Where to Watch Christmas TV Programs in 2023

It's the most wonderful time of the year again! The Christmas TV movies have already begun airing, Christmas music is playing on local radio stations, the days are growing shorter, and the air outside is crisp.

The viewing options for Christmas movies and specials during November and December each year are plentiful. Even though this year's TV programs and movies are far fewer than usual because of the months-long writers' and actors' strike, there is still an abundance of yuletide entertainment. Let me help you with the details of where to find the best holiday programming for 2023. This is not an exhaustive list and new listings are still being released. However, this is where you will find the majority of new holiday programming to watch this year. 

 

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For many holiday movie fans, the Hallmark Channel is the first name in Christmas TV movies. This year, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are debuting 40 new Christmas TV movies, alongside many previously released classics from their archives. If you didn't already know, the movie marathon has already begun--Hallmark started Friday, October 20th--and continues all day and all night through the end of December. Hallmark typically debuts their new holiday movies on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries' new movies debut this year on Thursday nights. 

 

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The daily schedule of their holiday movies can be found on their website HERE.

HERE is the link to HMM daily schedule on their website.

If you don't have cable TV anymore, don't fret--Hallmark Christmas movies are now streaming on Peacock too, for a limited time.

 

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Lifetime is debuting 12 new Christmas TV movies in 2023 as well. Those new movies typically debut on Saturdays and Sundays each week until Christmas. This year I'm excited to see "Ladies of the '80s: A Divas Christmas" featuring Loni Anderson, Morgan Fairchild, Joan Van Ark, Linda Gray, Nicolette Sheridan, and Christopher Atkins. It debuts Dec. 2nd--I can't wait!

HERE is a link to a printable calendar for Lifetime's new movies this year.

 

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Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas block of holiday programming begins December 1st. Sadly, it looks like they aren't premiering any new content here again this year but the cable network will be airing the Home Alone movie trilogy, The Santa Clause movie trilogy, several Rankin/Bass animated classics, and the charming TV movie Eloise at Christmastime.

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For new Disney-produced content, you'll need to subscribe to Disney+. The best thing about the streaming platforms is that you can search their listings using 'Christmas' to discover new titles as well as older content available for viewing. Of course, that search can be done year round too! This year, I'm looking forward to watching season 2 of The Santa Clauses and seeing the new movie Dashing Through the Snow. It stars Lil Rel Howery and Ludacris. As a die-hard sci-fi fan, I'll be watching the new Doctor Who holiday special on Disney+ too (it used to air on BBC America).

 

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I'm also looking forward to the annual holiday music concert CMA Country Christmas airing on ABC, and elsewhere. CMA Country Christmas airs on ABC on Dec. 14th. Speaking of annual holiday concerts, I never miss Christmas in Rockefeller Center which airs on NBC each year (on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving) on Nov. 29th. It's a live concert so it goes on rain, snow, or sleet! This concert always features the recording artists with a new Christmas album out and this year is no different--Cher is scheduled to perform! That same night after the New York City concert is another NBC music special-- Christmas at Graceland, taped at Elvis Presley's former home-turned-museum in Memphis, Tennessee. NBC is also featuring another concert, later on Dec. 7th--Christmas at the Opry, hosted by country music's own Wynonna. CBS is also featuring a holiday music concert on Dec. 9th--Merry Soulful Christmas. 

 

 

The 1964 animated TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will air on CBS on Monday, Nov. 27th. (it will no doubt air again closer to Christmas too). The Grinch and Shrek the Halls will air on NBC on Nov. 30th, and Robbie the Reindeer and Reindeer in Here are on CBS on Dec. 2nd. I believe AMC's holiday programming block of Best Christmas Ever will also be scheduling the deeper-cuts of Rankin/Bass' animated holiday programs, as usual.

Stay close to my social media links for more announcements about fantastic holiday programming. If you'd like reminders of the new Christmas TV movie debuts and other exciting holiday TV  programming, most prominently at Instagram: @TistheSeasonTV.  I'm also on TikTok as well--also under the name Tis the Season TV.

Where on the metaphorical television dial do you watch your favorite Christmas movies and specials?  Feel free to share in the comments below.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

Christmas in July 2023: RECAP

 

Merry Christmas in July! Were you able to keep up with the daily posts during the month-long marathon? In case you were late to the party this summer, here's your chance to catch up. Below is a complete list of links to each of the discussions on creative TV & film adaptations of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

This month-long list of adaptations is NOT an exhaustive list by far. From the dozens and dozens of adaptations of "A Christmas Carol," I purposefully selected thirty that featured a variety of programming and interpretations. A complete list of TV and film adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" can be found in the appendix of my upcoming book Tis the Season TV.

