Between Christmas Eve and New Year, households watch more TV than at any other time: films in the afternoon, specials in the evening, darts and football on Boxing Day, and the children wanting their own channels. A little preparation keeps everything running.

Why Christmas viewing tests your setup

  • More people at home watching on more screens.
  • Visitors connecting phones and tablets to your Wi-Fi.
  • Everyone's broadband provider is busy at the same time.
  • New devices unwrapped that need setting up.

What festive coverage includes

  • Films: Christmas classics on film channels and in the on-demand library.
  • Specials: UK entertainment specials, soaps and the King's Christmas message.
  • Sport: Boxing Day football, the PDC World Darts Championship, horse racing and more. Read our darts guide.
  • Kids: dedicated channels and family films — see kids' channels.

Set up before the holidays

  1. Check your plan end date — renew early so nothing stops on Christmas Day.
  2. Update your player apps a week before, not on the day.
  3. Build favourites: one list for the family, one for the kids.
  4. Set parental controls on any device the children use.
  5. Install the app on new gadgets — a Firestick makes a great present; see the Firestick guide.

Handling multiple screens

Count the screens likely to stream at once and compare with your plan's limit. If you'll regularly need more, a plan with more connections is cheaper than extra subscriptions. See IPTV multiscreen and our plans.

Keeping streams stable on the big days

  • Put the main TV on Ethernet.
  • Ask guests to pause big phone updates while the film is on.
  • Restart the router on Christmas Eve.
  • Choose HD instead of 4K on secondary screens.

Catching up on what you missed

Missed the special while washing up? Scroll back in the guide on supported channels — see catch-up TV.

The quiet week

Between Christmas and New Year is perfect for box sets. Explore the films and series library.

Thinking of giving IPTV?

A subscription can make a thoughtful present. Our gift guide explains how to do it without spoiling the surprise.