There's nothing on!

"Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without the double-edition Radio Times!" How often have I said that in the past, or had others say it to me?

It has certainly been part of my Christmas traditions, for as long as I can remember, to buy the special Christmas edition as soon as it hits the news-stands. (For those of us who can remember further back, there was a time when you had to buy the Radio Times and the TV Times, as the former only published BBC TV and radio programmes; the latter covered ITV)

So it was, in the usual spirit of Christmas tradition, that I bought this year's edition.

But, I have to say, it was probably the worst investment of £3.20 I made this past festive season.

To borrow from Terry Wogan: "Is it me?" It just seems that Christmas TV isn't what it used to be. Perhaps the growth in quantity (of channels, that is) is directly proportional to the decline in quality. Perhaps the DVD/catch-up-TV-on-the-internet age has just dulled the excitement of a special film or Christmas TV special.

In the past part of the fun of buying the double-edition was glancing through and spotting well in advance the programmes or films you wanted to watch (or to record on VHS if you knew you wouldn't be in to see it). I recall my mum used to circle those things she most wanted to see.

Now each day takes up three double pages: terrestrial TV, then the freeview channels, and then the satellite channels. Even though I have no need for the third section (not having satellite) wading through everything else now becomes a major exercise. In some cases there is precious little detail because of the lack of space.

I'm not a Luddite: I watch DVDs, I watch stuff on the freeview channels (especially the excellent ITV3) and I occasionally watch stuff on the internet.

All the same, I can't help feeling we have lost something of the sparkle of TV at Christmas.