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January 12, 2022

2022 TV Holiday Premieres

sleepykittypaws:

Updated: January 12, 2022

ABC

• CMA Country Christmas (annual holiday concert special) - TBA
  
• The Great Christmas Light Fight (season 10 of the seasonal reality competition featuring outrageous holiday displays judged by Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• Tori Spelling-Jennie Garth Project (Beverley Hills 90210 alums announced in 2019 they would co-produce and co-star in what they call "not exactly your typical Christmas movie." delayed by COVID-19) - TBA
• Evergreen (an original Christmas musical produced by Danielle von Zerneck's Wishing Floor Films, written by Michael Murray) - TBA
  
• Disney Parks Christmas Celebration (annual holiday parade/musical showcase taped in Disney World, Disneyland and other Disney Parks worldwide) - Dec. 25

NBC

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (official parade coverage, LIVE)  - Nov. 24
• The National Dog Show (taped coverage of the 2021 National Dog Show from Oaks, Pennsylvania, hosted by John O'Hurley) - Nov. 24
• Christmas in Rockefeller Center (annual New York City tree lighting, LIVE) - TBA

CBS

• The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS (unofficial parade coverage of the Macy's parade, LIVE)  - Nov. 24

FOX

• Gordon Ramsay: Greek Vacation (aired in the U.K. in 2021 as Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip; The three chef friends visit Greece) - Jan. 4
  

PBS

• All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2021 (co-production with Channel 5 in the UK, starring Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley, based on the book series by James Herriot, shot on location in Yorkshire) - Feb. 13

Hallmark Channel

• Christmas in London (holiday movie directed by Jonathan Wright and written by Ron Oliver; developed for 2020/21 but pushed due to COVID; filmed in the UK) - TBA
  
• Angel Falls 3 (holiday movie sequel to 2017′s Christmas in Angel Falls, starring Rachel Boston and Paul Greene, produced by Melissa de la Cruz and announced in 2020, but delayed due to COVID) - TBA
• Christmas at Mansfield Park (holiday movie produced by Melissa de la Cruz and inspired by the works of Jane Austen; third in a series following 2018′s Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe and 2019′s Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen; originally set for 2020, but delayed due to COVID19) - TBA
  
• Christmas Waltz 2* (in July 2021, director Michael Damian teased a sequel to 2020′s Christmas Waltz, which starred Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp and was Hallmark's most-watched movie of the season) - TBA
  
• Christmas in the Quarter* (New Orleans-themed holiday movie produced by Daniel Lewis; filmed in Natchez, Miss.) - TBA
  

Lifetime

• Christmas a la Carte (holiday movie starring Erin Agostino, Dillon Casey and Deborah Tennant; directed by Graeme Campbell; A food writer goes to a small town to make a TV special about the reopening of her family restaurant, but faces resistance from a shy chef) - TBA (Trailer)
• Loving Christmas (holiday movie starring Brittany Bristow, Olivier Renaud, Tara Joshi and Jonathan Whittaker; directed by Michelle Ouellet; A town's Christmas queen meets her male match, will it result in rivalry or love?; filmed in Toronto) - TBA (Trailer)
• Puppy Love for Christmas (a.k.a. Sit. Stay. Love.; holiday movie starring Ezekiel Simat and Georgia Flood; A women back in town for Christmas helps a local vet find homes for the dogs he's taken in after the local animal shelter closed; filmed in Australia) - TBA (Trailer)
• Reindeer Games (holiday movie written by and starring Sarah Drew; A fading star returns to his hometown and falls for a high school classmate he once ignored; announced in 2021) - TBA
• Baking All the Way  (holiday movie starring Cory Lee, Colin Mochrie, Jayne Eastwood and Yannick Bisson, who also directs; written by Courtney McAllister; A pastry chef writing a holiday cookbook visits a bakery famous for their gingerbread, but finds the owner reluctant to share his secrets; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas on Mistletoe Lake (holiday movie written and directed by Robin Dunne; announced in 2020 but delayed due to COVID; filmed in Port Dalhousie, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas by Candlelight  (holiday movie about a woman home for Christmas who meets a novelist researching her family's history and together they solve a holiday mystery; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
  
• Sweet Navidad* (holiday movie starring Camila Banus, Mark Hapka Terri Hoyos, Melissa Marty, Harrison Grant, David Fumero and Susan Ortiz; directed by Britt Underwood and written by Christina Boada; A chef has to work with a hated rival to plan a holiday menu, in hopes of making her dreams of opening a bake shop just like the one her family once owned in Puerto Rico come true; filmed in L.A. and aired on CTV in Canada in 2021) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• UnPerfect Christmas Wish* (holiday movie starring Alys Crocker, David Pinard, Bukola Walfall and Ish Morris; directed by Andrew Cymek; When her boyfriend dumps her at the holidays, Ava asks a mall Santa for the perfect boyfriend; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
  
• Christmas in Pine Valley* (holiday movie starring Andrew Biernat, Kristina Cole, Rene Ashton, Marc Herrmann and Amie Dasher; directed by Damian Romay; written by Kelly Peters and Amy Katherine Taylor; filmed in Dublin, Ga.) - TBA
  
• A Unicorn for Christmas* (holiday movie starring Sunny Mabrey, Chuck Wicks, Abby James Witherspoon, Christian Finlayson, Charlene Tilton, Lane Davies and Ed Marinaro; directed by Stacia Crawford; written by Haven McCord & Andreas Olavarria; A young girl finds a real unicorn at Christmas carnival and most protect it from those who would exploit it; filmed in Georgia; aired in 2021 in Canada) - TBA (Trailer)
  

GAC Family

NOTE: Want all to be aware there is more to GAC than cozy Christmas movies. Though I'm including dates and details here in the spirit of being a completist, worth noting the funding and founding of this new channel which shares investors with OAN and the America First Policies PAC. More complete explanation here (bottom of page) for those who want to know more.

• Winter Palace (winter-set movie starring Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe; directed by TW Peacocke; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Jan. 8
• Happy Camper (winter-set movie based on the book by Melody Carlson; Two people who have been hurt in the past bond while fixing up a vintage trailer and entering it into a festival; filmed in Castle Rock, Colo.) - TBA
  

Cartoon Network

• Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story (animated movie based on the iconic Family Matters character portrayed by Jaleel White, who does voice work here; written by Wyatt Cenac; To try to make up for a shopping mall disaster, Urkel creates a machine to help wow Santa, only to end up on the naughty list) - TBA
• Merry Little Batman (animated holiday action-comedy; directed by Mike Roth; written by Morgan Evans; Six-year-old Damian Wayne has to become Little Batman to defend Wayne Manor from criminals, in this Home Alone tribute) - TBA

BBC America

• Dr. Who: Eve of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1 (Trailer)

Fox Nation

• Country Roads Christmas* (country-music-themed holiday movie starring Lanie Mcauley, Bo Yokely and Bailey Chase; produced by Gary Wheeler; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• Christmas in Wolf Creek* (holiday movie directed by Marco Deufemia; part of a Wolf Creek movie series)
  

Pureflix

• The 211 Home (faith-based holiday movie written and directed by Jim Huggins; based on the story The Christmas Express, by Paul Morin; starring Michael Grant; A baseball-loving young boy gets upset when his grandfather gives him a used baseball glove and must come to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas) - Jul. 1 (Trailer, Facebook)
  
• Christmas For Three* (holiday movie starring Jeff and Ariahuna Timmons; directed by Candice T. Cain) - TBA

Apple TV+

• Spirited (musical reimagining of Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol, starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer and Sunita Mani; written and directed by Sean Anders and John Morris; filmed in Massachusetts) - TBA
  

Disney+

• The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (James Gunn directs a Christmas special featuring the original Guardians cast) - TBA
  
• Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (Bret McKenzie-produced remake of the 1977 Muppet ABC special in conjunction with the Jim Henson company) - TBA

Paramount+

• Snow Day (musical remake of the 2000 Nikelodeon-produced movie directed by Michael Lembeck; filmed in Toronto) - TBA

HBO Max

• The Naughty One (action-comedy written by Zach Helm and produced by Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, announced in 2021) - TBA
• Scoob!: Holiday Haunt (animated holiday-themed sequel to the 2020 movie directed by Michael Kurinsky and Bill Haller; starring the voices of Frank Welker, Iain Armitage, Ariana Greenblatt, McKenna Grace, Pierce Gagnon, Mark Hamill, Cristo Fernandez, Michael McKean, Andre Braugher and Ming-Na Wen; When Ned's Uncle invites the gang to spend the holidays at his Christmas-themed resort they quickly run into some ghost-like problems) - TBA

Amazon Prime

• Ex-Mas (holiday teen rom-com based on the book by Kate Brian; Two teen exes go on a road trip to rescue their little brothers, who have set on a quest to save Santa from global warming; announced in 2020) - TBA
• Hope (limited series based on the 2020 Oscar-nominated, holiday-set Norwegian movie; adapted by Alice Ball and starring Nicole Kidman; A May-December marriage where the younger half of the couple is diagnosed with a brain tumor which they keep secret from their family at the holidays; announced in 2021) - TBA
• Your Christmas or Mine (holiday rom-com based on the stage play written by Kaite O'Reilly and directed by Jim O'Hanlon; filmed in the UK) - TBA
  
• 12 Days of Christmas (holiday movie starring Stephen Curry; directed by Charles Stone III; A kid and holiday-hating man wakes up a dad, adding a new child every day until Christmas) - TBA
• Christmas on the Farm* (Australian holiday movie starring Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen, Hugh Sheridan and Nicholas Brown; A New Yorker who writes books based on Australian farm life, must play the par at Christmas in order to secure a new publishing deal; a take on Christmas in Connecticut; filmed in Brisbane; premiered in 2021 on Stan in Australia) - TBA
  

Netflix

• Auntie Claus (Kenny Ortega produced and directed musical based on the children's book series by Elise Primavera, adapted by Tiffany Paulsen; A materialistic young girl learns the true nature of giving through her adventures at the North Pole with her eccentric aunt; announced in 2019) - TBA
• The Noel Diary (holiday movie starring Justin Hartley, Barrett Doss, James Remar and Bonnie Bedelia; based on the book by Richard Paul Evans; directed by Charles Shyer; A man connects with a women at the holidays through a diary left to him by his mother; filmed in Connecticut) - TBA
  
• Prentice Penny Project (writer/director Prentice Penny, of Uncorked, directing "magical" African-American family film for Netflix based on he and his wife, Tasha's, original idea; announced in 2020) - TBA
• Christmas Quinceanera  - (holiday movie starring Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr; directed by Gabriela Tagliavini; written byJennifer C. Stetson, Paco Farias and Michael Varrati; A burned out pop star in need of good press goes to a small town to grant a fan's holiday wish; announced in 2021) - TBA
• The Division (sci-fi thriller based on the video game, starring Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal; directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber; A pandemic virus spread via currency starts on Black Friday and kills millions. By Christmas, what's left of society has descended into chaos and a group tries to save what's left of the world; announced in 2019) - TBA
• Christmas in Wonderland (holiday rom-com starring Chord Overstret and Lindsay Lohan as a spoiled heiress who breaks her leg skiing, get amnesia and has to stay with a single dad in the days leading up to Christmas; directed by Janeen Damian, written by Ron Oliver; filmed in Utah) - TBA
• The Claus Family 2 (a.k.a. De Familie Claus 2 ; Dutch-language family film sequel from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; With his faith restored in Christmas, Santa's grandson is getting ready for another holiday season when plans go awry thanks to an intriguing letter) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Baruca (Spanish-language action series created by Victor Sierra and Xosé Morais; starring Alberto Ammann and Luis Callejo; directed by Óscar Pedraza; A group of armed men enter a prison to capture a serial killer on Christmas Eve, only to be met by resistance) - TBA
• The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (US debut of 2021 Christmas and New Year's special episodes of the Great British Bake Off, featuring returning favorites and the cast of It's a Sin) - TBA
  
• Best. Christmas. Ever. (holiday comedy directed and co-written by Charles Shyer; A woman who has stretched the truth about her own life in order to appear more impressive, is forced to spend Christmas with her picture-perfect college best friend) - TBA
• Untitled Per-Olav Sørensen Series (Norwegian-language holiday series, A group of strangers find themselves stranded at the airport 24 hours before Christmas; filmed in Oslo) - TBA
• The Thanksgiving Text (based-on-a-true-story tale of an accidental holiday invite that led to a lifelong tradition and friendship; written by Abdul Williams; announced in 2021) - TBA

On Demand/Digital/DVD

• Raven Van Slender Saves Christmas!  (animated holiday movie from James Balsama; written by Bill Victor Arucan) - Jul. 5 (Website)
  
• A Small Town Christmas (holiday movie written, directed and starring Gin Blanton) - Nov. 11
  
• One Christmas Night in a Toy Store (holiday horror movie starring Simon Phillips and Sayla de Goede; directed by Paul Tanter; the third in the Santa slasher trilogy, this time Santa and Mrs. Claus take Christmas Eve hostages; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 10
  
• The Christmas Spirit  (horror-comedy from writer/director Bennet De Brabandere; starring Edie Inksetter, Christian Potenza, Nicolas Grimes and Matia Jackett; An ancient spirit trapped inside a villain, must inspire the bad guy with the true meaning of Christmas to escape; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• A Holiday I Do (holiday rom-com starring Lindsay Hicks, Rivkah Reyes, Joe Piazza and Jill Larson; A lesbian single mom falls for her ex-husband's wedding planner while serving as the 'Best Woman' at his Christmas wedding; filmed in Michigan) - TBA (Website)
  
• The Rose Wagon (holiday movie starring Peyton Clark, Robert Donavan, Bianca-Rose Lasky, Jonni Shandor, Brittney Saylor, Joshua Scantland and Dana Longpre; written and directed by Sandy Slaven; A widower raising a single daughter suffers a horribly injury that causes him to lose hope until his daughter's love helps restore it; filmed in Indiana) - TBA (Website)
• The Big Gift (holiday family film written and directed by Jarrod Crooks, starring Erin Antilla, Scott "The Brauler" Brault and Sandra Meyer; A dad tries to make sure Santa gets his son the one gift he wants most; filmed in Minnesota) - TBA
  
• Who's Ready for Christmas? (faith-based holiday movie from writer-directorThomas Bonifield, who also produced 2020′s Miracle On Christmas) - TBA
• Where's Santa? Young Sherlock & the Case of the Missing Santa Claus (animated holiday feature written by Stephen Meier and directed by Cameron Hood; Sherlock Holmes' canine protege searches for Santa and battles an evil cat to save Christmas) - TBA (Website)
  
• The Farmer and the Belle 2 (holiday movie sequel to 2020′s faith-based The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland; On a ski vacation, but worried about the farm, a couple struggle to enjoy Christmas) - TBA (Website)
• A Different Kind of Christmas (remake of the 1996 made-for-TV movie starring Shelly Long from MarVista and Lionsgate) - TBA
• Santa Who? (remake of the 2000 Leslie Nielsen Disney Channel movie from MarVista and Lionsgate) - TBA
• Christmas at the Golden Dragon (holiday movie directed and co-written by Emily Ting; When a popular, Midwest Chinese restaurant announces it's closing just before Christmas, their customers contemplate the loss in connected holiday stories) - TBA
• The Clause in Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Rachael Bloome; written by Pamela Wallace; A woman unexpectedly inherits a small town inn, but learns she must complete festive tasks every day in December to keep it.) - TBA
  
• LEGO Holiday Heroes (holiday special based on an original concept by Canadian fan Eddy Beals via the LEGO World Builders platform) - TBA
• Not a Merry Christmas (low budget holiday movie starring John Vanis II, Feliz Isabela and Robert Lewis Rivera; A group of neighbors enter a national Christmas light contest and things do not go as planned; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
• The Merrytime Matchmaker (holiday movie based on the book A Match Made at Christmas, by Courtney Walsh; written and produced by Ashley Bratcher, co-written by Walsh; A commitment phobic bachelor reluctantly comes home for the holidays and finds himself in charge of his town's holiday matchmaking quest.) - TBA
  
• The Chans and Schwartzbaums Save Christmas! (holiday movie written by Corey Brown and Tricia Lee) - TBA
  
• Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (holiday movie remake/reboot of the 1964 cult classic, directed and produced by Cynthia Webster; Santa tries to save what's left of humanity by bringing Christmas to Mars for the first time.) - TBA
• A Christmas Karen (Topical twist on A Christmas Carol starring Michele Simms; written and directed by Jon Binkowski; A middle-aged busybody has to learn the true spirit of Christmas kindness via ghostly intervention; filmed in Orlando) - TBA
  
• Singing in the Snow (UK holiday movie written by Dylanne Corcoran; A girl forced to give up her dreams of being a star to help her family after her mother's death gets discovered by a director making a The Little Match Girl musical.) - TBA
  
• Homeless for the Holidays 2 (sequel to the 2009 faith-based movie, written and directed by George A Johnson and starring Matt Moore, Brad Stine and Cole Brandenberger) - TBA
• A Cliche Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Nicole Deese, adapted by Cameron Johann; A screenwriter known for her cheesy holiday romance, finds one of her own, thanks to her Grandma volunteering her to produce a local Christmas pageant with her high school crush) - TBA
  
• A Jailhouse Christmas (holiday movie from Vonn Media Group; written by Teleah and Tremayne Moore) - TBA
  
• The Christmas Cape (holiday movie produced by Justin and J.R. Fortin; filmed in Maine and New Hampshire) - TBA
  
• Rabid Christmas (low-budget holiday horror-comedy, starring Richard Tyson, William W. Barbour and Petri Hawkins Byrd; directed by Bryan Martin and Steven Papineau, who also wrote the script; A stoic military man comes home for Christmas for the first time in years, only to find a horrifying celebration awaits him) - TBA
  
• A Golden Christmas (writer-director Peggy Lane, who also stars, tells the story of a 50-year-old adoptee who finds her birth family after her mother passes away; based on Lane's real life experiences) - TBA
  
• Christmas in Canal Towne (holiday movie about a daughter who strives to save her family store at the holidays, following the death of her father, but her estranged sister has other plans; filmed in Sullivan County, N.Y.) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• The Signs of Christmas (holiday movie written by Susan Brightbill; A sportswriter with hearing loss mentors a deaf child who wants to dance in the Nutcracker.) - TBA
  
• A Christmas in New Hope (holiday movie written by Julia Barnett and Kathleen Estes; A single mom of a special needs child enters a home renovation contest in order focused on saving her own home, but things get complicated when she falls for a hunky neighbor.) - TBA
• Holiday Twist (holiday movie written and starring Stephanie Garvin, along with Mischa Barton, Caylee Cowan, Jon Lovitz, James Maslow, Abby Lee Miller, Crystal Hefner and Mya; Criminals see the err of their ways thanks to a family with true Christmas spirit.) - TBA
  
• Christmas Bells (holiday movie written and produced by Thadd and Cynthia L Turner; A women returns home for the holidays to help a friend plan her wedding, and finds herself drawn to an old flame) - TBA
  
• A Christmas Stranger (UK family movie directed by Chey Loran and Dylan Carey; written by F.D. Lewis and Team David) - TBA
  
• A Christmas Fairy Tale (low-budget holiday musical starring Sam Platizky, Ben Cohen, Jenn Farina and Lauren Mullins; directed by Ken Trotta; When a harried producer loses her composer, a songwriting bartender helps save her musical and her Christmas spirit.) - TBA (Website)
  
• Nice & Naughty: A Christmas Story (ultra-low-budget holiday movie from Travis and Hannah Ivey; starring Kasey Brown, Sharon Winslow and Jane Griffin Byrd; A daughter continues her father's tradition of inviting the less fortunate in for the holidays leading to chaos; filmed in Eugene, Ore.) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• The Magical Christmas Inn (holiday movie directed by Ari Golan and written by Nichole Lennstrom; A busy career woman goes to a B&B at the holidays and keeps reliving the same day over and over.) - TBA
  
• Scrooge: A Christmas Yet to Come (new take on A Christmas Carol starring Mike Provenzano; filmed in New Jersey) - TBA
  
• A Magical Maui Christmas (holiday movie from writer/producers Randall R and Talisha Crawford; An unlikely pair bring each other holiday hope; filmed in Hawaii) - TBA
  
• The Christmas Dreamer (holiday movie from writer/director Darren Zancan's DMZ Productions; starring James Reynolds; filmed in Kentucky) - TBA
  
• A Screenshot to Santa (holiday movie starring Essence Atkins, Tony Rock, Torrei Hart, Kennedy Stephens, Shai Moss, Jacob Gaines and Ray Buffer; written and directed by Monica Floyd; While their parents are at a conference, a teenager sick of caring for her much younger sister sneaks out to see her boyfriend on Christmas Eve; filmed in L.A.) - TBA
• The Christmas Wish (holiday movie from writer-director Markiss McFadden) - TBA
  
• Christmas Angel (holiday movie starring Karen Abercrombie and Kennedy Scarboro; directed by Josh Menning; A young girl teams with an angel to restore a town's holiday spirit; filmed in Columbiana, Ohio) - TBA
  
• The Thursday Night Club (faith-based holiday movie based on the book by Stephen Manchester; A group of college students touched by tragedy make a bet to see who can do the kindest act by Christmas Eve; film in New Milford, Conn.) - TBA
• Saving Christmas Spirit (holiday movie directed by Wendy Faraone; written by Joelle Sellner; about a driven archaeologist who lets Christmas magic into her heart and finds both history and love; filmed in Ft. William, Mass.) - TBA
  
• How to Ruin the Holidays (holiday comedy starring Colin Mochrie and Amber Nash; directed by Arlen Konopaki and written by Kevin Gillese; filmed in Atlanta; Originally set for 2020, but delayed due to COVID-19) - TBA (Facebook)
• Podcasting Christmas (holiday movie starring Jennica Schwartzman, Zack Gold and Galadriel Stineman; directed by Hunter West; written by Ryan Schwartzman; originally set for 2020, but delayed by COVID-19; filmed in Tennessee; filmed in 2021) - TBA
  
• Four Cousins and a Christmas Wedding  (holiday movie sequel to Four Cousins and a Christmas, starring Raffaela Capp, Natasha Capp, Ayla Kell and Lily Gibson; written and directed by Maria Capp) - TBA
  
• Noel Joyeux (French holiday movie starring Amel Charif, Axel Auriant and Amir Elkacem; directed by Clement Michel; A man goes to great lengths not to spend Christmas alone) - TBA
• Christmas in the Caribbean (holiday movie starring Elizabeth Hurley, Caroline Quentin, Nathalie Cox, Edoardo Costa, Hadar Cats, Downtown Julie Brown and Rafael Martinez; directed by Philippe Martinez; written by Philippe Martinez and Cox; A jilted bride takes her bridesmaids with her on her holiday un-honeymoon; filmed in St. Kitts and Nevis) - TBA
• Merry Little Switchmas (holiday movie starring Kellie S. Williams, Derrick Rutledge, Cheyenne Cummings, Amber Miller Moore, Tamieka Chavis, Melan Perez, Mark McKinnon, JoMarie Payton and Shawn Cosby; filmed in Washington, D.C.) - TBA
  
• Finding Christmas (faith-based holiday movie directed by Bridget Smith, starring Myles Clohessy and Katie Kelly; A teenage gamer accidentally travels back in time to Bethlehem, to make it home he needs to discover the true meaning of Christmas; filmed in Philadelphia) - TBA (Website)
• Christmas Crashers (small-budget holiday movie starring Christine Traversa, Bridget Nine, Steve Boress, Leanne Johnson and Zaine Bray; written and directed by Kevin L Mounce; A couple decide to step off the holiday fast track and recommit to each other, but not everyone is on board with their pared-down holiday plans; shot in central Illinois) - TBA (Website)
• A Fargo Christmas Story (holiday movie starring Ed Asner, Cynthia Aileen Strahan, Nico Zahniser and Sadie Katz; written and directed by Robin Christian; A businesswoman finds strong opposition from a Christmas-loving community she wants to open up to development) - TBA
• Mama's Eggnog (holiday movie starring C. Thomas Howell, Josh Drennen and June Eisler; directed by Christine Nyhart Kaplan and Angela Stern; Bickering siblings get together at the holidays after their mother's death and argue about what to do with her ashes; filmed in Portland, Ore.) - TBA
• A Disturbance in the Force (documentary from filmmakers Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak on the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special) - TBA (Website, Trailer)
• Christmas Slasher (holiday horror movie starring Nicholas Brendon and Felissa Rose; written and directed by Destiny Soria; College kids on a holiday hunting trip get more than they bargained for) - TBA
• Oh Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Mason Gillett, Kay Barnes, Rachel Petsiavas and Christopher Long; directed by Paul Duncan; filmed in North Carolina) - TBA
• Christmas Eid (small-budget holiday movie written and directed by Muhammad Ali; A Muslim grandfather combines Christmas and Eid for his multicultural grandchildren; filmed in Canada) - TBA
• Christmas Party Massacre (small-budget holiday horror from Miguel Rodriguez's Wasp Nest Videos; starring Julie Anne Prescott and Eileen Dietz) - TBA
• Snow Angel (Quebecois horror-thriller starring Kimberly-Sue Murray, Catherine Berube and Olivier Renaud; directed by Gabriel Allard; A snowboarder tries to leave town after a tragic accident, only to find herself trapped by an ominous presence.) - TBA
• A Christmas Letter (holiday movie starring David Lipper, Glenda Bragzana, Jorja Cadence, Enrico Colantoni, Roger Cross and Colin Mochrie; directed by Brian Roberts; A little girl's letter to Santa is intercepted by two elves who bring chaos to her small town; filmed in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) - TBA
• The Expectation (holiday movie starring Rodney Damon Collins, George Vincent, Noreen Lanie, Lilla Lavano, Rhandy Torres and Josiah Collins; written and directed by Bob Bharatwal; filmed in California) - TBA
• Christmas by Moonlight (Afro-British holiday movie starring Christian Fisayo, Charlie Gallagher and Paul Baichoo; directed and co-written by Rhoda Wilson) - TBA
• Santaman (animated movie starring DC Douglas, John Viener and Beau Marie; directed by Bret Stern; A superhero Santa tries to foil a naughty-list plot) - TBA
• Blackjack Christmas (holiday movie starring Harry Lennix, Dawnn Lewis, Charmin Lee, Oliver Samuels, Fae Ellington, Leigh-Ann Rose and Kyrie Mcalpin; directed by Victoria Rowell; Estranged sisters celebrate the holidays together despite lingering resentments over one's move to the US, and the other's inheritance; filmed in Jamaica and L.A.) - TBA
• Christmas Knight (holiday-themed, small-budget action movie starring Bruce Willis; directed by Edward Drake, part of a series with Devil's Knight; A grizzled LAPD detective has to learn new ways to defeat a band of bank robbers; filmed in Vancouver) - TBA
  
• Holiday Hideaway (holiday movie starring Camille Winbush, Victor Sho and Vivica A Fox; directed by Cole Patterson; written by Sharon Brathwaite; A holiday-loving woman finds her Christmas spirit crushed by family drama, so she escapes to a quaint inn that just might hold the key to regaining her love of Christmas) - TBA (Website)
• Christmas at the Frat House (holiday movie starring Karon Riley, Lem Collins, Jared Wofford, Kevin Savage, Amber Reign Smith, Kelsi Lee and Jael Roberson; directed by Charmin Lee; written by Lem Collins; Four frat brothers make, and break, a pact not to marry for 10 years after college. The last man standing is set to propose at Christmas when secrets emerge from his friends' relationships and his girlfriend's past that could make him reconsider; filmed in Atlanta.) - TBA
• A Merry Switchmas (holiday movie starring Sofia Arenas, Brent Black,  Ian Foreman, Martin Fajardo, Karon Riley and GRIFF; directed by Terri J Vaughn and written by Dani Renee and Marcus Smoot; A young boy who lost his mom wishes he had more family time, while a middle child longs for more privacy from his close-knit clan, so the pair switch at the holidays; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
  
• Maybe Next Christmas (short holiday film from AJ; starring Arabia Little, Rhoslyn Hall, Monece Starling and Philaye; A trio of friends spends Christmas with each other instead of their families in order to support their business; filmed in L.A.) - TBA (Instagram)
• The Last Christmas (comedy-horror short filmed in 2019; starring Madison Cheeatow and Miley Haik; written and directed by Ryan Port; A peaceful Christmas Eve is disturbed when a teen's little sister wakes her with distressing news; filmed in Toronto) - TBA (Website)
• The Drone that Saved Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by Miriam Bavly; starring Rodney Perry, Miguel Nunez Jr., Palmer Williams Jr, Rashan Ali and Buddy Lewis; A tech entrepreneur develops a high-powered drone he hopes will save Christmas; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. TBA
• Hashtag Blessed: The Movie (partially crowd-funded holiday movie written/produced by Dalea Faulkner and directed by Stephanie McBain; A women who hates her own life wishes for the sort of existence she sees play out on social media; filmed in Arizona) - Dec. TBA (Trailer)
  
• Kumeri Christmas (Ghanian holiday film from writer-director Kobi Rana, set in Kumasi, which has been nicknamed "Kumerica" for its USA-like lifestyle) - Dec. TBA via VOD
  
• Melody from Heaven: A Christmas Story (holiday movie from writer-director Howard Clay Jr.; Adult children reunite at the holidays to deal with their difficult childhood, following their mother's terminal diagnosis.) - TBA (Website)
  
• Christmas the Wright Way (holiday movie starring Malika Blessing, Joncea Dixon and Leisa Fuselier; written and directed by Lina Outlet) - TBA
• Keep Calm and Merry On (indie holiday movie filmed in L.A.) - TBA
• I Need a Christmas Vacation (small budget holiday movie starring Jason Harley, Dave Coleman, Shannon McLellan, Dave Campbell and Matt Armstrong; written and directed by Rob Letourneau; filmed in Canada) - TBA
• A Christmas Invitation (holiday movie starring Lorrie Bacon, Jesse Waegelein-Hall and Phil Godeck; written and directed by Geno McGahee;  a dying wish reunites a dysfunctional family at the holidays) - TBA
• Christmas Break (low-budget holiday movie starring T.J. Holmes, J Franklin, Phillip Hodge III and Trinity Alexis; directed by Ray Simone; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA (Instagram)
  
• Save Christmas (Italian live action/animation hybrid starring Valeria Bilello, Lorenzo McGovern Zaini and Nathan Cooper; directed by Kristopher Tassin; A grumpy dad who hates Christmas clashes with his wife and kids who believe they can save Santa by solving a series of riddles; filmed in Italy) - TBA
• A Night Before Christmas (Brazilian animated movie from writer/director Nelson Botter Jr. featuring the characters from The Amazing Professor Ambrosius Mansion series starring the voices of Mike Pollock and Tyler Bunch; English and Portuguese language) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Ellie and the Christmas Creep (animated movie from Luxembourg-based animation studio Fabrique d'Images; An intrepid elf tries to save Santa from his fame obsession she believes is caused by a creep) - TBA (Website)
• It's Christmas Again (faith-based holiday movie written and directed by Sandra L. Martin; A 17-year-old is transported to Bethlehem for the first-ever Christmas; filmed in Tennessee) - TBA
• Holiday Boyfriend (holiday movie written and directed by Paul Collett; When her British boyfriend bails on her family Thanksgiving, a woman gets her best friend to pose as him; filmed in L.A.) - TBA
  
• Christmas at the Holly Hotel (partially crowd-funded holiday movie filmed at the actual Holly Hotel in Holly, Michigan) - TBA (IndieGoGo)

Undetermined

• Christmas in Transylvania (holiday movie written by Janeen and Michael Damian; A young woman inherits a cottage on the grounds of Dracula's Castle with hopes of turning it into a Christmas store, to the displeasure of the castle's current Prince) - TBA
  
• Cabin Connection (holiday movie starring Katherine Barrell, Cody Ray Thompson, Travis Nelson, Art Hindle, Kaleb Alexander and Julie Nolke; directed by Virginia Abramovich; A lifestyle writer inherits her grandmother's cabin and hires a local handyman to help fix it up to sell over the holidays; made for Super Channel Heart & Home; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas in Sugarland (holiday movie directed by Stacia Crawford, written by Shannon K. Dunn, Tony Jerris and Cherish Lee; An aspiring country musician returns home for the holidays to help the family ranch, and finds herself questioning what her dream really is) - TBA
• A Tiny Homes Christmas (holiday movie starring Rebecca Dalton and Christopher Seivright; directed by Bill Corcoran; To save her family building business a woman teams with her ex, a TV home show star, to build homes for the needy at the holidays; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• Secret Santa (holiday movie starring Brendan Murray, Nola Martin, Jennifer Gibson and Lucy Hill; directed by Lane Shefter Bishop and written by Isabel Drean; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2021; filmed in Toronto) - US TBA
  
• Finding Love in Big Sky (a.k.a. Big Sky Christmas; movie starring Hedy Nasser, Jonathan Stoddard and Raechel Wong; based on the book by Angela Ruth Strong; A woman desperate to save her grandfather's ranch turns to an ex-boyfriend for help; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2021; filmed in Montana) - US TBA (Trailer)
• Christmas Spirit (holiday movie starring Ashley Newbrough, James Robinson and Jake Satow; directed by Wendy Faraone and Joelle Sellner; An archeologist hunting for ancient ruins meets up with a struggling distillery owner at the holidays; filmed in Scotland) - TBA
• Love at the Christmas Contest (a.k.a. The Christmas Love Tree; holiday movie starring Samantha Cope, Ross Jirgl, Colleen Elizabeth Miller, Emily Mathason, Triana Browne and James Healy; written and directed by John Burd; A woman enters a tree decorating contest in memory of her mother where she meets up with her high school sweetheart; filmed in Tulsa, Oklahoma) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Christmas No Filter (a.k.a. I Hear You; holiday movie starring Alison Fernandez, Judy Reyes, Andrew Hunter, David DeLao, Anya Ruoss, Sofia Salas and Taylor Castro; directed by Sarah and Zachary Ray Sherman; written by Billie Bates; A teen who feels ignored by her family makes a Christmas wish to be listened to, then wakes up and discovers she can only tell the whole truth; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
• The Picture of Christmas (holiday movie directed by David I. Strasser and written by Jessica L Randall; starring Chelsea Hobbs, Giles Panton, Mila Jones, LaTonya Williams, Brendan Taylor, Matt Hamilton and Erin Boyes; A woman inherits her grandmother's Christmas Tree farm and heads for a visit intending to sell, but is instead roped into planning the town's annual Christmas tree festival; aired on City TV in Canada in 2021; filmed in Vancouver) - TBA (Trailer)
• A Playful Romance (a.k.a. A Christmas in the Berkshires ; holiday movie starring Jamie Perez, Thomas McDonell, Junior Cius, Caroline Portu, Maureen Keiller and Robert Walsh; directed by John Stimpson; A Christmas Carol take set in a theater performing the holiday staple; filmed in Norwood, Mass) - TBA
• Christmas in Trinket Town (holiday movie starring Jesse Hutch and Vanessa Lengies; directed by Bill Corcoran; written by Courtney McAllister; An online consultant hired to discover why one toy story in a chain is outperforming the rest finds herself charmed by the manager; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas in the Country (holiday movie directed by Steve R. Monroe;  A photographer gets dumped just before Christmas but still has to spend the holidays with her boyfriend's family; filmed in Utah) - TBA
• Christmas in Rockwell (holiday movie about an actress returning to her hometown for a break, but a theatre manager wants to use her fame to help promote his film festival; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
• Christmas by the Book (holiday movie directed by Scott Sikma, filmed in North Bay) - TBA
• Christmas Lonely Hearts Club (holiday movie directed by Lexi Giovagnoli; An executive who has lost her Christmas spirit goes on a retreat to find it; filmed in Cleveland, Ohio) - TBA
• Meeting Mr. Christmas (holiday movie starring Marc-Anthony Massiah; filmed in Prince George, B.C.) - TBA
• Best Christmas Ever (holiday movie) - TBA
• My Grown Up Christmas List (holiday movie) - TBA

3 notes

January 9, 2022

Best and Worst of 2021

sleepykittypaws:

2021 was the year, for me anyway, that made-for-TV Christmas movies went from an excited, 'Whoa, look how many Christmas movies there are now!' to a dismayed, 'Would you look how many Christmas movies there are now?!'

Yep, we ended the year with a whopping 183 brand new made-for-TV Christmas movies debuting on broadcast, cable or streaming, which doesn't even include an additional 97 VOD, DVD or Amazon indie debuts, nor another 31 theatrical premieres. That's 311 new movies in 2021—almost 100 more than 2020's record crop. Just looking at the 183 made-for-TV titles alone, that's a 389% increase from 2015, when I first started keeping track.

• 2015…47
• 2016…44
• 2017…65
• 2018…84
• 2019…121
• 2020…116
• 2021…183

Those 183 new movies debuted on what was also a record number of different networks, cable channels and streaming services, many of which had never before offered original Christmas content. In addition to perennial powerhouse providers, like Hallmark, Lifetime and Netflix, new channels and services across the spectrum entered the holiday movie mix for the very first time.

• Lifetime-34
• Hallmark Channel-31
• Netflix-14
• GAC Family-13
• Hallmark Movies & Mysteries-9
• BET/BET+-8
• UPtv-8
• PureFlix-8
• Roku-6
• Tubi-6
• VH1-5
• ION-4
• Amazon Prime*-3
• OWN-3
• AMC+-3
• Peacock-3
• CBS-2
• Comedy Central-2
• Hallmark Movies Now-2
• Fox Nation-2
• CW-1
• Bounce-1
• Disney Channel-1
• Nickelodeon-1
• TVOne-1
• Pop TV-1
• HBOMax-1
• Apple TV+-1
• Disney+-1
• Hulu-1
• Discovery+-1
• Shudder-1
• Vizio Watch Free+-1
• Popstar! TV-1
• Acorn-1
• Crackle-1
• Binge Black TV-1

*Not included in Amazon's count, an additional 10 holiday titles that either were part of their indie filmmaker program  on Prime, or were also available via VOD or other services.

In short, it's a Christmas movie explosion and one has to wonder how much longer this steady increase can continue, and how many movies our at-home entertainment providers can reasonably sustain. Will we see 200 new movies in 2022? 250 in 2023? Where does it end?

And it's more than just movies. All told there were more than 590 new holiday-themed movies, specials and series that debuted in 2021, the vast majority in the final eight weeks of the year. That's a LOT of Christmas and, no surprise, I was only able to sample a tiny fraction of what was out there, but of what I did watch, including 40 of those 183 new movies, here's what I liked most and least this crowded and busy holiday season…

Best Made-for-TV Movie

So, this is it…The year that no made-for-TV Christmas movie—my love for  which prompted me to start all this in the first place—filled me with unbridled joy. To be fair, I got to only a fraction of the ever increasing total, so it's totally possible there's a gem I missed that I would have adored, had I only had the time to watch all 183. (Kidding, that's not something I would ever even aspire to do, no matter how much time I had.)

Though I gave up on reviews relatively early in this overly busy season, nothing among my top 10 in this category would have received my definitely-not-coveted-by-anyone-but-me "four paw" rating which, frankly, makes me kind of sad.

My Top 10 made-for-TV movies of 2021

1. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star , Netflix
2. An Unexpected Christmas , Hallmark
3. A Castle for Christmas , Netflix
4. Fruitcake Fraud , Discovery+
5. Christmas…Again?!, Disney Channel
6. A Clusterfunke Christmas , Comedy Central
7. One December Night , Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
8. The Holiday Fix Up , Lifetime
9. A Christmas Proposal, CBS
10. Crashing Through the Snow , Hallmark

Not to say there weren't plenty of perfectly pleasant and fun holiday watches. For instance, The Princess Switch 3, which sort of by default becomes my favorite made-for-TV movie of the season, even though it was definitely the weakest of the trilogy. But even Netflix's lesser originals, like A Castle for Christmas, are just so much more polished than anything Hallmark or Lifetime has to offer. The additional budget, filming and post-production time really shows in the finished product.

A resurgent Hallmark provided a close No. 2, with the Paul Campbell-penned, genuinely fun and funny, An Unexpected Christmas, starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes. Overall, 2021 was Hallmark's strongest season in years, something that bodes well for the recently-restructured network that still dominates TV's holiday ratings.

True-crime doc Fruitcake Fraud is the biggest surprise on this list for me. As someone who doesn't watch a lot of true crime, the Discovery+ original drew me in with its bonkers tale and was one of many networks—Disney Channel,  Comedy Central and CBS—that factored into my favorites list for the first time ever.

That, Lifetime, which has had my favorite made-for-TV movie the past four seasons, had only one movie in my Top 10 was a serious disappointment, with their LGBTQ+ romance Under the Christmas Tree , which just missed the Top 10 cut, their only other movie of 2021 that felt at all special to me.

Worst Made-for-TV Movie

With so many holiday movies, there was plenty of opportunity for every network to serve up at least one terrible movie. Candy Coated Christmas (Discovery+), Angel Falls Christmas (GAC/IMDbTV), Christmas at Castle Hart (Hallmark) and Mistletoe in Montana (Lifetime) all felt like holiday duds, not delights.

But the biggest overall disappointment for me this season was Lifetime, which continues to pad their holiday movie count with inexpensive and mostly generic acquisitions. But this year, even their originals felt mostly half-baked and uninspired—something I hate to say about the network that's provided so many of my favorites.

Best Theatrical Holiday Movies

1. 8-Bit Christmas , HBO Max
2. Single All the Way, Netflix
3. Love Hard, Netflix
4. A Boy Called Christmas , Netflix
5. Boxing Day, Amazon Prime

The 1980s-set 8-Bit Christmas, originally set for 2020 but delayed due to COVID, was a charming story well worth waiting for, and I can completely see it becoming a Christmas Story-esque classic, revered more as time goes on. It made me both laugh and cry, with a strong kid cast and Neil Patrick Harris as the adult cleverly telling this tale via modern-day framing device.

The one-two, bigger budget rom-com punch of Netflix's Single all the Way and Love Hard provided a lot of theatrical-quality, fizzy holiday fun, with just enough emotional heft. Both had outstanding, diverse casts, laugh-out-loud moments and familiar storylines with just enough of a twist to make them their own. Definitely two titles I'll watch again in coming years.

Worst Theatrical Holiday Movie

Disney+'s also delayed due to COVID Home Sweet Home Alone , was an unfunny, unnecessary retread that tried to layer a plausible plot over its Three Stooges-level violence. None of which worked, wasting its quite talented cast and not insubstantial budget.

Best Stealth Holiday Movie

A Christmas movie that takes place at the holiday season, or contains key holiday scenes, but isn't specifically focused on, or mostly about, Christmas is what I call a "Stealth" holiday movie.

While I didn't get to see several 2021 holiday releases that fit that bill, which I'm really looking forward to— The Green Knight, Together, Spencer, Riders of Justice —did enjoy Netflix's lush The Last Letter From Your Lover and The Hating Game, which didn't quite live up to Sally Thorne's book, but was still a decent little rom-com.

Worst Stealth Holiday Movie

The Tomorrow War . There's fun to be had in this big, dumb action movie starring Chris Pratt that's set around Christmas, but not enough to justify its bloated run time. Delayed by COVID from its original 2020 theatrical release, this instead dropped in July on Amazon Prime.

Best Animated Holiday Special

Only got to see two new specials this season, 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (NBC), based on Jimmy Fallon's book, and Apple TV's new Peanuts offering, For Auld Lang Syne , and while both were sweet enough, neither felt like something I'm likely to return to in the year, though if you forced me to choose, I'd say 5 More Sleeps had the edge with a more modern story and sweeter animation style.

Lots I wanted to see before we just ran out of time—Beebo Saves Christmas (CW),Robin, Robin (Netflix), Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (Netflix)—making even attempting to pick a "winner" in this category feel, at best, incomplete.

Worst Animated Holiday Special

If I'd had the time, energy and/or inclination to watch Trolls Holiday in Harmony, I feel confident, based on past Trolls experience, it would have been my least favorite, but life is too short, and my kids are growing up a bit, so I did myself a favor and passed.

Best Live Action Holiday Special

Once again, a category I just didn't get to explore as much as I wished—did I mention how much Christmas TV there is now?—so I'm going with the classics, the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and 89th Christmas in Rockefeller Center, both on NBC. It was great to see these celebrations of the season return to normal form following pandemic-reduced versions in 2020, and both are annual viewing traditions in our household.

Another worth mentioning, the one-off Food Network Thanksgiving special, Battle for the Bird , hosted by Carson Kressley and Annie Burrell. Just a gentle, genial, soothingly kind and low stakes holiday watch.

Didn't get a change to watch some others I really was interested in, like Mariah Carey's latest Apple TV+ effort, but also note that I didn't see as much buzz about the special as last year's spectacular.

Worst Live Action Holiday Special

Lifetime's dreary preview special, hosted by the usually effervescent Tia Mowry-Hardrict, should have been a warning sign for how bad their season was going to be. Filled with poorly-selected clips, lackluster interstitials and gorge-inducing recipes that were really more craft projects than baking, I only made it through a commercial break or two before calling it quits.

Best Holiday Series

The holiday-set series has become a regular part of streaming and broadcast TV, with several great options including Amazon's very fun, Latinx-centered With Love , a rom-com which allowed us to spend a year of holidays with a large, loving Portland family, and Disney+'s New York Christmas-centered Marvel series, Hawkeye , which actually made the Worst Avenger fun to watch thanks to heavy dose of the holidays, Hailee Steinfeld (with an able assist by Florence Pugh), and a really cute dog. Both were must-watch TV in our household this holiday season.

But my favorite of all, debuted way back in June—the UK-set, Starstruck . The BBC-HBO Max co-production from comedienne Rose Matafeo is a gorgeous, sweet rom-com that starts on New Year's Eve, when Matafeo's character unwittingly sleeps with a rising movie star, following them both through the next Christmas. Just an absolute, gorgeous delight and I can't wait for season two.

Worst Holiday Series

No true worst-of here, as I didn't really watch any holiday series I actively disliked, but the non-holiday return of FOX's The Moodys was lackluster, at best. What had been a delightful holiday treat when it debuted in 2019 as a Christmas series, was quickly burned off by the network in its non-holiday season two. While it still had a few good moments, with the way it floundered its storytelling, it won't really be missed, even by me, who really enjoyed season one and still loves both seasons of the Aussie original, which is worth seeking out.

Best Holiday Reality Series

Peacock's very fun Baking It , the holiday cooking competition spun off from crafting series Making It, was very fun, thanks to hosts Andy Samberg and Maya Rudolph, whose zany chemistry and clearly partially ad-libbed riffs made this Great British Bake Off-esque show a true delight. The all-Grandma judging panel was also a genius move by this very, very sweet show that I definitely hope gets a second season.

Honorable mentions for HGTV's surprisingly sweet and festive House Hunters Ho Ho Home , hosted by Orgeon-based Santa impersonator Albie Mushaney. This spin-off didn't follow the show's usual pick-a-house format, with Mushaney more focused on decorating his client's new home for the holidays, then the actual real estate selection.

Netflix's Blown Away Christmas was also surprisingly interesting to me, someone who knows absolutely nothing about glass blowing. The holiday-themed challenges and personalities in this all-star, Christmas mini season made for a fascinating and fast watch. A kind, non-cutthroat competition show focused on creating, not interpersonal drama.

Worst Holiday Reality Series

Netflix advertised and announced School of Chocolate as part of its Christmas line-up, but nothing about this dessert prep competition show had anything to do with the holidays. Not a tree, light string or holiday-themed challenge in sight. For an outlet that makes plenty of genuinely holiday-themed reality competition shows, this seemed like a major bait and switch.

Best Holiday Episode of an Ongoing Series

Oddly, both my favorite seasonal episodes of 2021 had aired by August in the U.S.

HBO Max, which is home to the original BBC version of Ghosts , offered up that UK series' 2020 Christmas episode in May, and "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" was as lovely as the show itself, with a great cast and festive story. If you like the CBS remake, which I agree is starting to find its footing, please check out the BBC original, which really is lovely and wonderful.

But my true favorite of the season was Ted Lasso's charming, delightful and oh-so-festive "Carol of the Bells," which Apple TV+ dropped bafflingly in August, even though it would have been just as welcome, and made even more sense, had they held it until November-December. As expected, the whole thing held up brilliantly during my festive rewatch. Honestly, one of my favorite shows, so not surprisingly it's also already one of my favorite Christmas episodes of all time.

Oh and, I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention the stop-motion Ted Lasso Christmas short Apple TV+ gifted us with this December.

And a special shout out to NBC, which offered up special, out of season holiday takes of its freshmen sitcoms with Young Rock "A Christmas Peril" and Mr. Mayor's "Magical LA Christmas". Love that NBC took up the UK idea of Christmas one-offs and hope they continue.

