We owe much to the Victorian figures determined to resurrect the joy of Christmas through music. Andrew Green charts how carol collectors have shaped the way the world celebrates

I was at one of those gatherings where friends of friends sprawled into groups entirely unconnected from the first, like a suburban town long freed from its planner. “It must be great to be in enterta

John Rutter at 80 Donald Macleod visits John Rutter at home in this celebratory series of Composer of the Week, looking back at the highs and lows of his extraordinary career. We hear about the full b

You might be surprised to learn that there are more ghost sightings on Christmas Eve than there are at Halloween, so what better time for a ghost hunt? The festive season has always been favoured by l

Three women share their stories of festive singing

From gleaming presents to inebriating parties, discover five artists’ interpretations of the festive season