Merry Britsmas

MERRY BIRTHDAY! April is my Birthday month so I went seeking other birthday connections, looking at two famous people with April birthdays by exploring Leona Lewis' brilliant festive album and a TV show about a very famous playwright born in April. I also explored some British celebs with Xmas Day Birthdays! Also check out more of me (if you want more...) on the Total Christmas Podcast.  Leona Lew...

In the March episode, I'm inspired by St David's Day to look at Welsh Christmas traditions, listen to some British covers of the carol God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, and watch a festive episode of police drama The Bill. Covers of God Rest You Merry Gentleman Wat Tyler Manfred Mann  Jamie Cullum Annie Lennox 

In the first episode of 2024, Merry Britsmas takes a look at Kiss Me Kate, a sitcom about counselling, the New Year tradition of First Footing, and some alternative under-heard festive songs.  https://ko-fi.com/merrybritsmas Pet Shop Boys - It Doesn't Often Snow At Xmas Twitchels - Ode To Just Like Xmas Shadowlark - Christmas Time John Cale - Child's Xmas In Wales

It's the (now) annual Bonus New British Xmas Music episode! Check out all the amazing artists below, support them if you can, and there's also a surprise comedic gala from all your favourite Christmas podcasters (& me...)  ALA.NI Peaness Problem Patterns Don't Call Me Ishmael  New Rules Nina Nesbitt  Volk Soup Erica Manzoli Kate Rusby Curerbell  Pegasuses  Fortune Faded Glory  Brutalligators &...

It's the big December episode of Merry Britsmas! I look at the king of Xmas' Cliff Richard's 'Mistletoe & Wine', one of my favourite raucous British shows, Bottom, more festive munching of British snacks, and I reveal the Winner of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN!  Also, I get some festive Podcast friends to help review some new seasonal adverts from Tesco, Aldi, M&S, and John Lewis....

In my first December episode of 2023, I take a gander at a Christmas Gone Wrong in the Gone Wrong Show, explore British covers of It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas, chomp on some more British festive chocolate, and reveal the final showdown in the BIG XMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN!  Covers of It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Xmas: Connie Talbot  Rag'n'Bone Man  Calum Scott Michael Ball &...

In our second November episode, I explore Greg Davies as Santa in a festive Cuckoo, some British covers of White Christmas, more of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN, and try some British festive snacks so you can hear me munching and get hungry! Covers of White Xmas: Billy Idol Peggy Sue  Keane   Martine McCutcheon

In Merry Britsmsas' first full November episode, we kick things up a festive notch with an exploration of Coldplay's modern classic Christmas Lights, a watch and review of Postman Pat's Magic Christmas, and more on the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Covers of Xmas Lights: Kylie Minogue  Straight No Chaser Yellowcard  Amber Leigh Irish

It's a Merry Britsmas Christmas Podcast Day Special! Xmas Podcast Day will showcase a whole range of takes on A Christmas Carol from brilliant festive podcasters. Here, we'll stay British with 1970's Scrooge, a musical favourite of mine starring Albert Finney!  Check out more Xmas podcasts at https://christmaspodcasts.com/  

It's Merry Spooksmas! Our full on Halloween Episode explores some British artists with spookily-titled songs, an ex-haunting via The IT Crowd, and some creepy Cornish tales of death and the supernatural. We also finish the first round of the BIG XMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN and kick off Round Two!  The Fratellis - Halloween Blues Laura Marling - Ghosts  Black Sabbath - Children of the Grave  Spooky Xm...

In our first October episode of the year, I get to grips with some British artists with slightly spooky names who released original Christmas songs, a haunting tale of St Nicholas' bones from Inside No 9, and set up the final group of the first round of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Boo Hewerdine - Xmas Morning The Spook School - Someone To Spend Xmas With Mogwai - Xmas Song  Dog Is Dead...

In our first BER episode of 2023, I get extra festive with a look at Not Going Out's second seasonal episode, Absent Father Christmas, as well as discussing Band Aid 20, the 20th anniversary release from 2004. And, as all through this year, I share the results of the last round and the face-offs of the next round of the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Band Aid 20 Keith Lemon - Do They Know It's...

In our August 23 episode, I take a look at a 90s nostalgia-hit of rural Sunday night watching with a festive Heartbeat episode, listen to some (supposedly) comedic Christmas songs, and continue the GREAT BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Get voting at Merry Britsmas  Ricky Tomlinson - Xmas My Arse The Goodies - Father Xmas Do Not Touch Me The Goodies - Make a Daft Noise for Xmas  Dora Bryan - All...

