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Inside the Christmas Factory with Paddy and Cherry 2025 

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😹
Fun
Transcript
00:00Oh, Christmas.
00:06Favourite time of the year.
00:08I've got to ask, what are you putting in the kids' stockings this year?
00:11Because it's chocolate coins, oranges, a lump of coal.
00:14What a treat.
00:15Yes.
00:15How about a little bit of gingerbread?
00:18Wow, what a coincidence, because we are in Market Drayton,
00:21the home of gingerbread.
00:23It's like it was planned.
00:25Merry Christmas.
00:26Merry Christmas.
00:26Come on.
00:28You paid for them.
00:28No.
00:29What a treat.
00:30It's said they've been making gingerbread in the Shropshire town of Market Drayton
00:38for hundreds of years.
00:44Everywhere you go, you're reminded of their most famous exports.
00:49And here we are at a gingerbread factory that churns out tons of the sweet stuff.
00:54In fact, they make four million biscuits every year.
00:57Let's find out how they do it.
00:59It's all right for sound.
01:03This is a factory full of festive cheer.
01:07Can we have a cuddle?
01:08Absolutely.
01:10That's the best part for me.
01:11And tonight, we're joining these busy elves in a grotto of gingerbread gems.
01:20A magical place of sugar and spice and all things nice.
01:29That looks like raspberry sauce on ice cream.
01:32Yeah, it's called Christmas red.
01:33Yeah, it's called Christmas red.
01:34And for a guaranteed white Christmas.
01:38Oh, wow.
01:40I'm learning how to make snow indoors.
01:43That is one powerful machine.
01:45And Ruth settles in for a special message from history for peace on earth.
01:52This is what Christmas in space looks like.
01:57This factory makes over 100,000 gingerbread biscuits every week on the run-up to Christmas.
02:04And today, we're going to help them.
02:05Welcome to Inside the Christmas Factory.
02:08It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
02:29Oh, look at that.
02:48That smells like Christmas joy.
02:49Can you smell that?
02:50Lovely vintage.
02:54Oh, my name's on the board.
02:56Oh, look.
02:59Oh, no.
03:05Look at this.
03:05Those are cute, aren't they?
03:07These are a little work of art, these.
03:08These are snowflakes.
03:10It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
03:15Right, well, we could spend all day doing this, just looking at ginger biscuits, but we've got things to do.
03:21I'm going to go that way.
03:22Which way are you going?
03:23I'm going to go that way.
03:23To that wall?
03:24Yeah.
03:25Right.
03:26Yeah, just film Cherry just walking.
03:29Oh, look at it.
03:36Oh, hey, you know, don't worry about that.
03:38We're just trying to make a Christmas TV show here.
03:40You nearly took me out.
03:41This is the original biscuit baker's factory, and it is busy in here.
03:48It's like Santa's workshop.
03:50Go on, carry on.
03:54They're on the final push to meet the Christmas rush, producing 20,000 ice gingerbread biscuits every day, ready to fill stockings across the country.
04:06And I'm going to be following these today, the bestseller, the Santas.
04:17And don't forget the reindeer.
04:18Oh, I'm not forgetting the reindeer.
04:21Merry Christmas.
04:22Merry Christmas, everyone.
04:24Merry Christmas.
04:26You were too late.
04:27You can't get the stuff these days.
04:31Merry Christmas.
04:40I'm kicking things off by heading outside to ingredients intake with Managing Director Gemma Williams.
04:47Hello.
04:51Nice to meet you.
04:52Merry Christmas.
04:53Merry Christmas to you too.
04:54Look at this.
04:57Santa has come early.
04:59And he's bringing one of our most crucial ingredients, the ground ginger.
05:02Come on, get us unloaded.
05:05Oh, I like that.
05:06Assertive.
05:08Why do you use ground ginger?
05:10Ground ginger packs a real punch.
05:12It leaves a lovely, warming taste in the mouth.
05:14So, is that the same ground ginger that I'd have in the cupboard at home?
05:18Yes.
05:18And let me show you.
05:19I've got some right here for you.
05:21Oh, yeah.
05:21There you go.
05:22And that's what we use.
05:25Oh, yeah.
05:26That smells like Christmas.
05:29And as the ginger is loaded into the factory, by the miracle of Christmas telly...
05:38Here we go.
05:40We've got our urnets on.
05:41This is where the start of the magic happens.
05:45Yeah.
05:45The very first stage is making the gingerbread dough.
05:48So, in the bowl at the moment, you've got a demerara sugar and you've got a granulated sugar.
05:52Why two different ones?
05:53So, the granulated sugar is more of a neutral, sweet flavour.
05:57Right.
05:57The demerara sugar, it brings it a slightly more caramelised taste.
06:01Yeah.
06:01It's got that extra depth and colour there as well.
06:04Once we've got the sugars in, we need to add a fat to it.
06:06So, we use a shortening, which we've got a copy of it here.
06:09Shortening?
06:10Yes.
06:10Right, okay.
06:11So, this is a mix of vegetable oils.
06:13If you were at home, you were making them with the kids or whatever, I presume it would be butter or marge.
06:17We tend to tend away from butter.
06:19We find a lot of people have dairy allergies now.
06:22And so, if you'd like to do the honours and tip it in, that would be fantastic.
06:25I'd love to.
06:26I'd love to.
06:27Look at that.
06:28What this basically does is, when the biscuit's been baked and cooled, it does make it a bit more of a softer texture for it.
06:35So, what we need to do at this stage is then blend these together.
06:38Okay.
06:44Lovely.
06:44That's what we're paying our licence fee for.
06:48This is what we want.
06:51Mixing on the telly.
06:54Don't worry.
06:55Everything's better with a bit of Christmas music.
06:58In go the rest of the ingredients.
07:02By a kerb of soda.
07:03That helps the biscuit rise and it also gives it that nice sort of texture.
07:08A secret spice.
07:10Can we smell it?
07:13Oh, I don't know what it is, but that definitely gets the nostrils going.
07:17Definitely does.
07:17Love that.
07:18That can go in.
07:20And finally, there'd be no gingerbread Santas without the ground ginger.
07:26Can't get enough of that.
07:28It comes from India and contains a compound called gingerol that activates heat receptors on our tongs, literally tickling our taste buds.
