Christmas: The Christmas Orange

Christmas

          There is a tradition  for Christmas that some may know about already: getting an orange for Christmas. It's the idea of gifts of gold from St. Nicholas  and the idea of an orange  before they were so easy to get was a treat for some in the winter. The special we're looking at here is also randomly rare and wants to kind of get that message across too.  

        "The Christmas Orange" is a Canadian Christmas special from 2002.  I remember it airing on ABC Family (now Freeform) but not sure, there was even a point I thought I made it up in my head. It's also based on a book of the same name by Don Gillmor.  

        The art style of the special does have a nice story book like feel, but also does feel very early 2000's the same way.  

            The special is about  a boy named Anton Stingley who happens to be born on Christmas Day.  The boy thought that Christmas was actually the entire town celebrating his birthday.  (Does he Know?)  That was until he turned 5 and realized that Christmas was why everyone was celebrating and nothing to do with him.  He also becomes un happy that other kids get birthday and Christmas presents. He starts making a long massive list and he give his 92 page list to Santa Claus. 

Dear Santa, I want my own country to rule 

            When Christmas day comes  Anton  goes to see what Santa has left him and that thing is apparently an orange. It was an orange. (an orange one)  Anton looks around his house and notices he didn't get anything else. He even asks around to see if anyone got his gifts.  Like the one episode of Rugrats, he sees a lawyer on TV and decides to take the advice of the ad and is going to sue the pants off a Santa.  

            He hires a lawyer named Wiley Studpustle (great name).  The lawyer, instead of saying no, decides he'll take the case.  11 months later the case goes to court. I like how the judge is called Judge OldnGray. We get the part of a special everyone likes, a court room plot.  Studpustle makes the case for Anton and is asking for $11,000,000 (11 million dollars) which I like for being not too oddly specific but slightly oddly specific.  

The wig gives away that this is Canadian 

            Santa decides to be his own lawyer and cross examines the lawyer.  He brings up that Wiley wanted to be a veterinarian not a lawyer. Santa even gave him  a  baby crocodile. (Santa why would you give a kid a croc?!)  It seems Santa broke Wiley.  Then he asks Anton, remember Anton?, to come up to the stand.  He says that Anton has 2,749 toys , which I like is oddly specific.  Santa says that Anton didn't need more toys. It seems Santa couldn't break Anton the same way.  The crowd also seems to bring up  that Santa doesn't always bring them things they want.  Santa tries to make his case, but announces that he's quitting. 

                     This makes everyone feel bad, including Anton, which causes everyone in the town to get mad at Anton.  Anton works to talk to Santa out of this quitting business.  Santa says no. Anton decides to find a replacement Santa, he tries the judge, but that doesn't work. He calls Santa's elf from before to help him. They turn his house into a Santa's workshop, but the boy can't have elves because he's not part of the elves union. (Anton should have thought ahead) 

Wow an orange 

             Anton decides to take his 1806 un-opened gifts and gives them to the people of the town as gifts. He works hard all day to deliver and he sits next to a man who is obviously Santa Claus. Anton talks to him and realizes he's out of gifts. He gives the man the orange, which I am surprised as survived,  as a gift.  Oh the man was Santa. ( A twist)  Then it ends with Anton working with Santa giving everyone oranges, except Wiley, he gets another croc. 

         It's a simple story, and charming fun. I like the art style. The message here is simple and fitting for Christmas.  It has some funny moments too.  It's a good younger kid special. 

    That's it for now, tune in next time when we give everyone an orange , but it's April, so they are confused and scared. 

            

              

            

Christmas: 'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy

Christmas  

         We're back covering The Smurfs for Christmas. The last time we did, it was a special where the Smurfs take down possibly Satan.  (read here)  Here we are again with dip into one that came out around season 7's airings on NBC from December 13, 1987.  "'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy" also did get reruns on Cartoon Network and later Boomerang since it's a special made by Hanna-Barbera, like the series.   

         This special focuses more on the Smurflings.  Some might be asking , ok, what's a Smurfling?  A) Thank you for being interested in a Smurf's post .  (Yeah thank you!) B) There's lore.  The Smurflings are  a group of 4 young Smurfs.  They are younger than the other Smurfs you know and love and yet older than Baby Smurf, yes there's a Baby Smurf. In season 5 of the 1980's series they added these characters to the series. Where did they come from? Did two Smurfs uhhh Smurf? (Oh?)   No. (Well there's goes my day)    To put a long story, less long, because we really need to get to the Christmas special.  The male Smurflings were full adult Smurfs but then they got de-aged becuase a clock, there's also a girl who made by the same 3 boys because sure. Remember there are no naturally female Smurfs, so they can be made from magic instead.  

  Their names are Nat,  Snappy, Slouchy, and Sassette.  There's not much more you need to get into the Christmas special so let's go! 

            It starts with Wild Smurf, a Smurf who's like a Tarzan Smurf, being wild, I'm surprised Brainy and a few others got mad he's being wild while trying to help them put up Christmas stuff, his name is Wild.  Also it's supposed to be Wild's first Christmas.  Wild's backstory, not from this special, is that he's a Smurf that got lost from the others when he was born or whatever Smurfs do, and was raised by squirrels. (I guess the squirrels don't know what Christmas is.)  Papa Smurf being himself, wants the others to be patient and understand.  

