New specials and movies mix with the long-running classics<\/b>
\nDeck the halls and rev up your DVR. The blizzard of holiday-themed TV fare is about to begin.
As usual, programmers are making merry with a lineup full of specials, gooey movies and animated treats that mark the so-called most wonderful time of the year.
To help you keep up, we\u2019ve made a list \u2014 and checked it twice \u2014 of the notable shows airing after Thanksgiving and through New Year\u2019s Eve. Be aware that many programs re-air multiple times. With a few exceptions, we have listed only the initial telecasts.
MORE: Here are the 13 best Christmas episodes from TV series available for streaming
If you don\u2019t spot a favorite here, consult your listings. Our roundup starts with fresh programming and is followed by a list of air dates for the perennials.
These are parades, celebrations, countdowns and tune-filled variety specials:
Nov. 23
\u201cThe Soul & Spirit of Christmas\u201d \u2014 Cece and BeBe Winans and others belt out time-honored classics. (8 p.m., GetTV).
Nov. 28
\u201cChristmas in Rockefeller Center\u201d \u2014 The big tree in the Big Apple gets lit, with performances by Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, John Legend, Martina McBride, Pentatonix, Kellie Pickler and more. (8 p.m., NBC).
\u201cA Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy\u201d \u2014 John Legend and Chrissy Teigen celebrate the season with family and celebrity friends. (10 p.m., NBC).
Nov. 29
\u201cThe Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration\u201d \u2014 Break out the mouse ears. Hosts Jordan Fisher, Sarah Hyland and Jesse Palmer usher viewers through a festive celebration in the Disney theme parks. (9 p.m., ABC).
Dec. 2
\u201cNational Christmas Tree Lighting\u201d \u2014 The big spruce at the White House gets the merry-and-bright treatment, with musical performances. (10 p.m., Ovation and Reelz).
\u201cThe Victoria\u2019s Secret Fashion Show Holiday Special\u201d \u2014 The scantily clad \u201cAngels\u201d take to the runway, with musical guests including Bebe Rexha, The Chainsmokers, Halsey, Kelsea Ballerini, Rita Ora, Shawn Mendes and The Struts. (10 p.m., ABC).
Dec. 3
\u201cPop Up Santa Holiday Special\u201d \u2014 Santa, along with celebrity helpers, brings surprises and holiday cheer (including a home giveaway) to those who need it. (9:30 p.m., Freeform; re-airs 8 a.m. Dec. 4; 11 a.m. Dec. 11; 7 a.m. Dec. 20).
Dec. 4
\u201cSaturday Night Live Best of Christmas\u201d \u2014 Two hours of holiday-themed sketches from \u201cSNL.\u201d (9 p.m., NBC).
Dec. 8
\u201cDisney\u2019s Fairy Tale Weddings: Holiday Magic\u201d \u2014 Love birds get hitched during stunning ceremonies at Disney World. (8 p.m., Freeform; re-airs 11 a.m. Dec. 10; 1 p.m. Dec. 19).
Dec. 10
\u201cCMA Country Christmas\u201d \u2014 Get your twang on as Reba McEntire hosts a special featuring performances by Tony Bennett, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Amy Grant, Diana Krall, Dustin Lynch, Martina McBride, Old Dominion, Brad Paisley, Michael W. Smith, Lindsey Stirling, The Isaacs and Brett Young. (8 p.m., ABC; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 22).
\u201cAmy Grant\u2019s Tennessee Christmas\u201d \u2014 The pop star gets festive with her husband Vince Gill, plus Kellie Pickler and Michael W. Smith. (8 p.m., Hallmark).
Dec. 11
\u201cDarci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas\u201d \u2014 Darci Lynne Farmer, the 2017 winner of \u201cAmerica\u2019s Got Talent,\u201d celebrates the holidays Oklahoma style with her puppets and guests Kristin Chenoweth, Toby Keith, Hunter Hayes, Pentatonix and Lindsey Stirling. (9 p.m., NBC).
Dec. 14
\u201cThe 87th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade\u201d \u2014 It\u2019s a massive procession down Hollywood Boulevard, with fancy floats, marching bands, celebrities and bloated balloons. (8 p.m., The CW).
Dec. 16
\u201ciHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2018\u201d \u2014 Shawn Mendes, Cardi B, Camilla Cabello and others celebrate the season with musical performances. (8 p.m., The CW; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 25).
Dec. 17
\u201cChristmas at the Mormon Tabernacle Choir\u201d \u2014 Sutton Foster joins the choir on an array of holiday tunes. (9 p.m., PBS; re-airs 9 p.m. Dec. 22 and 24).
