To offer the best value, Lidl works on long-term agreements with producers and growers, ensuring that promotional prices do not affect the price paid to the farmer.
The full range will be available in stores nationwide from today (18th December 2025) until 24th December 2025, whilst stocks last.
And for us, the driving forces behind the site, there is one tradition that has never wavered.
Every single Christmas season, without fail, we sit down together to watch the 1951 film version of A Christmas Carol, accompanied by mince pies and a bottle of port wine.
It is non-negotiable. Christmas simply doesn’t feel complete without it.
Why the 1951 Version Matters
There are many adaptations of Dickens’ timeless story, but for us, A Christmas Carol stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Alastair Sim’s portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge is, in our view, definitive. He captures every layer of the character — the bitterness, the pain, the sharp wit, and ultimately the profound humanity that emerges by the film’s end. This is not a pantomime villain or a cartoon miser. This Scrooge feels real.
There is something deeply comforting about the film’s pace, its shadowed Victorian streets, and its quiet moral certainty. It doesn’t rush. It doesn’t shout. It allows the story to breathe, and to sink in.
Each year, no matter how many times we’ve seen it, we still find new details to notice, new lines that resonate, and new moments that land just that little bit harder.
Mince Pies: A Christmas Essential
No screening would be complete without mince pies.
Freshly opened, dusted with icing sugar, still carrying that unmistakable Christmas aroma, fruit, spice, and nostalgia. They are not just a snack; they are part of the ritual. The moment the pies come out, Christmas feels official.
They sit beside us as Scrooge is visited by Marley’s ghost, disappear during the Ghost of Christmas Present, and are long gone by the time Tiny Tim speaks his famous words.
And the Bottle of Port
Alongside the mince pies is a bottle of port wine, rich, warming, and quietly festive.
Port feels like a Christmas drink that belongs to another era, which somehow makes it perfect for a Victorian story. It slows the evening down. It encourages conversation, reflection, and that gentle sense of indulgence that Christmas does so well.
A small glass poured, the lights low, the film beginning — it’s not about excess. It’s about atmosphere.
A Moment of Stillness in a Busy Season
Christmas can be loud. Busy. Overwhelming.
This tradition gives us a pause — a moment to sit together, switch off from the outside world, and reconnect with why Christmas matters to us in the first place. Kindness. Reflection. Change. Hope.
Those themes are at the very heart of A Christmas Carol, and they align perfectly with what we try to promote through That’s Christmas 365 all year round.
Why We Share This With You
That’s Christmas 365 isn’t just a website, it’s a reflection of how we live Christmas ourselves. The traditions we write about are the ones we genuinely treasure, and this is one of the most important.
If you’ve never watched the 1951 version, we wholeheartedly recommend making it part of your own festive season. Pour yourself something warming, grab a mince pie (or two), and give it your full attention. Sometimes we even add an artisan pork pie or a nice chunk of Stilton cheese to the menu!
You might just find, like we have, that it becomes a tradition you return to every single year.
Because sometimes, Christmas isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the same beautiful thing, again and again.
And here, for your viewing pleasure, is the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Since its publication in 1843, Dickens’ tale of redemption, compassion, and social responsibility has returned again and again, each generation reshaping it to reflect its own fears, values, humour, and hopes.
Cinema, in particular, has embraced the story with enthusiasm, producing dozens of adaptations across more than a century.
What follows is a journey through the film history of A Christmas Carol, from silent cinema to modern motion-capture epics.
The Silent Era (1901–1920s): Dickens Meets the Camera
The earliest surviving screen adaptations emerged almost as soon as cinema itself.
Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost
Widely regarded as the first screen version, this short British silent film established visual traditions that would persist for decades—ghostly apparitions, dramatic shadows, and Scrooge’s fearful awakening.
A Christmas Carol
Produced in the United States, this version helped introduce Dickens’ morality tale to international audiences and demonstrated how adaptable the story was to new storytelling technologies.
These early films relied on exaggerated acting and simple visual effects, but they laid the foundations for every adaptation that followed.
The Early Sound Era (1930s–1940s): Finding a Voice
A Christmas Carol
Starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge, this MGM production softened some of Dickens’ darker edges, leaning into warmth, family, and festive charm. For many viewers, it became a comforting annual tradition.
This period marked the point where dialogue, music, and atmosphere could finally work together—bringing Dickens’ words closer to their theatrical roots.
The Definitive Classic (1951): A Benchmark for All Others
Scrooge
With Alastair Sim in the title role, this is often considered the definitive cinematic adaptation. Darker, more psychologically complex, and emotionally richer than its predecessors, it explores Scrooge’s bitterness, regret, and redemption with remarkable depth.