Thanks to everyone who followed along and to all who left comments. If you would still like to leave comments, please feel free to do so--the discussion doesn't have to end just because the marathon is over.  And, keep your eyes open--the expanded and updated encyclopedia Tis the Season TV is coming soon. 

 

 

Muppets Christmas Carol (1992)

An American Christmas Carol (1979)

Scrooged (1988)

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)

The Stingiest Man in Town (1956)

The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)

Carol for Another Christmas (1964)

Ebenezer (1998)

Skinflint (1979)

John Grin's Christmas (1986)

Ebbie (1995)

Ms. Scrooge (1997)

A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000)

The Rogues (1965)

Bewitched (1967)

Six Million Dollar Man (1976)

The Real Ghostbusters (1986)

Xena: Warrior Princess (1996)

Quantum Leap (1990)

Barbie's Christmas Carol (2008)

Karroll's Christmas (2004)

George Burns Comedy Week (1985)

Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1988)

Rich Little's Christmas Carol (1978)

 

Young Rock (2021)

Family Guy (2017)

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)

A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)

General Electric Theater (1957)

Want to revisit past Christmas in July marathons? Below is a list of links of recaps of previous years' content.

2022's Recap of adaptations and references to It's a Wonderful Life.

2021's Recap of Christmas in July/Christmas in the Sun holiday programs

2013 list of O.Henry adaptations

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

Christmas in July 2023: General Electric Theater (1957)

The dramatic anthology series started on radio and continued on television throughout the 1950s.

 

Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #30 in the month-long celebration of Christmas entertainment. Each day this month I will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies that are a creative or imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens' tale A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Just a little something different and a way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition will be released soon). 

 

Pardon my thumb. A 1957 ad from TV Guide magazine for "Trail to Christmas."

Today's discussion is on a western adaptation of Dickens' A Christmas Carol entitled "The Trail to Christmas" which aired on the dramatic anthology TV series General Electric Theater in 1957. The story was originally written for the radio drama “The Six Shooter” and listened to by audiences under the episode title “Britt Ponset’s Christmas Carol” in 1953. 

G.E. Theater on TV was hosted by actor Ronald Reagan--heard of him!?

The 1957 television episode is directed by and stars Jimmy Stewart. In this western tale, a cowboy sitting by a campfire on Christmas Eve hears someone approach, and he welcomes a young runaway drawn to the fire. The runaway reveals that he doesn’t like Christmas, which inspires the cowboy to share a story. The cowboy narrates a western version of the story of Ebenezer Scrooge--a wealthy rancher and property owner who doesn't appreciate Christmas. 

 

Ebenezer Scrooge here is played by character actor John McIntire.

Scrooge even threatened to throw his ranch hand Bob Cratchit and his family from their home on Christmas if they didn’t pay their rent. Late on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his friend Jake Marley who warns him about his attitude. Scrooge is visited by a ghost who shows him visions through the bedroom mirror of Ebenezer’s own past, present, and future. In a vision of his past, Scrooge sees how his relationship with Belle failed because he was already committed to making money instead of love. In the present, Scrooge witnesses a vision of Cratchit’s family and their ailing son Tiny Tim. In a vision of the future, Scrooge is frightened to see his own cemetery plot. Scrooge spends Christmas day, driving his wagon to see the Cratchit family in order to share with them his change of heart and an increase in Bob’s salary. 

 

Jake Marley here is played by character actor Will Wright--pictured above playing Ben Weaver in the 1960 Christmas episode of "The Andy Griffith Show."

 

The western tale inspires the runaway Johnny to stop thinking of himself and to consider his Aunt Nellie’s feelings back home. The cowboy escorts Johnny home and helps the youngster bring a gift for Aunt Nellie too.

Even the most casual holiday movie fans will recognize James Stewart from his role as George Bailey in the 1946 movie "It's a Wonderful Life."

 

The cast includes James Stewart as the cowboy, Richard Eyer as Johnny, John McIntire as Ebenezer Scrooge, Will Wright as Jake Marley, Sam Edwards as Bob Crachit, Dennis Holmes as Tiny Tim, Hope Summers as Aunt Nellie, Kevin Hagen as the Ghost, Sally Fraser as Belle, Mary Lawrence as Mrs. Cratchit, and Tom Pittman as young Ebenezer. The music is by Elmer Bernstein.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

Christmas in July 2023: A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)

 

Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #29 in the month-long celebration of Christmas entertainment. Each day this month I will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies that are a creative or imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens' tale A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Just a little something different and a way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition will be released soon). 

