There are so many Christmas delights on the TV this festive season; both classics and new shows. If you don’t have the patience to scour the TV guides, then I’ve collated the highlights here. I’ve focussed on the main channels which the majority of people have rather than any of the subscription ones.

Here are 45 ideas of things to watch on TV with your kids this Christmas, from Saturday 23^rd December until.

What will you be watching?

Come and let me know in the comments below on the Cardiff Mummy Says Facebook page or you can tweet me on @cardiffmummy

 Main picture: The Highway Rat; BBC1; Christmas Day; 4.45pm

Saturday 23rd December

The Rugrats Movie (U)

7.30am-9am Channel 4

Full length animated comedy based on the cartoon series about a gang of babies.

The Boxtrolls (PG)

9am-10.55am Channel 4

A gang of underground creatures fight an evil exterminator.

The Muppets (U)

9.30am-11.10am BBC2

Musical comedy featuring the Jim Henson’s famous puppet trying to save their old theatre.

Toy Story That Time Forgot / Toy Story Toons / Toy Story of Terror!

10.55am / 11.20am /11.55am-12.20pm Channel 4

Short animated spin offs from the hit films.

A Christmas Story (PG)

11.05am-12.55pm Channel 5

Comedy film set in the 1940s where a young boy sets his mind on an ambitous Christmas present.

Father Christmas

12.20pm-12.50pm Channel 4

Short animated film based on the Raymond Briggs book.

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas

12.50pm-1.20pm Channel 4

A Christmas adventure with the prehistoric gang.

Cool Runnings (PG)

1.15pm-2.50pm BBC 1

Comedy film about Jamaica’s bob sleigh team.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (PG)

1.45pm-4.30pm ITV

First of the movie franchise about the boy wizard.

Scrooge (U)

2.40pm-5pm Channel 5

A musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol.

Frozen (PG)

2.50pm-4.20pm BBC

Join Anna Elsa and Olaf in Disney’s Oscar-winning animated film

Despicable Me (U)

4.30pm-6.30pm ITV

Animated comedy in which Dru plots to steal the moon.

Elf: The Musical

5pm-8pm Channel 5

A performance of the hit stage musical production based on the much-loved 2003 film.

Natural World – Spectacled Bears: Shadows of the Forest

5.10pm-6pm BBC2

Nature documentary about the creature that provided the inspiration for Paddington.

Gogglesprogs Christmas Special

5.10pm-6.10pm Channel 4

Youngsters comment on 2016’s festive TV offerings.

Bill

6pm-7.30pm BBC2

The Horrible Histories team present this comedy about the early life of Shakespeare.

“Crocodile” Dundee (15)

6.10pm-8pm Channel 4

Comedy about a legendary Australian folk hero living in the outback.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (12)

8pm-10.35pm ITV

Final part in the film trilogy ahout Bilbo and friends.

It’s Christmas Live from the Royal Albert Hall

8pm Sky 1

A festive array of music and comedy featuring Chrissie Hynde Sophie Ellis-Bextor Alexander Armstrong and more.

Christmas Eve – Sunday 24^th December

The Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (U)

7am-8.15am Channel 4

The toddlers head to the French capital for mischief and mayhem.

The Prince and Me (PG)

7.30am-9.15am

Romantic comedy about an undergraduate who falls in love with a fellow student… unaware that he is the Prince of Denmark.

Planes (U)

9.05am-10.30am BBC

Animated about a group of planes who dream of competing in a prestigious air race.

Jack Frost (PG)

9.55am-11.50am ITV

Michael Keaton and Kelly Presto star as a neglectful father returns from the dead… as a snow man.

The Santa Clause (U)

10.30am-12pm BBC1

A divorced dad steps into Santa’s role after the man in red falls from a roof.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

10.40am-12.45pm E4

The second film based on Jeff Kinney’s books.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PG)

12.55pm-4pm ITV

Based on the second novel about the boy wizard Harry and friends try to beat a dark force terrorising Hogwarts.

Bugsy Malone (PG)

11.35am-1.35pm ITV3

Spoof musical in which Scott Baio and Jodie Foster head a cast of teenager gangsters

Oklahoma!

1.35pm-4.15pm Channel 5

Shirley Jones stars in the 1955 cowboy musical.

