Tune into Christmas TV
By Bruce R. Miller Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, November 30, 2007
It's that time of year.
You know the drill. You decorate the tree. You eat. You watch a little TV. You watch a little more TV. You eat. You realize you haven't seen Rudolph or Charlie Brown yet. You wonder why you didn't leave yourself a note. You remember to gather the family. You remember the good ol' days. And you don't miss "It's a Wonderful Life."
By day, here are the holiday specials on tap this year.
Dec. 1
"The Radio City Christmas Spectacular" (7 p.m. NBC) -- If you can't rush to New York to see the Rockettes, let 'em dance into your home. The 75th edition is broadcast from Radio City Music Hall. Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira host.
"Holiday Switch" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Nicole Eggert wonders if she chose the wrong husband when she can't make ends meet at Christmas. A fantasy lets her see what it could be like.
Dec. 3
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Baby New Year is missing. Rudolph to the rescue!
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (7 p.m. ABC) -- The classic cartoon is rerun. Listen closely to the music. It makes this a holiday staple.
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- Two elves fill in for Santa when the old guy gets sick.
"Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- When the Evil Toy Taker grabs Santa's good, Rudolph and friends have to make sure Christmas happens.
Dec. 4
"Snow" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Tom Cavanaugh plays a guy named Nick who has to make sure the family business runs smoothly. Yup, there are parallels with the life of another Nick.
"Santa Baby" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- When dad is Santa Claus, the bar is set pretty high. Jenny McCarthy plays the woman who has to help dad out when he gets sick.
Dec. 5
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Santa drops an entire town from his list because someone wrote a nasty letter.
"The Story of the First Christmas Snow" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A blind shepherd learns what Christmas is like when nuns at an abbey take him in.
"I Saw Mommy Kisssing Santa Claus" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- A kid takes a picture of mom bussing Santa. That means war.
Dec. 6
"Once Upon a Christmas" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Kathy Ireland plays Santa's daughter in a plot to save Christmas.
"Twice Upon a Christmas" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- She's back.
Dec. 7
"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- How Kris Kringle became Santa Claus.
"The Polar Express" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- That creepy cartoon version of the hit book comes to television. Tom Hanks is everywhere in it.
Dec. 8
"The Santa Clause 2" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Tim Allen returns as Santa.
"Lost Holiday: The Jim and Suzanne Shemwell Story" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- A woman and her estranged husband get caught in a blizzard and have to work together to survive. Based in truth, the TV movie stars Jami Gertz and Dylan Walsh.
Dec. 9
"Holiday in Handcuffs" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- When a young woman has a Christmas breakdown, she kidnaps a guy to take home for the holidays. Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez star.
"Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day" (8 p.m. ABC) -- It has the longest title in years and it's based on one of the skimpiest books in recent memory. Michael Imperioli and Ellen Burstyn star in the drama about making the most of life.
"An Accidental Christmas" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Two kids decide to get their separated parents together for the holidays. Cynthia Gibb and David Milbern play the parents.
Dec. 10
"Mary Poppins" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- The Oscar-winning musical with Julie Andrews returns.
"I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown" (7 p.m. ABC) -- Rerun thinks this is a Snoopy kind of year. But Snoopy bails and he's left to fend with Spike.
Dec. 11
"Jack Frost" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- How Jack Frost got his cred.
"Shrek the Halls" (7 p.m. ABC) -- If you missed this new special last week, tune in now. Shrek wants to celebrate the holidays with family but other forces get in the way. Can you say Donkey?
"Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too" (7:30 p.m. ABC) -- Pooh and Piglet try to retrieve a letter to Santa. Oh, bother.
"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" (9 p.m. ABC Family) -- The Great Ak asks that Santa be given immortality.
Dec. 12
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Frosty gets a wife.
"Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A donkey with long ears is thrown out of his stable. Mom sacrifices her life to save him from a blizzard.
Dec. 13
"The Little Drummer Boy" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- An orphan meets three men on the way to Bethlehem.
"The Little Drummer Boy Book 2" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- More of the same.
"Saturday Night Live: Christmas Special" (8:30 p.m. NBC) -- Holiday-themed sketches are repackaged from 30 years of the late night variety show. Look for Alec Baldwin in "Schweddy Balls."
Dec. 14
"The Cat in the Hat" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Not the Mike Myers film. Still, it's based on Dr. Seuss.
"Dr. Seuss on the Loose" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- Another 'toon.