Today's discussion is on the 1994 feature-length animated special A Flintstones Christmas Carol produced by Hanna-Barbera. This program features the pre-historic characters made popular in the 1960s TV series. 

 

 

In this story, Fred Flintstone stars in a Bedrock Community Theater production of a prehistoric version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in the lead role of ‘Ebonezer’ Scrooge. However, Fred is so consumed with his role and quest for stardom that he selfishly ignores what’s going on around him. During the performance, Fred comes to recognize himself and his own behavior as that of the selfish Scrooge’s. But a strain of the flu known as the Bedrock Bug is afflicting the community theater members, jeopardizing the completion of the play. By the end of the performance, Fred has learned his lesson about ‘keeping Christmas well’ just as he succumbs to the Bedrock bug himself.
 

The Bedrick Bug is making the cast of the play ill.

 

This story extends the playful absurdity The Flintstones are known for. Here, prehistoric characters interpret a 19th-century story for 21st-century audiences!

The story is a stage production of Dickens’ tale which is similar to the 1962 TV special Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol, however this version includes a significant amount of backstage story which continues the adaptation of Dickens' book.

This Flintstones TV special is a near complete retelling of the classic Dickens’ tale. Barney plays Bob Cratchit (here as ‘Cragit) and Fezziwig. Mr. Slate plays Jacob Marley (Marbley), Wilma is the Ghost of Christmas Past and Belle, Bamm Bamm is Tiny Tim, and Pebbles is Martha Cragit. There is a narrator named Charles Brickens, and Dino is in the non-speaking role as the Ghost of Christmas Future. 

The voice cast includes Henry Corden as Fred Flintstone, Jean Vander Pyl as Wilma, Frank Welker as Barney Rubble/Dino, B.J. Ward as Betty, John Stephenson as Mr. Slate, Russi Taylor as Pebbles, Don Messick as Bamm Bamm, and John Rhys-Davies as Charles Brickens.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

Christmas in July 2023: Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)

 

Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #28 in the month-long celebration of Christmas entertainment. Each day this month I will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies that are a creative or imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens' tale A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Just a little something different and a way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition will be released soon). 

 

Magoo's on Broadway!

 

For the last couple days in the marathon, let me move on from parodies and finish up with a couple of favorites. Today let me discuss the 1962 animated special Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. The near-sighted cartoon character was featured in theatrically released animated shorts and a familiar to audiences in 1962. In this holiday special, Magoo plays an actor in a Broadway musical production of “A Christmas Carol," playing Ebenezer Scrooge in the stage show-within-a-show.

 

Gorgeous backgrounds!

 

This gorgeous, highly stylized animated special made by UPA (United Productions of America animation studio) is a sincere re-telling of the Dickens’ classic, yet several changes were made from the original Dickens text, including the elimination of the nephew Fred character, and the order of the ghosts that visit Scrooge on Christmas Eve. However, for an entire generation of young TV viewers, this special was their first exposure to Dickens’ classic Christmas story.

The original music within the production was written by Broadway legends Jule Styne and Bob Merrill. This animated TV special features six original songs including "Back on Broadway," "Ringle Ringle," "The Lord's Bright Blessing," Alone in the World," "Winter Was Warm," and "We're Despicable."  The songs "Alone in the World," "Ringle Ringle," and "The Lord's Bright Blessing" are reprised for the ending.

This hour-long animated classic has a significant claim to fame: It is the first animated Christmas special made just for television. Although Walt Disney had already established the tradition of animated specials on TV at Christmas (specifically “From All of Us to All of You”), this is the first entirely original animated Christmas special for television.

Tiny Tim sure looks like Gerald McBoing Boing!

There’s a reason that Tiny Tim resembles the 1950s incarnation of Gerald McBoing Boing. The Mr. Magoo and Gerald cartoons were both generated from the same animation studio. 

The voice cast includes Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo, Morey Amsterdam as Brady/James, Jack Cassidy as Bob Cratchit, and Paul Frees as Stage director/Fezziwig.

I wrote about this 1962 animated special before on this website with a little more depth. Click HERE to see that essay again.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

Christmas in July 2023: Family Guy (2017)

 

Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #27 in the month-long celebration of Christmas entertainment. Each day this month I will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies that are a creative or imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens' tale A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Just a little something different and a way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition will be released soon). 

Today's discussion continues with parodies. Let's talk about the 2017 episode of the animated series Family Guy entitled "Don't Be a Dickens at Christmas." While several Family Guy holiday episodes make references to Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," I want to limit my essay to just the 2017 episode today.

