Peter Ginn

Rupert Acton

Ruth Goodman

Alex Langlands

Victorian Farm Christmas looks into the lives of 19th century farmers and shows you how to make traditional gifts, food, games and decorations.

A stranger-than-fiction-story, the core is a mysterious package that the Sandnes family from Valdal in Norway has been receiving every Christmas for the past two decades, with gifts for everyone.

A feast of old chestnuts from the glory days of Christmasses past with this look at the rise and demise of the Christmas light-entertainment spectacular, from Christmas Night with the Stars to Val Doonican and Christmas Snowtime Special.

Picture story about Christmas and Christmas celebrations by Carsten E. Munch. With black-and-white atmospheric photos from the 1960s and the Christmas music of the time, we get a glimpse of Christmas celebrations at home and abroad, on land and at sea. The last part of the program gives us melancholic summer moods with poems by Herman Wildenvey, Arnulf Øverland, Jan-Magnus Bruheim and Inger Hagerup. Commentator is Ole Christian Lagesen.

The end of the Franco-Prussian war (1870-71) saw the birth of the panoramas of war, huge circular paintings depicting scenes of war, cruelty and desolation that were contemplated by thousands of spectators, a kind of inmersive static newsreels, a mass media prior to the era of mass media, a virtual reality on canvas.

Illuminating the challenges often unseen beyond the toys, trees and tinsel, people in a small Irish village reflect on their difficult relationships with Christmas. "So This Is Christmas" is a heartwarming and charming portrait from award-winning director Ken Wardrop, which perfectly exemplies his innate ability to tell the stories of ordinary people, depicting their thoughts, feelings and experiences in an empathetic way. Beautifully rendered in 35mm, the film is authentic and compassionate, and a valuable addition to the Irish documentary canon.

Folk och Rackare play music; Ebbe Schön and Sif Ruud tell Christmas stories.

An exclusive, festive behind-the-scenes look at the iconic London Zoo, as they prepare for the most wonderful time of the year and make the holiday magic happen.

Cameras focus on one of the UK’s most visited destinations at the festive season. We experience the delight of the Christmas market in the town of Broadway, where its High Street becomes a bustling winter wonderland of stalls and late-night shopping. Plus, a visit to a luxury hotel to see how a top chef makes a festive afternoon tea to remember.