2022 Christmas TV Movie Calendar

 Good news fellow lovers of random TV specials, the Crimmus Calendar (that’s how my bestie spells it and now I it looks weird spelling it the “right” way), unlike the Halloween calendar, was much easier tho Hallmark, Freeform, and Lifetime have done their best to overtake the darn thing once again this year. I would however argue that if you start showing Christmas shows in April on a loop 24/7 then maybe you don’t have much else to offer and might wanna review your strategy – just saying. 

I admit … This calendar has been burning a hole in my file structure for about a week, but since I didn’t put anything on it for the week of Thanksgiving I decided to hold it. I also didn’t want it getting lost in the shuffle that is yall’s inbox during the holiday. Then like 3 weeks in people are like did I not get your calendar and they have missed out on so much awesomeness. I mean that’s not my fault, I know that but still I’ll feel bad for you and your disorganized self.  

As many of you may know GAC is also trying to get into the holiday specials mix, Great American Country for those that don’t know, but I don’t have that channel. As I’ve said for the last several years if I don’t have it … it won’t appear on this calendar. I’m selfish that way. Plus, I don’t wanna be all political but if Candace Cameron Bure is how you plan out your TV watching time then just turn the thing off and read a book. Seriously. DJ is great but yeah calm down it’s just a Crimmus movie you aren’t saving the world.   

Before we dive in … I think it’s important to repeat the rules, cause without rules there is chaos and we can’t have that with Santa in the air and all. . . .  

• NO E-MAILS about taking Christ out of Christmas, it is there you all know it just stop being difficult..... I mean honestly, it’s just a really long word and using X-Mas allows for more shows on the already full calendar.  
• Thanks for your understanding.  
• For those that don’t understand I’ll be glad to remove you from the list just let me know.  
• I live in the central time zone, the times on this calendar reflect that, adjust accordingly.  
• That said unless otherwise stated the times are PM 
• Very special episodes need not apply. This calendar does not focus on established show “Christmas special episodes” so watch out for those … Psych for instance has a great one and Friends had some touching Christmas specials, however, that’s not what we are here for. 
• NASFL – Not all is safe for Littles … This calendar contains shows I want to see, some are new, some are classics, and some are just downright dumb but I like em so back off! There is a mixture of adult themed shows/movies and kid themed shows/movies cause I’m just a kid at heart. PLEASE be mindful of what is on before you sit the kids down with popcorn to watch. 
• Don’t call me cause your little one watched some holiday movie on Lifetime or and now has “questions”. . . . that’s your mess not mine.  
• Late Hour Focus, but hour round fun. For you work from home people, stay at home mom’s, or employers who have access to good wifi ….  they run these specials all day long, and while my calendar focuses on the after-work hour times, since that is when I can watch, fire it up as background noise for that meeting that you are totes paying attention to. Then you can thank me later.  
1. That’s right it’s all about me!  

It seems everyone has a gimmick or a brand they are selling, It’s a Wonderful Lifetime, on well … Lifetime, 25 days of Christmas on Freeform, Miracles of Christmas from Hallmark Movies and Mystery (which was a missed opportunity for them for sure) Best Christmas Ever from AMC (which is debatable but their love of Claymation makes up for it) and so on. Marketing departments have been working overtime for their various channels, but it kept them employed so … good for them. I do question a network that does 25 days of anything but when you really study their programing realize that they are really replaying the same 10 movies over and over and I wonder if their time couldn’t be better spent.  

Especially when you look at their line ups in their various Aps and see that there is so much more out there than a Burnt out executive who leaves the big city to help her parents shut down the ranch she grew up on but shunned and left for bigger things only to find the love of her life tending to {insert your animal here} with a plan to save the ranch but only if she agreed to leave the hustle and bustle of the big city to pick up where her aging parents have left off and agree to marry him on the spot or the deal is off. Or you know … something of that nature, over and over again.  

