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Holiday TV specials 2024: A complete schedule of how to watch your favorite classics
Your viewing guide for 2024 holiday TV specials, from Charlie Brown to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."
Whether you’ve been channel-surfing on cable or scrolling through the newest options on your favorite streaming platform, one thing is clear: When it comes to viewing options, the holiday season has once again started early. Dozens of the 100+ new 2024 holiday movies have already debuted on Hallmark and Netflix, and the seasonal holiday TV specials have begun to crop up as well.
Whether you’re looking forward to cozying up on the couch to watch “Frosty the Snowman” or trying to figure out how to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” we’ve got you covered.
Here is the full schedule for holiday TV specials to watch in 2024.
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(All times listed are in EST.)
How to watch “Frosty the Snowman”
In previous years, the beloved 1969 Rankin/Bass classic “Frosty the Snowman” would air first on CBS, followed by subsequent reruns on Freeform. That is changing for the first time, however, as NBC will be the home for Rankin and Bass holiday specials like “Frosty” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
NBC will broadcast “Frosty the Snowman” for the first time in 2024 on Thursday, December 5 at 8:30 p.m., and will re-air the special on Wednesday, December 11 at 8 p.m.
Freeform will also air “Frosty the Snowman” several times throughout the 2024 holiday season:
- Saturday, December 7 at 8:35 p.m.
- Sunday, December 8 at 5:35 p.m.
- Monday, December 16 at 8:45 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 17 at 7:20 p.m.
- Saturday, December 21 at 5:40 p.m.
- Sunday, December 22 at 2:25 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 24 at 7:30 p.m.
- Christmas Day at 10:30 a.m.
How to watch “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
The 1964 Rankin/Bass special “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” will also move from CBS to NBC in 2024, marking the first time the special won’t air on CBS in 60 years.
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NBC will broadcast “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” for the first time in 2024 on Friday, December 6 at 8 p.m., and will re-air the special on Thursday, December 12 at 8 p.m.
From there, Freefrom will provide an additional eight opportunities to watch “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” in 2024:
- Saturday, December 7 at 9:10 p.m.
- Sunday, December 8 at 6:10 p.m.
- Monday, December 16 at 9:20 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 17 at 7:55 p.m.
- Saturday, December 21 at 6:15 p.m.
- Sunday, December 22 at 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 24 at 8 p.m.
- Christmas Day at 11 a.m.
How to watch “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966)
The Grinch isn’t waiting patiently in his effort to steal Christmas cheer in 2024: The first airing of the animated 1966 special featuring Boris Karloff will be simulcast on SYFY and USA on Friday, November 29 at 7:30 p.m.
For those who don’t have cable, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be broadcast on NBC on Thursday, December 5 at 8 p.m. and again on Christmas Day at 8 p.m.
Beyond that, “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will air on multiple different cable networks throughout the 2024 holiday season.
- Saturday, November 30 at 3 p.m. (Bravo)
- Saturday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. (Bravo)
- Monday, December 2 at 6 p.m. (E!)
- Monday, December 2 at 8:30 p.m. (E!)
- Saturday, December 14 at 10 a.m. (TBS)
- Sunday, December 15 at 2:45 p.m. (TBS)
- Sunday, December 15 at 3:15 p.m. (TBS)
- Sunday, December 15 at 7 p.m. (TNT)
- Sunday, December 15 at 9:45 p.m. (TNT)
- Monday, December 16 at 12:30 a.m. (TNT)
- Thursday, December 19 at 10 p.m. (TBS)
- Thursday, December 19 at 10:30 p.m. (TBS)
How to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
Unfortunately, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will not be broadcast on television in 2024, as Apple once again has the exclusive rights. The easiest way to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is to have an Apple TV+ subscription.
For those who don’t have a subscription, however, Apple TV+ will let you watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” for free on December 14 and 15.
With those classics covered, here is the full list of holiday specials to watch on TV or streaming platforms.
2024 Holiday TV Specials Schedule
ABC
“The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular”: Sunday, December 1 at 8 p.m.
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“Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (1970): Tuesday, December 3 at 9 p.m.
“Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” (2017): Tuesday, December 10 at 8 p.m.
“Toy Story that Time Forgot” (2014): Tuesday, December 10 at 8:30 p.m.
“Disney Prep & Landing” (2009): Tuesday, December 10 at 8 p.m.
“Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice” (2011): Tuesday, December 10 at 8:30 p.m.
“iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024”: Wednesday, December 18 at 8 p.m.
“Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”: Sunday, December 25 at 10 a.m.
CBS
“Reindeer in Here” (2022): Saturday, November 30 at 8 p.m.
“A One-Hour Ghostmas Special” (2024): Thursday, December 19 at 8 p.m.
“Nate Bargatze’s Nashville Christmas“ (2024): Thursday, December 19 at 9 p.m.
“National Christmas Tree Lighting”: Friday, December 20 at 8 p.m.
“Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays”: Friday, December 20 at 9 p.m.
NBC
“Christmas in Rockefeller Center”: Wednesday, December 4 at 8 p.m.
“Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular”: Wednesday, December 4 at 10 p.m.; Wednesday, December 18 at 8 p.m.
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (1966): Thursday, December 5 at 8 p.m.; Christmas Day at 8 p.m.
“Frosty the Snowman” (1969): Thursday, December 5 at 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, December 11 at 8 p.m.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1964): Friday, December 6 at 8 p.m.; Thursday, December 12 at 8 p.m.
“A Motown Christmas”: Wednesday, December 11 at 9 p.m.; Tuesday, December 17 at 9 p.m.
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“Shrek the Halls” (2007): Thursday, December 12 at 8:30 p.m.
“Christmas at the Opry”: Monday, December 16 at 8 p.m.; Thursday, December 19 at 8 p.m.
“A Saturday Night Live Christmas Special”: Wednesday, December 18 at 9 p.m., Monday, December 23 at 8 p.m.
“Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas”: Thursday, December 19 at 10 p.m.
“Christmas Eve Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica”: Tuesday, December 24 at 11:30 p.m.
“Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas”: Thursday, December 26 at 9 p.m.
Watch: Kevin talks holiday movies on ‘Boston Globe Today’
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