Worst Holiday Episode of an Ongoing Series

More because I didn't see any others, than that it was actually all that awful, but NBC's " Kenan Christmas ,"  just wasn't up to the standard of their other one-offs, which pains me to say, as I really like a lot of the people associated with this show and have given it several tries this season, hoping it would find its footing but, alas, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Best Christmas Advert

1. Bookstore , Toyota
2. Tis the Season to Believe , Air Canada
3. When Harry Met Santa, Posten
4. This is Our Christmas , BBC
5. Imaginary Iggy , McDonalds UK
   
6. Holiday Ride , Chevrolet
7. The Lonely Bounty , Celebrations UK
8. Believe in Tomorrow , Erste Group
9. The Stepdad , Disney UK
10. Real Magic: Chimney , Coca-Cola

Watching these bite-size servings of holiday joy have long been a part of our family's Christmas tradition. We actually have a playlist that we revisit every year, just like beloved Christmas specials. 2021 had quite a few special offerings, including a really touching (and predictably "controversial"…sigh) Santa story from Norwegian Post, a lovely little animated arc from Air Canada, and a surprisingly touching family reunion spot from the BBC.

But my absolute favorite was Toyota's "Bookstore," a tear-jerking tale set to the strains of Kacy Musgraves' "Rainbow."

Worst Christmas Advert

Apple's " Saving Simon " Not only is this Jason and Ivan Reitman-directed spot (more than) a bit of a rip-off of my all-time favorite "Lily and the Snowman," it also takes a truly upsetting twist that, honestly, is not redeemed enough by the ending.

Best Holiday Songs

1. "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year," Ingrid Michaelson
2. "Merry Christmas," Ed Sheeran and Elton John
3. "You Deserve it All," John Legend
4. "Small Town Christmas," Rob Thomas
5. "This Christmas," Wrabel
6. "Home to You (This Christmas)," Sigrid
7. "Hell of a Holiday," Pistol Annies
8. "Christmas Dance," Darren Criss
9. "I Needed Christmas," Reba McEntire
10. "Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)," Clarkson

Jana Kramer's "Second Chances" and Tusse's "This is Our Christmas Song" also in regular rotation for me this year, just missing this Top 10 cut as well as, and I almost hate to admit this, Michael Buble's extremely silly, but very catchy, "The Christmas Sweater."

But the Zooey Deschanel-Ingrid Michaelson duet, "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year," is the one I found myself singing along to most enthusiastically this season, and it didn't hurt that the video for the tune is  sweet, stop animation bunnies having Christmas tea. (No, really.)

Worst Holiday Song

No real worst of, because if I hear a Christmas song I don't really enjoy, I mostly just don't listen to it. Plus, "The Christmas Shoes" exists, and no song could ever top that awfulness. At least not and also remain ubiquitous enough that I'm still destined to hear it at least once per annum.

UPDATE: Based on the suggestion of a friend, I checked out Darren Criss' cover of"River" and, wowsa, he was not wrong. While I liked Criss' "Christmas Dance," from the same album, quite a bit, this weirdly bouncy take on Joni Mitchell's soulful classic is an abomination.

Best Holiday Album

This was actually kind of tough, as many artists seemed to spend 2020 coming up with great holiday music. Rob Thomas, Kelly Clarkson and the Pistol Annies all produced new, original-filled albums that spawned multiple singles now on my regular holiday playlist.

But the one I most want to highlight is Ingrid Michaelson's Songs for the Season Deluxe Edition , both because Michaelson is a lot less well known then the music heavyweights above, and because it's just such a beautiful album, filled with both classics and originals.

 Originally released in 2018, this update includes five new tracks, one of them last year's single "Christmas Valentine," and one of my favorites, with Jason Mraz. Plus, plenty of classics, all wonderfully done. This is the sort of album you can play straight through at a Christmas function or on a holiday road trip and not feel you're just hitting the same notes and style over and over.

Best Holiday Book

As with made-for-TV movies didn't read any new Christmas themed books I absolutely adored, but The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett was the best of the handful of holiday-themed romances I read in November and December, with an interesting, what if you actually followed through with that one of those wacky marriage pacts premise.

And, of course, I have to mention I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies from Alonso Duralde and the Deck the Hallmark fellas, a great holiday coffee table book that's lots of fun.

No worst of here, because life is too short to read bad books, and I long ago learned to put down things that just aren't working for me.

The Best Holiday Podcast

Deck the Hallmark's expanded foray into Netflix and a team up with Lifetime Uncorked for weekly episodes meant more content than I could possible consume from this one outlet alone. The addition of Alonso Duralde for classic Christmas content throughout 2021 helped keep this long-running podcast feeling fresh.

Honorable mention to the ladies of All the Feels , who continue to be among my personal favorite podcast people. Never afraid to say what they mean and tackle tough subjects, these three gal pals also have a lot of fun, and I'm very glad they've stuck with these movies through thick and thin.

Again, no worst of here, because I have no desire to drag anyone, particularly podcasters who mostly are making these for the love of the genre.

Best New To Me Holiday Content

Sadly, I didn't have time to go back and watch even many of my classic faves, let alone much from the past that was new to me. Didn't even get through a third of the things from 2021 I wanted to see, leaving plenty of things to potentially fill this slot in the future, but other than an early season viewing of 2019 Lifetime joint Twinkle All the Way , which was was quite sweet, really didn't have the opportunity to sample anything else from seasons past.

Bonus: Best Non-Holiday Movies and TV of 2021

Since a few of my categories are a little lacking this season, thought I'd also share my Top 10 (well, Top 15 for TV, since I couldn't narrow it down) non-holiday movies and TV shows of 2021, just in case anyone with similiar tastes is looking for something to watch in the New Year.

2021 Movie Favorites

1. The Harder They Fall , Netflix
2. The Mitchells vs the Machines , Netflix
3. Tick Tick…Boom , Netflix
4. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things , Amazon
5. Plan B , Hulu
6. Encanto
7. In the Heights
8. Luca , Disney+
9. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
10. The Suicide Squad

Even as someone who doesn't normally like Westerns, I was blown away by The Harder They Fall. And if you've somehow missed The Mitchells vs the Machines, please check out this super smart and completely charming family film.

2021 TV Series Favorites

1. Never Have I Ever , Netflix
2. Starstruck , HBO Max
3. Ted Lasso , Apple TV+
4. Reservation Dogs , FX on Hulu
5. The Sex Lives of College Girls , HBO Max
6. Wandavision , Disney+
7. Cobra Kai , Netflix
8. Loki , Disney+
9. Hacks , HBO Max
10. We Are Lady Parts , Peacock
11. Schmigadoon! , Apple TV+
12. The White Lotus, HBO Max
13. Girls5Eva , Peacock
14. With Love , Amazon
15. Only Murders in the Building , Hulu

Netflix's Never Have I Ever had a boffo second season that, bonus, is set over the holidays, and remains one of the smartest, funniest shows out there. Just an absolute delight on every level. Also big shout out for FX on Hulu's (now, just Hulu's, I guess, since that brand no longer exists) Reservation Dogs. If you've missed it so far, well worth a catch up.

Best Holiday Network

For the third year in a row Netflix, with their "Here for the Holidays" line up, provided the best variety and highest quality—even their cheapies look lush compared to Hallmark and Lifetime—movies of the season. If I could only have one Christmas-viewing network, Netflix absolutely offers the best combo of original movies, specials, series and foreign holiday fare out there.

Worst Holiday Network

GAC Family. This new kid on the Christmas movie block is funded by far-right money (the Trump-tied Hicks Equity Group) and run by former Hallmark president Bill Abbott, pushed out of that network after he pulled a Zola ad in 2019 that showed two brides briefly kissing at the personal request of a hate group.

Given that pedigree, GAC turned out pretty much like you'd expect, rushing to make Christmas very, very white and not at all gay, while winking at a base that feels Hallmark is now too risqué (yes, Hallmark) for acknowledging that people other than white, straight Christians actually exist.

GAC's dismal ratings—not a single one of their 13 movies or 2 holidays specials finished in cable's top 150, which typically includes shows with viewers in the five-digit range; GAC's numbers are that tiny bar on the far right in the chart above—and dearth of advertisers beyond the completely crazy My Pillow guy seemed to confirm that very few people were actually looking for A Very Merry MAGA Christmas fare.

And then there's the reality that starting a cable company in 2021, as cord-cutting shrinks those with such pay TV services 15% or more each year, makes about as much sense as opening a buggy whip factory in 1915, just as Ford rolled out his assembly line. Abbott, who famously bragged about having his assistants print out all his emails, continued to make similarly sound and finger-on-the-pulse business moves at GAC, including selling off all the streaming rights so that GAC's so called "original movies" all debuted same day on either Peacock, Amazon or IMDb TV, often 12+ hours before the movie aired on cable.

If you've missed my previous summaries of why GAC Media isn't just another harmless, Christmas movie destination, check out this Twitter thread, my summary of the situation in the network schedules, the November Vulture article from Josef Adalian, a.k.a. TV Mo Joe, or the December L.A. Times piece by Lorraine Ali.

Best/Worst Holiday Movie Trend

The best AND worst trend of seasonal viewing in 2021 was just…More. Many, many, MANY more Christmas movies than every before.

The sheer quantity of Christmas content has exploded to absolutely unmanageable levels, with every obscure streaming service and little-known cable channel offering their own debuts (see intro to this piece for stats). This is both great, in that different, more diverse content is getting green lit and made widely available—for instance the Diwali-themed Hot Mess Holiday on Comedy Central—but also that the sheer volume of the content is overwhelming. It also doesn't help that a lot of it is, let's face it, not great.

No one actually needs 200+ new Christmas movies a year and the exponential growth is absolutely unsustainable but, then again, I've been saying that for years now, and more and more movies continue to get made. When does this more-is-more strategy fall flat for the industry, and who will be left holding the Christmas movie bag?

The other issue with so much Christmas TV is that one person, namely me, just can't possibly keep up with it. While I've never, ever tried to watch it all, following it all and keeping my list comprehensive has been something I've strived for and, I gotta admit, 2021 kind of broke me. Not only has wading through stars' social media become, shall we say, less appealing, as has the increasing vitriol I receive for the radical idea that human rights are for all humans, but that simply the sheer amount of time this hobby has taken up isn't something I can, or want to, continue going forward. Will add, this is entirely on me, as no one is asking me to do all that I do, but I'm congenitally very bad at doing things halfway. I'm a very all or nothing cat.

Can't say with certainty at this point what that looks like—if it means no schedule at all, or just less early speculation—but right now I'm going to take a little catnap and see what that feels like.

Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and followed me on this silly, cheesy Christmas movie journey. No matter what happens, I'll still be around, at least occasionally, over on Twitter.

Wishing everyone an awesome 2022 or, at least, if that seems too ambitious, a slightly less dumpster fire-y New Year!

27 notes

January 9, 2022

2022 TV Holiday Premieres

sleepykittypaws:

Updated: January 9, 2022

ABC

• CMA Country Christmas (annual holiday concert special) - TBA
  
• The Great Christmas Light Fight (season 10 of the seasonal reality competition featuring outrageous holiday displays judged by Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• Tori Spelling-Jennie Garth Project (Beverley Hills 90210 alums announced in 2019 they would co-produce and co-star in what they call "not exactly your typical Christmas movie." delayed by COVID-19) - TBA
• Evergreen (an original Christmas musical produced by Danielle von Zerneck's Wishing Floor Films, written by Michael Murray) - TBA
  
• Disney Parks Christmas Celebration (annual holiday parade/musical showcase taped in Disney World, Disneyland and other Disney Parks worldwide) - Dec. 25

NBC

• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (official parade coverage, LIVE)  - Nov. 24
• The National Dog Show (taped coverage of the 2021 National Dog Show from Oaks, Pennsylvania, hosted by John O'Hurley) - Nov. 24
• Christmas in Rockefeller Center (annual New York City tree lighting, LIVE) - TBA

CBS

• The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS (unofficial parade coverage of the Macy's parade, LIVE)  - Nov. 24

FOX

• Gordon Ramsay: Greek Vacation (aired in the U.K. in 2021 as Gordon, Gino and Fred: Road Trip; The three chef friends visit Greece) - Jan. 4
  

PBS

• All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2021 (co-production with Channel 5 in the UK, starring Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley, based on the book series by James Herriot, shot on location in Yorkshire) - Feb. 13

Hallmark Channel

• Christmas in London (holiday movie directed by Jonathan Wright and written by Ron Oliver; developed for 2020/21 but pushed due to COVID; filmed in the UK) - TBA
  
• Angel Falls 3 (holiday movie sequel to 2017′s Christmas in Angel Falls, starring Rachel Boston and Paul Greene, produced by Melissa de la Cruz and announced in 2020, but delayed due to COVID) - TBA
• Christmas at Mansfield Park (holiday movie produced by Melissa de la Cruz and inspired by the works of Jane Austen; third in a series following 2018′s Pride, Prejudice and Mistletoe and 2019′s Sense, Sensibility and Snowmen; originally set for 2020, but delayed due to COVID19) - TBA
  
• Christmas Waltz 2* (in July 2021, director Michael Damian teased a sequel to 2020′s Christmas Waltz, which starred Lacey Chabert and Will Kemp and was Hallmark's most-watched movie of the season) - TBA
  
• Christmas in the Quarter* (New Orleans-themed holiday movie produced by Daniel Lewis; filmed in Natchez, Miss.) - TBA
  

Lifetime

• Christmas a la Carte (holiday movie starring Erin Agostino, Dillon Casey and Deborah Tennant; directed by Graeme Campbell; A food writer goes to a small town to make a TV special about the reopening of her family restaurant, but faces resistance from a shy chef) - TBA (Trailer)
• Loving Christmas (holiday movie starring Brittany Bristow, Olivier Renaud, Tara Joshi and Jonathan Whittaker; directed by Michelle Ouellet; A town's Christmas queen meets her male match, will it result in rivalry or love?; filmed in Toronto) - TBA (Trailer)
• Puppy Love for Christmas (a.k.a. Sit. Stay. Love.; holiday movie starring Ezekiel Simat and Georgia Flood; A women back in town for Christmas helps a local vet find homes for the dogs he's taken in after the local animal shelter closed; filmed in Australia) - TBA (Trailer)
• Reindeer Games (holiday movie written by and starring Sarah Drew; A fading star returns to his hometown and falls for a high school classmate he once ignored; announced in 2021) - TBA
• Baking All the Way  (holiday movie starring Cory Lee, Colin Mochrie, Jayne Eastwood and Yannick Bisson, who also directs; written by Courtney McAllister; A pastry chef writing a holiday cookbook visits a bakery famous for their gingerbread, but finds the owner reluctant to share his secrets; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas on Mistletoe Lake (holiday movie written and directed by Robin Dunne; announced in 2020 but delayed due to COVID; filmed in Port Dalhousie, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas by Candlelight  (holiday movie about a woman home for Christmas who meets a novelist researching her family's history and together they solve a holiday mystery; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
  
• Sweet Navidad* (holiday movie starring Camila Banus, Mark Hapka Terri Hoyos, Melissa Marty, Harrison Grant, David Fumero and Susan Ortiz; directed by Britt Underwood and written by Christina Boada; A chef has to work with a hated rival to plan a holiday menu, in hopes of making her dreams of opening a bake shop just like the one her family once owned in Puerto Rico come true; filmed in L.A. and aired on CTV in Canada in 2021) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• UnPerfect Christmas Wish* (holiday movie starring Alys Crocker, David Pinard, Bukola Walfall and Ish Morris; directed by Andrew Cymek; When her boyfriend dumps her at the holidays, Ava asks a mall Santa for the perfect boyfriend; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
  
• Christmas in Pine Valley* (holiday movie starring Andrew Biernat, Kristina Cole, Rene Ashton, Marc Herrmann and Amie Dasher; directed by Damian Romay; written by Kelly Peters and Amy Katherine Taylor; filmed in Dublin, Ga.) - TBA
  
• A Unicorn for Christmas* (holiday movie starring Sunny Mabrey, Chuck Wicks, Abby James Witherspoon, Christian Finlayson, Charlene Tilton, Lane Davies and Ed Marinaro; directed by Stacia Crawford; written by Haven McCord & Andreas Olavarria; A young girl finds a real unicorn at Christmas carnival and most protect it from those who would exploit it; filmed in Georgia; aired in 2021 in Canada) - TBA
  

GAC Family

NOTE: Want all to be aware there is more to GAC than cozy Christmas movies. Though I'm including dates and details here in the spirit of being a completist, worth noting the funding and founding of this new channel which shares investors with OAN and the America First Policies PAC. More complete explanation here (bottom of page) for those who want to know more.

• Winter Palace (winter-set movie starring Danica McKellar and Neal Bledsoe; directed by TW Peacocke; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Jan. 8
• Happy Camper (winter-set movie based on the book by Melody Carlson; Two people who have been hurt in the past bond while fixing up a vintage trailer and entering it into a festival; filmed in Castle Rock, Colo.) - TBA
  

Cartoon Network

• Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story (animated movie based on the iconic Family Matters character portrayed by Jaleel White, who does voice work here; written by Wyatt Cenac; To try to make up for a shopping mall disaster, Urkel creates a machine to help wow Santa, only to end up on the naughty list) - TBA
• Merry Little Batman (animated holiday action-comedy; directed by Mike Roth; written by Morgan Evans; Six-year-old Damian Wayne has to become Little Batman to defend Wayne Manor from criminals, in this Home Alone tribute) - TBA

BBC America

• Dr. Who: Eve of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1 (Trailer)

Fox Nation

• Country Roads Christmas* (country-music-themed holiday movie starring Lanie Mcauley, Bo Yokely and Bailey Chase; produced by Gary Wheeler; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• Christmas in Wolf Creek* (holiday movie directed by Marco Deufemia; part of a Wolf Creek movie series)
  

Pureflix

• The 211 Home (faith-based holiday movie written and directed by Jim Huggins; based on the story The Christmas Express, by Paul Morin; starring Michael Grant; A baseball-loving young boy gets upset when his grandfather gives him a used baseball glove and must come to appreciate the true meaning of Christmas) - Jul. 1 (Trailer, Facebook)
  
• Christmas For Three* (holiday movie starring Jeff and Ariahuna Timmons; directed by Candice T. Cain) - TBA

Apple TV+

• Spirited (musical reimagining of Charles Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol, starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer and Sunita Mani; written and directed by Sean Anders and John Morris; filmed in Massachusetts) - TBA
  

Disney+

• The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (James Gunn directs a Christmas special featuring the original Guardians cast) - TBA
  
• Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas (Bret McKenzie-produced remake of the 1977 Muppet ABC special in conjunction with the Jim Henson company) - TBA

HBO Max

• The Naughty One (action-comedy written by Zach Helm and produced by Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter, announced in 2021) - TBA
• Scoob!: Holiday Haunt (animated holiday-themed sequel to the 2020 movie directed by Michael Kurinsky and Bill Haller; starring the voices of Frank Welker, Iain Armitage, Ariana Greenblatt, McKenna Grace, Pierce Gagnon, Mark Hamill, Cristo Fernandez, Michael McKean, Andre Braugher and Ming-Na Wen; When Ned's Uncle invites the gang to spend the holidays at his Christmas-themed resort they quickly run into some ghost-like problems) - TBA

Amazon Prime

• Ex-Mas (holiday teen rom-com based on the book by Kate Brian; Two teen exes go on a road trip to rescue their little brothers, who have set on a quest to save Santa from global warming; announced in 2020) - TBA
• Hope (limited series based on the 2020 Oscar-nominated, holiday-set Norwegian movie; adapted by Alice Ball and starring Nicole Kidman; A May-December marriage where the younger half of the couple is diagnosed with a brain tumor which they keep secret from their family at the holidays; announced in 2021) - TBA
• Your Christmas or Mine (holiday rom-com based on the stage play written by Kaite O'Reilly and directed by Jim O'Hanlon; filmed in the UK) - TBA
  
• 12 Days of Christmas (holiday movie starring Stephen Curry; directed by Charles Stone III; A kid and holiday-hating man wakes up a dad, adding a new child every day until Christmas) - TBA
• Christmas on the Farm* (Australian holiday movie starring Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen, Hugh Sheridan and Nicholas Brown; A New Yorker who writes books based on Australian farm life, must play the par at Christmas in order to secure a new publishing deal; a take on Christmas in Connecticut; filmed in Brisbane; premiered in 2021 on Stan in Australia) - TBA
  

Netflix

• Auntie Claus (Kenny Ortega produced and directed musical based on the children's book series by Elise Primavera, adapted by Tiffany Paulsen; A materialistic young girl learns the true nature of giving through her adventures at the North Pole with her eccentric aunt; announced in 2019) - TBA
• The Noel Diary (holiday movie starring Justin Hartley, Barrett Doss, James Remar and Bonnie Bedelia; based on the book by Richard Paul Evans; directed by Charles Shyer; A man connects with a women at the holidays through a diary left to him by his mother; filmed in Connecticut) - TBA
  
• Prentice Penny Project (writer/director Prentice Penny, of Uncorked, directing "magical" African-American family film for Netflix based on he and his wife, Tasha's, original idea; announced in 2020) - TBA
• Christmas Quinceanera  - (holiday movie starring Aimee Garcia and Freddie Prinze Jr; directed by Gabriela Tagliavini; written byJennifer C. Stetson, Paco Farias and Michael Varrati; A burned out pop star in need of good press goes to a small town to grant a fan's holiday wish; announced in 2021) - TBA
• The Division (sci-fi thriller based on the video game, starring Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal; directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber; A pandemic virus spread via currency starts on Black Friday and kills millions. By Christmas, what's left of society has descended into chaos and a group tries to save what's left of the world; announced in 2019) - TBA
• Christmas in Wonderland (holiday rom-com starring Chord Overstret and Lindsay Lohan as a spoiled heiress who breaks her leg skiing, get amnesia and has to stay with a single dad in the days leading up to Christmas; directed by Janeen Damian, written by Ron Oliver; filmed in Utah) - TBA
• The Claus Family 2 (a.k.a. De Familie Claus 2 ; Dutch-language family film sequel from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; With his faith restored in Christmas, Santa's grandson is getting ready for another holiday season when plans go awry thanks to an intriguing letter) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Baruca (Spanish-language action series created by Victor Sierra and Xosé Morais; starring Alberto Ammann and Luis Callejo; directed by Óscar Pedraza; A group of armed men enter a prison to capture a serial killer on Christmas Eve, only to be met by resistance) - TBA
• The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (US debut of 2021 Christmas and New Year's special episodes of the Great British Bake Off, featuring returning favorites and the cast of It's a Sin) - TBA
  
• Best. Christmas. Ever. (holiday comedy directed and co-written by Charles Shyer; A woman who has stretched the truth about her own life in order to appear more impressive, is forced to spend Christmas with her picture-perfect college best friend) - TBA
• Untitled Per-Olav Sørensen Series (Norwegian-language holiday series, A group of strangers find themselves stranded at the airport 24 hours before Christmas; filmed in Oslo) - TBA
• The Thanksgiving Text (based-on-a-true-story tale of an accidental holiday invite that led to a lifelong tradition and friendship; written by Abdul Williams; announced in 2021) - TBA

On Demand/Digital/DVD

• Raven Van Slender Saves Christmas!  (animated holiday movie from James Balsama; written by Bill Victor Arucan) - Jul. 5 (Website)
  
• A Small Town Christmas (holiday movie written, directed and starring Gin Blanton) - Nov. 11
  
• One Christmas Night in a Toy Store (holiday horror movie starring Simon Phillips and Sayla de Goede; directed by Paul Tanter; the third in the Santa slasher trilogy, this time Santa and Mrs. Claus take Christmas Eve hostages; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 10
  
• The Christmas Spirit  (horror-comedy from writer/director Bennet De Brabandere; starring Edie Inksetter, Christian Potenza, Nicolas Grimes and Matia Jackett; An ancient spirit trapped inside a villain, must inspire the bad guy with the true meaning of Christmas to escape; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• A Holiday I Do (holiday rom-com starring Ali Liebert and Jacqueline Denise; A lesbian single mom falls for her ex-husband's wedding planner while serving as the 'Best Woman' at his Christmas wedding; filmed in Michigan) - TBA (Website, Kickstarter)
  
• The Rose Wagon (holiday movie starring Peyton Clark, Robert Donavan, Bianca-Rose Lasky, Jonni Shandor, Brittney Saylor, Joshua Scantland and Dana Longpre; written and directed by Sandy Slaven; A widower raising a single daughter suffers a horribly injury that causes him to lose hope until his daughter's love helps restore it; filmed in Indiana) - TBA (Website)
• The Big Gift (holiday family film written and directed by Jarrod Crooks, starring Erin Antilla, Scott "The Brauler" Brault and Sandra Meyer; A dad tries to make sure Santa gets his son the one gift he wants most; filmed in Minnesota) - TBA
  
• Who's Ready for Christmas? (faith-based holiday movie from writer-directorThomas Bonifield, who also produced 2020′s Miracle On Christmas) - TBA
• Where's Santa? Young Sherlock & the Case of the Missing Santa Claus (animated holiday feature written by Stephen Meier and directed by Cameron Hood; Sherlock Holmes' canine protege searches for Santa and battles an evil cat to save Christmas) - TBA (Website)
  
• The Farmer and the Belle 2 (holiday movie sequel to 2020′s faith-based The Farmer and the Belle: Saving Santaland; On a ski vacation, but worried about the farm, a couple struggle to enjoy Christmas) - TBA (Website)
• A Different Kind of Christmas (remake of the 1996 made-for-TV movie starring Shelly Long from MarVista and Lionsgate) - TBA
• Santa Who? (remake of the 2000 Leslie Nielsen Disney Channel movie from MarVista and Lionsgate) - TBA
• Christmas at the Golden Dragon (holiday movie directed and co-written by Emily Ting; When a popular, Midwest Chinese restaurant announces it's closing just before Christmas, their customers contemplate the loss in connected holiday stories) - TBA
• The Clause in Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Rachael Bloome; written by Pamela Wallace; A woman unexpectedly inherits a small town inn, but learns she must complete festive tasks every day in December to keep it.) - TBA
  
• LEGO Holiday Heroes (holiday special based on an original concept by Canadian fan Eddy Beals via the LEGO World Builders platform) - TBA
• Not a Merry Christmas (low budget holiday movie starring John Vanis II, Feliz Isabela and Robert Lewis Rivera; A group of neighbors enter a national Christmas light contest and things do not go as planned; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
• The Merrytime Matchmaker (holiday movie based on the book A Match Made at Christmas, by Courtney Walsh; written and produced by Ashley Bratcher, co-written by Walsh; A commitment phobic bachelor reluctantly comes home for the holidays and finds himself in charge of his town's holiday matchmaking quest.) - TBA
  
• The Chans and Schwartzbaums Save Christmas! (holiday movie written by Corey Brown and Tricia Lee) - TBA
  
• Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (holiday movie remake/reboot of the 1964 cult classic, directed and produced by Cynthia Webster; Santa tries to save what's left of humanity by bringing Christmas to Mars for the first time.) - TBA
• A Christmas Karen (Topical twist on A Christmas Carol starring Michele Simms; written and directed by Jon Binkowski; A middle-aged busybody has to learn the true spirit of Christmas kindness via ghostly intervention; filmed in Orlando) - TBA
  
• Singing in the Snow (UK holiday movie written by Dylanne Corcoran; A girl forced to give up her dreams of being a star to help her family after her mother's death gets discovered by a director making a The Little Match Girl musical.) - TBA
  
• Homeless for the Holidays 2 (sequel to the 2009 faith-based movie, written and directed by George A Johnson and starring Matt Moore, Brad Stine and Cole Brandenberger) - TBA
• A Cliche Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Nicole Deese, adapted by Cameron Johann; A screenwriter known for her cheesy holiday romance, finds one of her own, thanks to her Grandma volunteering her to produce a local Christmas pageant with her high school crush) - TBA
  
• A Jailhouse Christmas (holiday movie from Vonn Media Group; written by Teleah and Tremayne Moore) - TBA
  
• The Christmas Cape (holiday movie produced by Justin and J.R. Fortin; filmed in Maine and New Hampshire) - TBA
  
• Rabid Christmas (low-budget holiday horror-comedy, starring Richard Tyson, William W. Barbour and Petri Hawkins Byrd; directed by Bryan Martin and Steven Papineau, who also wrote the script; A stoic military man comes home for Christmas for the first time in years, only to find a horrifying celebration awaits him) - TBA
  
• A Golden Christmas (writer-director Peggy Lane, who also stars, tells the story of a 50-year-old adoptee who finds her birth family after her mother passes away; based on Lane's real life experiences) - TBA
  
• Christmas in Canal Towne (holiday movie about a daughter who strives to save her family store at the holidays, following the death of her father, but her estranged sister has other plans; filmed in Sullivan County, N.Y.) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• The Signs of Christmas (holiday movie written by Susan Brightbill; A sportswriter with hearing loss mentors a deaf child who wants to dance in the Nutcracker.) - TBA
  
• A Christmas in New Hope (holiday movie written by Julia Barnett and Kathleen Estes; A single mom of a special needs child enters a home renovation contest in order focused on saving her own home, but things get complicated when she falls for a hunky neighbor.) - TBA
• Holiday Twist (holiday movie written and starring Stephanie Garvin, along with Mischa Barton, Caylee Cowan, Jon Lovitz, James Maslow, Abby Lee Miller, Crystal Hefner and Mya; Criminals see the err of their ways thanks to a family with true Christmas spirit.) - TBA
  
• Christmas Bells (holiday movie written and produced by Thadd and Cynthia L Turner; A women returns home for the holidays to help a friend plan her wedding, and finds herself drawn to an old flame) - TBA
  
• A Christmas Stranger (UK family movie directed by Chey Loran and Dylan Carey; written by F.D. Lewis and Team David) - TBA
  
• A Christmas Fairy Tale (low-budget holiday musical starring Sam Platizky, Ben Cohen, Jenn Farina and Lauren Mullins; directed by Ken Trotta; When a harried producer loses her composer, a songwriting bartender helps save her musical and her Christmas spirit.) - TBA (Website)
  
• Nice & Naughty: A Christmas Story (ultra-low-budget holiday movie from Travis and Hannah Ivey; starring Kasey Brown, Sharon Winslow and Jane Griffin Byrd; A daughter continues her father's tradition of inviting the less fortunate in for the holidays leading to chaos; filmed in Eugene, Ore.) - TBA (Facebook)
  
• The Magical Christmas Inn (holiday movie directed by Ari Golan and written by Nichole Lennstrom; A busy career woman goes to a B&B at the holidays and keeps reliving the same day over and over.) - TBA
  
• Scrooge: A Christmas Yet to Come (new take on A Christmas Carol starring Mike Provenzano; filmed in New Jersey) - TBA
  
• A Magical Maui Christmas (holiday movie from writer/producers Randall R and Talisha Crawford; An unlikely pair bring each other holiday hope; filmed in Hawaii) - TBA
  
• The Christmas Dreamer (holiday movie from writer/director Darren Zancan's DMZ Productions; starring James Reynolds; filmed in Kentucky) - TBA
  
• A Screenshot to Santa (holiday movie starring Essence Atkins, Tony Rock, Torrei Hart, Kennedy Stephens, Shai Moss, Jacob Gaines and Ray Buffer; written and directed by Monica Floyd; While their parents are at a conference, a teenager sick of caring for her much younger sister sneaks out to see her boyfriend on Christmas Eve; filmed in L.A.) - TBA
• The Christmas Wish (holiday movie from writer-director Markiss McFadden) - TBA
  
• Christmas Angel (holiday movie starring Karen Abercrombie and Kennedy Scarboro; directed by Josh Menning; A young girl teams with an angel to restore a town's holiday spirit; filmed in Columbiana, Ohio) - TBA
  
• The Thursday Night Club (faith-based holiday movie based on the book by Stephen Manchester; A group of college students touched by tragedy make a bet to see who can do the kindest act by Christmas Eve; film in New Milford, Conn.) - TBA
• Saving Christmas Spirit (holiday movie directed by Wendy Faraone; written by Joelle Sellner; about a driven archaeologist who lets Christmas magic into her heart and finds both history and love; filmed in Ft. William, Mass.) - TBA
  
• How to Ruin the Holidays (holiday comedy starring Colin Mochrie and Amber Nash; directed by Arlen Konopaki and written by Kevin Gillese; filmed in Atlanta; Originally set for 2020, but delayed due to COVID-19) - TBA (Facebook)
• Podcasting Christmas (holiday movie starring Jennica Schwartzman, Zack Gold and Galadriel Stineman; directed by Hunter West; written by Ryan Schwartzman; originally set for 2020, but delayed by COVID-19; filmed in Tennessee; filmed in 2021) - TBA
  
• Four Cousins and a Christmas Wedding  (holiday movie sequel to Four Cousins and a Christmas, starring Raffaela Capp, Natasha Capp, Ayla Kell and Lily Gibson; written and directed by Maria Capp) - TBA
  
• Noel Joyeux (French holiday movie starring Amel Charif, Axel Auriant and Amir Elkacem; directed by Clement Michel; A man goes to great lengths not to spend Christmas alone) - TBA
• Christmas in the Caribbean (holiday movie starring Elizabeth Hurley, Caroline Quentin, Nathalie Cox, Edoardo Costa, Hadar Cats, Downtown Julie Brown and Rafael Martinez; directed by Philippe Martinez; written by Philippe Martinez and Cox; A jilted bride takes her bridesmaids with her on her holiday un-honeymoon; filmed in St. Kitts and Nevis) - TBA
• Merry Little Switchmas (holiday movie starring Kellie S. Williams, Derrick Rutledge, Cheyenne Cummings, Amber Miller Moore, Tamieka Chavis, Melan Perez, Mark McKinnon, JoMarie Payton and Shawn Cosby; filmed in Washington, D.C.) - TBA
  
• Finding Christmas (faith-based holiday movie directed by Bridget Smith, starring Myles Clohessy and Katie Kelly; A teenage gamer accidentally travels back in time to Bethlehem, to make it home he needs to discover the true meaning of Christmas; filmed in Philadelphia) - TBA (Website)
• Christmas Crashers (small-budget holiday movie starring Christine Traversa, Bridget Nine, Steve Boress, Leanne Johnson and Zaine Bray; written and directed by Kevin L Mounce; A couple decide to step off the holiday fast track and recommit to each other, but not everyone is on board with their pared-down holiday plans; shot in central Illinois) - TBA (Website)
• A Fargo Christmas Story (holiday movie starring Ed Asner, Cynthia Aileen Strahan, Nico Zahniser and Sadie Katz; written and directed by Robin Christian; A businesswoman finds strong opposition from a Christmas-loving community she wants to open up to development) - TBA
• Mama's Eggnog (holiday movie starring C. Thomas Howell, Josh Drennen and June Eisler; directed by Christine Nyhart Kaplan and Angela Stern; Bickering siblings get together at the holidays after their mother's death and argue about what to do with her ashes; filmed in Portland, Ore.) - TBA
• A Disturbance in the Force (documentary from filmmakers Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak on the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special) - TBA (Website, Trailer)
• Christmas Slasher (holiday horror movie starring Nicholas Brendon and Felissa Rose; written and directed by Destiny Soria; College kids on a holiday hunting trip get more than they bargained for) - TBA
• Oh Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Mason Gillett, Kay Barnes, Rachel Petsiavas and Christopher Long; directed by Paul Duncan; filmed in North Carolina) - TBA
• Christmas Eid (small-budget holiday movie written and directed by Muhammad Ali; A Muslim grandfather combines Christmas and Eid for his multicultural grandchildren; filmed in Canada) - TBA
• Christmas Party Massacre (small-budget holiday horror from Miguel Rodriguez's Wasp Nest Videos; starring Julie Anne Prescott and Eileen Dietz) - TBA
• Snow Angel (Quebecois horror-thriller starring Kimberly-Sue Murray, Catherine Berube and Olivier Renaud; directed by Gabriel Allard; A snowboarder tries to leave town after a tragic accident, only to find herself trapped by an ominous presence.) - TBA
• A Christmas Letter (holiday movie starring David Lipper, Glenda Bragzana, Jorja Cadence, Enrico Colantoni, Roger Cross and Colin Mochrie; directed by Brian Roberts; A little girl's letter to Santa is intercepted by two elves who bring chaos to her small town; filmed in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) - TBA
• The Expectation (holiday movie starring Rodney Damon Collins, George Vincent, Noreen Lanie, Lilla Lavano, Rhandy Torres and Josiah Collins; written and directed by Bob Bharatwal; filmed in California) - TBA
• Christmas by Moonlight (Afro-British holiday movie starring Christian Fisayo, Charlie Gallagher and Paul Baichoo; directed and co-written by Rhoda Wilson) - TBA
• Santaman (animated movie starring DC Douglas, John Viener and Beau Marie; directed by Bret Stern; A superhero Santa tries to foil a naughty-list plot) - TBA
• Blackjack Christmas (holiday movie starring Harry Lennix, Dawnn Lewis, Charmin Lee, Oliver Samuels, Fae Ellington, Leigh-Ann Rose and Kyrie Mcalpin; directed by Victoria Rowell; Estranged sisters celebrate the holidays together despite lingering resentments over one's move to the US, and the other's inheritance; filmed in Jamaica and L.A.) - TBA
• Christmas Knight (holiday-themed, small-budget action movie starring Bruce Willis; directed by Edward Drake, part of a series with Devil's Knight; A grizzled LAPD detective has to learn new ways to defeat a band of bank robbers; filmed in Vancouver) - TBA
  
• Holiday Hideaway (holiday movie starring Camille Winbush, Victor Sho and Vivica A Fox; directed by Cole Patterson; written by Sharon Brathwaite; A holiday-loving woman finds her Christmas spirit crushed by family drama, so she escapes to a quaint inn that just might hold the key to regaining her love of Christmas) - TBA (Website)
• Christmas at the Frat House (holiday movie starring Karon Riley, Lem Collins, Jared Wofford, Kevin Savage, Amber Reign Smith, Kelsi Lee and Jael Roberson; directed by Charmin Lee; written by Lem Collins; Four frat brothers make, and break, a pact not to marry for 10 years after college. The last man standing is set to propose at Christmas when secrets emerge from his friends' relationships and his girlfriend's past that could make him reconsider; filmed in Atlanta.) - TBA
• A Merry Switchmas (holiday movie starring Sofia Arenas, Brent Black,  Ian Foreman, Martin Fajardo, Karon Riley and GRIFF; directed by Terri J Vaughn and written by Dani Renee and Marcus Smoot; A young boy who lost his mom wishes he had more family time, while a middle child longs for more privacy from his close-knit clan, so the pair switch at the holidays; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
  
• Maybe Next Christmas (short holiday film from AJ; starring Arabia Little, Rhoslyn Hall, Monece Starling and Philaye; A trio of friends spends Christmas with each other instead of their families in order to support their business; filmed in L.A.) - TBA (Instagram)
• The Last Christmas (comedy-horror short filmed in 2019; starring Madison Cheeatow and Miley Haik; written and directed by Ryan Port; A peaceful Christmas Eve is disturbed when a teen's little sister wakes her with distressing news; filmed in Toronto) - TBA (Website)
• The Drone that Saved Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by Miriam Bavly; starring Rodney Perry, Miguel Nunez Jr., Palmer Williams Jr, Rashan Ali and Buddy Lewis; A tech entrepreneur develops a high-powered drone he hopes will save Christmas; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. TBA
• Hashtag Blessed: The Movie (partially crowd-funded holiday movie written/produced by Dalea Faulkner and directed by Stephanie McBain; A women who hates her own life wishes for the sort of existence she sees play out on social media; filmed in Arizona) - Dec. TBA (Trailer)
  
• Kumeri Christmas (Ghanian holiday film from writer-director Kobi Rana, set in Kumasi, which has been nicknamed "Kumerica" for its USA-like lifestyle) - Dec. TBA via VOD
  
• Melody from Heaven: A Christmas Story (holiday movie from writer-director Howard Clay Jr.; Adult children reunite at the holidays to deal with their difficult childhood, following their mother's terminal diagnosis.) - TBA (Website)
  
• Christmas the Wright Way (holiday movie starring Malika Blessing, Joncea Dixon and Leisa Fuselier; written and directed by Lina Outlet) - TBA
• Keep Calm and Merry On (indie holiday movie filmed in L.A.) - TBA
• I Need a Christmas Vacation (small budget holiday movie starring Jason Harley, Dave Coleman, Shannon McLellan, Dave Campbell and Matt Armstrong; written and directed by Rob Letourneau; filmed in Canada) - TBA
• A Christmas Invitation (holiday movie starring Lorrie Bacon, Jesse Waegelein-Hall and Phil Godeck; written and directed by Geno McGahee;  a dying wish reunites a dysfunctional family at the holidays) - TBA
• Christmas Break (low-budget holiday movie starring T.J. Holmes, J Franklin, Phillip Hodge III and Trinity Alexis; directed by Ray Simone; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA (Instagram)
  
• Save Christmas (Italian live action/animation hybrid starring Valeria Bilello, Lorenzo McGovern Zaini and Nathan Cooper; directed by Kristopher Tassin; A grumpy dad who hates Christmas clashes with his wife and kids who believe they can save Santa by solving a series of riddles; filmed in Italy) - TBA
• A Night Before Christmas (Brazilian animated movie from writer/director Nelson Botter Jr. featuring the characters from The Amazing Professor Ambrosius Mansion series starring the voices of Mike Pollock and Tyler Bunch; English and Portuguese language) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Ellie and the Christmas Creep (animated movie from Luxembourg-based animation studio Fabrique d'Images; An intrepid elf tries to save Santa from his fame obsession she believes is caused by a creep) - TBA (Website)
• It's Christmas Again (faith-based holiday movie written and directed by Sandra L. Martin; A 17-year-old is transported to Bethlehem for the first-ever Christmas; filmed in Tennessee) - TBA
• Holiday Boyfriend (holiday movie written and directed by Paul Collett; When her British boyfriend bails on her family Thanksgiving, a woman gets her best friend to pose as him; filmed in L.A.) - TBA
  
• Christmas at the Holly Hotel (partially crowd-funded holiday movie filmed at the actual Holly Hotel in Holly, Michigan) - TBA (IndieGoGo)

Undetermined

• Christmas in Transylvania (holiday movie written by Janeen and Michael Damian; A young woman inherits a cottage on the grounds of Dracula's Castle with hopes of turning it into a Christmas store, to the displeasure of the castle's current Prince) - TBA
  
• Cabin Connection (holiday movie starring Katherine Barrell, Cody Ray Thompson, Travis Nelson, Art Hindle, Kaleb Alexander and Julie Nolke; directed by Virginia Abramovich; A lifestyle writer inherits her grandmother's cabin and hires a local handyman to help fix it up to sell over the holidays; made for Super Channel Heart & Home; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas in Sugarland (holiday movie directed by Stacia Crawford, written by Shannon K. Dunn, Tony Jerris and Cherish Lee; An aspiring country musician returns home for the holidays to help the family ranch, and finds herself questioning what her dream really is) - TBA
• A Tiny Homes Christmas (holiday movie starring Rebecca Dalton and Christopher Seivright; directed by Bill Corcoran; To save her family building business a woman teams with her ex, a TV home show star, to build homes for the needy at the holidays; filmed in Toronto) - TBA
• Secret Santa (holiday movie starring Brendan Murray, Nola Martin, Jennifer Gibson and Lucy Hill; directed by Lane Shefter Bishop and written by Isabel Drean; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2021; filmed in Toronto) - US TBA
  
• Finding Love in Big Sky (a.k.a. Big Sky Christmas; movie starring Hedy Nasser, Jonathan Stoddard and Raechel Wong; based on the book by Angela Ruth Strong; A woman desperate to save her grandfather's ranch turns to an ex-boyfriend for help; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2021; filmed in Montana) - US TBA (Trailer)
• Christmas Spirit (holiday movie starring Ashley Newbrough, James Robinson and Jake Satow; directed by Wendy Faraone and Joelle Sellner; An archeologist hunting for ancient ruins meets up with a struggling distillery owner at the holidays; filmed in Scotland) - TBA
• Love at the Christmas Contest (a.k.a. The Christmas Love Tree; holiday movie starring Samantha Cope, Ross Jirgl, Colleen Elizabeth Miller, Emily Mathason, Triana Browne and James Healy; written and directed by John Burd; A woman enters a tree decorating contest in memory of her mother where she meets up with her high school sweetheart; filmed in Tulsa, Oklahoma) - TBA (Trailer)
  
• Christmas No Filter (a.k.a. I Hear You; holiday movie starring Alison Fernandez, Judy Reyes, Andrew Hunter, David DeLao, Anya Ruoss, Sofia Salas and Taylor Castro; directed by Sarah and Zachary Ray Sherman; written by Billie Bates; A teen who feels ignored by her family makes a Christmas wish to be listened to, then wakes up and discovers she can only tell the whole truth; filmed in Atlanta) - TBA
• The Picture of Christmas (holiday movie directed by David I. Strasser and written by Jessica L Randall; starring Chelsea Hobbs, Giles Panton, Mila Jones, LaTonya Williams, Brendan Taylor, Matt Hamilton and Erin Boyes; A woman inherits her grandmother's Christmas Tree farm and heads for a visit intending to sell, but is instead roped into planning the town's annual Christmas tree festival; aired on City TV in Canada in 2021; filmed in Vancouver) - TBA (Trailer)
• A Playful Romance (a.k.a. A Christmas in the Berkshires ; holiday movie starring Jamie Perez, Thomas McDonell, Junior Cius, Caroline Portu, Maureen Keiller and Robert Walsh; directed by John Stimpson; A Christmas Carol take set in a theater performing the holiday staple; filmed in Norwood, Mass) - TBA
• Christmas in Trinket Town (holiday movie starring Jesse Hutch and Vanessa Lengies; directed by Bill Corcoran; written by Courtney McAllister; An online consultant hired to discover why one toy story in a chain is outperforming the rest finds herself charmed by the manager; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - TBA
• Christmas in the Country (holiday movie directed by Steve R. Monroe;  A photographer gets dumped just before Christmas but still has to spend the holidays with her boyfriend's family; filmed in Utah) - TBA
• Christmas in Rockwell (holiday movie about an actress returning to her hometown for a break, but a theatre manager wants to use her fame to help promote his film festival; filmed in Ontario) - TBA
• Christmas by the Book (holiday movie directed by Scott Sikma, filmed in North Bay)
• Christmas Lonely Hearts Club (holiday movie directed by Lexi Giovagnoli; An executive who has lost her Christmas spirit goes on a retreat to find it; filmed in Cleveland, Ohio)
• Best Christmas Ever (holiday movie)
• My Grown Up Christmas List (holiday movie)

3 notes

January 5, 2022

Best and Worst of 2021

2021 was the year, for me anyway, that made-for-TV Christmas movies went from an excited, 'Whoa, look how many Christmas movies there are now!' to a dismayed, 'Would you look how many Christmas movies there are now?!'

Yep, we ended the year with a whopping 183 brand new made-for-TV Christmas movies debuting on broadcast, cable or streaming, which doesn't even include an additional 97 VOD, DVD or Amazon indie debuts, nor another 31 theatrical premieres. That's 311 new movies in 2021—almost 100 more than 2020's record crop. Just looking at the 183 made-for-TV titles alone, that's a 389% increase from 2015, when I first started keeping track.

• 2015…47
• 2016…44
• 2017…65
• 2018…84
• 2019…121
• 2020…116
• 2021…183

Those 183 new movies debuted on what was also a record number of different networks, cable channels and streaming services, many of which had never before offered original Christmas content. In addition to perennial powerhouse providers, like Hallmark, Lifetime and Netflix, new channels and services across the spectrum entered the holiday movie mix for the very first time.

• Lifetime-34
• Hallmark Channel-31
• Netflix-14
• GAC Family-13
• Hallmark Movies & Mysteries-9
• BET/BET+-8
• UPtv-8
• PureFlix-8
• Roku-6
• Tubi-6
• VH1-5
• ION-4
• Amazon Prime*-3
• OWN-3
• AMC+-3
• Peacock-3
• CBS-2
• Comedy Central-2
• Hallmark Movies Now-2
• Fox Nation-2
• CW-1
• Bounce-1
• Disney Channel-1
• Nickelodeon-1
• TVOne-1
• Pop TV-1
• HBOMax-1
• Apple TV+-1
• Disney+-1
• Hulu-1
• Discovery+-1
• Shudder-1
• Vizio Watch Free+-1
• Popstar! TV-1
• Acorn-1
• Crackle-1
• Binge Black TV-1

*Not included in Amazon's count, an additional 10 holiday titles that either were part of their indie filmmaker program  on Prime, or were also available via VOD or other services.

