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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, 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.
00:34It's said they've been making gingerbread in the Shropshire town of Market Drayton
00:39for 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.
01:00Is that all right for sound?
01:01This is a factory full of festive cheer.
01:06Can I have a cuddle?
01:08Absolutely.
01:09That'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.
01:34And for guaranteed white Christmas...
01:37Oh, wow.
01:39I'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.
01:53This is what Christmas in space looks like.
01:57This factory makes over 100,000 gingerbread biscuits every week on the roll-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
02:29Everywhere you go
02:34Take a look at the five and ten
02:38It's glistening once again
02:40With candy canes and silver lanes that glow
02:45Oh, look at that.
02:48Oh, that smells like Christmas joy.
02:49Can you smell that?
02:50Lovely bit of ginger.
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.
03:08Oh, wow, look at that.
03:09These are snowflakes.
03:10It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
03:14Right, 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, so it's the walkway.
03:24To that wall?
03:25Yeah.
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.
04:13The bestseller, the bestseller, the Santas.
04:17And don't forget the reindeer.
04:18Oh, I'm not forgetting the reindeer.
04:20Merry Christmas.
04:22Merry Christmas, everyone.
04:24Merry Christmas.
04:26You were too late.
04:28You can't get the stuff these days.
04:31Merry Christmas.
04:32I'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 all loaded.
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.
05:19And 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 copies of it here.
06:09Shortening.
06:10Yes.
06:10Right, okay.
06:11So, this is a mix of vegetable oils.
06:13So, you're at home, you were making them with the kids or whatever.
06:15It happened to 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'd 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,
06:32it 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.
06:45That'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.
07:02Bicarb of soda.
07:03That helps the biscuit rise.
07:05And 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.
07:17Love 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
07:33that activates heat receptors on our tongs,
07:36literally tickling our taste buds.
07:40Already, I want to get a finger in there.
07:43And just give it...
07:44Oh, love that.
07:45Wait till it's baked.
07:46Right, okay.
07:46It'll be a lot nicer.
07:47All right, then.
07:54Well, I'll do that one.
07:55Oh, blimey, you made that look like it was like...
08:00Right, on there, like that.
08:02Oh, yes.
08:04Gingerbread has been a treat since medieval times.
08:08It's even mentioned in Shakespeare,
08:11and was often bought at furs and eaten for good luck.
08:14Let'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.
08:32What does the golden syrup add?
08:34It's that luxury sort of taste you get from it.
08:36It's like those childhood memories.
08:38Even at school, you used to make, like, flapjacks and gingerbread men.
08:41You'd have the golden syrup there.
08:43Love that.
08:44But Gemma's got special childhood memories of gingerbread.
08:50Her mum and dad started the company when she was just a kid.
08:54So, my parents had a bakery to begin with.
08:57So, back in those days, as well as gingerbread,
08:59we 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.
09:14That was used as a lovely marketing prop there.
09:17Oh, I love that.
09:22And what started as a small family business,
09:25no 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.
10:01For 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.
10:36This is the snow zone, one of Europe's largest indoor ski centres.
10:47It's a winter paradise all year round.
10:51But 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 too 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.
11:14It feels icy, but then to look at and to ski down...
11:17It feels like snow when you ski.
11:18It feels like snow?
11:19Yeah.
11:19To unlock the mystery of making snow indoors, it's 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.
11:42Then on top of that, we have an 8 centimetre block of ice.
11:46Wow.
11:47So, underneath the slab of ice, to keep it nice and cold,
11:51we've got pipes with glycol, which is an antifreeze.
11:53Oh, I see.
11:54So, 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.
12:01So, you've got the opposite of underfloor heating, you've got underfloor cooling.
12:04Correct.
12:07When the centre was constructed in 2000, pipes were laid,
12:10through which the antifreeze glycol runs,
12:14chilled at minus 10 degrees Celsius,
12:17to prevent the ice and snow above from melting.
12:19And thick, insulated walls keep this giant room at a chilly minus 4 degrees.
12:27And 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?
12:44All is revealed when the centre closes,
12:47and Matt and his team get ready for a night of snowfall.
12:53First 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.
13:04Then, 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.
13:16The snow cannon.
13:19How 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?
13:48Let's do it.
13:48Press this one.
13:50She'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.
14:11That is one powerful machine.
14:15As the water meets the freezing air,
14:17it 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?
14:28How 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,
14:36which 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,
14:45it comes out like this.
