'Call The Midwife's 2023 Christmas Special Brings Hope to Those Who Need It Most

As Call The Midwife returns for its annual holiday tradition ahead of the Season 13 debut, it’s Christmas 1968, and Poplar is abuzz with holiday excitement. There are two new occupants at Nonnatus House, Nurse Nancy Corrigan and her daughter Colette. Nancy was almost lured away by a new job that offered housing, and Sister Julienne found this, the simplest of solutions to mother and daughter living together. Nancy and Colette are thrilled and anticipate a wonderful Christmas in their new space.

The Turners, with their brood of children, are also dealing with Christmas expectations. The children are all thrilled at the impending launch of Apollo 8, and her daughter Angela (Alice Brown) has asked for a telescope for Christmas. Teddy (Edward Shaw) wants a tortoise for Christmas, which is a bit problematic since tortoises want to hibernate, and there’s a moment of panic when Timothy, home from university, is afraid the critter is dead. Shelagh is horrified at the thought of her child unwrapping a dead reptile and appoints Miss Higgins as its official guardian. The tortoise is moved to a cozy spot in a box under her desk, with a supply of lettuce to keep it awake.

Miss Higgins is busy finding new clinic space in the neighborhood and not happy about her additional responsibility. Shelagh, however, is also concerned about a package for her daughter May Tang (April Rae Hoang) from Hong Kong. The Turners have not yet been able to formally adopt May Tang, and her birth mother in Hong Kong is bad at keeping in touch. Shelagh doesn’t want to see her daughter hurt and finally opens the package to find a dress that is far too small. She gets to work and remakes the dress.