Repair Shop elves make mum's Christmas by bringing grandma's Santas back to life

24 December 2023 , 10:21

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Dating back at least 100 years, the Santas were brought onto the show by mum and daughter Sheila Glennie and Denise Nelson (Image: BBC / Richochet)

A pair of Santas facing their last ever Christmas have been revived by a bit of festive magic from The Repair Shop elves.

The BBC show’s Christmas special features mum and daughter Sheila Glennie and Denise Nelson, who arrived at the workshop with two papier mache Father Christmases. Dating back at least 100 years, the figures have graced every family festive period they could remember.

Mum-of-five Sheila, 85, said: “They were originally my grandma, Barbara’s. I don’t know where she got them. But my mum, Hilda, was born in 1900 and she remembered seeing them when she was a little girl so they are from before then. They’re part of our Christmas every year and have been ever since I can remember. When they come out, it’s ‘right, it’s Christmas now’.”

But years of taking pride of place on the mantelpiece had left them dusted in soot and unable to stand. Sheila added: “One of the Santas had lost the whole of his hat. It was completely missing.” It was Denise, 65, who suggested a visit to The Repair Shop.

Mum Sheila Glennie and her daughter Denise Nelson were delighted with the Repair Shop's work (BBC / Richochet)

Enter Santa’s little helper, paper restorer Angelina Bakalarou. “The whole reason for having the decorations restored is because I am waiting to get my hands on them,” she laughed. “She was worried she wasn’t going to get them because they were falling apart,” Sheila chuckled. “I don’t think they would have lasted another Christmas.

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“My mam gave them to me when I got my first home, which was in about 1960. Denise would always say ‘I want them’. So after this Christmas, I am handing them over – but I am going to miss them.”

The pair, from Newcastle, were happy with the results. “Angelina did a wonderful job,” said Sheila. “We didn’t want the Santas to look brand new. We wanted to keep them as original, you know so you could see the age. But the colour is back and they are like I remember as a girl. “It was an amazing experience. They are very nice people.”

The Christmas also features Jay Blades and his team getting their hands on a mechanical Christmas cake invention from the 1940s, and a record player gift from a little boy that truly plays on the heartstrings.

* The Repair Shop Christmas Special is on BBC One and iPlayer, Sunday, 8pm.

Karen Bryans