WBBM Channel 2 - A Merry Olde Christmas (Part 3, 1984)

Here's Part 3 of A Merry Olde Christmas, a look at Christmas celebrations in and around London, England that was hosted by Bob Wallace and aired on WBBM Channel 2. From the original master tape. Includes:

"We now return to A Merry Olde Christmas" bumper (voiceover by ??)

Shots of rolling English countrysides with horses and cattle open this segment, with Bob telling of local English legends such as the one about cattle kneeling on fields on Christmas eve to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.

This segues into a look inside the 700-year-old St. Mary's Church in Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, where children are singing timeless Christmas carols. Shots of local streets and shops accompany Bob describing how the town of "a few thousand" comes alive every Christmas time with celebrations and preparations.

We next see children at a local school being prepared for appearing in a production of "Hansel and Gretel" - dressed up as gingerbread and trees. At the hall where the play is being presented, we see other children dressed up as rabbits, mice and other forest creatures - as well as two in the lead roles and one as the witch. Bob explains the preparations for this production were made as early as October. A few scenes from the play are then shown. The children who play Hansel and Gretel, Andrew Brown and Kathryn Woodley, are interviewed and extremely adorable.

Next we are at the home of the Smith family (George, Richard, Jane and Jerry) a few miles from Ross-on-Wye, at the point where they are putting decorations on the Christmas tree. Bob leads off with the point that the children like to celebrate the holiday at an area McDonald's. Jerry is interviewed about what were the household Christmas traditions when he was a child, and he explains they were basically the same as today. Bob is then on hand to help Jane pull a Christmas cracker, which he says is not part of U.S. Christmas traditions - and which is not for eating. She explains they pop out and the gift is inside. One of the children tells a Christmas joke and then speaks of Father Christmas' sleigh.

Bob then shows the sights of what Father Christmas and his reindeer (including red-nosed Rudolph) will be seeing as they pass through Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon, Bourton-on-the-Water (with a Christmas tree in the water), Cirencester, and a night parade in the downtown section of Royal Leamington Spa (marching to the "na na na na" part of a marching band's rendition of The Beatles' "Hey Jude" and then "Get Back" - which Bob referred to as among the "traditional British songs") where the marchers are holding torches; and at the end, a meeting of Father Christmas and St. Nicholas (the Netherlands' equivalent of Santa) - all acting out traditions dating centuries, including the children anxiously awaiting their presents.

We go back to a brief shot of the Smith family putting together the Christmas tree decorations as a children's chorus sings carols, followed by a shot of an outdoor farmers' market and inside an old church. This segment ends with shots of open fields at sunrise, with clouds peering above, as a child recites Luke 2:11 from the Bible.

"We'll return to our program after these messages" bumper (voiceover by ??)

This aired on local Chicago TV on Saturday, December 22nd 1984 during the 6:30pm to 7pm timeframe.

The program was also aired twice more; on Saturday, December 14th 1985 at 6:30pm and Saturday, December 13th 1986 at 12:00 Noon.

Add To

You must login to add videos to your playlists.