Well, the Christmas programming has popped its head out and it might as well not have bothered. It gets worse and worse every year. At one time Christmas used to be when all the new and unseen stuff was on the TV. I could not wait to get hold of the Christmas ‘TV Times’ to plan what I was going to watch and what I was going to have to record – yes sometimes there was too much on at the same time. I know! Impossible to imagine!

Don’t think the Christmas magazines are out just yet, I have seen the Daily Express 12 day guide which actually only goes up to New Years’ Eve. On the first pages there is what is supposed to be the Christmas highlights; Loose Woman Special (Christmas Eve), This Morning (Christmas Day). Eastenders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Christmas food programmes. These are highlights? Then there are The Larkins, Mrs Browns Boys, Call the Midwife. There is only one programme mentioned on these highlight pages that is worth watching for me – Death in Paradise on Boxing Day.

The 12 Days of Christmas Viewing starts on Monday 20^th December but let us just take Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Christmas Eve
There is not one film on Christmas Eve Eve (if you get my drift) until 11 pm on BBC2 except for Home Alone on C4 which has only been on a million times – is Macauley Culkin not drawing his pension now? Instead we have on ITV – soap, carols, soap, Breaking Dad which I count as documentary and BBC1 – repairing crap, soap, cars (Top Gear) and singing.

Christmas Day
ITV do not have any films on during the day until Love Actually at 10.40 pm. BBC1 try with two UK terrestrial premieres but of course they are not new to anybody because they have been seen on satellite. Evening viewing though is ITV – soap, soap, Larkins and BBC1 – blank (sorry that’s Blankety Blank), Call the Midwife, soap, man dressed as woman fooling no one. Other than Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Channel 5 is just a load of lists – best ever this and that – all day.

Boxing Day
Again ITV have no films on but they of course still manage to dish up the soaps. BBC1 is a little better with Around the World in 80 Days – a new series – and Death in Paradise (hurrah).

Christmas TV is nothing special these days and in the main it is treated like any other time. TV audiences have been dumbed down anyway with the offerings they are given such as people eating testicles or dancing away with a mistress. And if any more proof was needed on how ordinary Christmas is now look at this:

ITV Monday 6^th December (i.e. tomorrow)
6.00 am – Good Morning Britain
9.00 am – Lorraine
10,00 am – Good Morning

ITV Christmas Day
7.00 am – Good Morning Britain
9.00 am – Lorraine
10.00 am – This Morning

Spot the difference!

For anyone Home Alone at Christmas (me included) who would enjoy watching something different than the usual load of rubbish I am afraid you are going to be disappointed. Very, very disappointed! Better luck next year, but I wouldn’t count on it!