DJLinus

Every year I miss some Christmas specials because I don't know when they come on. So, as a service to the TV forum, I've compiled a list of this year's Christmas specials and their air dates. Just for the heck of it, I also went ahead included Christmas movies in the list.

Some notes:
-All times are Eastern.
-Special and TV episodes are in quotes, movies are italicized.
-Except for the ABC Family shows, I only listed the first airings of the specials as of the date of this initial post (11/29); given the nature of cable TV, many will be repeated...and repeated...and repeated.
-With an exception or two, I did not include Christmas-themed episodes of regular shows.
-Although PBS usually has a good deal of Christmas programming, I didn't include any as the schedule varies by region.
-Local programming (parades, etc.) isn't included, but I will add it if there's interest.
-I'll update this post as I look at the schedules of other channels.
-This list is by no means comprehensive; feel free to post any specials or movies that I have missed and I'll add them.

So, without further ado...

Christmas Movies and Specials (and some show episodes)

Friday, Nov. 30
The Polar Express (ABC, 8 pm)

Saturday, Dec. 1
Christmas Every Day (ABC Fam, 7:30 am)
Santa Who? (Premiere) (ABC Fam, 9:30 am)
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (ABC Fam, 11:30 am)
“Martha Stewart’s Christmas Special” (Food Network, 1 pm)
Jingle All the Way (ABC Fam, 1:30 pm)
"TV Land's Merrython" (24 hours of Christmas-themed episodes of classic TV shows) (TV Land, 8 pm)
The Santa Clause (TBS, 10 pm)

Sunday, Dec. 2
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (ABC Fam, 8 am)
Jingle All the Way (ABC Fam, 10 am)
TBA Christmas Movie (ABC Fam, noon)
The Santa Clause (TBS, 6 pm)
"Christmas at the Tennessee" (GAC, 9:30 pm)

Monday, Dec. 3
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” (ABC, 8 pm)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
“Holiday Treats Unwrapped” (Food Network, 9 pm)
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys" (ABC Fam, 9 pm)
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (ABC Fam, 10:30 pm)

Tuesday, Dec. 4
The Hebrew Hammer (Comedy Central, 5 pm)
Snow (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” (CBS, 8 pm)
"The Legend of Frosty the Snowman" (Cartoon Network, 8 pm)
Santa Baby (ABC Fam, 9 pm)

Wednesday, Dec. 5
The Hebrew Hammer (Comedy Central, 8 am)
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"The Story of the First Christmas Snow" (ABC Fam, 7:30 pm)
“Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” (ABC, 8 pm)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
"Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Christmas Special: A Lost Claus" (Cartoon Network, 8 pm)
"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Cartoon Network, 8:30 pm)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TBS, 9 pm)
“Larry the Cable Guy’s Christmas Spectacular” (VH1, 9 pm and 11 pm)
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 10 pm)

Thursday, Dec. 6
Once Upon a Christmas (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"Olive the Other Reindeer" (Cartoon Network, 8 pm)
Twice Upon a Christmas (ABC Fam, 9 pm)
“Christmas in Rockefeller Center” (Bravo, 9 pm)

Friday, Dec. 7
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
The Polar Express (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
“Frosty the Snowman” (CBS, 8 pm)
“Frosty Returns” (CBS, 8:30 pm)
"Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" (Cartoon Network, 8:30 pm)
“Paula’s Southern Christmas (Food Network, 9 pm)

Saturday, Dec. 8
"Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July" (ABC Fam, 7 am)
"The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 9 am)
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (ABC Fam, 10 am)
"Pinocchio's Christmas" (ABC Fam, 10:30 am)
"Jack Frost" (ABC Fam, 11:30 am)
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (ABC Fam, 12:30 pm)
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (ABC Fam, 1 pm)
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 1:30 pm)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 2:30 pm)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (ABC Fam, 3:30 pm)
The Polar Express (ABC Fam, 4:30 pm)
The Santa Clause 2 (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
“The Radio City Christmas Spectacular” (NBC, 8 pm)
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC, 8 pm)
The Polar Express (ABC Fam, 9 pm)
“Paula’s Party” (Food Network, 10 pm)
Prancer (ABC Fam, 11:30 pm)