14:47So it's a little droplet.
14:48So instead of being a snowflake,
14:50it's like a little snowball.
14:54When it snows outside,
14:56ice crystals fall through the freezing air,
14:59gathering 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 pist a denser surface for skiing.
15:23You're actually starting to look a bit like a snowman.
15:25I am.
15:26Shall 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,
15:38taking six hours to produce three tons of snow.
15:45Let it snow, snow, snow.
15:48Let it snow, let it snow.
15:51Then the pieced basher comes out again to smooth it all over.
15:56Snow, snow, snow.
15:58And hey, presto.
16:00Our ski slope has been transformed.
16:05Oh, wow.
16:07It's like Christmas morning.
16:10It's great, isn't it?
16:11It's perfect.
16:12It's there.
16:13Isn'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?
16:20Yes.
16:21No way.
16:21Will you come with me?
16:22Well, 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.
16:34I may not make it to the Swiss slopes this Christmas, but skiing on brand new snow is a fabulous first for me.
16:50There she goes.
16:54Always on the piste.
16:56One sleep to go.
17:02I'm getting that buzz.
17:04This candy-coated Christmas feels like it should.
17:09And Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, Vince sings the line.
17:11Morning.
17:12Morning.
17:13Morning.
17:15Back in Market Drayton, I'm having a lovely chilled-out time too.
17:19Come on, I'm doing it on Ian.
17:21Who's it to, love?
17:22With 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, cos...
17:33Can I have a good look?
17:34Absolutely.
17:35That's the best part for me.
17:37There we are.
17:38Doing the bats, but I'll say...
17:39I'm not a machine.
17:40I'm not a machine.
17:45That's how you walk.
17:47You don't get this without them deck.
17:48They won't do this.
17:49While I'm distracting the ladies in the decorating room,
17:56Gemma's grafting,
17:58feeding the gingerbread paste into a machine called a sheeter.
18:02The door passes between two rollers,
18:05forming sheets one centimetres thick
18:07that are cut ready to make the gingerbread shapes.
18:12I'd better catch her up.
18:15You all right, Gemma?
18:16You all right?
18:17Yeah, all good.
18:18Come to see the next stage?
18:19Yes, I am, yeah.
18:20So, gingerbread dough's been cut into sheets,
18:22which gives a nice flat surface.
18:24Yeah.
18:24And now we're going to create them into Santas.
18:26OK.
18:26So, are you ready to work?
18:28I'm going to pass you some trays in a minute.
18:30Yes, I am.
18:31OK, wonderful.
18:32Let's get started.
18:32Here 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,
18:56because as soon as they start, that's it.
18:57They're not 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, when they come through,
19:08they both start looking a bit like that,
19:10but as it bakes, they create a smooth shape.
19:12Fun festive fact for you.
19:15In Elizabethan times,
19:17gingerbread was believed to cure flatulence.
19:22Could come in handy after the sprouts on Christmas Day.
19:27So, they're going in, sheets on top,
19:30they're coming out, magic little Santas.
19:32How is that actually happening?
19:34Just lift this up.
19:35Oh.
19:36So, as you can see, we've got a roller there
19:39that's going to the machine.
19:40So, the paste is coming through,
19:41travelling on the rollers underneath it.
19:43So, it's turning round,
19:44you've got the imprint of the Santa,
19:46which then cuts out the Santa shape.
19:48And that can just be taken in and out,
19:50depending on the time of year.
19:51Yeah, absolutely.
19:52If you're doing anything else,
19:53round 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, face.
20:06All right.
20:08Off to the oven.
20:11240 Santas are loaded onto baking trays
20:16and wheeled to one of two special ovens.
20:21He's shaking it twice.
20:24Inside, the racks rotate to give the gingerbread an even bathe.
20:30So, there's Santa.
20:32Where's his reindeers?
20:33Those are in that oven over there.
20:35Ah, reindeers are in that oven.
20:37Santa's in there.
20:38For anyone just joining us, especially the kids,
20:42we're not slow-roasting Santa and his reindeers.
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've just come out of the oven.
21:23Get on that.
21:26Oh.
21:26Soft with a little bit of a crunch round the edge.
21:33Oh, that's good.
21:35You get, like, a smooth sort of velvet-ness.
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?
21:45Go and film something.
21:47You want fun?
21:49Go on.
21:50That's your wages for today.
21:52Yeah.
21:52Yeah.
