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On this day: Barry Archive

Barry Archive

• BRATZ AND THE CABBAGE PATCH KIDS FIGHT IT OUT

  IT'S going to be dolly warfare this Christmas, as dolls and character figures vie for top place in Santa's sack. That's the verdict of the Toy Retailers Association - who say Barbie is out of the top ten for the first time in years. read more

• WHY IT'S A JOLLY HOLLY-DAY!

  IF you travelled back in time two centuries on Christmas Day, you'd hardly recognise the festive season. Because our celebrations today have one vital ingredient our ancestors lacked - Queen Victoria. read more

• DING-DONG SONGS: THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS

  'THE Holly and the Ivy, when they are both full-grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, The holly bears the crown.' That's one of our most beautiful and popular Christmas carols - and yet, like many of the songs we enjoy at the festive season, has its roots in far poorer times. The celebration of the holly harks back to pagan times when the old gods of the forest were worshipped, and the evergreen of the leaves was celebrated for its strong life qualities at the dead of winter. read more

• Does Christmas sleigh you?

  DOES this festive dilemma sound familiar? Newly-weds James and Jenny Harker were looking forward to their first Christmas until both sets of parents decided to share Christmas dinner with them. read more

• DREAMING OF A GREEN CHRISTMAS

  YOU only need to take a look at the nation's bulging wheelie-bins a day or two after Christmas to know that the festive season is a throwaway extravaganza. And while we all enjoy having a good time at Christmas, environmentalists say we're going to excessive lengths these days - and we're all in danger of paying the price. Campaigning groups say Christmas is ruined for many families by exploitative advertising aimed at kids - aiming to sell them useless products at prices their parents can't afford. read more

• DON'T BE A CHRISTMAS COUCH POTATO

  VEGETABLES come in many shapes and forms over Christmas - brussel sprouts, carrots, couch potatoes... Well, who can blame us for vegging out over the festive period? We're shattered from the run-up to Christmas with its hectic rounds of shopping, cleaning and cooking, and we're full as a gun after the biggest lunch of the year. So we can be forgiven for a bit of sluggish behaviour - but not too much. After all, it's bad for our health to hang around watching TV for too long, and today's young people in particular get a lot of criticism for inactivity. read more

• HANGOVER CURES FOR THE MORNING AFTER THE YEAR BEFORE!

  IT'S got to be the day of the year when more people have sore heads than at any other time. New Year's Eve is the night, if any, when we overindulge. And that means New Year's Day is the record-breaker for hangovers. It's not the best of ways to start a brand new year, so what can we do? read more

• CELEBRATE AN EDWARDIAN CHRISTMAS

  IT was a time before television, plastic toys and supermarkets - and yet it's the kind of Christmas we so often see depicted on our Christmas cards. Well-off Edwardian families during the first decade of the last century enjoyed an elegant festive season packed with many of the traditions we still enjoy today. While Christmas is very different, there are still a number of Edwardian elements that you can incorporate into your own celebrations to give it a period flavour. read more

• FINANCING CHRISTMAS

  WE all expect to have a grand time at Christmas - but these days, that grand is likely to mean a thousand pounds. For that's what some experts say we spend on average during the festive season, once you take into account gifts, food and drink and something to wear for all the parties. If you're still shopping, try not to throw caution to the wind but instead draw up a budget and stick to it. read more

• HOW COCA-COLA CHANGED SANTA'S TROUSERS

  WHAT would Christmas be without the jolly fat man in the red suit who squeezes down our chimney to give out the gifts? Santa Claus is as much a part of our festive traditions as the pudding and the tree. But unlike both, his true origins are far more recent - and have a lot to do with the most popular fizzy drink in the world. Santa is based on St Nicholas - Sinter Klaas - a Turkish bishop brought to America by Dutch people. read more

• Outdoor Christmas lighting

  TO get into the swing of Christmas, there's nothing better than getting the decorations down from the loft and sprucing up the house for the festive season. But don't forget the garden because outside lighting looks really fantastic on those cold winter nights as the festive season approaches. Every Christmas, stories hit the papers of "the most festive houses in Britain". Most have so many lights that they light up the whole street and dazzle the neighbours! But you don't have to go to extremes. Outside lighting can be as simple as stringing a set of lights around a tree or for Christmas enthusiasts creating a winter wonderland in the garden. Whatever style you opt for the important point to realise though is that you need to make sure that your lighting is completely safe. This column provides you with advice on how to light up your house and garden safely and some top tips for what looks best to ensure you simply have a wonderful Christmas time! read more

• Cook up a tasty and different Christmas with our great recipes!

  Baked Stuffed Cranberry Apples Serves 4 4 large crisp apples; read more

• QUICK! MAKE ME OVER FOR CHRISTMAS!

  OH, dear - you've only days to the big party, your dress is a tight squeeze and your skin is a disaster. But don't despair, there ARE some things that you can do - and we don't mean starving or emergency plastic surgery! read more

• QUICK! MAKEOVER MY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

  THERE'S not long to go - and there is no time of the year that your home is as much on show as Christmas. read more

On this day: Barry Archive