BLOGMAS Day 13: Christmas TV 2014...

I love this time of year when the Christmas TV guides come out! It might sound sad but I love going through it with a pen and circling programmes I want to watch over the festive season. Usually there are lots of specials on and I like to be aware of them so I don't miss the ones I want to see :). There are also plenty of Christmas films on, which are just perfect to watch when you're cosying up on the sofa with some sweet or savoury treats and in my case, mulled wine!

Si picked me up the TV Times a couple of days ago and I've been having a gander to see what's going to be on. I might mention some of the plots that I've read about below, so if you don't like to know anything about any of the Christmas programmes ahead of time, I'd probably stop here :).

Here are the Christmas programmes I'm looking forward to the most...

I want to start with the soaps because I watch them anyway. Soaps at Christmas are usually full of misery to be honest. I suppose they have to create the drama and I can't complain because it doesn't stop me from watching them ;).

Eastenders is my favourite soap and has been ever since I started watching soaps. I think my favourite Christmas episode was the one where Tanya Branning discovered Max's affair with Stacey. Although devastating for those involved, it was gripping drama! If you love your soaps, then you'll know what I mean and probably agree, but if not, then you'll probably think I'm a bit sad ha ha. The big storylines for over Christmas seem to be the Carters' discovering that Linda was raped by Dean and the fact that Shirley is Mick's mom!

Corrie is probably my second favourite soap and the big storylines for over Christmas are Callum turning up to ruin Kylie's 'perfect' Christmas, resulting in Kylie disappearing from the street (she is actually going on temporary maternity leave) and the fact that Steve is suffering from depression and finding it hard to tell anyone about it.

I've got into Emmerdale a lot more since the Jackson storyline about his paralysis and him choosing to die. I've watched it all of the time since then. The main storyline for Christmas seems to be about the drama that's caused on Katie and Andy's wedding day (probably something to do with Robert *rolls eyes*). There is also a lot of confusion over Archie being handed over. I know that Jai spots the man that handed Archie over, so hopefully that will be cleared up and we'll find out what has actually happened to Rachel.

I do like watching Hollyoaks, even if it seems that someone dies in it every week! At Christmas the main storylines seem to be based around Ste and John Paul's wedding day and the fact that to start it all off, they are both missing, but they do end up tying the knot. Apparently, the reception reveals a huge bombshell though! Also, Sienna turns even more psycho (not sure how this is possible!) and handcuffs Dodger to a radiator. She appears in a bridal gown for their 'wedding' and erupts when Dodger refuses to kiss her. Wow!

On to some non-soap programmes, which might appeal to more of you :)...

Mrs Brown's Boys is a great, situation comedy. If you like silly comedies then you're sure to like this. There are two specials on over Christmas, one on Christmas Day and the other on New Year's Day. In the first one, there is confusion over what plastic surgery Agnes's son, Rory is having, Cathy's mysterious party is kept a secret and Mrs Brown has her usual fight with the Christmas tree! In the second special, Agnes is worried about becoming the next burglary victim in a recent crime wave, so she asks Buster to install an alarm system. As most of the stuff he gets is off the back of a lorry, it isn't as straight forward as you might think. Also, Agnes enters a local poker tournament to try and win some cash to help her son start up his own business and Cathy decides that she wants a baby! I think it's done on purpose for effect, but it's funny when the cast mess up their lines or do something wrong and they just laugh about it and carry on.

Miranda is one of my all time favourite comedies and I've loved it since it first aired in 2009. Again, I find that it's a silly kind of comedy. The main character is always trying to fit in but she's always getting herself into situations or doing embarrassing things. The actual series has finished, so it's nice to see that there are going to be two specials on this Christmas, before that really is 'it'. The specials air on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. They pick up from where the last episode of series three finished. Miranda had two marriage proposals, one from restaurateur Gary (who she's always had a 'thing' for) and the other from her boyfriend, Mike. It'll be interesting to see if she accepts any and how the final ever episode ends!

I am thrilled that Birds Of A Feather has returned to our TV screens. I used to love watching this when I was younger, probably aged between 10 and 13. I remember it being on at about 8 or 9pm and I used to persuade my mom to let me watch it before it was time for bed, ha ha. The Christmas special airs on Boxing Day, is called 'Birds On A Plane' and is actually the first episode of series 11, which I'm so excited about! Sharon and Tracey are off on holiday as their friend Dorien decides to treat them all to a break in the Canary Islands. Apparently they end up in Bournemouth :/. It's sure to provide some laughs though and it reminds me of my childhood, so I can't wait to get cosy and watch this before the rest of the new series starts on New Year's Day.

