0:00:02 > 0:00:06'Ladies and gentlemen, live from the 19th century
0:00:06 > 0:00:09'and the heart of Her Majesty's empire in the city of London,
0:00:09 > 0:00:11'it's the Charles Dickens Show!
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'H-e-e-e-e-ere's Dickens!'
0:00:17 > 0:00:23Hello! And welcome to Queen Victoria's England.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28We have a very special edition of the Charles Dickens Show for you!
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Oh, yes! You wait.
0:00:30 > 0:00:31Mm-hm. Ssh!
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Now, it's just five more shopping days to Christmas.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37So, for the Polish composer Frederic Chopin,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40whose wife tells me she's buying him an axe for Christmas,
0:00:40 > 0:00:45that's just five days Mrs Chopin has to shop for Chopin's chopper!
0:00:45 > 0:00:50I'm Charles Dickens. We've got an especially festive episode for you
0:00:50 > 0:00:53as we're going to be talking all about Christmas
0:00:53 > 0:00:56with some very special guests.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Yes, that's right! A bit of a coup for the Charles Dickens Show!
0:00:59 > 0:01:02It's Her Majesty Queen Victoria
0:01:02 > 0:01:06and His Royal Highness, the Prince Consort!
0:01:06 > 0:01:08APPLAUSE
0:01:08 > 0:01:10How did we do that?
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Well, the lure of a free mince pie is a powerful thing.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Now, live from our cubby house kitchen,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22we've celebrity chef Mrs Beeton.
0:01:22 > 0:01:23She's poised to tell us
0:01:23 > 0:01:27how she proposes we should be preparing for Christmas Day.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And if that wasn't enough, our roving reporter Nelly Trent
0:01:31 > 0:01:34has a special Christmas report for us. What are you up to, Nel?
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Hello, Charles. Your Highnesses.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39When good King Wenceslas looks out this year,
0:01:39 > 0:01:43he'll see more than snow that's deep and crisp and even.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46He'll see a Christmas that's bigger and better than ever.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49And that's thanks in no small part
0:01:49 > 0:01:51to the wonderful Christmas stories of Mr Dickens.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55I'm going to be bringing you all the up-to-the-minute,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59must-have toys to help make your Christmas Day go with a bang.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01- BANG! - Fantastic!
0:02:01 > 0:02:04A few last-minute stocking fillers for your nine children,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Your Highnesses.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08We have ten children of our own.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11We would've stopped at nine, but I like a tidy table.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14- LAUGHTER - No, I'm serious.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18An odd number of children at every meal would drive me crazy.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20Nine?! No, no, no, no, no.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23- I'd have to get rid of one of them. - LAUGHTER
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Am I going to be in trouble when I get home tonight?! What have you got for us, Nel?
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Well, Charles, I have two special guests.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Two guests, eh? You'll be after my job next. Ha-ha-ha!
0:02:35 > 0:02:38We'll have to keep an eye on her. Tell us more.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Helping me to find out what will be poking out
0:02:41 > 0:02:44of rich and poor children's stockings this Christmas morning
0:02:44 > 0:02:47are Mr Ebenezer Scrooge.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Humbug!
0:02:49 > 0:02:51LAUGHTER
0:02:51 > 0:02:56And young Tiny Tim Cratchit.
0:02:56 > 0:02:57HE COUGHS
0:02:57 > 0:02:59APPLAUSE
0:02:59 > 0:03:02That's my pleasure, Miss Trent.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I think you're brilliant. And really pretty.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07LAUGHTER
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Right. Let the countdown begin.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13At Number 3, for rich children...
0:03:13 > 0:03:16A toy theatre.
0:03:16 > 0:03:22Children can entertain their whole family with their creations.
0:03:22 > 0:03:27What's the point? Children should be seen and not heard.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32At Number 3 for poor children...
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Well, Miss Trent, I've got something here in my Christmas stocking
0:03:36 > 0:03:39which I think you're going to be really excited about.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41I know I am.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46(It's a lump of coal!)
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Coal's brilliant because you can burn it and it keeps you warm.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It's a perfect Christmas present
0:03:53 > 0:03:55because Christmas is winter
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and winter is cold.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02At Number 2 for rich children...
0:04:02 > 0:04:05When I was a little boy, we were given a lump of coal as a present
0:04:05 > 0:04:07when we'd been naughty.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09What a rubbish present!
0:04:09 > 0:04:11At Number 2...
