The Christmas mega-list keeps getting more mega.
Last week, I had a long list of holiday movies and specials and such. Since then, more have been added.
FX has an ambitious — and very dark — “Christmas Carol,” with Guy Pearce and Andy Serkis (both shown here) as Scrooge and Christmas past. AMC has added a cartoon marathon Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, plus lots of showings of Will Ferrell’s “Elf.” And on Christmas Day, Britbox will have James Corden’s new “Gavin and Stacey” Christmas movie. Here’s the list, updated to Nov. 30:
PARADES
Dec. 13: Hollywood Christmas Parade, 8-10 p.m., CW. Mario Lopez is grand marshal.
Dec. 25: Christmas Day Parade (Disney parks), 10 a.m. to noon ET (9-11 a.m. other time zones), ABC.
COMEDY
Dec. 4: “The Moodys,” 9 and 9:30 p.m., Fox, continuing Dec. 9 and 10. Originally called “Moody Christmas,” it has a surprisingly engaging mixture of comedy and drama. Denis Leary and Elizabeth Perkins play the parents whose kids – all with lives wobbling – are home for the holiday.
Dec. 5: “Saturday Night Live Christmas Special,” 9-11 p.m., NBC.
Dec. 20: “I Love Lucy” Christmas special, 8 p.m., CBS. As always, this has two episodes with color added by computer – the 1956 Christmas one and one other – this time (also from 1956) is set in Paris.
Dec. 22: “Kids Say the Darnedest Things” special, 8 p.m., ABC, with kids telling us about Christmas.
Dec. 25: “Gavin and Stacey: Christmas,” any time, Britbox. James Corden returns to the series he co-created (and had a supporting role in) before finding talkshow fame. That’s on a day when Britbox has a flood of other British Christmas shows, plus the first three “Gavin and Stacey” seasons.
CARTOONS:
(First, the classics people always ask about)
Dec. 2: “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” 8-9 p.m., CBS.
Dec. 3: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” 8 p.m., NBC; also 8 p.m. Dec. 25 on NBC. Also, on TNT at 7:30 p.m., Dec.7; 7 p.m., Dec. 13; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. And on TNT, 8 p.m. Dec. 14.
Dec. 5 and 17: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” 8 p.m., ABC. The hour is rounded out with short “Charlie Brown Christmas Tales.”
Dec. 6 and beyond: “Frosty” and “Rudolph” back-to-back on Freeform: 8 and 8:30-9:30, Dec.6; 6:15 and 6:45 p.m. Dec. 7; 5:45 and 6:15 p.m. Dec. 20; 12:55 and 1:25 p.m. Dec. 21; 8:20 and 8:50 p.m. 17 Dec. 24; 3:10 and 3:40 p.m. Dec. 25.
Dec. 14: “Rudolph” (8 p.m.) and “Frosty” (9), CBS, with the “Frosty” sequel at 9:30.
(Now some other key reruns)
Nov. 30: “Robbie the Reindeer” and its sequel, 8 and 8:30 p.m., CBS. These drip with dry British wit.
Nov. 30: “The Story of Santa Claus,” 9-10 p.m., CBS.
Nov. 30 and Dec. 1: “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” 5:45 and 11 p.m. the first day, 12:15 and 4:45 p.m. the second. It’s part of a marathon of Rankin-Bass animated specials – many of them so-so – during the daytime, leading into 7 p.m. movies both days.
Dec. 1: “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” 8 p.m., ABC. It then moves to Freeform: 4:45 p.m. Dec. 3; 1 p.m. Dec. 4; 11:50 a.m. Dec. 21; 9:55 p.m. Dec. 24; 4:45 p.m. Dec. 25.
Dec. 12: “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” and “Toy Story That Time Forgot,” 8 and 8:30 p.m., ABC. “Olaf” is also at 9 p.m. Dec. 17, with “Shrek the Hall” at 9:30.
Dec. 14: “Trolls Holiday,” 8:30 p.m., NBC.
