TELEVISION viewing on RTE over the Christmas period will reflect a formula that has been tried and tested now for many years, of films, concerts and Christmas with the stars of RTE's soaps.
On Christmas Day Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star in Sleepless in Seattle. In the Name of the Father will be screened on St Stephen's Day just before Ireland On Screen, which is the start of a season of Irish-produced films from RTE's Independent Production Unit and the Irish Film Board.
Upwardly Mobile, Fair City and Glen roe will all be seen with special seasonal episodes.
On Christmas Eve, Mass will come from St Patrick's Cathedral in New York, where Aonghus MacAnally will meet members of the congregation, and Mary Kennedy will present Christmas Carols from Kilkenny.
Also on Christmas Day, Sean O Mordha's documentary portrait of Robert Graves will be shown along with Malle's India, a portrait of India by the film-maker, Louis Malle.
There will also be a Father Ted special and a repeat of the Altan concert shown at the opening night of TnaG.
Children's television will start early on Christmas Eve with a special edition of The Morbegs on Den TV. Zig and Zag are returning in Christmas Crisis II, while Den TV on Network 2 on Christmas Day will offer non-stop children's programmes with a selection of movies and cartoons from 7 a.m.
For slightly older children there will be two doses of Boyzone. The group will star on Christmas Showtime with Boyzone on St Stephen's Day while Ronan Keating and Steve Gately will join Linda Martin and Twink on a Christmas edition of The Lyric Board.
For music lovers Mary Coughlin and Eleanor McEvoy will join Bridog Ni Bhuachalla for late night music and chat on Christmas night, and on Network 2 music will include Pavarotti in Modena and Puccini's Madame Butterfly performed at the RTE proms last May.
Programmes on Christmas Eve will include the film, Widow's Peak, written by Hugh Leonard and starring Mia Farrow, Desperately Seeking Susan and Fishing the Sloe-Black River.
And finally for real movie fans, among the post midnight offerings on St Stephen's night will be yet another screening of Casablanca.