Holiday Specials and Movies
by IMDb-Editors | created - 20 Nov 2012 | updated - 13 Jun 2013 | PublicIt's that time of year again! Find out when your favorite holiday specials and movies are airing.
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1. A Christmas Carol (1999 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 95 min | Drama, Fantasy
An old bitter miser who makes excuses for his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three ghosts visit him on Christmas Eve.
Director: David Hugh Jones | Stars: Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Joel Grey, Ian McNeice
Votes: 10,918
Airs 12am and 3pm Saturday, December 22 on TNT. Repeats 9pm Monday, December 24.
2. Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
G | 26 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
The classic Disney animated characters play the roles in this animated retelling of the Charles Dickens masterpiece.
Director: Burny Mattinson | Stars: Alan Young, Wayne Allwine, Hal Smith, Will Ryan
Votes: 15,346 | Gross: $21.00M
Airs 11am Saturday, December 22 on ABC Family.
3. Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976 TV Movie)
TV-G | 60 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rudolph must find Happy, the baby New Year, before midnight on New Year's Eve.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Red Skelton, Frank Gorshin, Morey Amsterdam, Harold Peary
Votes: 4,574
Airs 2pm Saturday, December 22 on ABC Family.
4. The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974 TV Movie)
TV-G | 51 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
When a weary and discouraged Santa Claus considers skipping his Christmas Eve run one year, Mrs. Claus and his elves set out to change his mind.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, George S. Irving
Votes: 11,632
Airs 4pm Saturday, December 22 on ABC Family.
5. Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970 TV Movie)
TV-G | 48 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Fred Astaire, Mickey Rooney, Keenan Wynn, Paul Frees
Votes: 17,497
Airs 5pm Saturday, December 22 on ABC Family.
6. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
PG | 102 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.
Directors: Victor Fleming, King Vidor | Stars: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr
Votes: 428,263 | Gross: $2.08M
Airs 7pm and 9:15pm Saturday, December 22. Repeats 9:30am Sunday, December 23.
7. Holiday Affair (1949)
Approved | 87 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A young widow is torn between a boring attorney and a romantic ne'er-do-well.
Director: Don Hartman | Stars: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey, Gordon Gebert
Votes: 7,047
Airs 3pm Monday, December 24 on TCM.
8. A Christmas Carol (1984 TV Movie)
PG | 100 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A bitter old miser who rationalizes his uncaring nature learns real compassion when three spirits visit him on Christmas Eve.
Director: Clive Donner | Stars: George C. Scott, Frank Finlay, Angela Pleasence, Edward Woodward
Votes: 18,332
Airs 4:30pm Monday December 24 on AMC.
9. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Passed | 113 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.
Director: Vincente Minnelli | Stars: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer
Votes: 27,668 | Gross: $7.57M
Airs 4:30pm Monday, December 24 on TCM.
10. The Polar Express (2004)
G | 100 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
On Christmas Eve, a young boy embarks on a magical adventure to the North Pole on the Polar Express, while learning about friendship, bravery, and the spirit of Christmas.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Tom Hanks, Chris Coppola, Michael Jeter, Leslie Zemeckis
Votes: 241,134 | Gross: $183.37M
Airs 1pm Monday, December 24 on ABC Family.
11. White Christmas (1954)
Not Rated | 120 min | Comedy, Musical, Romance
A successful song-and-dance team become romantically involved with a sister act and team up to save the failing Vermont inn of their former commanding general.
Director: Michael Curtiz | Stars: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen
Votes: 51,108 | Gross: $30.00M
Airs 1:45pm Monday, December 24 on AMC.
12. Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962 TV Movie)
Approved | 53 min | Animation, Comedy, Drama
This musical adaptation of the classic tale by Charles Dickens stars Magoo as the cold-hearted old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge.
Director: Abe Levitow | Stars: Jim Backus, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Cassidy, Royal Dano
Votes: 3,262
Airs 8pm Saturday, December 22 on NBC.
13. Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice (2011 TV Movie)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Lanny and Wayne race to recover classified North Pole technology.
Directors: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers | Stars: David Foley, Derek Richardson, Sarah Chalke, Rob Riggle
Votes: 2,269
Airs 8pm Saturday, December 22 on ABC.
14. The Santa Clause (1994)
PG | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
When a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve, he finds himself magically recruited to take his place.
Director: John Pasquin | Stars: Tim Allen, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Eric Lloyd
Votes: 133,371 | Gross: $144.83M
Airs 9pm Friday, December 22 on ABC Family. Repeats 6pm Saturday, December 23; 3pm Monday, December 24; 11am Tuesday, December 25.
