1930s Christmas Television – How The Box Changed Christmas In Britain Forever

1930s Christmas television was one of the most extraordinary and revolutionary developments in the history of British festive entertainment.

Last Updated: May 2026

Yet most families at the time had absolutely no idea they were witnessing the birth of something that would change Christmas forever.

From John Logie Baird’s pioneering broadcasts to the BBC’s Christmas programmes.

We explore the story of how television arrived in British homes during the thirties.

Television Arrives In British Homes – The 1930s Story

John Logie Baird had already demonstrated his brilliant invention to the world back in January 1926 – but it was the 1930s when television truly began its journey into British homes.

The BBC launched the world’s first regular high definition public television service in 1936 and for the first time families could watch scheduled programmes.

For most British families however television remained an unimaginable luxury, with Christmas remaining firmly centred around the wireless radio for the vast majority of homes.

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What Was On Christmas Television In The 1930s?

The BBC’s early Christmas broadcasts were modest by today’s standards but utterly magical to the tiny number of families lucky enough to own a television set.

It was also during the 1930s that some of the most iconic Christmas imagery we still recognise today was born.

In 1931 Coca Cola commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom to create their now legendary jolly red suited Father Christmas – an image that defined how the world pictures Santa Claus to this very day.

And in 1938 the beloved A Christmas Carol arrived on screen starring Reginald Owen as Scrooge, such a classic!

You can still watch the magical 1938 A Christmas Carol today, a wonderful addition to any Christmas film collection:

How Much Did A 1930s Television Cost?

At £100 a 1930s television set cost the equivalent of a small car, making it one of the most exclusive luxury purchases.

Even more remarkably these TV’s had a screen of just 10inches, a sharp contrast to the huge screens we have today.

Only the wealthiest households owned one and those that did became something of a local celebrity.

Neighbours would gather to peer through windows hoping to catch a glimpse of this extraordinary new technology.

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There we go! the fascinating story of how 1930s Christmas television changed Britain forever.

From John Logie Baird’s revolutionary invention to the BBC’s first festive broadcasts and the birth of iconic Christmas imagery we still recognise today.

👉 Discover more about life in the thirties? Don’t miss our Experience A Family Christmas In The 1930s for the complete picture of festive life in that wonderful decade!

👉 Discover how television changed Christmas entertainment in the 1930s.