In short, it's a Christmas movie explosion and one has to wonder how much longer this steady increase can continue, and how many movies our at-home entertainment providers can reasonably sustain. Will we see 200 new movies in 2022? 250 in 2023? Where does it end?

And it's more than just movies. All told there were more than 590 new holiday-themed movies, specials and series that debuted in 2021, the vast majority in the final eight weeks of the year. That's a LOT of Christmas and, no surprise, I was only able to sample a tiny fraction of what was out there, but of what I did watch, including 40 of those 183 new movies, here's what I liked most and least this crowded and busy holiday season…

Best Made-for-TV Movie

So, this is it…The year that no made-for-TV Christmas movie—my love for  which prompted me to start all this in the first place—filled me with unbridled joy. To be fair, I got to only a fraction of the ever increasing total, so it's totally possible there's a gem I missed that I would have adored, had I only had the time to watch all 183. (Kidding, that's not something I would ever even aspire to do, no matter how much time I had.)

Though I gave up on reviews relatively early in this overly busy season, nothing among my top 10 in this category would have received my definitely-not-coveted-by-anyone-but-me "four paw" rating which, frankly, makes me kind of sad.

My Top 10 made-for-TV movies of 2021

1. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star , Netflix
2. An Unexpected Christmas , Hallmark
3. A Castle for Christmas , Netflix
4. Fruitcake Fraud , Discovery+
5. Christmas…Again?!, Disney Channel
6. A Clusterfunke Christmas , Comedy Central
7. One December Night , Hallmark Movies & Mysteries
8. The Holiday Fix Up , Lifetime
9. A Christmas Proposal, CBS
10. Crashing Through the Snow , Hallmark

Not to say there weren't plenty of perfectly pleasant and fun holiday watches. For instance, The Princess Switch 3, which sort of by default becomes my favorite made-for-TV movie of the season, even though it was definitely the weakest of the trilogy. But even Netflix's lesser originals, like A Castle for Christmas, are just so much more polished than anything Hallmark or Lifetime has to offer. The additional budget, filming and post-production time really shows in the finished product.

A resurgent Hallmark provided a close No. 2, with the Paul Campbell-penned, genuinely fun and funny, An Unexpected Christmas, starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes. Overall, 2021 was Hallmark's strongest season in years, something that bodes well for the recently-restructured network that still dominates TV's holiday ratings.

True-crime doc Fruitcake Fraud is the biggest surprise on this list for me. As someone who doesn't watch a lot of true crime, the Discovery+ original drew me in with its bonkers tale and was one of many networks—Disney Channel,  Comedy Central and CBS—that factored into my favorites list for the first time ever.

That, Lifetime, which has had my favorite made-for-TV movie the past four seasons, had only one movie in my Top 10 was a serious disappointment, with their LGBTQ+ romance Under the Christmas Tree , which just missed the Top 10 cut, their only other movie of 2021 that felt at all special to me.

Worst Made-for-TV Movie

With so many holiday movies, there was plenty of opportunity for every network to serve up at least one terrible movie. Candy Coated Christmas (Discovery+), Angel Falls Christmas (GAC/IMDbTV), Christmas at Castle Hart (Hallmark) and Mistletoe in Montana (Lifetime) all felt like holiday duds, not delights.

But the biggest overall disappointment for me this season was Lifetime, which continues to pad their holiday movie count with inexpensive and mostly generic acquisitions. But this year, even their originals felt mostly half-baked and uninspired—something I hate to say about the network that's provided so many of my favorites.

Best Theatrical Holiday Movies

1. 8-Bit Christmas , HBO Max
2. Single All the Way, Netflix
3. Love Hard, Netflix
4. A Boy Called Christmas , Netflix
5. Boxing Day, Amazon Prime

The 1980s-set 8-Bit Christmas, originally set for 2020 but delayed due to COVID, was a charming story well worth waiting for, and I can completely see it becoming a Christmas Story-esque classic, revered more as time goes on. It made me both laugh and cry, with a strong kid cast and Neil Patrick Harris as the adult cleverly telling this tale via modern-day framing device.

The one-two, bigger budget rom-com punch of Netflix's Single all the Way and Love Hard provided a lot of theatrical-quality, fizzy holiday fun, with just enough emotional heft. Both had outstanding, diverse casts, laugh-out-loud moments and familiar storylines with just enough of a twist to make them their own. Definitely two titles I'll watch again in coming years.

Worst Theatrical Holiday Movie

Disney+'s also delayed due to COVID Home Sweet Home Alone , was an unfunny, unnecessary retread that tried to layer a plausible plot over its Three Stooges-level violence. None of which worked, wasting its quite talented cast and not insubstantial budget.

Best Stealth Holiday Movie

A Christmas movie that takes place at the holiday season, or contains key holiday scenes, but isn't specifically focused on, or mostly about, Christmas is what I call a "Stealth" holiday movie.

While I didn't get to see several 2021 holiday releases that fit that bill, which I'm really looking forward to— The Green Knight, Together, Spencer, Riders of Justice —did enjoy Netflix's lush The Last Letter From Your Lover and The Hating Game, which didn't quite live up to Sally Thorne's book, but was still a decent little rom-com.

Worst Stealth Holiday Movie

The Tomorrow War . There's fun to be had in this big, dumb action movie starring Chris Pratt that's set around Christmas, but not enough to justify its bloated run time. Delayed by COVID from its original 2020 theatrical release, this instead dropped in July on Amazon Prime.

Best Animated Holiday Special

Only got to see two new specials this season, 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (NBC), based on Jimmy Fallon's book, and Apple TV's new Peanuts offering, For Auld Lang Syne , and while both were sweet enough, neither felt like something I'm likely to return to in the year, though if you forced me to choose, I'd say 5 More Sleeps had the edge with a more modern story and sweeter animation style.

Lots I wanted to see before we just ran out of time—Beebo Saves Christmas (CW),Robin, Robin (Netflix), Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (Netflix)—making even attempting to pick a "winner" in this category feel, at best, incomplete.

Worst Animated Holiday Special

If I'd had the time, energy and/or inclination to watch Trolls Holiday in Harmony, I feel confident, based on past Trolls experience, it would have been my least favorite, but life is too short, and my kids are growing up a bit, so I did myself a favor and passed.

Best Live Action Holiday Special

Once again, a category I just didn't get to explore as much as I wished—did I mention how much Christmas TV there is now?—so I'm going with the classics, the 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and 89th Christmas in Rockefeller Center, both on NBC. It was great to see these celebrations of the season return to normal form following pandemic-reduced versions in 2020, and both are annual viewing traditions in our household.

Another worth mentioning, the one-off Food Network Thanksgiving special, Battle for the Bird , hosted by Carson Kressley and Annie Burrell. Just a gentle, genial, soothingly kind and low stakes holiday watch.

Didn't get a change to watch some others I really was interested in, like Mariah Carey's latest Apple TV+ effort, but also note that I didn't see as much buzz about the special as last year's spectacular.

Worst Live Action Holiday Special

Lifetime's dreary preview special, hosted by the usually effervescent Tia Mowry-Hardrict, should have been a warning sign for how bad their season was going to be. Filled with poorly-selected clips, lackluster interstitials and gorge-inducing recipes that were really more craft projects than baking, I only made it through a commercial break or two before calling it quits.

Best Holiday Series

The holiday-set series has become a regular part of streaming and broadcast TV, with several great options including Amazon's very fun, Latinx-centered With Love , a rom-com which allowed us to spend a year of holidays with a large, loving Portland family, and Disney+'s New York Christmas-centered Marvel series, Hawkeye , which actually made the Worst Avenger fun to watch thanks to heavy dose of the holidays, Hailee Steinfeld (with an able assist by Florence Pugh), and a really cute dog. Both were must-watch TV in our household this holiday season.

But my favorite of all, debuted way back in June—the UK-set, Starstruck . The BBC-HBO Max co-production from comedienne Rose Matafeo is a gorgeous, sweet rom-com that starts on New Year's Eve, when Matafeo's character unwittingly sleeps with a rising movie star, following them both through the next Christmas. Just an absolute, gorgeous delight and I can't wait for season two.

Worst Holiday Series

No true worst-of here, as I didn't really watch any holiday series I actively disliked, but the non-holiday return of FOX's The Moodys was lackluster, at best. What had been a delightful holiday treat when it debuted in 2019 as a Christmas series, was quickly burned off by the network in its non-holiday season two. While it still had a few good moments, with the way it floundered its storytelling, it won't really be missed, even by me, who really enjoyed season one and still loves both seasons of the Aussie original, which is worth seeking out.

Best Holiday Reality Series

Peacock's very fun Baking It , the holiday cooking competition spun off from crafting series Making It, was very fun, thanks to hosts Andy Samberg and Maya Rudolph, whose zany chemistry and clearly partially ad-libbed riffs made this Great British Bake Off-esque show a true delight. The all-Grandma judging panel was also a genius move by this very, very sweet show that I definitely hope gets a second season.

Honorable mentions for HGTV's surprisingly sweet and festive House Hunters Ho Ho Home , hosted by Orgeon-based Santa impersonator Albie Mushaney. This spin-off didn't follow the show's usual pick-a-house format, with Mushaney more focused on decorating his client's new home for the holidays, then the actual real estate selection.

Netflix's Blown Away Christmas was also surprisingly interesting to me, someone who knows absolutely nothing about glass blowing. The holiday-themed challenges and personalities in this all-star, Christmas mini season made for a fascinating and fast watch. A kind, non-cutthroat competition show focused on creating, not interpersonal drama.

Worst Holiday Reality Series

Netflix advertised and announced School of Chocolate as part of its Christmas line-up, but nothing about this dessert prep competition show had anything to do with the holidays. Not a tree, light string or holiday-themed challenge in sight. For an outlet that makes plenty of genuinely holiday-themed reality competition shows, this seemed like a major bait and switch.

Best Holiday Episode of an Ongoing Series

Oddly, both my favorite seasonal episodes of 2021 had aired by August in the U.S.

HBO Max, which is home to the original BBC version of Ghosts , offered up that UK series' 2020 Christmas episode in May, and "The Ghosts of Christmas Past" was as lovely as the show itself, with a great cast and festive story. If you like the CBS remake, which I agree is starting to find its footing, please check out the BBC original, which really is lovely and wonderful.

But my true favorite of the season was Ted Lasso's charming, delightful and oh-so-festive "Carol of the Bells," which Apple TV+ dropped bafflingly in August, even though it would have been just as welcome, and made even more sense, had they held it until November-December. As expected, the whole thing held up brilliantly during my festive rewatch. Honestly, one of my favorite shows, so not surprisingly it's also already one of my favorite Christmas episodes of all time.

Oh and, I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention the stop-motion Ted Lasso Christmas short Apple TV+ gifted us with this December.

And a special shout out to NBC, which offered up special, out of season holiday takes of its freshmen sitcoms with Young Rock "A Christmas Peril" and Mr. Mayor's "Magical LA Christmas". Love that NBC took up the UK idea of Christmas one-offs and hope they continue.

Worst Holiday Episode of an Ongoing Series

More because I didn't see any others, than that it was actually all that awful, but NBC's " Kenan Christmas ,"  just wasn't up to the standard of their other one-offs, which pains me to say, as I really like a lot of the people associated with this show and have given it several tries this season, hoping it would find its footing but, alas, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Best Christmas Advert

1. Bookstore , Toyota
2. Tis the Season to Believe , Air Canada
3. When Harry Met Santa, Posten
4. This is Our Christmas , BBC
5. Imaginary Iggy , McDonalds UK
   
6. Holiday Ride , Chevrolet
7. The Lonely Bounty , Celebrations UK
8. Believe in Tomorrow , Erste Group
9. The Stepdad , Disney UK
10. Real Magic: Chimney , Coca-Cola

Watching these bite-size servings of holiday joy have long been a part of our family's Christmas tradition. We actually have a playlist that we revisit every year, just like beloved Christmas specials. 2021 had quite a few special offerings, including a really touching (and predictably "controversial"…sigh) Santa story from Norwegian Post, a lovely little animated arc from Air Canada, and a surprisingly touching family reunion spot from the BBC.

But my absolute favorite was Toyota's "Bookstore," a tear-jerking tale set to the strains of Kacy Musgraves' "Rainbow."

Worst Christmas Advert

Apple's " Saving Simon " Not only is this Jason and Ivan Reitman-directed spot (more than) a bit of a rip-off of my all-time favorite "Lily and the Snowman," it also takes a truly upsetting twist that, honestly, is not redeemed enough by the ending.

Best Holiday Songs

1. "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year," Ingrid Michaelson
2. "Merry Christmas," Ed Sheeran and Elton John
3. "You Deserve it All," John Legend
4. "Small Town Christmas," Rob Thomas
5. "This Christmas," Wrabel
6. "Home to You (This Christmas)," Sigrid
7. "Hell of a Holiday," Pistol Annies
8. "Christmas Dance," Darren Criss
9. "I Needed Christmas," Reba McEntire
10. "Christmas Isn't Canceled (Just You)," Clarkson

Jana Kramer's "Second Chances" and Tusse's "This is Our Christmas Song" also in regular rotation for me this year, just missing this Top 10 cut as well as, and I almost hate to admit this, Michael Buble's extremely silly, but very catchy, "The Christmas Sweater."

But the Zooey Deschanel-Ingrid Michaelson duet, "Merry Christmas, Happy New Year," is the one I found myself singing along to most enthusiastically this season, and it didn't hurt that the video for the tune is  sweet, stop animation bunnies having Christmas tea. (No, really.)

Worst Holiday Song

No real worst of, because if I hear a Christmas song I don't really enjoy, I mostly just don't listen to it. Plus, "The Christmas Shoes" exists, and no song could ever top that awfulness. At least not and also remain ubiquitous enough that I'm still destined to hear it at least once per annum.

UPDATE: Based on the suggestion of a friend, I checked out Darren Criss' cover of"River" and, wowsa, he was not wrong. While I liked Criss' "Christmas Dance," from the same album, quite a bit, this weirdly bouncy take on Joni Mitchell's soulful classic is an abomination.

Best Holiday Album

This was actually kind of tough, as many artists seemed to spend 2020 coming up with great holiday music. Rob Thomas, Kelly Clarkson and the Pistol Annies all produced new, original-filled albums that spawned multiple singles now on my regular holiday playlist.

But the one I most want to highlight is Ingrid Michaelson's Songs for the Season Deluxe Edition , both because Michaelson is a lot less well known then the music heavyweights above, and because it's just such a beautiful album, filled with both classics and originals.

 Originally released in 2018, this update includes five new tracks, one of them last year's single "Christmas Valentine," and one of my favorites, with Jason Mraz. Plus, plenty of classics, all wonderfully done. This is the sort of album you can play straight through at a Christmas function or on a holiday road trip and not feel you're just hitting the same notes and style over and over.

Best Holiday Book

As with made-for-TV movies didn't read any new Christmas themed books I absolutely adored, but The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett was the best of the handful of holiday-themed romances I read in November and December, with an interesting, what if you actually followed through with that one of those wacky marriage pacts premise.

And, of course, I have to mention I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies from Alonso Duralde and the Deck the Hallmark fellas, a great holiday coffee table book that's lots of fun.

No worst of here, because life is too short to read bad books, and I long ago learned to put down things that just aren't working for me.

The Best Holiday Podcast

Deck the Hallmark's expanded foray into Netflix and a team up with Lifetime Uncorked for weekly episodes meant more content than I could possible consume from this one outlet alone. The addition of Alonso Duralde for classic Christmas content throughout 2021 helped keep this long-running podcast feeling fresh.

Honorable mention to the ladies of All the Feels , who continue to be among my personal favorite podcast people. Never afraid to say what they mean and tackle tough subjects, these three gal pals also have a lot of fun, and I'm very glad they've stuck with these movies through thick and thin.

Again, no worst of here, because I have no desire to drag anyone, particularly podcasters who mostly are making these for the love of the genre.

Best New To Me Holiday Content

Sadly, I didn't have time to go back and watch even many of my classic faves, let alone much from the past that was new to me. Didn't even get through a third of the things from 2021 I wanted to see, leaving plenty of things to potentially fill this slot in the future, but other than an early season viewing of 2019 Lifetime joint Twinkle All the Way , which was was quite sweet, really didn't have the opportunity to sample anything else from seasons past.

Bonus: Best Non-Holiday Movies and TV of 2021

Since a few of my categories are a little lacking this season, thought I'd also share my Top 10 (well, Top 15 for TV, since I couldn't narrow it down) non-holiday movies and TV shows of 2021, just in case anyone with similiar tastes is looking for something to watch in the New Year.

2021 Movie Favorites

1. The Harder They Fall , Netflix
2. The Mitchells vs the Machines , Netflix
3. Tick Tick…Boom , Netflix
4. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things , Amazon
5. Plan B , Hulu
6. Encanto
7. In the Heights
8. Luca , Disney+
9. Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
10. The Suicide Squad

Even as someone who doesn't normally like Westerns, I was blown away by The Harder They Fall. And if you've somehow missed The Mitchells vs the Machines, please check out this super smart and completely charming family film.

2021 TV Series Favorites

1. Never Have I Ever , Netflix
2. Starstruck , HBO Max
3. Ted Lasso , Apple TV+
4. Reservation Dogs , FX on Hulu
5. The Sex Lives of College Girls , HBO Max
6. Wandavision , Disney+
7. Cobra Kai , Netflix
8. Loki , Disney+
9. Hacks , HBO Max
10. We Are Lady Parts , Peacock
11. Schmigadoon! , Apple TV+
12. The White Lotus, HBO Max
13. Girls5Eva , Peacock
14. With Love , Amazon
15. Only Murders in the Building , Hulu

Netflix's Never Have I Ever had a boffo second season that, bonus, is set over the holidays, and remains one of the smartest, funniest shows out there. Just an absolute delight on every level. Also big shout out for FX on Hulu's (now, just Hulu's, I guess, since that brand no longer exists) Reservation Dogs. If you've missed it so far, well worth a catch up.

Best Holiday Network

For the third year in a row Netflix, with their "Here for the Holidays" line up, provided the best variety and highest quality—even their cheapies look lush compared to Hallmark and Lifetime—movies of the season. If I could only have one Christmas-viewing network, Netflix absolutely offers the best combo of original movies, specials, series and foreign holiday fare out there.

Worst Holiday Network

GAC Family. This new kid on the Christmas movie block is funded by far-right money (the Trump-tied Hicks Equity Group) and run by former Hallmark president Bill Abbott, pushed out of that network after he pulled a Zola ad in 2019 that showed two brides briefly kissing at the personal request of a hate group.

Given that pedigree, GAC turned out pretty much like you'd expect, rushing to make Christmas very, very white and not at all gay, while winking at a base that feels Hallmark is now too risqué (yes, Hallmark) for acknowledging that people other than white, straight Christians actually exist.

GAC's dismal ratings—not a single one of their 13 movies or 2 holidays specials finished in cable's top 150, which typically includes shows with viewers in the five-digit range; GAC's numbers are that tiny bar on the far right in the chart above—and dearth of advertisers beyond the completely crazy My Pillow guy seemed to confirm that very few people were actually looking for A Very Merry MAGA Christmas fare.

And then there's the reality that starting a cable company in 2021, as cord-cutting shrinks those with such pay TV services 15% or more each year, makes about as much sense as opening a buggy whip factory in 1915, just as Ford rolled out his assembly line. Abbott, who famously bragged about having his assistants print out all his emails, continued to make similarly sound and finger-on-the-pulse business moves at GAC, including selling off all the streaming rights so that GAC's so called "original movies" all debuted same day on either Peacock, Amazon or IMDb TV, often 12+ hours before the movie aired on cable.

If you've missed my previous summaries of why GAC Media isn't just another harmless, Christmas movie destination, check out this Twitter thread, my summary of the situation in the network schedules, the November Vulture article from Josef Adalian, a.k.a. TV Mo Joe, or the December L.A. Times piece by Lorraine Ali.

Best/Worst Holiday Movie Trend

The best AND worst trend of seasonal viewing in 2021 was just…More. Many, many, MANY more Christmas movies than every before.

The sheer quantity of Christmas content has exploded to absolutely unmanageable levels, with every obscure streaming service and little-known cable channel offering their own debuts (see intro to this piece for stats). This is both great, in that different, more diverse content is getting green lit and made widely available—for instance the Diwali-themed Hot Mess Holiday on Comedy Central—but also that the sheer volume of the content is overwhelming. It also doesn't help that a lot of it is, let's face it, not great.

No one actually needs 200+ new Christmas movies a year and the exponential growth is absolutely unsustainable but, then again, I've been saying that for years now, and more and more movies continue to get made. When does this more-is-more strategy fall flat for the industry, and who will be left holding the Christmas movie bag?

The other issue with so much Christmas TV is that one person, namely me, just can't possibly keep up with it. While I've never, ever tried to watch it all, following it all and keeping my list comprehensive has been something I've strived for and, I gotta admit, 2021 kind of broke me. Not only has wading through stars' social media become, shall we say, less appealing, as has the increasing vitriol I receive for the radical idea that human rights are for all humans, but that simply the sheer amount of time this hobby has taken up isn't something I can, or want to, continue going forward. Will add, this is entirely on me, as no one is asking me to do all that I do, but I'm congenitally very bad at doing things halfway. I'm a very all or nothing cat.

Can't say with certainty at this point what that looks like—if it means no schedule at all, or just less early speculation—but right now I'm going to take a little catnap and see what that feels like.

Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and followed me on this silly, cheesy Christmas movie journey. No matter what happens, I'll still be around, at least occasionally, over on Twitter.

Wishing everyone an awesome 2022 or, at least, if that seems too ambitious, a slightly less dumpster fire-y New Year!

27 notes

January 2, 2022

2021 Real-Time Holiday Movie Ranking

sleepykittypaws:

2021 is the year the Christmas movie explosion exceeded my even my interest level and time commitment to keep track of everything, so this will likely be my last year even attempting to quantify and aggregate all of the new Christmas content, but in keeping with recent tradition, I will try and keep a real-time ranking of all the new movies I watch, both here and on Letterboxd.

Edited to Add: This year has become so busy and overstuffed with content, I basically gave up on doing real reviews, such as they are, of anything right around Thanksgiving, so tried to link to my quick takes on Twitter for everything else.

Updated: January 2, 2022

1. 8-Bit Christmas , HBO Max (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
2. Single All the Way, Netflix (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾🐾)
3. Love Hard, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
   
4. A Boy Called Christmas, Netflix (🐾🐾🐾🐾)
   
5. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star , Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
6. An Unexpected Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
7. A Castle for Christmas , Netflix (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
8. Fruitcake Fraud , Discovery+ (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
9. Christmas…Again?! , Disney (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
10. A Clusterfunke Christmas , Comedy Central (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
11. One December Night , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
12. The Holiday Fix Up , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
13. A Christmas Proposal , CBS (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾)
14. Crashing Through the Snow, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
15. Under the Christmas Tree , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
16. Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
17. Every Time a Bell Rings , Hallmark Movies Now (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
18. Merry Liddle Christmas Baby , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
19. Christmas in Tune , Lifetime (🐾🐾🐾)
20. The Housewives of the North Pole , Peacock  (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
21. Holiday in Santa Fe , Lifetime (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾)
    
22. 'Tis The Season to Be Merry , Hallmark (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
23. A Dickens of a Holiday! , Hallmark (Quick Take 🐾🐾🐾)
24. Let's Get Married , VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
25. Adventures in Christmasing, VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
26. Christmas Sail, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
27. Next Stop, Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
28. Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye , Acorn (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
29. The Nine Kittens of Christmas  Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
30. Father Christmas is Back, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾)
31. The Santa Stakeout, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
    
32. A Jenkins Family Christmas , BET (Quick Take, 🐾🐾)
    
33. A Kiss Before Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
34. An Ice Wine Christmas,  Lifetime (Review, 🐾)
35. Christmas at Castle Hart, Hallmark (Review, 🐾)
    
36. Mistletoe in Montana, Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾)
37. Home Sweet Home Alone , Disney+ (Quick Take)
38. Candy Coated Christmas , Discovery+ (Review)
39. Angel Falls Christmas , IMDb TV (Quick Take)

source: Letterboxd

8 notes

December 29, 2021

New Year's Eve Favorites

sleepykittypaws:

New Year's Eve rolls around just six days after Christmas, when many are still knee-deep in wrapping paper and ribbon. It's easy to just roll New Year's into the Christmas celebrations, doing little to mark the moment beyond watching the ball drop at midnight. But there are plenty of films centered around New Year's that deserve their own holiday film recognition.

Updated: August 14 , 2021

My Favorites…

1. About Time (2013) - This Richard Curtis written/directed movie is one of my all-time favorite films, period. But it all starts with a life-changing New Year's Eve party.
   
2. When Harry Met Sally (1989) - Often considered a bit of a stealth Christmas movie, this rom-com classic ends, unforgettably, on New Year's Eve.
3. The Cutting Edge (1992) - It's hard to call this movie about a former hockey star turned Olympic figure skater "good," in any objective sense, but that doesn't keep me from loving it wholeheartedly. Even if you haven't seen it 50 or so times, like I have, I doubt anyone can forget that moment when sparks fly, literally, between Doug Dorsey and Kate Moseley at a New Year's Eve party, when they twirl into each other's arms with sparklers at the stroke of midnight (sigh).
4. Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019) - Not specifically holiday-themed but Brittany makes a pretty perfect New Year's watch. Funny, inspirational and all about self-improvement/sticking to resolutions. Absolutely adore this one, and it's on Amazon Prime.
5. About a Boy (2002) - While it also features some sweet Christmas scenes, Hugh Grant and Rachel Weisz meet cute on New Year's Eve.
6. The Poseidon Adventure (1972) - The movie that defined 1970s disaster movies remains good, cheese-tastic New Year's fun. I remember the first time I saw this one as a kid, on cable, on New Year's Eve. A group of New Year's revelers trying to escape a cruise ship that flips over? Indelible.
   
7. Starstruck (2021, HBO Max) - Think of this 6-episode British series, written and created by a Kiwi, as a three hour rom-com that begins on New Year's Eve and ends the following Christmas. A delightful watch any time, but extra-special during the season.
   
8. Fruitvale Station (2013) - This gut-wrenching Ryan Coogler feature directorial debut should have won Michael B. Jordan an Oscar. Set entirely on New Year's Eve, it's the devastating true story of the last day of Oscar Grant's life.
9. Peter's Friends (1992) - This criminally under-rated British ensemble  comedy features a host of stars—Hugh Laurie, Imelda Staunton, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh and Rita Rudner—gathering to celebrate the New Year at their college chum's English estate.
10. Phineas and Ferb: Happy New Year (2012, Disney Channel) - This fun episode of the crazy kids' series works as a stand-alone New Year's special that's better than most.
11. Dolly Parton's Heartstrings: Two Doors Down (2019, Netflix) - Cheese-y, feel-good, queer holiday romance that ends with Dolly Parton singing Auld Lang Syne. What more could you want?
    
12. An Affair to Remember (1957) - This Cary Grant-Deborah Kerr classic is basically the third lead in Sleepless in Seattle, but it is a New Year's classic in its own right, as Kerr and Grant's characters vow to meet on the top of the Empire State building after an epic New Year's Kiss.
13. Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976, ABC) - Not the only animated New Year's special, but easily the most memorable, this Rankin-Bass classic has Rudolph teaming up with Baby New Year and Father Time to save the holiday.
    
14. Holiday (1938) - Another Cary Grant classic that features a memorable New Year's Eve. Even though the "holiday" of the title refers to a vacation, it's on New Year's Eve that sparks really begin to fly between Grant and Katherine Hepburn. Trouble is, she's his fiancee's sister.
15. Ghostbusters II (1989) - Definitely less than the original classic, this holiday-set sequel concludes with New Yorker's saving the city via a chorus of Auld Lang Syne, with an assist from Lady Liberty.
16. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1986, CBS) - Nowhere near as iconic as the 1960s Peanuts specials, this is still a solid, kid-friendly New Year's watch.
    
17. The Irony of Fate (a.k.a. Ironiya Sudby, 1976) - This Soviet-era Russian rom-com is a New Year's classic, with lots of jokes about urban planning in the USSR. A U.S. remake was announced in 2021, starring Emma Roberts. It's available (legally) in full on YouTube via Mosfilm.
18. In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007) - This independent dark-ish, rom-com can be a little hard to find, but it's worth seeking out. Two lonely people looking for hope and love by New Year's Eve.
    
19. Ocean's 11 (1960) - The Rat Pack original isn't as fun as the George Clooney-Brad Pitt remakes, but it does set its heist on New Year's Eve.
    
20. Entrapment (1999) - There's just something about thieves and New Year's, I guess, as the final job in this Sean Connery-Catherine Zeta Jones film is set on Y2K. There's also a good bit of bonus millenium Christmas content.
    
21. After the Thin Man (1936) - This sequel to the runaway 1934 hit is set at New Year's.
22. Boogie Nights (1997) - Definitely not an uplifting New Year's Eve watch, this Paul Thomas Anderson classic does feature outstanding performances and an unforgettable New Year's Eve party appearance by William H Macy.
    
23. Sunset Boulevard (1950) - The iconic tale, later turned into a Broadway musical, hinges on a New Year's Eve party.
24. Midnight at the Magnolia (2020, Netflix) - Natalie Hall and Evan Williams are radio hosts who fake a romance for a New Year's Eve live show.
    
25. New Year's Eve (2011) - This farly-cynical Garry Marshall attempt to recreate the holiday anthology magic of Love, Actually shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as that film, but this mess of a movie can still be fairly good fun when watched ironically with enough wine and the right friends.
    

More to Explore…

If my New Year's picks don't make your ball drop, there's plenty more movies/specials set around welcoming the new year.

• Happy New Year (2014) - This bouncy, Bollywood showstopper is available on Netflix.
• Pete the Cat: A Groovy New Year (2017, Amazon Prime) - Hep cat animated special based on the popular children's book character.
• 200 Cigarettes (1999) - Set in the 1980s, this follows a group of young New Yorkers looking for a memorable New Year's Eve.
• Snowpiercer (2013) - The Chris Evans dystopian thriller where civilization is relegated to an always moving train, strictly divided by class, and New Year's is celebrated every time they circumnavigate the globe.
• Highball (1997) - This very early, extremely low budget Noah Baumbach movie takes place over a series of holiday parties that culminates with a New Year's Eve bash. Is it good? Well, Baumbach petitioned to have his name removed from it, so…
• Waiting to Exhale (1995) - This movie about a close-knit friend group and their complicated romantic lives, based on the book by Terry McMillan, is framed by New Year's Eve celebrations.
• Four Rooms (1995) - This overly ambitious anthology, featuring four stories each written and directed by a different high profile auteur, with only one connecting character, a hotel bellman, takes place entirely on New Year's Eve.
• The Sword in the Stone (1963) - This Disney animated classic's pivotal moment—the extraction of Excalibur—occurs at the New Year's tournament, which Arthur attends as a lowly squire.
• The Godfather Part II (1972) - Fredo Corleone is handing out New Year's party kisses in this, the only sequel to ever win the best picture Oscar.
• Midnighters (2017) - When a couple accidentally hit a man with their car on New Year's Eve, they put him in the backseat and go home to avoid the consequences.
• Radio Days (1987) - This Woody Allen (yeah, I know) movie ends with the cast welcoming 1944 on a wintry New York, New Year's Eve.
• A Midnight Kiss (2018, Hallmark) - Carlos PenaVega helps Adelaide Kane plan a New Year's bash.
• Royal New Year's Eve (2017, Hallmark) - Designer Jessy Schram meets her Prince at a New Year's ball.
• The Birthday Wish (2017, Hallmark) - This is another Jessy Schram-joint that starts at New Year's and is one of the more original Hallmark movies of recent years.
• A New Year's Resolution (2021, Hallmark) - This long-delayed Aimee Teegarden and Michael Rad movie finally got an airdate in early 2021.
  
• A Year and Change (2015) - Bryan Greenberg topples off a roof at a New Year's Eve party, leading him to change his life.
• The Gold Rush (1925) - For those who like their New Year's celebrations extra-classic, this iconic Charlie Chaplin outing features the Little Tramp all alone on New Year's Eve.
• Two Lovers (2008) - This little-known Joaquin Phoenix-Gwenyth Paltrow movie culminates on New Year's Eve.
• Hudsucker Proxy (1994) - Some have called this critically-panned Tim Robbins movie It's a Wonderful Life for New Year's Eve. It even features Charles Durning as an angel.
• Poseidon (2006) - This overly serious remake was a box office flop, but it's still a big, dumb New Year's Eve disaster flick. Just be careful it's extra-long run time doesn't make you miss the ball drop.
• Money Train (1995) - This heist film starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson (remember when those guys were leading men and action stars?) has these former cops robbing the NYC subway on New Year's Eve.
• Are We There Yet? (2005) - Ice Cube's original road trip comedy takes place on New Year's Eve.
• Carol (2015) - It's a New Year's Eve party that lets these repressed ladies first turn their passion loose.
• Phantom Thread (2017) - Not mostly about the holiday, but does feature one of the most visually stunning New Year's Eve parties ever committed to film.
• New Year's Evil (1980) - It wouldn't be a holiday without a bad slasher film taking place on it.
• Sex and the City: The Movie (2008) - The ladies celebrate a very memorable New Year's Eves in this movie, based on the HBO series.
• A Frozen New Year's Eve (2019) - Direct-to-VOD animated kids' movie
  
• Dr Who: The Movie (1996, BBC) - The Time Lord takes on the millennium in this made-for-TV movie.
• New Year's Day (1989) - This little known movie is David Duchovny's first major role. He plays a man who moves to L.A. on New Year's Eve, only to find his newly-rented apartment occupied by three women.
• Endings, Beginnings (2020) - This Shailene Woodley-starring movie features a love triangle that begins at a fateful New Year's Eve party.
  
• Do It Yourself, Mr. Bean (1994, ITV) - Mr. Bean plans a New Year's bash in this ITV special.
• New Year, New You (2018, Hulu) - New Year's entry in the Blumhouse-produced horror, holiday anthology movie series.
• Midnight Kiss (2019, Hulu) - more holiday-set horror from Blumhouse.
• New Year's Kiss (2019) - Made-for-TV rom-com starring Erin Karpluk and Robin Dunne.
• Way Through Snow (2017) - Russian movie about an online couple meeting for the first time on New Year's, available on Amazon Prime.
  
• Break (2019) - Russian horror-thriller directed by Tigran Shakyan about group of friends who get stuck in a gondola during a New Year's Eve power outage.
• I Hate New Year's (2020) - LGBTQ holiday rom-com about a singer who goes home for the holidays and (surprise!) finds unexpected romance, made by TelloFilms.com.
• The Lost Husband (2020) - Gentle romantic, Texas-set drama that's not full of holiday cheer, but does start on New Year's Eve, if you're looking for a low stakes way to ring in the New Year.
• The Silver Skates (2021, Netflix) - This sweeping Russian romantic epic, a lavish costume drama filmed in St. Petersburg, is set around the holidays, namely New Year's, and is Netflix's first-ever Russian-language international original.
• All My Friends Are Dead (2021, Netflix) - Polish horror-comedy set at a New Year's Eve party that takes an unexpected turn.
• Prime Time (2021, Netflix) - Polish-language hostage thriller set on New Year's Eve 1999.

Christmas ➜ New Year's

And don't forget to consider these movies that carry over from Christmas to New Year's, giving us a solid dose of both holidays.

• Rent (2005)
  
• Bridget Jones's Diary* (2001)
• Last Holiday** (2006)
• Holiday Inn (1942)
• The Holiday*** (2006)
• Sleepless In Seattle (1993)
• Trading Places (1983)
• While You Were Sleeping (1995)
• Bachelor Mother (1939)
• Bundle of Joy (1956, a remake of Bachelor Mother)
• The Apartment (1960)
• A Christmas Prince (2017, Netflix)
• Holidate*****  (2020, Netflix)
• Starstruck***** (2021, HBO Max)

*If I hadn't already dubbed Bridget my all-time favorite stealth Christmas movie, I'd have put it on my New Year's list for sure, probably at No. 1, since Jones's New Year's resolutions bookend the film, which actually starts on New Year's Day (when she meets Darcy at her mom's annual turkey curry buffet). Really, it's a pretty perfect New Year's watch and an annual in between Christmas and New Year's must-view in our house.

**As with Bridget, Last Holiday would be at or near the top of my New Year's favorites, if I hadn't already dubbed it one of my favorite Christmas films. But, while it takes place over the entire Christmas season, much more happens on New Year's in this Queen Latifah classic, than Christmas, and it's a great way to spend any New Year's Eve.

***And the same goes for The Holiday, which is mostly Christmas, but culminates on New Year's Eve, the only part of the film where all four leads share a scene.

****Yet another that would be at or near the top of my New Year's list, if it weren't already on my Top 25 Stealth Christmas Movies list, as the New Year's Eve in Holidate was among its best, and most memorable, moments.

*****Starstruck takes the opposite tack of the rest of this list, starting on New Year's Eve and ending at Christmas.

TV Series Standouts

While Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed episodes of TV series abound, the timing of New Year's, coming when most shows are on hiatus, means there are only a few truly iconic television episodes devoted to this holiday. A handful worth noting…

• Mum: December (2016, BBC, series 1)
• Absolutely Fabulous: Happy New Year (1995, BBC, series 3)
• Dr. Who: Resolution  (2019, BBC)
• On My Block: Chapter Eleven (2019, Netflix)
• My So-Called Life: Resolutions (1995, ABC, season 1)
• The X-Files: Millennium (1999, FOX, season 7)
• Futurama: Space Pilot 3000 (1999, FOX, pilot) - Like Matt Groening's Christmas-themedSimpson's pilot, this series intro could also be seen as a New Year's Eve holiday special.)
• That '70s Show: Finale (2006, FOX, season 8) -Though it aired in May, this series ender was set on New Year's Eve 1979
• Fraiser: RDWRER (2000, NBC, season 7)
• 30 Rock: Klaus and Greta (2010, NBC, season 4)
• Friends: The One with the Monkey (1994, NBC, season 1)
  
• Friends: The One With All the Resolutions (1999, NBC, season 5)
  
• Friends: The One with the Routine (1999, NBC, season 6)
• Modern Family: New Year's Eve (2013, ABC, season 4)
• How I Met Your Mother: The Limo (2005, CBS, season 1)
• How I Met Your Mother: Tailgate (2012, CBS, season 7)
• The Office: Ultimatum (2011, NBC, season 7)
• Seinfeld: The Millennium (1997, NBC, season 8) - This one actually doesn't take place at New Year's, but is about a New Year's Eve party

286 notes

December 24, 2021

2021 TV Holiday Premieres

sleepykittypaws:

Updated: December 24, 2021

ABC

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day

• 30th Annual BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade (local, live parade coverage hosted by Alan Krashesky and Cheryl Burton, with replays on ABC affiliates across the country, check local listings) - Nov. 21, ABC 7 Chicago and streaming on abc7chicago.com
  
• The Magic Maker (magician Adam Trent helps people surprise their loved ones with illusions) - Nov. 25
  
• The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (holiday highlights and music hosted by Derek & Julianne Hough and Ariana DeBose; with celebrity special guests including Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Boyz II Men and Joey Fatone, from Disney parks around the globe) - Nov. 28
• The Great Christmas Light Fight (season 9 of the seasonal reality competition featuring outrageous holiday displays judged by Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak; six-episodes filmed in 2020, shown over three nights) - Nov. 28
• CMA Country Christmas (annual holiday concert special hosted by Carly Pearce and Gabby Barrett, featuring performances from Jimmie Allen, Louis York & The Shindellas, BRELAND, Brett Eldredge, Lady A, Pistol Annies, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson; filmed in Nashville) - Nov. 29 (Teaser)
  
• Something's Coming: West Side Story (A preview special for the upcoming big screen adaptation of the classic musical) - Dec. 5
• A Very Boy Band Holiday (All-star line-up of boy band stars from *NSYNC, Boyz II Men, New Edition, NKOTB, O-Town and 98 Degrees celebrate the season with song in this musical special) - Dec. 6
• Live in Front of a Studio Audience  (LIVE recreations of classic sitcom episodes of Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Lifestarring Ann Dowd, Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, Allison Tolman, Kathryn Hahn, John Lithgow, Kevin Hart and Damon Wayans, executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear) - Dec. 7
  
• Shark Tank Holiday (holiday-themed episode of the product-idea pitch show) - Dec. 10
• America's Funniest Home Videos Holiday 2021 (new viral holiday video compliation) - Dec. 12
• Supermarket Sweep Holiday (special holiday episode of the Leslie Jones-hosted game show) - Dec. 12
• Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration (annual holiday parade/musical showcase taped in Disney World, Disneyland and other Disney Parks worldwide; hosted by Derek & Julianne Hough, Trevor Jackson and Sherry Cola and featuring Jimmie Allen, Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Meg Donnelly, Brett Eldredge, Norah Jones, Pentatonix and Gwen Stefani) - Dec. 25
• Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022 (annual Times Square ball drop celebration hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Liza Koshy, Ciara from L.A., Billy Porter from New Orleans, and Roselyn Sanchez with the first Spanish-language countdown from Puerto Rico) - Dec. 31
  
• The Rose Parade (live parade coverage from Pasadena) - Jan. 1, 2022

NBC

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Peacock

• A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving (highlights from SNL's best Thanksgiving sketches) - Nov. 24
• 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (official parade coverage, LIVE)  - Nov. 25
• National Dog Show Presented by Purina(taped coverage of the 20th anniversary National Dog Show from Oaks, Pennsylvania, hosted by John O'Hurley and David Frei) - Nov. 25
• 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (animated special starring Jimmy Fallon, Kari Wahlgren and Affion Crockett; directed by Borja Pena Gorostegui; written by Jon Foster and James Lamont; based on the book by Fallon, who is also producing) - Nov. 26
  
• Trolls Holidays in Harmony (animated special based on the Trolls movie franchise characters, featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), available on DVD and digital on Nov. 30
• 89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center (annual New York City tree lighting, LIVE, hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin, with special guests Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Mickey Guyton, Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, Rob Thomas, Carrie Underwood and the Radio City Rockettes) - Dec. 1
  
• Kelly Clarkson Presents When Christmas Around (musical variety special featuring Clarkson and Brett Eldredge, Ariana Grande, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr. and Amy Poehler, honoring "everyday heroes.") - Dec. 1
• Annie Live! (live version of the Broadway musical starring Taraji P. Henson, Celina Smith, Nicole Scherzinger, Harry Connick Jr., Tituss Burgess and Megan Hilty; produced by Bob Greenblatt and Neil Meron; directed by Alex Rudzinski) - Dec. 2
  
• A Foxwoods Holiday Special (Christmas show from the Connecticut casino) - Dec. 4 on NBC CT, check local listing for other local New England showings
• Michael Buble's Christmas in the City (the singer and special guests celebrate the holidays with a night of comedy and music from Rockefeller Center, featuring special guests including Jimmy Fallon, Leon Bridges, Hannah Waddingham and Kermit the Frog) - Dec. 6
• The People's Choice Awards (annual entertainment awards show) - Dec. 7
• A Very Chrisley Christmas (The reality show family needs a miracle to save their holiday after the youngest's letter to Santa goes astray while spending Christmas at Nanny's) - Dec. 15
• Young Rock: A Christmas Peril (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; Three different Christmases shape young Dwayne Johnson's life ) - Dec. 15
• Kenan Christmas  (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; The morning show preps for a holiday special) - Dec. 15
• Mr. Mayor's Magical L.A. Christmas (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; The City Hall staff is forced to work on "L.A. Christmas Eve") - Dec. 15
• L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth (celebrate real-life heroes with ten inspiring true stories of fearless women who worked tirelessly for meaningful change) - Dec. 16
  
• A Saturday Night Live Christmas (highlights from SNL's best Christmas sketches) - Dec. 21
  
• Christmas Eve Mass (Pope Francis-led mass from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome) - Dec. 24
• Miley's New Year's Eve Party Hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson (special New Year's countdown with Cyrus, Davidson and special guests; executive produced by Lorne Michaels) - Dec. 31
• Lone Star NYE: Countdown to 2022 (Dallas-Ft. Worth New Year's celebration featuring Scotty McCreery, hosted by Katy Blakey and D.J. Williams) - Dec. 31, DFW
• The Rose Parade's New Year Celebration (live parade coverage from Pasadena, Calif.) - Jan. 1, 2022

CBS

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Paramount+

• Adele One Night Only (The singer performs songs from her new album, 30, and chats with Oprah Winfrey) - Nov. 14
  
• The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS (unofficial parade coverage of the Macy's parade, LIVE, hosted by Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight)  - Nov. 25
• One Last Time: An Evening with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett (the legendary singers perform at Radio City Music Hall; filmed in New York City in August) - Nov. 28
• Let's Make a Deal Christmas (special holiday edition of the Wayne Brady-hosted game show, featuring Kristin Chenoweth) - Dec. 3
• 23rd Annual A Home for the Holidays at the Grove (23rd annual celebration of foster care and adoption, featuring four special families, with appearances from special celebrity guests including Justin Bieber, Kane Brown, Alessia Cara and Darren Criss) - Dec. 5
• The National Christmas Tree Lighting (The official lighting of the National Park Service tree in Washington, D.C. hosted by LL Cool J and featuring performances from Billy Porter, Chris Stapleton, H.E.R., Juanes, Keb' Mo', Kristin Chenoweth, Maren Morris and Patti LaBelle) - Dec. 5
• A Christmas Proposal (holiday movie starring Adam Rodriguez and Jessica Camacho; directed by Martin Wood; A chef hoping to get money to start a food truck business agrees to pose as the girlfriend of an attorney who hopes to show his family he's settled down; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12
• Christmas Takes Flight (holiday movie starring Katie Lowes, Evan Williams, Andrew Airlie, Kyra Leroux, Erik Gow and Keisha Haines; Directed by Michael Robison, about a new airline CEO who tries to stifle company Christmas plans to save money, but gets pushback from a pilot whose family used to own the business; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19
  
• Let's Make a Deal Christmas (three episodes of game show holiday cheer with host Wayne Brady) - Dec. 22
  
• The Price is Right at Night Holiday (special holiday edition of the game show hosted by Drew Carey) - Dec. 22
• The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (annual awards show celebrating opera star Justino Díaz, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell) - Dec. 22
• The 2021 Musial Awards (Wayne Gretzky and wife Janet Jones are honored with the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating extraordinary sportsmanship in a ceremony taking place November 20th in St. Louis and airing via tape delay) - Dec. 25
• The Year: 2021 (news, year-in-review special, hosted by Robin Roberts and looking back at the most noteworthy moments of 2021) - Dec. 27
• New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash (New Year's countdown live from Nashville hosted by Bobby Bones and Rachel Smith, with special musical guests Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell and Zac Brown Band, among others) - Dec. 31

FOX

NOTE: Some will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day

• The Moodys  (season 2 of the U.S. adaptation of the 2012 Australian comedy series A Moody Christmas starring Denis Leary, Elizabeth Perkins, Jay Baruchel, Maria Gabriela de Faria and Chelsea Frei; Unlike season 1, the second season of this dysfunctional Chicago family comedy won't be set at the holidays) - Apr. 1
• World Pet Games (animal competition special hosted by Erin Andrews and Finesse Mitchell, and featuring talented pets from more than 20 countries) - Nov. 25
• Gordon Ramsay: Christmas Vacation (aired in the U.K. in 2020 as Christmas Road Trip: Three Unwise Men; The three chef friends visit Santa's homeland in Finland) - Dec. 14
  
• I Can See Your Voice Holiday Spectacular (special holiday-themed episode of the game show hosted by Ken Jeong, with guest judges Nicole Byer, Cheryl Hines and Debbie Gibson) - Dec. 14
• The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed! (holiday mockumentary; A "data breach" at the North Pole reveals all of Santa's secrets, but who was the leaker?) - Dec. 20; also available on Tubi (Preview)
• The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong (singalongs, behind-the-scenes footage and fan favorites from the competition series gather in this new holiday special) - Dec. 22
• Fantasy Island: Welcome to the Snowglobe (special two-part holiday episode of the FOX reboot of the classic 1970s anthology series; Roselyn Sanchez stars along with guest stars Lindsey Krafft, Eddie Cahill and Benjamin Stockham; A guest finds themselves immersed in a holiday movie) - Dec. 23
  
• TMZ Merry Elfin' Christmas: Bye, Bye 2021 (holiday year in review special featuring Joel McHale, Howie Mandel, WWE Champ Becky Lynch, Nene Leakes and Chrishell Stause) - Dec. 26