21:52Every day, 20,000 gingerbread figures are wheeled through here to cool.
22:04And Gemma and I...
22:06There we go.
22:07Perfect.
22:08..have the latest batch.
22:10So the next thing we need to do is take the biscuits off the baking trays
22:13and put them onto a decorating tray.
22:16Gemma, I've got to be honest.
22:19You were talking then, I were totally distracted by that poster with them hands on.
22:23I've never been in a factory where we have to do hand stretches.
22:26Why is that?
22:27Well, it's when you're piping and icing all day.
22:29Yeah.
22:29It 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.
22:39Well, actually, it's one of our employees here that did it for us.
22:43It's Bev's.
22:43Are they yours?
22:44Mm-hm.
22:45Bev?
22:46Bev?
22:47I'm here, yeah.
22:47Get 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.
23:03Yeah.
23:03And then go like that, and that's a really good stretch.
23:06Oh.
23:06When you first took my hand on a cold Christmas Eve, you promised me Broadway was waiting for
23:18me.
23:18You were handsome.
23:19You were pretty queen.
23:20I knew you were sitting when the band finished playing.
23:23And 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 off off the shelves, what goes into it?
23:34Look at all this.
23:35And it does help.
23:36It really does help.
23:37Right.
23:42Let's go.
23:44While I'm limbering up, let's check in on Ruth, who's enjoying a 1960s Christmas.
23:50Lovely, this.
23:52Go on, Jen.
23:52Off we go.
23:59And for some reason, she appears to be in a space museum.
24:03For as long as humans have gazed up at the sky, we have been fascinated by space exploration.
24:18And in December 1968, there was one very special mission that gave three astronauts a Christmas
24:25never to forget.
24:27Who better to reveal this incredible festive story than Helen Sharman?
24:35Hello, Ruth.
24:35Hello.
24:36Nice to see you.
24:37Nice to see you, too.
24:39In 1991, she became Britain's first astronaut.
24:43And 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.
24:54Yeah, so I was in low Earth orbit, where the International Space Station is now actually
24:59about 250 miles above the Earth's surface.
25:02But when you think about going further away from Earth's orbit, I mean, that is just something
25:07else.
25:11In the mid-1950s, the race began to do just that.
25:15The USA and the Soviet Union were engaged in a bitter Cold War, and both superpowers had
25:25set their sights on space superiority.
25:29Still, by 1968, no humans had gone higher than low Earth orbit.
25:37And there was this big race.
25:38America wanted to go to the moon before the Soviets, and Apollo 8 was a spacecraft that was
25:44ready to do that.
25:49Three astronauts were chosen.
25:52Jim Lovell, Bill Anders, and Frank Borman.
25:56Their mission, to be the first space crew to reach the moon's orbit.
26:03Ten, 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 is looking good.
26:26Roger.
26:30Well, this is a command module.
26:32Now, this actual one is Apollo 10's, but for their entire mission, the Apollo 8 crew spent
26:37their time in this type of a spacecraft.
26:40Well, just this one small little piece?
26:42Yeah.
26:42Can you imagine?
26:43Just a few days before Christmas, they were living, they were sleeping, going to the toilet,
26:47eating.
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, armed with TV cameras, the crew were tasked with
27:08documenting this historic moment.
27:11Oh, my goodness.
27:13Christmas.
27:14So, this is inside the module?
27:16Quite fun, isn't it?
27:18So, you can get an idea of how cramped they were.
27:20Wow.
27:21This is what Christmas in space looks like.
27:25It's taken almost three days to get there, but they've travelled 240,000 miles to the moon.
27:36And they were getting into the moon's orbit on Christmas Eve itself.
27:43Then, at 2.34 on Christmas morning, the astronauts broadcast live to the world.
27:54We are now approaching lunar sunrise, and for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8
28:05has a message that we would like to send to you.
28:08In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and darkness was upon the face of
28:17the deep, and God said, let there be light.
28:23A 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, that about a billion, one billion people watched this broadcast.
28:35So, about a quarter of all people alive in 1968.
28:41Good gracious.
28:43So, everybody's getting ready for Christmas.
28:45They're hanging up their stockings.
28:46They're doing their thing.
28:47And they're watching the moon from close up.
28:51What a Christmas.
28:51And NASA had even provided the astronauts with their very own Christmas dinner.
29:01Santa Claus brought us some turkey and gravy, cranberry sauce, grape punch, outstanding.
