Let’s start by stating the obvious … 2020 has just drained me and I came very close to not doing this calendar cause well frankly nothing else has worked out this year why should this … but then decided A. I needed something to look forward to so looking up these shows and movies made me happy. B. so many people have been asking about this calendar even before the Halloween one went out so the pressure to do it was strong. C. For that reason I knew that many of you were looking forward to was this calendar and I didn’t deliver then well it would have made you sad and I can’t have that on my head. D. by sending out the Halloween calendar I kind of obligated myself to do this one too E. For those indifferent to the calendar I salute you but question your loyalty F. it’s all about me and this calendar makes me smile and wears out my TV … so we must proceed! (My Tivos recently died a horrible death but Xfinity-X1 is in the house …. Literally. Dad blames Xfinity, Comcast whatever they call themselves these days… I am just gonna lay it at 2020’s doorstep, in a paper bag, with other organic matter inside it, and it will be on fire. Just saying.
So … here you go …. I present to you the 2020 Christmas TV Schedule in all its glory! It's best if you save the image below for viewing on the go. By my calculations my digital files of calendars goes back to 2008. However, before 2008 I was horrible about file management (I’m getting better) so who really knows. The Halloween calendar stated the 12th Edition so that’s what I’m going to go with …. tho I swear I’ve been doing it longer. I also confess that I, who is on the finance committee at the Church, suck at Math so ya know … take that for what you want. Forget Diamonds … Calculators are a girls friend. Cell phones with a built in calculator ... well that’s our bestie.
Another
house cleaning item before we dive in …. You’ll notice that I never sent an
e-mail about the Charlie Brown goodness that was to have been the airing date
of the Great Pumpkin back in October. I confess at the time I blamed ABC …
little did I know that they were just as sad about it as me (at least I like to
think they were). Well that’s cause Apple's TV+ and Peanuts ruined Halloween
for everyone. Just everyone. I mean yeah sure Covid (the Covid, The Virus,
whatever it goes by in your respective parts of the world) killed it in many
areas of the US … but even those people have to admit that it was truly dead
when it was announced that Peanuts had sold out to Apple's TV+ and thus no showing on Network TV (ABC) was
to happen this year. Screw those kids whose parents hadn’t bought into the
online digital age. Forget the littles who rely on network TV for their
wholesome TV (you know after they watch 10 minutes of vomiting on Family Guy).
Suck it …kid far away from home for the first time in college who smiles when Charlie
Brown gets his rock or when Linus misses the great pumpkin…again. GUYS …the
thing I’ve been trying to combat with this calendar is finally happening.
They are slowly removing all life as we know it from network TV and moving to
Digital platforms. Or…you know something far less dramatic. I blame you all for
not watching. For DVRing and then not watching cause it’s a week or two after
the holiday and you are trying to free up space for yet another Walking Dead
spin off. For not tweeting and facebooking that you were watching when you finally
pause long enough to watch. You know who you are. Anyway… once that “news story
broke” all haties broke loose, the world descended into anarchy and Apple was
like whoa we don’t care for negative backlash (I mean their fan allegiance is
usually really high), then Charles Schulz and his halo came down to the Peanut
offices all God like and mad demanding answers as he threw footballs at his
staff for this very obvious betrayal. I understand, Steve Jobbs decided to not don
the Turtleneck and make the trip north in order to get involved (see what I did
there?). So, after all that the result was that we get one showing of
the Thanksgiving and one showing of the Christmas specials on PBS
…. One. Make it count guys. Plan your lives around it cause while I am still
mad at them we need to watch. Show them that the backlash was real, explain to
them that it is important for it to be on network TV and maybe just maybe next
year I get my freaking Great Pumpkin back! I don’t ask for much guys …. I mean
honestly.
- · A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Nov. 22 – sorry I didn’t get this out in time for you to watch …. that’s on me … but hey if you miss Christmas… that’s .. well that’s on you
- · A Charlie Brown Christmas On PBS Dec. 13 plan accordingly
Now that
all that unpleasantness is handled …. Back to our regularly scheduled
programing ….
The rules:
- · No e-mails about taking Christ out of Christmas, it’s just a really long word and using X-mas allows for extra real estate on an already full calendar. Thanks for your understanding and if you don’t understand that feel free to let me remove you from this list.
- · I live in the central time zone thus the times reflect that, adjust accordingly and plan ahead. Unless otherwise stated the times are PM.
- · This is about specials and movies, not single one off episodes for scheduled shows. You can watch those all year long, this is about things that other than Hallmark, Lifetime etc., you can only watch this time of year.
