If you're on the lookout for some kids programmes to keep 'em busy over the festive season you won't have to look hard on e.tv - they've gone ballistic with kid's shows in December.
Aside from the usual Craz-e weekday fare like Cool Catz (14h30), cartoons (15h00) and local magazine shows (15h30), there are a number of special programmes and movies for kids to get stuck into while you and the hubby/wife are cavorting in cheap hotels, playing Bad Santa.
Sistahood, every Monday in December at 15h30, shows kids how to make greeting cards, cocktails, and their own Christmas tree; advises them on what to do during the holidays and what NOT to buy for Christmas; and gives handy tips as to where celebs chill.
The girls will also tackle the topics of forgiveness, giving, what boys think (this will obviously be an extremely short insert) and Do You know Where You Come From?, about celebs who have changed their names.
In Frenzy every Tuesday in December at 15h30 the kids can hang with
Scandal! actor Nimrod Nkosi, muzos Daz and Chingy, Yfm DJ Adil; That Sports Show host Udo Carelse, funnyman
Desmond Dube and ex-Craz-e presenters, Tyronne and Caitlin, who are back from a year's break in the UK.
There are also movie previews of Santa Claus 3, Storm Breaker, Everyone's Hero and Deck The Halls, and studio presenters and guests have to do things like egg and spoon races, hoola hoop and sing Christmas carols.
Other ideas include how to gift wrap another person and how to bargain hunt for gifts.
Shiz Niz is on Wednesdays at 15h30. In October the show aired a Battle of the MCs competition in which viewers had to vote for their favourite MC.
In December the four winners are given an opportunity to co-host the show (with a whole posse of their friends in the audience) alongside a Shiz Niz presenter.
e.tv will also be showing a host of Christmas-related movies, starting with Ernest Saves Christmas at 06h00 on Christmas Eve (24 December).
In it Santa Claus decides to retire and appoints a washed-up kiddie show host to take his place. Along the way, the real Santa ends up in the slammer on Christmas Eve, and it's up to Ernest to bust him out.
At 10h00
Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause. Scott is a divorced father competing with a new step dad for the affections of his young son, but his strained relationship begins to mend after a bizarre twist of fate magically transforms him into Santa Claus.
When the current Mr Claus falls off the roof on Christmas Eve, Scott dons Santa's suit and, with the help of his son, agrees to "temporarily" fill-in - but he soon learns that the role of Santa Claus is no temporary position.
Next up is A Diva's Christmas Carol starring
Vanessa L. Williams and Brian McNamara, at 19h30 that night.
Victorian penny-pincher Ebony Scrooge is a beautiful yet foul-mouthed pop singer. She's cold-hearted, lacks holiday cheer and leaves her band and manager very unhappy.
She intends to exploit the Yuletide season by staging a charity Christmas concert on behalf of the homeless - all an act to increase her popularity and increase her holiday spending.
But on the eve of the concert Ebony is visited by three spirits who persuade her to turn her life around - before it's too late.
Christmas Day sees entertainment starting early with The Elf Who Didn't Believe at 07h45, in which an Elf is given the chance to become human.
At 10h05 kids can join Disney's biggest and most cherished animated star, Mickey Mouse, along with Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy in Mickey's Once upon a Christmas.
When a snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at The House of Mouse, including Pooh, Snow White, Ariel and many more of his old and new friends, try and help grumpy Donald to get into the Christmas spirit.
The fun starts when Minnie pulls out their favourite holiday home movies and everyone starts to reminisce. Soon, their magical memories have everyone in the Christmas mood, even Donald, who ultimately becomes the star of the evening in Mickey's Magical Christmas at 11h20.
At 12h30 Vanessa L. Williams and Trent Cameron star in The Kid who Loved Christmas, a movie about a young orphan who finds himself fighting against social workers in order to remain with his adoptive father, a widowed jazzman.
The final Christmas-themed movie is Christmas in Connecticut at 14h25. A famous expert on marriage, cooking and homemaking (Dyan Cannon) is asked by her television producer to host a national hero (
Kris Kristofferson) for Christmas dinner at her famous Connecticut home.
Now she must scramble to keep the secret that she's single, can't cook and doesn't own a home. With a lot of help, meticulous planning and split-second timing, she may succeed - but the unforeseen happens when she falls in love with her guest.
The movie is directed by
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
There will also be various music specials throughout the month of December, culminating in a New Year special featuring Watershed live from Johannesburg.
All you need do now is print this info out, make up a roster for your kids, and purchase a room for two at your favourite hotel.
Milk and cookies anyone?