When and Where To Watch Christmas Specials, Shows and Movies

Hallmark, FreeForm, AMC and Netflix are set to be the big four locations for Holiday programming over the next 40+ days. They've all got a solid mix of original programming, old favorites and modern classics. But don't count out the networks, their holiday offerings are the old classics you know and love. Much like I did with the streaming offerings for Halloween, I'm here to help break it down for you.

Before you ask, Die Hard doesn't stream anywhere, but most digital outlets like Amazon, iTunes and YouTube have it for a digital rental. Now that we've got the best Christmas movie out of the way, here are other ones you may wish to seek:

Hallmark

I really should be letting Sam take care of this. Hallmark Christmas Movies are where she lives and breathes. But if you need to know how you can get your fill of movies starring Melissa Joan Hart, Dean Cain and/or Lacey Chabert, look no further. They already started their new movies way back on October 27th with Christmas at Pemberly Manor. Coming up this weekend is the LeAnn Rimes film It's Christmas, Eve. Then there's Mingle All The Way, Gingerbread Romance, Christmas in Graceland, and Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe, which I told my girlfriend I would only watch with her if we double feature it with Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. Catch their full slate of original movies with this handy dandy checklist.

FreeForm

During Halloween, they just play Hocus Pocus on a 31 day loop, but come Christmas, they actually mix things up with their schedule, though unfortunately for them AMC snaked a few of their staples like Elf and Polar Express away from them, but they've still got a wild stable of Christmas and non-Christmas movies. Though there are some inconsistencies with their programming. FreeForm, a Disney owned channel, weirdly doesn't have the broadcast rights to The Santa Clause 2, a Disney produced movie. They have the first and third films. But not the middle one. Remember AMC from earlier? They also own the broadcast rights for part two. Also they're airing Jingle All The Way 2 with Larry the Cable Guy, but come on... who the hell wants to watch that? Give me the original Jingle All The Way recipe with Arnold, Sinbad and Phil Hartman.

They'll also have a pair of original films, Life Size 2 starring Tyra Banks and No Sleep Til Christmas starring Odette Annable and Charles Michael Davis, which according to that trailer, is NOT a loose adaptation of the Beastie Boys song 'No Sleep Til Brooklyn.'

AMC

This is where you can watch the original Jingle All The Way. The film that changed America. Before this film, we we were only jingling part of the way. AMC has made it its mission to make sure everyone of us jingles all the way. And it is our duty as Americans, and indeed residents of Earth, to watch Jingle All The Way. They'll also have Christmas Vacation, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street, the aforementioned Santa Clause 2, and a whole slate of others. Watch their "BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!" promo here. Geez... AMC is starting come off like the villain of a Christmas movie, where FreeForm is the hero.

Netflix

Ahhhhh Netflix. Netflix entered the Original Christmas Movie arena last week with The Holiday Calendar starring This Is Us' Ron Cephas Jones and others, probably, but mostly Ron Cephas Jones. But the real treat comes Thanksgiving with The Christmas Chronicles, starring Kurt Russell as Santa. It doesn't matter what the plot of the movie is. Kurt Russell as Santa is all we really need in this world. That and Jingle All The Way. Which Netflix doesn't have. But they will have the original films The Princess Switch, A Christmas Prince: The Other Royal Wedding, and Angela's Christmas. Those originals plus everything they already have on there makes it a very solid pick for Holiday viewing, and don't forget their Yule Log.

UPDATE: Netflix has added a special surprise Christmas episode of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina debuting on December 14th, along with holiday themed seasons of Nailed It! and the Great British Baking Show.

CBS

The EYE Network, CBS, announced their holiday line-up that kicks off with their Thanksgiving Day Parade coverage, and continues with airings of animated Christmas classics like Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer. Make sure you tune in on Sunday, December 2nd for Garth Brooks Live at Notre Dame! And of course several of their shows will have Christmas episodes.

ABC

The big special ABC has is of course the annual "CMA Country Christmas" on December 10th hosted by Reba. In addition to Christmas with Reba, ABC's full holiday schedule includes a few airings of the holiday standard "Charlie Brown Christmas" in December, a holiday edition of the Great American Baking Show, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (because you know... Christmas), and Christmas Day will see the airing of the Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade.

NBC

A few weeks ago, NBC announced they will air "A Legendary Christmas with John & Chrissy" on November 28th with John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. So far, that's the only special we've heard from the Peacock.