[Former Member 24]

That's true, although the practice of airing the Christmas ident for just 3 days (with the occasional extension to 4 or 5 days in the years when there were Bank Holidays in lieu) would remain in place all the way up to 1999, long after the mechanical models had ceased to be used.

Ah, that explains why 1994's snowmen (the Boxing Day variant with the wrapping paper gone) remained in place until 28th December, as the 27th was a Bank Holiday.