Happy Christmas 1963

From the collection of

East Anglian Film Archive at the University of East Anglia
The East Anglian Film Archive, the UK's first regional film archive, offers a unique record of the East of England's social and cultural history. As part of the University of East Anglia, we continue to lead moving image heritage research and inspire audience participation through community projects and events. Our collections represent a broad range of amateur and professional creativity, from 1896 to the present day.

Happy Christmas 1963


Wonderful home movie from 1963. As Dad is behind the camera, it is left to Mum to don the Santa suit and deliver gifts to the children at night time.

This home movie footage is a wonderful and endearing record of a family at Christmastime. Keith Bullock from Cotton captured all the traditions of his family, including a huge get-together at Cotton Village Hall for extended family and friends. However, the real gem is the captured scenes at home with wife Ann, and their five children Judith, Richard, John, and twins Susan and Andrew.

Mr Bullock records the children decorating the tree, bedtime on Christmas eve, and since he was behind the camera, it was up to Mum Ann to take on the Santa role at night time delivering a huge sack of presents to the children's bedroom. On Christmas morning the children open stockings full of gifts, then the whole family gather for Christmas lunch, including Grandpa Cyril and Grandma Mary. After lunch comes a wrapping paper massacre as more gifts are unwrapped, and in the evening it is bathtime for all the little ones. What a day! In addition to family films Keith Bullock filmed at local events. He captured the Jubilee festivities in Cotton in 1977, and Cotton village fetes in 1968 and 1972.


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