ITV Christmas Comedy - Season 1

First aired: 4/23/1983 15 episodes

Episodes

1. Halleluja - A Goose for Mrs Scratchitt

Aired: 4/23/1983

Captain Ridley (Thora Hird) attempts to explain to a group of children what Christmas used to be like. She tells them the story of Ebenezer Dickinson, a mean old man whose only enjoyment in life is money and making other peoples lives misery. The final straw comes when he sacks Mr Scratchett on Christmas Eve, meaning the Scratchett family can't afford a goose for Christmas dinner. In the night Ebenezer receives a visit from a ghost who shows him what it will be like when he dies. But does Ebenezer care?

2. Nearest and Dearest - Cindernellie

Aired: 12/21/1972

Eli invests the Christmas Club money collected at the Pickle factory in a local pantomime; the cast walk out and Nellie and Eli and company undertake to perforrn the show themselves.

3. Only When I laugh - Away for Christmas

Aired: 12/24/1981

On Christmas Eve the ward gets a new patient, eight year old elected mute Danny, whose parents are abroad and is a known arsonist. Figgis dresses up as Santa Claus to steal presents for him from the children's ward but is rumbled and has to escape, getting the benefits of kisses from nurses who mistake him for the hospital's other Santa, Dr Thorpe. Eventually Dr Thorpe brings Danny some Christmas cheer and accidentally gets him talking again.

4. Stanley Baxter's Christmas Box

Aired: 12/26/1976

With Miriam Margolyes, Moray Watson, The Norman Maen Dancers and The Tony Mansell singers. Stanley Baxter's Christmas Box explodes to give us a seasonal send-up with all the trimmings. Among the gift-wrapped contents are the Cinderella characters invading the laconic Phillip Marlowe's office, a Kosher newscast, a tantalising glimpse of the Bruce Fosdyke show, a Christmas appeal on behalf of the Morally Inhibited, Noel Coward's view of the whole proceedings, Jacques Cousteau's view of the British at the seaside and Colonic Pictures 1940's musical extravaganza, Girl on the Cover.

5. The Army Game - Bootserella

Aired: 1/7/1960

Baron Stonybroke hopes to finally marry off the ugliest of his daughters, Prince Charming arranges a dance to find himself a rich heiress, and a fairy godfather visits to make sure that Bootserella can go to the ball.

6. Two's Company - A Loving Christmas

Aired: 12/25/1976

Dorothy and her butler Robert are planning to be away from each other this Christmas, but at home to someone special…

7. Bless me Father - The Season of Goodwill

Aired: 12/23/1979

As Christmas nears, Father Duddleswell enters into his annual period of being on his best and most charitable behavior. It's a grand opportunity for others like Father Neil and Mrs. Pring to test the limits of his temporarily sweet disposition.

8. The Rag Trade - Christmas Rush

Aired: 12/24/1977

It may be Christmas but will the running conflict between Harold and Paddy at Fenner Fashions put a damper on the Christmas spirit? Starring Peter Jones, Miriam Karlin and Chritopher Beeny.

9. That's My Boy - Cold Turkey

Aired: 12/23/1983

Starring Mollie Sugden and Christopher Blake . Ida's looking forward to a nice quiet Christmas with Robert and Angie. It's a shame that Robert isn't - 'Christmas Day is like any other day'. Her mood soon changes though when Robert announces that he has invited his boss to Christmas dinner. Then a christmas card arrives from Robert's adopted mum saying that she'll be coming down on Christmas Day. Could it get any worse for Ida?

10. Please Sir - And Everyone Came Too!

Aired: 12/27/1970

As 5C break up for the last time they prepare to take life by the throat, the shirt, the vest or anything else they can lay their hands on. They will return - at Christmas for a special event.

11. One the Buses - Christmas Duty

Aired: 12/25/1970

Once again Jack and Stan are in the inspector's bad books for using the bus to collect Christmas presents so, when a husband and wife crew report sick, he has the two men working on Christmas Day. Mum has cooked the turkey but to save Stan walking home Arthur agrees to collect him in the combination. But Arthur has had too much Christmas spirit and Olive agrees to drive, with Arthur and Mum to supervise. Unfortunately she crashes the bike and when they all get home the fire brigade has been called and the turkey is burnt to a cinder.

12. My Husband and I - No Place Like Home

Aired: 12/18/1987

Nora Powers (Mollie Sugden) and her husband George (William Moore) are all set to pack their bags for sunny Spain in a 30-minute Christmas Special "No Place Like Home".

13. George and the Dragon - Merry Christmas

Aired: 12/24/1966

George and Gabrielle have ideas about Christmas but things don¹t go to plan.

14. Billy Liar - The Gift of Magi

Aired: 12/25/1973

Christmas is approaching and Mr Fisher issues stern instructions to Billy that he is to spend his savings on Christmas presents for his family. But Billy is more tempted by a pair of yellow trousers he sees in a shop window on the way to work. On arrival, he has no money left and can't get a penny out of Mr Shadrack. Left wondering how he can get Christmas presents for his family and avoid a major row at home, a scheme is soon hatched, but whether it works or not is a different story entirely...

15. All This and Christmas Too

Aired: 12/24/1971

Sid's daughter may be pregnant, but he is more interested in catching a pesky mouse. Things are further complicated by visits from an assortment of strange neighbours and relatives.