Christmas officially starts at 8am on Wednesday, August 26 this year

Those behind the plan say there is 'method in the madness'Neil Shaw Assistant Editor07:39, 24 Aug 2026Forget 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 Chri