With Fr James Hanvey. Society of Friends.
Repeated from Wednesday 22 December at 3.45pm
Libby Purves and her guests are in Bethlehem,
South Wales, finding out how Christmas is celebrated in the many Bethlehems all over the world.
Including News at 7.00.
Linda Smith takes a wry look at the foibles of festive family life. Producer Kate Murphy
Repeated on Monday 27 December at llpm
PHONE: [number removed] email: home.truths@bbc.co.uk
From St Mary, Islington, in London. Led by Bishop
Stephen Oliver and Graham Kings, vicar of St Mary's. Colin Morris asks why Christmas happened the way it did. Music includes Hark! The Herald Angels Sing; 0 Little Town of Bethlehem and 0 Come All Ye Faithful. Music arranged by John Rutter , who directs the Southbank Sinfonia and Pegasus. Producer Mark O'Brien
David Frost reveals some of his favourite pieces of writing. He's joined by Andrew Sachs and Tim Pigott -Smith with a mix of seasonal prose and poetry.
Barb Jungr and Adrian York provide the music. Producer vivBeeti
Peter France visits an enclosed order of Franciscan nuns in North Wales to see how their garden reflects their attitude to the natural world. Producer Mary Colwell
Anyone can dress up as Father Christmas. But should you trust him? We might be well advised to be cautious, as comedian Arthur Smith discovers when he meets the shadowy organisation called "Santacon". Smith dons a fake beard and goes undercover to find out the mysteries of these Santas.
In the Bleak Midwinter. Originally a poem by Christina Rossetti. this carol came into being when
Vaughan Williams asked Hoist to set the words to music for the English Hymnal. Peggy Reynolds , Ian Bradley and Raymond Head tell the story of a Christmas favourite.
The reader is Cathryn Bradshaw. producer Sara Conkey
1/2. Santa Simon Fanshawe and his little helper
Bill Wallis ride into the festive season on a sledge made o comedy, quotations, literature and laughter. They are / assisted by Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore , Morecamtx and Wise, and Tom Lehrer. Producer Paul Dodgson
See Fanshawe Gets to the Bottom of the Party Spirit New Year's Eve, 11pm
How did the News Quiz regulars deal with 2004's major news events - a year that saw the re-election of George W Bush, chaos in Iraq and Batman invading Buckingham Palace? Here's your chance to hear it all again.
(Repeated on New Years Eve at 4.30pm)
BBC AUDIO: A third volume of highlights from recent series of The News Quiz is now available on audio cassette and CD from [web address removed], and all good retail outlets, or by calling [number removed]
Sandi Toksvig with the best of BBC Radio from 2004. Producer Torquil MacLeod Shortened repeattomorrow at6.15pm
Handel's Messiah was written by a German and Premiered in Dublin, yet no piece of music can match its status in Britain. From local choral societies to the Royal Albert Hall , Huw Edwards examines the place it holds in the country's musical life. Producer Martin Smith
Her Majesty addresses the nation and the Commonweattt
JM Barrie wrote The Little White Bird in 1902. It tells of a retired captain (loosely based on Barrie himself) and his friendship with a little boy, David. The two create stories, one of which is Peter Pan , the first time the character appeared in print. The reader is Michael Siberry. John Peacock 's dramatisation of Barrie's
Story follows this programme. Director Sara Conkey
The moving story of the relationship between a retires army officer and a young boy draws us into the magical fairy-tale world of London's Kensington Gardens after lock-out time.
By JM Barrie, dramatised by John Peacock.
Music Simon Desorgher
Songs by Oakfields Preparatory School Choir
Director Celia de Wolf
The peripatetic vet and adventurer Joe Hollins takes a Christmas pilgrimage across the Simian Mountains of Ethiopia. His destination is a New Year wedding in Lalibela - the Coptic "Jerusalem". Hollins's journey takes him over deserts and mountains and through crocodile-infested gorges in search of a Christmas and a wedding like no Other. Producer Sara Jane Hall
A special edition hosted by Francine Stock.
Producer Sally Spurring
Ned Sherrin slathers over the smorgasbord that was 2004 and finger-picks the prime ends of his Loose
Ends programmes. Producer Tamsin Hughes
The man many consider to be one of the greatest " broadcasters in the English-speaking world died earlier this year. James Naughtie pays tribute to this
Renaissance man and monument of broadcasting. / Producer Rosie Goldsmith
BBC AUDIO: Vanous titles by Alistair Cooke. including Alistair Cooke at the BBC and a newly released compilation of Letter from America, are available on audio cassette and CD from www.bbcshop.com and all good retail outlets, or by calling [number removed]
/ On Christmas Day 1957 the BBC made a ground-i breaking hour-long live broadcast of Christmas songs from around the British Isles, anchored by the Texan folklorist and broadcaster Alan Lomax. It was a mixture of ancient carols, folk songs, calypso, West African music, dixieland, skiffle and glees. This programme gathers the memories of those involved and allows us to experience again this musical time capsule from nearly 50 years ago. Producer Jolyon Jenkins
3/4. A good-humoured Christmas succeeded by far less agreeable scenes from the great drama of life."
By Charles Dickens. Dramatised by Michael Eaton. J
For cast list and_details see Sunday 19 December at 3
! 2/3. Another re-match of a historial debate, hosted by i Allan Little. Professors Carla Pinto-Correia and John Durrant restage the 19th-century arguments between
Albrecht von Haller and Caspar Wolff about how life develops from a fertilised egg to a human being.
Repeated from Wednesday 22 December at 8pm
A unique sound portrait of life through the seasons in the timber-framed Suffolk house of writer and conservationist Roger Deakin. Producer Sarah Blunt
2/9. A nourishing feast of requests for seasonal verse. Among works by UA Fanthorpe, Helen Dunmore and William Wordsworth are poems that acknowledge a little more than just the joys of a healthy appetite. With Roger McGough.
Repeated from Sunday 19 Dec at 4.30pm
Cardinal Keith O'Brien , Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, considers the message of Christmas for the human family. Producer Norman Winter
K 4/5. The Prisoner of the Coral Deep. In a lonely spot, the giant woman beckons. By JG Ballard. Abridged by Duncan Minshull and read by David Horovitz. Producer Duncan Minshull
The Interview
Pick of the World
by Dario Fo