07:40Already, I want to get a finger in there and just give it...
07:44Oh, love that.
07:45Wait till it's baked.
07:46Right, okay.
07:47It'll be a lot nicer.
07:47All right, then.
07:54Well, I'll do that one.
07:56Yeah.
07:56Oh, blimey, you made that look like it was light.
08:00Right, on there, like that.
08:02Oh, yes.
08:05Gingerbread has been a treat since medieval times.
08:08It's even mentioned in Shakespeare, and was often bought at furs and eaten for good luck.
08:15Let's hope it brings me some today.
08:17I'm baking, I'm cooking, I'm making.
08:20Next in, a mix of water and mouth-watering golden syrup.
08:29Gorgeous.
08:30Absolutely gorgeous.
08:32Yeah.
08:32What does the golden syrup add?
08:34It's that luxury sort of taste you get from it.
08:36Oh.
08:37It's like those childhood memories.
08:38He used to make, like, flapjacks and gingerbread men.
08:41Yeah.
08:41Yeah.
08:41He'd have the golden syrup there.
08:43Love that.
08:46Gemma's got special childhood memories of gingerbread.
08:50Her mum and dad started the company when she was just a kid.
08:53So, my parents had a bakery to begin with.
08:57So, back in those days, as well as gingerbread, we made cakes, we made bread, made pasties and all those things.
09:03I'll just give you some pictures over here.
09:05Who's this little rapscallion?
09:06Look at that.
09:07Oh, my days.
09:09Is that you, Gemma?
09:09Back in the days.
09:10Oh.
09:11Are they ginger?
09:12They are large gingerbread sheep.
09:14I was used as a lovely marketing prop there.
09:17Oh, I love that.
09:18And what started as a small family business now employs over 70 people.
09:35Right, that's all mixed up now, Gemma.
09:38What we need to do now is actually store it in the chiller for 24 hours.
09:41Because if you try and use it straight away, it's too soft and crumbly.
09:45Right.
09:45It also helps bring out the flavour of the spices.
09:47It infuses more deeply in it.
09:50Send them off.
09:51Speaking of chiller, you met Cherry earlier, didn't you?
09:55I met Cherry.
09:55She's gone to the biggest ever chill room you've ever seen.
10:00Let's go and get a cup of tea.
10:01Let's do it.
10:01For some lucky people, Christmas means a getaway to snowy alpine slopes.
10:22But this is inside the factory.
10:30So, no, I'm not in St. Moritz.
10:31I'm in a giant snow factory in Milton Keynes.
10:36It's a winter paradise all year round.
10:50But how did they create the Alps slap bang in the middle of Milton Keynes?
10:57How do you think they make the snow for that slope?
11:03I think they're a little bit of plastic.
11:05How would you describe it?
11:06It's not like the snow that you'd get when it actually snows.
11:09What do you think it's made of?
11:11Ice, I guess.
11:13I don't know.
11:13It feels icy, but then to look at and to ski down...
11:17It feels like snow.
11:18It feels like snow?
11:19Yeah.
11:21To unlock the mystery of making snow indoors is the centre's head of snow.
11:27Matt!
11:28Refrigeration engineer Matt McKenzie.
11:31Nice to meet you.
11:32How do you make an alpine mountain in the middle of Milton Keynes?
11:37So, we've got massive metal plates that run 170 metres from top to bottom.
11:41Then, on top of that, we have an 8 centimetre block of ice.
11:46Wow.
11:47Underneath the slab of ice, to keep it nice and cold,
11:50we've got pipes with glycol, which is an antifreeze.
11:53Oh, I see.
11:55So, it keeps it really cold all the way through the block of ice.
11:57Then, on top of that, we have 6 centimetres of snow.
12:00So, you've got the opposite of underfloor heating, you've got underfloor cooling.
12:04Correct.
12:06When the centre was constructed in 2000, pipes were laid,
12:10through which the antifreeze glycol runs,
12:14chilled at minus 10 degrees Celsius
12:16to prevent the ice and snow above from melting.
12:20And thick, insulated walls keep this giant room at a chilly minus 4 degrees.
12:29And then, two to three times a week, we make snow.
12:32So, we're continuously getting rid of old, new, old, new,
12:36and then, we've got a lovely, new snow for the slope.
12:42But, how do they make the snow?
12:45All is revealed when the centre closes.
12:48And, Matt and his team get ready for a night of snowfall.
12:52First job, smoothing the slope with a snowplough called a pieced basher,
12:58which pushes dirty snow into heated pits,
13:01where it melts away into the drainage system.
13:07Then, it's time for Matt and me to take a look at his pride and joy.
13:13Oh, it's quite a hike, isn't it?
13:15It's better be worth it.
13:16How does this machine produce snow?
13:22So, we push water through the hose at a high pressure.
13:26We chill this water to zero degrees.
13:29It comes out of these little nozzles, just like an aerosol.
13:33And they're little tiny balls.
13:35And as they travel through the air,
13:37just before they hit the ground, they turn into little crystals,
13:40and that's what makes our snow.
13:41So, I assumed that this snow would have lots of chemicals in it.
13:44No.
13:45But it's just water?
13:45Completely natural.
13:47Can I turn her on?
13:47Let's do it.
13:48Press this one.
13:51She's gone green, but we'd better step away.
13:53OK, come on. Run away.
14:00For the cannon to create a snowy landscape,
14:03the air temperature is lowered to a chilly minus 10 degrees Celsius.
14:10I mean, look at it.
14:12That is one powerful machine.
14:14As the water meets the freezing air, it creates a man-made blizzard.
14:21She's only been on for a few minutes,
14:23and already it's like a winter wonderland.
14:25It's so beautiful.
14:26Oh, it's fantastic, isn't it?
14:27How is it different to the snow on the mountains outside?
14:31Because outside droplets come from the clouds.
14:34They turn into a beautiful snowflake, which looks similar to this.
14:38Beautiful.
14:39Look at it up close.
14:40Isn't that gorgeous?
14:40And then inside here, the snow we make, it comes out like this.
14:47So it's a little droplet.
14:48So instead of being a snowflake, it's like a little snowball.
14:51When it snows outside, ice crystals fall through the freezing air,
14:58gathering more water droplets,
15:01which freeze to form the snowflake's beautiful hexagonal structure.
15:05But here, the cannon creates snow almost instantly,
15:14producing frozen droplets that are more solid than a natural flake,
15:18giving the piste a denser surface for skiing.
15:21You're actually starting to look a bit like a snowman.
15:25I am.
15:26Should we give that a chance to do its thing?
15:28Yeah, I think so.
15:29All right, let's go.
15:29Let's go.
15:30The snow cannon works away throughout the night,
15:40taking six hours to produce three tons of snow.
15:46Snow, snow, snow.
15:48Let it snow, let it snow.
15:51Then the pieced basher comes out again to smooth it all over.
15:57And hey, presto.
16:01Our ski slope has been transformed.
16:05Oh, wow.
16:07It's like Christmas morning.
16:10It's great, doesn't it?
16:11It's perfect.
16:12Isn't that stunning?
16:15Is that it now?
16:15Is it finished?
16:16Is it ready?
16:17Yeah, really happy with that.
16:18Can I be the first person to ski on this slope?
16:20Yeah.
16:21No way.
16:21Will you come with me?
16:23Well, I can't actually ski.
16:25What?
16:26You don't ski?
16:27I don't ski, no.
16:27But my job is to make the snow for you skiers and snowboarders.
16:31We're lucky to have you.
16:32You're a Christmas gift.
16:40I may not make it to the Swiss slopes this Christmas, but skiing on brand new snow is a fabulous
16:49first for me.
16:51Whee!
16:51There she goes.
16:54Always on the piste.
17:00One sleep to go.
17:02I'm getting that buzz.
17:04This candy-coated Christmas feels like it should.
17:09And ba-ba-ba-ba-bing sings the love.
17:11Morning.
17:12Morning.
17:13Morning.
17:13Morning.
17:14Back in Market Drayton, I'm having a lovely chilled out time too.
17:20Come on, let's do it on here.
17:21Who's it to, love?
17:23With me new factory friends.
17:26We can do this on Christmas episodes, you see.
17:29It's a bit more relaxed.
17:31Merry Christmas as well.
17:33Can I have a puddle?
17:34Absolutely.
17:34That's the best part for me.
17:37There we are.
17:38Doing the best, but I'll say my...
17:39I'm not a machine.
17:45Tell you what, you don't get this without them deck.
17:48They won't do this.
17:52While I'm distracting the ladies in the decorating room, Gemma's grafting, feeding the gingerbread
17:59paste into a machine called a sheeter.
18:01The dough passes between two rollers, forming sheets one centimetres thick, that are cut
18:09ready to make the gingerbread shapes.
18:12I'd better catch her up.
18:15You all right, Gemma?
18:16You all right?
18:17Yeah.
18:17All good.
18:17You come to see the next stage?
18:19Yes, I am, yeah.
18:20So, gingerbread dough's been cut into sheets, which gives a nice flat surface.
18:24Yeah.
18:24And now we're going to create them into Santa's.
18:26OK.
18:26So, are you ready to work?
18:28I'm going to pass you some trays in a minute.
18:29Yes, I am.
18:30OK, wonderful.
18:32Let's get started.
18:41Here they come.
18:46Oh, yes.
18:47Merry Christmas, everybody.
18:50There you go.
18:51Get on there, you.
18:52This is where I feel pressure here, Gemma, because as soon as they start, that's it, they're
18:57not stopping.
18:58They're not stopping.
18:59This is the first time I've seen the actual Santas coming out.
19:03Weirdly, I know it's because they're not baked yet.
19:05They look quite rough, Gemma.
19:07Yeah.
19:08When they come through, they will start looking a bit like that, but as it bakes, they create
19:11a smooth shape.
19:12Fun festive fact for you.
19:15In Elizabethan times, gingerbread was believed to cure flatulence.
19:22Could come in handy after the sprouts on Christmas Day.
19:24So, they're going in, sheets on top, they're coming out, magic little Santas.
19:32How's that actually happening?
19:34Just lift this up.
19:35Oh.
19:36So, as you can see, we've got a roller there that's going to the machine.
19:40So, the paste is coming through, travelling on the rollers underneath it, so it's turning
19:44round.
19:44You've got the imprint of the Santa, which then cuts out the Santa shape.
19:48And that can just be taken in and out, depending on the time of your...
19:51Yeah, absolutely.
19:52..you're doing anything else, round Halloween, Christmas, whatever.
19:55We've got some different rollers here.
19:56So, these are the reindeers.
19:58Oh, yeah.
19:59These are little antlers.
20:01Ears.
20:02Face.
20:05All right, off to the oven.
20:13240 Santas are loaded onto baking trays and wheeled to one of two special ovens.
20:23Inside, the racks rotate to give the gingerbread an even bake.
20:30So, those Santas, where's his reindeers?
20:33Those are in that oven over there.
20:35Ah, reindeers are in that oven, Santas in there.
20:38For anyone just joining us, especially the kids, we're not slow-roasting Santa and his
20:44reindeers.
20:45Just putting that out there.
20:46Don't want anyone having nightmares.
20:50After 25 minutes at 163 degrees Celsius...
20:55..the baked Santas are ready to come out into the cold.
21:02Here they are.
21:04Now, I've been here a while.
21:08Yeah?
21:09I've been thinking it.
21:10I've not said it out loud.
21:11Can I have a taste?
21:13Absolutely.
21:13Go for it.
21:17Merry Christmas.
21:19Oh, I love that.
21:21Oh, they're nice and soft as they just come out of the oven.
21:23Get on that.
21:24Soft with a little bit of a crunch round the edge.
21:33Oh, that's good.
21:35You get, like, a smooth sort of velvetness.
21:37Oh, yeah.
21:38That is cool from the golden syrup.
21:39And you're just the right amount of eating that.
21:43Are you still here?
21:44Go and film something.
21:47Who wants one?
21:49Go on.
21:50That's your wages for today.
21:52Every day, 20,000 gingerbread figures
22:01are wheeled through here to cool.
22:04And Gemma and I...
22:05There we go.
22:07Perfect.
22:08..have the latest batch.
22:10So, the next thing we need to do
22:11is take the biscuits off the baking trays
22:13and put them onto a decorating tray.
22:17Gemma, I've got to be honest.
22:19You were talking, then.
22:20I were totally distracted by that pasta with them hands on.
