Christmas cultural mystery

[LeMartinPecheur]

Back in September I noticed in RT a new free-to-air TV channel called Sony Movies Christmas, channel 50 down here in the SW. As listed it appears to offer a completely unrelieved diet of Christmas movies. At the start the films all rated two stars out of five with an occasional garnish of one-stars but nothing higher - until last week I spotted just one 3-star.

My simple question is WHY? And why particularly in September? Does anyone in the UK watch it? - presumably advertisers must paying for it. Does this presage further importation of US seasonal habits like Christmas decoration shops open all year?

Do please tell me if it was there last year and I missed it

[Dave2002]

Might be one to miss this year too, but here are some details - https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/n...rgin-freeview/

Seems it went live over 4 weeks ago.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Might be one to miss this year too, but here are some details - https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/n...rgin-freeview/

Seems it went live over 4 weeks ago.

Thanks for that Dave. So-o-o relieved that I didn't notice it last year The article says "On Sony Movies Christmas there will be a host of Yuletide delights to keep viewers company...". Any idea when this actually starts?

[Dave2002]

Thanks for that Dave. So-o-o relieved that I didn't notice it last year The article says "On Sony Movies Christmas there will be a host of Yuletide delights to keep viewers company...". Any idea when this actually starts?

Seems it's been going since 24th September - see above.
The article I linked to suggested channel 303 for Freesat, but up here in the far north it's actually on 270 and 271 for the alternative channel.

It does indeed seem to have Christmas related art - I mean tat! With adverts to match. Yuk!

Examples - Sony Christmas Guide to Dating
Xmas+1 currently has "Correcting Christmas" - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3915160/
Next up is going to be "All I want for Christmas" - possibly this one - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3210602/

Clearly some trully horrific stuff to avoid! Or not - if that's your bag.

[crb11]

These channels have been a regular fixture for some years, although I don't recall seeing them before November before. My wife watches them on occasion. As far as I can tell, the films only have two plots (over-busy husband is neglecting his family on the run-up to Christmas, but mysterious visitor or angel shows them the error of their ways; family is facing a difficult Christmas and something happens semi-miraculously to sort things out). Other than that, I agree with everything posted above, except the word "cultural" in the title of the thread...

[johncorrigan]

These channels have been a regular fixture for some years, although I don't recall seeing them before November before. My wife watches them on occasion. As far as I can tell, the films only have two plots (over-busy husband is neglecting his family on the run-up to Christmas, but mysterious visitor or angel shows them the error of their ways; family is facing a difficult Christmas and something happens semi-miraculously to sort things out). Other than that, I agree with everything posted above, except the word "cultural" in the title of the thread...

Not sure if they've started yet, but I was aware of some Christmas music channels on DAB that would appear in early November. I'd wander into one of the offices at work and Wham or Paul McCartney would be getting everyone into the spirit...working from home should deny me that dubious pleasure this year!

[jayne lee wilson]

Christmas.... the very word is like a bell........

Then there's the Sainsburys playlist..... overwhelming argument for online ordering.....if you can get a place in the Covid-queue...

[Pulcinella]

I hope that the 'music while on hold' you get after the Covid/difficult times/lines busier than expected announcements you get on just about any business/company/customer services phone call you make at present doesn't become Christmas jingles.
That really would be the living end!

[jayne lee wilson]

I hope that the 'music while on hold' you get after the Covid/difficult times/lines busier than expected announcements you get on just about any business/company/customer services phone call you make at present doesn't become Christmas jingles.
That really would be the living end!

Try to be philosophical by thinking about "Mr Jingles" instead....

[Leinster Lass]

Back in September I noticed in RT a new free-to-air TV channel called Sony Movies Christmas, channel 50 down here in the SW. As listed it appears to offer a completely unrelieved diet of Christmas movies. At the start the films all rated two stars out of five with an occasional garnish of one-stars but nothing higher - until last week I spotted just one 3-star.

My simple question is WHY? And why particularly in September? Does anyone in the UK watch it? - presumably advertisers must paying for it. Does this presage further importation of US seasonal habits like Christmas decoration shops open all year?

Do please tell me if it was there last year and I missed it

I'm happy to confirm that, yes, it was on last year - from September - and you missed it!
It's not a 'new channel', but an existing Sony movie channel, the name of which I've forgotten, which is renamed for the 'Festive Season'.

[greenilex]

Am I the only person who enjoys preparations for the midwinter festival? One may as well spread the effort.