Many later portrayals—whether consciously or not—borrow heavily from Sim’s interpretation, making this version a cornerstone of Christmas cinema.
Animation and Musical Interpretations (1960s–1970s)
A Christmas Carol
Best remembered for the haunting song “When Love Is Gone”, this animated adaptation blended melancholy and music, capturing the emotional cost of Scrooge’s choices.
Animation allowed the supernatural elements—spirits, time shifts, and visions of death—to feel more fluid and dreamlike, broadening the story’s appeal to younger audiences without losing its emotional weight.
Reinvention and Popular Culture (1980s–1990s)
Scrooged
A modern retelling set in the world of television, this dark comedy starring Bill Murray proved the story’s themes could thrive outside Victorian London.
The Muppet Christmas Carol
Remarkably faithful to Dickens’ original text, this adaptation balanced humour and sincerity. Michael Caine’s straight-faced Scrooge opposite the anarchic Muppets created a version that has become a firm festive favourite across generations.
Digital Spectacle and the 21st Century
A Christmas Carol
Directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey, this motion-capture adaptation leaned heavily into visual spectacle. The ghosts were frightening, the environments immersive, and the moral consequences stark.
While opinions remain divided on its style, it demonstrated that A Christmas Carol could still be technologically innovative more than 150 years after it was written.
Why the Story Endures on Film
Each adaptation reflects its era’s concerns—poverty, greed, media obsession, loneliness, or social responsibility—yet the core message remains unchanged. Scrooge’s journey is not just about Christmas; it is about the possibility of change, no matter how late or how unlikely it seems.
That is why filmmakers keep returning to Dickens’ ghosts: not because the story is old, but because it is endlessly relevant.
A Living Tradition
From flickering silent reels to digital cinema, A Christmas Carol has never left the screen for long. Every new adaptation becomes part of a long, ghostly procession, past, present, and future, reminding us, year after year, that kindness is never out of season.
| Year | Film Title | Country | Format | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost | UK | Silent short | Earliest known screen adaptation; establishes core visual tropes |
| 1910 | A Christmas Carol | USA | Silent short | Early American adaptation; now partially lost |
| 1913 | Scrooge | UK | Silent feature | Longer and more detailed than earlier shorts |
| 1922 | Scrooge | UK | Silent feature | First feature-length adaptation |
| 1935 | Scrooge | UK | Sound film | Stars Seymour Hicks, who played Scrooge on stage for decades |
| 1938 | A Christmas Carol | USA | Sound film | MGM production; warmer, family-focused tone |
| 1951 | Scrooge | UK | Sound film | Alastair Sim’s definitive, darker portrayal |
| 1970 | A Christmas Carol | USA | Animated musical | Remembered for its emotional songs and somber mood |
| 1984 | A Christmas Carol | UK/USA | TV film | George C. Scott as a stern, forceful Scrooge |
| 1988 | Scrooged | USA | Modern retelling | Satirical contemporary adaptation starring Bill Murray |
| 1992 | The Muppet Christmas Carol | USA/UK | Musical fantasy | Exceptionally faithful to Dickens’ text despite comic format |
| 1997 | A Christmas Carol | USA | Animated | Traditional narration with classical visual style |
| 2001 | Christmas Carol: The Movie | UK | Animated | Features Simon Callow; closer to original Victorian tone |
| 2009 | A Christmas Carol | USA | Motion-capture | Jim Carrey in multiple roles; visually intense |
| 2019 | A Christmas Carol | UK | Animated | Stylised animation with darker emotional themes |
The Royal Mews Christmas Shop, open until from 5 January, brings together the festive ranges of official royal gifts, food and drink from Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household.
Seasonal drinks and nibbles will also be available, adding to the festive spirit.
With a selection of classic products and future heirlooms from the Royal Collection Trust Shops, the below gift guide includes ideas for loved ones including children, collectors of British chinaware, and party hosts.
New for this year are mini 20cl bottles of gins infused with botanicals hand-picked from the grounds of royal residences including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
Also newly launched is the Property of the Royal Kitchen range of kitchen accessories, which takes its inspiration from the Great Kitchen at Windsor Castle – the oldest working kitchen in the country.
Official Royal Collection Trust chinaware is made in the UK, being cast, fired, and decorated by hand at The Potteries in Stoke-on-Trent, using the same traditional techniques that have been used for the past 250 years.
