1) “A Home For the Holidays,” 9 p.m., CBS. Each year, this blends great music with passionate stories about adoption. This time, the music is from Idina Menzel (who hosts), Adam Lambert (shown here), Kelly Rowland and Ne-Yo; in the stories, we meet: A couple that married later in life and adopted siblings, 4 and 2 … A couple that already had four sons, then adopted two ballerinas, 5 and 3 … And a single man who adopted sisters, 9 and 7. A fourth story will be told, followed by its adoption ceremony.
2) “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” 8 p.m., ABC. It’s a family-friendly night for ABC. At 7 p.m. is a rerun of the cartoon, “I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown”; at 8, Tiffany Haddish talks with kids about holiday traditions, learns who’s on the “nice list” and celebrates an 8-year-old magician.
3) “The Year: 2019,” 9-11p.m., ABC. Usually, these recaps can be finished in peace. As the holidays near, newsmakers politely quit making news. Not this time, with fresh stories leaping across Congress, the courts and overseas. We’ll see how ABC News boils it down.
4) “The Christmas Caroler Challenge,” 8 and 9 p.m., CW. Last week, we met a dozen caroling groups, from traditional to unusual; two were trimmed. Now the cuts continue, with two cut each hour. This concludes Monday, with six groups in the first hour and then the final four going for the title.
5) “King of Kings” (1961) and “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965), 1:15 and 4:15 p.m. ET, Turner Classic Movies. In an overcrowded Christmas TV season, there’s been little mention of Christianity. One exception will be the near-midnight services Christmas Eve on NBC and CBS; another is this stretch. It will be followed by Bing Crosby as a priest in “Going My Way” (1944) at 8 p.m. ET, and its sequel, “The Bells of St. Mary” (1945) at 10:15. The silent “Ben Hur” (1925) is at 12:30 a.m.