- · It’s about me… this calendar reflect what I WANT to watch and the channels that I get. There is a mixture of cartoons, children’s programs, and adult themed programs. Some are classics, some are new. I vouch not for their quality or content so don’t be calling me cause your little watched a Lifetime movie with you and now has questions. You made that not me.
Channels you will want to take note of
As a friend of mine so eloquently stated … “Hallmark, Lifetime, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries have been assaulting us with Christmas movies all freaking year” … so I have decided to only include “new movies” or movies that I liked and want to see again are on the calendar. There are frankly too many to show them all and if you are having a night where you want to see the same movie but with a different setting and actors then these are the channels for you. They are predictable but always good for killing a few hours.
On that note …. All new showings (or new to me anyway) are marked all PURPLE.
A few airings of note ….
- · Die Hard …. I tried guys, I really did, mostly for you Joe (stay safe out there, and come home soon sir!). The only place I can find it on is HBO, and I don’t have HBO and well remember the rules. I was really surprised AMC didn’t jump on the Die Hard is a Christmas movie bandwagon. It would fit really well with their line up but maybe HBO has the rights?! Who knows. At least I’m finally conceding that it can be conceived by some as a Christmas movie.
- · How the Grinch Stole X-mas – look I love the original….the cartoon … with all it’s wonderful Seussiness …. I like the Jim Carey version but it comes on like 62,986,529,862 times on Freeform. This calendar shows some of those but if you miss it well you have been warned. There is also a showing of the new Grinch cartoon (2018) Dec 18th at 8 on Freeform (you know the new one from Illumination (Minions Fame) that has Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the Grinch-which I haven’t seen yet so that’s exciting), but the OG Cartoon with Boris Karloff as your narrator comes on once … on NBC Dec. 25th at 7 …. It’s marked as TOON and in true NBC fashion it’s MUST SEE TV!
- · It’s a Wonderful Life – we get one shot at this one this year …. Dec. 24th NBC 7 … Don’t blow it. What’s up with NBC showing stuff once and then moving on ?! Like really?!
- · The Grinch Musical – I don’t know much about this one ….. I know it stars Matthew Morrison as the Grinch …. And frankly I don’t have high hopes for it, however I love me some Broadway and anything that puts Broadway on my TV gets a win in my book, tho I’d love to have been in the pitch meeting for this musical. It airs on NBC Dec. 9th at 7.
- · The Sound of Music – This is just an iconic story that a dear friend of mine loves and thus I love it too. Definitely worth watching at least once in your lifetime, more if you are so blessed to do so. Released in 1965 it is about Maria (Julie Andrews), a young Austrian postulant (candidate to be a nun) in 1938 who is sent to serve as a governess to the 7 children of a naval officer (Christopher Plummer), when it’s clear the life of a Nun is not for her. It features music, puppets, dancing, costume changes and Nazis. The 2nd half of the movie is stupid dark for as light and fun as the first half is. Catch it Dec. 20th on ABC at 6 (it’s a long movie 172 minutes to be exact. Or nearly 3 hours).
- · Kennedy Center Honors – we could all use a pick me up and watching a special that highlights wonderful people doing wonderful things for others is a good start. This is the 42nd showing and it airs on Dec. 15th at 7 on CBS.
- · CNN Heroes on well … CNN … is also a great pick me up and a reminder that there are people out there who care about others airing on Dec. 13th at 7 well on CNN.
Digital Options for you …….. cause I love you guys that much … can be found at the following links …. The 2nd link breaks it down by service and days which was super nice of someone
Anyway, the intention of this calendar, much like the Halloween one is to get your family to pause and spend some time together making memories. In this season where we spend so much time rushing around we forget to enjoy the down time and enjoy the family time. Great specials come and go and if we don’t watch they will go forever.
Today’s “classic Christmas special” may be next year’s no show on the calendar. That’s the other reason for this calendar, if we stop watching they will stop showing, I present Exhibit A …. Charlie Brown. Exhibit B Yes Virginia once again not showing up on CBS …. For reasons I don’t understand. Like seriously can someone explain this to me? Exhibit C What happened to Yes Virginia … I can’t even find the movie airing anywhere. So please take the time to watch it with your family as it airs so that it will air for years to come. If not for me do it for the children, as they are our future, according to some nice lady who sang really really loudly but also really beautifully.
So sit back, laugh, smile, and cry (some of these are sad, I mean who doesn’t cry when George Bailey is standing next to the tree with Mary holding little Zuzu and his friends are coming in to save the Bailey Savings and Loan, oh no did I give the end away ?!) and have a GREAT Christmas season!
Marcy
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