So, with that thought in mind, the focus of this calendar is on NEW specials and returning movies I want to see cause I mean frankly there is not enough paper and ink in the printers around the world to include them all. Trust me, I’ve tried. I meant if you haven’t seen a Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen in their hey day trying to get to Grandmas’ house have you even lived?! PS it only comes on a few times and for some reason at the arse crack of dawn each and every time. Don’t ask me why …. just be happy it’s still on the air. I mean they have to be what in their late 30’s or something by now? I also admit that Die Hard didn’t make the cut again this year, which is not my fault. I just can’t find that it’s airing anytime in the next 25 days. I tried Guys I promise!  

A Few suggestions for your holiday viewing:  

• Ralphie Love !!!!! Both TBS and TNT are showing 24 hours of a Christmas Story starting Christmas Eve … and you should also check out the A Christmas Story Christmas on HBO if you have it cause it’s everything little Marcy wanted in life!  It pulls at all the same heart strings that the original pulls on …. once in a while a little too hard.  
• The Star – appears several times on Freeform this year. I admit I didn’t give this special the notice it deserved when it first came on in 2017. I fell in love with it hard a few years ago and it’s now must see TV for me every year. Make sure you check it out. Your kiddos will LOVE this animated special and they just might learn something too.  
• A New Orleans Noel on Lifetime is well a NEW Christmas movie that is set in New Orleans and bring Rudi back to our television screens and I’m all for anything that does that. If it also brings Patti LaBelle then that’s just a bonus. The Big Easy at Crimmus what could be more fun !?  
• Lifetime: speaking of Lifetime they are working to end the reign of Hallmark as the place for Holiday fun by airing NEW movies EVERY Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 7 central. Sure they all have a similar pattern to them but that didn’t bother you when Hallmark did it, so tune in cause did I mention they are NEW !  
• CNN All Star Tribute at 7 on CNN Dec. 11^thI have talked about this before … it’s an annual special that highlights some pretty amazing things being done around this planet to try and make it a better place. It’s a very uplifting night and reminds you that maybe .. just maybe the world has some good left in it.  
• Claymation Love – Both AMC and Freeform are giving us the Claymation love this year and I’m 100% for it. Now if they can just bring back the Claymation Christmas I will be the happiest Marcy ever! Bring the kiddos to the TV, make them watch it and explain just how much effort it took to bring that awesome to the screen.  
• Beauty and the Beast LIVE – will air on ABC Dec. 15^th .. and god love them no matter how bad these have been over the years they keep trying. Eventually they will get one of these right maybe it will be this one.  
• Hanukkah on Rye airs on Hallmark on the 18^th … which is the only Hanukkah movie on my calendar and it makes me sad that is a thing. I mean 8 Crazy Nights should air yearly but alas I can’t find it.  

Another programing note …. unlike Halloween where they are just all over the map with the order, Christmas specials tend to keep the flow going, so if they were say … showing The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2 and the Santa Clause 3 back to back on the same channel I didn’t list all 3 cause well A. Space is limited, B. If you want to watch one you’ll likely watch them from the beginning and C did you not read about having limited space to make this happen!? I mean if you don’t have an afternoon to devote to it then well just walk away, be a quitter … see if I care. I do… I care a lot … cause Tenderheart tells me I need to. That’s right I worked a Care Bears reference into this year’s calendar and if that’s not a Win… then what is. *does Happy Dance in my chair!* 

Digital Media is taking over and I’m no longer going to fight it … No, before you get all excited, I’m also not dropping it into my calendar, but I do admit that it is the week of Thanksgiving and I have watched A Christmas Story Christmas at least 3 times and loved every single second of it each and everytime I watched it. So, if you are interested in what’s happening in your various streaming services check out the links below. I admit I am proud to see all the original programing that’s dropping on the various streaming services and sad that networks don’t have enough faith in them to show them “offline.”  