22:23I've never been in a factory
22:25where we have to do hand stretches.
22:26Why is that?
22:27Well, it's when you're piping and icing all day.
22:29Yeah.
22:30It can be quite tough on your hands.
22:31So, it's good to stretch your fingers out a little bit
22:33so that it's not too much pressure on your hands.
22:36What a job that is, being a hand-stretching model.
22:38Well, actually, it's one of our employees here
22:41that did it for us.
22:43It's Bev's.
22:43Look at yours.
22:44Mm-hm.
22:45Bev?
22:46Bev?
22:46I'm here.
22:48Get your hands down here.
22:50Get your hands down here.
22:52Not just a pretty face.
22:53Right.
22:54Talk us through these, then.
22:56Right.
22:57This one's really good.
22:58Do you want to pray with me?
22:59Yes, I do.
23:01Spread your fingers.
23:02Yeah.
23:03And then go like that,
23:04and that's a really good stretch.
23:06Cool.
23:08When you first took my hand on a cold Christmas Eve,
23:16you promised me Broadway was waiting for me.
23:19You were handsome.
23:19You were pretty queen out of New York City.
23:22When the band finished playing,
23:23they held up for more.
23:25And they do this with the wrist.
23:28That with the wrist.
23:29That way.
23:30So, you don't realise it.
23:31When you pick your gingerbreads up off the shelves,
23:33what goes into it?
23:34Look at all this.
23:35And it does help.
23:36It really does help.
23:41Right.
23:42Let's go.
23:44While I'm limbering up,
23:46let's check in on Ruth,
23:47who's enjoying a 1960s Christmas.
23:50Lovely, this.
23:52Go on, Jen.
23:52Off we go.
23:53And for some reason,
24:01she appears to be in a space museum.
24:10For as long as humans have gazed up at the sky,
24:13we have been fascinated by space exploration.
24:17And in December 1968,
24:20there was one very special mission
24:22that gave three astronauts a Christmas never to forget.
24:29Who better to reveal this incredible festive story
24:32than Helen Sharman?
24:34Hello, Ruth.
24:35Hello.
24:36Nice to see you.
24:36Nice to see you, too.
24:39In 1991, she became Britain's first astronaut
24:42and the first woman ever to visit the Mir space station.
24:49We're meeting at the Science Museum in London.
24:52You actually have been in space.
24:55Yeah.
24:55So I was in low Earth orbit,
24:57where the International Space Station is now,
24:59actually, about 250 miles above the Earth's surface.
25:01But when you think about going further away from Earth's orbit,
25:05I mean, that is just something else.
25:07In the mid-1950s, the race began to do just that.
25:17The USA and the Soviet Union were engaged in a bitter Cold War.
25:23And both superpowers had set their sights on space superiority.
25:29Still, by 1968,
25:32no humans had gone higher than low Earth orbit.
25:36And there was this big race.
25:39America wanted to go to the moon before the Soviets.
25:41And Apollo 8 was a spacecraft that was ready to do that.
25:49Three astronauts were chosen.
25:52Jim Lovell, Bill Anders and Frank Borman.
25:57Their mission, to be the first space crew to reach the moon's orbit.
26:02Ten, nine.
26:05We have ignition sequence start.
26:07And on the 21st of December, 1968...
26:11Two, one, zero.
26:18We have liftoff.
26:21Apollo 8 launched.
26:24Apollo 8, you're looking good.
26:26Roger.
26:27Well, this is a command module.
26:32Now, this actual one is Apollo 10's,
26:34but for their entire mission,
26:35the Apollo 8 crew spent their time in this type of a spacecraft.
26:40Or just this one small little piece?
26:42Yeah.
26:42Can you imagine?
26:43Just a few days before Christmas,
26:44they were living, they were sleeping,
26:46going to the toilet, eating.
26:47I mean, everything had to happen inside this spacecraft.
26:50Back on Earth, people were preparing for a very special Christmas.
27:00As Apollo 8 approached the moon's orbit,
27:05armed with TV cameras,
27:06the crew were tasked with documenting this historic moment.
27:12Oh, my goodness.
27:14So, this is inside the module?
27:17Quite fun, isn't it?
27:18So, you can get an idea of how cramped they were.
27:21Wow.
27:23This is what Christmas in space looks like.
27:30It's taken almost three days to get there,
27:32but they've travelled 240,000 miles to the moon.
27:37And they were getting into the moon's orbit on Christmas Eve itself.
27:42Then, at 2.34 on Christmas morning,
27:51the astronauts broadcast live to the world.
27:54We are now approaching lunar sunrise,
28:00and for all the people back on Earth,
28:04the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you.
28:11In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth,
28:16and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
28:18A lot of thought went into what they were going to say.
28:26They knew people all around the world would be tuning in.
28:28We think now, it's estimated,
28:31that about a billion, one billion people watched this broadcast.
28:35So, about a quarter of all people alive.
28:39No.
28:41Good gracious.
28:43So, everybody's getting ready for Christmas.
28:45They're hanging up their stockings, they're doing their thing,
28:47and they're watching the moon from close up.
28:50What a Christmas.
28:55And NASA had even provided the astronauts
28:58with their very own Christmas dinner.
29:01Santa Claus brought us some turkey and gravy,
29:05cranberry sauce, grape punch.
29:08How's it?
29:09Glad to hear it.
29:12We're down here eating cold coffee and bologna sandwiches.
29:19Having gathered vital information for future Apollo voyages,
29:24the mission proved a huge success.
29:26while delivering one final Christmas miracle.
29:31As they came around the moon,
29:34there was this most amazing earth rising above the surface of the moon.
29:40Like the moonrise, you've got the earth rise.
29:42Earth rise.
29:43Get a colour film, Jim.
29:45Oh, that's a beautiful shot.
29:48And it became this iconic photograph.
29:51Bill Anders described it later on
29:54as being like a fragile Christmas tree bauble.
29:57The only part of colour
29:59in the whole of this black space.
30:04Wow.
30:06It is such an iconic image, that, isn't it?
30:09And I suppose also,
30:11it's not just earth rise,
30:13it's earth at Christmas.
30:15And from the crew of Apollo 8,
30:19we close with good night,
30:21good luck,
30:22a merry Christmas,
30:24and God bless all of you,
30:26all of you on the good earth.