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- Jim Carrey stars in the live-action version of the venerable Christmas story.
"It's a Wonderful Life" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Here's your chance to get your annual fix. Denison, Iowa's Donna Reed stars with Jimmy Stewart. (For good measure, it's rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Dec. 24.)
Dec. 15
"Snowglobe" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- A snowglobe transports a woman into an idyllic holiday paradise. Reality, however, collides with fantasy. Christina Milian stars.
"Cops: Ho! Ho! Ho!" (7 p.m. Fox) -- In Vegas cops find the women who put the "ho" in Ho, Ho, Ho.
"Christmas in Paradise" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Two families go to the Caribbean for the holidays. Trouble ensues. Colin Ferguson, Charlotte Ross and Devon Werkheiser star.
Dec. 16
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Dick Van Dyke stars in this musical about an oddball inventor.
Dec. 17
"Clash of the Choirs" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Over four nights, Michael Bolton, Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, Kelly Rowland and Blake Shelton lead choirs in a holiday reality competition.
Dec. 20
"The Lorax" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A cartoon about the environment, based on Dr. Seuss' book.
Dec. 22
"A Family Holiday" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Dave Coulier plays a pool hustler who hires a family in order to get a $10 million inheritance.
Dec. 23
"Eloise at the Plaza" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Based on the story of a little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel.
"Elmo's Christmas Countdown" (6 p.m. ABC) -- Will it be a Merry Elmo Christmas? Only if Ben Stiller (as Stiller the Elf) and Abby Cadabby can help him find the missing boxes and begin the countdown. Also in tow? Stan the Snowball.
Dec. 24
"A Christmas Story" (7 p.m. TBS) -- The relatively new classic airs continuously for 24 hours. So, if you stop to eat, open presents and sing a few songs, you can pick up the rest of the film later in the day.
Dec. 25
"Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade" (9 a.m. ABC) -- Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa host the annual float fest at Walt Disney World. As a Christmas bonus, contestants from "Dancing With the Stars" do a special number. Miley Cyrus is also on deck.
"Deal or No Deal" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Santa Claus shows up with the models to deliver big bucks to potential winners.
You know the drill. You decorate the tree. You eat. You watch a little TV. You watch a little more TV. You eat. You realize you haven't seen Rudolph or Charlie Brown yet. You wonder why you didn't leave yourself a note. You remember to gather the family. You remember the good ol' days. And you don't miss "It's a Wonderful Life."
By day, here are the holiday specials on tap this year.
Dec. 1
"The Radio City Christmas Spectacular" (7 p.m. NBC) -- If you can't rush to New York to see the Rockettes, let 'em dance into your home. The 75th edition is broadcast from Radio City Music Hall. Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira host.
"Holiday Switch" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Nicole Eggert wonders if she chose the wrong husband when she can't make ends meet at Christmas. A fantasy lets her see what it could be like.
Dec. 3
"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Baby New Year is missing. Rudolph to the rescue!
"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (7 p.m. ABC) -- The classic cartoon is rerun. Listen closely to the music. It makes this a holiday staple.
"The Year Without a Santa Claus" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- Two elves fill in for Santa when the old guy gets sick.
"Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- When the Evil Toy Taker grabs Santa's good, Rudolph and friends have to make sure Christmas happens.
Dec. 4
"Snow" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Tom Cavanaugh plays a guy named Nick who has to make sure the family business runs smoothly. Yup, there are parallels with the life of another Nick.
"Santa Baby" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- When dad is Santa Claus, the bar is set pretty high. Jenny McCarthy plays the woman who has to help dad out when he gets sick.
Dec. 5
"Twas the Night Before Christmas" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Santa drops an entire town from his list because someone wrote a nasty letter.
"The Story of the First Christmas Snow" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A blind shepherd learns what Christmas is like when nuns at an abbey take him in.
"I Saw Mommy Kisssing Santa Claus" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- A kid takes a picture of mom bussing Santa. That means war.
Dec. 6
"Once Upon a Christmas" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Kathy Ireland plays Santa's daughter in a plot to save Christmas.
"Twice Upon a Christmas" (8 p.m. ABC Family) -- She's back.
Dec. 7
"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- How Kris Kringle became Santa Claus.
"The Polar Express" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- That creepy cartoon version of the hit book comes to television. Tom Hanks is everywhere in it.
Dec. 8
"The Santa Clause 2" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Tim Allen returns as Santa.