Sunday, Dec. 9
Prancer (ABC Fam, 8 am)
Sons of Mistletoe (ABC Fam, 10 am)
“Nigella’s Christmas Kitchen” (Food Network, 10:30 am)
Santa, Jr. (ABC Fam, noon)
Stealing Christmas (ABC Fam, 2 pm)
Snow (ABC Fam, 4 pm)
Santa Baby (ABC Fam, 6 pm)
The Christmas Shoes (Lifetime, 7 pm)
"Grandman Got Run Over By A Reindeer" (Cartoon Network, 7 pm)
Holiday in Handcuffs (ABC Fam, 8 pm - repeats at 10 pm)
A Christmas Carol (Turner Classic Movies, 8 pm)
A Christmas Carol (AMC, 10 pm)

Monday, Dec. 10
Santa Claus: The Movie (AMC, 1:30 pm)
“I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown” (ABC, 8 pm)
White Christmas (My Network TV, 8 pm)
"Christmas Confidential" (WE, 9 pm)
“A Bourdain Holiday” (Travel Channel, 10 pm)

Tuesday, Dec. 11
"20 Merriest Christmas Videos" (CMT, 5 pm)
"Jack Frost" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
Holiday in Handcuffs (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
Miracle on 34th Street (1973) (My Network TV, 8 pm)
“Shrek the Halls” (ABC, 8 pm)
“Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too!” (ABC, 8:30 pm)
“Holidays at Walt Disney World” (Food Network, 9 pm)
"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 10 pm)

Wednesday, Dec. 12
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (ABC Fam, 7:30 pm)
The Polar Express (ABC Fam, 8 pm - repeats at 10:30 pm)
The Santa Clause (TNT, 8 pm – repeats at midnight)
“Christmas in Washington" (TNT, 10 pm)

Thursday, Dec. 13
"The Little Drummer Boy" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"The Little Drummer Boy Book II" (ABC Fam, 7:30 pm)
The Santa Clause (TNT, 8 pm – repeats at midnight)
An All Dogs Christmas Carol (My TV Network, 8 pm)
"Seinfeld" (Festivus) (TBS, 10 pm)

Friday, Dec. 14
The Christmas List (ABC Fam, 7 am)
A Holiday to Remember (ABC Fam, 9 am)
"Holidays with the Stars" (E!, 6 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC Fam, 8 pm - repeats at 10:30 pm)
It’s a Wonderful Life (NBC, 8 pm)
Blizzard (WGN, 8 pm)
“Christmas in America” (Food Network, 10 pm)

Saturday, Dec. 15
A Mom for Christmas (ABC Fam, 8 am)
A Christmas Romance (ABC Fam, 10 am)
Christmas Caper (ABC Fam, noon)
Chasing Christmas (ABC Fam, 2 pm)
A Christmas Carol (AMC, 3:45 pm)
Christmas in Boston (ABC Fam, 4 pm)
Holiday in Handcuffs (ABC Fam, 6 pm)
Santa Clause: The Movie (AMC, 6 pm)
A Hobo's Christmas (WGN,8 pm)
Surviving Christmas (ABC, 8 pm)
Snowglobe (ABC Fam, 8 pm - repeats at 10 pm)

Sunday, Dec. 16
The Christmas List (ABC Fam, 12 am)
A Christmas Carol (AMC, 6:45 am)
Santa Claus: The Movie (AMC, 9 am)
"Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July" (ABC Fam, 10 am)
"The Story of the First Christmas Snow" (ABC Fam, noon)
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (ABC Fam, 12:30 pm)
"Pinocchio's Christmas" (ABC Fam, 1 pm)
"Jack Frost" (ABC Fam, 2 pm)
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (ABC Fam, 3 pm)
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (ABC Fam, 3:30 pm)
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 4 pm)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 5 pm)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (ABC Fam, 6 pm)

