the second just so you can follow it properly as the second one does follow on from the first. I really feel out of all the episodes of Miranda that this is definitely the best!
The Greatest Store in the World - TV Movie (1999)
With a cameo from S Club 7, what's not to love? Also, not from a series but based on a book of the same name, this TV adaptation is harmless fun and pure joy from beginning to end. Livvy, Angeline and their mum Geraldine (Dervla Kirwan) are all living out of a camper van but when the van gets destroyed they end up being made homeless. With nowhere else to go mum Geraldine has the idea for them to all stay in a department store. With comfy beds, food and all the different departments to explore, it ends up being a great place to stay. Unfortunately they run the risk of being caught by the nice but suspicious doorman, Brian (or Mr Whiskers as the girls call him!) When a burglary takes place at the store it's up to Geraldine and her kids to help save the place that they have been calling home for the past few days. Unfortunately this isn't available on DVD nor has it actually been shown on TV in quite a few years, you can however watch it on YouTube. I feel like I should petition for the BBC to release it on DVD or at least show it on TV so I could at least record it. Come on BBC, sort it out!
Dinnerladies - Christmas (1999)
Lastly, it's Dinnerladies last Christmas special, aptly titled - Christmas! After Bren's Husband (whom she's separated from) turned up just as Tony and Bren were finally sharing their first kiss, Bren now thinks Tony is acting weirdly because of her husband and so decides to break things off with him and quit her job. But unbeknown to Bren, Tony is acting suspiciously because he's been planning a surprise birthday party for her. Thankfully, Tony and the rest of Bren's co-workers reveal the surprise to Bren just before she's about to leave a note for Tony announcing her plans. Bren and Tony then end up going to Scotland for her birthday. I've always loved this show and think that Victoria Wood was a brilliant actress, writer and comedienne. So for that reason I'll definitely be tuning in to this special this Christmas.
*All of these specials (with the exception of Christmas Lights, A Christmas Carol, Flint Street Nativity and The Greatest Store in the World) can be seen on the Gold channel throughout the Christmas period.
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