Dec. 19: “Prep & Lansing” and its sequel, 8 and 8:30 p.m., ABC.
Dec. 19: “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer,” 8 p.m., CW.
Dec. 22: “I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown,” 7 p.m., ABC.
COMPETITIONS
Any time: “Sugar Rush Christmas,” Netflix. It’s a six-episode fight to make holiday confections.
Dec. 2, 9, 16: “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” 8 and 9 p.m., ABC. Each hour, a judge (Carter Oosterhouse or Taniya Nayack) sees four mega-displays and gives one $50,000.
Dec. 2, 9: “Wrap Battle,” 9 and 10 p.m., Freeform. This three-Monday, six-hour series started Nov. 25, with nine gift-wrappers.
Dec. 6, 13, 20: “The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition,” 9 and 10 p.m., ABC.
Dec. 6: “Top Elf,” 8 p.m., Nickelodeon. Seven kids compete to be Santa’s top helper. That started Nov. 29 and continues for three more Fridays, then concludes Saturday, Dec. 21.
Dec. 15: “The Christmas Caroler Challenge,” 8 and 9 p.m., CW; continues Dec. 22-23. This six-hour show has a dozen groups, ranging from traditional to offbeat. Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie host.
Dec. 21: “Battle of the Christmas Movie Stars,” Lifetime. In holiday-themed games, actresses compete to be named Queen of Lifetime Christmas.
And several on the Food Network. “Santa’s Baking Blizzard,” starting 9 p.m. Nov. 28, has bakers and ice sculptors. Upcoming debuts are “Holiday Wars” and “Holiday Gingerbread Showdown,” 9 and 10 p.m. Dec. 1; and “Kids Baking Championship: North Pole Edition,” at 8 p.m. Dec. 8
MUSIC
Dec. 3: “CMA Country Christmas,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. Tricia Yearwood hosts, with people from gospel (CeCe Winans, King & Country), pop (Tori Kelly), Broadway (Kristin Chenoweth) and country – Lady Antebellum, Rascal Flatts, Runaway June, Chris Janson, Brett Young, Chris Young and more.
Dec. 4: “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” 8-10 p.m., NBC. Along with the tree-lighting, there’s music by Legend, Menzel, Gwen Stefani, Brett Eldredge, Chicago, Ne-Yo, Lea Michele and more.
Dec. 13: “Disney Channel Holiday Party,” 8-8:30 p.m., Disney. Shaggy and Pentatonix perform, plus people from the channel – Meg Donnelly, Isaac Ryan Brown, Ruby Rose Turner and Kylie Cantrall.
Dec. 16: “Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir,” 9-10 p.m., PBS, with Kristen Chenoweth. A 90-minute version will be 7 p.m. Dec. 19 on BYUtv.
Dec. 16: “Holiday With the Houghs,” 10 p.m., NBC, rerunning 9 p.m. Dec. 23. Derek (the dancer) and his sister Julianne (the dancer-turned-singer) host.
Dec. 19: “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball,” 8-9:30 p.m., CW; repeats 8 p.m. Dec. 25.
Dec. 22: “A Home For the Holidays,” 9 p.m., CBS. Menzel hosts and performs in this adoption-oriented hour. Also performing are Adam Lambert, Kelly Rowland and Ne-Yo.
Dec. 23: “Christmas at Belmont,” 9 p.m., PBS; repeats at 8 p.m. Dec. 24. CeCe Winans and Michael W. Smith host, with almost 700 student musicians at Belmont University in Nashville.
MOVIES
(First, some classics; not all have Christmas connections, but people expect them during the holidays)
Nov. 30: “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), 8 p.m., NBC.
Nov. 30: “Elf” (2003), 7 and 9 p.m., Will Ferrell is a 6-foot-3 elf, suddenly loose in the outside world. It reruns often, including 8 p.m. Dec. 4, 6 p.m. Dec. 5, 6 and 8 p.m. Dec. 8.
Dec. 15: “The Sound of Music” (1965), 7 p.m., ABC.