0:04:13 > 0:04:15A bilboquet.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17The young fools will waste their entire life
0:04:17 > 0:04:20trying to get this cup on this pin.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27At Number 2 for poor children...
0:04:27 > 0:04:28Look at this!
0:04:28 > 0:04:32This is called an orange.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36And it's a delicious fruit that tastes like...
0:04:36 > 0:04:39sunshine and summertime.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Saint Nicholas put gold into people's stockings.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48But if you can't afford gold, you could put one of these in.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Cos... Cos they look a bit like gold, don't they?
0:04:51 > 0:04:55And you could break them up into little pieces
0:04:55 > 0:04:57and share it with your family!
0:04:59 > 0:05:02And at Number 1 for rich children...
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Humbug!
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- A rocking horse. - And at Number 1 for poor children...
0:05:12 > 0:05:15You're really going to love this one!
0:05:19 > 0:05:22It's a block of wood! Isn't it super!
0:05:22 > 0:05:25And it can be anything you want it to be.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It can be a castle or a baby
0:05:28 > 0:05:31or a treasure chest on a pirate island.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And it's cheap, too.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Well, there you have it, Charles.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39There's a pretty big price range separating those presents.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43If you've got a lot of money, you can buy something truly fantastic.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47But if you don't, as Tiny Tim has shown us,
0:05:47 > 0:05:50all you really need is a bit of imagination.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Happy Christmas, everyone!
0:05:52 > 0:05:54APPLAUSE
0:05:54 > 0:05:59So, er, that's a signed copy of Mrs Beeton's Household Management,
0:05:59 > 0:06:01for Mrs Dickens, of course,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and 10 blocks of wood.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06LAUGHTER
0:06:06 > 0:06:08You think I'm joking!
0:06:09 > 0:06:10You don't think I'm joking.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Now, it's time to go over to Mrs Isabella Beeton
0:06:13 > 0:06:15in the Country House Kitchen,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19where the countdown clock to Christmas is ticking.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21APPLAUSE
0:06:21 > 0:06:24It is the busiest time of year for every Victorian household.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26Your staff will have been hard at it
0:06:26 > 0:06:29so as to greet old Christmas with a happy face,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33a contented mind and a full larder.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Gladys here has been stoning plums, scrubbing currants
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and zesting lemons since the crack of dawn, haven't you, dear?
0:06:39 > 0:06:44It is most important that your staff start the day early at 5.00am sharp.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Lose an hour and you'll be chasing it through the day.
0:06:47 > 0:06:48Before any cooking may begin,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52staff must clean and sweep all hallways and stairs to the kitchen,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54polish the front step and set the fire in the range.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57When every area of the kitchen is scrupulously clean,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Cook can begin to make her dough for the breakfast rolls,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03which you will leave to rise in a cupboard, like this one here.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05COOK SNORES
0:07:12 > 0:07:15This year, the Christmas meat of choice,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18for those who can afford it, that is, has to be turkey.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Especially since I have heard a rumour
0:07:20 > 0:07:24they'll be serving up a turkey at the Royal table this year.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25If your purse can't run to it,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28goose is plentiful and very reasonably priced.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Edna here has been mixing the Christmas pudding.
0:07:39 > 0:07:45Which she must stir clockwise with closed eyes for good luck!
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Now, Edna, don't forget to make a wish.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54Um...I-I wish I was back in bed.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Now, Edna, that's not the spirit.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04(I've put my shoulder out.)
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Oh. Oh, yes, yes. The poor girl's put her shoulder out.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12But fortunately, Edna has two arms, don't you, Edna?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17The Christmas breakfast will be very light and simple.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Broiled smelts with tartar sauce, lamb chops, blood sausage,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25baked apples with sweet cream, mashed potato, ham omelette,
0:08:25 > 0:08:26griddle cakes with maple syrup,
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Parker rolls, tea and coffee.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Edna! Edna?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Edna!
0:08:39 > 0:08:41The 52lb sack of potatoes in the cellar.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45The one that weighs about as much as a six-year-old child.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Would you go and bring it up and peel them for me? There's a lamb.
0:08:48 > 0:08:49Where's the lamb?
0:08:49 > 0:08:53I thought... I thought we was having turkey.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55- No, dear.- We're having deer?
0:08:55 > 0:08:58No, you doltish clown! Spuds!