"Lost Holiday: The Jim and Suzanne Shemwell Story" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- A woman and her estranged husband get caught in a blizzard and have to work together to survive. Based in truth, the TV movie stars Jami Gertz and Dylan Walsh.
Dec. 9
"Holiday in Handcuffs" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- When a young woman has a Christmas breakdown, she kidnaps a guy to take home for the holidays. Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez star.
"Oprah Winfrey Presents: Mitch Albom's For One More Day" (8 p.m. ABC) -- It has the longest title in years and it's based on one of the skimpiest books in recent memory. Michael Imperioli and Ellen Burstyn star in the drama about making the most of life.
"An Accidental Christmas" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Two kids decide to get their separated parents together for the holidays. Cynthia Gibb and David Milbern play the parents.
Dec. 10
"Mary Poppins" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- The Oscar-winning musical with Julie Andrews returns.
"I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown" (7 p.m. ABC) -- Rerun thinks this is a Snoopy kind of year. But Snoopy bails and he's left to fend with Spike.
Dec. 11
"Jack Frost" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- How Jack Frost got his cred.
"Shrek the Halls" (7 p.m. ABC) -- If you missed this new special last week, tune in now. Shrek wants to celebrate the holidays with family but other forces get in the way. Can you say Donkey?
"Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too" (7:30 p.m. ABC) -- Pooh and Piglet try to retrieve a letter to Santa. Oh, bother.
"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" (9 p.m. ABC Family) -- The Great Ak asks that Santa be given immortality.
Dec. 12
"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Frosty gets a wife.
"Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A donkey with long ears is thrown out of his stable. Mom sacrifices her life to save him from a blizzard.
Dec. 13
"The Little Drummer Boy" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- An orphan meets three men on the way to Bethlehem.
"The Little Drummer Boy Book 2" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- More of the same.
"Saturday Night Live: Christmas Special" (8:30 p.m. NBC) -- Holiday-themed sketches are repackaged from 30 years of the late night variety show. Look for Alec Baldwin in "Schweddy Balls."
Dec. 14
"The Cat in the Hat" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Not the Mike Myers film. Still, it's based on Dr. Seuss.
"Dr. Seuss on the Loose" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- Another 'toon.
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- Jim Carrey stars in the live-action version of the venerable Christmas story.
"It's a Wonderful Life" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Here's your chance to get your annual fix. Denison, Iowa's Donna Reed stars with Jimmy Stewart. (For good measure, it's rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Dec. 24.)
Dec. 15
"Snowglobe" (7 p.m. ABC Family) -- A snowglobe transports a woman into an idyllic holiday paradise. Reality, however, collides with fantasy. Christina Milian stars.
"Cops: Ho! Ho! Ho!" (7 p.m. Fox) -- In Vegas cops find the women who put the "ho" in Ho, Ho, Ho.
"Christmas in Paradise" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Two families go to the Caribbean for the holidays. Trouble ensues. Colin Ferguson, Charlotte Ross and Devon Werkheiser star.
Dec. 16
"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Dick Van Dyke stars in this musical about an oddball inventor.
Dec. 17
"Clash of the Choirs" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Over four nights, Michael Bolton, Patti LaBelle, Nick Lachey, Kelly Rowland and Blake Shelton lead choirs in a holiday reality competition.
Dec. 20
"The Lorax" (6:30 p.m. ABC Family) -- A cartoon about the environment, based on Dr. Seuss' book.
Dec. 22
"A Family Holiday" (8 p.m. Lifetime) -- Dave Coulier plays a pool hustler who hires a family in order to get a $10 million inheritance.
Dec. 23
"Eloise at the Plaza" (6 p.m. ABC Family) -- Based on the story of a little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel.
"Elmo's Christmas Countdown" (6 p.m. ABC) -- Will it be a Merry Elmo Christmas? Only if Ben Stiller (as Stiller the Elf) and Abby Cadabby can help him find the missing boxes and begin the countdown. Also in tow? Stan the Snowball.
Dec. 24
"A Christmas Story" (7 p.m. TBS) -- The relatively new classic airs continuously for 24 hours. So, if you stop to eat, open presents and sing a few songs, you can pick up the rest of the film later in the day.
Dec. 25
"Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade" (9 a.m. ABC) -- Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa host the annual float fest at Walt Disney World. As a Christmas bonus, contestants from "Dancing With the Stars" do a special number. Miley Cyrus is also on deck.
"Deal or No Deal" (7 p.m. NBC) -- Santa Claus shows up with the models to deliver big bucks to potential winners.
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