The tradition of the Christmas Radio Times

Christmas is a time for traditions and every family has their own.  Then when children grow up and get married, they take those traditions with them, or create new ones (hopefully without too many arguments).  Whether it’s children flicking through the Argos catalogue to make their lists – check out the look back at the Argos catalogues through the years. Or satsumas and walnuts in the bottom of Christmas stockings. Plenty stick and plenty pass on by.  I’m amazed that the Radio Times is still in circulation.

As soon as the end of November hits, social media feeds start to fill up with Christmas adverts, wishes, gift lists and foods. And the mention of the Christmas Radio Times being on sale.  The anticipation for many of us continues, even though many people don’t even watch live tv anymore.

Although Christmas is still a working day on the farm, we do catch up with family, and it’s rare the tv is on until quite late in the evening. We tend to do Christmas tea at whoever’s house has the most leftovers, and the rest gets taken over there along with various puddings. The children (with 5 out of the 7 now teens and older) play, the adults chat and play games, and we all eat. There’s usually no tv until we’re home again and N is in bed.

But every year I religiously buy the Christmas edition of the Radio Times, as I’m sure many others do.

I never buy tv magazines the rest of the year, the same as my mum never did before. But the Christmas fortnight edition was a must.

As a child I would pour over the magazine, looking for the annual quiz, crosswords and any other puzzles.  Read articles about new films and tv shows.  And of course get out a pen to mark the shows I wanted to watch.

Nowadays, we could just look up the tv guide and check what’s on when we want to watch. It doesn’t matter if we miss a show because there’s usually a repeat (if it’s not a repeat in the first place!) on once or twice over the holiday period.  Many people have the ability to record the shows they can’t miss, and then of course there’s catch up opportunities through online streaming.

But I’ll still take time out to read the Christmas Radio Times. To find out what’s on.  To check I’ve not missed anything. Because if you’re flicking through 100s of channels, or don’t know what you’re searching for, it’s not productive. 

So as soon as it’s available each year, I’ll buy a copy, get out my highlighter and start planning the films I don’t want to miss. To work out what ballet and dance performances are being shown. And whether there are any Christmas specials I’d like to watch.  I’ll programme them in to record just in case (because the rarely wants to watch what I like).

I could look online for what’s on, but it’s not the same as a real life Christmas Radio Times magazine. After all, Christmas is about traditions, and the Radio Times is a tradition for a lot of people still.

Are you a Christmas Radio Times buyer?