A MERRY XMAS (1957) film no: 3629

In this film a family of three spend Christmas together in the 1950s in Bridlington. The mother, father and little girl Susan, carry out traditions such as decorating the tree, making mince pies, sledging and building a snowman.

 The letterbox flap on the door opens and Christmas cards fall to the ground, which are collected by Susan and her mother. Once they have opened them they take them into the living room and hang them on the wall using pieces of string.

Susan and her mother decorate the Christmas tree with pieces of tinsel, crackers and baubles and hang paper chains from the ceiling in the living room.  Susan’s mother takes mince pies from the oven.

Susan’s hair is combed and her pyjamas put on ready for bed. Susan’s mother gives her a pillowcase, which she takes to her room, climbs into bed and hangs it above her head on the bedpost. When she wakes in the morning the pillowcase is full with presents that she starts to open as her mother enters the room to take her down stairs.
 
 
Susan is playing with her dolls’ house, then a bottle of ‘Stand Fast Scotch Whiskey’ is held up to the camera.

Susan sits up at the table with her mother having tea. They are both wearing paper hats and eating food together; Susan’s father comes to the table as Susan’s mother serves cake.
 
After tea Susan plays with her dolls’ house a little more and then is read ‘Cinderella’ as a bedtime story by her mother.

Susan’s mother leans out of the window on the top floor of the house as someone walks in the snow wearing big black boots. The family shuffle snow together to clear the way. Her mother pulls Susan along on a sledge, and then they both take it in turns to sit on the sledge. The family take it in turns to sledge down a hill.  Susan takes it in turn to sledge with her father first, then her mother. The family walk in the snow together pulling the sledge along behind them.

Susan plays with a little girl by throwing snowballs and building a snowman, which overlooks the sea. The two girls sit on the sledge together and then Susan and her father walk over to the railings and look out to sea.