Would I Lie To You? This comedy panel show never fails to make me laugh. The two team captains, David Mitchell and Lee Mack are so funny. I prefer David Mitchell as he has such a dry sense of humour and it's hilarious when he is having a bit of banter with Lee Mack. I love having a laugh at TV programmes, but this one has made me laugh out loud on several occasions in the past. If you've never seen this, the basic jist is that guests/team captains are given statements that they have to read out and the opposing team have to guess whether it's true or a lie by asking lots of questions and then guessing at the end. The Christmas special airs on the 22nd December.

I always look out for Top Of The Pops over Christmas. I used to love it when it was on regularly, so now it's even more special as it is only on at Christmas. There are two specials on this year, one on Christmas Day and the other on New Year's Eve. I love watching music performances so am looking forward to watching some of 2014's biggest stars perform. The special on New Year's Eve is sure to get you in the party spirit, especially if you are off out to celebrate the New Year!

Christmas specials that I miss...

The Royle Family was a comedy that I loved and I still like to watch repeats on the TV now. I used to look forward to their Christmas specials, so it's a shame that they are no longer on. You might find some of the past Christmas specials on over Christmas, which are still good, but I do miss it!

Which Christmas specials will you be watching this year?

Don't forget to like, comment and follow to keep up to date with the rest of my Blogmas posts :).

Thanks for reading lovelies!
Gem XxOo
Images courtesy of Radio Times, Digital Spy, The Mirror, Wales Online and BBC.

Birds Of A Feather...On Stage!

Picture courtesy of birdsontour.

I'm 25 and my sister is 22 and we both have a memory from when we were younger of us watching 'Birds Of A Feather'. We loved the show and it was on throughout the 90's, so we kind of grew up with it. It isn't on these days, not that I know of anyway, unless we just don't have the channel it's repeated on, but I do have series 1 on DVD and I'm yet to get the others.

So, when I heard that the programme was going to be touring, with the three main actresses playing their original three main parts, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited! As soon as I told my sister, she was also equally excited ha!

If you're not familiar with the show, it ran on BBC1 for nearly ten years throughout the 1990's. It's a classic comedy and a female-centred long running series. The three main characters are Sharon (Pauline Quirke) and Tracey (Linda Robson) who are Essex sisters and their man-eating neighbour Dorien (Lesley Joseph). For those that want more in-depth information on the programme, you can find more info on Wikipedia.

The tour came to my home town recently, so me and my sister really wanted to go (of course!). We managed to get a really good deal to be honest. The theatre is called 'The Grand Theatre' and the one near us has a special deal on for those that are 16-25 years old, where if you go 15 mins before the show starts, if they have 'stand-by' tickets, you can purchase them for £5. The seats are the best available, but all the dates for the show in my city were pretty much fully booked, so we ended up right at the top in the grand circle, about 3 rows from the back! It was better than nothing though and to be honest we had a pretty good view for £5, so we were really pleased. Our mum came with us, but as she is over 25, she had to pay normal price, which ended up being £19.50.

The show was fantastic! It started by showing the original titles from the show with the different pictures of Sharon and Tracey when they were kids to when they were growing up and the nostalgic theme tune of 'What'll I do'.

''What'll I do

When you are far away

And I am blue

What'll I do?''

Ah...memories!

In the stage show Sharon is unemployed, Tracey is a cold caller (or she is at the beginning of the show anyway) and Dorien is the owner of a residential home. I don't want to give too much away in case you are reading this and have booked tickets to see it. You won't be disappointed though and it will take you back for sure. Just look out for the karaoke scene with Sharon and Tracey in the residential home, definitely a laugh out loud moment for me :-).

It lasts for about a couple of hours, but it flies by. We got drawn in by the characters as they are now and then little things triggered the memory to how they were all those years ago. If you like the show and watched it when it was on, I would definitely recommend going to see the stage show. If you have never heard of 'Birds Of A Feather', then it might not have the same effect if you aren't familiar with the characters, so anything they do now won't really mean anything to you. It is still a comedy all the same and the story in the stage show is a new one, so you will still be able to follow it, but little things they mention you might not be sure why they are mentioning it, if you get my drift.

I'm so glad it came to the stage and over the moon that I got to see it :-).

They are touring until July 2012, so you can still purchase tickets.

If you have seen the stage show, what did you think?

If you are yet to see it, but have bought or are going to buy tickets, let me know what you think of it :-).

Much Love,

Gem XxOo