List of Christmas Specials

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Main article: Christmas in the media

1 Television and Christmas

[edit] Television and Christmas

[edit] United Kingdom

TV programming in the United Kingdom also includes an expanding holiday season. Perhaps aiming for the establishment of new Christmas institutions are the UK's seasonal specials, most notably with shows like Morecambe and Wise, The Two Ronnies, Only Fools and Horses and Top of the Pops. The animated tale The Snowman has been screened for many years during the Christmas period, and a new story, The Bear, by the same artist and company, is usually broadcast around the same time. In addition, HM Queen Elizabeth II annually broadcasts a 10-minute speech on Christmas Day at 3 p.m., charting her views of the past year and giving her own reflections and advice. Many long-running American and UK soap operas have Christmas specials, usually involving a dramatic storyline developed over several weeks which culminates at Christmas. Often these stories are tragic, involving a death, divorce, a dramatic revelation or similar event.

[edit] Examples of British Christmas television special

Blackadder's Christmas Carol (1989)
Doctor Who's The Christmas Invasion (2005)
Doctor Who's The Runaway Bride (2006)
Father Ted - A Christmassy Ted (1996)
The Office specials (2003)
Shameless Christmas Special (2004) -- Special edition of the popular English television show, Shameless.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends: Thomas' Christmas Party (also aired in the USA)
The Snowman (1982)
Wallace & Gromit – A Close Shave (1995)

[edit] British Sitcoms

[edit] Carry On Christmas Specials

Carry on Christmas (1969)
Carry on Again Christmas (1970)
Carry on Christmas (1973)
Carry on Christmas: Carry on Stuffing (1972)
Carry on Laughing's Christmas Classics (1983)

[edit] Dads Army Christmas Specials

Dad's Army: Resisting The Aggressor Through the Ages (1969)
Dad's Army: The Cornish Floral Dance (1970) -- Erased by the BBC's archive purge .
Dad's Army: Battle of the Giants (1971)
Dad's Army: Broadcast To The Empire (1972)
Dad's Army: Turkey Dinner (1974)
Dad's Army: My Brother and I (1975)
Dad's Army: The Love Of Three Oranges (1976)

[edit] George and Mildred Christmas Specials

George and Mildred: No Business Like Show Business (1977)
George and Mildred: On the Second Day of Christmas (1978)
George and Mildred: The Twenty Six Year Itch (1979)

[edit] Keeping Up Appearances Christmas Specials

Keeping Up Appearances: The Father Christmas Suit (1991)
Keeping Up Appearances: Sea Fever (1993)
Keeping Up Appearances: Angel Gabriel Blue (1994)
Keeping Up Appearances: The Pageant (1995)

[edit] The Morecambe and Wise Show Christmas Specials

The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1969)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1970)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1971)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1972)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1973)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1975)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1976)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1977)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1978)
The Morecambe and WiseShow: Christmas Special (1979)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1980)
The Morecambe and WiseShow: Christmas Special (1981)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1982)
The Morecambe and Wise Show: Christmas Special (1983)

[edit] My Family Christmas Specials

My Family: Ding Dong Merrily (2002)
My Family: Sixty Feet Under (2003)
My Family: Glad Tidings We Bring (2004)
My Family: ... And I'll Cry If I Want To (2005)
My Family: The Heart of Christmas (2006)

[edit] One Foot in the Grave Christmas Specials

One Foot in the Grave: The Man In The Long Black Coat (1991)
One Foot in the Grave: One Foot in the Algarve (1993)
One Foot in the Grave: The Man Who Blew Away (1994)
One Foot in the Grave: The Wisdom of the Witch (1995)
One Foot in the Grave: Starbound (1996)
One Foot in the Grave: Endgame (1997)