Shaun The Sheep: The Farmers’ Llamas

1.45pm-2.45pm BBC1

Animated film starring Shaun the Sheep tricking the farmer into buying three mischievous llamas.

Monsters University (U)

2.20pm-3.55pm BBC1

Prequel to Monsters Inc tells of how Sully and Mike first met.

The Borrowers

3.35pm-5.20pm Channel 4

Adaptation of Mary Norton’s classic book about a tiny family who live underneath the floorboards.

Home (U)

4.10pm-5.35pm BBC

Rhianna and Jennifer Lopez star in this animated sci-fi adventure about an alien who helps a teenage girl find her mother – and save the world.

Scrooge (U)

4.15pm-6pm Channel 5

The seminal 1951 black and white take on Charles Dickens’ classic tale A Chrismas Carol.

The Snowman / The Snowman and The Snowdog

5.20pm-5.55pm / 5.55pm-6.20pm Channel 4

A back-to-back screening of the two Raymond Briggs animated Christmas classics.

Ratburger

6pm Sky 1

Animated adventure based on David Walliams’ bestselling children’s book about a young girl who wants to enter her rat into her school’s talent show.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (U)

6.30pm-8pm Channel 4

The Muppets take on the Charles Dickens classic in this musical film starring Michael Caine.

All Star Musicals

6.40pm ITV

Celebrities perform all-singing all-dancing songs from the musicals with the audience voting for their favourite.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (PG)

6.50pm-9pm ITV2

Johnny Depp stars in Tim Burton’s take on the Roald Dahl story about a boy who wins a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory.

Miracle on 34^th Street

8pm-10.20pm E4

1994 remake about a man who claims to be Santa.

Christmas Day Monday 25^th December

The Rugrats Go Wild

6am-7.20pm

Animated comedy crossover film in which characters from the animated television series The Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys meet.

The Bear

7.20am-7.45am

Animation based on the Raymond Briggs book about a little girl who one day discovers a polar bear has come to stay.

The Bee Movie

7.40am-9am BBC2

Animated comedy about a bee who wants to sue humanity for stealing all their honey.

Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure

8.30am-10.20am ITV2

Festive adventure as the loveable dog must rescue a Christmas elf and retrieve Santa’s toy bag from crooks.

Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas

8.40am-9.05am Channel 4

A Christmas adventure with the prehistoric gang.

CBeebies Panto The Snow Queen

9am-9.45am BBC1

Familiar CBeebies faces star in the channel’s annual panto.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (PG)

9.25am-11.10am ITV

Chevy Chase stars in this comedy about the accident-prone Griswald family.

Go Jetters Christmas Island

9.45am-10am BBC1

A festive adventure from the travelling gang.

Christmas Day Service

10am-11am BBC1

A live family-friendly service of Holy Communion from All Saints in Fulham.

Snow Chick: A Penguin’s Tale

11.10am-12.10pm BBC1

The first few months in the life of an emperor penguin.

Mr Bean’s Holiday (PG)

11.10am-12.50pm ITV

Rowan Atkinson stars as the hapless Mr Bean who heads to France for some winter sun.

Peter Pan

11.25am-1.35pm ITV2

Animated adventure about the boy who never grew up.

Santa Claus (U)

12.50pm-3pm ITV

Dudley Moore stars in this festive comedy as an elf heads to New York.

Singin’ In The Rain (U)

1.05pm-3.10pm

Classical musical starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

Toy Story 3 (U)

1.20pm-3pm BBC1

New adventures for the toys as Andy grows up and they are donated to a children’s centre.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PG)

3.10pm-5.50pm ITV

Harry’s third year at Hogwarts sees dangerous criminal Sirius Black on the run from Azkaban.

Oliver!

3.10pm-6pm Channel 5

Oscar-winning musical about the orphan boy who dared to ask for more.

Dumbo (U)

4.30pm-5.50pm Channel 4

Disney’s animated tale of a baby elephant with enormous ears.

The Highway Rat

4.45pm- BBC1

Continuing the BBC’s tradition of adapting Julia Donaldson books The Highway Rat is narrated by Rob Brydon and features David Tennant among the voices in this tale of a greedy rodent.

Dr Who

5.30pm-6.30pm BBC1

The final chapter of the 12th Doctor’s story.

