A Blue Peter Christmas

A Blue Peter Christmas is full of traditions, from the lighting of the advent crown, which no a days has battery powered candles to The Salvation Army Band playing a Christmas Carol around the Christmas Tree.

The 2017 huge Advent Crown with battery powered candles.

The Blue Peter Christmas special is one of the highlights of the Blue Peter calendar and has mainly followed the same format for the past 60 years.

A clip from The Funny Side of Christmas broadcast in 2010

In the run up to Christmas, the Christmas appeal would feature heavily in the programme, which over the past few years has tied in with BBC Children in Need. Various Christmas makes would be demonstrated. Then with four programmes to go, the first candle on the advent crown would be lit, with one candle being lit on each of the four programmes leading up to Christmas.

The Christmas special normally starts by showing a selection of cards sent in by the programmes viewers. Then another long running tradition The Nativity scene would be set up.

The famous Blue Peter Nativity Scene, shown here at The 50th Anniversary Exhibition in Bradford in 2008

Christmas entertainment by the presenters would also often feature and this would take the form of a short Pantomime or a spectacular song and dance number. Occasionally the Christmas entertainment has been a stand alone programme prior to the Christmas special (Christmas at the Club Blue Peter and Totally Blue Peter)

Simon Thomas, Konnie Huq, Matt Baker and Liz Barker
star in Christmas at The Club Blue Peter 2002

The Christmas special always comes to a close with a carol around the Christmas Tree lead in by a band from The Salvation Army and a huge choir of School Children. A special moment as former presenter Valerie Singleton Says.

Merry Christmas to all.

The Full Blue Peter Christmas Special from 1987

Here's some I made earlier

As the first candles are lit on the Advent crown, the festive season is underway. So today I am sharing with you some of the Christmas cards I sent into Blue Peter back in the 1980's.

 

I had cards shown on the programme for four years running, I only have photographs of three of them.

This card was shown in more detail by presenter Yvette Fielding, this is what she said

And here's some more sparkly glitter, it's a cracker and its just been cracked and out of it, is coming tumbling snowflakes, a Christmas pudding good enough to eat, and a sparkly Blue Peter Ship, down here is a snowman and right in the corner is a present all wrapped up, and they have all been cut out beautifully and stuck on.

The following year presenter Mark Curry read out details of this large Christmas tree card, with Blue Peter pets Bonnie and Willow sat underneath.

I did enjoy making things and drawing but sadly I choose to drop art at school, as I didn't think I was good enough. Many years later I revisited my card making. In fact I made cards from 1999 until 2014, doing the odd craft fair along the way.

Here are some examples of my work

I still love crafting, but don't really have the time at the moment, however I couldn't resit having a go at making this Blue Peter ship that was shown on the programme during the summer.

Finally here is a short clip of  Yvette describing the card I sent in 1987.