29:09Glad to hear it.
29:12We're down here eating cold coffee and bologna sandwiches.
29:15Having gathered vital information for future Apollo voyages, the mission proved a huge success,
29:26while delivering one final Christmas miracle.
29:31As they came around the moon, there was this most amazing earth rising above the surface of the moon.
29:40Like the moon rise.
29:41You've got the earth rise.
29:42Earth rise.
29:43You've got a colour film, Jim.
29:45Oh, that's a beautiful shot.
29:48And it became this iconic photograph.
29:52Belander's described it later on as being like a fragile Christmas tree bauble.
29:57The only part of colour in the whole of this black space.
30:04Wow.
30:06It is such an iconic image, that, isn't it?
30:09And I suppose also, it's not just earth rise, it's earth at Christmas.
30:16And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a merry Christmas, and God bless all of you.
30:25All of you on the good earth.
30:28All of you on the good earth.
30:28All of you on the good earth.
30:37That's the Christmas spirit right there.
30:40Bless us one and all.
30:41You better watch out, you better not cry.
30:45You better not pout, I'm telling you why.
30:47Why?
30:48Santa Claus is coming to town.
30:51Gather round.
30:52Do you know what I love about Christmas?
30:55Those unexpected, yet thoughtful Christmas presents.
31:00One year, my aunt got me a pink bath mat and I was ten.
31:04A pink, that's my worst present I've ever had.
31:06When I was younger, midi hi-fis had just come out.
31:09Oh.
31:10And I was like, I'd love her, I thought, no chance.
31:13Anyhow, Christmas day, I was up, first thing, straight in the front room, so excited, ripped
31:19the box open, and it was a clear-up foot spa.
31:23So.
31:23You better not pout.
31:26I'm telling you why.
31:27Hoping for better luck this year.
31:28Santa Claus is coming to town.
31:31At this family-run factory, I've mixed, baked, and cooled Santas and reindeer.
31:36But the gingerbread is only half the story.
31:40Ah.
31:43Naked, these ones.
31:45Nothing on them yet.
31:47Yep.
31:48All ready for decorating.
31:51The kids and girls in Boylan will have a jubilee.
31:56They're gonna build a toy land town all around the Christmas tree.
32:02This is where the magic of the factory happens.
32:05You better not pout.
32:06The heart of Santa's grotto, where plain and simple gingerbread shapes, are transformed
32:12into colourful Christmas creations.
32:15And to adorn their biscuits, the factory gets through 30 kilos of icing a day.
32:21Love that.
32:23It just makes you smile.
32:24The gingerbread is decorated with two types of icing.
32:29Runny royal icing for intricate details, and sugar paste shapes for larger areas.
32:35He sees you when you're sleeping.
32:39Cherry's off to make the next batch for our Santa.
32:43God, it's like Christmas magic in here.
32:46How good do those look?
32:47He needs it for his lovely red waistcoat.
32:52He's coming to town.
32:57Her guide to sugar paste perfection is baking operative Steph.
33:03Hey, Steph.
33:04Lovely to meet you.
33:05So what's in here?
33:06What are the ingredients?
33:06So we've got icing sugar, the xanthan 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 in the shelf life.
33:19Xanthan gum is a plant-based thickener, and sugar gum is made from glucose syrup, sugar,
33:25oil, and another syrup called glycerin.
33:28They bind the icing together, giving it a firm, flexible texture, perfect to mould into shapes.
33:35We've got a red colouring to add in now, and that's just that one over there.
33:39Can I do the honours?
33:40Absolutely.
33:41Ready?
33:42Yep.
33:42Ready? Get it?
33:43Red is...
33:44That is so beautiful.
33:50That looks like raspberry sauce on ice cream.
33:52Yeah, it's called Christmas red, the 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.
34:07So without this, Santa would be naked.
34:11So this is a really important element to the biscuit.
34:14It really is.
34:15Fabulous job.
34:20Nice one, Cherry.
34:21My turn to load your icing into this sheeter machine, where it's rolled out to just three
34:27millimetres thick.
34:28Santa's waistcoat is ready for some detail, and for that, the clever factory elves use the
34:57runny royal icing.
35:01It's a mix of icing sugar, egg white, glucose syrup, xanthan gum, and corn flour, with glycerin
35:09so it doesn't set rock hard.
35:10And if you think royal icing sounds posh, get this, in the Middle Ages, gingerbread would sometimes
35:19be decorated with gold leaf.