30:28That's the Christmas spirit right there.
30:40Bless us one and all.
30:42You better watch out,
30:43you better not cry,
30:45you better not pout,
30:46I'm telling you why.
30:47Why?
30:48Santa Claus is coming to town,
30:52gather on.
30:53Do you know what I love about Christmas?
30:55Those unexpected,
30:57yet thoughtful,
30:58Christmas presents.
31:00One year,
31:01my aunt got me a pink bath mat,
31:02and I was ten.
31:04Pink, that's my worst present I've ever had.
31:06When I was younger,
31:08midi hi-fis had just come out.
31:09Oh.
31:10And I was like,
31:11I'd love it,
31:11I thought,
31:12no chance.
31:13Anyhow,
31:13Christmas day,
31:14I was up,
31:15first thing,
31:16straight in the front room,
31:17so excited,
31:18ripped the box open,
31:20and it was a clear-up foot spa.
31:22So...
31:24You better not pout.
31:26I'm telling you why.
31:27Hoping for better luck this year.
31:28Closes coming to town.
31:31At this family-run factory,
31:33I've mixed,
31:34baked,
31:34and cooled Santas and reindeer.
31:36But the gingerbread
31:38is only half the story.
31:42Ah.
31:43Naked, these ones.
31:45Nothing on them yet.
31:47Yep.
31:48All ready for decorating.
31:50The kids and girls in Boyland
31:53will have a jubilee.
31:56They're gonna build a toy land town
31:59all around the Christmas tree.
32:02This is where the magic of the factory happens.
32:05The heart of Santa's grotto,
32:08where plain and simple gingerbread shapes,
32:11are transformed into colourful Christmas creations.
32:14And to adorn their biscuits,
32:17the factory gets through 30 kilos of icing a day.
32:22Love that.
32:23It makes you smile.
32:24The gingerbread is decorated with two types of icing.
32:29Runny royal icing for intricate details,
32:32and sugar paste shapes for larger areas.
32:35He sees you when you're sleeping,
32:38and in all...
32:39Cherry's off to make the next batch for our Santa.
32:43It's like Christmas magic in here.
32:46How good do those look?
32:48He needs it for his lovely red waistcoat.
32:52He's coming to town.
32:54Her guide to sugar paste perfection
33:00is baking operative, Steph.
33:02Hey, Steph. Lovely to meet you.
33:05So what's in here? What are the ingredients?
33:07So we've got icing sugar,
33:09xanthan gum, and sugar gum in there.
33:11I know what icing sugar is.
33:12What is xanthan gum?
33:14So xanthan gum, it helps with the consistency
33:16in the shelf life.
33:17Xanthan gum is a plant-based thickener,
33:22and sugar gum is made from glucose syrup,
33:24sugar, oil, and another syrup called glycerin.
33:28They bind the icing together,
33:30giving it a firm, flexible texture,
33:33perfect to mould into shapes.
33:35We've got a red colouring to add in now,
33:38and that's just that one over there.
33:39Can I do the honours?
33:40Absolutely.
33:41Ready? Ready? Get it? Ready?
33:43Stop it.
33:47That is so beautiful.
33:50That looks like raspberry sauce on ice cream.
33:52Yeah, it's called Christmas Red,
33:54the colour we actually put in.
33:58Is that done?
33:59That's it done now.
34:00Hey, presto.
34:02Can I touch it?
34:03Absolutely.
34:04It's so thick.
34:05It is just like modelling.
34:06Yeah.
34:07Nice.
34:08So without this, Santa would be naked.
34:11So this is a really important element to the biscuit.
34:14It really is.
34:15Fabulous job.
34:17Nice one, Cherry.
34:21My turn to load your icing into this sheeter machine,
34:25where it's rolled out to just three millimetres thick.
34:32Then a stamper cuts out the waistcoat shapes.
34:36Santa baby,
34:38Santa's waistcoat is ready for some detail.
34:54And for that,
34:55the clever factory elves use the runny royal icing.
34:59It's a mix of icing sugar,
35:03egg white,
35:04glucose syrup,
35:05xanthan gum,
35:07and corn flour,
35:08with glycerin so it doesn't set rock hard.
35:10And if you think royal icing sounds posh,
35:15get this,
35:16in the Middle Ages,
35:18gingerbread would sometimes be decorated with gold leaf.
35:23Not on our budget.
35:26I've got to be honest,
35:26it's the first time I've filled a piping bag, Gemma.
35:29Oh, there it is.
35:30Get that in there.
35:31Look at that.
35:33There we are.
35:34You don't want to dribble too much.
35:35Well,
35:36story of my life, Gemma.
35:41Gemma herself comes up with the designs,
35:44and the ladies here are wizards at reproducing them.
35:49They are icing artists.
35:53How long have you been doing that?
35:55I've been in ten years now.
35:56They're quick.
35:57Who's the fastest icer?
35:59Fair, yeah.
36:00How many gingerbreads do you think you've iced?
36:03Millions?
36:04Four billions.
36:05Billions.
36:06Flipping heck.
36:08They are accurate.
36:10I feel like you're getting spots on every time.
36:13With the concentration of ninjas.
36:17And today,
36:18there's a nervous new apprentice in the house.
36:22Now, we're on to the main stage.
36:25We're going to decorate these
36:26to look exactly like Father Christmas.
36:28Are you ready to give it a go?
36:29Let's give it a go.
36:30Absolutely.
36:31And I've got two experts with me today.
36:33I've got Rachel and Charlie,
36:34and they are going to show you everything you need
36:37to be able to decorate a Santa.
36:38Right, let's do it.
36:40OK, so your first part is his face.
36:44Two round, then a little squeal in the middle.
36:46God, that is so much difficult than you make it, Luke.
36:55Right, OK.
36:56I'll tell you what, I'm feeling it already, me hands.
36:58You're feeling it?
36:59Yeah.
36:59You're going to be stretching.
37:00So it's his hands next.
37:05I reckon this is going to be the trickiest part.
37:07It is a bit tricky.
37:09OK, so squeeze and drag.
37:12Right.
37:14Squeeze.
37:15And drag.
37:16Squeeze and drag.
37:17I think I've put ears where his hands should be.
37:27We've got the hard bit to go, yeah.
