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Christmas and holiday TV guide 2024: The best movies and shows to watch this season

By
Tim Allen sits in a sleigh with a boy.
Walt Disney Studios

It’s the most wonderful time of the year on television. In December, broadcast networks and streaming services will curate lineups with Christmas movies and holiday TV specials. Nearly every night in December will feature a Christmas movie, a holiday-themed TV episode, live music events, or an animated classic.

Several programs on this list are traditions. It’s a Wonderful Life, the quintessential holiday movie, always airs on Christmas Eve night on NBC. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree always lights up on NBC at the beginning of the month. It wouldn’t be the holiday season without Home Alone, The Santa Clause, and Frozen, which will all air on NBC.

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For this Christmas and holiday guide, we’re focusing on the schedules for broadcast TV networks and select streaming services. Below, you’ll find the dates for each program and information on where to watch.

Related: 
Best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max (HBO), and more

Christmas and holiday movies and TV guide 2024

The Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center lights up.
Anthony Quintano / Flickr

December 5

Black Doves — Netflix

The Great Christmas Light Fight — ABC

Matlock — CBS

Elsbeth — CBS

How the Grinch Stole Christmas  — NBC

Frosty the Snowman — NBC

December 6

Mary — Netflix

A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter –– Netflix

Lopez vs Lopez –– NBC

Happy’s Place — NBC

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer –– NBC

December 8

The Equalizer – CBS

December 9

The Great British Baking Show: Holidays — Netflix

December 10

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure — ABC

Toy Story That Time Forgot — ABC

Disney Prep & Landing — ABC

Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice — ABC

Olaf's Frozen Adventure - Official US Trailer

December 11

Shrek the Halls –– NBC

A Motown Christmas –– NBC

December 12

The Great Christmas Light Fight — ABC

December 13

Eva the Owlet — Apple TV+

Carry-On — Netflix

Shark Tank — ABC

December 14

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Apple TV+

December 15

A Charlie Brown Christmas — Apple TV+

The Sound of Music — ABC

An Evening with Dua Lipa –– CBS

NCIS — CBS

NCIS: Origins — CBS

December 16

Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry –– NBC

December 17

Night Court –– NBC

St. Denis –– NBC

A Song From SNL: I Wish It Was Christmas Today - SNL

December 18

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024 — ABC

A Saturday Night Live Christmas –– NBC

December 19

The Great Christmas Light Fight –– ABC

Ghosts – CBS

Nate Bargatze’s Nashville Christmas — CBS

Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas –– NBC

December 20

National Christmas Tree Lighting –– CBS

Josh Groban & Friends Go Home For The Holidays — CBS

December 22

The Santa Clause — ABC

A young boy sits on steps with a gun in "Home Alone."
20th Century Fox / 20th Century Studios

December 24

Home Alone — ABC

The Price is Right at Night –– CBS

It’s a Wonderful Life –– NBC

Christmas Eve Mass — NBC

December 25

Chiefs vs. Steelers — Netflix

Ravens vs. Texans — Netflix

Doctor Who: Joy to the World — Disney+

Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade — ABC

How the Grinch Stole Christmas — NBC

December 26

Dolly Parton’s Magic Mountain Christmas — NBC

December 27

The Greatest @Home Videos — CBS

The Grinch and Cindy Lou Who talk while standing next to each other.
Universal Pictures

December 29

Frozen — ABC

Frozen 2 — ABC

December 31

Michelle Buteau: A Buteau-ful Mind at Radio City Music Hall –– Netflix

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025 — ABC

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash –– CBS

Dan Girolamo
Dan Girolamo
Entertainment Writer
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…

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