1) Marathons. On Christmas Eve, TV likes to repeat itself. The delightful “A Christmas Story” (1983, shown here) starts at 8 p.m. on TBS and 9 on TNT; it re-starts every two hours, for 24 hours. The clever “Love, Actually” (2003), merely runs twice, at 6 and 9 p.m. on BBC America. “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) runs from 8-11 p.m. on NBC – then all day Monday on E. The oddest one? Great American Family has a yule log, from 5 p.m. ET today to noon Monday.
2) Family time. While kids fidget, they can watch Freeform all day, including “Rudolph” at 5:35 p.,m., “Frosty” at 6:40 and the “Santa Clause” trilogy at 7:15. There’s the delightful “Wizard of Oz” (1939) at 6:45 p.m. on TNT. ABC has “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” at 7 p.m. and “Home Alone” (1990) at 8. And the Disney Channel has naughtiness — “Prep & Landing: Naughty and Nice” at 7:30 p.m. and “The Naughty Nine” (2023) from 8 to 9:30.
3) “The Chosen” season-finale, 8-10 p.m., CW. This crowdfunded series, tracing the life of Jesus, is wrapping its third season, with four more planned. Tonight, people arrive to argue with – and then listen to – Jesus. That extends to the next day, leaving disciples with no food for thousands. Also, the Christmas episode of “Chosen” reruns at 1 and 4 p.m. ET on BYU-TV.
4) More religion. “Jesus: His Life” reruns often – on History (7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to midnight) and Story Television (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Prefer music? Great American Family has Gentri at 2 p.m. ET and King & Country at 3; UPtv has Josh Turner at 4. And BYU-TV reruns Tabernacle Choir mega-concerts, with Kelli O’Hara at 8:34 p.m. ET and Lea Salona at 11:38. Also, at 11:30 p.m., NBC has the Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
5) ALSO: Even on Christmas Eve, there’s a full afternoon of pro football on CBS and Fox. The evening game (Patriots-Broncos at 8:15 ET) is only on the NFL Network. Fox even has a new “Simpsons” at 8, with Homer and Bart trying a sports scheme. That’s followed by reruns of “Krapopolis” (an Olympics-type event goes bad) at 8:30, “Housebroken” (stopping an intruder) at 9 and “Family Guy” (take-offs of three Academy Award films) at 9:30.