Dec. 20: “A Christmas Story” (1983), 7 and 9 p.m., TBS. Then comes the annual 24-hour marathon. This year, the film runs every two hours, starting at 8 p.m. Dec. 24 on TBS and 9 p.m. on TNT.
Dec. 24: “A Christmas Story Live,” 8 p.m., NBC. Well, it won’t be live this time, but it was originally.
This is NBC’s fun production of the Broadway musical, with Matthew Broderick as the adult Ralphie.
(Now let’s pause to look at “A Christmas Carol.”)
Dec. 1: The 1951 version (Alistair Sim as Scrooge), 8 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies.
Dec. 2: The 1992 one with Michael Caine and the Muppets, 7:30 a.m., Freeform.
Dec. 5: The 1999 one (Patrick Stewart), 8 and 10 p.m., TNT.
Dec. 8: The 1938 one (Reginald Owen), noon ET Dec.8, plus midnight ET as Christmas Eve becomes Christmas Day.
Dec. 19: And the new one, with Guy Pearce as Scrooge and Andy Serkis as Christmas Past; 7:30
p.m., AMC. Repeats at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Dec. 22, 8 p.m. Dec. 24 and 4 p.m. Dec. 25.
(Now some more new movies)
Any time: “Merry Happy Whatever,” Netflix. Dennis Quaid plays a dad who is less merry when his daughter (Bridgit Mendler) arrives with her boyfriend. Netflix also recently adde “Holiday Rush” and the animated “Klaus.” Coming are “A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby” on Dec. 5 and “A Family Reunion Christmas” on Dec. 9. Also on streaming, Disney+ recently debuted “Noelle,” with Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader.
Dec. 4: “Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas,” 9-11 p.m., Freeform. After a great first date, a woman is killed in a car crash. She needs help from the only living soul who sees her. Also, 2:05 p.m. Dec.16.
Dec. 5: “Same Time, Next Christmas,” 9-11 p.m., ABC. Lea Michele stars. Also, 8-10 p.m. Dec. 23 on ABC, often on Freeform.
Dec. 7: “A Christmas Love Story,” 8 p.m., Hallmark. Yes, there are lots of Hallmark films, but this is under the “Hall of Fame” banner, with a bigger budget. Kristen Chenoweth and Scott Wolf star.
Dec. 25: “Call the Midwife Holiday Special,” 9-10:30 p.m., PBS.
Many more movies on…
… Hallmark and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Both have Christmas films every night, with a new one on one of the channels – 8 p.m. on Hallmark, 9 p.m. on its sister channel – on Fridays through Sundays, plus some Thursdays.
… Lifetime. It has new ones at 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays), through Dec. 22.
… Ion, with new movies at 7 p.m. on Dec. 1, 8, 14-15 and 21-22.
… UPtv at 7 p.m. ET Sundays. On Dec. 1, that reruns at 9; after that, the 7 p.m. film reruns at 11, with another rerun at 9.
… And more on cable, plus tons of reruns daily.
RANDOM SPECIALS
Dec. 10-12: “Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways,” 8 p.m., NBC; repeats 8-11 p.m. Dec. 18. Imagine opening your door and finding Michelle Obama – or Jennifer Aniston or Jason Momoa – bearing gifts. That happens to various deserving souls, including some in the studio audience.
Dec. 11: “Penn and Teller: Merry Fool Us,” 8 p.m,, CW
Dec. 16: “Greatest Holiday Commercials,” 9 p.m., CW.
Dec. 18: “Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic,” 9 p.m. Dec. 18, CW.
HOME AND TREES AND SUCH
Dec. 9: “National Christmas Tree Lighting,” It’s 8 p.m. ET on Reelz, 9 p.m. on Ovation.
Dec. 13: “A Chef’s Life Holiday Special” with Vivian Howard, 10 p.m., PBS.
Dec. 16: “A Very Brady Renovation,” 10 p.m., HGTV; also 1 p.m. Dec. 22, Food Network. The six people who played Brady siblings will catch a holiday in their renovated house.