New Christmas Movies to Stream: A Holiday 2020 Streaming Guide | Den of Geek 

New Christmas Movies in 2022 and Where to Watch Them (people.com) 

90+ Christmas movies to stream for holidays on Netflix, Hulu, more (usatoday.com) 

Where to Stream the Best Christmas Movies of All Time (2022) – The Streamable 

So go get your digital on and you won’t hear from me how the medium is killing the holiday special for cable providers and how Apple TV has already claimed Charlie Brown as theirs and how you can’t watch Mickey’s Christmas Carol without a Disney+ account or how Ralphie’s new special is only on HBO MAX  but yeah you go ahead stream to your hearts content and sit back and enjoy. It’s fine …. No really … go ahead it’s fine. Seriously why are you still reading this … go watch your programming … and Merry Christmas have a wonderful New Year and here’s to an even better 2023 for us all!  

Have a wonderful and safe holiday season so we can do this again next year!  

If you can't save the image above hit me up on twitter @beaslma and i'll send you the PDF/JPEG combo. 

Marcy  

Thankfulness Challenge – 2019 Christmas TV/Movie Calendar

I present to you as your present the 2019 Christmas TV Schedule! See the bottom of this post. Once again, the calendar is set up in 11X17 format but if you have to print it 8.5x11 it is readable – hopefully you have glasses - but if you can print it 11X17 your eyes will thank you. I have also found that saving the PDF to your favorite portable device is the best way to keep the calendar handy and as an added bonus you can zoom in and out to read that ever so small type. The jpeg breaks up the more you zoom so if you can the PDF is the way to go. 

So, they’ve done it …………. They’ve broken me. Hallmark and Hallmark Movie and Mysteries has been showing movies nonstop since June. I’m done. So, for the calendar the only Hallmark Movies that show up are A. The classic ones I want to see again and B. New movies/specials that, again, I want to see. After all as I’ve said on other occasions this is about me and I just share the wealth. You are welcome! 

Most of this calendar this year will focus on network specials, AMC, TCM, Freeform, and Lifetime. Hallmark has taken over this calendar for the last year …… so yeah if you can’t find anything on my list flip over to Hallmark or Hallmark Movies and Mysteries (why they insist on having two non-stop Christmas channels is beyond me – just rename them Christmas 24-7 and be done with it) and see what they have going on. Spoiler alert the dude who the girl hates at the beginning of the movie … will get the girl by the time the credits roll, at some point there will be a huge misunderstanding that a 5 minute conversation could solve and there will be snow, even when the movie is set in a state that traditionally does not partake in snow... Just saying. 

• Freeform started their Christmas holiday in November with a “Kick off to Christmas” before they had 25 days of Christmas (starting Dec. 1), but since they gave so much love to the Claymation of my childhood, I’m going to let it slide. I’m very excited to see what their lineup has to offer this year tho it concerns me a little their recent connection with The Simpsons. I love it but am also concerned. 
  
• TCM hits the holiday fun on Dec 1^st with classics like It Happened on 5^th Avenue, Remember the Night, The Greatest Story Ever Told, A Christmas Carol, those movies and shows that made the Christmas special magical. If you are wanting nostalgia Christmas this is the channel to check out. This is especially true should you have an older loved on in your house. These are the shows Grandma or Grandpa with Alzheimer’s remembers. Let them relive her childhood a few times too.
  
• AMC started their holiday on November 25^th which runs through Christmas Day featuring over 60 films and specials airing all day every day in what they are calling the “Best Christmas Ever!” However as with Halloween they are not releasing said Schedule cause they don’t care about me or my calendar and that’s just fine …. I mean ……. It’s rude but … fine. I found some of them but I’m sure not all of them. 
  
• Lifetime is like Hallmark in which they are turning into a 24-7 holiday, they did at least limit it to starting October 25^th and they don’t take over the calendar they get to stay another year, but I’m watching you Lifetime. Get it together man! Also keep in mind if you are looking for G rated Lifetime is not the place for you, I’m not saying you’ll get NC-17 mind you but if the kids are watching too then you might want to  head on over to Hallmark instead if you are concerned. Better yet go to TCM or Freeform and show them something fun. 
  