CW

• Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2021  (annual magic show holiday special, hosted by Dean Cain) - Nov. 26
• Wellington Paranormal: 'Twas the Patrol Before Christmas (special holiday episode of the New Zealand spin-off series of What We Do in the Shadows; first time available in the U.S., aired in N.Z. in 2019) - Nov. 27
• The Waltons' Homecoming (remake of the classic 1971 Christmas movie that spawned the long-running The Waltons TV series to celebrate its 50th anniversary; starring Bellamy Young, Logan Shroyer, Ben Lawson, Marcelle LeBlanc, Christian Finlayson, Tatum Matthews, Samuel Goergen, Callaway Corrick, Rebecca Koon, Alpha Trivette, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis Jr., with original "John Boy" Richard Thomas returning as the Narrator; written by Jim Strain and directed by Lev L. Spiro; A struggling Depression-era family is missing their father at the holidays, while their eldest son who dreams of being an author tries to help him get home for Christmas despite a storm) - Nov. 28, available via DVD and digital on Dec. 14
  
• The Black Pack: We Three Kings (holiday variety special starring Ne-Yo, Taye Diggs and Eric Bellinger, inspired by the Rat Pack holiday specials of yore; also featuring Bre-Z, Jordin Sparks, Tank and Sevyn Streeter) - Nov. 29
• Beebo Saves Christmas (animated special based on the breakout cuddly character from DC's Legends of Tomorrow; starring Ben Diskin, Chris Kattan, Ernie Hudson and Yvette Nicole Brown, with Victor Garber narrating; After saving the world, Beebo tries to find the true meaning of Christmas and runs into an evil elf trying to eliminate Santa) - Dec. 1
  
• Christmas Around the World (special about worldwide holiday traditions, past and present, hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie) - Dec. 8
• Legends of the Hidden Temple Holiday (special Christmas edition of the game show hosted by Cristela Alonzo) -Dec. 12
• Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown 2021 (the 12-best worldwide holiday commercials, hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner) - Dec. 12
• iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2021 (musical concert special featuring Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Lil Nas X, the Jonas Brothers, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and more; filmed in New York City) - Dec. 15, livestream available Dec. 10 on the CW App
• Dogs of the Year 2021 (special highlighting the most amazing dogs, and their owners, of 2021; hosted by Kevin Frazer and Keltie Knight) - Dec. 16
  
• The 89th Hollywood Christmas Parade (annual parade broadcast featuring Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams and  Elizabeth Stanton;presented via tape delay from Hollywood; takes place on November 28th and supports the Marine's Toys for Tots charity.) - Dec. 17
• iHeartRadio Holiday Pop Up Party with Ed Sheeran (five-song performance, interview and holiday light show hosted by Elvis Duran and Maxwell & Crystal at the Empire State Building, filmed on December 8th in New York City) - Dec. 20 on the CW app, audio on iHeart radio
• Popstar's Best of 2021 (Elizabeth Stanton hosts a countdown of top musical acts and pop culture moments, as voted on by Popstar magazine readers) - Dec. 28

PBS

NOTE: Most also available to stream on PBS Passport; check local listings as debut and re-airs vary across different PBS stations

• All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2020  (co-production with Channel 5 in the UK, starring Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley, based on the book series by James Herriot, shot on location in Yorkshire and aired December 25, 2020 in the UK) - Feb. 21, U.S. debut
• Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony (holiday concert from the legendary soprano; filmed in London) - Oct. 16 (Preview)
• Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra Family Christmas Show (Rat pack at home special not seen since 1967, with additional, new interview footage) - Oct. 29
• Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank (Classic 1957 Christmas special, one of the first broadcast in color, remastered and featuring Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby) - Nov. 30
• Alma's Way Holiday Special (animated special based on the series created by Sesame Stree alum Sonia Manzano and Fred Rogers Productions, centered on Alma, a six-year-old Puerto Rican girl living in the Bronx) - Dec. 13
• The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (orchestral re-telling of the classic short short by E.T.A. Hoffmann, which became Tchaikovsky's iconic ballet, with narrator Alan Cummings backed by the Scottish National Orchestra; recorded in 2019 but new to the U.S.) - Dec. 14
• 20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir (retrospective of Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday concerts, narrated by Brian Stokes Mitchell) - Dec. 13, will also air on BYU TV Dec. 16
• A Christmas Celtic Sojourn 2021 (Irish holiday musical special) - Dec. 17
• The Wayfaring Project (concert film, featuring the Pacific Chorale, and Pacific Symphony under the direction of Robert Istad, with classic and contemporary favorites, both holiday and non) - Dec. 17
• Christmas at the Belmont 2021 (the Belmont University choir welcomes special guest Josh Turner who features music from his new Christmas album) - Dec. 20
• A St. Thomas Christmas: Bloom Eternal (holiday concert from the University of St. Thomas) - Dec. 20
• In Performance at the White House: Spirit of the Season (D.C. holiday musical performances from Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli, Camila Cabello, Eric Church, the Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, Northwell Health Nurse Choir, and more) - Dec. 21
• Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza (Channel 4 UK documentary, available for the first time in the U.S.; A look at the elaborate holiday events at one of the world's most famous hotels) - Dec. 22
• 62nd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration (Music, dance and more celebrating the season in Los Angeles) - Dec. 24, PBS SoCal
• Call the Midwife Christmas Special (special holiday episode of the series, airing same day as in the UK) - Dec. 25
  
• United in Song: Celebrating the American Dream  (musical celebration of the American spirit hosted by Chita Rivera with special guests David Archuleta, Midori and Brandee Younger) - Dec. 31

ION

• Christmas Down Under (holiday movie starring Paul O'Brien, Justine Kacir and Joanne Samuel; directed by Louis Mandylor; written by Leigh Joel Scott; A Type-A woman flies to Australia in search of her husband and his dysfunctional family after a fight, getting help from some eccentric characters and regaining her Christmas spirit along the way; filmed in Australia) - Nov. 21
• A Christmas Witness (holiday movie starring Colin Egglesfield, Arielle Kebbel, LaDonna Tittle and Bryan Segal; directed by Melissa Kosar; written by Joany Kane; A detective must protect a low level mobster set to testify against his boss; filmed in Chicago) - Nov. 28
  
• The Christmas Thief (holiday movie starring Vivica A Fox, Michelle Borth, Jarrid Masse, Bryson JonSteele and Rachel Cerda; directed by Danny Salles; written by Joany Kane; A private investigator trying to make a name for herself clashes with a local cop as they both try to solve a string of holiday break-ins; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 5
• A New Lease on Christmas (holiday movie starring Claire Coffee and George Stults; written by Jack Marchetti and Robert Friedman; A woman falls for a coffee shop owner, only to learn her new shop requires her to throw him out; filmed in Lafayette, La. in 2018) - Dec. 11

Bounce

• Who Is Christmas Eve? (holiday movie starring Paige Hurd, Romeo Miller, Alex Wong, Juliana Harkavy and Milaya S. Gregory; directed by Christina Faith; written by Elyse Endick; A woman abandoned as a baby on Christmas Eve finds her birth family; filmed in New Jersey) - Nov. 21 (Trailer)
• Stellar Tribute to the Holidays (gospel music variety special hosted by Jekalyn Carr and featuring Kierra Sheard Kelly, Mali Music, Charles Jenkins and Natalie Grant, among others) - Dec. 25, also airs in national syndication starting Dec. 5 (check local listings)
  

MeTV

• MeTV's Super Colossal Cartoon Christmas! (the cast of Toon In With Me, including Bill Leff, weigh in on Christmas cartoons of yore including Looney Tunes' "The Fright Before Christmas and "Gift Wrapped" Popeye's "Seasin's Greetinks!" and Tom & Jerry's "The Night Before Christmas.") - Dec. 13

TBN

• Christmas Stories with Max Lucado (Author Max Lucado shares some of his best-loved, faith-filled Christmas tales) - Nov. 28

Hallmark Channel

• A New Year's Resolution (New Year's movie filmed for 2019 then pulled from the schedule without explanation; starring Aimee Teegarden and Michael Rady; directed by Lesley Demetriades; A TV news producer resolves to say yes to more in the New Year ) - Jan. 7
• Baby, It's Cold Inside  (anthology sequel to 2019′s Winter Castle starring Jocelyn Hudon, Steven Lund, Ish Morris and Kathryn Kohut; directed by Marita Grabiak; filmed at the Hotel de Glace in Quebec) - May 8
  
• Crashing Through the Snow (holiday movie starring Amy Acker, Warren Christie, Brooke Nevin and Kristian Bruun; directed by R.C. Newey; written by Tamar Laddy; A woman agrees to spend an awkward holiday vacation with her ex and his new girlfriend, in order to be with their kids, then finds an unexpected ally in the new girlfriend's brother; filmed in Winnipeg) - July 10 ***Review***
• You, Me & the Christmas Trees (holiday movie starring Danica McKellar, Benjamin Ayres and Jason Hervey; directed by David Winning; An Evergreen expert and a tree farmer team up to find out what's wrong on his family tree farm; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Oct. 22
  
• Boyfriends of Christmas Past (holiday movie starring Catherine Haena Kim, Raymond Ablack, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ish Morris, Alys Crocker, Jordan Kronis, Jon McLaren and Karn Kalra; directed by Don McBreaty; written by Lisa Parsons and based on the book by Edie Grace, who also publishes under the name Erika Marks; A marketing exec too busy for love is visited by the ghosts of four exes at the holidays who warn her she could lose her best friend if she doesn't change her ways; filmed in Ottawa) - Oct. 23
  
• The Santa Stakeout (holiday movie starring Tamera Mowry-Housley, Paul Campbell, Joe Pantoliano, Tom Pickett and Devon Alexander; directed by Peter Benson; Detectives reluctantly pair up and pose as newlyweds to stakeout their prime suspect in a series of holiday robberies, a Christmas-loving neighbor; filmed in Abbotsford, B.C.) - Oct. 24 **Review**
  
• Christmas in Harmony (holiday movie starring Ashleigh Murray, Luke James, Michelle Williams, Loretta Devine, Basil Wallace and Tia Streaty; directed by Rusty Cundieff; written by Jessiline Berry; A woman home for the holidays is tricked into auditioning for a Christmas Eve choir directed by her ex-boyfriend; filmed in Wilmington, N.C.) - Oct. 29
  
• Coyote Creek Christmas (holiday movie starring Janel Parrish, Ryan Paevey and Adriana Ravalli; produced by Antonio Cupo; directed by David Strasser; A daughter returns home to plan a holiday party for her family-owned inn, not knowing her parents plan to sell, and their handsome, single dad guest is the potential buyer; filmed in B.C.) - Oct. 30
  
• Christmas Sail (holiday movie starring Katee Sackhoff, Patrick Sabongui and Terry O'Quinn; directed by Stacey N. Harding; To save her family home, reunite with her estranged father and give her daughter the perfect Christmas, a woman enters an annual Christmas boat light parade;  filmed in Gibsons, B.C.) - Oct. 31 ***Review***
• Gingerbread Miracle (holiday movie starring Merritt Patterson and Jon Ecker; directed by Michael M Scott; Old friends work together at the holidays in a bakery famed for making magical, wish-granting gingerbread cookies; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 5
  
• Next Stop, Christmas (holiday movie starring Lyndsy Fonseca, Chandler Massey, Eric Freeman, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd; directed by Dustin Rikert; A train home for the holidays, becomes a train into the past as a woman with regrets gets a second chance at love; filmed in Norwich, Conn.) - Nov. 6 ***Review***
  
• A Christmas Treasure (holiday movie starring Jordin Sparks and Michael Xavier; directed by Michael Robison; A grandfather's journal helps two young people decide whether their future lies in the big city or the idyllic small town where they're staying for the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 7
  
• Open by Christmas (holiday movie starring Alison Sweeney, Brennan Elliot, Michael Karl Richards and Erica Durance; directed by David Weaver; An unopened high school Christmas card leads best friends on a quest to find true love; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 12
  
• My Christmas Family Tree (holiday movie about a family-owned Christmas tree lot, starring Aimee Teegarden, Andrew Walker, James Tupper, Kendall Cross, Georgia Mae Orchard and Ava Telek; directed by Jason Bourque; written by Mark Hefti; A woman's DNA test reveals unknown relatives she meets at the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13
  
• A Holiday in Harlem (holiday movie starring Olivia Washington, Will Adams, Tina Lifford and Eric Scott Ways; directed by Keith Powell; written by Monique N. Matthews; A New York City executive is guilted into visiting her grandma at Christmas, where she gets roped into helping plan the community holiday party; filmed in Connecticut) - Nov. 14
  
• Nantucket Noel (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan, Sarah Power and Fiona Vroom; written and directed by Kirsten Hansen; based on the book Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer; A heartless landlord raises the rent on a struggling, small-town toy store owner just before Christmas, but his granddaughter and her handsome, single uncle aren't quite so Scrooge-like; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 19
  
• A Christmas Together with You (holiday movie starring Laura Vandervoort, Niall Matter, Liza Huget and Harry Lennix; directed by Kevin Fair; written by Graham Locke; A father-daughter road trip to find a lost love during the holidays; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 20
  
• A Kiss Before Christmas (holiday movie starring Teri Hatcher, James Denton, Rachael McLaren, April Blackbird, Gino Anania, Rod Wilson and Kimberley Bradley; directed by Jeff Beesley; written by Mark Amato and Tracy Andreen; After a professional disappointment, a married man wishes for a new life and wakes up with one, only to realize his family was all he ever wanted; filmed in Winnipeg) - Nov. 21 ***Review***
• The Nine Kittens of Christmas (sequel to the 2014 movie The Nine Lives of Christmas starring Kimberly Sustad, Brandon Routh, Gregory Harrison, Stephanie Bennett and LaTonya Williams; directed by David Winning; written by Erinne Dobson; Zach and Marilee have drifted apart, but a litter of kittens could reunite them in time for Christmas; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 25 ***Review***
  
• Christmas CEO (holiday movie starring Marisol Nichols and Paul Greene; directed by Jonathan Wright; A small toymaker gets a chance to merge with a giant company, but needs permission from her ex-partner to close the deal; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 26
  
• An Unexpected Christmas (holiday movie starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes; directed by Michael Robison; written by Paul Campbell; Exes agree to fake it for Christmas in order to not upset their families, but will holiday magic rekindle their spark?; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 26 ***Review***
  
• Making Spirits Bright (holiday movie starring Taylor Cole, Carlo Marks and Sarah Surh; directed by David Bercovici-Artieda; Rival holiday decorators must work together to win a town competition that could save both their family businesses; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Christmas at Castle Hart (holiday movie starring Lacey Chabert and Stuart Townsend; directed by Stefan Scaini; written by Rick Garman and Paul Campbell; A woman in Ireland looking for her roots is mistaken for an event planner and helps host a castle Christmas soiree; filmed in Ireland) - Nov. 27 ***Review***
  
• Christmas in Tahoe (holiday movie based on the 2015 Train album; starring Train lead singer Pat Monahan, Laura Osnes, Kyle Selig, George Lopez and Rebecca Staab; directed by Robert Lieberman; Trying to put together a show to save her family's hotel, a woman must ask her musician ex for help; filmed in Whistler, B.C.) - Nov. 28
• The Christmas Contest (holiday movie based on the book by Scarlet Wilson; starring and executive produced by Candace Cameron Bure, also starring John Brotherton and Barbara Niven; directed by Paula Elle; written by Joie Botkin; An ex-couple compete in a Christmas contest to see who can win the prize money for their chosen charity; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28
• Eight Gifts of Hanukkah  (holiday movie starring Inbar Lavi and Jake Epstein; directed by Mark Jean; produced by Yale Kussin; A woman searches for her secret admirer at Hanukkah; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 3
  
• A Very Merry Bridesmaid (holiday movie starring Emily Osment and Casey Deidrick; directed by David Strasser; written by Tracy Andreen and Elena Valdez; A woman's Christmas Eve birthday is overshadowed by not only the holiday, but her brother's wedding; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 4
  
• Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday (holiday movie series starring real-life sisters and frequent Hallmark leads, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Ashley Williams, along with Mark Deklin, Keith D. Robinson, Susan Yeagley, Jason Buster, Logan Donovan, Jay Hunter and Roberta Valderrama; directed by Sean McNamara and written by Zac Hug, Claire Boyles, Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott; Big sister and single mom Jennifer, returns to her small hometown at the holidays and helps a childhood friend save the local movie theater; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 5
  
• A Dickens of a Holiday! (holiday movie starring Brooke D'Orsay, Kristoffer Polaha and Chad Willett; directed by Paul Ziller; written by  Mark Hefti and Julie Sherman Wolfe; A woman entices a movie star back to his hometown to star inA Christmas Carol; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 10
  
• A Royal Queens Christmas (holiday movie starring Megan Park, Julian Morris and Nicola Correia-Damude; directed by Lee Friedlander; A royal ends up in Queens, NY, helping a local put on a children's holiday show; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 11
• Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (holiday movie series starring real-life sisters and frequent Hallmark leads, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Ashley Williams, along with Keith D. Robinson, Mark Deklin, Jason Buster, Logan Donovan, Jay Hunter and Roberta Valderrama; directed by Sean McNamara and written by Zac Hug, Claire Boyles, Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott; Younger sister Meg comes to town to help her big sister's restaurant win a Christmas party contest, but clashes with Jennifer's by-the-book General Manager; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 12
  
• The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (holiday movie sequel to 2020′s The Christmas House, starring Robert Buckley, Ana Ayora, Jonathan Bennett, Brad Harder, Treat Williams and Sharon Lawrence; directed by Rich Newey; The Mitchell Brothers compete to see who can create the best Christmas House; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Dec. 18
• 'Tis the Season to be Merry  (holiday movie starring Rachael Leigh Cook and Travis Van Winkle; directed by Gary Yates; A self-help author spends the holidays in Vermont to research her next book, but finds herself falling for a charming charity worker; filmed in Winnipeg) - Dec. 19

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

• Christmas in My Heart (holiday movie starring Heather Hemmens, Luke Macfarlane, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bailey Thain and Léonora Bousquet-Sangho; directed by Pat Kiely and written by Liz Storm; A violinist returns to her hometown after her mother's death to run the family music school and bonds with a talented student, whose dad is a country star grieving the loss of his wife; filmed in Saint-Léonard, Quebec) - Oct. 23
• The Christmas Promise (holiday movie starring Torrey DeVitto, Dylan Bruce, Patrick Duffy, Greyston Holt and Giles Panton; directed by Fred Gerber; written by Kathy Kloves; A grieving woman makes a Christmas connection with a local handyman she hires to fix the home she planned to live in with her fiancé; filmed in B.C.) - Oct. 30
  
• Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas (holiday movie starring Kaitlin Doubelday, Steve Lund and Caroline Rhea; directed by Ruby Munro; based on the book by Debbie Macomber; adapted by Nina Weinman; A couple desperate for a child and struggling to care for their aging grandmother, are rescued by a mysterious stranger at the holidays; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Nov. 6 ***Review***
• One December Night (holiday movie starring Eloise Mumford, Brett Dalton, Bruce Campbell and Peter Gallagher; directed by Clare Niederpruem; two music managers put aside their own differences to reunite their feuding rock star fathers for a holiday concert; filmed in Newburgh, Saugerties and Goshen, NY) - Nov. 13 ***Review***
  
• Five More Minutes (holiday movie starring Nikki DeLoach and David Haydn-Jones; directed by Linda-Lisa Hayter; inspired by the Scotty McCreery song; A woman's holiday is changed when she reads her grandfather's journal) - Nov. 20
• Time for Them to Come For Christmas (fourth in the holiday movie series executive-produced by Blake Shelton, following 2018′s Time for Me to Come Home For Christmas, 2019′s Time for You to Come Home for Christmas and 2020′s Time for Us to Come Home For Christmas; starring Jessy Schram, Brendan Penny, Brendon Zub, Alison Sweeney, Lisa Durupt, Lochlyn Munro, and April & Ava Telek; directed by Peter Benson; An amnesiac looking for answers travels cross country with her nurse at the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Our Christmas Journey (holiday movie starring Holly Robinson-Peete, Lyriq Bent and Nik Sanchez; directed by Kevin Fair; written by Marcy Holland and Camille Thomasson; A single mother learns to let go of her son, who is living with autism; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 4
• A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love (fourth in the anthology series based on the work of author SQuire Rushnell and executive-produced by Kathie Lee Gifford; starring Katherine Barrell and Alberto Frezzo; directed by Heather Hawthorn-Doyle; Two people feeling a little lost in their lives meet at the holidays while building a home for a charity; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11
• Christmas for Keeps (holiday movie starring Ashley Newbrough, Ryan Rotterman, Christa B. Allen and Marielle Scott; directed by Fred Gerber; written by Megan McNulty and Nikki DeLoach; Old friends reunite to celebrate their high school teacher; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 18

Lifetime

• It's a Wonderful Lifetime Holiday Movie Preview (hosted by Tia Mowry-Hardrict) - Nov. 7, available via VOD on Oct. 24
• An Ice Wine Christmas (holiday movie starring Roselyn Sanchez and Lyriq Bent; directed by Jill Carter, written by Kelly Fullerton, and produced by Danielle von Zerneck; A big city sommelier returns home for the holidays and the annual ice wine harvest, only to clash with her family wine business's new hire ; filmed in Niagara, Ont.) - Nov. 12  *Review*
  
• A Picture Perfect Holiday (holiday movie starring Tatyana Ali, Henderson Wade, Dina Meyer, Paula Andrea Placido and Rivkah Reyes; directed by J.E. Logan; written by Anna S. White; A fashion photographer and wildlife photographer find themselves sharing a cabin at the holidays; filmed in Utah) - Nov. 13
  
• Dancing Through the Snow (holiday movie starring AnnaLynne McCord and Colin Lawrence; directed by Paul Shapiro; written by Adam Rockoff; A ballet teacher finds herself falling for a firefighter single dad after a clip of him practicing with his daughter goes viral; filmed in Mission, B.C.) - Nov. 19 (Trailer)
  
• You Make it Feel Like Christmas (holiday movie starring Michael Xavier, Mary Antonini and Stephanie Sy; directed by Lisa France; A newly returned soldier is disappointed to learn his ex-girlfriend isn't coming home for holidays due to a big opportunity for her business, so makes it his mission to get her home by Christmas to spend time with her father; filmed in Winnipeg and aired in Canada on CTV in 2020 as AChristmas Mission) - Nov. 20 (Trailer)
  
• Baking Spirits Bright  (holiday movie starring Rekha Sharma, Dion Johnstone, Aadila Dosani and Riun Garner; directed by Aubrey Arnason; written by Alison Spuck McNeeley and Casie Tabanou; A daughter and a marketer clash over how to save her family's Indian-American fruitcake business; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 21 (Trailer)
• Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune (holiday movie starring and produced by Reba McEntire, also starring John Schneider, Justin David and Candice King; directed by Emily Moss Wilson; written by Juliet and Keith Giglio; To keep her job, a marketing exec is tasked with reuniting a famous singing duo, who also happen to be her parents, for a Christmas concert. The problem is, they can't stand each other; produced by Hartbreak Films and filmed in Tennessee) - Nov. 26
  
• Merry Liddle Christmas, Baby (holiday sequel to 2019′sMerry Liddle Christmas and 2020′s Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding starring Kelly Rowland, LaTonya Williams, Bresha Webb, Jaime M Callica, Nathan Witte and Thomas Cadrot; directed by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall; The Liddle sister gather for the holidays and celebrate new arrivals; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Miracle in Motor City (holiday movie starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Mark Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Kyana Teresa and Dorian Grey; directed by Alfons Adetuyi; When a woman rashly promises Smokey Robinson will sing at her church's Christmas pageant, she moves mountains to make it happen; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - Nov. 28
• Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion(holiday movie starring Alonzo B. Slater, Michelle Argyris, Vanessa Williams, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Asia'h Epperson; An event planner gets her big break planning a celebrity's holiday family reunion, but things get complicated when she starts to fall for a member of the family; filmed in California) - Nov. 29 (Trailer)
  
• Saying Yes to Christmas (holiday movie starring Erika Prevost and Romaine Waite; directed by Graeme Campbell; written by John Dion; A workaholic woman refuses to enjoy the season, so her boyfriend makes a holiday wish that she just, 'Say yes to Christmas;' filmed partially in Dundurn Castle, as well as in Dundas, Ont.) - Nov. 30
• Match Made in Mistletoe (holiday movie starring Natalie Lisinska, Damon Runyan, Madeline Leon, Tessa Kozma, Steffi DiDomenicantonio and James Kall; directed by Adrian Langley; An interior designer hired to decorate a lavish embassy for the holidays clashes with the grumpy ambassador, who finds the process annoying; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 1 (Trailer)
• A Christmas Village Romance (holiday movie starring Jeni Ross, Jake Epstein, Olivier Renaud and Tim Progosh; directed by Maxwell McGuire; An author returns to her hometown to help save a beloved, local museum; filmed partly at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Ontario; debuted in 2020 in Canada on CTV as Christmas at Maple Creek) - Dec. 2 (Trailer); also available on Peacock as of Dec. 15
  
• A Christmas Dance Reunion (holiday movie starring Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman; directed by Brian Herzlinger, who co-wrote the script with wife Megan; A mother and daughter return to a closing resort for its final season, where she reconnects with a childhood dance partner) - Dec. 3
  
• A Merry & Bright Makeover (Olay-branded mini-movie starring Monique Coleman; A scientist accompanies her boyfriend home for the holidays and his sister helps her prep for a proposal) - Dec. 3
• Kirk Franklin's A Gospel Christmas (Gospel music-focused holiday movie starring Demetria McKinney, Kirk Franklin, Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Regina Bell; directed by Erica Sutherlin; written by Kourtney Richard; A young pastor starts in a new parish just before the holidays and must find her footing with a skeptical church choir; filmed in and around Atlanta) - Dec. 4
  
• My Favorite Christmas Melody (holiday movie starring Mya and Rainbow Sun Francks; directed by Michael Kennedy; written by Josh Brekhus and Lauren Balson Carter; A frustrated singer-songwriter who feels trapped writing commercial jingles, returns home from the holidays and rediscovers her purpose while helping a local teacher save his arts program; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 5
  
• Secretly Santa (holiday movie starring Alicia Dea Josipovic and Travis Nelson; directed by Sharon Lewis; written by John Dion; Business rivals work on a holiday gift-giving app together and find their animosity turning to something else; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 6 (Trailer)
• Christmas Movie Magic (holiday movie starring Drew Seeley, Holly Deveaux, Jennifer Gibson and Brandon Ludwig; directed by Robert Vaughn; written by Rickie Castaneda and Megan Hocking; A reporter covering the story of a small town famous for the classic Christmas movie filmed there, finds herself drawn to a local theater owner; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - Dec. 7
• A Fiancé for Christmas (holiday movie starring Marie Osmond, Amanda Payton, Adam Gregory, Sarah Jayne Jensen and Shona Kay; directed by Ryan Little; When a woman makes a fake wedding registry for fun, it backfires as her small town finds it and thinks she's getting married for real; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 9
  
• Holiday in Santa Fe (holiday movie starring Mario Lopez, Emeraude Toubia, Aimee Garcia, Gia Lopez and Hank Chen; directed by Jody Margolin Hahn; written by Cristela Alonzo; A greeting card executive is sent to acquire a family-owned business that specializes in traditional Mexican holiday ornaments) - Dec. 10
• The Holiday Fix Up (holiday movie starring Jana Kramer, Ryan McPartlin, Maria Menounos, Brandon Ford Green and Brian Sills; directed by Brian Herzlinger; written by Jessica Koosed; A woman is forced to renovate an inn with the one that got away; filmed in Connecticut) - Dec. 11
• Blending Christmas (holiday movie starring Haylie Duff, Aaron O'Connell, Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen, Barry Williams and Telma Hopkins; directed by Marla Sokoloff; written by Adam Rockoff and Peter Sullivan; A man comes up with an elaborate plan to propose to his girlfriend, in front of both their families, at a soon-to-close resort that holds special memories for her, but the stress of trying to make everything perfect could tear them apart) - Dec. 12
• Maps and Mistletoe (holiday movie starring Humberly Gonzalez, Ronnie Rowe Jr, Simon Webster and Connor McMahon; directed by Maxwell McGuire; A geography lover meets a world-famous travel photographer; filmed in Almonte, Ont.) - Dec. 13
  
• Ghosts of Christmas Past (holiday movie starring Dan Jeannotte and Annie Clark; directed by Virginia Abramovich; written by Sharon Latimer; A fortune teller lets a fickle woman know she needs to make amends with the men she's mistreated by Christmas Eve or be without love forever; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 14
  
• The Enchanted Christmas Cake (holiday movie starring Erica Durance, Robin Dunne, David Palffy and Robert Vaughn, who also directed; Trying to save the family bakery, a local baker agrees to work with a celeb chef for his Christmas special, while also trying to recreate her grandmother's long lost Christmas cake recipe; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 15
  
• Christmas by Chance (holiday movie starring Jacob Blair, Neil Whitely, Winny Clarke, Celeste Desjardins, Alys Crocker and Celine Tsai; directed by Andrew Cymek and written by Brigitte Kingsley; A struggling gift shop owner is hired to plan the perfect proposal, but finds herself falling in love with her client; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2020; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 16
• Mistletoe in Montana (holiday movie starring and produced by Melissa Joan Hart, from her Hartbreak Production imprint; co-starring Duane Henry, Anderson Davis and Mallian Butler; directed by Kellie Martin; A single dad not used to the outdoors, brings his kids to a dude ranch to celebrate the holidays; filmed in Montana) - Dec. 17
• Toying with the Holidays (holiday movie starring Chad Michael Murray and Cindy Busby; directed by Bradley Walsh; written by Buddy Baron, John B Mullino and Emily Moss Wilson; A single mom and a hobby shop owner, are brought together by her late father's model train set; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18
  
• Under the Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Elise Bauman, Tattiawna Jones, Enrico Colantoni and Ricki Lake; directed by Lisa Rose Snow, produced by Danielle von Zerneck; written by Michael J. Murray; A woman working to save her business goes to war with a rival who wants to cut down a beloved evergreen to use as a state Christmas tree; filmed in Carleton Place, Ont.) - Dec. 19
  
• Candy Cane Candidate (holiday movie starring Jacky Lai and Jake Epstein; directed by Pat Kiely; written by Melissa Bustamante; Coming home for the holidays to lick her wounds after a losing political campaign, a woman finds herself thrown into another campaign with her high school rival; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 20
• The Christmas Ball (holiday movie starring Deirdre Mullins and Nick Hendrix, directed by Amy Barrett; A dancer spends Christmas in England with her aunt, where she helps a local plan a Christmas Ball to help preserve her aunt's historic house; aired in Canada in 2020; filmed in Serbia) - Dec. 21 (Trailer)
  
• It Takes a Christmas Village (holiday movie starring Brooke Nevin, Corey Sevier and Alli Chung; Sevier also directed the movie based on a script by his wife, Kate Pragnell; a mayor tries to create a Christmas market to help save her struggling town, but a grumpy property owner refuses to rent them the land; filmed in Fergus, Ont.) - Dec. 22
  
• Rebuilding a Dream Christmas (a.k.a. Christmas Comes Home; holiday movie starring Meggan Kaiser, Zane Stephens, Bryson JonSteele and Maxie McClintock; directed by Sandra Martin; A women returns to her hometown and rediscovers her holiday spirit with help from a single dad and her grandmother's homemade ornaments) - Dec. 23 (Website)
  
• Hot Chocolate Holiday  (holiday movie starring Aubrey Reynolds and Jonny Swenson; A coffee shop and baker owner feud over a recipe, but are forced to work together for the holidays; filmed in Utah in 2020) - Dec. 24 (Trailer)
• Writing Around the Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Curtis Hamilton, Krystal Joy Brown, James Black, Meg Steedle, Gavyn Michaels, Dawnn Lewis, Max Emerson and Samantha Quan; directed by Jake Helgren; An author of a successful romance series has hit a roadblock so heads to one of her mother's holiday writing retreats, where she just might find more than inspiration; filmed in Lake Arrowhead, Calif.) - Dec. 25 (Trailer)

Lifetime Movie Network

• Dangerous Snow Day (thriller set around the holidays starringNicolette Langley, Alex Trumble, Matthew Pohlkamp and Kate Watson; directed by Brittany Underwood; a nanny is fired after rejecting her employer's advances and soon finds her life and livelihood in danger) - Dec. 11

UPtv

• Christmas with a Prince: The Royal Baby  (sequel to 2018′s Christmas with a Prince and 2019′s wedding-themed Christmas with a Prince: Becoming Royal starring Kaitlyn Leeb, Nick Hounslow and Charles Shaughnessy; originally based on the book by Sarah Morgan; directed by Justin G Dyck; The newlywed royals become parents, but not without complications; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 7, also available via DVD on Nov. 23
• A Snowy Christmas (holiday movie starring Elysia Rotaru and Damon Runyan; directed by Robin Dunne; A big city lawyer trying to save her family's lodge makes a wish on a snowman, and the next day a handsome contractor shows up to solve all her problems; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 13 (Trailer)
  
• Snowed In for Christmas (holiday movie starring Kayla Wallace, Jeremy Guilbaut and Meghan K. Lees; directed by Jason Bourque and written by Starlett Hill; An au pair gets stuck with her young charges and their handsome uncle after a snowstorm cancels her holiday travel plans; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 14 (Trailer)
  
• Mistletoe and Molly (holiday movie directed by Lane Shefter Bishop, based on the novel by Jennifer Snow, who also co-wrote the script; starring Zach Smadu, Eden Broda, Steffi DiDomenicantonio and Shane Marriott; A woman tries to avoid a holiday with her family by claiming car trouble, only to have a handsome stranger offer to help her; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 20
  
• Christmas on 5th Avenue (holiday movie starring Kathryn Davis, Olivier Renaud, Kara Duncan, Tonjha Richardson, Randy Thomas, Celestine Caravaggio and Robert Ball; directed by Amy Force; Hired to decorate a Grinch's apartment for the holidays, a woman finds herself clashing with her reluctant client when he's not out of town as she was advised; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 21
  
• Christmas Beneath the Stars (holiday movie starring Maddy Foley, Vanessa Smythe, Steve Belford and Kym Wyatt McKenzie; directed by Lane Shefter Bishop, based on the book by Melissa Hill; A photographer on assignment to shoot the Northern Lights meets a dog sled racer at a holiday hotel that's seen better days; filmed in Noelville, Ontario) - Dec. 4
  
• A Furry Little Christmas (holiday movie starring Jonathan Stoddard and Kristi McKamie; directed by Dylan Vox; written by Andra Gordon-Gatica; A big city vet, home for Christmas, falls for a local doctor; filmed in Colorado) - Dec. 5
  
• Small Town Christmas (four-episode holiday series hosted by Megan Alexander who visits small towns—Branson, Mo.; Bethlehem, Pa.; Summerville, S.C and Natchitoches, La—to explore how they celebrate the holidays) - Dec. 5
• Fixing Up Christmas (holiday movie starring Natalie Dreyfuss, Marshall Williams, Bethany Brown and Stephanie Izsak; directed by Jessica Harmon; written by Ansley Gordon; A party planner tries to wow a young CEO with an unforgettable Christmas bash; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Dec. 12 (Trailer)
  

BYU TV

Note: All content also available to stream for free on the BYU TV app

• Christmas Under the Stars (annual holiday concert, featuring special guest Pentatonix; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 5
  
• A Grace Notes Christmas: Vol. 2 (special musical episode featuring classic carols from singers Amy Grant, Michelle T. Williams, Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, Ben Rector, Lecrae, Natalie Grant, Colton Dixon, Ellie Holcomb, Jamie Grace, Unspoken, Kierra Sheard, Michael McLean, Jonathan Traylor, Sidewalk Prophets, Francesca Battistelli, Jonathan McReynolds and Jordan Smith) - Dec. 5
• 20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir (retrospective of Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday concerts, narrated by Brian Stokes Mitchell) - Dec. 16, will also air on PBS Dec. 13
  

Ovation

Note: All content also available to stream for free on the Ovation NOW app

• Snow Queen (Redondo Ballet presents a new version of the classic ballet, recorded in 2020 but first time on TV ) - Dec. 12
• The Nutcracker by Kader Belarbi (New 2021Nutcracker ballet production from the Redondo Ballet by dancer/choreographer Kader Belarbi) - Dec. 12

Aspire

• Dreaming of a Black Christmas (original short starring Jeremy Anders and Pierre Boncy; directed by Etta East; written by Tim Orange II; part of the Damn Write Originals collection, to give exposure to writers of color) - July 1 (Website)

OWN

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• The Big Holiday Food Fight (five-episode holiday competition cooking series hosted by Kym Whitley and judged by Gina Neely, Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson and James Wright Chanel) - Nov. 16 (Trailer)
• A Chestnut Family Christmas  (holiday movie starring Meagan Holder, Brad James, Jamie M Callica and Klarc Jerome Wilson; directed by Roger Bobb; A personal chef poses as a wealthy homeowner and invites her family to her employer's house for the holidays, hoping to finally impress them; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 30 (Sneak Peek)
  
• A Sisterly Christmas  (holiday movie starring Deborah Joy Winans, Lisa Michelle Cornelius, Kyana Teresa, Marium Carvell and Kendrick Cross ; directed by Jerry LaMothe and written by Angela Burt-Murray; Sisters who have been fighting since their mother's death are brought together by their aunt at a Christmas resort, where they bond by attempting to defeat a rival in a Christmas contest and flirt with the owner's son; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 7 (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas Stray (holiday movie starring Rhyon Nicole Brown, Andra Fuller and Melissa Murray-Mutch; directed by Roger Bobb and written by Tobin Addington; A mysterious pooch brings two people together at the holidays; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 14 (Trailer)
  
• Song & Story: Amazing Grace (movie inspired by the song, starring Bresha Webb, Getenesh Berhe and Karen Clark Sheard; directed by Sharon Lewis; Two women find their lives unexpectedly and inspirationally intertwined) - Dec. 21 (Sneak Peek)

Oxygen

• Homocide for the Holidays (season four of the true crime series that takes a look at holiday set murders) - Dec. 6

Smithsonian Channel

• Behind the Holiday: Thanksgiving (documentary film exploring the true events of the 1621 harvest feast and what really inspired the modern holiday) - Nov. 22, also available same-day VOD
• Inside the Christmas Factory: Mince Pies (documentary exploring how Britain's most iconic holiday treat is mass produced) - Dec. 6, also available same-day VOD

TV One

• Coins Forever (third non-holiday movie in the series that began with 2018′s Coins for Christmas; starring Essence Atkins and Stephen Bishop; also featuring Golden Brooks; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 14
  
• Someday at Christmas (holiday movie starring Asia'h Epperson and Thomas Q. Jones; directed by Vanessa Bell Calloway; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. 12

GAC Family

NOTE: Want all to be aware there is more to GAC than cozy Christmas movies. Though I'm including dates and details here in the spirit of being a completist, worth noting the funding and founding of this new channel shares investors with OAN and the America First Policies PAC. More complete explanation here (bottom of page), for those who want to know more. UPDATE: All of GAC's holiday "originals" are also set to debut on streamer Peacock, IMDb TV or Amazon Prime, the same day and date as cable, so I'm listing them under both networks, and if you want to see them, but not support GAC, you might consider viewing them there '' instead.

• Welcome to Great American Christmas (holiday movie preview special hosted by Debbie Matenopoulos and Cameron Mathison, featuring holiday cooking segments and special guests) - Oct. 16
• Much Ado About Christmas (holiday movie starring Susie Abromeit, Torrance Coombs, Julian Haig, Olivier Raynal, James Rottger and Emma Colling; written by Janeen and Michael Damian, who also directs; Modern, holiday-set retelling of the Shakespeare tale; A secretly-rich woman pretends to be a struggling single mom, the only problem is her new boyfriend is pitching to the town's benefactor, who happens to be her wealthy mother; filmed in Romania) - Oct. 30, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• The Great Christmas Switch (holiday movie starring Dillon Casey, Sarah Lind and Jon McClaren; directed by Ernie Barbarash; written by Cara J. Russell; Twin sisters decide to switch places at the holidays; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 6, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• Christmas Time is Here (holiday movie starring Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams; directed by Christie Will Wolff; written by T.M. Hayes; A realtor wants to sell a client any resort except the one he wants to buy, which is owned by her family; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Kindhearted Christmas (holiday movie starring Cameron Mathison and Jennie Garth; directed by Alysse Leite-Rogers; A widow's generosity is catching, leading to her being profiled by a handsome morning TV anchor; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 20, also available same-day on Peacock
• Angel Falls Christmas  (a.k.a. Christmas Checklist; holiday movie starring Jessica Lowndes, Chad Michael Murray and David Reale; directed by Jerry Ciccoritti; A workaholic doctor falls for a fun-loving barista at Christmas; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 26, also available same-day on IMDb TV
• Royally Wrapped for Christmas (holiday movie starring Jen Lilley and Brendan Fehr; directed by TW Peacocke; A woman working at a charity dedicated to giving toys to everyone at the holidays finds love with a prince; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 27, also available same-day on Peacock
• Christmas is You  (holiday movie starring Becca Tobin, Matthew MacCaull and Casey Manderson; directed by Allan Harmon; Hometown sweethearts who both dreamed of making it big, are reunited when one is famous and the other is very much not; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• Jingle Bell Princess (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan and Merritt Patterson; directed by Dan McBrearty; based on the book His Jingle Bell Princess by Barbara Dunlop; A pampered royal uses a snowstorm to sneak away and experience the holidays as a commoner, spending time with a handsome widower and his twin daughters who have no idea who she is; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 4, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Lot Like Christmas  (holiday movie starring Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell; directed by Stacey N. Harding; A family Christmas tree lot is jeopardized when a big corporation moves into town filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 5, also available same-day on IMDb TV
  
• A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (holiday movie starring Jill Wagner and Nick Bateman; based on the book by Jane Porter; directed by Mike Rohl; A single dad moves back to Montana to get help from family, where his newly adopted goddaughter enlists a mysterious stranger name Kris to help him find love; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Christmas Star (holiday movie starring Sara Canning and Daniel Lissing; directed by Jessica Harmon; An astronomer hunting for aliens finds herself falling for a widowed park ranger; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12,  also available same-day on Amazon Prime
  
• When Hope Calls: Hearties Christmas Present (behind-the-scenes of the filming of When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas) - Dec. 12
• When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas  (holiday movie based on the When Calls the Heart spinoff series formerly seen on Hallmark Movies Now, starring Lori Loughlin, Morgan Kohan, Jocelyn Hudon, Ryan-James Hatanaka and Greg Hovanessian; directed by Bradley Walsh; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18, also available same-day on IMDb TV
• Joy for Christmas (holiday movie starring Cindy Busby and Sam Page; directed by Pat Williams; To save a holiday toy drive, a woman must convince a pro athlete to be its spokesman; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19, also available same-day on Amazon Prime

Disney Channel

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Disney+

• Amphibia: Froggy Little Christmas (original animated special based on the Disney Channel series, featuring an original song from Rebecca Sugar) - Nov. 27
  
• Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas (original animated special based on the animated Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series; Following a series of holiday mishaps, Mickey, Minnie and the gang must find their way home in time for Christmas Eve) - Dec. 2
• Disney's Holiday Magic Quest (a second in-theme park scavenger hunt with the stars of Zombies, Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Meg Donnelly and Trevor Tordjman working to restore the Magic Kingdom's Christmas tree star stolen by Maleficent) - Dec. 3
  
• Christmas…Again?!(holiday movie filmed in Chicago; starring Scarlett Estevez, Daniel Sunjata, Alexis Carra, Priscilla Lopez and Ashlyn Jade Lopez; directed by Andy Fickman; A wish to Santa for everything to go back to the way it was before her parents' divorce, throws a young girl into a holiday time loop; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)

Nickelodeon

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Paramount+

• A Loud House Christmas: Behind the Scenes  (weekly series of shorts featuring cast from the A Loud House Christmas live action movie, showing behind-the-scenes moments from filming, and sharing their favorite animated series moments) - Sep. 3
  
• A Blue's Clues Festival of Lights (special stand-alone episode of the Blue's Clues and You! series, where Blue celebrates Hanukkah with his friend Periwinkle) - Nov. 26
• A Loud House Christmas (original, live-action holiday movie, based on the long-running animated series; starring Wolfgang Schaeffer, Jahzir Bruno, Justin Michael Stevenson and Gail Everett-Smith; directed by Jonathan Judge and written by Liz Maccie; Lincoln Loud is gearing up for a spectacular Christmas but his sisters have other ideas, so he launches an elaborate plan with the help of his best friend to keep the whole family together for the holidays; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), also available on Paramount+
• Blue's Snowy Day Surprise (special stand-alone episode of the Blue's Clues and You! series, when Blue tackles a snow day with special guest Leslie Odom Jr.) - Dec. 6
• Bubble Guppies: Christmas is Coming! (stand-alone holiday episode of the series featuring special guest David Cross) - Dec. 7
• Treasure Truck Holiday (special reality competition hosted by the WWE's Xavier Woods; families compete for a truckload of holiday gifts) - Dec. 8
• SpongeBob's Road to Christmas! (stand-alone holiday episode with SpongeBob and his pals making their way to the North Pole to give Santa his Christmas gift) - Dec. 10

Comedy Central

• A Clusterfunke Christmas (holiday movie starring Vella Lovell, Cheyenne Jackson, Ryan McPartlin, Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer; Dratch and Gasteyer also wrote the script; directed by Anna Dokoza; produced by Danielle von Zerneck; a big city gal comes to small town to buy a quaint inn and turn it into a soulless resort, but its spinster owners aren't interested in selling, and she might have a change of heart after meeting their nephew/burly small-town woodsman; filmed in Vancouver) - Dec. 4
• Hot Mess Holiday (a.k.a. Surina & Mel Light it Up: A Diwali Story; holiday movie starring Surina Jindal, Melanie Chandra, Kal Penn, Tituss Burgess, Chris Parnell, Punam Patel, Richa Moorjani, Nik Dodani, Kunal Dudheker, Chris Geere, Aparna Nancherla, Ravi Patel, Lilly Singh, Desmond Chiam and Ritesh Rajan; directed by: Sameer Gardezi; written by: Sameer Gardezi; When a woman is dumped during Diwali she and her BFF go on an epic party crawl, but end up accidental jewel thieves) - Dec. 11

VH1

• Adventures in Christmasing (holiday movie starring Kim Fields, Adrian Holmes, Kel Mitchell and Eva Marcille; directed by Troy Scott; written by Rhonda Baraka; A TV host reluctantly goes on a holiday camping adventure with a TV survivalist to boost ratings; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 29
  
• The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (holiday movie starring RuPaul, Raven-Symone, Krysta Rodriguez, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and featuring Drag Race contestants including: Ginger Minj, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Peppermint, Jan, Latrice Royale, Jaymes Mansfield, Gottmik, Morgan McMichaels, Porkchop, Chad Michaels, Heidi N Closet, Kelly Mantle, Kimora Blac, Laganja Estranja, Manila Luzon, Mayhem Miller, Pandora Boxx, Raven, Rock M. Sakura, and Kylie Sonique Love; A workaholic journalist sent to cover a Christmas crazy town, finds herself immersed in catty holiday drama surrounding the Winter Ball; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 2
• Hip Hop Family Christmas (music-focused holiday movie starring Keri Hilson, MC Lyte, Redman, Terrence J, Serayah and Ne-Yo; written and directed by Greg Carter; executive-produced by Jamie Foxx; Hip hop's first family agrees to a live TV special to improve their image, though it doesn't quite go as planned; filmed in Houston) - Dec. 6
  
• Let's Get Merried  (holiday movie starring Xosha Roquemore, Tahj Mowry, Mishel Prada, Nicolette Pearse, Nicole Power and Savannah Basley; directed by Veronica Rodriguez; written by Sasha Perl-Raver; executive-produced by Eva Longoria; A holiday-hating woman winds up married for Christmas, after a wild bachelorette weekend; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 13
  
• Miracles Across 125th Street (produced by and starring Nick Cannon, along with Chrisette Michele, Karen Clark Sheard, Kierra Sheard, John Whitfield, Lil' Kim, Marsha F. Warfield, Luenell Campbell, Cameron Wright, Augusto Jr. Bernard, Wendy Williams, Andy Garcia and Fred Hammond; A rapper returns to the church on Christmas Eve looking for redemption; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. 20

MTV

• 12 Days of Jerzmas  (Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWOWW" Farley share favorite Christmas movies and tease the new season of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, coming in January) - Dec. 16

CNN

• CNN New Year's Eve Live (co-hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen ring in the new year from New York's Times Square with help from special musical guest Katy Perry and corespondents in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Key West and Puerto Rico) - Dec. 31

