It’s a common grumble up and down the country at this time of year – “Christmas TV isn’t what it used to be”. I’m the same – every December I buy the Christmas issue of the Radio Times and flick through, tutting at page after page of abysmal programmes. “Not that film again!” “I see they’re wheeling The Royle Family out again – surely it’s past its best?” “Bruce Forsyth again? Noooo!” are some of phrases I’ll be sure to whisper through gritted teeth.

Is Christmas TV really so much worse than it was twenty or thirty years ago though? Let’s take a look, courtesy of The TV Room’s TV Listings archive. Here’s what BBC One has offered viewers on various Christmas Day evenings over the years.

1964

Back in the Sixties, Christmas shows were really long. There was two hours of Robinson Crusoe followed by an hour and a half of Christmas Night with the Stars and 90 minutes of comedy in Laughter from the Whitehall.

1977

After some religious observance in the form of Songs of Praise, Bruce Forsyth presented a Christmas edition of The Generation Game and there was comedy from Mike Yarwood and Morecambe & Wise.

1982

There was magic from Paul Daniels, comedy from Last of the Summer Wine and The Two Ronnies Christmas specials and the big film was Poirot drama Death on the Nile with Peter Ustinov.

1990

Bruce Forsyth was back with another Christmas Generation Game, sitcoms were a big attraction with Only Fools and Horses, Bread and Birds of a Feather all getting prime billings.

1998

The longer programmes of past Christmases had been forgotten by the late 90s and there was much more variety in the range of shorter offerings. There were two clips shows (Auntie’s Bloomers and Before They Were Famous), home improvement from Changing Rooms, EastEnders had built itself up to a prime mid-evening billing while Babe was the big film.

2008

This year that spirit of variety continues. Doctor Who joins EastEnders as a firm Christmas Day staple, Bruce Forsyth is back on top with Strictly Come Dancing, Wallace & Gomit offer some animated family fun and The Royle Family are back after a few years in the wilderness.

Looking back it’s clear that Christmas TV hasn’t really changed that much over the years after all. Bruce Forsyth has been an almost constant fixture for over 30 years! If anything, with shorter programmes and more variety there’s more choice on Christmas Day nowadays. The quality of Christmas TV arguably took a dip in the 90s (two clips shows in the same evening?!) but it’s back on the up now.

Doctor Who is one of the few programmes that almost everyone enjoys and it’s the only thing that can lift me out of my post-Christmas dinner sloth. Love them or hate them, Wallace & Gomit are well-loved and it’s good to have a programme that the whole family can enjoy taking a prime slot.

Can it be that the grumble from people about a lack of “anything good” comes from having too much choice? In the modern digital, multi-channel world it’s easy to be overwhelmed by choice and end up watching some dreadful tripe like Noddy Holder’s Top 100 Christmas Rabbit Droppings on an obscure channel by mistake. Back in the 1970s the whole country would huddle round the TV for the same big highlights like Morecambe & Wise. Now, there’s just so much to watch that it just doesn’t happen any more.

We’re not even shackled to broadcast TV these days either. Online video is another option now. Not happy with what’s on? Rent and download a film online! Who says you even have to watch anything? You can play party games like Guitar Hero or Rayman Raving Rabbids games on a console and have some interactive fun with with family.

It’s time to stop grumbling about lack of quality and embrace the full range of entertainment options we have this Christmas. If I catch you grumbling I’ll force you to watch the 1977 Mike Yarwood Christmas special – you have been warned!