35:23Not on our budget.
35:26I've got to be honest, it's the first time I've filled a piping bag, Gemma.
35:28Oh, there he is.
35:30Get that in there.
35:31Look at that.
35:33There we are.
35:34You don't want to dribble too much.
35:36Story of my life, Gemma.
35:41Gemma herself comes up with the designs, and the ladies here are wizards at reproducing
35:46them.
35:47They 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?
35:59Beth, yeah.
36:00How many gingerbreads do you think you've iced?
36:03Millions?
36:04Or billions.
36:05Billions?
36:06Flipping heck.
36:08They're accurate.
36:10I feel like you get it spot on every time.
36:12With the concentration of ninjas.
36:17And today, there's a nervous new apprentice in the house.
36:22Now, we're on to the main stage.
36:25We're going to decorate these to 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, and they are going to show you everything you need to be
36:37able to decorate a Santa.
36:38Right, let's do it.
36:39OK, so your first part is his face.
36:44Two round, then a little squeal in the middle.
36:51God, that is so much difficult than you make it look.
36:55Right, OK.
36:56I'll tell you what, I'm feeling it already, me hands.
36:58You're feeling it?
36:59Yeah, yeah.
37:00You're stretching.
37:03So it's his hands next.
37:05I reckon this is going to be the trickiest part.
37:07It is a bit tricky.
37:08OK, so squeeze and drag.
37:12Right.
37:14Squeeze.
37:15And drag.
37:16Squeeze and drag.
37:22I think I've put ears where his hands should be.
37:27We've got the hard bit to go, yeah?
37:29I'm going to...
37:29I'm going to do the hat now.
37:34That's it.
37:34And it doesn't help that I can feel all the eyes are on me.
37:44I'm actually sweating.
37:46I've never known stress like it.
37:50Mine's got all lumps.
37:51Yours is dead smooth.
37:52Hello.
37:54Have 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.
38:03I don't think she means that.
38:04Well done.
38:06God, you're working hard on that.
38:08Er, there's reindeers be 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.
38:33It's not telling it.
38:34All right, don't worry about it.
38:35This is the St. Evil factory near Newquay, where they've been making festive candles for
38:50over 30 years, using traditional techniques and cutting-edge technology.
39:00Like the gingerbread factory, they're in full swing for Christmas.
39:06I'm meeting Chief Exec Ian Greaves.
39:09Hi, Ian.
39:11Hi, Jane.
39:12Who'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?
39:24Today, we're making an Advent calendar.
39:26An Advent calendar.
39:27But not with chocolate, with candles.
39:31The 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.
40:01It is.
40:01Exactly that.
40:06But before we make our festive tea lights, I want to understand the science of scent.
40:12What 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, and
40:33that'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?
40:55When 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.
41:06So 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.
41:33It 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,
41:47ready 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.
42:00The 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.
42:09It'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.
42:28This is the pouring line, where all the elements of the tea light come together.
42:35The 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.
42:50The cases come down through here, and then this fancy piece of kit cuts the wick to the right length, and 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. Just this one here.
43:22Oh, easy. Off she goes.
43:29Gosh, look at this. It'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.
44:01So 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.
44:18Wintertime.
44:19Ready for dispatch around the country.
44:24Quite satisfying to know that someone's going to open all these little doors on the run-up to Christmas
44:27and enjoy their Christmas candles.
44:29Happy Christmas, guys. Thank you.
44:31I hope you've got one of those for me, Cherry.
44:36It may surprise you, but I love a hot soak in the tub with a scented candle.
44:47Back in Market Drayton, there's no time to relax when there are Santas to decorate.
44:55And Cherry's back from Cornwall already.
44:58That was quick.
44:58Gingerbread coming through. Make way. Thank you so much.
45:05It's her job to decorate our second Christmas biscuit.
45:09Come on, my little reindeer friends. Let'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. Have you scared everyone off?
45:23Yes, well, unlike the Santas, we don't decorate these by hand.
45:27We decorate it with a robot.
45:30Oh, 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 ours.
45:57And it doesn't complain about our make?
45:58No, definitely not.
46:00How does it know where the biscuit is to get the icing exact?
46:03So when it takes the tray in, it takes a picture of the camera and it maps where the biscuits
46:08are on the tray and it's pre-programmed, the design, so then it'll just see where the biscuit
46:13is and trace it 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.
46:37Oh, no!
