December is here, and that means it’s time to trim the tree, hang the stockings, deck the halls…and set the DVR, because there is a lot of holiday programming to watch. You’ve got the old-school animated Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; you’ve got holiday parades; you’ve got the yule log; and you’ve got the annual 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story. Don’t shoot your eye out, or you’ll miss all the holiday TV fun.
A programming note—for Lifetime and Hallmark, we’ve listed only the movies that are new for 2019. Both of those channels are running holiday movies around the clock from now until New Year’s, so you can tune in at any given time for your daily dose of holiday cheer.
All times Eastern
Monday, Dec. 16
The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1 p.m., Freeform
Elf, 8 p.m., AMC
The Great Christmas Light Fight, 8 p.m., ABC
Penn & Teller: Merry Fool Us, 8 p.m., The CW
Good Trouble holiday special, 9 p.m., Freeform
Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir Featuring Kristin Chenoweth, 9 p.m., PBS
Greatest Holiday Commercials, 9 p.m., The CW
A Very Brady Renovation: Holiday Edition, 10 p.m., HGTV
Tuesday, Dec. 17
Elf, 6 p.m., AMC
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 8 p.m., AMC
Shrek the Halls, 9:30 p.m., ABC
Miracle on 34th Street (1994), 10:15 p.m., AMC
Wednesday, Dec. 18
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, 8 p.m., The CW
Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2019, 9 p.m., The CW
Thursday, Dec. 19
The Nightmare Before Christmas, 7:20 p.m., Freeform
A Christmas Carol (2019), 7:30 p.m., FX
Disney’s Prep & Landing, 8 p.m., ABC
Four Christmases, 8 p.m., AMC
iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2019, 8 p.m., The CW
Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs Nice, 8:30 p.m., ABC
The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition, 9 p.m., ABC
Friday, Dec. 20
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 4:40 p.m., Freeform
Frosty the Snowman, 5:45 p.m., Freeform
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 6:15 p.m., Freeform
The Christmas Temp, 8 p.m., Lifetime
Saturday, Dec. 21
A Wizarding World Weekend Harry Potter movie marathon, Syfy, all day
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 11:50 a.m., Freeform
Frosty the Snowman, 12:55 p.m., Freeform
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 1:25 p.m., Freeform
Christmas Love Letter, 6 p.m., Lifetime
Christmas Hotel, 8 p.m., Lifetime
It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas, 8 p.m., Hallmark
Sunday, Dec. 22
A Wizarding World Weekend Harry Potter movie marathon, Syfy, all day
Christmas Wedding Runaway, 7 p.m., UPTV
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown, 7 p.m., ABC
A Date by Christmas Eve, 8 p.m., Lifetime
Double Holiday, 8 p.m., Hallmark
A Family Christmas Gift, 9 p.m., Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
A Home for the Holidays with Idina Menzel, 9 p.m., CBS
The Polar Express, 11 p.m., AMC
Monday, Dec. 23
The Christmas Caroler Challenge, 8 p.m., The CW
The Shop Around the Corner, 8 p.m., TCM
Tuesday, Dec. 24
A Very Happy & Friends Yule Log, 5 p.m., Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
The Polar Express, 5 p.m., AMC
Baby in a Manger, 7 p.m., UPTV
Elf, 7 p.m., AMC
The 24-Hour Christmas Story marathon begins, 8 p.m., TBS
A Christmas Story Live!, 8 p.m., FOX
It’s a Wonderful Life, 8 p.m., NBC
The Bishop’s Wife, 8 p.m., TCM
Frosty the Snowman, 8:20 p.m., Freeform
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 8:50 p.m., Freeform
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 9:55 p.m., Freeform
Christmas Eve Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica, 11:30 p.m., NBC
Wednesday, Dec. 25
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, 10 a.m., ABC
Frosty the Snowman, 3:10 p.m., Freeform
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, 3:40 p.m., Freeform
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 4:45 p.m., Freeform
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966), 8 p.m., NBC
When Calls the Heart: Home for Christmas, 8 p.m., Hallmark
Call the Midwife holiday special, 9 p.m., PBS
Thursday, Dec. 26
Happy New Year, Charlie Brown, 8 p.m., NBC
Saturday, Dec. 28
A New Year’s Resolution, 8 p.m., Hallmark
Tuesday, Dec. 31
A Toast to 2019!, 8 p.m., NBC
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, 8 p.m., ABC
NBC New Year’s Eve Special, 10 p.m., NBC
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