This was the last episode to be co-written by Richard Curtis and the last to be broadcast by Thames Television on behalf of the ITV network.

Bean volunteers to assist the conductor of a Salvation Army brass band in collecting donations; in doing so, he catches a pickpocket and forces him to hand over all of his stolen items.

After he fails to hide his predicament, Irma assists him by tying the turkey to a coal scuttle and tossing it out the window.

Bean then realises that he "forgot the main bit" and takes out a ring box, which delights Irma.

Following its broadcast on American cable television network HBO, this episode won the 1995 CableACE award for best comedy special.

During the nativity scene, Bean introduces a military marching band while humming "The British Grenadiers", which is used as the theme tune to Blackadder Goes Forth, another sitcom Rowan Atkinson starred in.

The person in charge of the contest is shocked when Bean guesses the exact weight (to three decimal places) and wins it.