With less than a week to go until Christmas Day, it’s feeling fabulously festive. I know that’s stating the obvious, but I’m not one of those people who starts unpacking the fairy lights in October; it always takes me a while to feel Christmassy. One thing that always gets me in the holiday mood is buying the double issues of the Radio Times and TV Times.

Like so many other kids in the 1970s and 80s, I was keeper of the television guides over Christmas and, armed with pens (and highlighters for the most important must-see spectacles of the season), I would pore over every page of programmes, circling what to watch for the forthcoming fortnight. This was back when the Radio Times exclusively published BBC listings while the TV Times only published the commercial offering (the market opened up as a result of the 1990 Broadcasting Act) so, like a meticulous military operation, the magazines would be laid out in the middle of the dining table and there I’d be, planning, deliberating, then drafting an initial shortlist – with potential scheduling clashes flagged up – for my family, before carefully crafting the definitive Christmas TV viewing plan. As an avid fan of television and lists, this annual ritual was more of a highlight for me than decorating the tree. The advent of video recorders made the whole process much easier, but there was still the issue of which programmes simply had to be watched ‘live’ and which could be taped for viewing at a later date. Some were mandatory: The Two Ronnies; The Paul Daniels Magic Show; Larry Grayson’s Generation Game and, of course, The Queen’s Speech.

Fast forward to 2019 and I find myself doing the same thing, except the dining table is spared from looking like something out of a makeshift war bunker. I still sift diligently through the weighty double issues of the Radio Times and TV Times, only now they have been joined by additional print and online publications, apps and electronic programme guides. Today’s viewers have hundreds of digital channels to choose from, hi-tech TV tuners capable of multiple simultaneous recordings, and streaming services like Netflix, Apple TV+ and BritBox. And with channels like Gold screening marathons of comedy classics, any day – every day – can be Christmas Day. But juke-box TV culture aside, nothing beats the feeling of nodding off in front of the telly after our festive feast. Oh well. There’s always catch-up.