Also new are wine accessories including crystal wine glasses, delicately etched with a pattern of knotted vines and grape leaves inspired by the Grand Punch Bowl, a majestic wine cistern in the Royal Collection known to have been used by Queen Victoria. The glasses are the perfect way to serve the Palace Collection Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir.
Further highlights include tree decorations handcrafted in India using traditional embroidery techniques, which help keep jobs and traditional craft skills alive, and children’s plushies made of 100% recycled materials.
The ranges can be purchased online from royalcollectionshop.co.uk, Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor, and the pop-up The Royal Mews Christmas Shop.
The income from purchases contributes to the care and conservation of the Royal Collection and helps Royal Collection Trust to share it with everyone, wherever they are.
 |
| Image by Jim Cox |
Meanwhile, new figures suggest nearly one in two UK adults will attend a service or event in 2025.
Traffic to AChurchNearYou.com (ACNY), the Church’s national church-finder, is surging, with public hits reaching 891,000 yesterday, up from 743,000 on 7 December (around 20 per cent week-on-week increase).
Over the last weekend alone, Church of England content recorded 1,393,467 video views, 95,650 engagements, including 5,707 clicks (mainly to ACNY) and 7,432 shares.
The recently published Christmas isn’t cancelled video has been seen nearly 2 million times across social media, generating 125,000 likes, comments and shares - far above industry averages. Related posts reached 2,413,574 impressions.
Resources created by the national Church for local parishes to use for free are being used across the country, with 49,326 downloads of Advent and Christmas materials from the ACNY Resource Hub, helping churches invite and prepare.
Since 1 November, 5,403 services/events have been added to calendars and 2,196 shared via social media or email, signalling strong intent to attend locally. Looking ahead, there’s a 91 per cent increase in Candlemas services from last year and a 23 per cent increase in ‘Blue Christmas’ services compared to 2024.
This surge reflects an apparent wider national trend. New polling this week found that nearly one in two UK adults (45 per cent) plan to attend a church event or service this Christmas, up from 40 per cent last year, drawn by tradition, atmosphere and spiritual reflection. The polling was carried out by Savanta on behalf of the charity, Tearfund.
The engagement builds on the Church of England’s Joy of Christmas campaign, which offers videos, reflections and devotional content for people of all backgrounds - whether exploring faith for the first time or looking to deepen their discipleship.
The campaign also features the Church of England’s first-ever Christmas picture book, The Grumpy Owl and Joy of Christmas, with its animated version already viewed more than 12,000 times on YouTube.
When that isn’t how you feel, it can be deeply uncomfortable.
If you find yourself wanting quiet, space, or even complete solitude at Christmas, it does not mean there is something wrong with you. It does not make you cold, ungrateful, antisocial, or “doing Christmas wrong”. It simply means you are listening to your own needs.
And that matters.
Christmas Is Emotionally Intense
Christmas amplifies everything. Joy feels louder, but so does grief. Loneliness can feel sharper. Exhaustion accumulates quickly. For many people, Christmas isn’t just one day – it’s weeks of expectation, noise, social pressure, and emotional labour.
If you’re already overwhelmed, burnt out, neurodivergent, grieving, chronically ill, anxious, or simply tired, the idea of constant company can feel less like celebration and more like survival mode.
Wanting to be left alone can be your nervous system asking for rest, not a rejection of Christmas itself.
Solitude Is Not the Same as Loneliness
One of the biggest myths around Christmas is that being alone automatically equals being lonely. In reality, many people experience the opposite.
Solitude can be:
Calming
Grounding
Restorative
Safe
Emotionally regulating
For some, being alone with a book, a film, music, or a quiet meal is the most meaningful way to mark the season. That’s not emptiness – it’s intention.
You are allowed to enjoy Christmas quietly, softly, and on your own terms.
Not Everyone Recharges Through Socialising
There is nothing unusual about needing space, especially at a time when social interaction is intensified and prolonged.
Some people recharge through company. Others recharge through silence. Neither is superior.
If being around others drains you rather than energises you, forcing yourself into constant social settings can actually make Christmas harder, not better. Protecting your energy is not selfish – it’s sensible.
Boundaries Are Not a Personal Attack
Choosing to step back, decline invitations, or ask for time alone is often misinterpreted as rejection. In reality, it’s usually about self-preservation.
You can care about people deeply and still need space.
You can love Christmas and still want quiet.
You can value relationships without needing to perform festivity.
Setting boundaries is not about pushing people away – it’s about staying emotionally well enough to engage at all.
Christmas Doesn’t Have One Correct Format
Some people love big meals, full houses, and busy schedules.
Others prefer:
A simple meal
One trusted person
Or no company at all
None of these approaches are more “correct” than the others.