• Food Network is back in the game with all kind of Holiday themed competition shows. Frankly however all the Halloween ones made me mad so I’m not showing them on my calendar. That’s their punishment. Take note Lifetime. They typically air Sunday, Monday and Wednesday nights so yeah find them….. Holiday Wars, Gingerbread Showdown, Kids Baking Championship, etc., There is one exception, a Hanukkah Challenge that will air on the 21^st at 8, which frankly made me smile. Nice to see them giving some love to the other side of this holiday for once. It’s not all Santas, Snowmen, and Mangers (oh my!) after all people! 
  

For those that do digital Might I suggest Season 2 of Magic for Humans from Justin Willman, which will appear on Dec 4. Keeping with the spirit of the calendar there is a holiday themed episode there you will want to watch. Also there’s a Christmas movie Holiday Rush which started playing Nov. 28^th, I’m sure it’s still around check it out. If you are a Million Little Things fan Rome stars in that movie and if you are a MLT fan I don’t have to tell you how wonderful he is. My boss swears by A Very Murray Christmas which came out in 2015. So if it is still out there (I don’t understand how Digital stuff works) then check that out.

So… here’s what Netflix has in store for you …cause I love you and I want you all to be happy too …

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/10/8574620/netflix-christmas-movies-tv-shows-2019

I post this today cause tomorrow on ABC you can find A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and well dear readers you know how I feel about that lovely Charles Shultz movie but you might find it interesting so here you go.

Marcy
@beaslma

2016 Christmas TV Schedule

PLEASE find below a Jpeg of the 2016 Christmas TV Schedule. Once again, the calendar is set up in 11X17 format but if you have to print it 8.5x11 it is readable, but if you can print it 11X17 your eyes will thank you. The best way is to save the JPEG to your favorite portable device and zoom in and out, tho it breaks up some the more you zoom. If you would like a PDF send me a DM on twitter (@beaslma) and I'll send it your way.

This year I tried to highlight new specials (meaning had not aired previously before Jan. 1, 2016) in RED but as they are new be mindful of what you and your family sit down to watch. I vouch not for their quality, their rating level, or even their sappiness. I for one had to look up who Taraji was, why her holiday was white hot, and if that was a good thing or not. To save you the same trouble, it turns out she’s on Empire, a show that hasn’t graced my eye holes but I understand for those that have viewed it… they like it. Hence she gets her own holiday show Dec. 8^th on Fox. There are some new shows, some old classics, and some mediocre stuff that just fills the time slots throughout the month, some of which made this calendar.

I found a good list on the TV Guide channel’s website of specials/shows coming on with great descriptions but they failed to list what CHANNEL the shows/specials would air on. I found this less than helpful. Come on TV Guide Channel you are better than that, or you used to be (PS there’s a reason not many “get a TV guide anymore” … just saying.

Hallmark, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries (HMM on the calendar btw), Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network have been vomiting Christmas themed movies since like last October (meaning 2015) it seems so only a hand full of theirs made the listings. That being said Lifetime decided to only release the first week or so of December, cause yeah that totally makes sense. It’s like they hate my calendar…but that can’t be true, everyone loves the Calendar…EVERYONE! Right?!

It’s amazing to me really that they take the same concept, really the same story, change to a different “snow covered town,” change out the actors (usually Candance Cameron Bure for Lacey Chabert (from Party of Five fame, and Meg on the 1^st season of Family Guy, and Eliza on the Wild Thornberrys—didn’t know that did you? See you learned something by reading my rambling. Good for you!)), add a super cute guy who has lived in said “snow covered town” his entire life, put a new title on the movie and we got us a show!

As always there are guidelines. . . .

First . . .  a few guidelines:

·         NO E-MAILS about taking Christ out of Christmas, it’s just a really long word and using X-Mas allows for more shows on the already full calendar.

§  Thanks for your understanding.

§  For those that don’t understand I’ll be glad to remove you from the list just let me know.