The Ghost of actor Patrick Swayze is voiced by his real-life brother Don Swayze.

In this story, head of the family Peter Griffin acts selfishly when he says he doesn’t want to join the rest of the family volunteering at the homeless shelter during the holidays. Lois is so upset she takes the kids to her parents’ house on Christmas Eve. Alone in the house, Peter is visited by the ghost of actor Patrick Swayze who shows him visions of Christmases past, present, and future to convince him to stop being so selfish.

 

 

The parodies of popular culture in this episode are numerous, including the retelling of Charles Dickens’ literary classic “A Christmas Carol.” Other outstanding examples include the parody of the Cadillac car commercials starring Matthew McConaughey,  a segment with comedian Norm MacDonald in a Christmas TV special reading the poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” a reference to the TV series Game of Thrones mentioning Peter’s friend Holden (a reference to the character Hodor), and a scene with Peter and Swayze recreating the Chippendales’ audition sketch from Saturday Night Live to the tune of Loverboy’s hit song “Working for the Weekend.” 

What isn’t a parody here though is the 2008 Patrick Swayze movie Christmas in Wonderland--it actually exists! (and it’s awful).

The voice cast of this episode includes Seth MacFarlane as Peter Griffin/Stewie/Brian, Alex Borstein as Lois, Seth Green as Chris, Mila Kunis as Meg, and Norm MacDonald as Norm MacDonald. Patrick Swayze here is voiced by the actor’s real-life brother Don Swayze.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com

 

Christmas in July 2023: Young Rock (2021)

 

Merry Christmas in July! It is Day #26 in the month-long celebration of Christmas entertainment. Each day this month I will be sharing brief reminisces about Christmas TV episodes, specials, and movies that are a creative or imaginative adaptation of Charles Dickens' tale A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Just a little something different and a way for me to show off the diversity of holiday stories I've collected in the encyclopedia Tis the Season TV (the updated and expanded 2nd edition will be released soon). 

Today's discussion continues with parodies. I wanted to include a more recent example of a parody since most of my essays so far this month have been much older. But adaptations and spoofs of A Christmas Carol are still being made each year and here's proof. 

Let's talk about the 2021 episode "A Christmas Peril" from the sitcom Young Rock on NBC. In this holiday episode, Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson tells a young actress named Leslie a story to inspire her to find the emotions to play the scene they are filming together for the Christmas action film “A Christmas Peril.” The story he tells is about several painful Christmases he’s experienced in his past. 

 

Young Rock with his Cabbage Patch Kid knock-off--Radish Baby.

 

Christmas 1982 saw young Rock not receive the only Christmas gift he asked for: a Cabbage Patch doll. At Christmas 1987, Dwayne experienced another miserable holiday when he spent the month working an humiliating job as the elf assistant with his father as Santa Claus at the mall. 

 

 

 Teenage Dwayne embarrassed by his very un-cool job as an elf at the mall.

 

Pere Noel--in the green suit--visits Dwayne.

And, Christmas 1993 was another unhappy holiday when The Rock spent Christmas in the hospital with Coach O and his mother. However, Dwayne learns a valuable lesson when the magical Pere Noel, played by André the Giant, teaches him to change his perspective in order to see how lucky he is rather than feel how miserable life can be.

 

The Rock as Big Tim--a grown up Tiny Tim.

The ridiculous action movie that Johnson is making at the start of this episode’s story is a parody of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” with Johnson starring as Big Tim, the grown-up Tiny Tim, who needs Santa’s sleigh to stop Ibiza Scrooge (the granddaughter of Ebenezer) who is determined to blow up New Orleans.

The cast includes Dwayne Johnson as Dwayne Johnson, Joseph Lee Anderson as Rocky Johnson, Stacey Leilua as Ata, Ana Tuisila as Lia, Adrian Groulx as young Rock, Bradley Constant as teenage Rock, Uli Latukefu as college-aged Rock, Jake Kasdan as Tyler the director, Emmett Skilton as Coach O, Melody Hurd as Leslie, and Matthew Willig as André the Giant.

 

Joanna Wilson is a TV researcher and book author specializing in Christmas entertainment. More about the TV programs mentioned on this website can be found in her book "Tis the Season TV: the Encyclopedia of Christmas-themed Episodes, Specials, and Made-for-TV Movies." Her latest book "Triple Dog Dare: Watching--& Surviving--the 24-Hour Marathon of A Christmas Story" was released in 2016. She is currently updating and expanding the encyclopedia for an upcoming release. Her books can be found at the publisher's website: 1701 press.com

*Support this website and its research by purchasing the books at 1701 press.com