15. The Sound of Music (1965)
G | 172 min | Biography, Drama, Family
A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.
Director: Robert Wise | Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn
Votes: 260,544 | Gross: $163.21M
Airs 7pm Sunday, December 23 on ABC.
16. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
On the outskirts of Whoville lives a green, revenge-seeking Grinch who plans to ruin Christmas for all of the citizens of the town.
Director: Ron Howard | Stars: Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Kelley, Jeffrey Tambor
Votes: 291,313 | Gross: $260.04M
Airs 7pm and 9:30pm Sunday, December 23 on ABC Family, and 8:30pm December 25 on ABC.
17. The Bishop's Wife (1947)
G | 109 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
A debonair angel comes to Earth to help an Episcopalian bishop and his wife in their quest to raise money for the new church.
Director: Henry Koster | Stars: Cary Grant, Loretta Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley
Votes: 20,891
Airs 8pm Sunday, December 23 on TCM. Repeats 1pm Monday, December 24.
18. It Happened on Fifth Avenue (1947)
Passed | 116 min | Comedy, Music, Romance
Two homeless men move into a mansion while its owners are wintering in the South.
Director: Roy Del Ruth | Stars: Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles, Victor Moore
Votes: 6,299
Airs 10pm Sunday, December 23 on TCM.
19. Prancer (1989)
G | 103 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
A farm girl nurses a wounded reindeer she believes is one of Santa's, hoping to bring it back to health in time for Christmas. Her holiday spirit inspires those around her, something her disheartened father is having trouble understanding.
Director: John D. Hancock | Stars: Sam Elliott, Cloris Leachman, Rutanya Alda, Abe Vigoda
Votes: 6,342 | Gross: $18.59M
Airs 11:15am and 11:30pm Monday, December 24 on AMC.
20. March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934)
Passed | 77 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Opposing the evil Barnaby, Ollie Dee and Stanley Dum try and fail to pay-off Mother Peep's mortgage and mislead his attempts to marry Little Bo. Enraged, Barnaby's Bogeymen are set on Toyland.
Directors: Gus Meins, Charley Rogers | Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Virginia Karns, Charlotte Henry
Votes: 7,558
Airs 6:30pm Monday, December 24 on TCM.
21. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
PG | 130 min | Drama, Family, Fantasy
An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.
Director: Frank Capra | Stars: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell
Votes: 498,760
Airs 8pm Monday, December 24 on NBC.
22. Prep & Landing (2009 TV Short)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
Wayne gets a new rookie partner, Lanny, after his previous partner got the promotion he wanted. Lanny has to remind Wayne of the Spirit of Christmas and the importance of being an elf in Santa's Prep and Landing elite unit.
Directors: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers | Stars: David Foley, Sarah Chalke, Mason Cotton, David DeLuise
Votes: 3,999
Airs 8pm Monday, December 24 on ABC.
23. Christmas Is Here Again (2007 Video)
G | 74 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
When the evil Krad steals Santa's toy bag he crushes the holiday spirit- and the world's children forget about Christmas. Now, an orphan and her friends embark on a polar adventure to try to stop Krad from destroying Christmas.
Directors: Robert Zappia, Darrell Van Citters | Stars: Jay Leno, Edward Asner, Kathy Bates, Madison Davenport
Votes: 380
Airs 8pm Monday, December 24 on The CW.
24. A Christmas Story (1983)
PG | 93 min | Comedy, Family
In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
Director: Bob Clark | Stars: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Scott Schwartz
Votes: 168,574 | Gross: $20.61M
Airs back-to-back in a 24-hour marathon, beginning at 8pm Monday, December 24 until 8pm Tuesday, December 25 on TBS.
25. Shrek the Halls (2007 TV Short)
TV-PG | 21 min | Animation, Short, Adventure
This half-hour animated TV special features the Shrek characters putting their own spin on holiday traditions.
Director: Gary Trousdale | Stars: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas
Votes: 15,880
Airs 8:30pm Monday, December 24 on ABC.
26. Home Alone (1990)
PG | 103 min | Comedy, Family
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard
Votes: 652,358 | Gross: $285.76M
Airs 9pm Monday, December 24 on ABC Family. Repeats 7pm Tuesday, December 25.
27. Auntie Mame (1958)
Approved | 143 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
An orphan goes to live with his free-spirited aunt. Conflict ensues when the executor of his father's estate objects to the aunt's lifestyle.
Director: Morton DaCosta | Stars: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne, Fred Clark
Votes: 12,681 | Gross: $23.30M
Airs 9pm Monday, December 24 on TCM.
