I AM not usually the kind of person to promote all things American, in fact it’s usually the opposite. I don’t like holidays that have become vacations and I particularly object to the politically correct “Happy Holidays”.

But when it comes to holidays the Americans do get one thing right. Realising that people will be travelling they put their most popular shows like Grey’s Anatomy, House and Desperate Housewives on hold, giving them a three or so week break. This may leave viewers on tenterhooks, but is actually a good idea – one M-Net can learn from. Case in question: Brothers and Sisters, which is getting desperately close to its season finale, was screened as usual on Christmas Eve. I had two choices. Sit at home, alone, at 8.30pm on Christmas Eve, or enter in the festive spirit and miss one of my favourite programmes.

I have the same daunting choice ahead of me on New Year’s Eve. Party time or home alone with the TV time? At least if I opt for the latter option there is some attempt to offer a little more then the usual drab viewing fare with a broadcast of the Royal Variety Show just after what could be the final episode of Brothers and Sisters.

There is of course a third option – to catch up with Brothers and Sisters at 2pm on a Sunday when it is repeated, but what person wants to be glued to a TV at that time of the day? Maybe next year M-Net can avert my viewing dilemma by taking a leaf out of the American scheduling book. It’s one American lesson I would be happy to learn.