Monday, Dec. 17
"Pinocchio's Christmas" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
Jingle All the Way (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
"Jack Frost" (ABC Fam, 10 pm)

Tuesday, Dec. 18
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"More Crazy Christmas Lights" (TLC, 7 pm)
Snowglobe (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
“Al Roker’s Christmas in New York” (Food Network, 8 pm)
"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (Toon, 9 pm)
"Christmas to the Extreme" (Travel, 10 pm)
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (ABC Fam, 10 pm)
"Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (ABC Fam, 10:30 pm)
"Disney Holiday Magic with Samantha Brown" (Travel, 11 pm)

Wednesday, Dec. 19
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (Turner Classic Movies, 12:30 am)
Santa, Jr. (ABC Fam, 7 am)
Christmas Every Day (ABC Fam, 9 am)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 8 pm)
"Rachael Ray's Holiday Entertaining in 60" (Food, 8 pm)
“Exxonmobil Presents ‘A Holiday Celebration at Ford’s Theatre’” (ABC, 8 pm)
"Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Holiday" (Food, 9 pm)
“Mythbusters Holiday Special” (Discovery, 9 pm)
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys" (ABC Fam, 9 pm)

Thursday, Dec. 20
Prancer (ABC Fam, 7 am)
Sons of Mistletoe (ABC Fam, 9 am)
Christmas Comes to Willow Creek (CMT, 2 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC Fam, 8 pm - repeats at 10:30 pm)
A Smoky Mountain Christmas (CMT, 9 pm)

Friday, Dec. 21
"Great Things About the Holidays" (Bravo, 3 am)
A Christmas Romance (ABC Fam, 7 am)
"All Star Holiday Dishes" (Food, 10 am)
"Bah-Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas" (Toon, 10 am)
Casper's Haunted Christmas (Toon, 11 am)
A Christmas Carol: The Musical (USA, noon)
12 Days of Christmas Eve (USA, 2 pm)
"Rachael Ray's Holiday Feast" (Food, 2 pm)
Home Alone (F/X, 6 pm)
"The Year Without A Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 7 pm)
“9th Annual A Home for the Holiday with Sheryl Crow” (CBS, 8 pm)
A Christmas Carol (TNT, 11:30 pm)

Saturday, Dec. 22
"Denis Leary's Christmas Special" (Comedy Central, 12 am)
Stealing Christmas (ABC Fam, 7 am)
TBA Christmas Movie (ABC Fam, 9 am)
A Very Brady Christmas (ABC Fam, 11 am)
Snowglobe (ABC Fam, 1 pm)
Eloise at Christmastime (ABC Fam, 3 pm)
“Winning Holiday Cookies” (Food Network, 3 pm)
I'll Be Home For Christmas (WGN, 3 pm)
"Seinfeld" (Festivus) (TBS, 7 pm)
Elf (CBS, 8 pm)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TBS, 8 pm – repeats at 9:45 pm)
Jingle All the Way (TBS, 11:30 pm)

Sunday, Dec. 23
Eloise at Christmastime (ABC Fam, 9 am)
Once Upon a Christmas (ABC Fam, 11 am)
Twice Upon a Christmas (ABC Fam, 1 pm)
I'll Be Home For Christmas (WGN, 1 pm)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TNT, 2 pm)
Santa Who? (ABC Fam, 3 pm)
Jingle All the Way (TBS, 4 pm)
"Secret Life of Christmas" (Food, 4 pm)
"Holiday Windows 2007" (HGTV, 5 pm)
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (ABC Fam, 5 pm)
"In Search of Christmas" (History, 5 pm)
"Christmas Unwrapped" (History, 7 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (ABC Fam, 7 pm - repeats at 9:30 pm)
“Elmo’s Christmas Countdown” (ABC, 8 pm)
Christmas in Connecticut (Turner Classic Movies, 8 pm)
"Santa Salutes the Stars" (WGN, 9 pm)
A Holiday Affair (Turner Classic Movies, 10 pm)

