Cool Runnings, The Snowman, Mr Stink, Dragon's Den, Bad Santa

Our pick of the best on the box this festive season

The gentleman is a tramp: Hugh Bonneville with Nell Tiger Free and Pudsey in 'Mr Stink'

After a busy day of last-minute Christmas shopping, it’s time to chill out and enjoy some movie classics.

Why not start off with Cool Runnings (BBC1 2:55pm), the hilarious true story of the first ever Jamaican bobsled team, or the eighties hit Twins (ITV 5:05pm), a comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny De Viton as unlikely twins separated at birth.

Don’t miss Christmas telly favourite The Snowman (Channel 4). Raymond Brigg’s beautiful animated tale about a snowman who magically comes to live is on at 6.25pm.

It’s an evening of original comedy and drama on BBC 1 starting with Mr Stink (6:30pm), a family comedy based on the novel by David Walliams starring Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville, Sheridan Smith, Johnny Vegas and most importantly Britain’s Got Talent winner Pudsey the dog.

If you’re a fan of drama, stay with BBC1 and tune into Loving Miss Hatto (8:30pm), a drama about the classic pianist Joyce Hatto written by Victoria Wood and starring Francesa Annis and Alfred Molina.

At 8:30pm it’s the Dragons’ Den Christmas Special (BBC 2). Nine entrepreneurs will be pitching festive ideas to the five dragons. Will the dragons be getting into the Christmas spirit and giving generously? Tune in to find out.

For fans of the Emmy award-winning thriller Homeland (Channel 4), pick of the day will be the feature-length conclusion to the second series on 9:00pm.

Fed up of mince pies and turkey? Turn over to More 4 at 10pm for the final episode of Heston’s Christmas Feast, where he’ll be rustling up one of King Charles II’s favourite Christmas meals- an appetiser made of whale vomit!

But if that’s too much for you to stomach, you can catch the American Christmas comedy Bad Santa (Channel 5) at 9pm or the animated comedy Kung Fu Panda (BBC 3) at 8:30pm. Then early to bed, for Santa is only two sleeps away.