37:31I'm going to do the hat now.
37:34I'm certain then.
37:35Oh, my.
37:36And it doesn't help that I can feel all the eyes are on me.
37:42What?
37:44I'm actually sweating.
37:46I've never known stress like it.
37:50Mine's got all lumps, so yours is dead smooth.
37:54Hello.
37:55Have a look.
37:56Which one did you...?
37:57Well, take a guess.
37:59Yeah, I know.
38:00Oh, it's so good.
38:01You're a natural.
38:02I don't think she means that.
38:04Well done.
38:05God, you're working hard on that.
38:08There's reindeers being frosted or whatever.
38:11Good luck.
38:12Have a good one.
38:14Lovely to see you.
38:16Merry Christmas.
38:18Gemma's family have been in business for nearly 40 years.
38:22Surely one man can't bring it down in a day.
38:26Right, will I get to grips with this masterpiece?
38:29Cherry's down in Cornwall looking at scented candles.
38:32I'm actually still here.
38:33She's telling it.
38:34No, right, don't worry about it.
38:35Do, do, do.
38:37Do, do, do.
38:43This is the St. Evil factory near Newquay, where they've been making festive candles for
38:50over 30 years.
38:53Using traditional techniques and cutting-edge technology.
39:00Like the gingerbread factory, they're in full swing for Christmas.
39:04I'm meeting Chief Exec Ian Greaves, who's overseeing a Yuletide treat.
39:15Can I just thank you so much for having the best smelling factory of all time?
39:19And you always go home smelling so nice as well.
39:21Do you?
39:22Yes.
39:22What are we making today?
39:23Today, we're making an Advent calendar.
39:26An Advent calendar.
39:27But not with chocolate, with candles.
39:30The Advent calendar contains 24 scented tea lights.
39:35So each window has a different scent.
39:38Oh, wow.
39:39These small candles were originally used to keep teapots warm in Japanese tea ceremonies.
39:47Today, I'm making the scented tea light behind door 20.
39:52Orange and cinnamon.
39:53Orange and cinnamon.
39:54Warm and tangy with a hint of spice.
39:57It's lovely.
39:58Oh, yeah.
39:59That is Christmas Day in a candle, isn't it?
40:01It is.
40:01Exactly that.
40:06But before we make our festive tea lights, I want to understand the science of scent.
40:13What different things are you looking for when it comes to scent in a candle?
40:16Well, there's two types of throw in a candle.
40:19What is the throw?
40:21It's how far you can get that fragrance to throw.
40:23So can you smell it close up?
40:25Can you smell it far away?
40:25That's the throw.
40:26We talk about a hot throw and a cold throw.
40:28When you walk into the room and the candle's not lit, you can often smell a candle,
40:33and that's called the cold throw because it's not light.
40:36Even before it's lit, fragrance molecules are released from the surface of the candle.
40:42When these molecules hit scent receptors in our noses, we smell the aroma.
40:48And that effect is enhanced when the candle is lit.
40:52Why does lighting it encourage the fragrance to leave the candle?
40:56When the wax becomes a liquid, the fragrance can then evaporate much quicker.
41:01We can then smell it from a distance because it's releasing much more fragrance.
41:05So once you've got that throw nailed, that scent is all over the place, and it's really gorgeous.
41:12What do you do next?
41:13Down to production, mix some wax and fragrance.
41:15Let's make some candles.
41:21Production manager Joe Shalders is in charge of the wax.
41:25What is this wax made of?
41:27So this is a vegetable mineral blend.
41:29And what is mineral wax?
41:31So that element of it is paraffin.
41:33But it gives us a really good scent throw, and it's a really clean burn.
41:40The slabs of wax are melted overnight at 80 degrees Celsius, then cooled to 61 degrees, ready to add the all-important scent.
41:50Each of our candles has got its own recipe.
41:54This is what we need to make the orange and cinnamon candle.
41:57Right.
41:57Can I?
41:58You can.
41:59The scent is a mix of essential oils extracted from plants and spices, plus synthetic fragrance.
42:07Oh, the smell that's coming off that, Joe.
42:09Yeah.
42:10It's absolutely Christmassy heaven.
42:12The small tea lights contain a high proportion of scent to achieve that all-important hot throw.
42:22And after a good mix, the fragranced wax is sent to the high-tech part of the factory.
42:29This is the pouring line, where all the elements of the tea light come together.
42:36The aluminium cases are loaded onto a computer-controlled conveyor belt.
42:42The cotton tea light wick is fed in from a wick reel, along with the metal holders, which keep the wicks upright.
42:53The cases come down through here.
42:55OK.
42:56And then this fancy piece of kit cuts the wick to the right length.
43:00Yep.
43:00And then glues it into the case.
43:05Hidden inside this machine, called a wicking head, a little dot of glue fixes the wicks in place.
43:13And when they're all lined up and standing to attention, we're ready to pour our scented liquid wax.
43:19Please tell me there's a button.
43:20There is a button.
43:21Just this one here.
43:22Oh, easy.
43:22Off she goes.
43:23Gosh, look at this.
43:31It's so beautiful.
43:33The fragrance wax gets released down into the cup, filling them.
43:38Look at that.
43:3822 in a row, all in one go.
43:41That smells absolutely delicious.
43:43The pouring machine dispenses 18 grams of scented wax into each case.
43:51Over six hours, a full tank of 250 litres of wax can fill 14,000 tea lights.
43:58So can you now tick December 20th off your list?
44:04Yes, I can.
44:04Woo!
44:05Only 23 more to go.
44:07All 24 candles of various scents are hand-packed into the advent calendar.
44:16Wintertime, ready for dispatch around the country.
44:24Quite satisfying to know that someone's going to open all these little doors on the run-up
44:27to Christmas and enjoy their Christmas candles.
44:29Happy Christmas, guys.
44:31Happy Christmas, guys.
45:01Thank you for coming through.
45:01Make way.
45:02Thank you so much.
45:05It's her job to decorate our second Christmas biscuit.
45:09Come on, my little reindeer friends.
45:11Let's make you fancy.
45:13And luckily, she's got some expert help from operative Danny.
45:18Hi, Danny.
45:19Hi.
45:19Lovely to meet you.
45:20Lovely to meet you.
45:21It's very quiet here.
45:23Have you scared everyone off?
45:23Yes, well, unlike the Santas, we don't decorate these by hand.
45:27We decorate it with a robot.
45:29Oh, my God, you've gone high-tech.
45:35The robot floods the face of the reindeer with royal icing.
45:40Their little ears and antlers would be too fiddly to cut from sugar paste sheets.
45:45How quickly can it ice a biscuit?
45:50There's 21 pieces on a tray, and it takes nine minutes a tray.
45:53The whole tray?
45:54The whole tray.
45:54So it's really speedy.
45:55Oh, yeah, much quicker than us.
45:57And it doesn't complain about our make?
45:58No, definitely not.
45:59How does it know where the biscuit is to get the icing exact?
46:03So when it takes the tray in, it takes a picture with the camera, and it maps where the biscuits
46:08are on the tray.
46:10And it's pre-programmed, the design, so then it will just see where the biscuit is and trace
46:15it on top.
46:15But just when I thought I'd got the easy icing job, turns out these little fellas also get
46:22their finishing touches by hand.
46:26Serves me right for laughing at Paddy.
46:29Like, twisty round.
46:31Oh, that's weird.
46:32Oh, it looks like a croissant.
46:34OK, OK, this one's going to be great.
46:36This one's good.
46:39Oh, no!
46:41That's what I was talking to.
46:43It's basically got a nosebleed.
46:47Not so easy, is it?
46:49Mine looks like it's been in some kind of accident.
46:51Oh, she's struggling.
46:53It looks like he's sticking his tongue out now.
46:58These experts can ice a gingerbread in 105 seconds.
47:03I've taken a bit longer than that.
47:07Right, Paddy, just the last thing to do now, create his face for us.
47:10Lovely.
47:11Here we go.
47:14I think you're coming into your own now, Paddy.
47:21I'm happy with that one.
47:24He's got his own charm about him there, you see.
47:27He's saying I'm not a perfect Santa, but, you know, I'll still taste nice.
47:33Right.
47:33So I'm going to take mine, too, to cherry it and see how it compares with her reindeers.
47:38Thanks very much for that.
47:40No worries.
47:40See you in a bit.
47:41See you in a bit.
47:42Come on, you two.
47:47So, it's the ultimate Christmas competition.
47:51Santa versus his reindeer.
47:54But which of us has won the icing crown?
47:56Let's see yours.
48:00Can I just say...
48:01Don't you think?
48:02Lovely glazing.
48:04Yes.
48:04That was actually...
48:05That bit was done by a robot.
48:06We're never going to agree on this, are we?
48:08So, let's get the expert eye in.
48:10Gem!
48:12Where are you?
48:13Here we are.
48:14Right, Gemma.
48:14How are we getting on?
48:15Well, let's have a look.
48:16Whose do you think is the best?
48:18Wow.
48:19I think there's some good effort, sir.
48:21That is a very good reindeer.
48:23It's very close.
48:23Thank you so much.
48:24Oh, it's a reindeer.
48:25Right, OK.
48:28Unfortunately, I don't think either of them
48:30are going to pass our quality standards.
48:32But you are more than welcome to have them
48:34and take them away.
48:35Oh!
48:36Can I have one of your garden gnomes?
48:39Yes, you can, yes.
48:40Can I have one of your bull mastiffs?
48:42Yeah, there we go.
48:43How about that?
48:44One eight.
48:44Wonderful.
48:45Happy Christmas.
48:46See you in a bit.
48:47Garden gnomes?
48:49The cheek of it.
48:52Once the icing's dried,
48:53the gingerbread is ready to be pined.
49:00We're placing the Santas
49:01individually down the flow wrapper.
49:03So each one goes in its own little section.
49:06Love this.
49:06And it's pushed along
49:07and it's taken it down
49:08to the flow wrapping section there.
49:10The Santas are sealed in their see-through packages
49:19at the rate of 50 a minute.
49:23As we go round,
49:26you'll see them coming out of the other side
49:28all individually packed.
49:29Yes.
49:30All them little Santas
49:34off to make someone's Christmas
49:36very special.
49:38Off to stockings around the country.
49:40Beautiful.
49:42Then it's into the boxes.
49:44Eight in each.
49:47Good night, everyone.
49:49Where Santa is united
49:51with his reindeers.
49:52Well,
49:58Sherry's all right
49:59at packing boxes,
50:00but how does she go on
50:01with wrapping presents?
50:02Let's find out.
50:10Now,
50:11I adore
50:12giving gifts,
50:13but wrapping them
50:15is a whole world
50:16of pain.
50:19Please tell me
50:20that I am not the only one.
50:21that leaves my wrapping
50:22to the last minute.
50:23You can never find the scissors,
50:24you can't find the end of the tape,
50:26there's never enough paper.
50:28And then it looks like this.
50:30There's got to be
50:31a better way
50:32to do this.
50:34Here to grant
50:34my Christmas wish
50:36is expert mathematician
50:37Bobby Seagull.
50:41Bobby!
50:42Happy Christmas!
50:42Happy Christmas!
50:44Ooh, come in.
50:45Who uses maths
50:46to achieve
50:47present wrapping perfection.
50:49Bobby,
50:52welcome
50:53to the annual
50:54Christmas wrapping
50:55disaster.
50:56This is ineffective,
50:58there's far too much
50:58wrapping paper,
50:59it's wasted.
51:00On this one here,
51:01the corners aren't covered
51:02because the paper's too weak,
51:03you're not covering
51:04the surface area,
51:05this is a mathematical
51:06Christmas disaster.
51:07Can maths save Christmas?
51:09Maths will have
51:10to save Christmas,
51:11definitely this Christmas.
51:12Luckily,
51:14I have a whole raft
51:16of rolls to choose from.
51:18Think about the paper
51:19you're using,
51:20it shouldn't have
51:21glitter
51:21or that shiny foil
51:23because these are
51:23non-paper additives
51:24that can't be recycled.
51:26Don't be on the naughty list
51:27because of your wrapping paper.
51:28No,
51:29Santa is not going
51:30to be pleased with you.
51:31No, okay.
51:33In the UK,
51:34it's estimated
51:35we throw away
51:36around 200,000 miles
51:39of wrapping paper a year.
51:41So, if you can,
51:43it's important
51:43to choose
51:44fully recyclable paper.