Monday, Dec. 24
The King of Kings (Turner Classic Movies, 12 am)
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (TNT, 1 am)
"12 Tiny Christmas Tales" (Toon, 6 am)
"Santa Claus" (Biography, 9 am)
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas (Disney, 10:30 am)
"Jack Frost" (ABC Fam, 11 am)
"Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July" (ABC Fam, noon)
"Kim Possible: Very Possible Christmas" (Disney, 1:30 pm)
A Holiday Affair (Turner Classic Movies, 1:45 pm)
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (ABC Fam, 2 pm)
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (ABC Fam, 2:30 pm)
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (ABC Fam, 3 pm)
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (ABC Fam, 4 pm)
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" (ABC Fam, 5 pm)
The Polar Express (ABC Fam 6 pm - repeats at 8:30 pm)
A Chistmas Carol (Turner Classic Movies, 6:45 pm)
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (ABC, 8 pm)
It’s a Wonderful Life (NBC, 8 pm)
A Christmas Story (TBS, 8 pm – repeats for 24 hours)
"All Star Holiday Party" (Food, 9 pm)

Tueday, Dec. 25
"Kim Possible: Very Possible Christmas" (Disney, 12:30 am - repeats at 1:30 pm)
"Midnight Mass" (WGN, 1 am)
"The Yule Log" (WGN HD, 2:30 am)
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (ABC Fam, 7 am)
A Christmas Carol (TNT, 8 am)
"What's With That Really Decked Out Christmas House" (HGTV, 10 am)
“Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade” (ABC, 10 am)
Christmas in Connecticut (Turner Classic Movies, 10:45 am)
A Very Brady Christmas (ABC Fam, noon)
"The White House Christmas 2007" (HGTV, 1 pm)
Santa Baby (ABC Fam, 2 pm)
Snow (ABC Fam, 4 pm)
Home Alone (F/X, 6 pm - repeats at 8 pm)
"Emeril Live: Hilda's Holiday Classics" (Food, 7 pm)
“Crazy for Christmas” (HGTV, 8 pm)
King of Kings (Turner Classic Movies, 8 pm)
The Greatest Story Ever Told (Turner Classic Movies, 11 pm)

mrpayroll

I saw them filming part of this at Disneyland a couple of Saturdays ago.



Chris

Chew

Here's that ABC Family schedule.

Edit: it's included in the master schedule, no need to clutter up the page twice.

FantasticVSDoom

Thanks guys... This helps with my Holiday Movie Challenge!!!

Charlie Goose

Good info, thanks.

I love Christmas Every Day, but I don't think I caught it last year.

And I haven't seen A Very Brady Christmas in a long time.

I am SO gonna not watch that.

Chew

Only a few days until my annual dose of the Miser brothers.

DJLinus

Thanks for the ABC Family schedule, Chew. I'll incorporate it into the master list when I get home tonight. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's version of "Mr. Heatmiser" is going on my Christmas mix CD this year.

In the spirit of inclusiveness, I've updated the original post to include TBS's airings of the Festivus episode of "Seinfeld".

I also listed TV Land's Merrython, but not the individual episodes. You can view them here (it starts at 8 pm).

RoboDad

It wouldn't be Christmas without it!

aintnosin

Destined to be a holiday classic.

DJLinus

I updated the master schedule to include the ABC Family programming.

Done. I'm not really sure why I split the shows and movies up in the first place.

GuessWho

Thanks, DGL!

Geoff H

No Garfield Christmas Special? That's always been one of my favourites.