[edit] Only Fools And Horses Christmas Specials

Only Fools And Horses: Christmas Crackers (1981)
Only Fools And Horses: Christmas Trees (1982)
Only Fools And Horses: Thicker Than Water' (1983)
Only Fools And Horses: To Hull and Back (1985)
Only Fools And Horses: The Frog's Legacy (1987)
Only Fools And Horses: Dates (1988)
Only Fools And Horses: The Jolly Boys Outing (1989)
Only Fools And Horses: Rodney Come Home (1990)
Only Fools And Horses: Miami Twice: Part 1 - The American Dream/Miami Twice: Part 2 - Oh to Be in England (1991)
Only Fools And Horses: Mother Nature's Son (1992)
Only Fools And Horses: Fatal Extraction (1993)
Only Fools And Horses: Heroes and Villains/Modern Men/Time on Our Hands (1996)
Only Fools And Horses: If They Could See Us Now (2001)
Only Fools And Horses: Strangers on the Shore (2002)
Only Fools And Horses: Sleepless in Peckham (2003)

[edit] Porridge Christmas Specials

Porridge: No Way Out (1975)
Porridge: The Desperate Hours (1976)

[edit] Steptoe and Son Christmas Specials

Steptoe and Son: The Party (1973)
Steptoe and Son: A Perfect Christmas (1974)

[edit] The Two Ronnies Christmas Specials

The Two Ronnies' Old-Fashioned Christmas Mystery (1973)
The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (1980)
The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (1981)
The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (1982)
The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (1984)
Christmas with the Ronnies (12-1) (1985)
The Two Ronnies Christmas Special (1987)

[edit] The Vicar of Dibley Christmas Specials

The Vicar of Dibley: The Christmas Lunch Incident (1996)
The Vicar of Dibley: Winter (1999)
The Vicar of Dibley: Merry Christmas (2004)
The Vicar of Dibley: The Handsome Stranger (2006-2007)
The Vicar of Dibley: The Vicar in White (2006-2007)

Clone High – Snowflake Day: A Very Special Holiday Episode (2003)

[edit] United States

In the United States, most family-oriented TV series produce a Christmas special. Stand-alone Christmas specials are also popular, from newly created animated shorts and movies to repeats of those that were popular in previous years, such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Some local affiliates provide the Yule Log, a block of time either on Christmas morning or both during the evening hours of Christmas Eve and Christmas morning showing footage of a fireplace, coupled with popular Christmas music. Some local affiliates that provide the Yule Log simulcast Christmas music from a radio station playing it. Many long-running American and UK soap operas have Christmas specials, usually involving a dramatic storyline developed over several weeks which culminates at Christmas. Often these stories are tragic, involving a death, divorce, a dramatic revelation or similar event. Every Christmas Day, a christmas parade airs at Walt Disney World Resort on ABC.

[edit] Examples of American Christmas television specials

The Andy Griffith Show: Christmas Story (1960)
The Andy Williams Christmas Show (1962-1971)
Amahl and the Night Visitors (1951)
John Denver's Rocky Mountain Christmas (1975)
The Nutcracker starring Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland (1977)
Three's Company: Three's Christmas (1977)
Eight is Enough: Yes Nicholas, there is a Santa Claus (1977)
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (1977)
Mork and Mindy: Mork's First Christmas (1978)
Raggedy Ann and Andy in: The Great Santa Claus Caper (1978, directed by Chuck Jones)
The Lemon Drop Kid with Bob Hope (1951) (theatrical film usually telecast during Christmas season)
The Honeymooners: Twas the Night Before Christmas" (1955)
I Love Lucy Christmas Show (1956)
Judy Garland Show Christmas Special (1963)
The Dick van Dyke Show: The Alan Brady Show Presents (1963)
The Promise (1963) narrated by Bing Crosby
The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1980)
George Burns' Early, Early, Early Christmas Special (1981)
Christmas Comes to Pac-Land (1982)
A Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987)
Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas (1987)
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (1988)
Shining Time Station: 'Tis A Gift (1990)
A Wish for Wings That Work (1991)
George Balanchine's production of The Nutcracker , filmed in 1993 for theatres, and sometimes telecast during Christmas season
Nutcracker on Ice (1994)
Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree (1995)
The Nanny: Oy to the World (1995)
The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas (1996)
Sonic Christmas Blast (1996)
This is Christmas (1996) with Luther Vandross
Clueless: A Very PC Holiday (1997)
A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas (2001)
Invader Zim: The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever (2002)
A Rocket Xmas (2003)
Brandy and Mr. Whiskers: On Whiskers, On Lola, On Cheryl and Meryl (2004)
ChalkZone: When Santas Collide (2004)
My Life as a Teenage Robot: A Robot for All Seasons (2004)
All Grown Up!: The Finster Who Stole Christmas (2004)
Ed, Edd n Eddy's Jingle Jingle Jangle (2004)
Billy and Mandy Save Christmas (2005)
Danny Phantom: The Fright Before Christmas (2005)
Ben 10: Merry Christmas (2006)
Kappa Mikey: A Christmas Mikey (2006)
Thugaboo: Christmas Special (2006)