Food Network

NOTE: Also all available on Discovery+

• Holiday Baking Championship (holiday-themed backing competition show, hosted by Jesse Palmer with judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Carla Hall, looking for the best holiday home baker) - Nov. 1
• Holiday Wars (holiday-themed baking competition show hosted by Maneet Chauhan with judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira, rating expert sugar and cake artists on their Christmas creations) - Nov. 7
• Christmas Cookie Challenge (Eddie Jackson and Ree Drummond host a holiday cookie-baking competition) - Nov. 11
• Battle for the Bird (prime-time Thanksgiving competition special hosted byAnne Burrell and Carson Kressley) - Nov. 14
• Holiday Baking Championship: Gingerbread Showdown (gingerbread experts compete to see who bakes and builds the best) - Nov. 15
• A White House Thanksgiving (host Trisha Yearwood and First Lady Jill Biden look at what goes into Thanksgiving at the White House) - Nov. 20
• Kids Baking Championship: Light Up the Holidays (fan favorites return to bake with host Duff Goldman and a special guest judge who is also a former contestant in this one-night special) - Nov. 21
  
• Buddy vs Duff: Holiday (Baking all-stars Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman face off in a holiday cake challenge series) - Nov. 28
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Candy (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare for Christmas by making her special candy) - Dec. 18, will debut on Disovery+, Dec. 3
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Sides (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare their favorite holiday side dishes) - Dec. 18, will debut on Disovery+, Dec. 3
  
• Holiday Wars: Champion Cake Off (The reigning champs of Halloween Wars and Holiday Wars face off in a one-off New Year's cake challenge, hosted by Maneet Chauhan) - Dec. 26

HGTV

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• My Lottery Dream Home: David's Holiday Extravaganza (host David Bromstad transforms his own new home in Florida into a Christmas wonderland) - Nov. 19
• Table Wars: Winter Wonderland Edition  (Host Tamera Mowry-Housley and judges Martha Stewart and Chris Hessney rate contestants winter table-scapes) - Nov. 19
• Home Town Takeover: Where Are They Now? (Home Town returns to Wetumpka, Ala. to see the impact the series has had on this town and other small towns they've listed) - Nov. 27
• White House Christmas 2021 (explore the decorations of the White House with First Lady Jill Biden) - Dec. 12
• House Hunters Ho Ho Home (Santa impersonator Albie Mushaney helps clients find new homes for the holidays) - Dec. 13
• Fixer to Fabulous Holiday Surprise (Dave and Jenny Marrs help renovate an animal shelter in time for a Christmas adoption event) - Dec. 14
• Holmes for the Holidays (Contractor Mike Holmes competes with his adult children to see who has the most festive holiday house) - Dec. 18
• Home Town: Ben's Holiday Workshop (Woodworker Ben Napier helps celebrities build holiday projects, while decorating his shop for Christmas) - Dec. 19

Discovery Channel

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• Alaskan Bush People: North Pole to North Star (The Brown family shares their Christmas traditions) - Dec. 19

SyFy

• The Pole (adult animated series starring Bobby Moynihan and Jillian Bell; With Santa wrapped up in scandal, his wife tries to keep the North Pole running ) - Mar. 17 (Teaser)

TNT

• AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash  (Christmas pro wrestling spectacular) - Dec. 22
• AEW Rampage Holiday Bash (Christmas pro wrestling spectacular) - Dec. 25
  

Pop

• Lacy's Christmas Do-Over (holiday movie starring Claire Van Der Linden, Kyle Patrick and Scarlett Roselynn; directed by Ari Golan; written by Nichole Lennstrom; A burned out exec who must spend the holidays at a small town B&B finds herself living the same day over and over; filmed in Oregon, Ill.) - Dec. 11, also available on Pluto as of Dec. 15

WGN

• Bozo's Circus: The 1970s (recently rediscovered classic segments from WGN original Bozo's Circus, starring Bob Bell) - Dec. 19, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
  
• Christmas Midnight Mass (live mass from Holy Name Cathedral with Cardinal Blase Cupich) - Dec. 25, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
• The WGN Yule Log (classic TV yule log and holiday music) - Dec. 25, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
• Chicago's Very Own New Year's Eve Blast! (Chicago countdown from around the city) - Dec. 31, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app

IFC

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on AMC+ and some on Pluto TV

• Bottomless Brunch at Colman's: Friendsgiving  (Colman Domingo hosts a Thanksgiving soiree for cocktails and conversations with friends Elaine Welterorth and Aja Naomi King) - Nov. 14, also available on AMC+ and Pluto TV
• Bottomless Brunch at Colman's: Christmas (Colman Domingo hosts a holiday event with cocktails and conversation with Broadway stars) - Dec. 18, also available on AMC+ and Pluto TV

BBC America

• Dr. Who: Revolution of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1
• Dr. Who: Eve of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1, 2022 (Trailer)

TLC

• Dr. Pimple Popper: A Pimple Carol (special holiday episode featuring the spirits of pimples past, preset and future) - Dec. 8

CMT

• CMT Crossroads Christmas: Brett Young & Friends  (musical Christmas special with special guests Boyz II Men, Chris Tomlin, Colbie Caillat, Dann Huff, Darius Rucker, Gavin DeGraw and Maddie & Tae) - Dec. 8
• A Tennessee Kind of Christmas (musical special starring Amy Grant, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clay Walker, Pam Tillis, Sara & Olivia Evans, Steve Wariner, Tracy Lawrence and Wynonna) - Dec. 8

AMC

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on AMC+

• Eli Roth's History of Horror: Holiday Horror (Eli Roth takes a look at holiday-themed horror movies, including Black Christmas and Halloween, and how they shaped the genre, featuring special guest interviews) - Oct. 29, also available on AMC+

Starz

• Christmas at Cattle Hill (a.k.a. Jul på Kutoppen; Norweigian animated sequel from director Will Ashurst to 2018′s Cattle Hill; Klara the calf is excited to spend her first Christmas at Kutoppen, but when her father goes away she tries to decorate with help from a local elf and it doesn't go well; debuted in Norway in 2020) - Oct. 29, also available on the Starz app as of Oct. 1, and Sep. 1 via VOD
• The Birthday Cake (mob movie starring Lorraine Bracco, Aldis Hodge, Penn Badgley, Val Kilmer and Ewan McGregor; directed by Jimmy Giannopoulos; While celebrating the tenth anniversary of his father's death, a son learns what really happened to him) - Nov. 2 (Trailer); also available via VOD June 18
  
• How to Deter a Robber (black comedy starring Vanessa Marano and Benjamin Papa; A couple break into a cabin at Christmas, just to hang out, but then find themselves the victims of real, brutal robbers; billed as an adult version of Home Alone) - Nov. 22  (Trailer); also available via VOD July 16
  

Showtime

• Dexter: New Blood (eight-episode revival of the seven-season serial killer series starring Michael C Hall and Jennifer Carpenter; The reboot is set entirely around Christmas and New Year's according to showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips) - Nov. 7, also available on the Showtime app
• The Humans (Thanksgiving-set movie starring Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, June Squibb, Steven Yeun and Beanie Feldstein; written and directed by Stephen Karam and based on his award-winning play of the same name; A family gathers in a young couple's new apartment to celebrate Thanksgiving as things go bump in the night) - Nov. 28 (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release
  

Tubi

• A Chance for Christmas (holiday movie directed by Stefan Brogren; starring Tori Anderson, Mykee Selkin, Bradley Hamilton, Sarah Cassidy, and Tim Progosh; An influencer strives to create the perfect Christmas Eve livestream to secure a big promotion, but when everything goes awry she finds herself asking Santa for a do-over; filmed in Ottawa) - June 18 (Trailer)
• Christmas Tears (holiday movie starring Jonni Albetta, Anayka and Julie Bender-Day; directed by William Mercado and Fabian Perez; written by Noel Torres; Three best friends at the end of their ropes experience a Christmas Eve miracle; film festival debut in 2014, but first time widely available) - July 20, also available on DVD
• Holiday Monday (small budget action thriller set at the holidays; starring Kayla Caldwell, Colin MacDougall and Nathan Shepka, who also wrote and directed; A pair of hired bodyguards find themselves up against a drug lord) - Sep. 1, also available VOD
• Thanksgiving with the Carters: 2nd Helping (holiday movie sequel to 2019′s Thanksgiving with the Carters; starring Reaco Boyd, John Carter and Kelsey Delemar; written and directed by Brigette Rock and Bryan G Thompson) - Oct. 1
• Christmas on My Block (holiday drama starring Lazarius Jordan, Jamal Woolard, Jacky Oh, Cory Espie, Vernon "Snoop" Robinson and Momma Dee; Two men from very different worlds meet over the holidays and change each other's lives) - Nov. 9, also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Thanksgiving Roast (holiday comedy starring Tray Chaney, Morgan Mackey and Serenity Adeyemi; A women's boyfriend hopes to propose but first he must win over her disapproving family) - Nov. 9, also available via Amazon VOD
• Most Wanted Santa (holiday movie starring Denyce Lawton, Donnell Turner, Teresa Castillo, Kate Watson and Mark Lawson; directed by Kristin Fairweather; written by Kathryn Dow and John Forgetta; An FBI agent and a detective team up to catch an art thief, but struggle when the primary suspect is a sexy Santa; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 3
• The Magical Christmas Tree (holiday fantasy movie starring Socks Whitmore, Ky Mullen and Shane Ryan; written and directed by Scott Hillman; A visit from the ghosts of Christmas gives a mean boss a change of heart and sends his minion on a search for a magical Christmas tree) - Dec. 4 (Trailer); also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Ayanna Shon's Christmas Hypnosis (low budget comedy written, directed and starring Ayanna Shon; A woman undergoes hypnosis to help her stop smoking weed in time to host her mother's Christmas party) - Dec. 17 (Trailer); also available via VOD as of Nov. 12
• Santa Goes West (WowNow animated movie directed by James Snider; Santa has to save a Western town from a fake Christmas in July gold rush) - Dec. 17, also available June 4 via DVD
  
• Christmas in Florida (low budget, right-wing holiday movie from Alex R. Wagner and Kimberly DiPersia; When Christmas is "cancelled" in NYC due to COVID, a couple drive to Florida where Christmas is "still legal") -  Dec. 17; also available for purchase on ENV.pictures as of Sep. 24 and on Plex as of Nov. 25
  
• A Wiseguy Christmas (holiday movie starring Lisa London, Nicole D'Angelo, Shane Ryan and Chris Spinelli; directed by Gregory Hatanaka; written by Nino Cimino; A Christmas-hating mobster goes into witness protection and finds himself forced to celebrate the holiday as part of his cover) - Dec. 17 (Trailer), also available via Vimeo VOD
  
• Most Wonderful Time (holiday movie starring Brooke Burfitt, Ben Davies, Jess Barbour and Gage Baker; written and directed by Brittany Goodwin; A struggling author comes home for holidays as her mom is set to sell the family home and reunites with her high school best friends and the one that got away; filmed in Nashville) - Dec. 17, also available via Amazon VOD
  
• The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed! (holiday mockumentary; A "data breach" at the North Pole reveals all of Santa's secrets, but who was the leaker?) - Dec. 20; also airing on FOX
  

Roku

• Learning to Love Again (Thanksgiving-set rom-com starring Anna Pirvu and Kjartan Hewitt, directed by Adam Swica; A woman brings a fake boyfriend home for the holiday; Aired in 2020 on the W Channel in Canada) - Jan. 10
• A Christmas Wish in Hudson (holiday movie starring Alex Rinehart, Rib Hillis, Lexi Giovagnoli and Lauren Schuster; directed by Elizabeth Snoderly; A daughter helps her firefighter/chef father find love at Christmas; filmed in Hudson, Wis.) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas Lovers Anonymous (holiday movie starring Brooke Burfitt and Houston Rhines; written and directed by Lexi Giovagnoli; After a woman's Christmas obsession costs her, her job and her boyfriend, she writes a rant against the holidays which goes viral, forcing her to hide her love of Christmas; filmed in Hudson, Wis.) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Family Thanksgiving (a.k.a. Happy Thanksgiving; starring Cocoa Brown, Austin Freeman and William McKinney; written and directed by Jeanelle Warren; A man in need of money tries to work him into his rich aunt's will during a Thanksgiving visit) - Nov. 2
• A Christmas Proposal (holiday movie starring Lily Nicole and Joshua T. Shipman; directed by Nakia T Hamilton; A jealous boyfriend in the military rashly asks for a transfer, and when his request is granted with a posting halfway around the world, realizes he doesn't want to be without his love, so schemes to win her back with a Christmas proposal so she can move with him) - Nov. 9 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas Thieves (a.k.a. Ladri di Natale; Italian live action-animation hybrid starring Tom Arnold, Katie McGovern, Douglas Dean and Esmeralda Spadea; Children left alone on Christmas Eve mistake a pair of thieves for their babysitter; filmed in Rome) - Nov. 22 (Trailer); also available via Amazon VOD as of Nov. 2
  
• Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas (holiday-themed movie for the cancelled NBC musical series starring Jane Levy, Skylar Astin and Mary Steenburgen; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 1 (Trailer)
• A Very Merry New Year (holiday movie starring Janika L Ivey, Nelson J Davis, Kevin J. Stone and Ronza Bee; directed by Karlton T. Clay; Secrets are exposed when high school friends reunited to celebrate the New Year) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
  
• The Year in Streaming (celebrating New Year's with a look back at 2021′s biggest streaming moments, with special guests Liza Katzer and Jamie Lee, of Ted Lasso, and Amy Ryan, O.T. Fagbenle, Chrishell Stause and Karamo Brown) - Dec. 27

Pluto TV

• Lacy's Christmas Do-Over (holiday movie starring Claire Van Der Linden, Kyle Patrick and Scarlett Roselynn; directed by Ari Golan; written by Nichole Lennstrom; A burned out exec who must spend the holidays at a small town B&B finds herself living the same day over and over; filmed in Oregon, Ill.) - Dec. 15, debuted on Pop TV Dec. 11

YouTube Kids

• Buster Saves Christmas  (full length holiday special, based on the series Buster the Bus; When Santa hurts his ankle on Christmas Eve, Buster and his pals must step in to save Christmas) - Nov. 30
• Kid Correspondent: Unboxing the Holiday Season (kid reporters investigate the best ways to celebrate the holidays, with special guest Wilmer Valderrama) - Dec. 2
• Super Sema Holiday (original animated series set in the future, with a focus on STEAM learning, produced by Lupita Nyong'o; Sema celebrates the Day of Dreams by trying to create snow, something her town hasn't seen in hundreds of years) - Dec. 10
• Kid Correspondent: New Year, New You! (kid reporters explore New Year's celebrations and the tradition of making resolutions, with special guest Jerry O'Connell) - Dec. 17

Facebook Watch

• Live From the Orange Grove: Gwen Stefani  (short series of holiday musical performances from Gwen Stefani) - Dec. 17

Vizio Watch Free+

• Four Cousins and a Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by Maria Capp, starring Raffaela Capp, Natasha Capp, Ayla Kell, Lily Gibson, Robert Davi, Jayson Bernard, Teri Polo, Jared Sandler and Nicholas Turturro; Four cousins who haven't seen each other in years reunite with each other and their estranged grandfather to sing at their grandmother's Christmas memorial) - Nov. 15 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 7

Popstar! TV

• The Magic (holiday movie starring Charles Shaughnessy, Katherine Kelly Lang, Brandon B. Brown, Alejandra Espinoza, Sally Kirkland and Eric Roberts Eric Roberts; written and directed by Gregori J Martin; A man tries to regain his Christmas spirit with a little help from his guardian angels) - Nov. 25 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 10
  

IMDb TV

NOTE: You can access free IMDb TV via Amazon

• Angel Falls Christmas (holiday movie starring Jessica Lowndes, Chad Michael Murray and David Reale; directed by Jerry Ciccoritti; A workaholic doctor falls for a fun-loving barista at Christmas; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 26
• A Lot Like Christmas (holiday movie starring Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell; directed by Stacey N. Harding; A family Christmas tree lot is jeopardized when a big corporation moves into town filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 5
• Play-Doh Squished (holiday-themed family reality competition hosted by Sarah Hyland) - Dec. 10
• When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas (holiday movie based on the When Calls the Heart spinoff series formerly seen on Hallmark Movies Now, starring Lori Loughlin, Morgan Kohan, Jocelyn Hudon, Ryan-James Hatanaka and Greg Hovanessian; directed by Bradley Walsh; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18
  

Crackle

• A Great North Christmas (holiday movie directed by James Douglas; starring Laura Mitchell and Jay Hindle; An LA-based lawyer wins a holiday trip to Canada and falls in love with small-town life; filmed in Prince George, B.C.) - Nov. 15 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 7

Shudder

• The Advent Calendar (French horror movie starring Eugénie Derouand and Honorine Magnier; written and directed by Patrick Ridremont; An old advent calendar brings unwelcome surprises for a wheelchair-bound woman) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
• A Very Ghoul Log Christmas (taking a horror twist on the Christmas, slow TV classic) - Dec. 2
• Joe Bob Ruins Christmas: The Last Drive-In (Joe Bob Briggs in a new Shudder holiday horror special) - Dec. 17

Motortrend+

• Holiday Hooptie Challenge II  (Three teams, including the returning 2020 champs, race cars they've modified themselves on three different courses) - Nov. 26

Britbox

• A Ghost Story for Christmas (11-episode collection of past-year BBC specials based on the stories of MR James and featuring well known British actors, ranging from 30 to 55 minutes; First time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 20
• Mock the Week Christmas Special (Christmas special episode of the comedic topical news show) - Dec. 22
• Would I Lie to You Christmas Special (Christmas special episode of the comedy improv show) - Dec. 22
  
• QI Christmas Special (holiday special episode of the iconic quiz show hosted by Sandy Toksvig) - Dec. 23
• The Mezzotint (holiday ghost story starring Rory Kinnear, Robert Bathurst and Frances Barber; based on the short story by M.R. James, adapted by Mark Gatiss; A gifted engraving of a mysterious house proves sinister; available same day as in the UK) - Dec. 24
  
• Death in Paradise Christmas Special (stand-alone holiday episode of the series; available same day as in the UK) - Dec. 24
  
• Carols From King's (LIVE coverage of the celebration of Christmas from The Chapel of King's College Cambridge) - Dec. 24
  
• The Queen's Christmas Message 2021 (annual holiday speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth II to her subjects via the BBC) - Dec. 25
• Coronation Street Christmas Special (annual holiday episode of the long-running British soap opera) - Dec. 25
• Eastenders Christmas Special (annual holiday episode of the long-running British soap opera) - Dec. 25
  
• Mrs Brown's Boy's Christmas (festive edition of the comedy starring Brendan O'Carroll; available same day as UK) - Dec. 25
  

Acorn TV

• Mary Berry's Country House Secrets: Mary Berry's Country House at Christmas (2018 BBC special featuring the Great British Bake Off favorite judge, first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 6
• Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye  (holiday mystery movie starring Ashley Jensen, based on the mystery novel series by M.C. Beaton; Raisin tries to plan the perfect Christmas with her boyfriend, while solving the murder of a wealthy society widow) - Dec. 20
• A Berry Royal Christmas (2019 BBC special featuring Mary Berry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 20

Hallmark Movies Now

• Every Time a Bell Rings (holiday movie starring Erin Cahill, Wes Brown, Brittany Ishibashi, Ali Liebert, Percy Daggs III and Dee Wallace; directed by Maclain Nelson; Three estranged sisters reunite in their hometown for the holidays and find their deceased dad has planned one last Christmas scavenger hunt for them; filmed and set in Natchez, Miss.) - Nov. 18,might also air on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Dec. 5, Hallmark posted and then deleted the date from its website
• Sugar Plum Twist (ballet-centered holiday movie starring Jamie Gray Hyder, Laura Rosguer, Ektor Rivera and Rachel de Benedet; directed by Eric Close, written by Cas Sigers-Beedles; A young ballerina disappointed in losing a role works with an older mentor to craft her own holiday performance; filmed in Norwich and New London, Conn.) - Dec. 2, will also air on Hallmark Channel Dec. 17
  

PureFlix

• Deck the Heart (holiday movie starring Ashley Brinkman, Joe Kurak and Eliza Robertrs, written and directed by Candy Cain; In order to inherit his grandfather's estate a busy executive must host Christmas for his relatives, so he hires a party planner named Merry, who has always longed for the perfect family holiday.) - July 1, also available VOD
  
• The Maltese Holiday (holiday movie starring Abigail Hawk and Clayton Snyder; written and directed by Candy Cain; Two people, traveling alone at the holidays, meet and fall in love) - July 1 (Trailer), also available VOD
  
• The King: A Christmas Story from a Heavenly Perspective (faith-based holiday movie starring Rachel Mather, Josilyn Campbell and Kevin M. Archuleta; written and directed by Jeanie Nuanes King; An English peasant is inspired to learn about the Christmas story) - Nov. 1, also available via DVD
  
• Magic in Mount Holly (holiday movie starring starring Taryn Hacker, Patrick Muldoon and Cody Calafiore; written and directed by Candy Cain) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Hearts & Vines  (a.k.a. Winter at the Winery; holiday movie starring Taryn and Jon Hacker; written and directed by Candy Cain; A builder and decorator filming a home renovation show end up quarantined together for Christmas) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• A Match Made at Christmas (faith-based holiday movie starring Tim Llewellyn and Micah Lynn Hanson; directed by Annie Poling Swet; A hopeless romantic whose Great Aunt has a knack for matchmaking, struggles to find common ground with a cynical Christmas hater she's told is her perfect match; filmed in Washington and Idaho) - Nov. 1 (Trailer), also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Welcome to Hope: A Holiday Homecoming (holiday movie starring Taryn and Jon Hacker, Al Pagano, Kenney Myers, Cody Calafiore and Anthony Pallino; The residents of Hope, N.Y. help save a group of orphans after their foster group home burns down around the holidays; connected to the Welcome to Hope TV series; filmed in upstate New York) - Nov. 15, also available via Amazon VOD as of Dec. 13
  
• Banking on Christmas  (holiday movie starring Katarina Hughes, Eric Lutz, Bai Ling and Ciera Danielle; directed by Shane Hawks; A down on his luck mechanic and an uptight loan officer get trapped together in a bank vault for the holidays; filmed in Knoxville, Tenn.) - Nov. 15, also available via Dayspring DVD Nov. 11

Binge Black TV

• Christmas with My Ex (holiday movie starring Denise Boutte, Travis Cure, Towanda Braxton, Lawrence Robinson, Vanessa Simmons, Richard David, Danielle Vega and Brian Nelson Jr.; directed by Patricia Cuffie-Jones; written by ReShonda Tate Billingsley; Christmas chaos ensues when a woman is forced to spend the holidays with her ex and family; filmed in Santa Clarita, Calif.) - Dec. 5

Argo

• Florence Has Left the Building (holiday short from director Mirrah Foulkes; A woman in a nurse home reevaluates her life on Christmas Eve) - Dec. 1
• December in Toronto (holiday short from director Millefiore Clarkes; A woman makes a first-person travel log of her holiday trip at her boyfriends behest) - Dec. 1
• The Christmas Gift (holiday short from Bogdan Muresanu; A young boy in 1989 Romania sends a letter to Santa wishing for the death of Nicolae Ceausescu after overhearing his father talk about Timisoara) - Dec. 1
• Santa is a Psychedelic Mushroom (animated holiday short from Matthew Salton; Imagining Santa's psychedelic trip) - Dec. 1
  

Stingray

• Camerata Viesgo Christmas Concert (Holiday performance by the Camerata Viesgo orchestra conducted by Giovanni Guzzo from Madrid in December 2020, featuring the music of Mozart, Respighi and Tchaikovsky; first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 15

Fox Nation

• Christmas in the Pines (holiday movie starring real-life spouses Jillian Murray and Dean Geyer; directed by Gary Wheeler; An architect and a writer battle over a holiday getaway cottage; filmed in North Carolina; made by INSP films) - Nov. 25 (Trailer), also available Nov. 2 via DVD and Vudu
  
• Christmas in the Wilds (holiday movie sequel to Romance in the Wilds; starring Kaitlyn Leeb, Victor Zinck Jr. and Melinda Shankar; directed by Justin G. Dyck; written by Neale Kimmel; Buck and Jessica's holiday plans turn deadly, when they find themselves fighting for survival during a Christmas trip) - Nov. 25 (Trailer), also available Nov. 2 via DVD and Vudu
• Christmas at the Cathedral (30-minute documentary special celebrating the holiday traditions at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City) - Dec. 2

BET+/BET

• A Rich Christmas (holiday movie starring Bill Bellamy, Tyler Abron, Brandee Evans, Vanessa A. Williams and Denise Boutte; written by Shateka Johnson; directed by Victoria Rowell; A spoiled socialite forced to work at a homeless center for the holidays learns the true meaning of Christmas; filmed in D.C.) - Nov. 4, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Nov. 20
  
• Soul Santa (holiday movie starring David and Tamela Mann, Brooke Monroe Conaway, Christopher Gurr and Ross Fleming; directed by Terri Vaughn; written by Greg Anderson; When a man gambles with the mob's money and loses, he finds himself hiding out as a mall Santa; filmed in Connecticut) - Nov. 11, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Nov. 27
• A Jenkins Family Christmas (holiday movie starring Kim Coles, Regina Taylor, Anthony Chatmon II, Ashley Love-Mills, Bailey Bass, Derek Chadwick and Tammy Townsend; directed by Robin Givens; written by Christopher Oscar Pena and Joy Kecken; A bickering family reunites to celebrate their first Christmas without their patriarch, only to have an unexpected guest shake everything up; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 18, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Dec. 4
• Christmas Deja Vu (holiday movie starring Amber Riley, Loretta Devine, Blue Kimble and Candice Van Beauty; written and directed by Christel Gibson; A down on her luck singer relives Christmas over and over again; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 25, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Dec. 11
  
• The Business of Christmas 2 (sequel to the 2020 holiday movie starring Jennifer Freeman, Lawrence H. Robinson, Kamel Goffin and Daphne Reid; directed by Tim Reid; written by Camara Davis; The Franklin family celebrate their first Christmas without their father; filmed in Virginia) - Dec. 2, BET+
  
• Merry Switchmas (holiday movie starring starring Peter Parros, Valarie Pettiford, Sherrice Eaglin, Thea Camara, Joel Harold, Joseph Harold, Rachel Aladdin and Rebekah Aladdin; directed by Christopher Nolen and written by Gabrielle Collins; Identical twins switch places at a Christmas party, causing chaos for themselves, and their loved ones; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 9, BET+; BET debut Dec. 18
• A Christmas Wish (holiday movie starring Noree Victoria, Nadia Simms and Blue Kimble; written and directed by Christopher Nolen; A single mom wishes for a miracle to save her daughter at Christmas; filmed in Chicago, Ill.) - Dec. 16, BET+; BETHer debut on Dec. 25
  
• Christmas 4 Sale (holiday movie starring Shanti Lowry, Nadine Ellis and Aaron D. Spears; directed by Mike Mayhall; written by Camara Davis; A real estate developer falls for a billionaire who thinks she's someone else) - Dec. 23, BET+; BETHer debut on Dec. 26
  

Discovery+

• Candy Coated Christmas: Behind the Scenes with Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman takes you behind the scenes of the making of her first movie) - Nov. 1
• The Pioneer Woman's Hometown Holidays (Ree Drummond shares how she create a down-home country Christmas) - Nov. 1
• Candy Coated Christmas  (holiday movie starring Molly McCook, Ree Drummond, Aaron O'Connell, John McCook, Lee Garlington and Landry Townsend; directed by Ellie Kanner; A woman returns to her holiday-crazy hometown after a failed business venture; filmed in Utah) - Nov. 19  (Trailer) Review
  
• Mary McCartney Serves Up the Holidays (holiday special from the vegetarian chef featuring special guests Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey) - Nov. 23
• Surfing Santa (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Celebrate the festive season from the beach) - Nov. 26
• Cozy Holiday Kitchens (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Prepare holiday meals with four chefs from around the world) - Nov. 26
  
• Festive Fireplaces of the World (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Experience the view from more than 30 cozy fireplaces from around the world) - Nov. 26
  
• Meet Your Makers Showdown (crafting competition hosted by Chrissy Metz with judges Leann Rimes and Mark Montano find the best holiday crafter) - Nov. 27
  
• Fruitcake Fraud (true crime documentary about embezzlement at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas) - Dec. 1
  
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Candy (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare for Christmas by making her special candy) - Dec. 3, will also air on Food Network, Dec. 18
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Sides (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare their favorite holiday side dishes) - Dec. 3, will also air on Food Network, Dec. 18
• Home Work: Home for the Holidays (Andy and Candis Meredith renovate an old schoolhouse into their family home) - Dec. 10
  
• The Pioneer Woman: Hometown Stories (Ree Drummond reminisces on past Christmas adventures in her small town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma) - Dec. 11
• Zoe Bakes: Cheers to the New Year (Zoë François shares her favorite New Year's Eve recipes) - Dec. 26

AMC+

• Christmas with Felicity (holiday movie starring Sarah Brooks, Herb Porter, Braxton Angle, Aviva Sevilla and Saige Chaseley; directed by Jack C Newell; written by Rebecca Weaver; A woman returns to her hometown after her cancelled wedding in no mood to celebrate the holidays, until she meets a handsome dairy farmer who loves Christmas) - Nov. 25 (Trailer)
  
• A Cape Cod Christmas (holiday movie starring Katie LeClerc and Brent Bailey; directed by John Stimpson and written by Megan Freels Johnston; An author returns to her hometown to reluctantly help her bickering siblings sell the family home; filmed in Falmouth, Mass.) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
  
• Silent Night (holiday horror-black comedy starring Keira Knightley, Roman Griffin, Matthew Goode, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Lucy Punch, Sope Dirisu and Kirby Howell-Baptiste; written and directed by Camille Griffin; A wealthy family hosts a Christmas celebration dinner at their English country house as the world prepares for an extinction level event; filmed in the UK) -  Dec. 3 (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release

HBO Max

• Ghosts: The Ghost of Christmas (2020 Christmas Day special of the BBC series, available for the first time to U.S. viewers) - May 27
• Starstruck (BBC co-production, 6-episode series created by and starring Rose Matafeo, along with Nikesh Patel; A women goes home with a man she meets in a bar on New Year's Eve, only to discover he's a rising star, and they keep interacting in London over the course of a year, culminating at Christmas) - June 10 ****Review****
• Craftopia: Holiday Showdown (eight-episode holiday-themed season of the crafting show hosted by Lauren Riihimaki) - Oct. 7
  
• 8-Bit Christmas (1980s-set comedy, directed by Michael Dowse and starring Steve Zahn, Neil Patrick Harris, June Diane Raphael, Winslow Fegley, Jacob Laval, Sophia Reid-Gantzert, Santino Barnard and Chandler Dean; based on the book by Kevin Jakubowski; A 10-year-old's outrageous quest to get a Nintendo gaming system for Christmas) - Nov. 24 (Trailer) ****Review****
• 12 Dates of Christmas (season 2 of the reality dating series that takes people to a "Christmas castle" to find their soulmate via holiday activities) - Nov. 25
• Santa Inc. (adult, animated eight-episode limited series starring Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman, written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield; When Santa's successor is poached by Amazon, an ambitious elf positions herself to become the first female Santa) - Dec. 2 (Redband Trailer)

Apple TV+

• The Snoopy Show: Happiness is a Snow Day (winter-set episode of Apple's new animatedThe Snoopy Show series) - Feb. 5
• Ted Lasso: Carol of the Bells(holiday-set episode of the popular series starring Jason Sudeikis) - Aug. 13 ****Review****
• Doug Unplugs: Botty Holidays (animated holiday special episode of the series based on the books by Dan Yaccarino, featuring Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations) - Sep. 17
  
• 'Twas The Fight Before Christmas (feature documentary from Julia Nottingham and Lisa Gomer Howes; directed by Becky Read; Story of lawyer Jeremy Morris fight with his homeowner's association over his over-the-top Christmas light display) - Nov. 26 (Trailer)
• Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues (second holiday special from Mariah Carey, featuring Khalid and Kirk Franklin, with the trio's new song, "Fall in Love at Christmas;" directed by Joseph Kahn and produced by Carey) - Dec. 3
  
• Stillwater: The Way Home (holiday special based on the animated series that spawned from the Scholastic book series; When Stillwater invites the not-nice neighbors to celebrate with him, his friend are concerned) - Dec. 3
• Get Rolling with Otis: A Winter Cow's Tale (holiday special based on the animated series, inspired by the books of Loren Long; Learning how to be a big sister isn't easy, especially when your mom is due on Christmas Day) - Dec. 3
• Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (new, original animated New Year's Eve special; When Grandma's Christmas visit gets cancelled, the gang decides to throw the best New Year's Eve party ever to cheer themselves up) - Dec. 10
• Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Mustache (stop-motion animated short starring Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, and Juno Temple) - Dec. 15 (Watch)

Apple Music

• From Apple Music with Love (daily video/audio "gifts" from Apple Music, featuring holiday music and chats about traditions with stars like Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, Lorde, Becky G and Idris Elba, drops daily at 11 AM ET) - Nov. 26

Paramount+

• Queen of the Universe (Drag Race spin-off, singing competition series, advertised as a "Eurovision-style" song contest, hosted by Graham Norton and filmed in London) - Dec. 2
• Rugrats: Traditions (special, stand-alone holiday episode of the rebooted series with special guest voices Raini Rodriguez, Swoosie Kurtz, Henry Winkler and Tata Vega; The family learns how to combine holiday traditions of various faiths) - Dec. 2, also airs on Nickelodeon Dec. 10
• Mean Boys (Brazilian animated special from controversial comedy troupe Porta Dos Fundas; An irreverent take on Jesus' teen years in the style of Mean Girls) - Dec. 15
• Paramount Mountain Holiday Campfire ( outdoorsy holiday Yule Log featuring the sights and sounds of Paramount Mountain at night) - Dec. 18

Peacock

• The Boss Baby: Family Business (sequel to the 2017 animated movie starring Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Jeff Goldblum and Amy Sedaris; When the now-adult Boss Baby visits his brother for the holidays, his infant niece tells him he has to become a baby again to stop a villain that's been turning babies evil) - July 2, also in theaters (Trailer); moved to Hulu as of Nov. 25
• Much Ado About Christmas (holiday movie starring Susie Abromeit, Torrance Coombs, Julian Haig, Olivier Raynal, James Rottger and Emma Colling; written by Janeen and Michael Damian, who also directs; Modern, holiday-set retelling of the Shakespeare tale; A secretly-rich woman pretends to be a struggling single mom, the only problem is her new boyfriend is pitching to the town's benefactor, who happens to be her wealthy mother; filmed in Romania) - Oct. 30
• High Holiday (holiday comedy starring Tom Arnold, Jennifer Tilly, Cloris Leachman, Robert Carradine, Asif Ali and Shannyn Sossamon; A free-spirited daughter of a conservative politician tries to lighten up her straight-laced family Christmas by bringing cannabis-infused salad dressing to their Christmas Eve dinner, causing chaos) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
• The Great Christmas Switch (holiday movie starring Dillon Casey, Sarah Lind and Jon McClaren; directed by Ernie Barbarash; written by Cara J. Russell; Twin sisters decide to switch places at the holidays; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 6
• Christmas Time is Here (holiday movie starring Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams; directed by Christie Will Wolff; written by T.M. Hayes; A realtor wants to sell a client any resort except the one he wants to buy, which is owned by her family; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13
• Chrisley Knows Thanksgiving (holiday special featuring the reality show star family, with matriarch Julie Chrisley teaching her kids how to make Thanksgiving favorites) - Nov. 18 (Trailer)
• A Kindhearted Christmas (holiday movie starring Cameron Mathison and Jennie Garth; directed by Alysse Leite-Rogers; A widow's generosity is catching, leading to her being profiled by a handsome morning TV anchor; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 20
  
• Peacock Presents: Holiday Steals & Deals with Jill Martin (holiday shopping show with the Today Show consumer corespondent) - Nov. 22
• National Dog Show Junior (special kid-centric coverage of The 2021 National Dog Show from Philadelphia, hosted by Matt Iseman, Laurie Hernandez and Anna Laible) - Nov. 25
• Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase (animated special based on the animated series which features the popular Madagascar movie characters as cubs; Melman and his friends try to reunite a lost goose with his family for the holidays in New York City) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), also available on Hulu
  
• Royally Wrapped for Christmas (holiday movie starring Jen Lilley and Brendan Fehr; directed by TW Peacocke; A woman working at a charity dedicated to giving toys to everyone at the holidays finds love with a prince; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 27
• Christmas is You (holiday movie starring Becca Tobin, Matthew MacCaull and Casey Manderson; directed by Allan Harmon; Hometown sweethearts who both dreamed of making it big, are reunited when one is famous and the other is very much not; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28
  
• Baking It (six-episode, holiday-themed reality competition series from executive producer Amy Poehler; hosted by Maya Rudolph and Andy Samburg and judged by a panel of real-life grandmothers; teams of talented home bakers compete for prizes, spin-off of crafting show Making It) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
• Jingle Bell Princess (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan and Merritt Patterson; directed by Dan McBrearty; based on the book His Jingle Bell Princess by Barbara Dunlop; A pampered royal uses a snowstorm to sneak away and experience the holidays as a commoner, spending time with a handsome widower and his twin daughters who have no idea who she is; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 4
  
• Housewives of the North Pole (holiday comedy starring Kyle Richards, Betsy Brandt, Kyle Selig, Alec Mapa, Jearnest Corchado, Tetona Jackson, Carlos Ponce and Damon Dayoub; directed by Ron Oliver; A holiday decorating rivalry turns bitter, as two women battle over who has the most festive house in North Pole, Vermont; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 9 (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (holiday movie starring Jill Wagner and Nick Bateman; based on the book by Jane Porter; directed by Mike Rohl; A single dad moves back to Montana to get help from family, where his newly adopted goddaughter enlists a mysterious stranger name Kris to help him find love; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11
  
• Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas (movie based on the long-running NBC soap opera, starring Chandler Massey and Eileen Davidson) - Dec. 16
• Opry Live: USO Holiday Special (musical special for the troops, live from Nashville, featuring Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Lauren Alaina and more) - Dec. 18, also available on Circle and USO TV
• 2021 One and Done with Snoop Dogg & Kevin Hart (year-end comedy special featuring the rapper and comedian's looking back at the biggest stories of 2021) - Dec. 28

Disney+

• The Story of the Faithful Wookiee (animated short from the infamous 1978 Stars Wars Holiday Special; Notable for introducing the character of Boba Fett to the Star Wars universe; The first time anything from the universally-panned special made available to stream legally) - Apr. 2
• American Eid (short film from Aqsa Altaf, based on her own experience with Americans lack of knowledge of the Muslim holiday, part of the Disney Launchpad series) - May 28
• Home Sweet Home Alone  (reboot of the 1990 Christmas movie classic, starring Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Archie Yates, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson, Tim Simons, Pete Holmes, Devin Ratray, Ally Maki and Chris Parnell; directed by Dan Mazer and written by Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell; A married couple tries to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome kid) - Nov. 12 (Trailer)
• Hawkeye (holiday-set series based on the Marvel movie/comicbook character played by Jeremy Renner, also starring Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, Vera Farmiga and Brian d'Arcy James; Hawkeye trains protege Kate Bishop in a post-Avengers Endgame New York City) - Nov. 24 (Trailer)
• Arendelle Castle Yule Log: Cut Paper Edition (new, Frozen-themed, festive video background) - Dec. 17

Hulu

• American Horror Stories: The Naughty List (holiday-themed, stand-alone episode of the FX on Hulu anthology series from creator Ryan Murphy; starring Dyllon Burnside, Nico Greetham and Kevin McHale; written by Manny Coto; directed by Max Winkler; A group of social media influencers face a not-so-jolly reckoning for a problematic post) - July 29, part of FX on Hulu
• Riders of Justice (a.k.a. Retfærdighedens Ryttere; Danish-language revenge action movie, set at the holidays and starring Mads Mikkelsen; When he learns his wife's death was not a tragic accident, but an assassination attempt by brutal biker gang, a father turns to vigilante justice.) - Oct. 8, also available May 21 via VOD
  
• Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition (special holiday-themed, four-episode mini-season of the Padma Lakshmi travel/food show focusing on the unique holiday food traditions of different cultures and regions.) - Nov. 4 (Trailer) ****Review****
• Cupid for Christmas (holiday movie directed by Blayne Weaver and written by Patricia Harrington, starring Natasha Behnam, Ryan Carnes, Melanie Stone and Richard Kind; Cupid looks for a replacement so he can retire and celebrate the holidays; filmed in Virginia) - Nov. 20
  
• A Very Solar Holiday Opposites Special (stand-alone, animated Christmas special based on the adult animated series) - Nov. 22 (Trailer)
  
• Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase (animated special based on the animated series which features the popular Madagascar movie characters as cubs; Melman and his friends try to reunite a lost goose with his family for the holidays in New York City) - Nov. 26, also available on Peacock
  
• Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade (local ABC coverage of the Thanksgiving parade that bills itself as the nation's oldest) - Nov. 26
• Blippi and the Holiday Snowglobe (live-action kids' movie based on the educational YouTube series) - Nov. 27, also available on YouTube
• Candified: Home for the Holidays (4-part reality series featuring Jackie Sorkin and a team of candy artists building a life-size house out of candy) - Dec. 1
• Together (UK COVID-set dark comedy starring Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy; Parents living through lockdown find their relationship strained to the breaking point; filmed in the UK and partially holiday-set) - Dec. 14, also available VOD as of Aug. 27 (Trailer)
  

Netflix

• Pieces of a Woman (partially holiday-set drama starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LeBeouf and Ellen Burstyn; A home birth goes horribly wrong, leaving a family and community to pick up the pieces) - Jan. 7 (Trailer)
• All My Friends Are Dead (Polish holiday movie written and directed by Jan Belci, combining horror and dark comedy; When a NYE party goes awry, shocking secrets are exposed in a group of friends.) - Feb. 3 (Trailer)
  
• The Silver Skates (Russian costume drama starring Fedor Fedotov and Sofya Priss; directed by Michael Lockshin; based on the book Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge, which, in turn, is aRomeo and Juliet pastiche; shot on location in St. Petersburg and set at Christmas and New Year's in the 19th century; Netflix's first Russian original) - June 16 (Trailer)
• Prime Time (Polish-language thriller set on New Year's Eve 1999. A desperate man takes a TV host hostage in order to get his message broadcast live on air) - June 30 (Trailer)
  
• Cooking with Paris: Get Over It Holiday Feast (special Christmas episode of the cooking show starring Paris Hilton) - Aug. 4
• The Father Who Moves Mountains (Romanian adventure thriller set at Christmas, starring Adrian Titieni, Elena Purea and Judith State; directed by Daniel Sandu; A retired intelligence officer risks everything to search for his missing son in the Carpathian mountains) - Sep. 17 (Trailer)
• Chicago Party Aunt: Emergency Contact (The final, holiday-themed episode in season one of the adult animated series takes place on Christmas Eve as Diane's family, who tried to ditch her, find themselves guiltily looking for her all evening) - Sep. 17
• The Claus Family (a.k.a. De Familie Claus; Dutch-language family film from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; Santa's grandson, Jules, hates Christmas, until he has to save Christmas with help of a magic snow globe; European debut in 2020) - Nov. 1 (teaser)
  
• Love Hard (holiday rom-com starring Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet, Harry Shum Jr., James Saito, Mikaela Hoover, Heather McMahan and Rebecca Staab; written by Danny Mackey and Rebecca Ewing; directed by Hernan Jimenez; A woman flies cross country at the holidays to surprise a suitor she knows only from a dating app, only to find she's been catfished; filmed in Vancouver) - Nov. 5 (Trailer) ****Review****
  
• A Very Big Mouth Christmas (Christmas episode of the adult animated series, featuring puppets instead of the usual animated characters, teased in the season 5 trailer) - Nov. 5
  
• Father Christmas is Back (holiday movie starring John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer, Liz Hurley, Nathalie Cox, Talulah Riley, Kris Marshall, Caroline Quentin, April Bowlby, Ray Fearon and Naomi Frederick; directed by Philippe Martinez and Mick Davis; written by David Conolly, Hannah Davis Law and Dylanne Corcoran; A Christmas control freak is surprised by her estranged father and his new girlfriend while celebrating the holidays with her sisters; filmed in Yorkshire, England) - Nov. 7, Rated PG-13 (Trailer) **Review**
  
• Christmas Flow (French-language series starring Shirine Boutella and Tayc, A journalist and rapper clash, then fall in love, at the holidays) - Nov. 17 (Trailer)
• The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (holiday rom-com, third in the movie series starring Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar and Will Kemp; All three lookalikes have to re-team when a royal relic goes missing; filmed in Scotland) - Nov. 18 (Trailer) ***Review***
  
• Blown Away: Christmas (holiday edition of the glass-blowing competition show hosted by Bobby Berk, featuring Christmas-themed challenges as returning contestants compete for the title "Best in Holiday Blow") - Nov. 19 (Trailer)
• Waffles + Mochi's Holiday Feast (Christmas special based on the animated children's cooking series executive produced by Michelle Obama; An impromptu holiday party for friends helps explore Christmas traditions around the world) - Nov. 23 (Trailer)
• Jonas Brothers Family Roast (Kenan Thompson roasts the singing group brothers with special guests Pete Davidson, Niall Horan, Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, Lilly Singh and Jack Whitehall) - Nov. 23
• A Boy Called Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Matt Haig, adapted by Ol Parker; starring Jim Broadbent, Zoe Colletti, Sally Hawkins, Michiel Huisman, Maggie Smith and Kristen Wiig; directed by Gil Kenan; Santa origin story featuring 11-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed Christmas, because he was born on Christmas Day—living in Finland with his woodcutter father) - Nov. 24, Rated PG (Trailer), also available in theaters
  
• Robin Robin (Aardman Animation-produced musical special about a robin raised by mice, who is starting to be more aware of her differences and goes on a journey of self discovery) - Nov. 24 (Trailer)
  
• A Castle for Christmas (holiday rom-com starring Brooke Shields and Carey Elwes; directed by Mary Lambert; written by Ally Carter, Kim Beyer-Johnson and Neal & Tippi Dobrofsky; An author wants to buy a Scottish castle, but the owner, a grumpy Duke, doesn't want to sell to a foreigner; filmed in Scotland) - Nov. 26 (Trailer)
  
• School of Chocolate  (eight-episode chocolate competition show; Eight contestants work to be named Best in Class under the tutelage of master chocolatier Amaury Guichon; NOTE: Netflix billed this part of their holiday offerings, but it doesn't feature holiday challenges or content as far as I can tell) - Nov. 26
• Elves (Danish horror-thriller; 6-episode series from Stefan Jaworski; starring Ann Eleonora Jørgensen and Rasmus Hammerich; A family on Christmas vacation unwittingly disturbs a community of elves on a remote island and finds themselves in a fight for their lives) - Nov. 28 (Trailer)
  
• Charlie's Colorforms City: Snowy Stories (animated special based on the vinyl sticky toys) - Nov. 30
• Single All the Way (holiday movie starring Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke MacFarlane, Barry Bostwick, Jennifer Robertson, Jennifer Coolidge and Kathy Najimy; directed by Michael Mayer; written by Chad Hodge; Tired of being hassled about his single status, a man takes his best friend home for the holidays and tells his family they're involved, but when his mom sets him up with her handsome trainer, he's torn; filmed in Montreal) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
  
• Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (Aardman Animation special based on the children's series, Timmy goes missing during a holiday farmhouse raid, leading Shawn to panic; co-production with the BBC) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
• The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (US debut of 2020 Christmas and New Year's special episodes of the Great British Bake Off) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
  
• David and the Elves (a.k.a.Dawid i elfy; Polish language family movie starring Jakub Zając, Cyprian Grabowski, Anna Smołowik, Monika Krzywkowska, Piotr Rogucki, Michał Czernecki and Cezary Żak; A boy whose parents are too busy for Christmas teams up with one of Santa's elves to restore their Christmas spirit.) - Dec. 6
• Go Dog Go: Happy Sniffmas (special holiday episode of the preschool animated series based on the classic books) - Dec. 7
• The Claus Family 2 (a.k.a. De Familie Claus 2 ; Dutch-language family film sequel from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; With his faith restored in Christmas, Santa's grandson is getting ready for another holiday season when plans go awry thanks to an intriguing letter) - Dec. 7, rest of world (Trailer)
  
• Carolin Kebekus: The Last Christmas Special (German stand-up comic Carolin Kebekus in a holiday-themed set) - Dec. 8
  
• How to Ruin Christmas: The Funeral  (season 2 of the South African dysfunctional family comedy series that debuted in 2020 as How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding) - Dec. 10 (Trailer)
  
• StarBeam: Beaming in the New Year (holiday special based on the children's animated superhero series) - Dec. 14 (Trailer)
• Elite: Short Stories "Phillip, Caye & Felipe"  (first of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 15
• A California Christmas: City Lights (sequel to 2020′s A California Christmas, starring real-life husband and wife Lauren and Josh Swickard; Lauren, who wrote the original, also pennedCity Lights, and Shaun Piccinino returns as director; The couple's love is tested when big city obligations draw them away from country life at the holidays) - Dec. 16
  
• A Naija Christmas (Nigerian holiday movie directed by Kunle Afolayan and written by Kemi Adesoye; Three sons race to bring home wives before the holidays, as their mother plans a massive Christmas celebration) - Dec. 16 (Trailer)
  
• The Witcher Fireplace (A Yule Log recreation of the Witcher's Great Hall fireplace) - Dec. 18
• Elite: Short Stories "Samuel & Omar" (second of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 20
  
• Grumpy Christmas (Spanish-language holiday sequel to 2016′s The Patriarch, a.k.a.Un Padre No Tan Padre, starring Héctor Bonilla, Benny Ibarra and Jacqueline Bracamontes; Don Servando and his dysfunctional family spend Christmas at the seaside, but all is not merry and bright; filmed in Mexico) - Dec. 22
• Elite: Short Stories "Patrick" (third of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 23
  
• A Thousand Miles From Christmas (a.k.a A Mil Kilómetros de la Navidad; Spanish-language comedy starring Tamar Novas, Andrea Ros, Peter Vives, Fermí Reixach and Verónica Forqué; directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero; written by Francisco Arnal and Daniel Monedero; A Grinch with a history of horrible holidays gets reluctantly swept up in the spirit of Christmas; filmed in Spain) - Dec. 24
• Death to 2021 (year in review comedy special starring Hugh Grant, Lucy Liu, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Joe Keery, William Jackson Harper, Stockard Channing, Cristin Milioti, Diane Morgan and Nick Mohammed) - Dec. 27 (Trailer)
• Kitz (German series starring Valerie Huber, Felix Mayr, Sofie Eifertinger and Bless Amada; A group of rich, spoiled teens spend the winter holidays at a luxury ski resort, but one tries to work their way into their group to find answers and get revenge for her brother's mysterious death the year before) - Dec. 30 (Trailer)

Amazon Prime

• Evie Rose (holiday short, written and directed by Elizabeth Blake-Thomas; A teenager spends the holidays reminiscing with her elderly BFF) - Jan. 22
  
• A Tiny House Christmas (holiday movie starring Kathleen Cannon and Freddy Walker Jr.; directed by Avai d'amici; A women working a holiday job as an elf while living in a tiny home, tries to help a co-worker with a huge secret) - Feb. 12
• Carol's Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by David S Womack, starring Lauren Cakes, Lindsey Cruz and Brenda Daly; A modern, gender-swapped retelling of the classic Dickens tale; filmed in Las Vegas) - Feb. 19, also available on Tubi
• Leo the Truck: Christmas Tree (animated holiday short geared towards pre-schoolers, part of an ongoing character series) - May 12
• 10 Horas Para O Natal (a.k.a 10 Hours for Christmas; Brazilian holiday comedy starring Luis Lobianco, Karina Ramil, Giulia Benite, Pedro Miranda and Lorena Queiroz; released in Brazil in December 2020, first time available in U.S) - July 1
• The Tomorrow War (big-budget alien-fighting action movie, starring Chris Pratt, J.K. Simmons, Edwin Hodge and Betty Gilpin; The time-traveling story kicks off at a present-day Christmas party) - July 2
• A Sunburnt Christmas (Australian holiday movie, originally made for Oz streamer STAN, where it debuted in 2020; starring Daniel Henshall, Natasha Wanganeen and Chris Duncan; A single mom's ranch gets invaded by a criminal dressed as Santa, then her kids mistake him for the real deal; filmed in Adelaide, Australia) - July 24 (Trailer)
• The Food Club (a.k.a. Madklubben; Danish film directed by Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg and starring Kirsten Olesen, Stina Ekblad and Kirsten Lehfeldt; A women abandoned by her husband on Christmas Eve leans on her friends, a widow and lifelong singleton who take her to Italy to take part in an culinary adventure) - Oct. 8 (Trailer)
  
• The Tunnel (Norwegian-language disaster movie, starring Thorbjorn Harr, Yiva Fuglerud and Lisa Carlehed; directed by Pai Oie; Christmas travelers are trapped in a tunnel after a tanker truck crashes and burns, while a blizzard rages, making outside rescue impossible; released in Norway in 2019 and the UK in 2020) - Oct. 15 (Trailer), also available on digital and DVD Apr 9
• Where's Chicky? Merry Christmas (original animated preschool special, based on the series from creator William Hoareau) - Oct. 28
• The Christmas Doodle (from faith-based Wright Family Films, holiday movie about a Christmas puppy) - Nov. 1, originally available Aug. 1 via VOD
  
• Nativity 3: Dude Where's My Donkey (2014 UK sequel in the Nativity! movie franchise, which began in 2009, this third part available for the first time in the U.S.) - Nov. 5
• All iWant for Christmas (holiday comedy starring Sean Patrick Flannery, Michael Cervantes, Charlie T Flanery and Oliver Givens; directed by B. Harrison Smith; A young girl discovers a popular toy robot may not be what it seems, and tries to warn Santa in an effort to get off the naughty list) - Nov. 19
  
• Christmas on the Carousel (holiday movie from writer-director-star Erik Bloomquist; also starring co-writer Taylor Turner, Madeline Dauer and Rachel Oremland; Four friends return home for their last winter break of college and spend the night at a carousel in hopes of making a viral video; filmed in Vermont) - Nov. 19 (Trailer), also available VOD Oct. 19 and DVD Dec. 14
  
• A Year From Now (small-budget holiday movie starring Athena Hayes, Daniel W May and Brad Maule; directed by Ricky Kennedy; An unhappy woman gets a glimpse of seven years of her future over one Christmas week) - Nov. 19
• Do, Re & Mi Holiday Special: Merry Nestivus (original holiday animated special based on the Amazon original preschool series) - Nov. 24
• Mistletoe Mixup (holiday rom-com featuring and produced by brothers Joey, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence, who also directs; also starring Danielle C Ryan, Samantha Cope, Skyler M Day, Walter Platz and Eric Osmond; written by Kaylin Richardson; A workaholic woman makes a Christmas wish that leads to two men that could be "the one"; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 1
• ARPO Robot Babysitter: A Very ARPO Christmas (Amazon Kids+ original animated short; ARPO works to make the perfect first Christmas for Cookie) - Dec. 6
• A Christmas Star (holiday movie starring Sara Canning and Daniel Lissing; directed by Jessica Harmon; An astronomer hunting for aliens finds herself falling for a widowed park ranger; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12
• With Love (five-episode original series starring Emeraude Toubia and Mark Indelicato as siblings looking for love, with each episode set on a different holiday) - Dec. 17 (Trailer)
• Boxing Day (rom-com starring, co-written and directed by Aml Ameen; co-starring Aja Naomi King, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Marianne Jean-Baptiste; A man reluctantly returns home to London accompanied by his American fiancee for the holidays and introduces her to his complicated family for the first time; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 17 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas is Canceled (holiday movie starring Dermot Mulroney, Janel Parrish and Hayley Orrantia; directed by Prarthana Mohan; A year after the death of her mother, a woman finds out her widowed father is dating her old high school nemesis and sets out to break them up over the holidays with the help of her rival's ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be her own high school crush; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 17, Rated R
• Stuffings (holiday horror movie starring Kathleen Halligan and Daniel Moody; written and directed by Matthew J. Wilkinson; A social media star couple looking for an Insta-worthy Christmas campout stumble upon a horrific holiday secret) - Dec. 18
  
• Joy for Christmas (holiday movie starring Cindy Busby and Sam Page; directed by Pat Williams; To save a holiday toy drive, a woman must convince a pro athlete to be its spokesman; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19
  
• The LCD Soundsystem Holiday Special (original Amazon Music holiday musical special featuring special guests Eric Wareheim and Macaulay Culkin) - Dec. 22 (Trailer), also available on Amazon Music Twitch Channel
• Yearly Departed 2021 (second annual, all-female comedy send off to the year that was, an Amazon original) - Dec. 23

On Demand/Digital/DVD

• The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon (Hallmark movie parody performance featuring Jesse Walker, Cecily Gash, Caitlin Houlahan, Ruby Lewis, Ryan Vona and Ian Ward; benefiting The Alzheimer's Foundation of America) - Jan. 12, YouTube
  
• Trappin' 4 Christmas (low-budget, TV-MA holiday movie written by Lisa Maydwell and directed and produced by Midnight Black) - Jan. 15, Vimeo
• Black Christmas 2021 (low-budget, gender-swapped remake of the 1974 horror classic, from writer-director Jackson Bigley) - Jan. 15, YouTube
• This Christmas (Irish short film starring Devlin O'Brien, Ingrid Ni Igoe and Gareth Daly; A family faces eviction and homelessness at the holidays; inspired by Doris Day's I'll Be Home for Christmas) - Jan. 29, YouTube
• Beverly Hills Christmas II (holiday movie starring Timothy Davis, Vincent De Paul, Donna Spangler, Ravin Spangler and Margaret O'Brien; directed by Christian Filippella; A teenager sent to spend Christmas with her eccentric aunt, witnesses a miracle and learns the true meaning of Christmas.) - Feb. 1, online
• A Christmas Wish (Canadian family short film starring Brandon Belov, Stephen Bishop and Donna Clacer; directed by Chih Wu) - Feb. 1, Canada
• Mayor (documentary following Musa Hadid, the popular Christian mayor of Ramallah in Palestine, as he plans a Christmas celebration and leads his occupied city) - Feb. 16, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• The Fright Before Christmas (low-budget holiday horror movie written, directed and starring John Johnson) - Mar. 2, Blu-Ray
• A Covid Christmas (low-budget holiday movie written and directed by Maurice Jones; A wife invites the whole family for Christmas during COVID, without telling her husband) - Mar. 5, YouTube
• Tru (Music Theatre of Connecticut's production of a holiday-set look at a week in the life of Truman Capote; Just before Christmas all Capote's friends realize he has shared their secrets with the world via his infamous novel, Answered Prayers; livestream and in-person performances) - Apr 23, On Demand
  
• A Christmas Sunset (holiday drama starring Cassandra James, Dani Scott, T.C. De Witt and Courtney Locks; written and directed by De Witt and James Burzelic; Five friends get together to celebrate the life of a friend who passed, only to find themselves challenged by the secrets he left behind.) - May 3, Amazon VOD
• Christmas in July (Wownow animation title, directed by Chip Bryant; Santa's summer vacation is thwarted when Dracula tries to take over Christmas) - May 25, DVD
• It's Me, Billy: A Black Christmas Fan Film (Canadian fan-made sequel to the 1974 horror classic) - May 28, Vimeo
• A Frozen Christmas Dance: Christmas in July (animated pre-school special from director Alejandro Aitana) - June 15, DVD
• Mission Fat Hearts (animated movie starring Kaliyah Melnick, Matthew Frizzell, Olivia Davis and Bob Hoffman; Based on the 2018 children's book, The Adventures of Pookie: Mission Fat Hearts) - June 28, YouTube
  
• Undertaking Christmas (original holiday musical, storybook spoof from songwriter Joel B. New, starring Joel McVeagh, Carolyn Mignini and Richard Riaz Yoder, with illustrations by Krissy Fox; A party planner's big city life falls apart so he returns to his small town to save the family funeral home and fall in love) - June 30, On Demand (Trailer)
• The Christmas Dance (holiday movie starring Michael Faber, Katherine Kelly Lang, Briana White and Richard Karn; written and directed by Michael Arcell; A traumatized woman learns to enjoy Christmas once again) - July 23, VOD (Trailer), available on Roku & Tubi as of October 29
• Christmas in July (holiday movie starring Grayson Russell, Reiley McClendon and Erin Ownbey, written and directed by Myles Matsuno; A holiday-loving man vows to give his dying grandmother one last perfect Christmas, even though it's the middle of summer; widely available for first time after touring festival circuit) July 23, VOD (Trailer)
• I'll Be Home for Christmas (holiday short film from Conor Soucy; A young couple has to deal with the reality of their complicated relationship when they find themselves stuck alone together for Christmas) - July 25, Vimeo On Demand
• Lupidoo's Incredible Christmas (Indian original animated holiday movie, made for kids' channel ETV Balya Bharat and voiced in 11 different languages) - July 30, India on ETV
• Christmess (Australian holiday comedy starring Steve Le Marquand, Susan Prior and Hannah Joy; directed by Heath Davis; the dysfunctional reality of a Down Under summer Christmas; filmed in Penrith, NSW) - Aug. 1, Australia
• Sleigh! (short horror film; A Christmas Eve party meant to celebrate a recently deceased woman's life turns deadly after an ancient board game reveals her friends aren't who her boyfriend thought they were) - Aug. 14, YouTube
  
• Christmas at Belfast (musical special from Northern Ireland, directed by John F.D. Northover) - Aug. 19, DVD
• The Green Knight (Arthurian fantasy starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton; written and directed by David Lowery; based on the 14th century poem, King Arthur's nephew, Sir Gawain, goes on a quest to find a magical emerald; set around the holidays.) - Aug 20, VOD (Trailer); also available in theaters
• What She Said (holiday-set drama written by and starring Jenny Lester, with Juliana Jureanas, Brit Michael Gordon and Peter Evangelista; directed by Amy Northup; A young Jewish woman struggles to recover from trauma amidst the winter holidays, as her family decides to stage a Thanksgiving intervention) - Sep. 14, VOD (Trailer)
• Christmas Collision (holiday movie starring Michael Pare, Vernon Wells, Sebrina Scott and John Wells; directed by Lana Read; A businesswoman runs into a writer in his hometown for the holidays; filmed in Cincinnati) - Oct. 8, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• Lil' Santa's Book Club: A Little Book for Christmas (animated holiday storybook movie from director Sandy Lynn Smith and Once Upon a Tale) - Oct. 8, DVD
  
• Christmas Freak (holiday comedy starring Sean Marlow and Amy Hagan; written and directed by Sean Brown; A troubled man whose father abandoned the family on Christmas tries to do the holiday over every day to get it right and be worthy of love) - Oct. 8, DVD/digital (Trailer)
• Mighty Mensch (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kim Brown; Hanukah has a new hero) - Oct .12, DVD (Trailer)
• 13 Slays Till X-Mas (small budget holiday horror movie starring Jessica Anderson and Christopher Bower; A mysterious message brings five strangers together for Christmas Eve, where they entertain each other by telling scary stories) - Oct. 15, VOD
• Alice-Miranda: A Royal Christmas Ball (Australian animated movie directed by Jo Boag; Melanie Alexander and Alexa Moses; based on the book series by Jacqueline Harvey; A royal Christmas mystery for Alice-Miranda and her friends to solve in time for the ball.) - Oct. 15, Australia on Stan
• Oh Deer (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kyle Remington; An ambitious reindeer teams up with his elf BFF to help bring Santa his favorite dinner) - Oct. 19, DVD (Trailer)
• Defining Moments (starring Burt Reynolds, Sienna Guillory and Tammy Blanchard; holiday-set comedy about the single moment that defines your life; Reynolds' final film, shot shortly before his death in 2018) - Oct. 19, Amazon VOD
  
• The Dog of Christmas (holiday movie starring John Savage, James Duval and Bianca Blanco; directed by Bret Roberts; written by Enrico Pinocci; A well off French family tries to save the holiday by buying a dog; filmed in France in 2018) - Oct. 26, DVD (Trailer)
• Estella Scoorge (filmed stage production starring Betsy Wolfe; directed by John Caird; A female Wall Street tycoon is visited by three ghosts; filmed in 2020) - Nov. 1, Broadway On Demand (Website)
• Another Christmas (holiday movie starring John Bonds, Malik Brazile and Sheena Faust; written and directed by Stacie Davis; A professional baseball player comes home to Myrtle Beach for the holidays to help his family through various domestic struggles and maybe find love himself; filmed in South Carolina) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
• Hell on the Shelf (holiday horror movie directed by Mark Polonia; A Christmas elf decoration is key to why no one wants to live in a curse house) - Nov. 1, Blu-Ray (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas to Savour (holiday movie starring Britt Irvin,  Zach Roerig, Bethany Brown, BJ Harrison and Lyall Woznesensky; directed by Jessica Harmon; written by Sean Fine; A chef gets a cooking getaway as a gift from her BFF who wants to rejuvenate her holiday menu and Christmas spirit; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 1, UK on BBC iPlayer (Trailer); also on BBC 2 Nov. 26
  
• Lost at Christmas (holiday movie starring Natalie Clark and Kenny Boyle; After being dumped by his girlfriend following a public proposal, two strangers stranded in the Scottish Highlands join forces to try and get home in time for Christmas; filmed on location in Scotland; debuted in 2020 in the UK) - Nov. 2, Amazon VOD (Trailer)
  
• 00K9: Operation Christmas (animated-live action hybrid from WowNow, An evil black panther is bent on destroying Christmas and the only one who can stop him is the CIA's top agent, 00K9) - Nov. 2, DVD (Trailer)
• Christmas Under the Sea 2 (animated sequel movie from WowNow; Spend another Christmas with the underwater inhabitants of Bubbletown) - Nov. 2, DVD
• Christmas Dance 2 (animated sequel from WowNow; Join in the holiday dance party and sing-a-long in the animal town of Sunnyville) - Nov. 2 via DVD
• Santa Saves the Galaxy (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kyle Remington; When cheeky penguins hack into Santa's computer to to get themselves on the nice list, they accidentally put the entire holiday in jeopardy) - Nov. 2, DVD (Trailer)
• A Gift from Bob (holiday sequel to 2016′s A Street Cat Named Bob, based on the book; starring Kristina Tonteri-Young and Luke Treadaway; A ginger cat saves a homeless man at Christmas) - Nov. 9, VOD (Trailer), also available in select theaters Nov. 5
  
• See You Next Christmas (holiday movie starring Elizabeth Guest, AJ Meijer and Vin Vescio; written and directed by Christine Weatherup; Two singles keep meeting, year after year, at a neighbor's Christmas party and begin to wonder if it's destiny) - Nov. 9, VOD (Trailer)
• Miami Heat (holiday-set action movie starring Oleg Prudius, Shannon Murray and Gabriela Wong. A retired Russian special forces agent must rescue his daughter from kidnappers in the days leading up to Christmas.) - Nov. 9, VOD
• Little Santa (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kim Brown; Little Santa finds himself lost on Christmas Eve and unable to get back to the North Pole) - Nov. 9, DVD (Trailer)
• The Real Bedford Falls: It's a Wonderful Life (documentary from directors Stu Lisson and Francis DiClemente about Seneca Falls, NY, the filming site of the iconic Christmas movie, featuring interview with Life actors Karolyn Grimes and Jimmy Hawkins, along with Monica Capra Hodges and Leonard Maltin) - Nov. 9, DVD (Trailer)
• Hope (a.k.a. Håp; starring Andrea Braein Hovig and Stellan Skarsgard; Norwegian film about a May-December marriage where the younger half of the couple is diagnosed with a brain tumor which they keep secret from their family at the holidays; first time available in the U.S. outside of film festivals) - Nov. 9 (Trailer)
• Letters to Santa 4 (a.k.a Listy do M.4; fourth in the Polish rom-com franchise that began with 2011′s Listy do M., one of the highest-grossing Polish movies of all time; starring Tomasz Karolak, Piotr Adamczyk, Agnieszka Dygant and Izabela Kuna; filmed in Poland and originally set to be released theatrically in 2020, but delayed due to COVID-19) - Nov. 9, Poland via DVD (Trailer); available in limited theatrical release as of Feb. 1
• The Christmas Pitch (holiday movie starring Joseph Morales, Alexa Maria Huerta, Debo Belogun, Ramona Edith Williams and Chandra Michaels; directed by Layne Marie Williams; Two big city execs are sent to one's small hometown, in order to reconnect with Christmas, and become involved in the town's holiday; filmed in Chicago) - Nov. 12, VOD (Trailer)
• Double Walker (holiday-set supernatural horror starring Sylvia Mix and Justin Rose; directed by Colin West; A young woman found dead on Christmas Day comes back as a ghost to get revenge for her murder) - Nov. 12, VOD (Trailer)
  
• More the Merrier: The Special (Live concert from Sarah Reeves, celebrating music of the season as featured on her new album) - Nov. 12, Facebook
• The Collingsworth Family: A True Family Christmas (concert based on the Kentucky "music ministry's" 2019 holiday album) - Nov. 12, DVD
• Paddington Saves Christmas (filmed version of the live stage comedy from Rockefeller Productions; Paddington tries to prepare for the holiday arrival of his Great Aunt Matilda only to find things going awry; filmed live in New York City) - Nov. 15, Broadway On Demand or Marquee TV (Website)
• Ace and the Christmas Miracle (starring Brande Roderick, Steven Chase and Jon Lovitz; directed by Asif Akbar; A guy who owes money to the mob ends up being able to hear a race horse talk after suffering a head injury) - Nov. 16, Rated PG, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• Secret Santa: A Christmas Adventure (small budget holiday movie written, directed and starring Nigel Butler; A group of down-on-their-luck buddies team up with Santa on Christmas Eve) - Nov. 16, DVD (Trailer)
• Verzuz Holiday: A Night for the Queens (Hallmark-sponsored live concert featuring Chaka Kahn and Stephanie Mills from L.A.) - Nov. 18, Verzuz TV
• Black Friday (Thanksgiving-set zombie movie starring Bruce Campbell, Devon Saw, Ivana Baquero and Michael Jai White; directed by Casey Tebo; written by Andy Greskoviak; An annoyed group of toy store employees are forced to work on Thanksgiving to prepare for Black Friday, only to find the shoppers have been turned into zombies by an alien infection) - Nov. 19, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
• Live from the Zoo Lights (CBS 11 in Ohio coverage of the kickoff of the Toled Zoo's "Lights Before Christmas" holiday event) - Nov. 19, YouTube
• It's Not a Very Merry Endangered Species Christmas (Canadian animated holiday movie teaching kids about endangered species, starring the voices of Sam Vincent, Tabitha St. Germain and Lee Tockar) - Nov. 20, Canada on Teletoon
• Black Beauty Christmas (animated holiday movie starring the voices of Marco Guzman, Ben Hollington and Rebecca Planter; directed by Avery Lundren; As Christmas approaches, Black Beauty fights for his spot as king of the herd against his evil uncle, Alta) - Nov. 23, DVD (Trailer)
• Pups Alone (holiday movie shot in 2017 starring Dolph Lundgren, Jerry O'Connell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Danny Trejo, Rob Schneider, Keith David and Eric Roberts; A gang of thieves tries to steal a dog collar that translates canine thoughts into English) - Nov. 23, DVD/digital (Trailer); also available in limited theatrical release Nov. 19
• Boiling Point (UK movie based on a 2019 short of the same name from writer-director Philip Barantini, and starring Stephen Graham, Jason Flemyng and Ray Panthaki; A stressed out restaurant chef faces immense challenges in the lead up to Christmas, his busiest time of year) - Nov. 23, VOD (Trailer); also available in limited theatrical release Dec. 3
  
• Spencer (starring Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, Sean Harris and Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, centered around one of her final Windsor family Christmases at Sandringham) - Nov. 23 (Trailer); also available in theaters Nov. 5
  
• iHeartRadio Holiday Special (LIVE musical special hosted by Mario Lopez, featuring performance from Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bible, Train and Pentatonix) - Nov. 24, YouTube, Facebook and the iHeartRadio app
• Killer Christmas Elves (low-budget horror movie starring Stephen Lesser; directed by Joshua B. Hall; written by T.C. De Witt;  a father and spend find their neighborhood under attack on Christmas Eve by tiny, evil elves.) - Nov. 25, VOD (Trailer)
• Masha and the Bear: Happy Thanksgiving (animated holiday special from Russian animation company Animaccord, based on its popular Masha and the Bear shorts) - Nov. 26 on YouTube
• Pomp, Snow & CIRQUEumstance (holiday special from Armed Forces Entertainment based on the children's book of the same name) - Nov. 26 on YouTube
  
• Christmas vs the Walters (starring Shawnee Smith, Dean Winters, Bruce Dern and Chris Elliott, written and directed by Peter A. D'Amato; An expectant mother's attempt to create the perfect Christmas for her dysfunctional family goes awry when she's ordered to go on bed rest.) - Nov. 26, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release Nov. 5
• A Story for Winter (small budget holiday movie written and directed by Nathan Weidner; A doctor finds himself stuck by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve in home for children with special needs; filmed in Ohio) - Nov. 27, Amazon VOD
• Puppet Killer (holiday-set horror movie starring Aleks Panuovic, Lee Majdoub, Lisa Durupt and Richard Harmon; directed by Lisa Ovies; A group of school students spending Christmas at a seclued cabin are stalked by a horror movie obsessed killer) - Nov. 29, digital (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release Sep. 21
• L'il Santa (animated holiday short series, plus half-hour animated special from Montreal-based K6 animation based on the comic book series by Lewis Trondheim and Thierry Robin; Santa's reindeer stage a protest to help save endangered caribou) - Dec. 1, special in Canada on TeleQuebec; shorts available now via app
  
• Christmas at the Ranch (holiday movie starring Lindsay Wagner, Amanda Righetti and Laur Allen; directed by Christin Baker; A big city gal goes home to her family ranch to try to save it and falls in love with the new ranch hand; from Tello Films; filmed in Nashville) - Dec. 1, Tello Films
• A Christmas Carol (live-action animated feature starring Andy Serkis, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman and Leslie Caron; directed by Jacqui Morris; Abstract re-telling of A Christmas Carol when, during a children's paper doll theater telling of the classic story, we enter the imagination of a child hearing it told; Filmed in 2018 and got a very limited theatrical release in 2020, but the first time widely available in the U.S.) - Dec. 1
  
• Anything But Christmas (right-wing holiday movie from JCFilms, starring Timothy Perez-Ross, Dwight Turner and Lea Hutton Beasmore; billed as an "elf political thriller," it uses "inclusivity" as a punchline and posits a proposed law to change the name of Christmas and a North Pole elf that sues to stop it, showing they understand how laws work about as well as they understand what Jesus was really all about; filmed in Kentucky) - Dec. 1, DVD from JCFilms
• Santa's Real (a.k.a. Santa 4 Real; family holiday movie from Big Screen Entertainment Group; starring Hailey Wang and  Elija Elerick; directed by Julien and Ben Deka; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 1, BSEG
• Where Oliver Fits: A Christmas Eve Tale (animated special based on the book Where Oliver Fits by Cale Atkinson; A puzzle piece gets separated from his family in Santa's workshop and must make and rely on new friends to find his way home) - Dec. 1, Canada on Treehouse and in Latin America on Discovery Kids
  
• Christmas on the Farm (Australian holiday movie starring Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen, Hugh Sheridan and Nicholas Brown; A New Yorker who writes books based on Australian farm life, must play the part at Christmas in order to secure a new publishing deal; A take on Christmas in Connecticut; filmed in Brisbane) - Dec. 1, Australia on Stan
  
• The Jolliest Elf (season one of the animated short series about an elf talents competition at the North Pole) - Dec. 3, Amazon VOD and YouTube
• Twas The Night (dark comedy starring Nicole Pringle, David Steven Perez and Abel Rosario. A newly-engaged couple accidentally murder someone right before they host their in-laws for a holiday dinner.) - Dec. 3, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
  
• Funny Thing About Love (Thanksgiving-set rom-com starring Jon Heder, Barry Corbin and Pat Finn; written and directed by Adam White; A women takes her new boyfriend home for the holiday, only to find that her ex is also spending the holiday with them) - Dec. 3, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
• Tommy and the Christmas Coal (animated special based on the book by Kenny Wilson, who also wrote and directed the special; starring John Robert Cameron, Gerry Cunningham and Carlie Ferguson; When a little boy's father gets bad news just before Christmas, it seems Christmas will be ruined.) - Dec. 4, Eastlink Community TV in Canada (Trailer)
• It's a Wonderful Life Table Read (celebrity benefit table read of the classic script to honor Ed Asner and benefit the Ed Asner Family Center; featuring Jason Sudeikis, Mark Hamill, Rosario Dawson, Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, Mandy Patinkin, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jean Smart, among others and sponsored by Turner Classic Movies) - Dec. 5, On Demand (Tickets)
• The Higher Spirit (holiday movie from Onyx Keesha, written by B. Danielle Watkins, and starring Rachi Herring, Zenja Dunn and Ronnie Wood; Adopted siblings reunite at the holidays; filmed in Nevada.) - Dec. 5, Les Flicks VOD/subscription (Trailer)
• Santa.com (holiday animated musical special tie-in with the virtual North Pole website; With the North Pole now fully automated, Santa retires, but an online Scrooge intent on cancelling Christmas gums up the works, leaving a plucky elf to save the day) - Dec. 6 on the web and Grom app
  
• Red Snow (holiday horror movie starring Dennice Cisneros, Nico Bellamy and Laura Kennon; written and directed by Sean Nichols Lynch; A novelist who writes vampire romances, finds herself hunted by real vampires during her Lake Tahoe Christmas retreat) - Dec. 6, VOD (Trailer)
• A Frozen Christmas Dance: Thank you Santa (WowNow animated holiday sing-a-long from director Alejandro Aitana; Sunnyville's baby animals have a Christmas dance party) - Dec. 7, DVD
• Santa Saves the Universe 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by James Snider; Santa must battle his polar opposite to save Christmas) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• A Frozen New Years 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Pippa Seymour; Santa plans his New Year vacation) - Dec. 7, DVD
• The Grump Who Stole Christmas 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Reggie Daniels; Santa enlists the Elf Agency's best and brightest work to remove a spell from an evil witch) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• The New Years Baby (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Chip Bryant; A genius baby challenges his New Year's Eve sitter, but could help Santa save the world from Frankenstein, Dracula and other monsters) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• The Little King: Christmas Night (Rifftrax's Mike Nelson, Conor Lastowka, and Sean Thomason take on the animated short based on a 1930s comic strip) - Dec. 7, Rifftrax.com
• The Christmas Pig Reading with J.K. Rowling and Friends (Scholastic has the author reading with friends from around the world to promote her new book) - Dec. 8, Scholastic YouTube
• The Elf on the Shelf's Night Before Christmas (reading of the children's book by actress Brenda Song) - Dec. 9, Elf on the Shelf YouTube
• A Christmas Number One (a.k.a. A Christmas No. 1; holiday movie starring Iwan Rheon, Freida Pinto and Rich Hall; directed by Chris Cottam; written by Robert Chandler, Keiron Self and Giles New; A disgraced music manager flees New York for London and discovers what she thinks could be the next big thing when she hears a 13-year-old singing online, but clashes with the young star's uncle when she tries to secure rights to the potential hit; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 10, UK on Sky
  
• A Christmas Promise (original short film starring Sophia Carroll; written and directed by John Forte; A grieving beachcomber bonds with a homeless man who believes he's an actual angel; filmed in Sandbridge, Va.) - Dec. 12, YouTube
• 13th Day of Christmas (small-budget, holiday-set crime thriller starring and directed by Matthew Widdowson, along with Jamal Augustine-Clarke, Kerri Hedley-Cheney and Kianna Grace; A cop struggling with mental health issues searching for a serial killer at the holidays; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 13, UK
• O Night Divine (holiday movie short film starring John C Reilly and Alex Wolff; directed by Luca Guadagnino; sponsored by Zara; Santa meets up with a busker in St. Moritz) - Dec. 14, YouTube
• A Princess Ellie Christmas (small-budget holiday movie directed and starring Ekaette Shammah; A set decorator's character comes to life) - Dec. 15 (Website); Release date published, but can't find outlet, so possible it's been delayed
• Sounds of the Season: Together Again (holiday music special presented by Cracker Barrel and featuring Pentatonix and Mickey Guyton) - Dec. 15 on YouTube and Facebook
• We Too Together (holiday-set drama starring Cengiz Dervis, Silvia Busuioc and Nigel Lowe; directed by Deborah Hadfield; A young man living with autism struggles to open his heart to love at the holidays, as his father battles PTSD after returning from combat.) - Dec. 15, Amazon VOD
• Hell of a Holiday (music special from the Pistol Annies, hosted by Blair Garner and benefiting the Music Health Alliance) - Dec. 15 on Facebook
• Masha and the Bear: Christmas Carol (full-length animated holiday special from Russian animation company Animaccord, based on its popular Masha and the Bear shorts) - Dec. 15 on YouTube
  
• A Unicorn for Christmas (holiday movie starring Sunny Mabrey, Chuck Wicks, Abby James Witherspoon, Christian Finlayson, Charlene Tilton, Lane Davies and Ed Marinaro; directed by Stacia Crawford; written by Haven McCord & Andreas Olavarria; A young girl finds a real unicorn at Christmas carnival and most protect it from those who would exploit it; filmed in Georgia) - Dec. 15, CTV in Canada
  
• Sister Krampus (holiday horror movie directed by Mark Polonia; A nun who died horribly summons Krampus to get revenge and in exchange becomes his bride, decades later two sisters traveling in Europe try to stop her killing spree) - Dec. 15, Blu-Ray
• Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (off-Broadway performance from the New Victory Theater in New York City; available On Demand until January 2 ) - Dec. 17, On Demand (Tickets)
  
• Titting About: Christmas Special (Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders with a new audio comedy special based on their popular podcast, focused on holiday topics) - Dec. 17, Audible
• A Holiday Chance (holiday movie starring Nafessa Williams, Sharon Leal, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Amin Joseph; directed by Jamal Hill; written by Curtis Bryant; When a film producer dies unexpectedly his estranged—from each other—daughters come together to save his company at Christmas; filmed in LA) - Dec.. 18, VOD (Trailer)
  
• Last Train to Christmas (Sky Cinema original starring Michael Sheen, Cary Elwes and Nathalie Emmanuel; written and directed by Julian Kemp; An '80s nightclub owner on train going home for the holidays finds that moving from car to car actually travels him through time, and he can change his past and future via his actions; filmed in Wales) - Dec. 18, UK on Sky
• Eve's Christmas (DSTV original starring Mark Elderkin; directed by Marvin-Lee Beukes; written by Ephraim Gordon; A pair of feuding siblings reunite at Christmas thanks to a child's Christmas wish, but it doesn't go smoothly; filmed in South Africa) - Dec. 18, South African on DSTV M
• The Amazing Mr. Blunden (Sky original family movie starring Simon Callow and Tamsin Greig; A mysterious man offers a struggling family a new job on run down farm that contains some mysterious secrets) - Dec. 20, UK on Sky
• Crossovers Live! Holiday Finale (Broadway chat show hosted by Tony winner Brian Stokes Miller, featuring special guests who made the transition from stage to screen) - Dec. 20, Stellar
• Secrets of Diana's Last Royal Christmas: 1991 (UK documentary written and directed by Amber Rondel about the last holiday Diana spent as a Windsor) - Dec. 21, VOD
  
• A Lotus 'Til Reckoning (small budget holiday-set drama starring Kim Griffin, Justin McElfresh and Kathleen McElfresh; written and directed by David McElfresh; After taking an exotic drug at a Christmas party spouses begin to question their partner's faithfulness, but can't tell if they're under the influence or seeing clearly; released at a festival in 2017, but first time available to wider public) - Dec. 21, Amazon VOD
  
• A Christmas Reckoning (small-budget holiday movie written, directed and starring Ray Martin, along with Eoin O'Shea and Jake Mattera; On Christmas Eve 2020 three people find themselves in a mysterious holding area after an awful year) - Dec. 23 (Facebook)
• Blackburn Sings Christmas with Gareth Malone (Celebrating the NHS in one of the areas of Britain hardest hit by the pandemic) - Dec. 23, UK on BBC 2
• The Holiday to Remembe r (small-budget holiday movie about regaining the magic of a childhood Christmas; written and directed by Sharlene Humm; starring Karen Ann Martino, Maja Nile and Tracey Eman; filmed in Florida in 2017) - Dec. 24 (Website)
• Sister Scrooge (holiday thriller starring Nessa Noel and Tony Davis; written and directed by JD Lawrence; When a man ends their affair, Paige Scrooge turns against Christmas) - Dec. 24 (Website)
  
• For Hannah (holiday-set thriller starring Shannon Brown, Carla Abruzzo and Ric Morgan; co-written and directed by John Wesley Norton; Trying to escape the police, a man comes upon an isolated farmhouse on Christmas Eve, but who's the real criminal, him or the couple inside?) - Dec. 24, Amazon VOD (Trailer)
• Adam Saves Christmas (Irish animated special starring Adam King; Adam and his friends must help Santa restore the Northern Lights or Christmas will be cancelled) - Dec. 24, Ireland on RTEjr
• A Kids' Country Christmas (kids' performer musical special) - Dec. 24, Ireland on RTEjr
• Terry Pratchett's The Abominable Snow Baby (hand-drawn animated special based on the short story; starring Hugh Dancy, Julie Walters and David Harewood; When a 14-foot Abominable Snow Baby shows up in quaint Village after a storm, the townspeople all show fear, except one who welcomes him in her home.) - Dec. 25, UK on Channel 4
• Marvin's Christmas (holiday movie from director Antonio Jefferson and Love Star Entertainment; starring Alaja Greene; A soft-hearted man resists his family's attempts to get him to strike out on his own; filmed in Baltimore) - Dec. 25 (Website)
• Asseblief & Dankie (South African holiday movie about a homeless woman who saves a wealthy man's life, so he invites her to recover in his penthouse, but soon finds she may be a literal angel) - Dec. 25 kykNET/Showmax in South Africa

27 notes

December 24, 2021

2021 Real-Time Holiday Movie Ranking

sleepykittypaws:

2021 is the year the Christmas movie explosion exceeded my even my interest level and time commitment to keep track of everything, so this will likely be my last year even attempting to quantify and aggregate all of the new Christmas content, but in keeping with recent tradition, I will try and keep a real-time ranking of all the new movies I watch, both here and on Letterboxd.

Edited to Add: This year has become so busy and overstuffed with content, I basically gave up on doing real reviews, such as they are, of anything right around Thanksgiving, so tried to link to my quick takes on Twitter for everything else.

Updated: December 24, 2021

1. 8-Bit Christmas , HBO Max (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
2. Single All the Way, Netflix (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾🐾)
3. Love Hard, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
   
4. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star , Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
5. An Unexpected Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
6. A Castle for Christmas , Netflix (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
7. Fruitcake Fraud , Discovery+ (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
8. Christmas…Again?! , Disney (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
9. A Clusterfunke Christmas , Comedy Central (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
10. One December Night , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
11. A Christmas Proposal , CBS (🐾🐾🐾)
    
12. Under the Christmas Tree , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
13. Crashing Through the Snow, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
14. Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
15. Merry Liddle Christmas Baby , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
16. Every Time a Bell Rings , Hallmark Movies Now (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
17. Christmas in Tune , Lifetime (🐾🐾🐾)
18. The Housewives of the North Pole , Peacock  (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
19. Holiday in Santa Fe , Lifetime (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾)
    
20. A Dickens of a Holiday! , Hallmark (Quick Take 🐾🐾🐾)
21. Let's Get Married , VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
22. Adventures in Christmasing, VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
23. Christmas Sail, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
24. Next Stop, Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
25. The Nine Kittens of Christmas  Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
26. A Jenkins Family Christmas , BET (Quick Take, 🐾🐾)
27. Father Christmas is Back, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾)
    
28. The Santa Stakeout, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
    
29. A Kiss Before Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
30. An Ice Wine Christmas,  Lifetime (Review, 🐾)
31. Mistletoe in Montana, Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾)
    
32. Christmas at Castle Hart,  Hallmark (Review, 🐾)
    
33. Home Sweet Home Alone , Disney+ (Quick Take)
34. Candy Coated Christmas , Discovery+ (Review)
35. Angel Falls Christmas , IMDb TV (Quick Take)

source: Letterboxd

286 notes

December 23, 2021

2021 TV Holiday Premieres

sleepykittypaws:

Updated: December 23, 2021

ABC

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day

• 30th Annual BMO Harris Bank Magnificent Mile Lights Festival Parade (local, live parade coverage hosted by Alan Krashesky and Cheryl Burton, with replays on ABC affiliates across the country, check local listings) - Nov. 21, ABC 7 Chicago and streaming on abc7chicago.com
  
• The Magic Maker (magician Adam Trent helps people surprise their loved ones with illusions) - Nov. 25
  
• The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (holiday highlights and music hosted by Derek & Julianne Hough and Ariana DeBose; with celebrity special guests including Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Boyz II Men and Joey Fatone, from Disney parks around the globe) - Nov. 28
• The Great Christmas Light Fight (season 9 of the seasonal reality competition featuring outrageous holiday displays judged by Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak; six-episodes filmed in 2020, shown over three nights) - Nov. 28
• CMA Country Christmas (annual holiday concert special hosted by Carly Pearce and Gabby Barrett, featuring performances from Jimmie Allen, Louis York & The Shindellas, BRELAND, Brett Eldredge, Lady A, Pistol Annies, Carrie Underwood and Lainey Wilson; filmed in Nashville) - Nov. 29 (Teaser)
  
• Something's Coming: West Side Story (A preview special for the upcoming big screen adaptation of the classic musical) - Dec. 5
• A Very Boy Band Holiday (All-star line-up of boy band stars from *NSYNC, Boyz II Men, New Edition, NKOTB, O-Town and 98 Degrees celebrate the season with song in this musical special) - Dec. 6
• Live in Front of a Studio Audience  (LIVE recreations of classic sitcom episodes of Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Lifestarring Ann Dowd, Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, Allison Tolman, Kathryn Hahn, John Lithgow, Kevin Hart and Damon Wayans, executive produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear) - Dec. 7
  
• Shark Tank Holiday (holiday-themed episode of the product-idea pitch show) - Dec. 10
• America's Funniest Home Videos Holiday 2021 (new viral holiday video compliation) - Dec. 12
• Supermarket Sweep Holiday (special holiday episode of the Leslie Jones-hosted game show) - Dec. 12
• Disney Parks Magical Christmas Celebration (annual holiday parade/musical showcase taped in Disney World, Disneyland and other Disney Parks worldwide; hosted by Derek & Julianne Hough, Trevor Jackson and Sherry Cola and featuring Jimmie Allen, Kristin Chenoweth, Darren Criss, Meg Donnelly, Brett Eldredge, Norah Jones, Pentatonix and Gwen Stefani) - Dec. 25
• Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2022 (annual Times Square ball drop celebration hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Liza Koshy, Ciara from L.A., Billy Porter from New Orleans, and Roselyn Sanchez with the first Spanish-language countdown from Puerto Rico) - Dec. 31
  
• The Rose Parade (live parade coverage from Pasadena) - Jan. 1, 2022

NBC

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Peacock

• A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving (highlights from SNL's best Thanksgiving sketches) - Nov. 24
• 95th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (official parade coverage, LIVE)  - Nov. 25
• National Dog Show Presented by Purina(taped coverage of the 20th anniversary National Dog Show from Oaks, Pennsylvania, hosted by John O'Hurley and David Frei) - Nov. 25
• 5 More Sleeps 'Til Christmas (animated special starring Jimmy Fallon, Kari Wahlgren and Affion Crockett; directed by Borja Pena Gorostegui; written by Jon Foster and James Lamont; based on the book by Fallon, who is also producing) - Nov. 26
  
• Trolls Holidays in Harmony (animated special based on the Trolls movie franchise characters, featuring the voices of Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), available on DVD and digital on Nov. 30
• 89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center (annual New York City tree lighting, LIVE, hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker and Craig Melvin, with special guests Alessia Cara, Harry Connick Jr., Mickey Guyton, Norah Jones, Brad Paisley, Rob Thomas, Carrie Underwood and the Radio City Rockettes) - Dec. 1
  
• Kelly Clarkson Presents When Christmas Around (musical variety special featuring Clarkson and Brett Eldredge, Ariana Grande, Jay Leno, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Odom Jr. and Amy Poehler, honoring "everyday heroes.") - Dec. 1
• Annie Live! (live version of the Broadway musical starring Taraji P. Henson, Celina Smith, Nicole Scherzinger, Harry Connick Jr., Tituss Burgess and Megan Hilty; produced by Bob Greenblatt and Neil Meron; directed by Alex Rudzinski) - Dec. 2
  
• A Foxwoods Holiday Special (Christmas show from the Connecticut casino) - Dec. 4 on NBC CT, check local listing for other local New England showings
• Michael Buble's Christmas in the City (the singer and special guests celebrate the holidays with a night of comedy and music from Rockefeller Center, featuring special guests including Jimmy Fallon, Leon Bridges, Hannah Waddingham and Kermit the Frog) - Dec. 6
• The People's Choice Awards (annual entertainment awards show) - Dec. 7
• A Very Chrisley Christmas (The reality show family needs a miracle to save their holiday after the youngest's letter to Santa goes astray while spending Christmas at Nanny's) - Dec. 15
• Young Rock: A Christmas Peril (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; Three different Christmases shape young Dwayne Johnson's life ) - Dec. 15
• Kenan Christmas  (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; The morning show preps for a holiday special) - Dec. 15
• Mr. Mayor's Magical L.A. Christmas (UK-style, stand-alone holiday special based on the NBC sitcom; The City Hall staff is forced to work on "L.A. Christmas Eve") - Dec. 15
• L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth (celebrate real-life heroes with ten inspiring true stories of fearless women who worked tirelessly for meaningful change) - Dec. 16
  
• A Saturday Night Live Christmas (highlights from SNL's best Christmas sketches) - Dec. 21
  
• Christmas Eve Mass (Pope Francis-led mass from St. Peter's Basilica in Rome) - Dec. 24
• Miley's New Year's Eve Party Hosted by Miley Cyrus and Pete Davidson (special New Year's countdown with Cyrus, Davidson and special guests; executive produced by Lorne Michaels) - Dec. 31
• Lone Star NYE: Countdown to 2022 (Dallas-Ft. Worth New Year's celebration featuring Scotty McCreery, hosted by Katy Blakey and D.J. Williams) - Dec. 31, DFW
• The Rose Parade's New Year Celebration (live parade coverage from Pasadena, Calif.) - Jan. 1, 2022

CBS

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Paramount+

• Adele One Night Only (The singer performs songs from her new album, 30, and chats with Oprah Winfrey) - Nov. 14
  
• The Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS (unofficial parade coverage of the Macy's parade, LIVE, hosted by Kevin Frazier and Keltie Knight)  - Nov. 25
• One Last Time: An Evening with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett (the legendary singers perform at Radio City Music Hall; filmed in New York City in August) - Nov. 28
• Let's Make a Deal Christmas (special holiday edition of the Wayne Brady-hosted game show, featuring Kristin Chenoweth) - Dec. 3
• 23rd Annual A Home for the Holidays at the Grove (23rd annual celebration of foster care and adoption, featuring four special families, with appearances from special celebrity guests including Justin Bieber, Kane Brown, Alessia Cara and Darren Criss) - Dec. 5
• The National Christmas Tree Lighting (The official lighting of the National Park Service tree in Washington, D.C. hosted by LL Cool J and featuring performances from Billy Porter, Chris Stapleton, H.E.R., Juanes, Keb' Mo', Kristin Chenoweth, Maren Morris and Patti LaBelle) - Dec. 5
• A Christmas Proposal (holiday movie starring Adam Rodriguez and Jessica Camacho; directed by Martin Wood; A chef hoping to get money to start a food truck business agrees to pose as the girlfriend of an attorney who hopes to show his family he's settled down; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12
• Christmas Takes Flight (holiday movie starring Katie Lowes, Evan Williams, Andrew Airlie, Kyra Leroux, Erik Gow and Keisha Haines; Directed by Michael Robison, about a new airline CEO who tries to stifle company Christmas plans to save money, but gets pushback from a pilot whose family used to own the business; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19
  
• Let's Make a Deal Christmas (three episodes of game show holiday cheer with host Wayne Brady) - Dec. 22
  
• The Price is Right at Night Holiday (special holiday edition of the game show hosted by Drew Carey) - Dec. 22
• The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (annual awards show celebrating opera star Justino Díaz, Motown founder Berry Gordy, Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell) - Dec. 22
• The 2021 Musial Awards (Wayne Gretzky and wife Janet Jones are honored with the Stan Musial Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating extraordinary sportsmanship in a ceremony taking place November 20th in St. Louis and airing via tape delay) - Dec. 25
• The Year: 2021 (news, year-in-review special, hosted by Robin Roberts and looking back at the most noteworthy moments of 2021) - Dec. 27
• New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash (New Year's countdown live from Nashville hosted by Bobby Bones and Rachel Smith, with special musical guests Jason Aldean, Jimmie Allen, Kelsea Ballerini, Gabby Barrett, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Elle King, Miranda Lambert, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell and Zac Brown Band, among others) - Dec. 31

FOX

NOTE: Some will also be available to stream on Hulu the following day

• The Moodys  (season 2 of the U.S. adaptation of the 2012 Australian comedy series A Moody Christmas starring Denis Leary, Elizabeth Perkins, Jay Baruchel, Maria Gabriela de Faria and Chelsea Frei; Unlike season 1, the second season of this dysfunctional Chicago family comedy won't be set at the holidays) - Apr. 1
• World Pet Games (animal competition special hosted by Erin Andrews and Finesse Mitchell, and featuring talented pets from more than 20 countries) - Nov. 25
• Gordon Ramsay: Christmas Vacation (aired in the U.K. in 2020 as Christmas Road Trip: Three Unwise Men; The three chef friends visit Santa's homeland in Finland) - Dec. 14
  
• I Can See Your Voice Holiday Spectacular (special holiday-themed episode of the game show hosted by Ken Jeong, with guest judges Nicole Byer, Cheryl Hines and Debbie Gibson) - Dec. 14
• The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed! (holiday mockumentary; A "data breach" at the North Pole reveals all of Santa's secrets, but who was the leaker?) - Dec. 20; also available on Tubi (Preview)
• The Masked Singer Christmas Singalong (singalongs, behind-the-scenes footage and fan favorites from the competition series gather in this new holiday special) - Dec. 22
• Fantasy Island: Welcome to the Snowglobe (special two-part holiday episode of the FOX reboot of the classic 1970s anthology series; Roselyn Sanchez stars along with guest stars Lindsey Krafft, Eddie Cahill and Benjamin Stockham; A guest finds themselves immersed in a holiday movie) - Dec. 23
  
• TMZ Merry Elfin' Christmas: Bye, Bye 2021 (holiday year in review special featuring Joel McHale, Howie Mandel, WWE Champ Becky Lynch, Nene Leakes and Chrishell Stause) - Dec. 26

CW

• Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2021  (annual magic show holiday special, hosted by Dean Cain) - Nov. 26
• Wellington Paranormal: 'Twas the Patrol Before Christmas (special holiday episode of the New Zealand spin-off series of What We Do in the Shadows; first time available in the U.S., aired in N.Z. in 2019) - Nov. 27
• The Waltons' Homecoming (remake of the classic 1971 Christmas movie that spawned the long-running The Waltons TV series to celebrate its 50th anniversary; starring Bellamy Young, Logan Shroyer, Ben Lawson, Marcelle LeBlanc, Christian Finlayson, Tatum Matthews, Samuel Goergen, Callaway Corrick, Rebecca Koon, Alpha Trivette, Marilyn McCoo, and Billy Davis Jr., with original "John Boy" Richard Thomas returning as the Narrator; written by Jim Strain and directed by Lev L. Spiro; A struggling Depression-era family is missing their father at the holidays, while their eldest son who dreams of being an author tries to help him get home for Christmas despite a storm) - Nov. 28, available via DVD and digital on Dec. 14
  
• The Black Pack: We Three Kings (holiday variety special starring Ne-Yo, Taye Diggs and Eric Bellinger, inspired by the Rat Pack holiday specials of yore; also featuring Bre-Z, Jordin Sparks, Tank and Sevyn Streeter) - Nov. 29
• Beebo Saves Christmas (animated special based on the breakout cuddly character from DC's Legends of Tomorrow; starring Ben Diskin, Chris Kattan, Ernie Hudson and Yvette Nicole Brown, with Victor Garber narrating; After saving the world, Beebo tries to find the true meaning of Christmas and runs into an evil elf trying to eliminate Santa) - Dec. 1
  
• Christmas Around the World (special about worldwide holiday traditions, past and present, hosted by Dean Cain and Laura McKenzie) - Dec. 8
• Legends of the Hidden Temple Holiday (special Christmas edition of the game show hosted by Cristela Alonzo) -Dec. 12
• Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown 2021 (the 12-best worldwide holiday commercials, hosted by Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner) - Dec. 12
• iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2021 (musical concert special featuring Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran, Lil Nas X, the Jonas Brothers, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and more; filmed in New York City) - Dec. 15, livestream available Dec. 10 on the CW App
• Dogs of the Year 2021 (special highlighting the most amazing dogs, and their owners, of 2021; hosted by Kevin Frazer and Keltie Knight) - Dec. 16
  
• The 89th Hollywood Christmas Parade (annual parade broadcast featuring Erik Estrada, Laura McKenzie, Dean Cain, Montel Williams and  Elizabeth Stanton;presented via tape delay from Hollywood; takes place on November 28th and supports the Marine's Toys for Tots charity.) - Dec. 17
• iHeartRadio Holiday Pop Up Party with Ed Sheeran (five-song performance, interview and holiday light show hosted by Elvis Duran and Maxwell & Crystal at the Empire State Building, filmed on December 8th in New York City) - Dec. 20 on the CW app, audio on iHeart radio
• Popstar's Best of 2021 (Elizabeth Stanton hosts a countdown of top musical acts and pop culture moments, as voted on by Popstar magazine readers) - Dec. 28

PBS

NOTE: Most also available to stream on PBS Passport; check local listings as debut and re-airs vary across different PBS stations

• All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special 2020  (co-production with Channel 5 in the UK, starring Nicholas Ralph and Anna Madeley, based on the book series by James Herriot, shot on location in Yorkshire and aired December 25, 2020 in the UK) - Feb. 21, U.S. debut
• Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony (holiday concert from the legendary soprano; filmed in London) - Oct. 16 (Preview)
• Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra Family Christmas Show (Rat pack at home special not seen since 1967, with additional, new interview footage) - Oct. 29
• Happy Holidays with Bing and Frank (Classic 1957 Christmas special, one of the first broadcast in color, remastered and featuring Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby) - Nov. 30
• Alma's Way Holiday Special (animated special based on the series created by Sesame Stree alum Sonia Manzano and Fred Rogers Productions, centered on Alma, a six-year-old Puerto Rican girl living in the Bronx) - Dec. 13
• The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (orchestral re-telling of the classic short short by E.T.A. Hoffmann, which became Tchaikovsky's iconic ballet, with narrator Alan Cummings backed by the Scottish National Orchestra; recorded in 2019 but new to the U.S.) - Dec. 14
• 20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir (retrospective of Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday concerts, narrated by Brian Stokes Mitchell) - Dec. 13, will also air on BYU TV Dec. 16
• A Christmas Celtic Sojourn 2021 (Irish holiday musical special) - Dec. 17
• The Wayfaring Project (concert film, featuring the Pacific Chorale, and Pacific Symphony under the direction of Robert Istad, with classic and contemporary favorites, both holiday and non) - Dec. 17
• Christmas at the Belmont 2021 (the Belmont University choir welcomes special guest Josh Turner who features music from his new Christmas album) - Dec. 20
• A St. Thomas Christmas: Bloom Eternal (holiday concert from the University of St. Thomas) - Dec. 20
• In Performance at the White House: Spirit of the Season (D.C. holiday musical performances from Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli, Camila Cabello, Eric Church, the Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, Northwell Health Nurse Choir, and more) - Dec. 21
• Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza (Channel 4 UK documentary, available for the first time in the U.S.; A look at the elaborate holiday events at one of the world's most famous hotels) - Dec. 22
• 62nd Annual L.A. County Holiday Celebration (Music, dance and more celebrating the season in Los Angeles) - Dec. 24, PBS SoCal
• Call the Midwife Christmas Special (special holiday episode of the series, airing same day as in the UK) - Dec. 25
  
• United in Song: Celebrating the American Dream  (musical celebration of the American spirit hosted by Chita Rivera with special guests David Archuleta, Midori and Brandee Younger) - Dec. 31

ION

• Christmas Down Under (holiday movie starring Paul O'Brien, Justine Kacir and Joanne Samuel; directed by Louis Mandylor; written by Leigh Joel Scott; A Type-A woman flies to Australia in search of her husband and his dysfunctional family after a fight, getting help from some eccentric characters and regaining her Christmas spirit along the way; filmed in Australia) - Nov. 21
• A Christmas Witness (holiday movie starring Colin Egglesfield, Arielle Kebbel, LaDonna Tittle and Bryan Segal; directed by Melissa Kosar; written by Joany Kane; A detective must protect a low level mobster set to testify against his boss; filmed in Chicago) - Nov. 28
  
• The Christmas Thief (holiday movie starring Vivica A Fox, Michelle Borth, Jarrid Masse, Bryson JonSteele and Rachel Cerda; directed by Danny Salles; written by Joany Kane; A private investigator trying to make a name for herself clashes with a local cop as they both try to solve a string of holiday break-ins; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 5
• A New Lease on Christmas (holiday movie starring Claire Coffee and George Stults; written by Jack Marchetti and Robert Friedman; A woman falls for a coffee shop owner, only to learn her new shop requires her to throw him out; filmed in Lafayette, La. in 2018) - Dec. 11

Bounce

• Who Is Christmas Eve? (holiday movie starring Paige Hurd, Romeo Miller, Alex Wong, Juliana Harkavy and Milaya S. Gregory; directed by Christina Faith; written by Elyse Endick; A woman abandoned as a baby on Christmas Eve finds her birth family; filmed in New Jersey) - Nov. 21 (Trailer)
• Stellar Tribute to the Holidays (gospel music variety special hosted by Jekalyn Carr and featuring Kierra Sheard Kelly, Mali Music, Charles Jenkins and Natalie Grant, among others) - Dec. 25, also airs in national syndication starting Dec. 5 (check local listings)
  

MeTV

• MeTV's Super Colossal Cartoon Christmas! (the cast of Toon In With Me, including Bill Leff, weigh in on Christmas cartoons of yore including Looney Tunes' "The Fright Before Christmas and "Gift Wrapped" Popeye's "Seasin's Greetinks!" and Tom & Jerry's "The Night Before Christmas.") - Dec. 13

TBN

• Christmas Stories with Max Lucado (Author Max Lucado shares some of his best-loved, faith-filled Christmas tales) - Nov. 28

Hallmark Channel

• A New Year's Resolution (New Year's movie filmed for 2019 then pulled from the schedule without explanation; starring Aimee Teegarden and Michael Rady; directed by Lesley Demetriades; A TV news producer resolves to say yes to more in the New Year ) - Jan. 7
• Baby, It's Cold Inside  (anthology sequel to 2019′s Winter Castle starring Jocelyn Hudon, Steven Lund, Ish Morris and Kathryn Kohut; directed by Marita Grabiak; filmed at the Hotel de Glace in Quebec) - May 8
  
• Crashing Through the Snow (holiday movie starring Amy Acker, Warren Christie, Brooke Nevin and Kristian Bruun; directed by R.C. Newey; written by Tamar Laddy; A woman agrees to spend an awkward holiday vacation with her ex and his new girlfriend, in order to be with their kids, then finds an unexpected ally in the new girlfriend's brother; filmed in Winnipeg) - July 10 ***Review***
• You, Me & the Christmas Trees (holiday movie starring Danica McKellar, Benjamin Ayres and Jason Hervey; directed by David Winning; An Evergreen expert and a tree farmer team up to find out what's wrong on his family tree farm; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Oct. 22
  
• Boyfriends of Christmas Past (holiday movie starring Catherine Haena Kim, Raymond Ablack, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Ish Morris, Alys Crocker, Jordan Kronis, Jon McLaren and Karn Kalra; directed by Don McBreaty; written by Lisa Parsons and based on the book by Edie Grace, who also publishes under the name Erika Marks; A marketing exec too busy for love is visited by the ghosts of four exes at the holidays who warn her she could lose her best friend if she doesn't change her ways; filmed in Ottawa) - Oct. 23
  
• The Santa Stakeout (holiday movie starring Tamera Mowry-Housley, Paul Campbell, Joe Pantoliano, Tom Pickett and Devon Alexander; directed by Peter Benson; Detectives reluctantly pair up and pose as newlyweds to stakeout their prime suspect in a series of holiday robberies, a Christmas-loving neighbor; filmed in Abbotsford, B.C.) - Oct. 24 **Review**
  
• Christmas in Harmony (holiday movie starring Ashleigh Murray, Luke James, Michelle Williams, Loretta Devine, Basil Wallace and Tia Streaty; directed by Rusty Cundieff; written by Jessiline Berry; A woman home for the holidays is tricked into auditioning for a Christmas Eve choir directed by her ex-boyfriend; filmed in Wilmington, N.C.) - Oct. 29
  
• Coyote Creek Christmas (holiday movie starring Janel Parrish, Ryan Paevey and Adriana Ravalli; produced by Antonio Cupo; directed by David Strasser; A daughter returns home to plan a holiday party for her family-owned inn, not knowing her parents plan to sell, and their handsome, single dad guest is the potential buyer; filmed in B.C.) - Oct. 30
  
• Christmas Sail (holiday movie starring Katee Sackhoff, Patrick Sabongui and Terry O'Quinn; directed by Stacey N. Harding; To save her family home, reunite with her estranged father and give her daughter the perfect Christmas, a woman enters an annual Christmas boat light parade;  filmed in Gibsons, B.C.) - Oct. 31 ***Review***
• Gingerbread Miracle (holiday movie starring Merritt Patterson and Jon Ecker; directed by Michael M Scott; Old friends work together at the holidays in a bakery famed for making magical, wish-granting gingerbread cookies; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 5
  
• Next Stop, Christmas (holiday movie starring Lyndsy Fonseca, Chandler Massey, Eric Freeman, Lea Thompson and Christopher Lloyd; directed by Dustin Rikert; A train home for the holidays, becomes a train into the past as a woman with regrets gets a second chance at love; filmed in Norwich, Conn.) - Nov. 6 ***Review***
  
• A Christmas Treasure (holiday movie starring Jordin Sparks and Michael Xavier; directed by Michael Robison; A grandfather's journal helps two young people decide whether their future lies in the big city or the idyllic small town where they're staying for the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 7
  
• Open by Christmas (holiday movie starring Alison Sweeney, Brennan Elliot, Michael Karl Richards and Erica Durance; directed by David Weaver; An unopened high school Christmas card leads best friends on a quest to find true love; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 12
  
• My Christmas Family Tree (holiday movie about a family-owned Christmas tree lot, starring Aimee Teegarden, Andrew Walker, James Tupper, Kendall Cross, Georgia Mae Orchard and Ava Telek; directed by Jason Bourque; written by Mark Hefti; A woman's DNA test reveals unknown relatives she meets at the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13
  
• A Holiday in Harlem (holiday movie starring Olivia Washington, Will Adams, Tina Lifford and Eric Scott Ways; directed by Keith Powell; written by Monique N. Matthews; A New York City executive is guilted into visiting her grandma at Christmas, where she gets roped into helping plan the community holiday party; filmed in Connecticut) - Nov. 14
  
• Nantucket Noel (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan, Sarah Power and Fiona Vroom; written and directed by Kirsten Hansen; based on the book Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer; A heartless landlord raises the rent on a struggling, small-town toy store owner just before Christmas, but his granddaughter and her handsome, single uncle aren't quite so Scrooge-like; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 19
  
• A Christmas Together with You (holiday movie starring Laura Vandervoort, Niall Matter, Liza Huget and Harry Lennix; directed by Kevin Fair; written by Graham Locke; A father-daughter road trip to find a lost love during the holidays; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 20
  
• A Kiss Before Christmas (holiday movie starring Teri Hatcher, James Denton, Rachael McLaren, April Blackbird, Gino Anania, Rod Wilson and Kimberley Bradley; directed by Jeff Beesley; written by Mark Amato and Tracy Andreen; After a professional disappointment, a married man wishes for a new life and wakes up with one, only to realize his family was all he ever wanted; filmed in Winnipeg) - Nov. 21 ***Review***
• The Nine Kittens of Christmas (sequel to the 2014 movie The Nine Lives of Christmas starring Kimberly Sustad, Brandon Routh, Gregory Harrison, Stephanie Bennett and LaTonya Williams; directed by David Winning; written by Erinne Dobson; Zach and Marilee have drifted apart, but a litter of kittens could reunite them in time for Christmas; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 25 ***Review***
  
• Christmas CEO (holiday movie starring Marisol Nichols and Paul Greene; directed by Jonathan Wright; A small toymaker gets a chance to merge with a giant company, but needs permission from her ex-partner to close the deal; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 26
  
• An Unexpected Christmas (holiday movie starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Tyler Hynes; directed by Michael Robison; written by Paul Campbell; Exes agree to fake it for Christmas in order to not upset their families, but will holiday magic rekindle their spark?; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 26 ***Review***
  
• Making Spirits Bright (holiday movie starring Taylor Cole, Carlo Marks and Sarah Surh; directed by David Bercovici-Artieda; Rival holiday decorators must work together to win a town competition that could save both their family businesses; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Christmas at Castle Hart (holiday movie starring Lacey Chabert and Stuart Townsend; directed by Stefan Scaini; written by Rick Garman and Paul Campbell; A woman in Ireland looking for her roots is mistaken for an event planner and helps host a castle Christmas soiree; filmed in Ireland) - Nov. 27 ***Review***
  
• Christmas in Tahoe (holiday movie based on the 2015 Train album; starring Train lead singer Pat Monahan, Laura Osnes, Kyle Selig, George Lopez and Rebecca Staab; directed by Robert Lieberman; Trying to put together a show to save her family's hotel, a woman must ask her musician ex for help; filmed in Whistler, B.C.) - Nov. 28
• The Christmas Contest (holiday movie based on the book by Scarlet Wilson; starring and executive produced by Candace Cameron Bure, also starring John Brotherton and Barbara Niven; directed by Paula Elle; written by Joie Botkin; An ex-couple compete in a Christmas contest to see who can win the prize money for their chosen charity; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28
• Eight Gifts of Hanukkah  (holiday movie starring Inbar Lavi and Jake Epstein; directed by Mark Jean; produced by Yale Kussin; A woman searches for her secret admirer at Hanukkah; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 3
  
• A Very Merry Bridesmaid (holiday movie starring Emily Osment and Casey Deidrick; directed by David Strasser; written by Tracy Andreen and Elena Valdez; A woman's Christmas Eve birthday is overshadowed by not only the holiday, but her brother's wedding; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 4
  
• Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday (holiday movie series starring real-life sisters and frequent Hallmark leads, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Ashley Williams, along with Mark Deklin, Keith D. Robinson, Susan Yeagley, Jason Buster, Logan Donovan, Jay Hunter and Roberta Valderrama; directed by Sean McNamara and written by Zac Hug, Claire Boyles, Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott; Big sister and single mom Jennifer, returns to her small hometown at the holidays and helps a childhood friend save the local movie theater; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 5
  
• A Dickens of a Holiday! (holiday movie starring Brooke D'Orsay, Kristoffer Polaha and Chad Willett; directed by Paul Ziller; written by  Mark Hefti and Julie Sherman Wolfe; A woman entices a movie star back to his hometown to star inA Christmas Carol; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 10
  
• A Royal Queens Christmas (holiday movie starring Megan Park, Julian Morris and Nicola Correia-Damude; directed by Lee Friedlander; A royal ends up in Queens, NY, helping a local put on a children's holiday show; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 11
• Sister Swap: Christmas in the City (holiday movie series starring real-life sisters and frequent Hallmark leads, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Ashley Williams, along with Keith D. Robinson, Mark Deklin, Jason Buster, Logan Donovan, Jay Hunter and Roberta Valderrama; directed by Sean McNamara and written by Zac Hug, Claire Boyles, Erik Patterson and Jessica Scott; Younger sister Meg comes to town to help her big sister's restaurant win a Christmas party contest, but clashes with Jennifer's by-the-book General Manager; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 12
  
• The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls (holiday movie sequel to 2020′s The Christmas House, starring Robert Buckley, Ana Ayora, Jonathan Bennett, Brad Harder, Treat Williams and Sharon Lawrence; directed by Rich Newey; The Mitchell Brothers compete to see who can create the best Christmas House; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Dec. 18
• 'Tis the Season to be Merry  (holiday movie starring Rachael Leigh Cook and Travis Van Winkle; directed by Gary Yates; A self-help author spends the holidays in Vermont to research her next book, but finds herself falling for a charming charity worker; filmed in Winnipeg) - Dec. 19

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

• Christmas in My Heart (holiday movie starring Heather Hemmens, Luke Macfarlane, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bailey Thain and Léonora Bousquet-Sangho; directed by Pat Kiely and written by Liz Storm; A violinist returns to her hometown after her mother's death to run the family music school and bonds with a talented student, whose dad is a country star grieving the loss of his wife; filmed in Saint-Léonard, Quebec) - Oct. 23
• The Christmas Promise (holiday movie starring Torrey DeVitto, Dylan Bruce, Patrick Duffy, Greyston Holt and Giles Panton; directed by Fred Gerber; written by Kathy Kloves; A grieving woman makes a Christmas connection with a local handyman she hires to fix the home she planned to live in with her fiancé; filmed in B.C.) - Oct. 30
  
• Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas (holiday movie starring Kaitlin Doubelday, Steve Lund and Caroline Rhea; directed by Ruby Munro; based on the book by Debbie Macomber; adapted by Nina Weinman; A couple desperate for a child and struggling to care for their aging grandmother, are rescued by a mysterious stranger at the holidays; filmed in Victoria, B.C.) - Nov. 6 ***Review***
• One December Night (holiday movie starring Eloise Mumford, Brett Dalton, Bruce Campbell and Peter Gallagher; directed by Clare Niederpruem; two music managers put aside their own differences to reunite their feuding rock star fathers for a holiday concert; filmed in Newburgh, Saugerties and Goshen, NY) - Nov. 13 ***Review***
  
• Five More Minutes (holiday movie starring Nikki DeLoach and David Haydn-Jones; directed by Linda-Lisa Hayter; inspired by the Scotty McCreery song; A woman's holiday is changed when she reads her grandfather's journal) - Nov. 20
• Time for Them to Come For Christmas (fourth in the holiday movie series executive-produced by Blake Shelton, following 2018′s Time for Me to Come Home For Christmas, 2019′s Time for You to Come Home for Christmas and 2020′s Time for Us to Come Home For Christmas; starring Jessy Schram, Brendan Penny, Brendon Zub, Alison Sweeney, Lisa Durupt, Lochlyn Munro, and April & Ava Telek; directed by Peter Benson; An amnesiac looking for answers travels cross country with her nurse at the holidays; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Our Christmas Journey (holiday movie starring Holly Robinson-Peete, Lyriq Bent and Nik Sanchez; directed by Kevin Fair; written by Marcy Holland and Camille Thomasson; A single mother learns to let go of her son, who is living with autism; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 4
• A Godwink Christmas: Miracle of Love (fourth in the anthology series based on the work of author SQuire Rushnell and executive-produced by Kathie Lee Gifford; starring Katherine Barrell and Alberto Frezzo; directed by Heather Hawthorn-Doyle; Two people feeling a little lost in their lives meet at the holidays while building a home for a charity; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11
• Christmas for Keeps (holiday movie starring Ashley Newbrough, Ryan Rotterman, Christa B. Allen and Marielle Scott; directed by Fred Gerber; written by Megan McNulty and Nikki DeLoach; Old friends reunite to celebrate their high school teacher; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 18

Lifetime

• It's a Wonderful Lifetime Holiday Movie Preview (hosted by Tia Mowry-Hardrict) - Nov. 7, available via VOD on Oct. 24
• An Ice Wine Christmas (holiday movie starring Roselyn Sanchez and Lyriq Bent; directed by Jill Carter, written by Kelly Fullerton, and produced by Danielle von Zerneck; A big city sommelier returns home for the holidays and the annual ice wine harvest, only to clash with her family wine business's new hire ; filmed in Niagara, Ont.) - Nov. 12  *Review*
  
• A Picture Perfect Holiday (holiday movie starring Tatyana Ali, Henderson Wade, Dina Meyer, Paula Andrea Placido and Rivkah Reyes; directed by J.E. Logan; written by Anna S. White; A fashion photographer and wildlife photographer find themselves sharing a cabin at the holidays; filmed in Utah) - Nov. 13
  
• Dancing Through the Snow (holiday movie starring AnnaLynne McCord and Colin Lawrence; directed by Paul Shapiro; written by Adam Rockoff; A ballet teacher finds herself falling for a firefighter single dad after a clip of him practicing with his daughter goes viral; filmed in Mission, B.C.) - Nov. 19 (Trailer)
  
• You Make it Feel Like Christmas (holiday movie starring Michael Xavier, Mary Antonini and Stephanie Sy; directed by Lisa France; A newly returned soldier is disappointed to learn his ex-girlfriend isn't coming home for holidays due to a big opportunity for her business, so makes it his mission to get her home by Christmas to spend time with her father; filmed in Winnipeg and aired in Canada on CTV in 2020 as AChristmas Mission) - Nov. 20 (Trailer)
  
• Baking Spirits Bright  (holiday movie starring Rekha Sharma, Dion Johnstone, Aadila Dosani and Riun Garner; directed by Aubrey Arnason; written by Alison Spuck McNeeley and Casie Tabanou; A daughter and a marketer clash over how to save her family's Indian-American fruitcake business; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 21 (Trailer)
• Reba McEntire's Christmas in Tune (holiday movie starring and produced by Reba McEntire, also starring John Schneider, Justin David and Candice King; directed by Emily Moss Wilson; written by Juliet and Keith Giglio; To keep her job, a marketing exec is tasked with reuniting a famous singing duo, who also happen to be her parents, for a Christmas concert. The problem is, they can't stand each other; produced by Hartbreak Films and filmed in Tennessee) - Nov. 26
  
• Merry Liddle Christmas, Baby (holiday sequel to 2019′sMerry Liddle Christmas and 2020′s Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding starring Kelly Rowland, LaTonya Williams, Bresha Webb, Jaime M Callica, Nathan Witte and Thomas Cadrot; directed by Kelly Fyffe-Marshall; The Liddle sister gather for the holidays and celebrate new arrivals; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 27
  
• Miracle in Motor City (holiday movie starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict, Mark Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Kyana Teresa and Dorian Grey; directed by Alfons Adetuyi; When a woman rashly promises Smokey Robinson will sing at her church's Christmas pageant, she moves mountains to make it happen; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - Nov. 28
• Welcome to the Christmas Family Reunion(holiday movie starring Alonzo B. Slater, Michelle Argyris, Vanessa Williams, Wendy Raquel Robinson and Asia'h Epperson; An event planner gets her big break planning a celebrity's holiday family reunion, but things get complicated when she starts to fall for a member of the family; filmed in California) - Nov. 29 (Trailer)
  
• Saying Yes to Christmas (holiday movie starring Erika Prevost and Romaine Waite; directed by Graeme Campbell; written by John Dion; A workaholic woman refuses to enjoy the season, so her boyfriend makes a holiday wish that she just, 'Say yes to Christmas;' filmed partially in Dundurn Castle, as well as in Dundas, Ont.) - Nov. 30
• Match Made in Mistletoe (holiday movie starring Natalie Lisinska, Damon Runyan, Madeline Leon, Tessa Kozma, Steffi DiDomenicantonio and James Kall; directed by Adrian Langley; An interior designer hired to decorate a lavish embassy for the holidays clashes with the grumpy ambassador, who finds the process annoying; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 1 (Trailer)
• A Christmas Village Romance (holiday movie starring Jeni Ross, Jake Epstein, Olivier Renaud and Tim Progosh; directed by Maxwell McGuire; An author returns to her hometown to help save a beloved, local museum; filmed partly at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Ontario; debuted in 2020 in Canada on CTV as Christmas at Maple Creek) - Dec. 2 (Trailer); also available on Peacock as of Dec. 15
  
• A Christmas Dance Reunion (holiday movie starring Corbin Bleu and Monique Coleman; directed by Brian Herzlinger, who co-wrote the script with wife Megan; A mother and daughter return to a closing resort for its final season, where she reconnects with a childhood dance partner) - Dec. 3
  
• A Merry & Bright Makeover (Olay-branded mini-movie starring Monique Coleman; A scientist accompanies her boyfriend home for the holidays and his sister helps her prep for a proposal) - Dec. 3
• Kirk Franklin's A Gospel Christmas (Gospel music-focused holiday movie starring Demetria McKinney, Kirk Franklin, Chaz Lamar Shepherd and Regina Bell; directed by Erica Sutherlin; written by Kourtney Richard; A young pastor starts in a new parish just before the holidays and must find her footing with a skeptical church choir; filmed in and around Atlanta) - Dec. 4
  
• My Favorite Christmas Melody (holiday movie starring Mya and Rainbow Sun Francks; directed by Michael Kennedy; written by Josh Brekhus and Lauren Balson Carter; A frustrated singer-songwriter who feels trapped writing commercial jingles, returns home from the holidays and rediscovers her purpose while helping a local teacher save his arts program; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 5
  
• Secretly Santa (holiday movie starring Alicia Dea Josipovic and Travis Nelson; directed by Sharon Lewis; written by John Dion; Business rivals work on a holiday gift-giving app together and find their animosity turning to something else; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 6 (Trailer)
• Christmas Movie Magic (holiday movie starring Drew Seeley, Holly Deveaux, Jennifer Gibson and Brandon Ludwig; directed by Robert Vaughn; written by Rickie Castaneda and Megan Hocking; A reporter covering the story of a small town famous for the classic Christmas movie filmed there, finds herself drawn to a local theater owner; filmed in Hamilton, Ont.) - Dec. 7
• A Fiancé for Christmas (holiday movie starring Marie Osmond, Amanda Payton, Adam Gregory, Sarah Jayne Jensen and Shona Kay; directed by Ryan Little; When a woman makes a fake wedding registry for fun, it backfires as her small town finds it and thinks she's getting married for real; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 9
  
• Holiday in Santa Fe (holiday movie starring Mario Lopez, Emeraude Toubia, Aimee Garcia, Gia Lopez and Hank Chen; directed by Jody Margolin Hahn; written by Cristela Alonzo; A greeting card executive is sent to acquire a family-owned business that specializes in traditional Mexican holiday ornaments) - Dec. 10
• The Holiday Fix Up (holiday movie starring Jana Kramer, Ryan McPartlin, Maria Menounos, Brandon Ford Green and Brian Sills; directed by Brian Herzlinger; written by Jessica Koosed; A woman is forced to renovate an inn with the one that got away; filmed in Connecticut) - Dec. 11
• Blending Christmas (holiday movie starring Haylie Duff, Aaron O'Connell, Christopher Knight, Susan Olsen, Barry Williams and Telma Hopkins; directed by Marla Sokoloff; written by Adam Rockoff and Peter Sullivan; A man comes up with an elaborate plan to propose to his girlfriend, in front of both their families, at a soon-to-close resort that holds special memories for her, but the stress of trying to make everything perfect could tear them apart) - Dec. 12
• Maps and Mistletoe (holiday movie starring Humberly Gonzalez, Ronnie Rowe Jr, Simon Webster and Connor McMahon; directed by Maxwell McGuire; A geography lover meets a world-famous travel photographer; filmed in Almonte, Ont.) - Dec. 13
  
• Ghosts of Christmas Past (holiday movie starring Dan Jeannotte and Annie Clark; directed by Virginia Abramovich; written by Sharon Latimer; A fortune teller lets a fickle woman know she needs to make amends with the men she's mistreated by Christmas Eve or be without love forever; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 14
  
• The Enchanted Christmas Cake (holiday movie starring Erica Durance, Robin Dunne, David Palffy and Robert Vaughn, who also directed; Trying to save the family bakery, a local baker agrees to work with a celeb chef for his Christmas special, while also trying to recreate her grandmother's long lost Christmas cake recipe; filmed in Toronto) - Dec. 15
  
• Christmas by Chance (holiday movie starring Jacob Blair, Neil Whitely, Winny Clarke, Celeste Desjardins, Alys Crocker and Celine Tsai; directed by Andrew Cymek and written by Brigitte Kingsley; A struggling gift shop owner is hired to plan the perfect proposal, but finds herself falling in love with her client; aired on Canada's Super Channel Heart & Home in 2020; filmed in Ontario) - Dec. 16
• Mistletoe in Montana (holiday movie starring and produced by Melissa Joan Hart, from her Hartbreak Production imprint; co-starring Duane Henry, Anderson Davis and Mallian Butler; directed by Kellie Martin; A single dad not used to the outdoors, brings his kids to a dude ranch to celebrate the holidays; filmed in Montana) - Dec. 17
• Toying with the Holidays (holiday movie starring Chad Michael Murray and Cindy Busby; directed by Bradley Walsh; written by Buddy Baron, John B Mullino and Emily Moss Wilson; A single mom and a hobby shop owner, are brought together by her late father's model train set; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18
  
• Under the Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Elise Bauman, Tattiawna Jones, Enrico Colantoni and Ricki Lake; directed by Lisa Rose Snow, produced by Danielle von Zerneck; written by Michael J. Murray; A woman working to save her business goes to war with a rival who wants to cut down a beloved evergreen to use as a state Christmas tree; filmed in Carleton Place, Ont.) - Dec. 19
  
• Candy Cane Candidate (holiday movie starring Jacky Lai and Jake Epstein; directed by Pat Kiely; written by Melissa Bustamante; Coming home for the holidays to lick her wounds after a losing political campaign, a woman finds herself thrown into another campaign with her high school rival; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 20
• The Christmas Ball (holiday movie starring Deirdre Mullins and Nick Hendrix, directed by Amy Barrett; A dancer spends Christmas in England with her aunt, where she helps a local plan a Christmas Ball to help preserve her aunt's historic house; aired in Canada in 2020; filmed in Serbia) - Dec. 21 (Trailer)
  
• It Takes a Christmas Village (holiday movie starring Brooke Nevin, Corey Sevier and Alli Chung; Sevier also directed the movie based on a script by his wife, Kate Pragnell; a mayor tries to create a Christmas market to help save her struggling town, but a grumpy property owner refuses to rent them the land; filmed in Fergus, Ont.) - Dec. 22
  
• Rebuilding a Dream Christmas (a.k.a. Christmas Comes Home; holiday movie starring Meggan Kaiser, Zane Stephens, Bryson JonSteele and Maxie McClintock; directed by Sandra Martin; A women returns to her hometown and rediscovers her holiday spirit with help from a single dad and her grandmother's homemade ornaments) - Dec. 23 (Website)
  
• Hot Chocolate Holiday  (holiday movie starring Aubrey Reynolds and Jonny Swenson; A coffee shop and baker owner feud over a recipe, but are forced to work together for the holidays; filmed in Utah in 2020) - Dec. 24 (Trailer)
• Writing Around the Christmas Tree (holiday movie starring Curtis Hamilton, Krystal Joy Brown, James Black, Meg Steedle, Gavyn Michaels, Dawnn Lewis, Max Emerson and Samantha Quan; directed by Jake Helgren; An author of a successful romance series has hit a roadblock so heads to one of her mother's holiday writing retreats, where she just might find more than inspiration; filmed in Lake Arrowhead, Calif.) - Dec. 25 (Trailer)

Lifetime Movie Network

• Dangerous Snow Day (thriller set around the holidays starringNicolette Langley, Alex Trumble, Matthew Pohlkamp and Kate Watson; directed by Brittany Underwood; a nanny is fired after rejecting her employer's advances and soon finds her life and livelihood in danger) - Dec. 11

UPtv

• Christmas with a Prince: The Royal Baby  (sequel to 2018′s Christmas with a Prince and 2019′s wedding-themed Christmas with a Prince: Becoming Royal starring Kaitlyn Leeb, Nick Hounslow and Charles Shaughnessy; originally based on the book by Sarah Morgan; directed by Justin G Dyck; The newlywed royals become parents, but not without complications; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 7, also available via DVD on Nov. 23
• A Snowy Christmas (holiday movie starring Elysia Rotaru and Damon Runyan; directed by Robin Dunne; A big city lawyer trying to save her family's lodge makes a wish on a snowman, and the next day a handsome contractor shows up to solve all her problems; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 13 (Trailer)
  
• Snowed In for Christmas (holiday movie starring Kayla Wallace, Jeremy Guilbaut and Meghan K. Lees; directed by Jason Bourque and written by Starlett Hill; An au pair gets stuck with her young charges and their handsome uncle after a snowstorm cancels her holiday travel plans; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 14 (Trailer)
  
• Mistletoe and Molly (holiday movie directed by Lane Shefter Bishop, based on the novel by Jennifer Snow, who also co-wrote the script; starring Zach Smadu, Eden Broda, Steffi DiDomenicantonio and Shane Marriott; A woman tries to avoid a holiday with her family by claiming car trouble, only to have a handsome stranger offer to help her; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 20
  
• Christmas on 5th Avenue (holiday movie starring Kathryn Davis, Olivier Renaud, Kara Duncan, Tonjha Richardson, Randy Thomas, Celestine Caravaggio and Robert Ball; directed by Amy Force; Hired to decorate a Grinch's apartment for the holidays, a woman finds herself clashing with her reluctant client when he's not out of town as she was advised; filmed in Toronto) - Nov. 21
  
• Christmas Beneath the Stars (holiday movie starring Maddy Foley, Vanessa Smythe, Steve Belford and Kym Wyatt McKenzie; directed by Lane Shefter Bishop, based on the book by Melissa Hill; A photographer on assignment to shoot the Northern Lights meets a dog sled racer at a holiday hotel that's seen better days; filmed in Noelville, Ontario) - Dec. 4
  
• A Furry Little Christmas (holiday movie starring Jonathan Stoddard and Kristi McKamie; directed by Dylan Vox; written by Andra Gordon-Gatica; A big city vet, home for Christmas, falls for a local doctor; filmed in Colorado) - Dec. 5
  
• Small Town Christmas (four-episode holiday series hosted by Megan Alexander who visits small towns—Branson, Mo.; Bethlehem, Pa.; Summerville, S.C and Natchitoches, La—to explore how they celebrate the holidays) - Dec. 5
• Fixing Up Christmas (holiday movie starring Natalie Dreyfuss, Marshall Williams, Bethany Brown and Stephanie Izsak; directed by Jessica Harmon; written by Ansley Gordon; A party planner tries to wow a young CEO with an unforgettable Christmas bash; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Dec. 12 (Trailer)
  

BYU TV

Note: All content also available to stream for free on the BYU TV app

• Christmas Under the Stars (annual holiday concert, featuring special guest Pentatonix; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 5
  
• A Grace Notes Christmas: Vol. 2 (special musical episode featuring classic carols from singers Amy Grant, Michelle T. Williams, Michael W. Smith, CeCe Winans, Kirk Franklin, Ben Rector, Lecrae, Natalie Grant, Colton Dixon, Ellie Holcomb, Jamie Grace, Unspoken, Kierra Sheard, Michael McLean, Jonathan Traylor, Sidewalk Prophets, Francesca Battistelli, Jonathan McReynolds and Jordan Smith) - Dec. 5
• 20 Years of Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir (retrospective of Mormon Tabernacle Choir holiday concerts, narrated by Brian Stokes Mitchell) - Dec. 16, will also air on PBS Dec. 13
  

Ovation

Note: All content also available to stream for free on the Ovation NOW app

• Snow Queen (Redondo Ballet presents a new version of the classic ballet, recorded in 2020 but first time on TV ) - Dec. 12
• The Nutcracker by Kader Belarbi (New 2021Nutcracker ballet production from the Redondo Ballet by dancer/choreographer Kader Belarbi) - Dec. 12

Aspire

• Dreaming of a Black Christmas (original short starring Jeremy Anders and Pierre Boncy; directed by Etta East; written by Tim Orange II; part of the Damn Write Originals collection, to give exposure to writers of color) - July 1 (Website)

OWN

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• The Big Holiday Food Fight (five-episode holiday competition cooking series hosted by Kym Whitley and judged by Gina Neely, Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson and James Wright Chanel) - Nov. 16 (Trailer)
• A Chestnut Family Christmas  (holiday movie starring Meagan Holder, Brad James, Jamie M Callica and Klarc Jerome Wilson; directed by Roger Bobb; A personal chef poses as a wealthy homeowner and invites her family to her employer's house for the holidays, hoping to finally impress them; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 30 (Sneak Peek)
  
• A Sisterly Christmas  (holiday movie starring Deborah Joy Winans, Lisa Michelle Cornelius, Kyana Teresa, Marium Carvell and Kendrick Cross ; directed by Jerry LaMothe and written by Angela Burt-Murray; Sisters who have been fighting since their mother's death are brought together by their aunt at a Christmas resort, where they bond by attempting to defeat a rival in a Christmas contest and flirt with the owner's son; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 7 (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas Stray (holiday movie starring Rhyon Nicole Brown, Andra Fuller and Melissa Murray-Mutch; directed by Roger Bobb and written by Tobin Addington; A mysterious pooch brings two people together at the holidays; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 14 (Trailer)
  
• Song & Story: Amazing Grace (movie inspired by the song, starring Bresha Webb, Getenesh Berhe and Karen Clark Sheard; directed by Sharon Lewis; Two women find their lives unexpectedly and inspirationally intertwined) - Dec. 21 (Sneak Peek)

Oxygen

• Homocide for the Holidays (season four of the true crime series that takes a look at holiday set murders) - Dec. 6

Smithsonian Channel

• Behind the Holiday: Thanksgiving (documentary film exploring the true events of the 1621 harvest feast and what really inspired the modern holiday) - Nov. 22, also available same-day VOD
• Inside the Christmas Factory: Mince Pies (documentary exploring how Britain's most iconic holiday treat is mass produced) - Dec. 6, also available same-day VOD

TV One

• Coins Forever (third non-holiday movie in the series that began with 2018′s Coins for Christmas; starring Essence Atkins and Stephen Bishop; also featuring Golden Brooks; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 14
  
• Someday at Christmas (holiday movie starring Asia'h Epperson and Thomas Q. Jones; directed by Vanessa Bell Calloway; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. 12

GAC Family

NOTE: Want all to be aware there is more to GAC than cozy Christmas movies. Though I'm including dates and details here in the spirit of being a completist, worth noting the funding and founding of this new channel shares investors with OAN and the America First Policies PAC. More complete explanation here (bottom of page), for those who want to know more. UPDATE: All of GAC's holiday "originals" are also set to debut on streamer Peacock, IMDb TV or Amazon Prime, the same day and date as cable, so I'm listing them under both networks, and if you want to see them, but not support GAC, you might consider viewing them there '' instead.

