The National Archives wishes you a safe and happy festive season. Hear our choir, Archivally Sound perform 'Christmas bush and Christmas bells', registered for copyright by Sydney resident George Ince in 1955.

See famous artist Lionel Lindsay's whimsical images about how ordinary Australians and our native wildlife celebrate the Christmas season.

Click here for Christmas opening hours for National Archives' galleries, reading rooms and telephone inquiry service.

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Be sure to check our website on 1 January for a glimpse of the nation as it was in 1979, with the annual  Cabinet records release.

These records reveal key decisions and events, providing insight into the major issues of the time.

This year we look back to 1979 with Malcolm Fraser leading his third ministry into a fifth year as Prime Minister.

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In our October edition we were 'desperately seeking Ethel' – for letters or objects connected with Ethel Bruce, wife of our eighth prime minister – to be included in our latest exhibition Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman.

Not only did we receive some fascinating objects and information, but we also discovered that ABC radio's PM presenter Mark Colvin is the great-great-nephew of Stanley and Ethel Bruce. Learn about 'the forgotten prime minister' on Mark's blog. Also, watch the installation of our exhibition on flickr.

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The National Archives' grant winners for 2009 have been announced. Dr Christina Twomey from Monash University was awarded the Frederick Watson Fellowship for a study into Australia's National Service Scheme.

Dr Twomey was a Margaret George fellow in 2004, becoming the first to receive two awards in the National Archives' grants program.

A team from Edith Cowan University led by Dr Martin Masek, has received the Ian Maclean Award for their simulation of  submarine HMAS AE2  for the Archives' website.  Dr Michele Cunningham from the University of Adelaide has been granted the Margaret George Award for her research into Australian and British prisoners of war in Sandakan between 1942 and 1945.

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This month marks 90 years since the first flight from England to Australia.

Flying a Vickers Vimy biplane, the crew, Sirs Ross and Keith Smith and Sergeants Shiers and Bennett  (all wearing army uniforms) are pictured along with a welcome party just after landing in Darwin, 10 December 1919. 

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Family history seekers, mark Tuesday 23 February 2010, in your diary for Shake your family tree day,  an open day in our offices around the country.

Activities will help you learn to locate family treasures that could include service records, immigration and citizenship applications, employment records, copyright registrations, letters and photographs.

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Congratulations to last month's winners Betty Candy, NSW, Tony Lee, NSW, Geoff Millar, ACT, and Diane Sharp, WA, who correctly answered 'FX Holden'.

They have each received a copy of our publication which accompanies our new exhibition Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman. The 6th and 12th correct entries received for this month's quirky quiz will each win a Christmas pack of goodies.

Of value were we, as searched for we would be, amongst the delights of the festive fare, not swallowed, but licked with flair.

Search here for a hint. Email us with your answer in the subject line and your postal address in the body of the email. View terms and conditions.

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Christmas means family reunions, festivities, and for some, evading the home-movie enthusiast. Plenty of households would have old videotapes tucked away somewhere, containing precious memories of summers past.

Known as ‘magnetic media’ because of the magnetised film they contain, these items can easily deteriorate. To prolong their life, handle carefully and don’t touch the film.

Store your videotapes in containers made of plastic, rather than paper or cardboard, which generate dust. Consider copying the data to a CD-ROM. See more tips in our publication Keep it for the future!

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