Radio: Pick of the Day

SO FAR AS Radio 4 is concerned, the message of Christmas is all about God, over-eating and end-of-year retrospectives. God is represented today with the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (3pm R4) live from King's College Chapel in Cambridge (right), and by Midnight Mass from Lichfield Cathedral (11.30pm R4).

Eating is represented by a selection of short food-centred readings called Petits Fours scattered through the schedules between now and Boxing Day.

Looking back on '98 are The Year in Westminster (8pm R4) with Boris Johnson and Steve Richards - no doubt taking great pains to avoid mentioning Peter Mandelson's sex life - and Pick of the Year (10pm R4).