28. Second Star to the Left (2001 TV Movie)
29 min | Animation, Family
Seasonal animation in which a hamster, a rabbit and a guinea pig embark on a journey to deliver a Christmas present lost by Santa Claus.
Director: Graham Ralph | Stars: Hugh Laurie, Barbara Windsor, Mark Williams, Henry Cherrytree
Votes: 204
Airs 9:30pm Monday, December 24 on The CW.
29. Christmas Vacation (1989)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik | Stars: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki
Votes: 220,032 | Gross: $71.32M
Airs 12am and 9pm Tuesday, December 25 on ABC Family.
30. A Christmas Carol (2009)
PG | 96 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
An animated retelling of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
Director: Robert Zemeckis | Stars: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Steve Valentine
Votes: 129,443 | Gross: $137.86M
Airs 7am and 5pm Tuesday, December 25 on ABC Family.
31. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 26 min | Animation, Comedy, Family
A grumpy hermit hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville.
Directors: Chuck Jones, Ben Washam | Stars: Boris Karloff, June Foray, Dal McKennon
Votes: 58,988
Airs at 8pm Tuesday, December 25 on ABC.
32. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986 TV Short)
G | 24 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
Charlie Brown is obliged to attend Peppermint Patty's New Year's Eve party, even though he has to finish the novel "War and Peace".
Directors: Sam Jaimes, Bill Melendez | Stars: Chad Allen, Kristie Baker, Melissa Guzzi, Aron Mandelbaum
Votes: 1,981
Airs 8pm Thursday, December 27 on ABC.
33.
Portlandia (2011–2018)
Episode:
Winter in Portlandia
(2012)
TV-14 | 23 min | Comedy
Peter and Nance struggle to keep off winter weight; Candace's son visits the feminist bookstore during the holidays; artisan curators Bryce and Lisa offer a winter vacation at their newly opened Outlet Hotel.
Director: Jonathan Krisel | Stars: Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jim Gaffigan, Matt Lucas
Votes: 271
Airs 11:30am Tuesday, January 1 on IFC.
34. Frosty the Snowman (1969 TV Short)
TV-G | 25 min | Animation, Short, Comedy
A living snowman and a little girl struggle to elude a greedy magician who is after the snowman's magic hat.
Directors: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr. | Stars: Jackie Vernon, Billy De Wolfe, Jimmy Durante, Paul Frees
Votes: 21,456
Aired 8pm Friday, November 23 on CBS.
35. Frosty Returns (1992 TV Movie)
TV-G | 24 min | Animation, Family, Fantasy
The continuing exploits of the famous snowman as he goes up against a more powerful force which threatens all of Christmas.
Directors: Evert Brown, Bill Melendez | Stars: Jonathan Winters, Jan Hooks, Andrea Martin, Brian Doyle-Murray
Votes: 3,756
Aired 8:30pm Friday, November 23 on CBS.
36. The Happy Elf (2005 Video)
Not Rated | 45 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
Based on Grammy-winner Harry Connick, Jr.'s original song, this family comedy follows one of Santa's helpers whose overly optimistic outlook is put to the test when he decides to bring Christmas joy to a sad little town called Bluesville.
Director: John Rice | Stars: Harry Connick Jr., Rob Paulsen, Carol Kane, Mickey Rooney
Votes: 480
Aired 9pm Friday, November 23 on The CW.
37.
The Simpsons (1989– )
Episode:
Holidays of Future Passed
(2011)
TV-14 | 30 min | Animation, Comedy
Thirty years in the future the Simpsons get together for Christmas. Bart and Lisa are struggling as parents to connect with their children.
Directors: Mike B. Anderson, Rob Oliver | Stars: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith
Votes: 2,324
Aired 9pm Friday, November 23 on Fox.
38. hoops&yoyo Ruin Christmas (2011 TV Short)
TV-G | 22 min | Animation, Short, Family
Hoops and Yoyo wait up to see Santa, and inadvertently end up in his sleigh, traveling with him through the time-space continuum that allows Santa to visit everyone in the world in one ... See full summary »
Director: Tony Craig | Stars: Bob Holt, Mike Adair, Bev Carlson, Michael Monken
Votes: 118
Aired 9pm Friday, November 23 on CBS.
39. Gremlins (1984)
PG | 106 min | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror
A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Director: Joe Dante | Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Axton, John Louie
Votes: 247,592 | Gross: $148.17M
Aired 8pm Saturday, December 15 on VH1. Repeats 10am Sunday, December 16.
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