51:46To avoid waste,
51:48I'm hoping Bobby's maths
51:49can help me achieve
51:51perfectly wrapped presents.
51:55Let's start with this,
51:56a box of chocolates.
51:57Well,
51:58maths can definitely help.
51:59So, if you look at this,
52:00it's a square prism.
52:02It's got a square
52:03on one side
52:05and it's the same dimensions
52:06all the way through.
52:10Before we begin wrapping,
52:12we calculate
52:12how much paper we need
52:14to cover our square prism.
52:17So, X presents
52:19the sides of this square.
52:21Yes.
52:21And L represents the length.
52:23Good.
52:23I'm not at one with maths,
52:25but I'm following you.
52:27Now, it's time to measure.
52:29Okay.
52:31The width of the square
52:32is six centimetres.
52:35Okay?
52:36Good.
52:36The length is 19 centimetres.
52:40Plus, we have a third measurement
52:42to allow for a half centimetre
52:44paper overlap when wrapping.
52:47Okay, so Y equals 0.5.
52:51Time to calculate
52:52the total area of paper needed.
52:56First, the width.
52:58All the way round,
52:59there's how many lots of X?
53:01Four.
53:02So, the width of the wrapping
53:04we needed is 4X plus Y.
53:06So, 4 times 6 is 24.
53:10Plus the half centimetre paper overlap.
53:1324.5.
53:16Yes, 24.5.
53:17To work out the length of paper,
53:21it's the length of the box
53:23plus one side of the square end.
53:2719 plus 6,
53:30which is 25.
53:31Spot on.
53:36Calculations complete.
53:38Next, measure and cut.
53:40That is not enough
53:46wrapping paper.
53:47Trust the maths.
53:50We're using paper-based
53:52sticky tape
53:53that can be recycled
53:54along with the wrapping paper.
53:57Thanks to that
53:58half centimetre overlap,
54:01our paper joins up
54:02perfectly.
54:05Ta-da!
54:06I told you.
54:07Look at that.
54:09Nothing is wasted.
54:10Everything is used.
54:14And the same principle
54:15even applies
54:16to wrapping a bottle
54:17of festive fizz.
54:19Instead of the square
54:20at the base,
54:21it's now a circle.
54:23To work out
54:24the width of paper,
54:26measure the diameter
54:27of the bottle
54:27and times it
54:28by a figure
54:29known as pi.
54:31And pi is roughly
54:323.14.
54:33plus half a centimetre
54:36overlap.
54:37The length of the wrapping
54:38is the diameter
54:39of the bottle
54:40plus the height.
54:43Oh!
54:44The classic bottle
54:45wrapped
54:46and it's beautiful.
54:48Bobby's halfway
54:49to saving Christmas
54:50but can he pass
54:51my final
54:52fiendish challenge?
54:57Can you deal
54:58with the big boss
54:59of wrapping?
55:00Which is?
55:01A ball.
55:03It's difficult
55:04to wrap spheres
55:05perfectly
55:05but there is
55:06a way around this.
55:07We can actually
55:08create a petal-like
55:09structure
55:09to wrap around
55:10the football.
55:13Oh, wow!
55:15So you can have
55:15four, five
55:17or six petals.
55:19It might take
55:19a bit of time
55:20to cut out
55:20the petals
55:21but once that's done
55:22it takes seconds
55:24to wrap it.
55:27Look at that.
55:28Santa's smiling
55:29all the way
55:30to the North Pole.
55:31I can hear the elves
55:32singing their favourite
55:33Christmas song.
55:36And they're not
55:37the only ones
55:38humming a happy tune.
55:40With Bobby's help
55:41my Christmas wish
55:42has been fulfilled.
55:44Look how beautiful
55:45they look.
55:46I think it's fair to say
55:47that you are the
55:48saviour of Christmas.
55:50Look at you
55:51like a Christmas elf.
55:52Merry Christmas.
55:53That is officially
55:55a wrap.
56:02I've got to say
56:03that box looked great.
56:06The ball
56:06not so much.
56:07Our boxed up
56:30gingerbread
56:31has been loaded
56:32onto pallets
56:33and it's taken
56:35outside
56:36where I'm headed
56:37jacket on
56:38her net off
56:39to see it
56:40on its way.
56:40Oh Lord
56:41and what
56:42you alright Gemma?
56:42Hi Paddy.
56:43Hello Paddy.
56:44This is my mum
56:44Sarah Paddy.
56:46Oh nice to meet you
56:46Sarah.
56:47So you set this
56:48business up
56:49all those years ago
56:50did you imagine
56:51it were going to
56:52grow into something
56:53as big as this
56:54because it's very
56:54impressive.
56:56No not at all.
56:57Absolutely not.
56:57No we had a little
56:58bread shop and
56:59you know it's a dream
56:59come true.
57:00You start a business
57:01and you never
57:01expect it to go
57:02to where it is
57:03today and very
57:05proud and a lot
57:06of hard work and
57:06a great team
57:07behind us.
57:08Hard work pays
57:08off.
57:09How many
57:09gingerbreads are
57:10on there?
57:11Well there's 26
57:11pallets on there
57:12which is just shy
57:13of 100,000 pieces.
57:15100,000 gingerbreads
57:17waiting to go out
57:18to keep everyone
57:18happy around the
57:19nation.
57:20Right that's
57:21loaded up.
57:21We'll close the
57:22doors send them
57:23on the way.
57:24I'm going to get
57:24my colleague out
57:25of the cherry
57:26because no doubt
57:27she'll be snaffling
57:27up all the gingerbreads.
57:28Merry Christmas.
57:29Merry Christmas.
57:31Take care.
57:41From Market Drayton
57:43the British home
57:44of gingerbread
57:45our Santas and
57:47reindeers travel
57:48across the country
57:49ready to drop down
57:50the chimneys of
57:51well behaved
57:52biscuit lovers
57:53everywhere.
57:54Oh look at us
58:02in the boss's
58:03office.
58:03Living the life.
58:04Nice cup of tea.
58:06Look at these
58:07beauties.
58:08Do you want one?
58:09I'd love one.
58:10Cheers.
58:13Merry Christmas
58:14everyone.
58:15Have a lovely time.
58:16Oh.
58:16Oh my.
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