Beaten only once in their last nine league games City were just too strong for a Bournemouth side who have now gone eight and a half hours without scoring.
But in this festive game full of entertainment the only player who felt rather out of it was Leroy Lita, City's two-goal hero of their Boxing Day win at Brentford.
It was his 19th birthday and after six goals in his short career, most late cameo appearances, he was hoping to start for the first time.
But it was the 90th minute before he got on by which time the Cherries, second only two months ago, knew they would go into 2004 no higher than midtable.
After their long none scoring run boss Sean O'Driscoll sent them out with orders to shoot on sight and it made for an explosive start with Warren Feeney bursting through in seven seconds to test home keeper Steve Phillips with a good shot under the bar.
Then still in the first minute Marcus Browning set up Steve Fletcher for a 25 yard drive which flew just past Steve Phillips' right hand post.
This kind of enterprise was quickly matched by City with a free kick from Aaron Brown just outside the box almost catching out Neil Moss.
Their keeper's sharp reactions though kept Bournemouth in the game when City had most of the ball.
Midway through the first half with the pressure growing the visitors were saved by a double rescue.
Moss threw up a left hand to deflect a Lee Miller chip over him and then Shaun Maher was on the line to block Luke Wilkshire's follow up.
City's flank runners Brown and Christian Roberts were testing Bournemouth's three central defenders but it was a cross from Matthew Hill which brought the breakthrough after 40 minutes.
The ball reached Lee Peacock with his back to goal and he turned brilliantly to lift his 12th goal of the season under the bar.
The victory was sealed early in the second half when Bournemouth defender Lewis Buxton let in Brown to score with a sharp right foot past an unprotected Moss.