[edit] The Beverly Hillbillies Christmas Specials

The Beverly Hillbillies: Home for Christmas (1962)
The Beverly Hillbillies: Christmas at the Clampetts (1963)

[edit] Bing Crosby's Christmas Specials

Happy Holidays with Frank and Bing starring Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby (1957)
The Bing Crosby Christmas Show (1961)
The Bing Crosby Christmas Show (1962)
The Bing Crosby Christmas Show (1965)
The Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby (1965)
The Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby (1966)
The Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby (1967)
The Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby (1968)
Bing and Carol Together Again for the First Time (1969) Bing Crosby, with Carol Burnett
Bing Crosby's Christmas Show (1970)
Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas (1971)
A Christmas with the Bing Crosbys (1972)
Bing Crosby's Sun Valley Christmas Show (1973)
A Christmas with the Bing Crosbys (1974)
Merry Christmas, Fred, from the Crosbys (1975) Bing Crosby, with Fred Astaire
The Bing Crosby White Christmas Special (1976)
Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas (1977) with David Bowie

[edit] Bob Hopes's Christmas Specials

Bob Hope Christmas Special (1953)
Bob Hope Christmas Show (1965)
The Bob Hope Vietnam Christmas Show (1966)
The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1968)
The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO (1969)
The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1970)
The Bob Hope Vietnam Christmas Show (1971)
The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special (1977)
The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1980)
The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1981)
Bob Hope's USO Christmas in Beirut (1984)
The Bob Hope Christmas Show (1985)
Bob Hope Winterfest Christmas Show (1987)
Bob Hope's USO Christmas from the Persian Gulf: Around the World in Eight Days (1987)
Bob Hope's Jolly Christmas Show (1988)
Bob Hope's Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia (1991)
Hope for the Holidays - A Bob Hope Christmas (1993)

[edit] The Brady Bunch

The Brady Bunch: The Voice of Christmas (1969)
The Brady Bunch: A Very Brady Christmas (1988)

[edit] The Carpenters Christmas Specials

The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait (1978)
The Carpenters at Christmas (1977)

[edit] Christmas Childrens Animated Specials

The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius: Holly Jolly Jimmy (2003) with Mel Brooks
Atomic Betty: The No-L 9 (2005) with William Shatner
Bugs Bunny's Looney Christmas Tales (1979)
A Chipmunk Christmas (1981)
The Fairly OddParents in: Christmas Every Day (2001)
The Fat Albert Christmas Special (1977)
Frosty the Snowman (1969, Rankin-Bass)
A Garfield Christmas (1987)
Arnold's Christmas (1997)
He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
Inspector Gadget Saves Christmas (1992)
It's a Wonderful Tiny Toons Christmas Special (1992)
Yogi Bear Show: Yogi's First Christmas (1980)
A Johnny Bravo Christmas (2003)
The Little Drummer Boy (1968, Rankin-Bass)
Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999)
The Pink Panther's Christmas (1978)
A Pinky and the Brain Christmas (1995)
The Power Puff Girls: Twas The Fight Before Christmas (2003)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964, Rankin-Bass)
Rocko's Modern Christmas: Can't Squeeze Cheer From a Cheese Log (1994)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970, Rankin-Bass)
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
The SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas Special (2000)
Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974, Rankin-Bass)
The Smurfs' Christmas Special (1982)
Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (1991)
Yogi's First Christmas (1980)

[edit] The Charlie Brown Christmas Specials

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992)
Charlie Brown's Christmas Tales (2002)
I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003)

[edit] The Flintstones Christmas Specials

A Flintstone Christmas (1977)
A Flintstones Family Christmas (1993)
A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)