46:41That's because I was talking to you.
46:43It's basically got a nosebleed.
46:45Yes.
46:47Not so easy, is it?
46:49Mine looks like it's been in some kind of accident.
46:52Oh, 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.
47:22I'm happy with that one.
47:24He's got his own charm about him there, you see.
47:27You see, I'm not a perfect Santa, but, you know, I'll still taste nice.
47:31Right, so I'm going to take mine, too, to cherry and see how it compares with her reindeers.
47:39Thanks very much for that.
47:40No worries.
47:40See you in a bit.
47:41See you in a bit.
47:42Come on, you two.
47:43So, it's the ultimate Christmas competition.
47:51Santa versus his reindeer.
47:54But which of us has won the icing crown?
47:59Ooh.
47:59Let's see yours.
48:00Can I just say?
48:01Don't you think?
48:02Lovely glazing.
48:04Yes.
48:04That was actually, that 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.
48:26Right, OK.
48:28Unfortunately, I don't think either of them are going to pass our quality standards.
48:32But, you are more than welcome to have them and take them away.
48:35Perfect.
48:36Can I have one of your garden gnomes?
48:39Yes, you can, yes, 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, the gingerbread is ready to be pined.
49:00We're placing the Santas individually down the flow wrapper.
49:03So, each one goes in its own little section.
49:05Love this.
49:06And it's pushed along, and it's taken it down to the flow wrapper section there.
49:15The Santas are sealed in their see-through packages at the rate of 50 a minute.
49:21As we go round, you'll see them coming out of the other side, all individually packed.
49:29Yes.
49:33All them little Santas off to make someone's Christmas.
49:36Absolutely.
49:36Very special.
49:38Off to stockings around the country.
49:40Beautiful.
49:40Then it's into the boxes.
49:44Eight in each.
49:47Good night, everyone.
49:49Where Santa is united with his reindeers.
49:52Well, Cherry's all right at packing boxes, but how does she go on with wrapping presents?
50:02Let's find out.
50:10Now, I adore giving gifts.
50:13But wrapping them is a whole world of pain.
50:19Please tell me that I am not the only one that leaves my wrapping to 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.
50:27And then it looks like this.
50:30There's got to be a better way to do this.
50:34Here to grant my Christmas wish is expert mathematician Bobby Seagull.
50:41Bobby!
50:42Happy Christmas!
50:42Happy Christmas!
50:44Come in.
50:45Who uses maths to achieve present wrapping perfection.
50:51Bobby, welcome to the annual Christmas wrapping disaster.
50:57This is ineffective.
50:58There's far too much wrapping paper.
50:59It's wasted.
51:00On this one here, the corners aren't covered because the paper's too weak.
51:03You're not covering the surface area.
51:05This is a mathematical Christmas disaster.
51:07Can maths save Christmas?
51:09Maths will have to save Christmas.
51:11Definitely this Christmas.
51:14Luckily, I have a whole raft of rolls to choose from.
51:18Think about the paper you're using.
51:20It shouldn't have glitter or that shiny foil because these are non-paper additives that can't be recycled.
51:26Don't be on the naughty list because of your wrapping paper.
51:28No, Santa is not going to be pleased with you.
51:31No, okay.
51:33In the UK, it's estimated we throw away around 200,000 miles of wrapping paper a year.
51:41So, if you can, it's important to choose fully recyclable paper.
51:45To avoid waste, I'm hoping Bobby's maths can help me achieve perfectly wrapped presents.
51:55Let's start with this, a box of chocolates.
51:57Well, maths can definitely help.
51:59So, if you look at this, it's a square prism.
52:02It's got a square on one side and it's the same dimensions all the way through.
52:07Before we begin wrapping, we calculate how much paper we need to cover our square prism.
52:17So, X presents the sides of this square.
52:21Yes.
52:21And L represents the length.
52:23Good.
52:23I'm not at one with maths, but I'm following you.
52:27Now it's time to measure.
52:29OK, the width of the square is 6 centimetres.
52:35OK.
52:36Good.
52:37The length is 19 centimetres.
52:40Plus, we have a third measurement to allow for a half centimetre paper overlap when wrapping.
52:47OK, so Y equals 0.5.
52:51Time to calculate the total area of paper needed.
52:56First, the width.
52:57All the way round, there's how many lots of X?
53:01Four.
53:02So, the width of the wrapping we needed is 4X plus Y.
53:06So, 4 times 6 is 24.