Christmas traditions are personal, not universal. You don’t owe anyone an explanation for choosing a version of Christmas that works for you.
You Are Allowed to Rest
Rest is not laziness.
Silence is not failure.
Solitude is not a flaw.
If the kindest thing you can do for yourself this Christmas is to slow down, step back, and be alone, that is enough. You are not missing the point of Christmas – you are honouring your wellbeing.
A Quiet Christmas Is Still a Valid Christmas
There is room in this season for loud laughter and quiet reflection.
For busy homes and peaceful spaces.
For togetherness and solitude.
If you want to be left alone at Christmas, you are not weird.
You are not broken.
You are not doing anything wrong.
You are simply human – and that deserves understanding, not judgement.
At That’s Christmas 365, we believe Christmas should be shaped around people, not pressure. However you spend it – quietly, socially, or somewhere in between – your Christmas counts.
This festive season, a smart home gadget that enhances wellbeing and everyday living ticks all those boxes.
That’s why a Philips air purifier from the 600 range is such a brilliant present idea for friends, family or even yourself. (That's Christmas 365 has one in our home office.)
A Gift That Gives Back All Year
Air purifiers aren’t just a one-day novelty present — they make a difference every day.
Whether someone lives in a busy urban area, has pets, suffers from allergies, or just loves a fresh and cosy home environment, an air purifier improves daily life in a subtle but powerful way.
Clean Air for Health & Comfort
The Philips 600 series models use advanced NanoProtect HEPA filtration to remove up to 99.97 % of ultra-fine airborne particles, including dust, pollen, pet dander and even microscopic pollutants down to 0.003 microns. That means cleaner, fresher air in living rooms, bedrooms or home offices — perfect for people with asthma or allergies.
Ideal for UK Homes
These compact purifiers are designed to suit typical UK rooms, effectively cleaning spaces up to around 44 m², which covers most living rooms, larger bedrooms or open-plan dining areas. Their sleek white design blends effortlessly with modern interiors.
Peaceful & Practical
Christmas is a season for relaxation and togetherness, so quieter tech is a bonus. In Sleep mode, Philips 600 purifiers run at around 19 dB, that’s quieter than a whisper, so they won’t disturb Christmas movie nights or late-night reading.
Energy efficiency is another practical perk: these units run on minimal power (around 12 W), keeping running costs low even if they’re switched on all day.
Smart Control Made Simple
Many models in the 600 range connect to the Philips Air+ app, so your giftee can monitor air quality, adjust settings and check filter life from their phone — perfect for tech lovers or busy households.
The Little Extras That Matter
Filter lifetime indicator, removes guesswork and helps keep performance optimal.
Multiple fan speeds, including turbo for rapid clean-ups and sleep for night-time calm.
Compact design, easy to move between rooms and fits snugly on shelves or side tables.
A Thoughtful, Versatile Present
Whether it’s for a parent who deserves a healthier home environment, a friend with pets, a house-proud sibling, or anyone who values wellbeing, a Philips air purifier is a gift that shows you care about comfort and health — not just for Christmas Day, but all year round.
Gift idea summary:
Practical & meaningful
Enhances air quality & wellbeing
Quiet & energy efficient
Smart control & easy to use
Fits most UK homes
And they are available at a special discounted price here:- https://amzn.to/3MOAhvz
The findings show three out of five UK companies want to boost their social impact but are currently constrained by hardware refresh cycles and other factors.
In response, SocialBox.Biz, a leading Community Interest Company (CIC), has issued a 2026 “Call to Action.”
This initiative provides a streamlined pathway for corporations to reduce Scope 3 emissions by diverting functional hardware from scrap heaps to reuse before it reaches the IT disposal stage. Call SocialBoxBiz before you scrap it so that SocialBoxBiz can help you assess what items can still be reused first.
With each reused laptop saving 316kg of CO2, SocialBox.Biz’s innovation transforms old corporate IT into a lifeline for the elderly unable to afford technology and those transitioning out of homelessness.
“The data is clear: British businesses want to do more, but they are literally shredding their impact,” says Peter Paduh, Founder of SocialBox.Biz. “Recycling will no longer be enough. Our innovation allows firms to securely wipe data and reuse and rehome technology, turning it into a measurable social and environmental win.”
The 2026 SocialBox.Biz Innovation Framework:
Scope 3 Reduction: Verified carbon savings for annual ESG reports by prioritizing IT reuse over recycling.
Impact Plans for 2026: A new solution for firms without immediate hardware to sponsor IT training and CompTIA+ certifications for the vulnerable using existing PR or ESG budgets.