0:09:01 > 0:09:04After breakfast, most of the household will be off to church.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But on their return, after a long sermon,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10they'll be wanting a restorative lunch.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13But we've still got Christmas dinner to go,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15so, again, keep it simple.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Oysters.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Caviar.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Bouillon. Cow tongue pie.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25Parisienne salad. Mince pies.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Two and a half gallons of eggnog,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31all washed down with some hot Roman punch.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35That should just about take the edge off their hunger.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Now, when all the plates and cutlery
0:09:37 > 0:09:39have been washed in thoroughly scalding water,
0:09:39 > 0:09:42as hot as your scullery maids' hands can bear, mind,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44it's time to pick up the pace
0:09:44 > 0:09:48and get ready for the household's big feast of the day, Christmas dinner.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52At this juncture, a lot of the household and their guests
0:09:52 > 0:09:55may well want to take to their rooms for an afternoon nap.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00- Oh, thank you, Mrs Beeton, I think I will.- Not you, Edna! Get back here!
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Ah! This pudding will have to steam for a good eight hours,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11which means Edna will have to sit and watch it.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14And woe betide her if she lets it boil dry.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Now, don't forget to put a charm or coin inside it
0:10:17 > 0:10:21which represents health, wealth and happiness to the finder.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22I do hope I find it, ma'am.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26That's unlikely, Edna, since you won't be having any of the pudding.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Health, wealth and happiness are things you can dream on
0:10:29 > 0:10:31whilst you're peeling the sprouts.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Honestly, you just can't get the staff these days.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Now, I must crack on.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Merry Christmas, Charles.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41And seasonal good tidings to one and all.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43APPLAUSE
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Thank you, Isabella. A pleasure, as always, my dear.
0:10:47 > 0:10:52Now, we'll be talking turkeys with the Royals, right after this...
0:10:52 > 0:10:55'Bob Cratchit was the dreamer with hope in his heart
0:10:55 > 0:10:58'and hunger in his belly.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03'Ebenezer Scrooge, the man who had forgotten what happiness means.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06'This Christmas, from the man who brought you The Pickwick Papers,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10'comes a tale of one man's redemption
0:11:10 > 0:11:12'and of a family's salvation.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14'Now, for the first time,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'we bring you the ultimate Christmas story
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'in one beautiful volume.
0:11:19 > 0:11:20'Calf leather boards,
0:11:20 > 0:11:23'frontispiece illustrations,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25'gilt page edgings.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28'Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
0:11:28 > 0:11:32'can be yours to have and to hold for ever.'
0:11:32 > 0:11:33APPLAUSE
0:11:38 > 0:11:39It's Christmas.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44And we have a magnificent Christmas tree here, waiting to be decorated.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Here today, we have perhaps the leading expert
0:11:46 > 0:11:49on Christmas trees in Great Britain.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52He only blooming well introduced us to them!
0:11:52 > 0:11:54Prince Albert!
0:11:54 > 0:11:55RAPTUROUS APPLAUSE
0:11:55 > 0:12:01And of course, his wonderful wife and our splendid sovereign,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Her Majesty Queen Victoria is here!
0:12:07 > 0:12:11We are going to get right into the Christmas festive spirit
0:12:11 > 0:12:13by decorating our magnificence Christmas tree.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16APPLAUSE
0:12:20 > 0:12:21What?
0:12:21 > 0:12:23LAUGHTER
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Is that it? Is this the best we could run to?
0:12:28 > 0:12:30I suppose we'll have to go with what we've got.
0:12:30 > 0:12:36Your Majesties, thank you again for joining us. It is a terrific honour.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- Not at all.- I meant for you.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39HE LAUGHS >
0:12:41 > 0:12:43I'm only joking!
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Now, as you know, Christmas is rather important to me.
0:12:47 > 0:12:48I understand you invented it.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Reinvented it.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58I suppose my Christmas Carol has struck a chord with the nation.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- It has been reprinted 24 times, you know?- Maybe I should read it.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Available in all good bookstores.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10Now, when you married our Queen and moved to England from Germany,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13did you miss the Christmas festivities back home?
0:13:13 > 0:13:19Yes, I suppose so, but I have always known Christmas in a certain way
0:13:19 > 0:13:26and it seemed only natural for me to bring my Christmas into my new family home.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31- And you suggested popping a Christmas tree up in the Palace. - The castle. I did, yes.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34But Ma'am, you have a bit...
0:13:34 > 0:13:39Well, your family is almost, if not entirely, Germanic.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44Presumably, the Christmas tree wasn't anything new to you as an idea?