·         I live in the central time zone, the times on this calendar reflect that, adjust accordingly.

§  That said unless otherwise stated the times are PM

·         This calendar does not focus on established shows “Christmas special episodes” so watch out for those … some are fun to re-watch this time of year. Psych for one has a great Christmas episode, and so did How I Met Your Mother, Friends, Wings, Family Ties, and other established shows.

o    Again, that is not what this is about. 

·         This calendar contains shows I want to see, so a mixture of adult themed shows/movies and kid themed shows/movies are represented. Some are classics and some are new, so PLEASE be mindful of what is on before you sit the kids down with popcorn to watch.

§  Don’t call me cause your little one watched some holiday movie on Lifetime and now has “questions”. . . . that’s your mess not mine.

¾      Please NOTE: The Disney version of a Christmas Carol (AKA the computer animated Jim Carrey version) is a little dark and can be scary (much like the original story btw), you might want to check it out before you and little man/lady plop down with popcorn and a blanket to “watch a classic” that may also result in sleepless nights for both you and said child. Not me I’ll be sleeping like a baby like an adult.  

·         Keep an eye out for additional shows/movies that pop up throughout the month as networks change their lineups.

·         Feel free to add your own specials and traditions to the calendar that’s what it is there for.

·         As stated some channels have been vomiting Holiday specials for several months so if a network had several great specials in a row I only listed one figuring you’d be alerted to the others, hey something had to give right!?

·         For you stay at home mom’s they run specials all day long and for the most part my calendar focuses on the after work hour times since that is when I can watch.

¾      That’s right it’s all about me I just share the wealth cause I’m awesome like that!

A few programs of note:

·         A Charlie Brown Christmas – ABC Dec. 1^st with repeat showing on Dec. 22^nd. A must viewing if you have little people in your life, even if they aren’t in the room, better yet tie them to a chair and force them to watch. They will thank you one day, if you know… social services will let them.

o    My lawyer has informed me that actively suggesting that you tie your kids to a chair might result in well you tying your kid to a chair, I don’t not condone that and don’t support it at least that’s what her statement said to write.

·         I can only find A Christmas Story during the TBS Christmas Day Marathon so make sure you work it into your Christmas celebrations.

¾         Bless you Ted Turner, you crazy old man, may this tradition live forever!!

¾         I think it’s a rule you watch at least once.

o    If it’s not a rule it should be.

·         National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, one of the best movies ever, comes on several times this year. If you don’t know the joy of Chevy Chase finally getting the lights to work…well I feel sorry for you and your family and the people that know you because you are missing the joy in your life. Correct that this year please!

·         IT’s A Wonderful Life – Dec. 3^rd on NBC Repeats on Dec. 24^th

·         The “boys” in my life informed me that DIEHARD should have been on the calendar …. boys are silly … however and I couldn’t find it showing anywhere so yeah there’s that. If you all find it let me know so I can let them know.

o    Sorry fellas. I tried, kinda.

A few programs of note that are not “Christmas” related but interesting enough to make the calendar include:

o    CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute – Dec. 11^th – it’s nice seeing that in a world full of insanity there are some people out there trying to do good and are being recognized for it. It’s a really inspirational night even if this year you have to deal with Kelly Rippa, so check it out.

o    Could have been worse, could have been Kathy Griffin, for the love of all that is good CNN please don’t make me suffer through that!!!!

o    Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show – Dec. 5^th on CBS – a dear friend of mine loves this and insists that it go on the calendar every year, she’s the boss.

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’m looking at you CBS and Yes Virginia which I’m sure is airing but I can’t find out when so keep an eye out for it. The point is, just because you have The Grinch (which is not on this calendar nearly enough (NOTE: I can’t tell if it’s animated or the movie anymore and I’m NOT ok with that, when I could tell I marked it (TOON)) on your shelf or Charlie Brown Christmas (which comes on twice this year), 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.

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 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!

Marcy (@beaslma)