Draft:BBC Two/Christmas Idents

1967-1971

Visuals: On a black background is the "2-cube" from before in white/red. Underneath the two is the text "B B C 2", followed by the text "COLOUR" also in white/red. Right next to it would either be a snowflake or a Christmas tree.

Technique: TBC.

Audio: TBC.

Availability: No video footage currently exists for these idents. It is unknown if these were idents, or just stings.

1972

Visuals: We see the "2-cube" rotating above the screen. Below that, Separated by a line, is the text "CHRISTMAS in colour"; with the sides covered in tinsel. It is unknown how it was coloured, as currently only a black-and-white image has surfaced of this ident.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None, although an announcer may be heard.

Availability: No video footage currently exists for this ident.

1973-1974

Visuals: Similar to last year, we see a thinner version of the 2-cube, without the large dot. Several sequin stars rise out of the "2", while below that is a caption that stated the day ("Christmas Eve", "Christmas Day" or "Boxing Day") underneath. It is unknown what the 1973 variant is coloured like, but the 1974 version has the "2" coloured in orange. That was the last time the 2-cube was ever seen on BBC2.

Technique: live-action.

Audio: None, although an announcer may be heard.

Availability: No video footage currently exists for the 1973 version, but the 1974 version has surfaced.

1975

Visuals: A big yellow "2" made of two stripes (very similar to the next BBC 2 logo) on a red background.

Technique: TBC.

Audio: None, although an announcer may be heard.

Availability: No video footage currently exists for this ident. For a long while, this ident was entirely lost until a screenshot of it resurfaced in 2016.

1976

Visuals: A shiny and multicoloured sequined layout of the striped "2", which constantly moves.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None, although an announcer may be heard.

1977

Visuals: A cube of red "2"s composed by stripes, rotates in the same manner as the previous BBC 2 ident, above a "CHRISTMAS" caption.

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: None, although an announcer may be heard.

1978

Visuals: On a black background, we see two groups of three medieval trumpeters – each placed on separate rotating turntables. One turntable followed a clockwise motion, the other anti-clockwise. Their trumpets are dorned with the new "2" logo on the flag of the trumpets.

Technique: Live-action.

Visuals:

Technique:

Audio:

1991 (Méliès)

Visuals:

Trivia: The ident package is based on Georges Méliès' Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon).

Technique:

Audio:

1992 (Christmas Tree)

Visuals:

Technique:

Audio:

1993 (Tin Toy)

Visuals: We see several Hobbit-like creatures taking a large discarded tin decoration in the shape of the '2' up to the top of a Christmas Tree. Once it reaches upwards to the tree, the BBC logo appears below, a red-haired hobbit creature jumps down, and blue flames appear on the back of the '2'.

Trivia: The entire ident was recorded within a single take by two people, utalising complex shots and effects. The whole thing was produced using a simple set, articulated puppets and special effects, all lit up using a golden reflective cyclorama.

Variant: An alternate variant exists where the '2' does not flame up at the end. The BBC logo (or any stereo or 888 symbols) appears for the entire length of the ident this time.

Technique: Stop-motion animation. Produced by 3 Peach.

Audio: A victorian-like tune.

Legacy: A virtually impressive piece of art that certainly deserved the Design & Art Direction Wood Pencil and BAFTA Television Craft Awards it got.

1994

Visuals: A large yellow "2" is in a decorated dome against a tundra landscape.

Technique:

Audio:

1995 (Wallace and Gromit)

Visuals: Wallace and Gromit accompany a 2 covered in fairy lights while sitting down to Christmas dinner.

Trivia: The ident package was created to promote the then-newest Wallace and Gromit short film "A Close Shave".

Technique: Stop-motion animation by Aardman Animations. This was their first BBC Christmas ident.

Audio: Same as the "Neon" ident, with the lights syncing to the music. Buzzing noises can also be heard when the fairy lights flash.

1996

Visuals: A wizard walks on clouds in the sky, before spinning and turning into a "2" made of stars.

Technique:

Audio:

1997 (Snowglobe)

Vic, Bob and Ulrika variant

Visuals: On a blurry blue room with a table, a snow "2" appears on a snow globe, which also contains many trees, mountains, and a snowman.

Variant: An alternate variant exists where reflections of Vic Reeves, Bob Mortimer (wearing a red paper crown) and Ulrika Johnson (dressed up as a fairy) from Shooting Stars appear on the snowglobe's glass. Vic and Bob point at the viewer, while Ulrika moves around slowly at the bottom. There was meant to be a wide range of variants featuring stars from other BBC Two shows, but this was the only one that was made.

Technique: Appears to be live-action.

Audio: A mysterious single note "ahhhhh" tune.

1998 (Wild Fairies)

Visuals: A green fairy moves back to reveal the 2 atop a Christmas tree with surreal white and green colours.

Technique:

Audio:

1999 (Electric Fairy)

Visuals: A similar theme to last year, and the first ident to feature the bbc.co.uk URL. The 2, complete with wings, knocks the fairy off the tree before taking her place, a Christmassy view from the cities against a cerulean background as the 2 with wings sits well at the top of the Christmas tree.

Trivia: This ident won the Royal Television Society Craft & Design Award for the Best Channel Ident that year.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: We hear some electric sounds, the fairy screaming "Ahhh!" and then an electric-sounding tune at the end.

2000 ()

2000 (The Giant Snow 2)

Visuals: Two small white 2's skate on top of, and fall off, a huge ice-covered 2 against a blue background.

Technique:

Audio:

2001-2004 ()

Visuals: **Christmas 2001: There is the '2' sprout its robotic arms, and a glowing fairy bursts into view, with sparks flying. The fairy flies out of the '2's hands and draws a tall Christmas tree - at warp speed - out of fairy dust. She then flies around a bit before settling down onto the top of the tree, and then flies off again.

Technique:

Audio:

2002-2004 ()

Technique: **Christmas 2002: The 2 builds a snow-2. The 2 runs off to get something, and comes back with two sticks. The 2 puts the sticks on the snow-2, so the snow-2 looks like a self-portrait.

Audio:

2003-2004 (Ice Cube)

Technique: **Christmas 2003: There is the robotic '2' frozen on ice. Also seen in the summer when the weather is hot.

Audio: Same as "Invisible Walls", with additional sound effects.

2005-2006 (Magic)

Technique: **Christmas 2005: Several yellow sparks fly around on black, forming the 2. Reused in 2006.

Audio:

2007-2010 (Magic Forest/Magic Sprite)

Technique: The theme of this ident utilises paper origami and a blue sprite. Two idents were made:

Magic Sprite: A blue sprite runs around white and light brown papers depicting trees, animals and other festive creatures.
Magic Forest:

Audio:

2011-2016

Technique:

Audio:

2018-Present

Technique: Christmas takes on the curve idents. Four were produced:

- Magical: A snow-covered fir tree with branches forming the 2 curve shakes off some of the snow, possibly inspired by the 1992 Christmas ident.
- Glorious: Also known as Glamourous. A brightly-coloured aurora shines in a dark, starry sky, weaving into the 2 curve shape at points.
- Cosy: Also known as Comforting. A domestic cat flicks a bauble around on a carpeted floor - only its tail is seen, occasionally settling into the shape of the 2 curve, and purring sounds can be heard.
- Festive: Various tinsel garlands are flying around the screen into the shape of the 2 curve in middle of purple tinsel and back.

Audio: