Cuckoo at Christmas

Christmas is a time of cheer and celebration, a time when we can all go a bit crazy.

The holiday season brings out the eccentric, the weird and the wonderful in all of us, from bell-ringers to postal workers and parents.

Here we look back at some of our wacky and marvellous festive moments through the years.

All around Britain, postal workers go to extreme lengths to deliver Christmas greetings on time, even in the most remote parts of the country.

This clip is from Newsreel.

Originally broadcast 26 December 1951.

Alan Whicker meets church bell-ringer extraordinaire Mrs Martindale, who goes above and beyond to bring her cheerful chimes to all the land.

This clip is from Tonight.

Originally broadcast 22 December 1961.

Primary school pupils in Barnes are sharing their classroom with the real deal - a three day old lamb, the star of their school nativity play.

This clip is from Nationwide.

Originally broadcast 22 December 1970.

On Tomorrow's World, Bruce Lacey introduced us to his robotic reveller, Fred, the carolling Robot. Will Fred strike a chord with his listeners?

Originally broadcast 24 December 1970.

Susannah Greenberg popped in to visit eighty-seven-year-old sparkly decorative material enthusiast Fred English, dubbed "Tinsel Man", for obvious reasons.

Originally broadcast 24 November 1982.

Teletubbies are the must-have Christmas gift of 1997, but there are likely to be shortages. Parents get swept up in the pandemonium, and try to get their hands on one.

This clip is from Breakfast News.

Originally broadcast 11 November 1997.