Dec. 18
\u201cGreatest Holiday Commercials Countdown 2018\u201d \u2014 Kevin Frazier leads viewers through a dozen great ads. (8 p.m., The CW).
\u201cGreatest Holiday Video Countdown\u201d \u2014 A showcase of video greeting cards from around the world. (9 p.m., The CW).
Dec. 21
\u201cA Home for the Holidays: The 20th Anniversary\u201d \u2014 Musical artists and other celebrities gather to raise awareness of adoption from foster care. (8 p.m., CBS).
Dec. 23
\u201cMasters of Illusion: Christmas Magic\u201d \u2014 Magicians show off their tricks. (8 p.m., The CW)
Dec. 25
\u201cDisney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade\u201d \u2014 A holly jolly celebration through the streets of the Disney theme parks. (9 a.m. PT\/ 10 a.m., ET, ABC).
\u201cCall the Midwife Holiday Special\u201d \u2014 A new nun and four Chinese orphans arrive unexpectedly at Nonnatus House, causing both joy and chaos. (9 p.m., PBS).
We can\u2019t list every holiday TV movie \u2014 Hallmark alone has produced 37 this year. But here are a few that caught our eye:
Nov. 23
\u201cPride, Prejudice, and Mistletoe\u201d \u2014 Darcy (Lacey Chabert) heads home for the holidays and runs into her future soulmate. (8 p.m., Hallmark).
Nov. 24
\u201cChristmas Everlasting\u201d \u2014 Patti LaBelle is among the cast of this film, based on the novel \u201cThe Second Sister\u201d by Marie Bostwick. (8 p.m., Hallmark).
Nov. 25
\u201cJingle Belle\u201d \u2014 Tatyana Ali plays a hot-shot jingle writer who returns to her small home town to help with its Christmas concert. (8 p.m., Lifetime).
\u201cThe Truth About Christmas\u201d \u2014 A political consultant has a life-changing run-in with a toy store Santa. (9 p.m., Freeform).
Nov. 30
\u201cA Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding\u201d \u2014 A sequel to last year\u2019s \u201cA Christmas Prince\u201d starring Rose McIver and Ben Lamb. (Netflix).
\u201cA Very Nutty Christmas\u201d \u2014 An overworked bakery owner (Melissa Joan Hart) gets help from a guy (Barry Watson) who just might be the Nutcracker Prince. (8 p.m., Lifetime).
Dec. 2
\u201cLife-Size 2: A Christmas Eve\u201d \u2014 In this sequel to \u201cLife-Size,\u201d Tyra Banks plays a doll that comes to life to help guide a toy company CEO. (9 p.m., Freeform).
Dec. 8
\u201cHomegrown Christmas\u201d \u2014 Lori Loughlin and Victor Webster play high school sweethearts who reconnect when they plan a Christmas dance. (8 p.m., Hallmark).
Dec. 15
\u201cA Gingerbread Romance\u201d \u2014 Tia Mowry-Hardrict and Duane Henry get all sweet on each other as they build life-size gingerbread houses. (8 p.m., Hallmark).
These programs deal mainly with food and home decor:
Nov. 26
\u201cThe Great Christmas Light Fight\u201d \u2014 Watch those power bills soar as Clark Griswold wannabes throw down in an over-the-top home-decorating contest. (8 p.m., ABC).
Dec. 6
\u201cThe Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition\u201d \u2014 Sugar rush! Ten amateur bakers compete to see whose tasty treats reign supreme. (9 p.m., ABC).
Dec. 7
\u201cNailed It Holiday\u201d \u2014 A holiday-themed competition for home bakers with a terrible track record described as \u201cpart competition, part hot mess.\u201d (Netflix).
Dec. 18
\u201cA Heartland Holiday Feast\u201d \u2014 Chef Lidia Bastianich journeys to small-town America to learn food traditions and celebrations. (9 p.m., PBS).
These are new specials and films aimed at kids from 1 to 92:
Nov. 22
\u201cThe Christmas Chronicles\u201d \u2014 Kurt Russell plays Santa Claus in this movie about two kids who crash his sleigh and nearly derail Christmas. (Netflix).
Nov. 25
\u201cSpaceBob MerryPants\u201d \u2014 SpongeBob and his pals take a trip to the moon with the help of Santa Claus. (11 a.m., Nickelodeon).
Nov. 30
\u201cAngela\u2019s Christmas\u201d \u2014 An animated tale based on the children\u2019s book by Frank McCourt (\u201cAngela\u2019s Ashes\u201d) about the power of family. (Netflix).
Dec. 2
\u201cThe Doc McStuffins Christmas Special\u201d \u2014 Doc and the toys travel back in time to the North Pole to save Christmas. (7 p.m., Disney Junior).
