6 h. ago When my father first came to the UK, people bonded and looked after him. Would that happen now? | Nell Frizzell

I’ve taken in refugees from time to time, and formed ties that have lasted to this day. Instead of demonising people, we could try sharing our lives with themThere is one Christmas story from when my father first arrived in the UK, 43 years ago, that can still make me howl with laughter. It was a cold winter and my dad had been gripped by the idea of roasting chestnuts. He had grown up in the southern hemisphere, in a former British colony, so despite the fact that his Christmases were hot – spent in shorts and flip-flops – he had been surrounded by images of snowy churches, robin redbreasts, holly, ivy and, yes, chestnuts roasting on an open fire.And so, he headed out to Clapham Common in south London to collect conkers. They were chestnuts, after all. Horse chestnuts but hey, that’s still a chestnut. Or so he thought. And so, that evening when his British friends arrived at the house where he was staying, they were greeted by the suspiciously acrid smell of about 30 conkers, bakin...

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8 h. ago All Creatures Great and Small's Samuel West details 'poignant' story in Christmas special

All Creatures Great and Small is set to return to our TV screens tonight for two special festive episodes

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9 h. ago All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special cast: Who stars in Comfort and Joy?

Familiar faces are returning for the Christmas episode.

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28 h. ago The true story behind Peanuts’ classic Christmas song revealed

‘Christmastime is Here’ became the theme song for the 1965 animated special, ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’

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43 h. ago A.N. WILSON: Pooh's obese. Eeyore is depressed. And Tigger has ADHD... That's why today's woke publishers wouldn't touch AA Milne's joyously humorous tales with a Pooh stick!

A century ago, on Christmas Eve 1925, The Evening News in London published a story.

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45 h. ago All Creatures star teases life 'not back to normal' in Christmas special insight

All Creatures Great and Small actor Nicholas Ralph shared some details of the Channel 5 show's festive special.

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50 h. ago Who was St Nicholas? The truth behind the Christmas' patron saint's origin story

The jolly figure in red we picture today is far from the real St Nicholas, a slim 4th century bishop from Turkey whose legend evolved through centuries of folklore into our modern Christmas icon

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51 h. ago Chris Rea: the true story behind his biggest hit Driving Home For Christmas

The late singer was once charged £12,000 for spraying a concert in Hammesmith with three feet of fake snow

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57 h. ago All Creatures Great and Small star admits 'it's a nightmare' filming special episode

Actor Callum Woodhouse, who plays Tristan Farnon in popular Channel 5 drama All Creatures Great and Small, has opened up on filming the "nightmare" Christmas special

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3 d. ago ‘White Christmas’ isn’t really about Christmas at all — the sad story behind America’s favorite festive song

The beloved song was highly requested by troops during WWII

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3 d. ago All Creatures Great and Small’s Mrs Hall star 'exposes' show secret

Actress Anna Madeley has played Mrs Hall on All Creatures Great and Small on Channel 5 since 2020.

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4 d. ago ‘White Christmas’ isn’t really about Christmas at all — the sad story behind America’s favorite carol

The beloved song was highly requested by troops during WWII

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4 d. ago All Creatures Great and Small star says 'I was a total failure' as they make admission

An All Creatures Great and Small star has made a candid admission

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4 d. ago Which story popularised the eating of turkey at Christmas? The Saturday quiz

From the Yule Cat and Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur to Taylor Swift and John Everett Millais, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz1 Where does the Yule Cat devour people who don’t have new clothes?2 Who successfully answered the radio advert: “Astronauts wanted, no experience required”?3 Which story popularised the eating of turkey at Christmas?4 Who signed his letters to Queen Elizabeth I as “007”?5 What is the most abundant metal in the Earth’s crust?6 Which Olympic athletics record is still standing from 1968?7 Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur is the smallest of which order of mammals?8 Where do the Rockettes dance each Christmas?What links: 9 Alps in Slovenia; dates after 45BC; month of Quintilis; 42% of English births?10 Taylor Swift; Friedrich Heyser; John Everett Millais?11 Killed Baldr in Norse myth; Harry Potter’s wand; annual commemoration of Parnell?12 MLA; MP; MS; MSP?13 Stan Laurel; Mick McCarthy; Paul Raymond; Martin Sixsmith; Tony Wilson?14 M (3); V (6); E (8); M (13);...

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5 d. ago Why do we love a spooky ghost story at Christmas? A psychologist explains

The thrill of collectively engaging with a scary tale can create a sense of bondedness and shared identity

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6 d. ago Burberry’s ‘Twas The Knight Before’ story showcases perfect Christmas present inspiration

The iconic brand’s festive film features British stars offering gifting ideas galore – all under the creative vision of Daniel Lee

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6 d. ago All Creatures Great and Small village is just as quaint in real life

This lesser-known village features in All Creatures Great and Small, which is set in the 1930s Yorkshire Dales, and offers a 'true taste of rural England' with cobbled market squares and beautiful walks

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6 d. ago All Creatures' Callum Woodhouse shares beloved star was almost killed off

EXCLUSIVE: All Creatures Great and Small's Tristan Farnon star opened up on the future of a fan-favourite character.

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7 d. ago All Creatures Great and Small star on 'awkward' first encounter with Samuel West

For the past five years, All Creatures Great and Small fans have seen Rachel Shenton take on the role of Helen Herriot in the beloved Channel 5 period drama.

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7 d. ago All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special start time, cast list and how to watch Comfort & Joy

Rachel Shenton returns for the Christmas Special but who else stars in the festive episode, what is it about and when is it episode on?

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