Now for the Answers to the Annual

Across

• 1.) Lock is one of Boogie's Boys along with Shock and Barrel in The Nightmare Before Christmas. (4)
• 5.) He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle And away they all flew like the Down of a thistle. (4)
• 8.) Oh no it isn't. (2,2,2,3'1)
• 14.) A Lie is Horizontal fib we still see the little town of Bethlehem do. (3)
• 15.) Oft is an archaic shortened word for 'often'. (3)
• 17.) An Axe is used to chop firewood and/or Christmas trees.
• 18.) A Cow is a milked animal often found eating from a manger. (3)
• 20.) Kids believe in Father Christmas. (4)
• 22.) A Pantomime is a traditional theatrical family seasonal show based on fairy tales or folklore. (9)
• 24.) Talent television shows often sadly dominate Christmas Day. (6)
• 25.) A Tree is a plant decorated at Christmas. (4)
• 26.) Enkindle means to set alight, such as firewood, to glow or to arouse an emotion. (8)
• 27.) Frank Cross didn’t get his brother a VCR for Christmas in Scrooged (3)
• 28.) Kylie is the Australian actress who had a Christmas no. 2 in 1988 and shares her name with one of the eight white kangaroos that according to An Aussie Night Before Christmas pulls Santa's sleigh in Australia. (5)
• 30.) Snow is wet white fluffy stuff. (4)
• 33.) Velvet is fur covering a reindeer's antlers. (6)
• 35.) No, none, zip or zero. The amount of room in the inn was Nil. (3)
• 36.) Elton John sang 'Step Into Christmas'. (5)
• 37.) Incorrect plural of Father Christmas's favourite animal; according to Kristoff Reindeers are better than people. (9)
• 41.) The first Noel the angels did say. (4)
• 43.) Glittery, sparkling, festive decorations are often Aglitter. (8)
• 45.) Beatle Paul had Christmas Number 1s in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1977, 1984 and 2004 (last two with Band Aid), Christmas Number 2s in 1963 and 1967, Christmas No. 3 in 1984, his brother was Christmas Number 1 in 1968 and his 1979 Christmas hit still often makes the charts while another is set on Christmas Day 1914. (4)
• 48.) Gut is Good in German, your Intestine and a reaction. (3)
• 49.) Father Christmas has Obesity. (7)
• 51.) Prancer is a Springy reindeer. (7)
• 52.) When out on the Lawn there rose such a clatter. (4)
• 53.) A Genie is a Magical being often found in a lamp. (5)
• 55.) Israel is the present country the Nativity took place in¹. (6)
• 58.) Io is the most volcanic body in the solar system, completely unlike the North Pole which is snowy, not volcanic. (2)
• 59.) A Christmas Carol is the often filmed classic Christmas Novella by Charles Dickens. (1,9,5)
• 62.) Long time Ago in Bethlehem so the Holy Bible say. (3)
• 64.) Kermit the Frog played Bob Cratchit in Muppet Christmas Carol (3,8)
• 70.) Slush is partly-melted snow. (5)
• 71.) Santa Claus: The Movie was the first live-action Christmas film to show Father Christmas delivering presents in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. (5,5,3,5)

Down

• 1.) Lapland is the other place Father Christmas lives. (7)
• 2.) Olaf is the Frozen snowman. (4)
• 3.) Cindy-Lou Who has her Christmas Tree stolen by the Grinch. (5,3,3)
• 4.) A Kettle is used to make a nice, hot, cup of tea. (6)
• 5.) A Door is opened on Advent Calendars but not used by Father Christmas, who prefers chimneys. (4)
• 6.) The Box Of Delights is a book by John Masefield adapted into a television series. I'm dreaming Of a white Christmas. (2)
• 7.) The angel said, 'Don't be afraid, Mary. You will give birth to a son and you will Name him Jesus.' (4)
• 8.) Not in that poor lowly stable with the Oxen standing by
• 9.) Heck is a word substitute for Hell. (4)
• 10.) Nativity Plays deal with the circumstances of Jesus' birth. (8)
• 11.) Twelve drummers drumming and days of Christmas. (6)
• 12.) Young children Sit on Father Christmas's knee. (3)
• 13.) Three kings came from the East; Russia's monarchs are Tsars (5)
• 16.) A Tie is a colourful noose given at Christmas. (3)
• 18.) A Cane is a stripy mint sweet shaped like a Shepherd's hook. (4)
• 19.) It came upon the midnight clear, that glorious song of Old. Does your granny always tell you that the Old songs are the best? (3)
• 20.) Father Christmas puts children on his Lap. (4)
• 21.) Deck The Halls with boughs of Holly fa la la la la la la la la (4)
• 23.) Film Meet Me in St Louis (1944) first introduced song 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' (4).
• 28.) Duke Wenceslas of Bohemia was posthumously promoted to King.
• 29.) Illogic is Contrary to logic, such as the existence of a man delivering presents to everyone in one night aided by flying reindeer. (7)
• 30.) So here it is Merry Christmas everybody's having fun. And So this is Christmas and what have you done? (2)
• 31.) Gonna find out who’s naughty Or nice.
• 32.) The weather will likely be Wettish on Christmas. (7)
• 34.) 1914 ceasefire is known as the Christmas Truce (5)
• 38.) Dr Who is the television highlight of Christmas Day. (2)
• 39.) A Sleigh is a horse or reindeer drawn sledge. (6)
• 40.) Charles Dickens' miser was Scrooge. (7)
• 42.) ET was an Alien wishing to phone home. (2)
• 43.) Alexandra Burke's initials are AB – she was Christmas no 1 in 2008 with 'Hallelujah'.
• 44.) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, or Gent for short.
• 45.) Father Christmas gives presents, another word for Father is Pa. (2)
• 46.) Chestnuts roasting on An open fire. (2)
• 47.) Santa's surname is Claus (5)
• 50.) A Sim Card lets people send Christmas text messages. (3)
• 51.) Someone wearing a Christmas jumper looks like a Prat. (4)
• 54.) ES are the Initials of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol (2)
• 56.) SC are Initials on a red dressing gown in The Santa Clause. (2)
• 57.) Arse was censored by the BBC in the 1987 Top of the Pops performance of 'A Fairytale of New York'. Ricky Tomlinson 's Christmas #25 song was 'Christmas My Arse'. (4)
• 60.) CB are the Initials of Chuck Berry who was 1972 Christmas #2 with 'My Ding-A-Ling', largely because Mary Whitehouse wanted to ban it. One of the most influential rock 'n' roll singer/songwriters with timeless hits such as 'Rock and Roll Music', 'Johnny Be Goode' and 'Roll Over Beethoven', only for 'My Ding-A-Ling' of all things to become his biggest hit in the UK….
• 61.) Arthur Christmas is a film about the Christmas family, initials AC
• 62.) An Olm is an irrelevant Cave-dwelling salamander.
• 63.) As With Gladness, Men of Old (2)
• 65.) BT is a phone company. People phone others around Christmas. (2)
• 66.) RC is Andy's toy car in Toy Story (2)
• 67.) 1952's Christmas #1 was Al Martino with 'Here in My Heart'. (2)
• 68.) Ta is an Abbreviated word for thank you, said after receiving gifts
• 69.) What fun It is to laugh and sing a sleighing song tonight. It came upon a midnight clear. (2)

Please note: all songs and Christmas chart positions are based on Britain's national chart.

Bluebottle

28.12.20 Front Page

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