Data Security: Certified data wiping (NIST 800-88 and ISO 27001) that eliminates the risk of donation.
The CEO Pledge: An executive commitment to ensure no functional device is scrapped and to contact SocialBoxBiz first to check what can still be reused.
Entities seeking a potent solution for meeting 2026 environmental and social responsibility goals can participate immediately by visiting https://www.socialbox.biz/corporate-impact/
To help the 60% of UK firms currently missing their ESG targets due to hardware shortages, SocialBox.Biz has launched Impact Plans for companies to increase their impact by supporting SocialBox.Biz community interest company with their ESG and Marketing budgets.
These innovative plans allow businesses to decouple their social contributions from physical IT refresh cycles. By utilizing existing PR or ESG budgets, companies can immediately sponsor essential IT training and computer classes for the elderly, and those transitioning out of homelessness.
Impact Plans provide a verified pathway to boost social value and reduce the "purpose gap" identified in the 2025/2026 survey, ensuring your organization makes a measurable difference even when you don't have surplus hardware to donate.
Bridge the digital divide today: Join the SocialBox.Biz Impact Initiative.
The special event was proudly and skillfully organised by two talented local businesses: Art Stuff by Lyla, bringing colour and creativity through face painting, glitter, arts & crafts, and CeeCee Events, experts in full event management, decorations, logistics and entertainment.
They kindly hosted this amazing party in honour of the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children (LTCFC).
You can make donations here:- https://www.ltcfc.org.uk
When people think about the origins of the modern Christmas, one name dominates: Charles Dickens.
Yet decades before A Christmas Carol warmed Victorian hearts, another writer had already begun restoring Christmas to the cultural imagination. That writer was Washington Irving.
Rather than rivals, Irving and Dickens should be seen as complementary figures — one rekindled the idea of Christmas, the other set it alight.
Washington Irving: The Revivalist
Washington Irving’s Old Christmas (1819–1820) arrived at a time when Christmas was quietly fading in Britain. Industrialisation had disrupted rural traditions, and earlier religious opposition had stripped the season of much of its joy.
Irving’s contribution was subtle but powerful.
He presented Christmas as:
A season of hospitality and open houses
A bridge between rich and poor
A celebration rooted in continuity and memory
A time of warmth rather than doctrine
Importantly, Irving looked backwards. His Christmas was nostalgic, idealised, and deliberately old-fashioned, a reminder of what Christmas used to be, or what people wished it had been.
His England was filled with roaring fires, long tables, seasonal food, and communal goodwill. Readers responded not because it was realistic, but because it was comforting.
Charles Dickens: The Reformer
Charles Dickens took Irving’s revived Christmas and gave it urgency.
When A Christmas Carol was published in 1843, Britain was grappling with poverty, child labour, and social inequality. Dickens transformed Christmas into a moral force.
His Christmas:
Demanded compassion and generosity
Challenged greed and indifference
Centred on family, children, and redemption
Insisted that kindness was a social duty
Unlike Irving’s gentle nostalgia, Dickens’ Christmas looked forward. It asked readers not just to enjoy Christmas, but to change because of it.
Style and Tone: Comfort vs Conscience
Washington Irving Charles Dickens
Gentle and reflective Emotional and urgent
Nostalgic Reformist
Observational Moralistic
Irving invites readers into a warm room and asks them to remember.
Dickens opens the door and asks them to do something.
Shared Themes That Endure
Despite their differences, both writers agreed on the essentials:
Christmas should bring people together
Shared meals matter
Generosity defines the season
Social barriers should soften at Christmas
Together, they helped move Christmas away from strict religious observance and towards the family-centred, community-focused celebration we recognise today.
Who Had the Greater Influence?
The honest answer is: we needed both.
Without Irving, Christmas might have continued to fade as an old rural custom.
Without Dickens, Christmas might have remained a pleasant nostalgia rather than a moral force.
Irving reminded people why Christmas mattered.
Dickens showed them how to live it.
Why This Still Matters Today
Modern debates about Christmas — commercialisation, tradition, kindness, excess, echo the concerns both men addressed in the 19th century.
When we:
Long for a “traditional” Christmas
Worry about losing the spirit of the season
Emphasise generosity over spending
We are still standing at the crossroads between Irving’s memory and Dickens’ message.
A Shared Literary Legacy
Christmas as we celebrate it today, warm, generous, family-focused, and morally charged, is a literary creation as much as a religious or cultural one.
Washington Irving gave Christmas its heart.
Charles Dickens gave it its conscience.
Together, they didn’t just describe Christmas — they saved it.