He's Wild !/ Copyright Warner Bros. Discovery 

           Papa Smurf is going to give a gift and leave the special for a bit, but he has dropped something that our special will then focus on. Grandpa Smurf and Sassette, yes there's a Grandpa Smurf, have gone into the village to show her what Christmas Eve is like for humans. Why, just her? Nobody knows. 

If I brought more, I'd have to share this apple/ Copyright Warner Discovery

           There's an old man trying to sell toys and there's a thief with a British accent. The thief likes Christmas because people have money to steal. (Sometimes Christmas sales are already a thief) Grandpa is able to stop the thief with an apple.  The old man isn't doing too well in sales. A little boy shows up  and the man gives him one as a gift. 

Looks oddly like you hmm/ Copyright Warner Discovery 

     

     The boy's father, the boy is named Hans and his father who is some rich guy is annoyed and grabs the boy and runs off. We also learn the old man's name is Gustav. Thankfully, Sassette is very interested in what's going and wants to follow him to find out more of the story. Gustav's wife , Elise, has random unnamed disease.  The Doctor says she needs the power of Christmas can help her or she might die? ( Take two Christmas and call me in the morning) 

That's nice, but I'm dying from the dreaded whatever this is and need Christmas/ Copyright Warner

        Gustav gives Elise a toy and talks to her about Christmas elves. She's not doing too well and Gustav needs a bright Christmas eve to save her.  Sassette goes to the other Smurfs to see if they will help, but the Smurfs are too busy to listen. Wild seems to want to help as well  Papa Smurf comes back and finds that the other Smurfs weren't paying attention and he encourages them and they decide to help out.   

          Hey the thief from earlier is out looking to Christmas Eve rob. That tradition really never caught on.  Grumpy rich guy from earlier  also apparently has decided to walk through the village at night instead of taking a carriage like earlier. He's just asking to get ... oh hey the thief. The thief doesn't want the gifts he wants the money and has grabbed the money.  The smurfs accidently knocked over the thief. 

That's how you know he's a thief, the mustache/ Copyright Warner Discovery 

      Hefty wants to take down the thief.  The other Smurfs go and decide to make a Christmas surprise for the couple who have gone to bed. Since the smurfs aren't very good at being quiet the man hears them and sees them and thinks they are elves.  He gets his wife and they both are amazed to see elves. The smurfs go along with it since I guess Smurf knowledge is bad. Also random song. 

They  were very trusting of the Smurfs/ copyright Warner Discovery 

            The thief is counting the money he stole and the he sees the smurfs in shadows and they haunt him to tell him off. They tell him he has no Christmas spirit. They say others are celebrating Christmas, while he's alone.  Meanwhile, the rich guy's purse gets found in front of the house of the old couple.  The rich guy thinks that they stole because of the Christmas tree.  The thief shows up and decides to confess.  The rich guy decides to not charge the thief.  The rich family decides to be with Gustav and Elise, and the smurfs take off before being seen. That's it.  

            This special for the Smurfs is not as interesting as the other one I covered, but that's because the other one had the Smurfs save Gargamel from Satan. That's hard to compete against.  I don't think this one is bad, though. It's a simple special, the message is simple too, it's Christmas, be nice , care for others that's the spirit of the holiday.  It shows the smurfs that aren't Grandpa and Sassette being too wrapped (heh) up into their Christmas they didn't want to listen to the duo. It happens to people where people do get wrapped into Christmas to notice that.  The thief having a "Scrooge moment" and turning around quickly was pretty fun, glad the special decided to squash a misunderstanding quickly.  

      It's alright special, not robust but not bad, wish it was weirder, but that's fine.  That's it for now, tune in next time when, after we ask the doctor for Christmas in pill form. 

TBS and TNT Holiday Programming 2025

TBS TNT Christmas New Year 

        TBS' All I Want for Christmas and TNT's Christmas Maximus programming starts Sunday, November 9.   TBS and TNT will have 24 hour marathons of "Elf" , "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" , and  a " Christmas Story".   TNT will be airing the broadcast premiere  of "Candy Cane  Lane" on November 16.  "Shrek the Halls" comes on December 16.  "Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas"  is part of the line as always. 

            Here's a full list and air dates/times of the programming. 

A Christmas Story 

on TNT 

     

•   Friday December 19 at  4:45pnET/1:45pt 
• Saturday, December 20 at 12:30pm ET/ 9:30am PT
• 24 hour marathon airs December 24 at 9pm ET to December 25 at 9pm ET

On TBS

•     Sunday, December 14 at 10:30am and 11pm ET 
• 24 hour marathon airs December 24 at 8pm to December at 8pm ET 

A Christmas Story Christmas 

on TNT 

• Friday, December 19 at 6:45pm/3:45pt 

on TBS 

• Sunday, December 14 at 12:30pm and 1am ET 
• Thursday, December 25 at 8pm and 12:45am ET/PT

A Christmas Carol (1999)

on TNT 

• Friday, December 19 at 12am ET/ 9pm PT

on TBS 

•      Sunday, December 14 at 3:15am ET/PT 

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) 

on TNT 

• Monday, November 10 at 7:30pm ET/PT
• Friday, November 21 at 7:30pm ET/PT 
• Sunday November 23 at 11am and 10:30pm ET/PT
• Sunday, December 20 at 12pm ET/ 9am PT

on TBS 

• Saturday, November 15 at 11:30am ET/PT 
• Sunday, November 23 at 6:30pm ET/PT 
• Saturday, December 13 at 4pm ET/PT 
• Sunday, December 14 at 10am and 10:30pm ET/PT 
• Sunday, December 21 at 7:30pm and 10:30pm ET/PT 

Full details in press release after the jump

Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2025

Freeform Christmas 

         Freeform's annual 25 Days of Christmas is back and ready to bring viewers 25 days of Christmas fun.  They'll continue to have "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" , "Frosty the Snowman",  "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" -which airs on Freeform in better quality than you'd find on sister network ABC,  and  "The Little Drummer Boy"  They are running the same favorites that have mostly been staples of the network for the past few years.  

         In terms of premieres to the network, there's the 2005 film "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman" a special that is unrelated to the Rankin Bass specials but features the classic snowman in a town trying to fix things for kids. It previously aired on AMC, and will air 4 times in December. Freeform has been airing the 1994 version of Miracle on 34th Street and has now added the 1947, or the original movie to it's line up  , it will air once. AMC had been airing the movie. and I'm assuming that FX will be airing it this year as well. The 1994 version airs 6 times.   And finally, they'll be adding the new "Prep and Landing" special "Disney's "Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol"  which will also only air once. The special is on Disney Plus, and ran on Disney Channel first this year, and later ABC.  

         I will note that now, Freeform can stream the Frosty and Rudolph specials on things like Hulu Live TV and Sling TV, when they air live.  

 Here's the full line up all times ET/PT 

Monday, December 1

7:00 AM Richie's Rich Christmas Wish
10:30 AM Cricket on the Hearth
11:30 AM The Santa Clause
1:35 PM The Santa Clause 2
4:00 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
6:00 PM Home Alone
8:25 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:00 AM Jingle all the Way


Tuesday, December 2

7:00 AM I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)
10:30 AM Love Actually
1:35 PM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
3:10 PM Home Alone
5:40 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
8:20 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
12:00 AM Jingle All the Way 2


Wednesday, December 3

7:00 AM Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve
10:30 AM The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular (2025)
12:30 PM The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (Freeform Premiere)
2:00 PM The Santa Clause
4:05 PM The Santa Clause 2
6:30 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
9:00 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
12:00 AM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


Thursday, December 4

7:00 AM Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (Freeform Premiere)
10:30 AM Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
12:00 PM Jingle All the Way
2:00 PM Jingle All the Way 2
4:00 PM Home Alone Freeform Pop'n Knowledge
6:25 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
9:00 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
12:00 AM Richie Rich's Christmas Wish


Friday, December 5

7:00 AM The Family Stone
9:30 AM I'll Be Home For Christmas (1998)
11:35 AM Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You
1:40 PM Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
3:10 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
5:10 PM The Santa Clause
7:20 PM The Santa Clause 2
9:50 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
11:55 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol


Saturday, December 6

7:00 AM The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
8:35 AM Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You
10:40 AM Arthur Christmas
12:45 PM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
3:25 PM Home Alone
5:55 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
8:35 PM Frosty the Snowman
9:10 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
10:15 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
12:55 AM Santa Claus Is Coming to Town


Sunday, December 7

7:00 AM Arthur Christmas
9:05 AM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
11:45 AM Disney's A Christmas Carol
1:50 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
2:55 PM Frosty the Snowman
3:30 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
4:35 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
7:15 PM Home Alone
9:45 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:25 AM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Monday, December 8

7:00 AM Home Alone 3
10:30 AM The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
11:05 AM Home Alone
1:35 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
4:15 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
6:55 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
9:00 PM Dr Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
12:00 AM Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws


Tuesday, December 9

7:00 AM Snow
10:30 AM Cricket on the Hearth
11:35 AM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
2:15 PM Dr Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
4:15 PM The Santa Clause
6:25 PM The Santa Clause 2
8:55 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
12:00 AM The Search for Santa Paws


Wednesday, December 10

7:00 AM Snow 2: Brain Freeze
10:30 AM Kung Fu Panda Holiday
11:00 AM Jingle All the Way
1:05 PM Jingle All the Way 2
3:10 PM Home Alone
5:40 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
8:20 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
12:00 AM Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups


Thursday, December 11

7:00 AM Santa's Little Helper (2015)
10:30 AM The Family Man (2000)
1:25 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
3:25 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
6:00 PM Frozen (Disney Animation)
8:25 PM Frozen II (Disney Animation)
10:30 PM Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Disney Animation)
12:00 AM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
1:30 AM The Little Drummer Boy (1968)


Friday, December 12

7:00 AM Home Alone 3
9:00 AM Home Alone
11:25 AM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
2:00 PM Home Alone
4:25 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
7:00 PM Home Alone Freeform Pop'n Knowledge
9:25 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:00 AM Home Alone 3


Saturday, December 13

7:00 AM Merry Madagascar
7:30 AM Kung Fu Panda Holiday
8:00 AM Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
10:05 AM The Search for Santa Paws
12:10 PM Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
2:10 PM Disney's Prep & Landing
2:40 PM Disney's Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol (Freeform Premiere)
3:15 PM Toy Story (Disney-Pixar)
5:15 PM Toy Story 2 (Disney-Pixar)
7:20 PM Toy Story 3 (Disney-Pixar)
9:50 PM Toy Story 4 (Disney-Pixar)
12:00 AM Toy Story That Time Forgot (Disney-Pixar)
12:30 AM The Legend of Frosty the Snowman


Sunday, December 14

7:00 AM The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
8:30 AM Home Alone
10:55 AM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
1:30 PM Arthur Christmas
3:30 PM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
5:10 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
7:15 PM The Santa Clause
9:25 PM The Santa Clause 2
11:55 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause


Monday, December 15

7:00 AM Jingle All the Way
10:30 AM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
1:05 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
3:10 PM Home Alone
5:40 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
8:20 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
12:00 AM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)


Tuesday, December 16

7:00 AM Jingle All the Way 2
10:30 AM Kung Fu Panda Holiday
11:05 AM Arthur Christmas
1:10 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
3:50 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
5:50 PM Home Alone Freeform Pop'n Knowledge
8:20 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:00 AM Santa's Little Helper (2015)


Wednesday, December 17

7:00 AM Arthur Christmas
10:30 AM Merry Madagascar
11:00 AM The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
11:30 AM Home Alone
1:55 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
4:25 PM The Santa Clause
6:30 PM The Santa Clause 2
8:55 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
12:00 AM Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You


Thursday, December 18

7:00 AM Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas Is You
10:30 AM The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
11:00 AM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
1:30 PM The Santa Clause
3:40 PM The Santa Clause 2
6:10 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
8:15 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
9:20 PM Frosty the Snowman
9:55 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
12:00 AM Home Alone 3


Friday, December 19

7:00 AM Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
8:30 AM Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws
10:30 AM The Search of Santa Paws
12:30 PM Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups
2:30 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
3:35 PM Frosty the Snowman
4:10 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
5:15 PM Home Alone
7:45 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
10:25 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
12:25 AM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Saturday, December 20

7:00 AM Cricket on the Hearth
8:00 AM Arthur Christmas
10:00 AM Disney's A Christmas Carol
12:05 PM The Santa Clause
2:10 PM The Santa Clause 2
4:40 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
6:45 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
8:45 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
11:25 PM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)


Sunday, December 21

7:00 AM Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
9:30 AM Jingle All the Way
11:30 AM Jingle All the Way 2
1:30 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
4:05 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
5:10 PM Frosty the Snowman
5:45 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
6:50 PM Home Alone
9:20 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:00 AM Home Alone 3


Monday, December 22

7:00 AM Kung Fu Panda Holiday
7:30 AM Home Alone
9:55 AM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:30 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
1:35 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2:40 PM Frosty the Snowman
3:15 PM The Santa Clause
5:20 PM The Santa Clause 2
7:50 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
9:55 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
11:55 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol


Tuesday, December 23

7:00 AM Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
8:30 AM Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
10:00 AM Frozen (Disney Animation)
12:25 PM Frozen II (Disney Animation)
2:30 PM Olaf's Frozen Adventure (Disney Animation)
3:00 PM Disney's A Christmas Carol
5:05 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
7:45 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
9:45 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
12:25 AM Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas


Wednesday, December 24 Christmas Eve

7:00 AM Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
10:30 AM Disney's Prep & Landing
11:00 AM The Santa Clause
1:05 PM The Santa Clause 2
3:30 PM The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
5:35 PM Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
8:15 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
9:20 PM Frosty the Snowman
9:55 PM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
12:00 AM I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998)


Thursday, December 25 Christmas Day

7:00 AM Disney's A Christmas Carol
10:30 AM The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
11:00 AM Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
12:00 PM Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (2025)
2:00 PM Toy Story That Time Forgot (Disney-Pixar)
2:30 PM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)
4:30 PM Frosty the Snowman
5:00 PM Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
6:00 PM Home Alone
8:25 PM Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
12:00 AM Dr. Seuss' The Grinch (2018)

Full Press release after the jump

ABC Holiday Programming 2025

ABC Christmas  New Year Holiday 

         ABC is ready for the end of the year with their Christmas and New Year programming.  ABC will airing returning favorites and the NBA on Christmas Day.  ABC also has a new installment to their "Prep and Landing" specials with "Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol".    

Here's there full line up , kicking off with a Thanksgiving night airing of "Mary Poppins".   all times are ET/PT, unless otherwise noted. 

 Thursday, November 27

8-11pm   The Wonderful World of Disney Presents: Mary Poppins 

Sunday, November 30 

8:01-8:30pm  Disney Prep & Landing 

8:30-9pm  Disney Prep & Landing : Naughty vs. Nice 

9-9:30pm  Disney Prep & Landing : The Snowball Protocol 

9:31-10pm Olaf's Frozen Adventure 

10-11pm  Santa Claus is Comin' to Town 

Monday, December 1 

8-10pm The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular 

Tuesday, December 2 

8-9:01pm Dancing the the Holidays 

9:01-10:02pm CMA Country Christmas 

10:02-11pm  What Would You Do? Holiday Edition 

Thursday, December 4 

8-9pm   Celebrity Family Feud: The Housemaid vs. the Housewives All Stars Holiday Special 

9-10pm The Great Christmas Light Fight : The Holiday Express (Season Premiere) 

10-11pm The Great Christmas Light Fight : Santa's Making his List (new episode) 

Sunday December 7 

7-8:01pm  America's Funniest Home Videos: Holiday Hoots, Santa Shenanigans and Festive Funnies

9-11pm he Wonderful World of Disney Presents: The Santa Clause 

Tuesday, December 9 

8-10pm Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas 

Wednesday, December 10

8-8:30pm Shifting Gears (midseason finale) 

8:30-9:02pm Abbot Elementary  (midseason finale) 

9:02-10:02pm Shark Tank 

Thursday, December 11

8-9pm Celebrity Wheel of Fortune 

9-10pm The Great Christmas Light Fight : Christmas Vacation (new episode) 

10-11pm  The Great Christmas Light Fight : Holiday Igoomination 

Wednesday, December 17 

8-10pm iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025 

Thursday, December 18 

9-10pm  The Great Christmas Light Fight (new episode) 

10-11pm  The Great Christmas Light Fight (Season Finale) 

Sunday , December 21 

7-11pm The Wonderful World of Disney Presents “The Sound of Music”

Wednesday, December 24

8-10:30pm The Wonderful World of Disney Presents “Home Alone” 

Thursday, December 25 

10am ET/ 9am CT/ 5am MT/ 5am PT - 40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day  Parade 

12PM/9PT  NBA Christmas Special : Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

2:30pm/11:30pt  San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

5PM /2pt Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

7:30pm Inside the NBA 

8pm  Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers.

10:30pm ET Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets.

Wednesday, December 31 

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

Thursday, January 1 

8-11pm  2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Full press release after the jump 

NBC announces Holiday programming for 2025

NBC  Thanksgiving  Christmas New Year 

              It's almost Thanksgiving and Christmas and NBC is back with their holiday programming. NBC has returning staples of the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" , "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" , "Frosty the Snowman" , "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" , and more. 

        

          Here's the full list of programming details, all times are ET/PT, unless otherwise noted. 

Thursday, November 6 

8-10pm  Wicked :One Wonderful Night 

Wednesday, November 26

8pm Countdown to the 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

9-11pm A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving 

Thursday, November 27

8:30-12pm  99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Encore at 2pm) 

12-2PM   National Dog Show 

Wednesday, December 3

8-10pm Christmas in Rockefeller Center 

10-11pm Christmas in Nashville 

Thursday, December 4 

8-8:30pm How The Grinch Stole Christmas 

8:30-9pm Frosty the Snowman 

Friday, December 5, 

8-9:15pm  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 

Monday, December 8

10-11pm  Password Holiday Special 

Tuesday, December 9

8pm  Frosty the Snowman 

8:30pm Shrek the Halls

9-11pm A Motown Christmas 

December 11

8pm Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

9:15pm NBC 2025 Year in Review by Access Hollywood 

December 17

8-8:30pm Shrek the Halls

9-10pm  Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular 

10-11pm  NBC 2025 Year in Review by Access Hollywood 

December 18 

8pm Password Holiday Special 

9pm A Saturday Night Live Christmas 

December 22 

9pm A Saturday Night Live Christmas 

December 24 

8-11pm It's a Wonderful Life

11:30-1am  Christmas Eve Mass

December 25 

8pm How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

8:30-11pm How the Grinch Stole Christmas

January 1 

11-1pm/ 8-10am PT  Rose Parade Presented by Honda 

More after the Jump

The CW'S Holiday Programming 2025

The CW     Thanksgiving   Christmas Holidays 

    

          The CW is  ready for the holidays with a slate of holiday movies and specials.  There's their annual broadcast of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer",  their Waltons specials and the Christmas parade. Also of note, the network will be airing Yogi's First Christmas.  Here's a full detailed look at their line up, all times are ET/PT/Denver Saint Louis.   

Saturday, November 22

8-10pm  A Waltons Thanksgiving 

Friday, November 28 

8-9pm Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer 

9-10pm A Totally Funny Animals Holiday

Thursday, December 4

8-10pm   Best Christmas Movies Ever! 

Monday, December 8 

8-10pm  The Waltons' Homecoming 

Wednesday, December 10 

8-9pm Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer

9-10pm Penn & Teller: Merry Fool US

Thursday, December 11

8-10pm Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors

Friday, December 12 

8-10pm  The 93rd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade 

Monday, December 15

8-10pm A California Christmas 

Wednesday, December 17

9-10pm Best Christmas Movies Ever! 

Friday, December 19 

8-10pm Yogi's First Christmas 

Monday, December 22 

8-10pm A California Christmas  :City Lights 

Friday, December 26

8-9pm PopStar! Best of 2025 

Full Press Release after the Jump 

CBS Announces Holiday Programming

CBS   Holidays Thanksgiving  Christmas 

        CBS has released its holiday programming line up for the season of 2025.  This includes special episodes in primetime and daytime, specials,  and more.  

         "Ghosts" gets a special Thanksgiving based episode on November 20.  "Everybody Loves Raymond" celebrates its 30th anniversary with a reunion special on November 24.   

         "Paw Patrol" Christmas special will air November 28,  and Reindeer in Here will air on December 6. 

         Here's the full line up  all times ET/PT unless otherwise noted,  and subject to change. 

