Description
A Wondrous, Family Christmas Special
From Santa's red and white costume to turkey to kissing under the mistletoe - there's a lot to discover about the natural history of Christmas! In this holiday season special, Mike Dilger unravels the biology and folk history of the plants and animals we associate with the Festive Season. In the spirit of the naked chef, but more as the naked naturalist, Mike embarks upon a merry and magical mission, gathering all the festive bits and bobs you need for the perfect Christmas at home. Starting with an empty room, he gradually fills it with festive paraphernalia, leading to a sumptuous climactic Christmas feast at the end, shared with the various characters he meets along the way. Part hunter-gatherer, part detective, Mike peers cheekily behind the myths and traditions of Christmas, exploring the festival's ancient pagan past and explaining the original folklore beneath the activities we continue to enjoy today.
Travelling by snowmobile, he tracks the great reindeer migrations across Lapland, visits Santa at home and forages on the forest floor for the special Fly Agaric toadstool, that many believe are responsible for flying reindeer and Santa's red and white trimmings. He chops down his own Christmas tree, risks life and limb climbing for mistletoe, holly and ivy, meets Mother Goose at the Panto and leads his own turkey drive. In the course of his Christmas adventures, Mike encounters all the natural elements of Christmas, from hand-feeding a robin red breast to leading a camel trek across the dunes. At each step along the way, he collects one of the essential traditional trappings that he needs for the perfect celebration of the natural history of Christmas.