Home Alone (PG)

5.50pm-7.40pm Channel 4

Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left at home when his family go on holiday and must fend off two criminals.

Happy Feet Two (U)

5.50pm-7.45pm ITV2

Sequel about a dancing penguin.

Miracle on 34^th Street

6pm-8pm More4

The original 1947 film about a man who claims to be Santa.

Elf: The Musical

6pm-9pm Channel 5

A performance of the hit stage musical production based on the much-loved 2003 film.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special

6.30pm BBC1

Past celebrity contestants perform with professional dancers in this festive dance special.

Boxing Day Tuesday 26^th December

Moomins on the Riveria (U)

5.20am-6.40am Channel 4

The Finnish fairy tale creatures set sail for the Riveria.

Short Circuit (PG)

8.25am-10.25am Channel 4

Classic 1980s film about a robot who comes to life.

Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Never Beast (U)

9am-10.10am BBC1

The fairies wonder if a strange creature is a friend or foe.

Planes: Fire and Rescue (U)

10.10am-11.25am BBC1

Dusty joins a firefighting unit.

Chariots of Fire (PG)

11.50am-2.10pm Channel 5

Based on the true story about two British athletes at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

A Hard Day’s Night (U)

11.55am-1.20pm

The Beatles’ debut movie.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel

12.10pm-2pm Channel 4

The singing chipmunk brothers have some new musical rivals.

Nanny McPhee (U)

12.30pm-2.35pm ITV2

Nanny McPhee uses her magical powers to tame the seven badly-behaved children of a recent widow.

Stick Man

1.45pm-2.10pm BBC1

Animated adaptation of the Julia Donaldson book. Will Stick Man get back to his family for Christmas?

Shaun the Sheep Movie (U)

2.10pm-3.30pm BBC1

Aardman animated adventure in which the farmer gets lost in the city.

A Bug’s Life (U)

2.35pm-4.40pm ITV2

Pixar animated adventure about an inventive ant who is always messing things up for his colony.

ET The Extra-Terrestrial

3.30pm-5.50pm ITV

1980s classic about a boy who befriends an alien.

Mary Poppins (U)

3.45pm-6pm BBC1

Disney’s famous musical about a singing nanny.

The Little Mermaid (U)

4.20pm-6pm Channel 4

Disney animation about a mermaid who falls in love with a human.

Despicable Me (U)

4.40pm-6.30pm ITV2

Supervillain Gru hatches a plan to steal the moon.

Back to the Future (PG)

6pm-8pm Channel 4

Michael J Fox stars in the classic 1980s time travelling adventure.

Snow Bears

6.30pm-7.30pm BBC1

Two polar bear cubs embark upon a treacherous journey

Jurassic World (12)

6.40pm-9pm ITV

Twenty years after the Jurassic Park disaster a new attraction opens with a genetically-created dinosaur.

Uncle Buck (12)

7pm-9pm ITV2

Macaulay Culkin and John Candy star as a slobbish uncle must look after his young nephews and nieces.

Wednesday 27^th December

Moshi Monsters: The Movie (U)

5.10am-6.40am Channel 4

The monsters must stop Dr Strangelove from pulverizing the Great Moshling Egg.

Short Circuit 2 (PG)

6.40am-8.40am Channel 4

Fantasy sequel in which the robot returns to help his creator in their new toy robot business.

Turbo (U)

9.15am-10.45am BBC1

Animation about a snail who becomes super-charged.

Twins (PG)

9.25am-11.25am ITV

Arnold Schwarzenegar and Danny DeVito play a pair of unlikely twins.

The Princess and the Frog (U)

10.45am-12.15pm BBC1

Can a waitress and a prince break a spell that turned them into frogs?

Small Soldiers (PG)11.05am-1.15pm Channel 4

A teenager buys a set of toy soldiers unaware that they are programmed with military technology.

Shrek 2 (U)2.20pm-3.45pm BBC1

Animated sequel about a green ogre.

The Gruffalo 3.45pm-4.10pm BBC1

Animated adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s famous picture book.

Back to the Future Part II (PG)4.30pm-6.30pm Channel 4
Sequel in which Marty McFly finds himself in 2015.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (PG)6.45pm-9pm ITV2

Johnny Depp stars in Tim Burton’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic book.