Specials that recall the year that was and celebrate the one to come:
Dec. 23
\u201cThe Year: 2018\u201d \u2014 Robin Roberts and others review \u201cthe most unforgettable and unbelievable moments\u201d of the year. (9 p.m., ABC).
Dec. 31
\u201cA Toast to 2018!\u201d \u2014 A rundown of the year\u2019s highlights and newsmakers. (8 p.m., NBC).
\u201cDick Clark\u2019s Primetime New Year\u2019s Rockin\u2019 Eve With Ryan Seacrest\u201d \u2014 The show with the longest title returns to ring in the new year. (8 p.m., ABC).
\u201cNBC\u2019s New Year\u2019s Eve\u201d \u2014 The party is on from Times Square in New York. (10 p.m., NBC)
Here\u2019s a list of returning specials and movies \u2014 the gifts that keep giving:
Nov. 23
\u201cFrosty the Snowman\u201d (8 p.m., CBS; re-airs 9 p.m. Dec. 8)
\u201cHow the Grinch Stole Christmas\u201d (8 p.m., NBC; also 8 p.m. Dec. 6, TBS)
\u201cSanta Claus Is Comin\u2019 to Town\u201d (8 p.m., ABC; also 4:05 p.m. Dec. 5, Freeform)
\u201cGrandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer\u201d (8 p.m., The CW; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 19)
\u201cLove Actually\u201d (8 p.m., TBS)
\u201cFrosty Returns\u201d (8:30 p.m., CBS; re-airs 9:30 p.m. Dec. 8)
\u201cDreamworks Trolls Holiday\u201d (8:30 p.m., NBC)
Nov. 24
\u201cRobbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire\u201d (8 p.m., CBS)
\u201cRobbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe\u201d (8:30 p.m., CBS)
\u201cThe Story of Santa Claus\u201d (9 p.m., CBS)
Nov. 26
\u201cElf\u201d (7 and 9 p.m., AMC)
Nov. 27
\u201cRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer\u201d (8 p.m., CBS; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 8)
Nov. 28
\u201cNational Lampoon\u2019s Christmas Vacation\u201d (7 and 9:15 p.m., AMC)
Nov. 29
\u201cOlaf\u2019s Frozen Adventure\u201d (8 p.m., ABC; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 19)
\u201cToy Story That Time Forgot\u201d (8:30 p.m., ABC; also 11:45 a.m. Dec. 23, Freeform)
Dec. 2
\u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d 1938 version (8:30 a.m.,TCM; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 16 and 6 p.m. Dec. 24)
Dec. 3
\u201cThe Santa Claus\u201d (7:25 p.m., Freeform)
Dec. 6
\u201cA Charlie Brown Christmas\u201d (8 p.m., ABC; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 20)
\u201cElf\u2019s Story: The Elf on the Shelf\u201d (8:30 p.m., TBS)
Dec. 7
\u201cDisney\u2019s Christmas Carol,\u201d 2009 (9:50 p.m., Freeform; re-airs 2:20 p.m. Dec. 8; 9 p.m. Dec. 12; 9:15 p.m. Dec. 15; 5:10 p.m. Dec. 17; 4:10 p.m. Dec. 24; 12:40 p.m. Dec. 25.
Dec. 8
\u201cHoliday Inn\u201d (8 p.m., TCM)
Dec. 13
\u201cDisney Prep & Landing\u201d (8 p.m., ABC; re-airs 8 p.m. Dec. 23)
\u201cPrep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice\u201d (8:30 p.m., ABC; re-airs 8:30 p.m. Dec. 23)
Dec. 14
\u201cI Love Lucy Christmas Special\u201d (8 p.m., CBS)
Dec. 19
\u201cShrek the Halls\u201d (8:30 p.m., ABC)
Dec. 21
\u201cI Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown\u201d (8 p.m., ABC)
Dec. 23
\u201cA Christmas Carol,\u201d 1951 version (9 p.m., TCM)
Dec. 24
\u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life\u201d (8 p.m., NBC)
\u201cA Christmas Story\u201d marathon (Begins at 8 p.m. and runs for 24 hours, TBS)
Dec. 25
\u201cHow the Grinch Stole Christmas,\u201d the 2000 movie (8:30 p.m., NBC)
Dec. 27
\u201cHappy New Year, Charlie Brown\u201d (8 p.m., ABC)
\u201cRudolph\u2019s Shiny New Year\u201d (9 p.m., ABC)
Contact Chuck Barney at cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow him at Twitter.com\/chuckbarney and Facebook.com\/bayareanewsgroup.chuckbarney.<\/p>\n

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