Christmas


Brockhampton manor
The moated manor house at Brockhampton with its gatehouse

The first film in this section shows children visiting Santa Claus, something which most other English-speaking countries do as well, but I think Britain is the only place where Santa's grotto is in a 15th century gatehouse! The setting is Lower Brockhampton, in Worcestershire.

St Nicholas (corrupted to Santa Claus) was a Christian bishop in Asia Minor who is supposed to have given a gift to the daughters of a poor cobbler who could not afford to get married. In emulation of his kindness, people give one another gifts at Christmas time - though unfortunately usually only to friends and family. The poor, who were benefitted by the original St Nicholas, rather get left out of it.

Christians generally deplore the greed and commercialism which has sprung out of this custom.

(This is one of our earlier films and the quality is poor.)