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Well, of course, one knew about Christmas trees.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52And one knew that some branches, if you'll excuse the play on words,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55of the family dragged them into the house during Christmas time,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58but one had never actually seen one oneself.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01I wonder if you could just tell us, Albert,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04a little bit more about why we have Christmas trees?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Well, for thousands of years, on the shortest day of the year,
0:14:07 > 0:14:13the German people would bring the branches of the trees into the house and decorate them.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15And why would they do that?
0:14:18 > 0:14:22To encourage the trees to grow again in the spring.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28The Christians adopted the tradition to celebrate Christmas.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34They made it a fir tree because it is like the triangle.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39The triangle is the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43Ah. Right, well, we've got some Christmas decorations here
0:14:43 > 0:14:47which we could attempt to get near this giant of the forest.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51Now, Ma'am, I wonder if you could tell us
0:14:51 > 0:14:54how does the Royal Family go about sprucing up the tree in the Palace?
0:14:54 > 0:14:58- Castle.- Of course, yes, the Royal home.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Right. Do the children gather around and get involved?
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Oh, no. One has the servants do it.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10One's hardly going to run the risk of soiling one's Royal gown.
0:15:10 > 0:15:11Right.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14No.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Oh, no, we're only joking, Mr Dickens.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22That wouldn't be very Christmassy, would it?
0:15:22 > 0:15:25No, the whole family gets together to decorate it.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Although, last year Edward tried to eat one of the dried oranges
0:15:29 > 0:15:32and made himself sick, poor lamb.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37That boy is greedy. He will be plump and drunk if he's not careful.
0:15:37 > 0:15:43No, he's going to have your lovely figure, and maybe some of your fine whiskers, too.
0:15:43 > 0:15:44APPLAUSE
0:15:44 > 0:15:46And, um, yes.
0:15:46 > 0:15:53I vunder... Sorry. I wonder, do you think there has been a renewed interest
0:15:53 > 0:15:57amongst our subjects in Christmas in recent years?
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Yes, I think there probably has.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04Until one came to power, we were a frightfully boring nation.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09There were a lot of pious religious people who were out to spoil the fun for everyone.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13They took a very dim view of any kind of celebrating
0:16:13 > 0:16:15around Christ's birthday.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Banning Christmas carols and such silliness.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22It took quite a while for the old customs to return.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26But I do think as a nation,
0:16:26 > 0:16:32we are rediscovering our joy, our love for life.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37And we want to celebrate it, and we care.
0:16:37 > 0:16:43I think that, as Victorians... Oh dear, it sounds so silly when one says it oneself.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48But I think that we Victorians are interested in each other.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53We are not a nation of Scrooges and we care about the Cratchits.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55At least, I hope so.
0:16:55 > 0:17:01You're referring to two major characters in A Christmas Carol,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03available in all good book stores.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Now, we are almost at the end of the show,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09but our queen of the kitchen, Mrs Beeton, has heard a rumour
0:17:09 > 0:17:13that you may be having turkey in the Palace this Christmas.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16- The castle.- Castle.- The Royal house. Yes.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Is there any truth in the rumour?
0:17:19 > 0:17:24Has the Royal Telegraph been tapped or is it idle gossip
0:17:24 > 0:17:28and will you be having the usual beef or venison, perhaps?
0:17:28 > 0:17:30Well, I don't know where the rumour came from,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32but yes, it is true.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37We will be having turkey for the first time this year.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Well, there you are, Isabella, a Royal scoop on the Charles Dickens Show.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44- What will the turkey be replacing? - Swan.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- Is one what?- Nein, swan.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- Nine schvon?- He means swan.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53We usually have swan.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54Ah, swan.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58But I thought it was illegal to kill a swan, let alone cook one up for Christmas Day!
0:17:58 > 0:18:04Oh, no, Mr Dickens. They're Royal birds. It's illegal for you to kill one.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08- They belong to me. - That's put me firmly in my place!
0:18:08 > 0:18:12That's all we have time for this year, I'm afraid.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17But we would like to wish you all a right Royal Christmas
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and a very Happy New Year!
0:18:20 > 0:18:22AULD LYNE SYNE PLAYS
0:18:24 > 0:18:25APPLAUSE
0:18:27 > 0:18:34Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40that can transport the sailor and the traveller
0:18:40 > 0:18:47thousands of miles away back to his own fireside and his quiet home.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Goodbye.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52APPLAUSE
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd