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2021 Holiday TV Calendar

Find out when all of the Christmas movies, animated specials, holiday episodes, and themed baking competitions will premiere this holiday season..

by | December 6, 2021 | Comments

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A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS - HENRY LAWFULL

(Photo by © 2021 Netflix US, LLC - Studiocanal SAS)

Holiday programming is the gift that keeps on giving. Literally, with all the additional streaming options, there are now more hours of holiday programming than anyone could watch before the new year. Rotten Tomatoes is here to help keep track of them. Here’s a guide to all the holiday shows and movies premiering on broadcast, cable, and streaming services in November and December.

TNT premieres Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker at 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 and airs all the Star Wars films on Star Wars Weekend Nov. 5-8. Then it’s holiday movies on TNT and TBS all November except Thanksgiving weekend when it’s superhero movies on TNT. Freeform will begin its 25 Days of Christmas with holiday movies every night, including the Santa Clause trilogy, Home Alone, Jingle All the Way and more. Disney+ has also added those movie titles and more holiday favorites. Jingle also appears on Amazon Prime along with It’s a Wonderful Life and Die Hard. Look for Die Hard and other Christmas titles on IMDB TV too. Check AMC+ for more holiday movies in December.

Bookmark this page to check back on titles coming through New Year’s Day. 


November


Monday, Nov. 1

Thursday, Nov. 4

Friday, Nov. 5

Saturday, Nov. 6


Royal Christmas Engagement, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A prince undercover falls for an advertising executive.


Sunday, Nov. 7


Christmas with a Prince: The Royal Baby, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – Prince Alexander (Nick Hounslow) and Dr. Tasha (Kaitlyn Leeb) are expecting.

Thursday, Nov. 11

Friday, Nov. 12




Saturday, Nov. 13
A Snowy Christmas, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A lawyer tries to find love and save her family home at Christmas.



Sunday, Nov. 14
Snowed in for Christmas, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – An au pair makes Christmas for her clients’ children when snow cancels her holiday plans.


Adele One Night Only, 8:30 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. PT, CBS – Adele will perform new songs and her hits, and speak to Oprah Winfrey.

Wednesday, Nov. 17


Thursday, Nov. 18


Chrisley Knows Thanksgiving, Peacock – Julie Chrisley teaches her children Thanksgiving recipes.

Friday, Nov. 19




Saturday, Nov. 20
Mistletoe & Molly, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A customer meddles with a waitress’s life over the holidays.




Sunday, Nov. 21
Christmas on 5th Avenue, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A decorator tries to get her client back in the Christmas spirit.



Monday, Nov. 22


Tuesday, Nov. 23
Mary McCartney Serves It Up, Discovery+ – Photographer and cookbook author welcomes Sir Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey for vegetarian holiday meals.


Wednesday, Nov. 24



Thursday, Nov. 25





The Thanksgiving Day Parade, 9 a.m., CBS – Live from Sixth Avenue, hosted by Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, 9 a.m., NBC, Telemundo and Peacock – Live coverage of the 95th annual parade.
National Dog Show, 12 p.m., NBC and Peacock – John O’Hurley and David Frei host.
National Dog Show Junior, 2 p.m., Peacock – Kid reporter Anna Laible joins Matt Iseman and Laurie Hernandez.



Sunday Night Football, 8 p.m., Peacock


Friday, Nov. 26













Saturday, Nov. 27
Minnie’s Bow-Toons “Clarabelle’s Christmas Sweater”, 8:25 a.m. on Disney Channel, 11:55 a.m. on Disney Junior – Christmas episode of Minnie Mouse’s series.
Muppet Babies “It’s a Wonderful Elf-Bot/A Merry Litter Christmas”, 9 a.m., Disney Junior – Christmas episodes of the animated Muppet series



The Chicken Squad “Merry Chickmas/Feed the Brrrds,” 10:30 a.m., Disney Junior – Christmas episodes of The Chicken Squad.






Robbie the Reindeer: Legend of the Lost Tribe, 8:30 p.m., CBS – Robbie tries to stop Blitzen from opening a reindeer theme park.
The Story of Santa Claus, 9 p.m., CBS – Animated musical about the origin of Santa.

Sunday, Nov. 28



Muppet Babies “Mitzvah for Miss Nanny/Winter Sport-a-thon,” 9 a.m., Disney Junior – more holiday episodes of Muppet Babies





Monday, Nov. 29



Tuesday, Nov. 30


Buster Saves Christmas, 9 a.m., YouTube – Buster the Bus steps in on Christmas Eve when Santa’s sleigh goes missing.


December


(Photo by Peacock)

Wednesday, Dec. 1





Beebo Saves Christmas, 8 p.m., The CW

Thursday, Dec. 2







Kid Correspondent: “Unboxing the Holiday Season,” 9 a.m., YouTube – Young journalists report on things to do over the holidays and the hottest toys of the season.

Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas, 7 p.m. Disney Junior – Mickey, Minnie and friends try to use a Wishing Star to reunite for Christmas Eve.



Friday, Dec. 3



The Royal Beat – Christmas Special – True Royalty TV – Inside the Christmas traditions of the royal family.


Most Wanted Santa, Tubi [movie] – FBI and police hunt a Santa art thief.

Let’s Make a Deal, daytime, CBS – Kristin Chenoweth helps Wayne Brady make deals and performs her song “Why Couldn’t It Be Christmas Every Day?”


Saturday, Dec. 4
The Art Of: Holidays, 6 a.m., Ovation and repeats




Christmas Under the Stars, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A photographer visits Christmas World, Alaksa to photograph the Northern Lights.





Sunday, Dec. 5


A Merry Murdoch Christmas, 1 a.m. and repeats, Ovation – Murdoch Mysteries‘ 2015 Christmas episode.





The National Christmas Tree Lighting, 8:30 p.m., CBS – L.L. Cool J hosts with musical performances by H.E.R, Billy Porter, Kristin Chenoweth, Patti LaBelle and more.

The 23rd Annual Home for the Holidays At the Grove, 9:30 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT, CBS – Musical artists perform between stories of adoption from foster care.

Monday, Dec. 6


Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets: Mary Berry’s Country House Christmas, Acorn TV – Harewood House in Yorkshire prepares for Christmas.


Tuesday, Dec. 7


Wednesday, Dec. 8


Thursday, Dec. 9




(Photo by Peacock)

Friday, Dec. 10


Squished, IMDB TV – Sarah Hyland hosts a Play-doh competition for kids and grown-ups.

Super Sema holiday episode, 9 a.m., YouTube – African Sema dreams of snow for the holidays.


Saturday, Dec. 11




Sunday, Dec. 12


Snow Queen, 10 a.m., Ovation – Redondo Ballet’s production
The Nutcracker by Kader Belarbi, 10 a.m., Ovation- Belarbi directs the ballet.
Fixing Up Christmas, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A party planner helps a CEO plan a Christmas party to impress the Mayor.





Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown 2021, 9 p.m., The CW – The best seasonal commercials air between commercial breaks.

Monday, Dec. 13


Tuesday, Dec. 14


Bite Size Holiday, Freeform @25DaysofChristmas Twitter account – Four holiday short films premiere between today and Dec. 20.

Gordon Ramsay’s Road Trip: Christmas Vacation, 9 p.m., Fox – Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sireix look for Santa Claus’s home.

Wednesday, Dec. 15
Monstrum: Krampus, PBS Storied YouTube Channel – Explores the origin of the evil Yuletide creature.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2021, 8 p.m., The CW – Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Little Nas X, Megan Thee Stallion, the Jonas Brothers and more perform.





Thursday, Dec. 16




Vitals: Holiday Hangover, PBS Vitals YouTube Channel – PBS’s health and wellness series discusses moderation for the holidays.

Kid Correspondent: “New Year, New You!”, 9 a.m., YouTube – Kid reporters celebrate the new year and look back on their funniest bloopers.
Dogs of the Year 2021, 8 p.m., The CW – Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight host the year’s most amazing dog stories.

Friday, Dec. 17
With Love, Amazon Prime – A family celebrates Christmas, New Years and all the holidays together, from One Day at a Time creator Gloria Calderón Kellett.



Joe Bob Ruins Christmas, 9 p.m., Shudder and on demand Dec. 19 – Joe Bob Brigg will show two movies and host a telethon and charity auction.

Saturday, Dec. 18






Sunday, Dec. 19


Christmas Together, 7 p.m., UPtv [movie] – A woman falls in love with the owner of the guest house she’s renting for the holidays.




Lucy Worsley’s 12 Days of Tudor Christmas, 8 p.m., PBS – Worsley explores the Tudor origins of Christmas traditions.

Monday, Dec. 20

Tuesday, Dec. 21
Grumpy Christmas, Netflix [movie]
[movie_link_apple id=cd5485c7-9a28-34e4-baf7-c1055a079559 tmeter=true] 8 p.m., Lifetime[/movie_link_apple]

Wednesday, Dec. 22
Let’s Make a Deal, check local listings – Three days of holiday games begin including the Christmas Cash Train, Santa letters, cash-stuffed stockings and holiday music.
The Masked Singer: Christmas Singalong, 8 p.m., Fox – Holiday performances from celebrity contestants
[movie_link_apple id=e209445f-0845-3831-9bd3-0254a3c18258 tmeter=true] 8 p.m., Lifetime[/movie_link_apple]
The Price Is Right At Night, 8 p.m., CBS – A Christmas themed edition of the daytime game show.
The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, 9 p.m., CBS – Justino Diaz, Berry Gordy, Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchell to be honored.

Thursday, Dec. 23
[movie_link_apple id=ea08b23c-8dad-4ad8-8253-7e005b049722 tmeter=true] Prime Video[/movie_link_apple]
[movie_link_apple id=af8d8fbe-afcd-30d4-92d6-927866382e73 tmeter=true] 8 p.m., Lifetime[/movie_link_apple]

Friday, Dec. 24
Family Matters, Holiday episodes, 6 a.m., TBS
George Lopez, Holiday episodes, 9:30 a.m., TBS







A Holly Dolly Christmas, 8 p.m., CBS – Dolly Parton’s 2020 Christmas special

Kenny Rogers: All In for the Gambler, 9 p.m., CBS – Kenny Rogers tribute concert from September

Saturday, Dec. 25


Call the Midwife Holiday Special, 9 p.m. ET, PBS – Christmas 1966 adds wedding plans to the normal holiday festivities.

Sunday, Dec. 26


Home for the Holidays (2005), 10 a.m., Ovation [movie] – An aunt tries to adopt her niece and nephews after their parents die. Starring Sean Young.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special (2019), 7:30 p.m. ET, PBS – Encore of the 2019 holiday special.

Monday, Dec. 27

Tuesday, Dec. 28

Friday, Dec. 31
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest 2022, 8 p.m., ABC – Countdown to 2022
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, 8 p.m., CBS – A country music New Year’s Eve live from Nashville, Tn. including Blake Shelton, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Darius Rucker and more.
New Year’s Eve Toast & Roast 2022, 8 p.m., Fox – Cancelled due to COVID-19
United in Song: Celebrating the American Dream, 9 p.m. ET, PBS – Independence Hall concert hosted by Chita Rivera, with performances by David Archuleta, Midori, Brandee Younger and more.


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