Bluelitespecial

You can find it on dvd.

DJLinus

You're welcome. Thanks for the suggestion.

I think that my most anticipated new Christmas special this year is "A Bourdain Holiday" (Dec. 10). Anthony Bourdain doing an old school Christmas special? I'm so there.

Also, I've been jonesin' for some Tom Cavanagh goofyness lately and have never seen his TV movie Snow. Is it worth a watch?

Lokimok

Cartoon Network has specials or themed episodes every night at 8.

Monday, December 3
8:30PM Codename: Kids Next Door

Tuesday, December 4
8:00PM The Legend of Frosty the Snowman

Wednesday, December 5
8:00PM Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends Christmas Special: A Lost Claus
8:30PM Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Thursday, December 5
8:00PM Olive the Other Reindeer

Friday, December 6
8:00PM Camp Lazlo: Kamp Kringle
8:30PM Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer

Sunday, December 8
8:00PM Dr. Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas

TimeWarner has several Nickelodeon & Cartoon Network Christmas themed episodes on demand.

Also, the Yule Log is already On Demand - in HD!

Charlie Goose

Watching classic Christmas specials on DVD is not the same as catching them on TV.

Why, in MY day we only had a handful of channels to watch and if you didn't catch your favorite special on the ONE day it was aired, you were SOL. That wuz the way it wuz and we LIKED IT!

DJLinus

Lokimok - Thanks! I added the specials to the master schedule.


I do think that repeating these specials makes them less, well, special, though.

saoirse

This post rules and needs a sticky. Thanks.

Septemberbaby

What?? No Christmas Shoes???











Thanks DJL!

digidoh

Several Christmas-themed movies on My Network TV

Monday, Dec 10
White Christmas (1954) 8pm

Tuesday, Dec 11
Miracle on 34th Street (1973 TVM, Sebastian Cabot) 8pm

Thursday, Dec 13
An All Dogs Christmas Carol 8pm
Put this on a double bill with Rover Dangerfield;
you'll have two movies with songs about dogs
peeing on a Christmas tree!

DJLinus

Thanks. I added them to the master schedule, as well as some programs on WGN, E!, Comedy Central, and few others.

DJLinus

Tonight at 7pm on Lifetime.

Lokimok

The Disney Channel is running the "Very Possible Christmas" episode of Kim Possible several times this month:
December 14: 1:30PM
December 15: 12:30AM
December 24: 1:30PM
December 25: 12:30AM, 1:30PM
December 26: 12:30AM
This might be worth a look even if you're not familiar with the show. They incorporate a few lines from classic xmas specials into the main villain's dialogue in funny ways & there is a cameo from a Burl Ives-ish snowman.

I'm not sure what this is, but ToonDisney is running Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas at 5pm on the 14th.

Boomerang has some weekend specials:
Saturday the 15th
4:00 pm The Town That Santa Forgot
- This is a great modern special about a spoiled brat named Jeremy Creek who asks for so many presents that Santa assumes he is a town. The whole thing is done in rhyme & narrated by Dick Van Dyke.
4:30 pm Smurfs Christmas Special
4:55 pm Flintstone Family Christmas, A
5:20 pm Christmas Party shorts: Little Cesario

Sunday the 16th
4:00 pm Christmas Party shorts: Seasin's Greetinks!/Bear and the Hare/Snow Place Like Home/Barney Bear's Polar Pest/Alpine for You/Bear That Couldn't Sleep
4:45 pm Christmas Comes To Pacland
5:10 pm Christmas Party shorts: Hand is Pinker Than the Eye/Little Cesario

Septemberbaby

Whee! I caught it 5 min after it started. Still made me cry!

DJLinus

Added some more programs on HGTV, TLC, History Channel, Disney Channel, and the Food Network.

Thanks. I put them up. Unfortunately, I missed out on adding this past weekend's specials, but I did find a re-airing of Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas.