The Eureka Years - 26/12/2008

Adam Hart-Davis explores the history of the technology of Christmas, with balloons, stars and a stockingful of toys. He travels to the town of Lauscha in Germany, where glass baubles are still blown by hand, a tradition that goes back to the mid-1830s. Adam finds a dizzying description of the first Christmas tree lit by electric light bulbs, looks at X-rays of teddy bear skeletons and pulls a cracker in the name of scientific investigation.