53:10Plus the half centimetre paper overlap.
53:1424.5?
53:16Yes, 24.5.
53:19To work out the length of paper, it's the length of the box plus one side of the square end.
53:2519 plus 6, which is 25.
53:31Spot on.
53:37Calculations complete.
53:38Next, measure and cut.
53:40That is not enough wrapping paper.
53:46Trust the maths.
53:50We're using paper-based sticky tape that can be recycled along with the wrapping paper.
53:57Thanks to that half centimetre overlap, our paper joins up perfectly.
54:03Ta-da!
54:06I told you.
54:07Look at that.
54:09Nothing is wasted.
54:10Everything is used.
54:14And the same principle even applies to wrapping a bottle of festive fizz.
54:19Instead of the square at the base, it's now a circle.
54:23To work out the width of paper, measure the diameter of the bottle and times it by a figure known as pi.
54:31And pi is roughly 3.14.
54:34Plus half a centimetre overlap.
54:37The length of the wrapping is the diameter of the bottle plus the height.
54:41The classic bottle, wrapped, and it's beautiful.
54:48Bobby's halfway to saving Christmas, but can he pass my final fiendish challenge?
54:57Can you deal with the big boss of wrapping?
55:00Which is?
55:01A ball.
55:02It's difficult to wrap spheres perfectly, but there is a way around this.
55:07We can actually create a petal-like structure to wrap around the football.
55:14Oh, wow.
55:15So you can have four, five, or six petals.
55:19It might take a bit of time to cut out the petals, but once that's done, it takes seconds to wrap it.
55:27Look at that.
55:28Santa's smiling all the way to the North Pole.
55:31I can hear the elves singing their favourite Christmas song.
55:36And they're not the only ones humming a happy tune.
55:40With Bobby's help, my Christmas wish has been fulfilled.
55:44Look how beautiful they look.
55:46I think it's fair to say that you are the saviour of Christmas.
55:50Look at you, like a Christmas elf.
55:52Merry Christmas.
55:54That is officially a wrap.
55:56I've got to say, that box looked great.
56:06The ball, not so much.
56:08Our boxed-up gingerbread has been loaded onto pallets,
56:33and it's taken outside where I'm headed, jacket on, her net off, to see it on its way.
56:40Oh, loading them up.
56:42You all right, Gemma?
56:42Hi, Paddy.
56:43Hello, Paddy.
56:44This is my mum.
56:45This is Sarah, Paddy.
56:46Oh, nice to meet you, Sarah.
56:47Sarah, so you set this business up all those years ago.
56:51Did you imagine it were going to grow into something as big as this,
56:54because it's very impressive?
56:56No, not at all.
56:57Absolutely not.
56:57No, we had a little bread shop, and, you know, it's a dream come true.
57:00You start a business, and you never expect it to go to where it is today.
57:04And I'm very proud, and a lot of hard work, and a great team behind us.
57:08Hard work pays off.
57:09How many gingerbreads are on there?
57:11Well, there's 26 pallets on there, which is just shy of 100,000 pieces.
57:15100,000 gingerbreads waiting to go out to keep everyone happy around the nation.
57:20Right, that's loaded up.
57:21We'll close the doors, send them on the way.
57:24I'm going to get my colleague out of the cherry,
57:26because no doubt she'll be snaffling up all the gingerbreads.
57:28Merry Christmas.
57:30Merry Christmas.
57:31Take care.
57:39From Market Drayton, the British home of gingerbread,
57:45our Santas and reindeers travel across the country,
57:50ready to drop down the chimneys of well-behaved biscuit lovers everywhere.
58:00Oh, look at us in the boss's office.
58:03Living the life.
58:04Nice cup of tea.
58:06Look at these beauties.
58:08Do you want one?
58:09I'd love one.
58:10Cheers.
58:13Merry Christmas, everyone.
58:15Have a lovely time.
58:16Oh.
58:16Oh, well, I wish it could be Christmas every day
58:24When the kids start singing and the band begins to play
58:30Oh, I wish it could be Christmas every day
58:38So let the bells ring out for Christmas
58:44So let the bells ring out for Christmas
58:46So let the bells ring out for Christmas
58:48And let theibles ring out for Christmas
58:55And then we follow someone to see you next time
58:57del delivery cool
58:57I do want to see you next time
58:58to see you next time
58:59Oh, my God
59:00Well, welcome to let you know
59:04Oh, my God
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