Christmas Soaps - does anyone care anymore?

SailorSam

I don't know how anyone can moan about being 'forced' to watch a soap or any other programme, not just at Christmas but at any time of the year. For most people this isn't the 1960s, we don't all sit around the fire watching the single Tv in the corner. Christmas is different now, there are numerous TVs; computers; and even phones. And we don't have to sit by the one and only fire in the lounge to keep warm Central heating we're all spread about the house doing our own thing.

marleyboy

I dont watch soaps at all. Christmas is no exception.

mumps

mrsHall2b wrote: »

im 25 and I love the soaps, mind you ive hardly watched them this year as once the kids go to bed I fall asleep too and I cant watch them during the day as Im too busy, however recently theyve been left on more in the evenings whilst the girls play whih has been nice! I expect on xmas day they will be on, but I dont expect anyone to be quiet for them.. and whatever we watch on xmas day wherever I go to is very rarely heard, just a noise in the background of all the children in the family playing and their grandads winding them up so they dont sleep....

I think most, if not all, are repeated anyway so it isn't hard for people to catch up if they want to. I agree with you that there is normally alot going on so even if tv is on it isn't the centre of attention. If things are quiet I usually prefer to read, a good book beats tv anyday for me.

whitesatin

Funny that, I am probably considered a "boomer" but, much as I like one or two soaps, I wouldn't dream of subjecting others to it. I would much rather catch up, at my leisure in a day or so.

No, what I find irritating is looking round and seeing the younger members of the family "interacting" more with their friends on their various electronic devices rather than with the people in the room.

I take the attitude that if you don't want to avail yourself of family life, don't be there. Someone (often me) has gone to a lot of trouble to make food and provide some sort of ambience. Phones etc. have no business being answered (except in an emergency) any more than a television on in the room.

Pollycat

duchy wrote: »

I don't think it's generational - just some people love their soaps and others don't have any interest.

I agree with the above, a lot of younger people I know watch all the soaps.

LalaGomay wrote: »

If only one or two people out of the group want to watch the soaps they should really record it or go into another room to watch it (like I do!) not force everyone to sit through it. Soaps are one thing that are REALLY boring if you don't know any of the storylines or characters.

Not everybody has the capability of recording stuff and not everybody has a TV in every room.
And I'd think it pretty rude if someone suggested that I - as the host - should go into another room to watch what I wanted to watch on my TV in my house.

Maybe the OP should consider an alternative Christmas if it's such an issue being at his/her Mum's.

duchy

Only Dr Who requires quiet in my house on Christmas Day.

Skintski

In our family it's the younger generation who watch the soaps.

Goldiegirl

At one time, Christmas TV was a massive part of Christmas. In the 1970's people used to gather round the TV on Christmas night to watch Morecambe and Wise, and in the 1980's the soaps took over the essential viewing crown. This probably reached a peak on Christmas Day 1986, when 30million people watched Den hand Angie the divorce papers in Eastenders.


But life is different now, there are so many channels, so many other forms of entertainment and so many ways catch up with programmes, that it's not essential to watch TV live.


I think it's a generational thing to a certain extent. In my experience it's younger people who watch the soaps, and older people (by that I mean people born before WW2, not Boomers) who watch TV live.


I think the Boomer generation no longer care about the soaps, and are familiar with technology so they know how to catch up with programmes later. I'm in the boomer generation, and I lost interest in the soaps about 15 years ago


However, having said all that, there is nothing that will stop me watching the last ever Downton Abbey when it is broadcast on Christmas Night. But it's just my husband and myself at home, so we are free to do as we please. If we had guests, or we were out, we'd catch up later

Sharon87

duchy wrote: »

Only Dr Who requires quiet in my house on Christmas Day.

Same here! Although it can be watched on catch up if we're in the middle of dessert or a game or something else. This year I'm at my sisters and I know she watches Doctor Who, so I'm hoping we get to watch it on Christmas Day, if not I will have to wait till I get home the next day!

When I was a kid my mum always put Corrie on, but we could go wherever we wanted, weren't forced to watch anything! But I did get into Corrie when I was a bit older. Now I don't watch any soaps!

LalaGomay

Pollycat wrote: »

I agree with the above, a lot of younger people I know watch all the soaps.

Not everybody has the capability of recording stuff and not everybody has a TV in every room.
And I'd think it pretty rude if someone suggested that I - as the host - should go into another room to watch what I wanted to watch on my TV in my house.

Maybe the OP should consider an alternative Christmas if it's such an issue being at his/her Mum's.

Well obviously what I said only applies if there is another TV in the house. I wasn't suggesting they go and watch an imaginary TV set.

Looks like Eastenders is going to be depressing again on Xmas day. I'd rather watch fun things on the day, so I'll probably wait for the omnibus regardless.