25/08/2026
Did you hear? Christmas officially starts tomorrow 👀 (well… in some respect 😝)
Time to roll with it and book your ticket to ‘Elf’ at the Derngate this October! Your future Christmas budgeting self will thank you for it 🎄 🎁
Royal & Derngate
📅 Wed 28 - Sat 31 Oct
🎫 https://royalandderngate.co.uk/whats-on/nmtc-elf/
🎅🏻Forget another heatwave, one TV channel has decided it's already December.
🎄Great Christmas launches on UK screens this Wednesday, a full 120 days before the big day itself, meaning festive fanatics can swap sun cream for stockings while the rest of Britain is still stuck in the school holidays.
👉Freeview channel 52, currently home to a steady stream of films as Great Romance, will transform into Great Christmas from 8am on Wednesday, August 26.
It's eight days earlier than last year's switch-over. The festive-only programming will run all the way to January, airing 186 Christmas films in total, 42 of which are making their debut on the channel.
Great Christmas was the UK's most-watched Christmas-only channel last year, racking up 14.5 million minutes watched between September and December alone. A poll of TV viewers found one in five would happily watch Christmas films all year round.
Some of the Great Christmas titles include:
Nine Kittens of Christmas (2021) - ex's Zachary and Marilee are thrown back together at Christmas when they're tasked with finding homes for a litter of adorable kittens.
The Christmas Ticket (2025) - After inheriting her late grandfather's old winter home one week before Christmas, a young woman discovers that he may have hidden a winning lottery ticket somewhere in the house.
Annie Claus is Coming To Town (2011) - This year, Santa's daughter (Maria Thayer) takes her first trip away from the North Pole during the Christmas season hoping to find adventure and love in sunny California.
A Christmas Switch (2018) - Two women magically switch bodies during the holidays and learn valuable lessons about family, love, and Christmas cheer.
Christmas Ever After (2020) - Sparks fly during Christmastime when a romance novelist meets a handsome man who looks like the leading character in her books.
Snowmance (2017) - Each year Sarah builds her "Snow Beau" snowman with her best friend Nick. After another breakup, she begins to wonder if she'll ever find her own true love. A little Christmas magic brings her Snow Beau to life.
Northpole 2 Open for Christmas (2015) - When Mackenzie inherits her aunt's once-majestic inn, she decides to sell it. But fixing up the rundown place is more challenging than she had anticipated. Then the magic of Christmas intervenes, with unexpected help from Santa's elves.
Christmas Unwrapped (2020) - A pragmatic reporter writing a feature story investigates a man who insists that all of the Christmas gifts his charity gives are magically supplied by Santa Claus.
The Magical Christmas Shoes (2019) - A pair of magical shoes step into Noelle's holiday season, allowing her to rediscover her Christmas spirit and find love too.
Once Upon a Christmas Miracle (2018) - This holiday romance is based on the incredible real-life story about organ donor Chris Dempsey and recipient Heather Krueger, who were brought into one another's lives by a transplant surgery that led to a miraculous romance.
The Perfect Christmas Village (2018) - Darcy's been striving for the perfect Christmas since childhood and, thanks to a magical figurine, her dream finally comes true.
Christmas with a Crown (2020) - Sparks fly when a dashing stranger volunteers to help a successful woman organize her family's annual Christmas festival. But he's really a prince in disguise and it will take a miracle of royal proportions for their hearts to meet as one.
The Royal Nanny (2022) - Claire is an MI5 agent who becomes the royal nanny, having to overcome challenges on her mission as she keeps the family safe for Christmas and resists Prince Colin's charms.
Kate Gartland, Marketing Director at Great TV, said: “Great Christmas is back – and it’s earlier than ever. This year’s programming is jam-packed with even more movies to help build the excitement for the big day. “While we may be festive fanatics at Great, believe me, there is method in the madness - last year’s Christmas programming attracted more viewers than ever before so we’re starting the festivities even earlier for 2026.”
✍Neil Shaw