    

        Thursday, November 20 

      8:30pm  Ghosts-  New Thanksgiving episode 

        Monday, November 24 

       8pm  Everybody Loves Raymond : 30th Anniversary Reunion 

        Wednesday, November 26 

        Daytime : The Prices Right Thanksgiving 

        Daytime: The Bold and the Beautiful 

        Friday, November 28 

       8pm  Paw Patrol Christmas 

        Saturday, December 6 

         8pm Reindeer in Here 

        Monday, December 8 

         8pm  The Neighborhood 

        8:30pm DMV 

        Thursday, December 11 

        9pm Matlock 

        

       Saturday, December 13

       8pm  Family, Film and TV Awards 

         Monday, December 15 

       8pm FBI 

         Tuesday, December 16

         8pm NCIS Tuesday 

        Thursday, December 18

        9pm  Ghosts 

        10pm  Elsbeth 

         Sunday, December 21 

        8:30-9:30pm ET/ 8-9pm PT  Hollywood Squares 

        December 22-24 

      Daytime: Let's Make a Deal

      Daytime: The Price is Right 

      Tuesday, December 23 

         8pm Kennedy Center Honors 

          December 24 and December 30 

         Daytime: Beyond the Gates

        Friday, December 26 

        8pm  A Grammy (R) Celebration of Latin Music 

        Wednesday, December 31

     8-10pm ET/PT and 10:30-1:30am ET/PT New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash 

      

    Full Press Release after the Jump 

Christmas: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas

      In the grab bag, let's see what we have this time, hmm a Hallmark Channel movie.  Hmm interesting.  Hallmark Channel Christmas movies and their movies, in general, seem to be their own genre in a way.  Even the network itself has tried ideas to break away and do slightly different ideas, but also they know what the people come to watch.  

             This movie The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is from 2008, it's an older Hallmark Channel  movie that the network still seems to run. The network seems to bump movies that are older down to their other channels or streaming thing.  They tend to go rampant hard with Christmas and introduce a lot of new movies a season.   It is interesting that this one still gets repeats on the main channel. I'm not a big Hallmark Channel movie viewer, if anything I watch the channel for their sitcom reruns, but I do like this one. 

         The movie is simple and seems to set up things that became Hallmark Channel uh hallmarks in their movies later on.  The best thing about this movie is Henry Winkler.  Winkler plays Uncle Ralph, the protagonist woman's uncle.  He a retired police officer who coming to visit his niece, Jennifer, for Christmas. Ralph -and his wife- essentially raised her. He brings a quirky and loveable charm to the movie and makes it a fun trip. 

             The movie starts with Jennifer Cullen (Jen) played by Brooke Burns. She is a single mother with a son named Brian. She is single, because plot reasons, but she does have a boyfriend whom umm... also plot reasons.  Her son wants a bike called a rocket wheel.  Also boys at school had Brian think Santa isn't real because that also happens in Christmas movies.  Jen is a business woman who does business-y business stuff.  She also isn't big into Christmas anymore. 

Son, for Christmas, do you want a less boring room? / Copyright Hallmark Channel

             We finally see Ralph, our hero. Picking Henry Winkler for this role was great and glad they chose him and he said yes and we have this existing.  We see him leave  a bar a mugger wants to mug him.  Ralph decides that there's going to be need for an ambulance call, not for him, but the mugger. If had put Ralph in Home Alone Marv and Harry would be dead.  This is a fun start for a movie about Christmas. 

Took him down hard/ Copyright Hallmark Channel 

            Jen finds out that thing her son wants for Christmas is also very hard to get. I am also concerned that a Chicago newspaper's top story is about a toy.  Jen's mother isn't coming over for Christmas because Hallmark didn't get an actress for her.  (sure) Jen is bothered because she can't make turkey and Christmas dinner, she's trying to impress her boyfriend's parent. The boyfriend is named Richard. ( A bit on the nose, movie) I'm going to like spoil things in this, so this how these posts go.  Richard plays the role of the boyfriend that will not be one at the end.  He's not too bad as a character, he's not evil or over the top.  The characters in this do feel like people, maybe a little different too many others you'd meet since they are more business-y business people, minus uncle Ralph and the kid. He also doesn't seem to like Ralph. (He must have been mad how Happy Days changed later on)   

They created the most stiff guy they could/ Copyright Hallmark Channel 

             There's a neighbor woman who wants Jen to put up her Christmas lights and what kind and how, because reasons. Jen thinks about running her over with her car. (that would be a different movie)  She goes to a toy store. She wants to buy the rocket wheel bike in the window the guy uses to bait and switch and she makes a deal.   

             Ralph is taking an airplane and a man named Morgan Derby helps him. Morgan is played by Warren Christie. Ralph takes an instant comradery with the man.  He gets them both on the plane quickly and first class. (Henry Winkler should always get free flights)   Ralph and Morgan getting along on the plane is good and again I like how they mesh. Morgan is also a more a free spirit but not over the top and strange.  Ralph doesn't like her boyfriend either, he doesn't trust people with 800 dollar shoes. 

So, do you know Laverne and Shirley? / Copyright Hallmark Channel 

             There's a strange running gag in this movie of the wreath being too big and falling off the front door and Jen going it's not too big. I'm sure someone thought that was funny.  Morgan can't go to Denver because flights are canceled (typical) and he is able to somehow bump into Jen and Brian and creeps them out by knowing their names and what they look like.  Ralph asks Jen if Morgan can stay the night. She, of course, is against the idea but he wears her down.  Also saying that Morgan is a chef might be of help. 

more after the jump

Christmas: The Simpsons: Marge Be Not Proud

The Simpsons  Christmas 

          The Simpsons is known for starting off its series run with a Christmas episode , but it didn't do A Christmas episode every season. It's probably for the best to have your series have one big Christmas episode that will be memorable and playable every year. But, eventually, they did take another crack at the holiday being shown for a plot.  The very next time was in Season 7 with "Marge Be Not Proud".

            This episode aired December 17, 1995 which is 6 years to the date of them airing the first episode. Both days were Sundays. It's fitting in a way for them to do this.  

 

              The Krusty special in the beginning is funny in how it both homages the classic Christmas specials like with Bing Crosby would do, but also go off the rails because it's Krusty the Clown. It also is  a good way to bring in something during the commercial break  Bart sees the commercial for a video game for video game Bone Storm. He wants his parents to get it for him. Also Marge saying the game costs $70 which is funny that the price of average video game now $70 so why don't Simpsons predict the future didn't run with this?  

Storm of Bones? Copyright Fox 

            The thing that this episode is really about is Bart and Marge. It was a rarer pairing for this show to take at the time, where most Bart and parent stuff was Bart and Homer.  Bart doesn't like that his mom baby's him , he doesn't want her to tuck him in and sing to him a good night song. It will play well when things get switched up later. 

            Millhouse is funny for refusing Bart a spot to play the game and that he would call his mom just to get rid of him. It plays well into how kids are and yeah I think Bart would have done the same if he was the one with the game.  I love the added sauce of Bart doing minor swears when he was trying to tell Millhouse's mom that he wasn't swearing. This episode really adds in a lot of little things that add to it. 

           Bart goes to the store and he sees some kid who can his mom names and can get the get the game. He sees Nelson and Jimbo who are shoplifting.  The Simpsons acknowledging they are cartoons with 4 fingers is funny.  Bart struggles but with the encouragement of video game characters he decides to steal the game. He forgot he's not a minor character so... uh oh and gets caught by security.  

Bart has gone down/ Copyright Fox 

              Security guy Don Brodka is an interesting character. I like how he looks with his Marine tattoo and clinched cigarette. He shows Bart a shoplifting is bad video but hates it and stops it.  This is a man who loves his job and shows it well. He calls Bart's parents but does it so well to convince Bart he called them live, but only left a voicemail. Lawrence Tierney really plays this role well. He tells Bart a parting  line that if he sees him in that store again- it's over. 

                There's not a lot of Homer in this episode. He takes a back seat to Bart who takes over Act 1 and Marge who will be part Act 2 a lot more. Both of those in Act 3 with Bart getting a little more. He does get some funny moments though. I like his reaction to Bart saying "Go to Hell" and he just says "There's a little thing called please" and his listening to the tape that Bart swapped out for the answering machine and asking Marge if Lisa went to camp Granada was funny.  

            Uh oh guess where Marge wants to have the family picture taken?  He tries to figure out away to make sure that Brodka can't figure it's him. There's a painfulness to wondering to see what happens and does Bart get away with it. Lisa, like Homer, doesn't get much to do this episode. Her moments she does get range from funny to a little charming.  Bart does get found. 

             Marge, because of Bart being able to make sure she and Homer didn't get the voicemail, goes up to bat for Bart and it's sweet that she does. That is until the guy shows her the tape and Bart tries to make her not see it but we get a multiple TV frame instead. 

Woah I don't have time for Home Alone! / Copyright Fox

            This is where the episode changes tone a little.  You can kind of tell Marge feels broken and not happy.  She skips him for the good night song and tuck in and just says good night and closes his door. She tells Homer maybe she mothers him too much.  It's a flip in where Bart feels bad at not having his mother's attention and even ends up hanging out with Millhouse's mom because he misses it.  The episode does this in balance where it doesn't seem that Marge has pushed Bart away it's more she feels that maybe he needs his space and her mothering was bugging him and he realizes that maybe he kind of likes some of it still and doesn't want her to totally detach from him.  

             Bart comes home and looks like he shoplifted, episode has us going in that first half there. But he ended up buying her a gift.  She lets him open a gift early and it's kind of sweet that she got him a video game. It was the wrong one, but done in earnest.  

           I think the episode is fairly good. It stays towards "The Simpsons" tone without getting syrupy or sappy to the point it feels like you'd be watching an episode of "Full House" on Christmas where Stephanie stole something and everyone is concerned she might end up becoming a future murderer.  It does a story that  many can fit with. At some point, a kid feels like they are too old for their parents to be so parental, but then sometimes might miss something that their parent did they weren't expecting to miss if it didn't happen. 

    

            Something that can be noticed in this episode is how Christmas is more the background and not the main plot.  The Christmas special  Bart watches gives the catalyst to him seeing the ad for the video game but that could have really been anything.  If anything, Christmas comes into play really into Bart using his money to buy Marge the gift photo. But Christmas is lightly sprinkled into the episode. It's not a bad thing, I like how it works here for a balance of the story not having to try and force itself around Christmas but still fit the Christmas spirit.  

        A lot of fun of the episode is the Simpsons charm and hallmarks.  It makes you feel for Bart and Marge in what's going on in the episode.  It knows how to keep the beats of funny going as well as sprinkling in the heart.  It's a good one , there's a reason why this one is liked. 

         That's it for now, tune in next time when we stop this shoplifter and force him to write a post.  

                 

        

Christmas: Noël (The Christmas Ornament Special)

Christmas 

            I've decided to dip into something that's a little more obscure and weird for Christmas.   This special has a Rankin-Bass connection, but wasn't created by them , instead it involves Romeo Muller. If you watched a Rankin-Bass special like "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" you would have seen the name Romeo Muller. He had found ways to take really short things like  Christmas songs to make full special stories about them.  He also told a story every year on radio station WGHQ  and that story is the basis of this special.  I also have to mention that Muller died at the end of December 1992. 

            Noël first aired on December 4, 1992 on NBC, the same night as they aired "Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas" what an odd night. This special has fallen out of play , I think the last US airing was on Fox Family in like 2000 (that channel is now known as Freeform).  It's not highly remembered and their might be some reasons for that.   

        

          The narrator of this is Charlton Heston with his distinct voice giving a sense of seriousness to a special where there's talking Christmas ornaments and the words "people things".  The main story is there is a glass blower who was blowing glass (as one does) to make ornaments back in the time when ornaments weren't heavily factory produced in some factory in another country.  His name is Herman, he gets a name but isn't going to be here that long. Anyway, he's really happy because he got news that his daughter has given birth to a girl and he's really happy and his tear of joy ends up going into an ornament. 

I'm a little too happy 

           Noel is our main character and one of those round ornaments, the simple ones, and is red.  Because he is filled with the happiness tear he's filled with "a happiness" as it's said.   There's another ornament named Miss Freezenda, she seems to be filled with not happiness. I don't even know why she's mad or grumpy. It's also funny that she thinks she's upper class and will be sold , with Noel and 10 other ornaments, for cheap.  The other ornaments don't seem to have names. It's an odd set with 12 different types of ornaments. 

                 Some woman buys the ornament set for her family and there's a girl that seems to know Noël's main character energy and likes him best to kiss him.  I'm also a little confused on how the other ornaments know more about things than Noël ,like did Noël  miss a meeting or something?  Also interesting they say people-things to mean humans but then call children, children-things, I guess children aren't people to them. This says the word 'thing' a lot to the point it won't be word anymore. 

            Noël  meets the Christmas tree named Brutus.  (Brutus? Noo Noël  watch out!) Brutus doesn't seem to be bothered by Noël  questions. The tree also has accepted his fate that he was born to be cut down and decorated for Christmas. Ahhh talking train with a face!  There's also a little nativity under the tree that's only explained as that's what Christmas is all about.  I like how the tree knows about Christmas stuff but only as far as a few things but doesn't know much about the Christmas story. 

This is what Christmas is about. What? Umm we won't tell you. 

            It kind of goes out of its way to explain Christmas Eve night and things (oops) to a point where it feels like this story probably wasn't meant to be 22 minutes long.  Noël's happiness also seems to give him the power to feel things that only people, animals, and some trees can.  This lore is something.  

             It runs through the days between Christmas and New Year then the worst day of the year -January 2nd- shows up and everything is taken down. Also Brutus gets dragged out to die. Then it speed runs a year, and eventually allows Christmas to return again.  Noël  is happy, the little girl kiss him again and it lots of repeating. New Christmas tree, though.  (yay) 

She senses the happiness 

            Then Christmas is over again.  Fine alright. Then the specials this happens for years and years. It even mentions that the kids grew up, also mentioning World War II, like the boy was in World War II.  Everything else. Then, it's decided by the now old parents that Christmas won't be happening at their house.  Noël  has gone in a deep sleep, while the parents died.  Good work this bleak, let's go. 

         Finally, a 90's family shows up and has bought the house.  The new mom finds the ornaments in the attic and is like these are all chipped and old compared to their new plastic ones. The new mom only finds Noël usable. Also, this time a boy for some reason kisses Noël . I don't know why children want to kiss him. Noël  is by himself and the new tree talks to him. Anyway, Noël  dies.  That's right his clip breaks because of age and he falls, breaks and dies. But guess what? Apparently that happiness is his soul and he can finally see the nativity. Now Noël  can spread his happiness around the world or something. That was an ending. 

        

             

Great he thinks he's a god now! 

                 The ending is very much closely aligned with the concept of death being a leaving of your cold glass body but your soul is free. Noël's happiness is explained as his real essence. Does leave some questions open for why the other ornaments are alive and if they die do they cease completely?  Oddly it also just goes and shows a nativity and says that's what Christmas is about but doesn't say what they mean. I know what they mean, but it's more like they are going "If you know, you know" sort of thing.  Should have just said what it out loud special, don't be cowards! 

           I'm surprised that the guy who found ways to make very simple stories that were songs and make them into 25 minute or 47 minute specials had a special that really feels like it shouldn't be 22 minutes. There's lot of padding. It goes through how Christmas goes like it's a new unexplored concept then runs through a lot of years in details. There's also not a lot that happens here. It's mostly just Noël  asking questions and some other ornaments whining. Then Christmas stuff, then being sent to the attic, then repeat, random kissing, a mention of war and death, then finally one last time and Noël  falls and is now just a spirit. It feels like they were going for an allegory but also showing the spirit of joy is inside and we should spread it around.    This special might work for younger kids more than any older people.  

            That's it for now, tune in next time when we question what the ornaments thing about us.