Story: Christmas in the Stable written by ASTRID LINDGREN illustrated by HARALD WIBERG Presenters
CHLOE ASHCROFT , DEREK GRIFFITHS

Reflections on Christmas Day by The Rev Dr Howard Williams Bloomsbury Baptist Church

The Queen speaks to the Commonwealth.

Harry Carpenter and Peter Alliss discuss the current trends in world golf and look back on another fascinating year.
Producer FRED VINER

Music by Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE in a new English version by JOAN CROSS and ERIC CROZIER starring Elizabeth Harwood Norman Bailey John Brecknock
La Traviata tells of Violetta's love for Alfredo. She gives up her life of luxury for true love but is forced to sacrifice it for the cause of family honour and dignity.
Cast in order of appearance
Principal dancers:
DIANA VERE, GARY SHERWOOD
THE AMBROSIAN OPERA CHORUS chorus-master JOHN MCCARTHY
NEW PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA leader DESMOND BRADLEY conductor Alexander Gibson
Altogether, this was one of the most enjoyable operas I have seen on television. (FINANCIAL TIMES) This was a performance which simply overrides the prejudices of all but the most determined opera opponents.
(THE GUARDIAN)
Choreographer RONALD HYND Repetiteur TOM GLIGOROFF
Associate conductor HENRY WARD Producer CEDRIC MESSINA Director BRIAN LARGE

LAURENCE OLIVIER 'S famous Shakespearean film starring
O! for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention.
The most popular film ever made of any of Shakespeare's plays. From the narrow confines of the Globe Theatre to the battlefield at Agincourt, Olivier's film celebrates all the bold passions of Henry V and his court.
Art director PAUL SHERIFF
Costume designer ROGER FURSE Music by WILLIAM WALTON
Producer and director LAURENCE OLIVIER Holiday Films: pages 17 and 18

David Frost introduces another chance to see one of the more bizarre events that took place in America this year: the attempt by the motor-cycle dare-devil Evel Knievel to pilot his sky-cycle across the Snake River Canyon.
Presented by IAIN JOHNSTONE

A film starring Michael Hordern, Ronnie Barker and Roger Livesey
Rumbustious goings-on at a country house when the owner, General Futtock, invited a mixed bag of guests for the weekend.
Holiday Films: pages 17 and 18

Weather

A Christmas edition of television's musical quiz invites you to match your musical wits against Joyce Grenfell, Robin Ray, Bernard Levin.
Guest Sir Georg Solti.

and the Wise Men and the Shepherds grew up ...
... they became engineers and PhDs, milkmen and comptometer operators, marketing executives and train drivers.
Kenneth More tells a story from the tiny stage where it began at Christmas 18 years ago. On that stage in the school hall at Uxendon Manor some 65 children took the curtain call at the end of their nativity play, and television viewers all over the country saw them on Christmas Eve. Now, those children come together again for the first time since then, as the audience for this year's play. But what has happened to them since they were the angels and the wise men and the shepherds of 18 years ago? Their triumphs and failures since that Christmas Eve, make up this Christmas Day story.
Director SANDRA WAINWRIGHT