It's Xmas in July! Let's get extra festive with some British covers of The Christmas Song, an exploration of timey wimey Dr Who episode Last Christmas, and the next round of voting in the Big Christmas Number One Showdown! The Xmas Song covers: Smith & Burrows Delegation Clare Teal Joss Stone

In the summery 47th episode of Merry Britsmas, I take a look at a festive episode of strange sitcom Mandy, listen to a ever-so-slightly summery folksy Xmas record from The Boy Least Likely To, and continue to run down the BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN! Go to https://twitter.com/MerryBritsmas to vote, share, and comment!  Listen & buy via Bandcamp: The Boy Least Likely To - Christmas Special

In our May episode, I look at some more under-heard alternative British festive songs, discuss a tangentially Coronation linked episode of King Gary, and start my BIG CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE SHOWDOWN POLL! Vote at Merry Britsmas  Snow Patrol - When I Get Home For Xmas  Bird to Beast - Winter Snow  Shy Nature - Xmas Lullaby     Sandra's Wedding - Spite Xmas

In my April episode, we go a little bit sweet for Easter with British covers of A Marshmallow World, explore the final chapter of Christmas at War, and take a look at an outdated classic British sitcom called On The Buses.  Deacon Blue - Marshmallow World Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler - Marshmallow World

In the March 2023 episode of Merry Britsmas, I explore some alternative, little known (but brilliant) British indie christmas songs from the likes of Oh Wonder and Gaffa Tape Sandy. I also look at how nurses and hospitals dealt with the festive season during World War II, and take a gander at a BBC Sherlock Holmes episode set during the holidays.  Oh Wonder - This Xmas  Citizen Helene - On Xmas Da...

In a kind-of-but-not-really Valentine Special, I explore My Family's Xmas Special, The Heart of Christmas, British covers of the heartbreak festive tune Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), and more stories of the frontline during WWII during the holidays.  Xmas (Baby Please Come Home) covers: Leona Lewis KT Tunstall Olly Murs  Slow Club 

In the first episode of 2023, I take a little look at The Fast Show Christmas Special, covers of wintry festive duet Baby It's Cold Outside, & the seasonal experience of British soldiers during World War II.  Baby It's Cold Outside covers: Ted Heath & Edmundo Ros Dolly Parton & Rod Stewart  Paloma Faith &  BB Bones  Barns Courtney & Lennon Stella  Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews 

If you think there's no good new Christmas music OR just want more Christmas music, well how about this BONUS MERRY BRITSMAS offering of new British Xmas songs? Check them out below and also, if you can, buy their stuff and go to their gigs!  The Bug Club - Christmas Lullaby  Los Bitchos - Los Chrismos Joss Stone - Bring on Christmas Day  BumbleWasps - Mr Christmas  Shybits & Eddie Argos - Hope Th...

IT'S CHRISTMAS! And in this super festive December episode, I explore Alan Partridge's Knowing Me Knowing Yule, the John Lennon classic Happy Xmas (War Is Over), & the history of the Christmas Pudding! Also, find out the champion of the World Cup of the Ghost of Xmas Present, and hear a modern festive poem from Carol Ann Duffy!  How to make a Victorian Xmas Pudding  Diana Ross - Happy Xmas (War Is...

In my first December episode of 2022, I explore school nativities, a brilliant TV special called Flint Street Nativity, and British covers of 80s new wave classic Christmas Wrapping.  Also, check out Have Yourself A Merry Indie Xmas compilation on Bandcamp for Crisis below: https://v4velindre.bandcamp.com/album/have-yourself-a-merry-indie-christmas-volume-i   https://v4velindre.bandcamp.com/album/...

It's almost December and it's time for more full on Christmas joy! In this episode, I discuss the marvellous music of British festive classic Love Actually, how Christianity helped people through World War II, and brotherly conflict over decorations in the cult ITV special Christmas Lights.  Also, hear the results of the first round of the World Cup of the Ghost of Xmas Present! Vote for the next...

In my first fully festive episode of November, I step right into Xmas! It's time to go back to timey wimey Dr Who with their take on A Xmas Carol, British covers of Winter Wonderland, and more wartime history of festive entertainment. I also discuss my new poll for the very best Ghost of Christmas Present! Vote on Twitter at Merry Britsmas!  Jamie Cullum - Winter Wonderland Gary Barlow - Winter Wo...