[edit] Happy Days Christmas Specials

Happy Days: Guess Who's Coming to Christmas (1974)
Happy Days: Richie Branches Out (1976)
Happy Days: Christmas Time (1978)
Happy Days: White Christmas (1980)
Happy Days: All I Want for Christmas (1982)

[edit] Rugrats Christmas Specials

Rugrats: The Santa Experience (1992)
Rugrats: Chanukah (1996)
Rugrats: Babies in Toyland (2002)

[edit] Little House on the Prairie Christmas Specials

Little House on the Prairie : Christmas at Plum Creek (1974)
Little House on the Prairie : A Christmas They Never Forgot (1982)
Little House on the Prairie : Bless All The Dear Children (1984)

[edit] The Waltons Christmas Specials

The Waltons: The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)
The Waltons: The Best Christmas (1976)
The Waltons: The Children's Carol (1977)
The Waltons: The Spirit (1979)

[edit] The Muppets/Sesame Street Christmas Specials

Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (1978)
A Special Sesame Street Christmas (1978)
John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together (1979)
John Denver and the Muppets: Rocky Mountain Holiday (1982)
A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

[edit] Perry Como's Christmas Specials

Perry Como's Olde English Christmas (1977)
Perry Como's Early American Christmas (1978
Perry Como's Christmas in New Mexico (1979)
Perry Como's Christmas in the Holy Land (1980)
Perry Como's French-Canadian Christmas (1981)
Perry Como's Irish Christmas (1994)

[edit] American Comedy Sitcoms Christmas Specials

[edit] The Golden Girls Christmas Specials

The Golden Girls: 'Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas (1986)
The Golden Girls: Have Yourself a Very Little Christmas (1989)

[edit] The MAS*H Christmas Specials

M*A*S*H: Dear Dad (1972)
M*A*S*H: Dear Sis (1978)
M*A*S*H: Death Takes a Holiday (1980)
M*A*S*H: 'Twas the Day after Christmas (1981)

[edit] Roseanne Christmas Specials

Roseanne: Santa Claus (1991)
Roseanne: It's No Place Like Home for The Holidays (1992)
Roseanne: White Trash Christmas (1993)
Roseanne: Home for the Holidays (1996)

[edit] Simpsons Christmas Specials

The Simpsons: Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (1989)
The Simpsons: Marge Be Not Proud (1995)
The Simpsons: Miracle on Evergreen Terrace (1997)
The Simpsons: Grift of the Magi (1999)
The Simpsons: Skinner's Sense of Snow (2000)
The Simpsons: She of Little Faith (2001)
The Simpsons: 'Tis the Fifteenth Season (2003)
The Simpsons: Simpsons Christmas Stories (2005)
The Simpsons: Kill Gil: Vols. 1 & 2 (2006)

[edit] Christmas TV Movies

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever with Loretta Swit (1983)
The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven (1947) (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan (1945) (theatrical film usually telecast during Christmas season)
The Christmas Gift with John Denver and Jane Kaczmarek (1986)
A Christmas Story with Peter Billingsley (1983}
The Christmas Toy (1986)
The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975, Rankin-Bass)
Holiday Inn (film) with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire (1942) (theatrical film usually telecast during Christmas season)
Home Alone with Macaulay Culkin (1990) (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York with Macaulay Culkin (1992) (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)
It's a Wonderful Life with Jimmy Stewart (1946) (theatrical film usually telecast at Christmastime)
Jack Frost (1998 film) with Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston
Santa Claus: The Movie with Dudley Moore and John Lithgow (1985)
The Santa Clause with Tim Allen (1994)
The Shop Around the Corner with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan (1940) (theatrical film sometimes telecast during Christmas season)
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
White Christmas (film) with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye (1954) (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
Nutcracker: The Motion Picture , Pacific Northwest Ballet's version of the Tchaikovsky classic, with sets and costumes by Maurice Sendak, a theatrical film sometimes telecast during the Christmas season (1986)
The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974, Rankin-Bass)
Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (1974)

[edit] A Christmas Carol

An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler (1979)
A Christmas Carol (1999 film) with Patrick Stewart
A Christmas Carol (1938 film) with Reginald Owen (theatrical film telecast during Christmas season)
A Christmas Carol (1984 film) with George C. Scott
A Flintstones Christmas Carol (1994)
Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962)
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

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Category: Christmas television specials