• Welcome to Great American Christmas (holiday movie preview special hosted by Debbie Matenopoulos and Cameron Mathison, featuring holiday cooking segments and special guests) - Oct. 16
• Much Ado About Christmas (holiday movie starring Susie Abromeit, Torrance Coombs, Julian Haig, Olivier Raynal, James Rottger and Emma Colling; written by Janeen and Michael Damian, who also directs; Modern, holiday-set retelling of the Shakespeare tale; A secretly-rich woman pretends to be a struggling single mom, the only problem is her new boyfriend is pitching to the town's benefactor, who happens to be her wealthy mother; filmed in Romania) - Oct. 30, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• The Great Christmas Switch (holiday movie starring Dillon Casey, Sarah Lind and Jon McClaren; directed by Ernie Barbarash; written by Cara J. Russell; Twin sisters decide to switch places at the holidays; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 6, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• Christmas Time is Here (holiday movie starring Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams; directed by Christie Will Wolff; written by T.M. Hayes; A realtor wants to sell a client any resort except the one he wants to buy, which is owned by her family; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Kindhearted Christmas (holiday movie starring Cameron Mathison and Jennie Garth; directed by Alysse Leite-Rogers; A widow's generosity is catching, leading to her being profiled by a handsome morning TV anchor; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 20, also available same-day on Peacock
• Angel Falls Christmas  (a.k.a. Christmas Checklist; holiday movie starring Jessica Lowndes, Chad Michael Murray and David Reale; directed by Jerry Ciccoritti; A workaholic doctor falls for a fun-loving barista at Christmas; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 26, also available same-day on IMDb TV
• Royally Wrapped for Christmas (holiday movie starring Jen Lilley and Brendan Fehr; directed by TW Peacocke; A woman working at a charity dedicated to giving toys to everyone at the holidays finds love with a prince; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 27, also available same-day on Peacock
• Christmas is You  (holiday movie starring Becca Tobin, Matthew MacCaull and Casey Manderson; directed by Allan Harmon; Hometown sweethearts who both dreamed of making it big, are reunited when one is famous and the other is very much not; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• Jingle Bell Princess (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan and Merritt Patterson; directed by Dan McBrearty; based on the book His Jingle Bell Princess by Barbara Dunlop; A pampered royal uses a snowstorm to sneak away and experience the holidays as a commoner, spending time with a handsome widower and his twin daughters who have no idea who she is; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 4, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Lot Like Christmas  (holiday movie starring Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell; directed by Stacey N. Harding; A family Christmas tree lot is jeopardized when a big corporation moves into town filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 5, also available same-day on IMDb TV
  
• A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (holiday movie starring Jill Wagner and Nick Bateman; based on the book by Jane Porter; directed by Mike Rohl; A single dad moves back to Montana to get help from family, where his newly adopted goddaughter enlists a mysterious stranger name Kris to help him find love; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11, also available same-day on Peacock
  
• A Christmas Star (holiday movie starring Sara Canning and Daniel Lissing; directed by Jessica Harmon; An astronomer hunting for aliens finds herself falling for a widowed park ranger; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12,  also available same-day on Amazon Prime
  
• When Hope Calls: Hearties Christmas Present (behind-the-scenes of the filming of When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas) - Dec. 12
• When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas  (holiday movie based on the When Calls the Heart spinoff series formerly seen on Hallmark Movies Now, starring Lori Loughlin, Morgan Kohan, Jocelyn Hudon, Ryan-James Hatanaka and Greg Hovanessian; directed by Bradley Walsh; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18, also available same-day on IMDb TV
• Joy for Christmas (holiday movie starring Cindy Busby and Sam Page; directed by Pat Williams; To save a holiday toy drive, a woman must convince a pro athlete to be its spokesman; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19, also available same-day on Amazon Prime

Disney Channel

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Disney+

• Amphibia: Froggy Little Christmas (original animated special based on the Disney Channel series, featuring an original song from Rebecca Sugar) - Nov. 27
  
• Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas (original animated special based on the animated Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse series; Following a series of holiday mishaps, Mickey, Minnie and the gang must find their way home in time for Christmas Eve) - Dec. 2
• Disney's Holiday Magic Quest (a second in-theme park scavenger hunt with the stars of Zombies, Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Meg Donnelly and Trevor Tordjman working to restore the Magic Kingdom's Christmas tree star stolen by Maleficent) - Dec. 3
  
• Christmas…Again?!(holiday movie filmed in Chicago; starring Scarlett Estevez, Daniel Sunjata, Alexis Carra, Priscilla Lopez and Ashlyn Jade Lopez; directed by Andy Fickman; A wish to Santa for everything to go back to the way it was before her parents' divorce, throws a young girl into a holiday time loop; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)

Nickelodeon

NOTE: Most will also be available to stream on Paramount+

• A Loud House Christmas: Behind the Scenes  (weekly series of shorts featuring cast from the A Loud House Christmas live action movie, showing behind-the-scenes moments from filming, and sharing their favorite animated series moments) - Sep. 3
  
• A Blue's Clues Festival of Lights (special stand-alone episode of the Blue's Clues and You! series, where Blue celebrates Hanukkah with his friend Periwinkle) - Nov. 26
• A Loud House Christmas (original, live-action holiday movie, based on the long-running animated series; starring Wolfgang Schaeffer, Jahzir Bruno, Justin Michael Stevenson and Gail Everett-Smith; directed by Jonathan Judge and written by Liz Maccie; Lincoln Loud is gearing up for a spectacular Christmas but his sisters have other ideas, so he launches an elaborate plan with the help of his best friend to keep the whole family together for the holidays; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), also available on Paramount+
• Blue's Snowy Day Surprise (special stand-alone episode of the Blue's Clues and You! series, when Blue tackles a snow day with special guest Leslie Odom Jr.) - Dec. 6
• Bubble Guppies: Christmas is Coming! (stand-alone holiday episode of the series featuring special guest David Cross) - Dec. 7
• Treasure Truck Holiday (special reality competition hosted by the WWE's Xavier Woods; families compete for a truckload of holiday gifts) - Dec. 8
• SpongeBob's Road to Christmas! (stand-alone holiday episode with SpongeBob and his pals making their way to the North Pole to give Santa his Christmas gift) - Dec. 10

Comedy Central

• A Clusterfunke Christmas (holiday movie starring Vella Lovell, Cheyenne Jackson, Ryan McPartlin, Rachel Dratch and Ana Gasteyer; Dratch and Gasteyer also wrote the script; directed by Anna Dokoza; produced by Danielle von Zerneck; a big city gal comes to small town to buy a quaint inn and turn it into a soulless resort, but its spinster owners aren't interested in selling, and she might have a change of heart after meeting their nephew/burly small-town woodsman; filmed in Vancouver) - Dec. 4
• Hot Mess Holiday (a.k.a. Surina & Mel Light it Up: A Diwali Story; holiday movie starring Surina Jindal, Melanie Chandra, Kal Penn, Tituss Burgess, Chris Parnell, Punam Patel, Richa Moorjani, Nik Dodani, Kunal Dudheker, Chris Geere, Aparna Nancherla, Ravi Patel, Lilly Singh, Desmond Chiam and Ritesh Rajan; directed by: Sameer Gardezi; written by: Sameer Gardezi; When a woman is dumped during Diwali she and her BFF go on an epic party crawl, but end up accidental jewel thieves) - Dec. 11

VH1

• Adventures in Christmasing (holiday movie starring Kim Fields, Adrian Holmes, Kel Mitchell and Eva Marcille; directed by Troy Scott; written by Rhonda Baraka; A TV host reluctantly goes on a holiday camping adventure with a TV survivalist to boost ratings; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 29
  
• The Bitch Who Stole Christmas (holiday movie starring RuPaul, Raven-Symone, Krysta Rodriguez, Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and featuring Drag Race contestants including: Ginger Minj, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Peppermint, Jan, Latrice Royale, Jaymes Mansfield, Gottmik, Morgan McMichaels, Porkchop, Chad Michaels, Heidi N Closet, Kelly Mantle, Kimora Blac, Laganja Estranja, Manila Luzon, Mayhem Miller, Pandora Boxx, Raven, Rock M. Sakura, and Kylie Sonique Love; A workaholic journalist sent to cover a Christmas crazy town, finds herself immersed in catty holiday drama surrounding the Winter Ball; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 2
• Hip Hop Family Christmas (music-focused holiday movie starring Keri Hilson, MC Lyte, Redman, Terrence J, Serayah and Ne-Yo; written and directed by Greg Carter; executive-produced by Jamie Foxx; Hip hop's first family agrees to a live TV special to improve their image, though it doesn't quite go as planned; filmed in Houston) - Dec. 6
  
• Let's Get Merried  (holiday movie starring Xosha Roquemore, Tahj Mowry, Mishel Prada, Nicolette Pearse, Nicole Power and Savannah Basley; directed by Veronica Rodriguez; written by Sasha Perl-Raver; executive-produced by Eva Longoria; A holiday-hating woman winds up married for Christmas, after a wild bachelorette weekend; filmed in Ottawa) - Dec. 13
  
• Miracles Across 125th Street (produced by and starring Nick Cannon, along with Chrisette Michele, Karen Clark Sheard, Kierra Sheard, John Whitfield, Lil' Kim, Marsha F. Warfield, Luenell Campbell, Cameron Wright, Augusto Jr. Bernard, Wendy Williams, Andy Garcia and Fred Hammond; A rapper returns to the church on Christmas Eve looking for redemption; filmed in Atlanta) - Dec. 20

MTV

• 12 Days of Jerzmas  (Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Jenni "JWOWW" Farley share favorite Christmas movies and tease the new season of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, coming in January) - Dec. 16

CNN

• CNN New Year's Eve Live (co-hosts Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen ring in the new year from New York's Times Square with help from special musical guest Katy Perry and corespondents in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Key West and Puerto Rico) - Dec. 31

Food Network

NOTE: Also all available on Discovery+

• Holiday Baking Championship (holiday-themed backing competition show, hosted by Jesse Palmer with judges Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Carla Hall, looking for the best holiday home baker) - Nov. 1
• Holiday Wars (holiday-themed baking competition show hosted by Maneet Chauhan with judges Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira, rating expert sugar and cake artists on their Christmas creations) - Nov. 7
• Christmas Cookie Challenge (Eddie Jackson and Ree Drummond host a holiday cookie-baking competition) - Nov. 11
• Battle for the Bird (prime-time Thanksgiving competition special hosted byAnne Burrell and Carson Kressley) - Nov. 14
• Holiday Baking Championship: Gingerbread Showdown (gingerbread experts compete to see who bakes and builds the best) - Nov. 15
• A White House Thanksgiving (host Trisha Yearwood and First Lady Jill Biden look at what goes into Thanksgiving at the White House) - Nov. 20
• Kids Baking Championship: Light Up the Holidays (fan favorites return to bake with host Duff Goldman and a special guest judge who is also a former contestant in this one-night special) - Nov. 21
  
• Buddy vs Duff: Holiday (Baking all-stars Buddy Valastro and Duff Goldman face off in a holiday cake challenge series) - Nov. 28
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Candy (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare for Christmas by making her special candy) - Dec. 18, will debut on Disovery+, Dec. 3
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Sides (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare their favorite holiday side dishes) - Dec. 18, will debut on Disovery+, Dec. 3
  
• Holiday Wars: Champion Cake Off (The reigning champs of Halloween Wars and Holiday Wars face off in a one-off New Year's cake challenge, hosted by Maneet Chauhan) - Dec. 26

HGTV

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• My Lottery Dream Home: David's Holiday Extravaganza (host David Bromstad transforms his own new home in Florida into a Christmas wonderland) - Nov. 19
• Table Wars: Winter Wonderland Edition  (Host Tamera Mowry-Housley and judges Martha Stewart and Chris Hessney rate contestants winter table-scapes) - Nov. 19
• Home Town Takeover: Where Are They Now? (Home Town returns to Wetumpka, Ala. to see the impact the series has had on this town and other small towns they've listed) - Nov. 27
• White House Christmas 2021 (explore the decorations of the White House with First Lady Jill Biden) - Dec. 12
• House Hunters Ho Ho Home (Santa impersonator Albie Mushaney helps clients find new homes for the holidays) - Dec. 13
• Fixer to Fabulous Holiday Surprise (Dave and Jenny Marrs help renovate an animal shelter in time for a Christmas adoption event) - Dec. 14
• Holmes for the Holidays (Contractor Mike Holmes competes with his adult children to see who has the most festive holiday house) - Dec. 18
• Home Town: Ben's Holiday Workshop (Woodworker Ben Napier helps celebrities build holiday projects, while decorating his shop for Christmas) - Dec. 19

Discovery Channel

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on Discovery+

• Alaskan Bush People: North Pole to North Star (The Brown family shares their Christmas traditions) - Dec. 19

SyFy

• The Pole (adult animated series starring Bobby Moynihan and Jillian Bell; With Santa wrapped up in scandal, his wife tries to keep the North Pole running ) - Mar. 17 (Teaser)

TNT

• AEW Dynamite Holiday Bash  (Christmas pro wrestling spectacular) - Dec. 22
• AEW Rampage Holiday Bash (Christmas pro wrestling spectacular) - Dec. 25
  

Pop

• Lacy's Christmas Do-Over (holiday movie starring Claire Van Der Linden, Kyle Patrick and Scarlett Roselynn; directed by Ari Golan; written by Nichole Lennstrom; A burned out exec who must spend the holidays at a small town B&B finds herself living the same day over and over; filmed in Oregon, Ill.) - Dec. 11, also available on Pluto as of Dec. 15

WGN

• Bozo's Circus: The 1970s (recently rediscovered classic segments from WGN original Bozo's Circus, starring Bob Bell) - Dec. 19, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
  
• Christmas Midnight Mass (live mass from Holy Name Cathedral with Cardinal Blase Cupich) - Dec. 25, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
• The WGN Yule Log (classic TV yule log and holiday music) - Dec. 25, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app
• Chicago's Very Own New Year's Eve Blast! (Chicago countdown from around the city) - Dec. 31, also live-streamed on WGNTV.com and WGN-TV app

IFC

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on AMC+ and some on Pluto TV

• Bottomless Brunch at Colman's: Friendsgiving  (Colman Domingo hosts a Thanksgiving soiree for cocktails and conversations with friends Elaine Welterorth and Aja Naomi King) - Nov. 14, also available on AMC+ and Pluto TV
• Bottomless Brunch at Colman's: Christmas (Colman Domingo hosts a holiday event with cocktails and conversation with Broadway stars) - Dec. 18, also available on AMC+ and Pluto TV

BBC America

• Dr. Who: Revolution of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1
• Dr. Who: Eve of the Daleks (stand alone episode of the long-running series, now starring Jodie Whittaker; airs same day as UK) - Jan. 1, 2022 (Trailer)

TLC

• Dr. Pimple Popper: A Pimple Carol (special holiday episode featuring the spirits of pimples past, preset and future) - Dec. 8

CMT

• CMT Crossroads Christmas: Brett Young & Friends  (musical Christmas special with special guests Boyz II Men, Chris Tomlin, Colbie Caillat, Dann Huff, Darius Rucker, Gavin DeGraw and Maddie & Tae) - Dec. 8
• A Tennessee Kind of Christmas (musical special starring Amy Grant, Billy Ray Cyrus, Clay Walker, Pam Tillis, Sara & Olivia Evans, Steve Wariner, Tracy Lawrence and Wynonna) - Dec. 8

AMC

NOTE: All will also be available to stream on AMC+

• Eli Roth's History of Horror: Holiday Horror (Eli Roth takes a look at holiday-themed horror movies, including Black Christmas and Halloween, and how they shaped the genre, featuring special guest interviews) - Oct. 29, also available on AMC+

Starz

• Christmas at Cattle Hill (a.k.a. Jul på Kutoppen; Norweigian animated sequel from director Will Ashurst to 2018′s Cattle Hill; Klara the calf is excited to spend her first Christmas at Kutoppen, but when her father goes away she tries to decorate with help from a local elf and it doesn't go well; debuted in Norway in 2020) - Oct. 29, also available on the Starz app as of Oct. 1, and Sep. 1 via VOD
• The Birthday Cake (mob movie starring Lorraine Bracco, Aldis Hodge, Penn Badgley, Val Kilmer and Ewan McGregor; directed by Jimmy Giannopoulos; While celebrating the tenth anniversary of his father's death, a son learns what really happened to him) - Nov. 2 (Trailer); also available via VOD June 18
  
• How to Deter a Robber (black comedy starring Vanessa Marano and Benjamin Papa; A couple break into a cabin at Christmas, just to hang out, but then find themselves the victims of real, brutal robbers; billed as an adult version of Home Alone) - Nov. 22  (Trailer); also available via VOD July 16
  

Showtime

• Dexter: New Blood (eight-episode revival of the seven-season serial killer series starring Michael C Hall and Jennifer Carpenter; The reboot is set entirely around Christmas and New Year's according to showrunner and executive producer Clyde Phillips) - Nov. 7, also available on the Showtime app
• The Humans (Thanksgiving-set movie starring Richard Jenkins, Jayne Houdyshell, Amy Schumer, June Squibb, Steven Yeun and Beanie Feldstein; written and directed by Stephen Karam and based on his award-winning play of the same name; A family gathers in a young couple's new apartment to celebrate Thanksgiving as things go bump in the night) - Nov. 28 (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release
  

Tubi

• A Chance for Christmas (holiday movie directed by Stefan Brogren; starring Tori Anderson, Mykee Selkin, Bradley Hamilton, Sarah Cassidy, and Tim Progosh; An influencer strives to create the perfect Christmas Eve livestream to secure a big promotion, but when everything goes awry she finds herself asking Santa for a do-over; filmed in Ottawa) - June 18 (Trailer)
• Christmas Tears (holiday movie starring Jonni Albetta, Anayka and Julie Bender-Day; directed by William Mercado and Fabian Perez; written by Noel Torres; Three best friends at the end of their ropes experience a Christmas Eve miracle; film festival debut in 2014, but first time widely available) - July 20, also available on DVD
• Holiday Monday (small budget action thriller set at the holidays; starring Kayla Caldwell, Colin MacDougall and Nathan Shepka, who also wrote and directed; A pair of hired bodyguards find themselves up against a drug lord) - Sep. 1, also available VOD
• Thanksgiving with the Carters: 2nd Helping (holiday movie sequel to 2019′s Thanksgiving with the Carters; starring Reaco Boyd, John Carter and Kelsey Delemar; written and directed by Brigette Rock and Bryan G Thompson) - Oct. 1
• Christmas on My Block (holiday drama starring Lazarius Jordan, Jamal Woolard, Jacky Oh, Cory Espie, Vernon "Snoop" Robinson and Momma Dee; Two men from very different worlds meet over the holidays and change each other's lives) - Nov. 9, also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Thanksgiving Roast (holiday comedy starring Tray Chaney, Morgan Mackey and Serenity Adeyemi; A women's boyfriend hopes to propose but first he must win over her disapproving family) - Nov. 9, also available via Amazon VOD
• Most Wanted Santa (holiday movie starring Denyce Lawton, Donnell Turner, Teresa Castillo, Kate Watson and Mark Lawson; directed by Kristin Fairweather; written by Kathryn Dow and John Forgetta; An FBI agent and a detective team up to catch an art thief, but struggle when the primary suspect is a sexy Santa; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 3
• The Magical Christmas Tree (holiday fantasy movie starring Socks Whitmore, Ky Mullen and Shane Ryan; written and directed by Scott Hillman; A visit from the ghosts of Christmas gives a mean boss a change of heart and sends his minion on a search for a magical Christmas tree) - Dec. 4 (Trailer); also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Ayanna Shon's Christmas Hypnosis (low budget comedy written, directed and starring Ayanna Shon; A woman undergoes hypnosis to help her stop smoking weed in time to host her mother's Christmas party) - Dec. 17 (Trailer); also available via VOD as of Nov. 12
• Santa Goes West (WowNow animated movie directed by James Snider; Santa has to save a Western town from a fake Christmas in July gold rush) - Dec. 17, also available June 4 via DVD
  
• Christmas in Florida (low budget, right-wing holiday movie from Alex R. Wagner and Kimberly DiPersia; When Christmas is "cancelled" in NYC due to COVID, a couple drive to Florida where Christmas is "still legal") -  Dec. 17; also available for purchase on ENV.pictures as of Sep. 24 and on Plex as of Nov. 25
  
• A Wiseguy Christmas (holiday movie starring Lisa London, Nicole D'Angelo, Shane Ryan and Chris Spinelli; directed by Gregory Hatanaka; written by Nino Cimino; A Christmas-hating mobster goes into witness protection and finds himself forced to celebrate the holiday as part of his cover) - Dec. 17 (Trailer), also available via Vimeo VOD
  
• Most Wonderful Time (holiday movie starring Brooke Burfitt, Ben Davies, Jess Barbour and Gage Baker; written and directed by Brittany Goodwin; A struggling author comes home for holidays as her mom is set to sell the family home and reunites with her high school best friends and the one that got away; filmed in Nashville) - Dec. 17, also available via Amazon VOD
  
• The Secrets of Christmas: Revealed! (holiday mockumentary; A "data breach" at the North Pole reveals all of Santa's secrets, but who was the leaker?) - Dec. 20; also airing on FOX
  

Roku

• Learning to Love Again (Thanksgiving-set rom-com starring Anna Pirvu and Kjartan Hewitt, directed by Adam Swica; A woman brings a fake boyfriend home for the holiday; Aired in 2020 on the W Channel in Canada) - Jan. 10
• A Christmas Wish in Hudson (holiday movie starring Alex Rinehart, Rib Hillis, Lexi Giovagnoli and Lauren Schuster; directed by Elizabeth Snoderly; A daughter helps her firefighter/chef father find love at Christmas; filmed in Hudson, Wis.) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas Lovers Anonymous (holiday movie starring Brooke Burfitt and Houston Rhines; written and directed by Lexi Giovagnoli; After a woman's Christmas obsession costs her, her job and her boyfriend, she writes a rant against the holidays which goes viral, forcing her to hide her love of Christmas; filmed in Hudson, Wis.) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Family Thanksgiving (a.k.a. Happy Thanksgiving; starring Cocoa Brown, Austin Freeman and William McKinney; written and directed by Jeanelle Warren; A man in need of money tries to work him into his rich aunt's will during a Thanksgiving visit) - Nov. 2
• A Christmas Proposal (holiday movie starring Lily Nicole and Joshua T. Shipman; directed by Nakia T Hamilton; A jealous boyfriend in the military rashly asks for a transfer, and when his request is granted with a posting halfway around the world, realizes he doesn't want to be without his love, so schemes to win her back with a Christmas proposal so she can move with him) - Nov. 9 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas Thieves (a.k.a. Ladri di Natale; Italian live action-animation hybrid starring Tom Arnold, Katie McGovern, Douglas Dean and Esmeralda Spadea; Children left alone on Christmas Eve mistake a pair of thieves for their babysitter; filmed in Rome) - Nov. 22 (Trailer); also available via Amazon VOD as of Nov. 2
  
• Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas (holiday-themed movie for the cancelled NBC musical series starring Jane Levy, Skylar Astin and Mary Steenburgen; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 1 (Trailer)
• A Very Merry New Year (holiday movie starring Janika L Ivey, Nelson J Davis, Kevin J. Stone and Ronza Bee; directed by Karlton T. Clay; Secrets are exposed when high school friends reunited to celebrate the New Year) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
  
• The Year in Streaming (celebrating New Year's with a look back at 2021′s biggest streaming moments, with special guests Liza Katzer and Jamie Lee, of Ted Lasso, and Amy Ryan, O.T. Fagbenle, Chrishell Stause and Karamo Brown) - Dec. 27

Pluto TV

• Lacy's Christmas Do-Over (holiday movie starring Claire Van Der Linden, Kyle Patrick and Scarlett Roselynn; directed by Ari Golan; written by Nichole Lennstrom; A burned out exec who must spend the holidays at a small town B&B finds herself living the same day over and over; filmed in Oregon, Ill.) - Dec. 15, debuted on Pop TV Dec. 11

YouTube Kids

• Buster Saves Christmas  (full length holiday special, based on the series Buster the Bus; When Santa hurts his ankle on Christmas Eve, Buster and his pals must step in to save Christmas) - Nov. 30
• Kid Correspondent: Unboxing the Holiday Season (kid reporters investigate the best ways to celebrate the holidays, with special guest Wilmer Valderrama) - Dec. 2
• Super Sema Holiday (original animated series set in the future, with a focus on STEAM learning, produced by Lupita Nyong'o; Sema celebrates the Day of Dreams by trying to create snow, something her town hasn't seen in hundreds of years) - Dec. 10
• Kid Correspondent: New Year, New You! (kid reporters explore New Year's celebrations and the tradition of making resolutions, with special guest Jerry O'Connell) - Dec. 17

Facebook Watch

• Live From the Orange Grove: Gwen Stefani  (short series of holiday musical performances from Gwen Stefani) - Dec. 17

Vizio Watch Free+

• Four Cousins and a Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by Maria Capp, starring Raffaela Capp, Natasha Capp, Ayla Kell, Lily Gibson, Robert Davi, Jayson Bernard, Teri Polo, Jared Sandler and Nicholas Turturro; Four cousins who haven't seen each other in years reunite with each other and their estranged grandfather to sing at their grandmother's Christmas memorial) - Nov. 15 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 7

Popstar! TV

• The Magic (holiday movie starring Charles Shaughnessy, Katherine Kelly Lang, Brandon B. Brown, Alejandra Espinoza, Sally Kirkland and Eric Roberts Eric Roberts; written and directed by Gregori J Martin; A man tries to regain his Christmas spirit with a little help from his guardian angels) - Nov. 25 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 10
  

IMDb TV

NOTE: You can access free IMDb TV via Amazon

• Angel Falls Christmas (holiday movie starring Jessica Lowndes, Chad Michael Murray and David Reale; directed by Jerry Ciccoritti; A workaholic doctor falls for a fun-loving barista at Christmas; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 26
• A Lot Like Christmas (holiday movie starring Maggie Lawson and Christopher Russell; directed by Stacey N. Harding; A family Christmas tree lot is jeopardized when a big corporation moves into town filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 5
• Play-Doh Squished (holiday-themed family reality competition hosted by Sarah Hyland) - Dec. 10
• When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas (holiday movie based on the When Calls the Heart spinoff series formerly seen on Hallmark Movies Now, starring Lori Loughlin, Morgan Kohan, Jocelyn Hudon, Ryan-James Hatanaka and Greg Hovanessian; directed by Bradley Walsh; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 18
  

Crackle

• A Great North Christmas (holiday movie directed by James Douglas; starring Laura Mitchell and Jay Hindle; An LA-based lawyer wins a holiday trip to Canada and falls in love with small-town life; filmed in Prince George, B.C.) - Nov. 15 (Trailer); also available VOD on Dec. 7

Shudder

• The Advent Calendar (French horror movie starring Eugénie Derouand and Honorine Magnier; written and directed by Patrick Ridremont; An old advent calendar brings unwelcome surprises for a wheelchair-bound woman) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
• A Very Ghoul Log Christmas (taking a horror twist on the Christmas, slow TV classic) - Dec. 2
• Joe Bob Ruins Christmas: The Last Drive-In (Joe Bob Briggs in a new Shudder holiday horror special) - Dec. 17

Motortrend+

• Holiday Hooptie Challenge II  (Three teams, including the returning 2020 champs, race cars they've modified themselves on three different courses) - Nov. 26

Britbox

• A Ghost Story for Christmas (11-episode collection of past-year BBC specials based on the stories of MR James and featuring well known British actors, ranging from 30 to 55 minutes; First time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 20
• Mock the Week Christmas Special (Christmas special episode of the comedic topical news show) - Dec. 22
• Would I Lie to You Christmas Special (Christmas special episode of the comedy improv show) - Dec. 22
  
• QI Christmas Special (holiday special episode of the iconic quiz show hosted by Sandy Toksvig) - Dec. 23
• The Mezzotint (holiday ghost story starring Rory Kinnear, Robert Bathurst and Frances Barber; based on the short story by M.R. James, adapted by Mark Gatiss; A gifted engraving of a mysterious house proves sinister; available same day as in the UK) - Dec. 24
  
• Death in Paradise Christmas Special (stand-alone holiday episode of the series; available same day as in the UK) - Dec. 24
  
• Carols From King's (LIVE coverage of the celebration of Christmas from The Chapel of King's College Cambridge) - Dec. 24
  
• The Queen's Christmas Message 2021 (annual holiday speech delivered by Queen Elizabeth II to her subjects via the BBC) - Dec. 25
• Coronation Street Christmas Special (annual holiday episode of the long-running British soap opera) - Dec. 25
• Mrs Brown's Boy's Christmas (festive edition of the comedy starring Brendan O'Carroll; available same day as UK) - Dec. 25
  

Acorn TV

• Mary Berry's Country House Secrets: Mary Berry's Country House at Christmas (2018 BBC special featuring the Great British Bake Off favorite judge, first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 6
• Agatha Raisin: Kissing Christmas Goodbye  (holiday mystery movie starring Ashley Jensen, based on the mystery novel series by M.C. Beaton; Raisin tries to plan the perfect Christmas with her boyfriend, while solving the murder of a wealthy society widow) - Dec. 20
• A Berry Royal Christmas (2019 BBC special featuring Mary Berry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 20

Hallmark Movies Now

• Every Time a Bell Rings (holiday movie starring Erin Cahill, Wes Brown, Brittany Ishibashi, Ali Liebert, Percy Daggs III and Dee Wallace; directed by Maclain Nelson; Three estranged sisters reunite in their hometown for the holidays and find their deceased dad has planned one last Christmas scavenger hunt for them; filmed and set in Natchez, Miss.) - Nov. 18,might also air on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Dec. 5, Hallmark posted and then deleted the date from its website
• Sugar Plum Twist (ballet-centered holiday movie starring Jamie Gray Hyder, Laura Rosguer, Ektor Rivera and Rachel de Benedet; directed by Eric Close, written by Cas Sigers-Beedles; A young ballerina disappointed in losing a role works with an older mentor to craft her own holiday performance; filmed in Norwich and New London, Conn.) - Dec. 2, will also air on Hallmark Channel Dec. 17
  

PureFlix

• Deck the Heart (holiday movie starring Ashley Brinkman, Joe Kurak and Eliza Robertrs, written and directed by Candy Cain; In order to inherit his grandfather's estate a busy executive must host Christmas for his relatives, so he hires a party planner named Merry, who has always longed for the perfect family holiday.) - July 1, also available VOD
  
• The Maltese Holiday (holiday movie starring Abigail Hawk and Clayton Snyder; written and directed by Candy Cain; Two people, traveling alone at the holidays, meet and fall in love) - July 1 (Trailer), also available VOD
  
• The King: A Christmas Story from a Heavenly Perspective (faith-based holiday movie starring Rachel Mather, Josilyn Campbell and Kevin M. Archuleta; written and directed by Jeanie Nuanes King; An English peasant is inspired to learn about the Christmas story) - Nov. 1, also available via DVD
  
• Magic in Mount Holly (holiday movie starring starring Taryn Hacker, Patrick Muldoon and Cody Calafiore; written and directed by Candy Cain) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• Hearts & Vines  (a.k.a. Winter at the Winery; holiday movie starring Taryn and Jon Hacker; written and directed by Candy Cain; A builder and decorator filming a home renovation show end up quarantined together for Christmas) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
  
• A Match Made at Christmas (faith-based holiday movie starring Tim Llewellyn and Micah Lynn Hanson; directed by Annie Poling Swet; A hopeless romantic whose Great Aunt has a knack for matchmaking, struggles to find common ground with a cynical Christmas hater she's told is her perfect match; filmed in Washington and Idaho) - Nov. 1 (Trailer), also available via Amazon VOD
  
• Welcome to Hope: A Holiday Homecoming (holiday movie starring Taryn and Jon Hacker, Al Pagano, Kenney Myers, Cody Calafiore and Anthony Pallino; The residents of Hope, N.Y. help save a group of orphans after their foster group home burns down around the holidays; connected to the Welcome to Hope TV series; filmed in upstate New York) - Nov. 15, also available via Amazon VOD as of Dec. 13
  
• Banking on Christmas  (holiday movie starring Katarina Hughes, Eric Lutz, Bai Ling and Ciera Danielle; directed by Shane Hawks; A down on his luck mechanic and an uptight loan officer get trapped together in a bank vault for the holidays; filmed in Knoxville, Tenn.) - Nov. 15, also available via Dayspring DVD Nov. 11

Binge Black TV

• Christmas with My Ex (holiday movie starring Denise Boutte, Travis Cure, Towanda Braxton, Lawrence Robinson, Vanessa Simmons, Richard David, Danielle Vega and Brian Nelson Jr.; directed by Patricia Cuffie-Jones; written by ReShonda Tate Billingsley; Christmas chaos ensues when a woman is forced to spend the holidays with her ex and family; filmed in Santa Clarita, Calif.) - Dec. 5

Argo

• Florence Has Left the Building (holiday short from director Mirrah Foulkes; A woman in a nurse home reevaluates her life on Christmas Eve) - Dec. 1
• December in Toronto (holiday short from director Millefiore Clarkes; A woman makes a first-person travel log of her holiday trip at her boyfriends behest) - Dec. 1
• The Christmas Gift (holiday short from Bogdan Muresanu; A young boy in 1989 Romania sends a letter to Santa wishing for the death of Nicolae Ceausescu after overhearing his father talk about Timisoara) - Dec. 1
• Santa is a Psychedelic Mushroom (animated holiday short from Matthew Salton; Imagining Santa's psychedelic trip) - Dec. 1
  

Stingray

• Camerata Viesgo Christmas Concert (Holiday performance by the Camerata Viesgo orchestra conducted by Giovanni Guzzo from Madrid in December 2020, featuring the music of Mozart, Respighi and Tchaikovsky; first time available in the U.S.) - Dec. 15

Fox Nation

• Christmas in the Pines (holiday movie starring real-life spouses Jillian Murray and Dean Geyer; directed by Gary Wheeler; An architect and a writer battle over a holiday getaway cottage; filmed in North Carolina; made by INSP films) - Nov. 25 (Trailer), also available Nov. 2 via DVD and Vudu
  
• Christmas in the Wilds (holiday movie sequel to Romance in the Wilds; starring Kaitlyn Leeb, Victor Zinck Jr. and Melinda Shankar; directed by Justin G. Dyck; written by Neale Kimmel; Buck and Jessica's holiday plans turn deadly, when they find themselves fighting for survival during a Christmas trip) - Nov. 25 (Trailer), also available Nov. 2 via DVD and Vudu
• Christmas at the Cathedral (30-minute documentary special celebrating the holiday traditions at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City) - Dec. 2

BET+/BET

• A Rich Christmas (holiday movie starring Bill Bellamy, Tyler Abron, Brandee Evans, Vanessa A. Williams and Denise Boutte; written by Shateka Johnson; directed by Victoria Rowell; A spoiled socialite forced to work at a homeless center for the holidays learns the true meaning of Christmas; filmed in D.C.) - Nov. 4, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Nov. 20
  
• Soul Santa (holiday movie starring David and Tamela Mann, Brooke Monroe Conaway, Christopher Gurr and Ross Fleming; directed by Terri Vaughn; written by Greg Anderson; When a man gambles with the mob's money and loses, he finds himself hiding out as a mall Santa; filmed in Connecticut) - Nov. 11, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Nov. 27
• A Jenkins Family Christmas (holiday movie starring Kim Coles, Regina Taylor, Anthony Chatmon II, Ashley Love-Mills, Bailey Bass, Derek Chadwick and Tammy Townsend; directed by Robin Givens; written by Christopher Oscar Pena and Joy Kecken; A bickering family reunites to celebrate their first Christmas without their patriarch, only to have an unexpected guest shake everything up; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 18, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Dec. 4
• Christmas Deja Vu (holiday movie starring Amber Riley, Loretta Devine, Blue Kimble and Candice Van Beauty; written and directed by Christel Gibson; A down on her luck singer relives Christmas over and over again; filmed in Atlanta) - Nov. 25, BET+ (Trailer); BET debut Dec. 11
  
• The Business of Christmas 2 (sequel to the 2020 holiday movie starring Jennifer Freeman, Lawrence H. Robinson, Kamel Goffin and Daphne Reid; directed by Tim Reid; written by Camara Davis; The Franklin family celebrate their first Christmas without their father; filmed in Virginia) - Dec. 2, BET+
  
• Merry Switchmas (holiday movie starring starring Peter Parros, Valarie Pettiford, Sherrice Eaglin, Thea Camara, Joel Harold, Joseph Harold, Rachel Aladdin and Rebekah Aladdin; directed by Christopher Nolen and written by Gabrielle Collins; Identical twins switch places at a Christmas party, causing chaos for themselves, and their loved ones; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 9, BET+; BET debut Dec. 18
• A Christmas Wish (holiday movie starring Noree Victoria, Nadia Simms and Blue Kimble; written and directed by Christopher Nolen; A single mom wishes for a miracle to save her daughter at Christmas; filmed in Chicago, Ill.) - Dec. 16, BET+; BETHer debut on Dec. 25
  
• Christmas 4 Sale (holiday movie starring Shanti Lowry, Nadine Ellis and Aaron D. Spears; directed by Mike Mayhall; written by Camara Davis; A real estate developer falls for a billionaire who thinks she's someone else) - Dec. 23, BET+; BETHer debut on Dec. 26
  

Discovery+

• Candy Coated Christmas: Behind the Scenes with Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman takes you behind the scenes of the making of her first movie) - Nov. 1
• The Pioneer Woman's Hometown Holidays (Ree Drummond shares how she create a down-home country Christmas) - Nov. 1
• Candy Coated Christmas  (holiday movie starring Molly McCook, Ree Drummond, Aaron O'Connell, John McCook, Lee Garlington and Landry Townsend; directed by Ellie Kanner; A woman returns to her holiday-crazy hometown after a failed business venture; filmed in Utah) - Nov. 19  (Trailer) Review
  
• Mary McCartney Serves Up the Holidays (holiday special from the vegetarian chef featuring special guests Paul McCartney, Stella McCartney, Reese Witherspoon and Oprah Winfrey) - Nov. 23
• Surfing Santa (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Celebrate the festive season from the beach) - Nov. 26
• Cozy Holiday Kitchens (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Prepare holiday meals with four chefs from around the world) - Nov. 26
  
• Festive Fireplaces of the World (part of the "Immersions" collection; slow TV with no narration meant for background viewing; Experience the view from more than 30 cozy fireplaces from around the world) - Nov. 26
  
• Meet Your Makers Showdown (crafting competition hosted by Chrissy Metz with judges Leann Rimes and Mark Montano find the best holiday crafter) - Nov. 27
  
• Fruitcake Fraud (true crime documentary about embezzlement at the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas) - Dec. 1
  
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Candy (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare for Christmas by making her special candy) - Dec. 3, will also air on Food Network, Dec. 18
• Magnolia Table: Holiday Sides (Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare their favorite holiday side dishes) - Dec. 3, will also air on Food Network, Dec. 18
• Home Work: Home for the Holidays (Andy and Candis Meredith renovate an old schoolhouse into their family home) - Dec. 10
  
• The Pioneer Woman: Hometown Stories (Ree Drummond reminisces on past Christmas adventures in her small town of Pawhuska, Oklahoma) - Dec. 11
• Zoe Bakes: Cheers to the New Year (Zoë François shares her favorite New Year's Eve recipes) - Dec. 26

AMC+

• Christmas with Felicity (holiday movie starring Sarah Brooks, Herb Porter, Braxton Angle, Aviva Sevilla and Saige Chaseley; directed by Jack C Newell; written by Rebecca Weaver; A woman returns to her hometown after her cancelled wedding in no mood to celebrate the holidays, until she meets a handsome dairy farmer who loves Christmas) - Nov. 25 (Trailer)
  
• A Cape Cod Christmas (holiday movie starring Katie LeClerc and Brent Bailey; directed by John Stimpson and written by Megan Freels Johnston; An author returns to her hometown to reluctantly help her bickering siblings sell the family home; filmed in Falmouth, Mass.) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
  
• Silent Night (holiday horror-black comedy starring Keira Knightley, Roman Griffin, Matthew Goode, Annabelle Wallis, Lily-Rose Depp, Lucy Punch, Sope Dirisu and Kirby Howell-Baptiste; written and directed by Camille Griffin; A wealthy family hosts a Christmas celebration dinner at their English country house as the world prepares for an extinction level event; filmed in the UK) -  Dec. 3 (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release

HBO Max

• Ghosts: The Ghost of Christmas (2020 Christmas Day special of the BBC series, available for the first time to U.S. viewers) - May 27
• Starstruck (BBC co-production, 6-episode series created by and starring Rose Matafeo, along with Nikesh Patel; A women goes home with a man she meets in a bar on New Year's Eve, only to discover he's a rising star, and they keep interacting in London over the course of a year, culminating at Christmas) - June 10 ****Review****
• Craftopia: Holiday Showdown (eight-episode holiday-themed season of the crafting show hosted by Lauren Riihimaki) - Oct. 7
  
• 8-Bit Christmas (1980s-set comedy, directed by Michael Dowse and starring Steve Zahn, Neil Patrick Harris, June Diane Raphael, Winslow Fegley, Jacob Laval, Sophia Reid-Gantzert, Santino Barnard and Chandler Dean; based on the book by Kevin Jakubowski; A 10-year-old's outrageous quest to get a Nintendo gaming system for Christmas) - Nov. 24 (Trailer) ****Review****
• 12 Dates of Christmas (season 2 of the reality dating series that takes people to a "Christmas castle" to find their soulmate via holiday activities) - Nov. 25
• Santa Inc. (adult, animated eight-episode limited series starring Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman, written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield; When Santa's successor is poached by Amazon, an ambitious elf positions herself to become the first female Santa) - Dec. 2 (Redband Trailer)

Apple TV+

• The Snoopy Show: Happiness is a Snow Day (winter-set episode of Apple's new animatedThe Snoopy Show series) - Feb. 5
• Ted Lasso: Carol of the Bells(holiday-set episode of the popular series starring Jason Sudeikis) - Aug. 13 ****Review****
• Doug Unplugs: Botty Holidays (animated holiday special episode of the series based on the books by Dan Yaccarino, featuring Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations) - Sep. 17
  
• 'Twas The Fight Before Christmas (feature documentary from Julia Nottingham and Lisa Gomer Howes; directed by Becky Read; Story of lawyer Jeremy Morris fight with his homeowner's association over his over-the-top Christmas light display) - Nov. 26 (Trailer)
• Mariah's Christmas: The Magic Continues (second holiday special from Mariah Carey, featuring Khalid and Kirk Franklin, with the trio's new song, "Fall in Love at Christmas;" directed by Joseph Kahn and produced by Carey) - Dec. 3
  
• Stillwater: The Way Home (holiday special based on the animated series that spawned from the Scholastic book series; When Stillwater invites the not-nice neighbors to celebrate with him, his friend are concerned) - Dec. 3
• Get Rolling with Otis: A Winter Cow's Tale (holiday special based on the animated series, inspired by the books of Loren Long; Learning how to be a big sister isn't easy, especially when your mom is due on Christmas Day) - Dec. 3
• Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne (new, original animated New Year's Eve special; When Grandma's Christmas visit gets cancelled, the gang decides to throw the best New Year's Eve party ever to cheer themselves up) - Dec. 10
• Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Mustache (stop-motion animated short starring Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, and Juno Temple) - Dec. 15 (Watch)

Apple Music

• From Apple Music with Love (daily video/audio "gifts" from Apple Music, featuring holiday music and chats about traditions with stars like Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani, Lorde, Becky G and Idris Elba, drops daily at 11 AM ET) - Nov. 26

Paramount+

• Queen of the Universe (Drag Race spin-off, singing competition series, advertised as a "Eurovision-style" song contest, hosted by Graham Norton and filmed in London) - Dec. 2
• Rugrats: Traditions (special, stand-alone holiday episode of the rebooted series with special guest voices Raini Rodriguez, Swoosie Kurtz, Henry Winkler and Tata Vega; The family learns how to combine holiday traditions of various faiths) - Dec. 2, also airs on Nickelodeon Dec. 10
• Mean Boys (Brazilian animated special from controversial comedy troupe Porta Dos Fundas; An irreverent take on Jesus' teen years in the style of Mean Girls) - Dec. 15
• Paramount Mountain Holiday Campfire ( outdoorsy holiday Yule Log featuring the sights and sounds of Paramount Mountain at night) - Dec. 18

Peacock

• The Boss Baby: Family Business (sequel to the 2017 animated movie starring Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Jeff Goldblum and Amy Sedaris; When the now-adult Boss Baby visits his brother for the holidays, his infant niece tells him he has to become a baby again to stop a villain that's been turning babies evil) - July 2, also in theaters (Trailer); moved to Hulu as of Nov. 25
• Much Ado About Christmas (holiday movie starring Susie Abromeit, Torrance Coombs, Julian Haig, Olivier Raynal, James Rottger and Emma Colling; written by Janeen and Michael Damian, who also directs; Modern, holiday-set retelling of the Shakespeare tale; A secretly-rich woman pretends to be a struggling single mom, the only problem is her new boyfriend is pitching to the town's benefactor, who happens to be her wealthy mother; filmed in Romania) - Oct. 30
• High Holiday (holiday comedy starring Tom Arnold, Jennifer Tilly, Cloris Leachman, Robert Carradine, Asif Ali and Shannyn Sossamon; A free-spirited daughter of a conservative politician tries to lighten up her straight-laced family Christmas by bringing cannabis-infused salad dressing to their Christmas Eve dinner, causing chaos) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
• The Great Christmas Switch (holiday movie starring Dillon Casey, Sarah Lind and Jon McClaren; directed by Ernie Barbarash; written by Cara J. Russell; Twin sisters decide to switch places at the holidays; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Nov. 6
• Christmas Time is Here (holiday movie starring Rukiya Bernard and Dewshane Williams; directed by Christie Will Wolff; written by T.M. Hayes; A realtor wants to sell a client any resort except the one he wants to buy, which is owned by her family; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 13
• Chrisley Knows Thanksgiving (holiday special featuring the reality show star family, with matriarch Julie Chrisley teaching her kids how to make Thanksgiving favorites) - Nov. 18 (Trailer)
• A Kindhearted Christmas (holiday movie starring Cameron Mathison and Jennie Garth; directed by Alysse Leite-Rogers; A widow's generosity is catching, leading to her being profiled by a handsome morning TV anchor; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 20
  
• Peacock Presents: Holiday Steals & Deals with Jill Martin (holiday shopping show with the Today Show consumer corespondent) - Nov. 22
• National Dog Show Junior (special kid-centric coverage of The 2021 National Dog Show from Philadelphia, hosted by Matt Iseman, Laurie Hernandez and Anna Laible) - Nov. 25
• Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase (animated special based on the animated series which features the popular Madagascar movie characters as cubs; Melman and his friends try to reunite a lost goose with his family for the holidays in New York City) - Nov. 26 (Trailer), also available on Hulu
  
• Royally Wrapped for Christmas (holiday movie starring Jen Lilley and Brendan Fehr; directed by TW Peacocke; A woman working at a charity dedicated to giving toys to everyone at the holidays finds love with a prince; filmed in Ottawa) - Nov. 27
• Christmas is You (holiday movie starring Becca Tobin, Matthew MacCaull and Casey Manderson; directed by Allan Harmon; Hometown sweethearts who both dreamed of making it big, are reunited when one is famous and the other is very much not; filmed in B.C.) - Nov. 28
  
• Baking It (six-episode, holiday-themed reality competition series from executive producer Amy Poehler; hosted by Maya Rudolph and Andy Samburg and judged by a panel of real-life grandmothers; teams of talented home bakers compete for prizes, spin-off of crafting show Making It) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
• Jingle Bell Princess (holiday movie starring Trevor Donovan and Merritt Patterson; directed by Dan McBrearty; based on the book His Jingle Bell Princess by Barbara Dunlop; A pampered royal uses a snowstorm to sneak away and experience the holidays as a commoner, spending time with a handsome widower and his twin daughters who have no idea who she is; filmed in North Bay, Ont.) - Dec. 4
  
• Housewives of the North Pole (holiday comedy starring Kyle Richards, Betsy Brandt, Kyle Selig, Alec Mapa, Jearnest Corchado, Tetona Jackson, Carlos Ponce and Damon Dayoub; directed by Ron Oliver; A holiday decorating rivalry turns bitter, as two women battle over who has the most festive house in North Pole, Vermont; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 9 (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (holiday movie starring Jill Wagner and Nick Bateman; based on the book by Jane Porter; directed by Mike Rohl; A single dad moves back to Montana to get help from family, where his newly adopted goddaughter enlists a mysterious stranger name Kris to help him find love; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 11
  
• Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas (movie based on the long-running NBC soap opera, starring Chandler Massey and Eileen Davidson) - Dec. 16
• Opry Live: USO Holiday Special (musical special for the troops, live from Nashville, featuring Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Lauren Alaina and more) - Dec. 18, also available on Circle and USO TV
• 2021 One and Done with Snoop Dogg & Kevin Hart (year-end comedy special featuring the rapper and comedian's looking back at the biggest stories of 2021) - Dec. 28

Disney+

• The Story of the Faithful Wookiee (animated short from the infamous 1978 Stars Wars Holiday Special; Notable for introducing the character of Boba Fett to the Star Wars universe; The first time anything from the universally-panned special made available to stream legally) - Apr. 2
• American Eid (short film from Aqsa Altaf, based on her own experience with Americans lack of knowledge of the Muslim holiday, part of the Disney Launchpad series) - May 28
• Home Sweet Home Alone  (reboot of the 1990 Christmas movie classic, starring Ellie Kemper, Rob Delaney, Archie Yates, Aisling Bea, Kenan Thompson, Tim Simons, Pete Holmes, Devin Ratray, Ally Maki and Chris Parnell; directed by Dan Mazer and written by Mikey Day and Streeter Seidell; A married couple tries to steal back a valuable heirloom from a troublesome kid) - Nov. 12 (Trailer)
• Hawkeye (holiday-set series based on the Marvel movie/comicbook character played by Jeremy Renner, also starring Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, Vera Farmiga and Brian d'Arcy James; Hawkeye trains protege Kate Bishop in a post-Avengers Endgame New York City) - Nov. 24 (Trailer)
• Arendelle Castle Yule Log: Cut Paper Edition (new, Frozen-themed, festive video background) - Dec. 17

Hulu

• American Horror Stories: The Naughty List (holiday-themed, stand-alone episode of the FX on Hulu anthology series from creator Ryan Murphy; starring Dyllon Burnside, Nico Greetham and Kevin McHale; written by Manny Coto; directed by Max Winkler; A group of social media influencers face a not-so-jolly reckoning for a problematic post) - July 29, part of FX on Hulu
• Riders of Justice (a.k.a. Retfærdighedens Ryttere; Danish-language revenge action movie, set at the holidays and starring Mads Mikkelsen; When he learns his wife's death was not a tragic accident, but an assassination attempt by brutal biker gang, a father turns to vigilante justice.) - Oct. 8, also available May 21 via VOD
  
• Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition (special holiday-themed, four-episode mini-season of the Padma Lakshmi travel/food show focusing on the unique holiday food traditions of different cultures and regions.) - Nov. 4 (Trailer) ****Review****
• Cupid for Christmas (holiday movie directed by Blayne Weaver and written by Patricia Harrington, starring Natasha Behnam, Ryan Carnes, Melanie Stone and Richard Kind; Cupid looks for a replacement so he can retire and celebrate the holidays; filmed in Virginia) - Nov. 20
  
• A Very Solar Holiday Opposites Special (stand-alone, animated Christmas special based on the adult animated series) - Nov. 22 (Trailer)
  
• Madagascar: A Little Wild Holiday Goose Chase (animated special based on the animated series which features the popular Madagascar movie characters as cubs; Melman and his friends try to reunite a lost goose with his family for the holidays in New York City) - Nov. 26, also available on Peacock
  
• Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade (local ABC coverage of the Thanksgiving parade that bills itself as the nation's oldest) - Nov. 26
• Blippi and the Holiday Snowglobe (live-action kids' movie based on the educational YouTube series) - Nov. 27, also available on YouTube
• Candified: Home for the Holidays (4-part reality series featuring Jackie Sorkin and a team of candy artists building a life-size house out of candy) - Dec. 1
• Together (UK COVID-set dark comedy starring Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy; Parents living through lockdown find their relationship strained to the breaking point; filmed in the UK and partially holiday-set) - Dec. 14, also available VOD as of Aug. 27 (Trailer)
  

Netflix

• Pieces of a Woman (partially holiday-set drama starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LeBeouf and Ellen Burstyn; A home birth goes horribly wrong, leaving a family and community to pick up the pieces) - Jan. 7 (Trailer)
• All My Friends Are Dead (Polish holiday movie written and directed by Jan Belci, combining horror and dark comedy; When a NYE party goes awry, shocking secrets are exposed in a group of friends.) - Feb. 3 (Trailer)
  
• The Silver Skates (Russian costume drama starring Fedor Fedotov and Sofya Priss; directed by Michael Lockshin; based on the book Hans Brinker by Mary Mapes Dodge, which, in turn, is aRomeo and Juliet pastiche; shot on location in St. Petersburg and set at Christmas and New Year's in the 19th century; Netflix's first Russian original) - June 16 (Trailer)
• Prime Time (Polish-language thriller set on New Year's Eve 1999. A desperate man takes a TV host hostage in order to get his message broadcast live on air) - June 30 (Trailer)
  
• Cooking with Paris: Get Over It Holiday Feast (special Christmas episode of the cooking show starring Paris Hilton) - Aug. 4
• The Father Who Moves Mountains (Romanian adventure thriller set at Christmas, starring Adrian Titieni, Elena Purea and Judith State; directed by Daniel Sandu; A retired intelligence officer risks everything to search for his missing son in the Carpathian mountains) - Sep. 17 (Trailer)
• Chicago Party Aunt: Emergency Contact (The final, holiday-themed episode in season one of the adult animated series takes place on Christmas Eve as Diane's family, who tried to ditch her, find themselves guiltily looking for her all evening) - Sep. 17
• The Claus Family (a.k.a. De Familie Claus; Dutch-language family film from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; Santa's grandson, Jules, hates Christmas, until he has to save Christmas with help of a magic snow globe; European debut in 2020) - Nov. 1 (teaser)
  
• Love Hard (holiday rom-com starring Nina Dobrev, Jimmy O. Yang, Darren Barnet, Harry Shum Jr., James Saito, Mikaela Hoover, Heather McMahan and Rebecca Staab; written by Danny Mackey and Rebecca Ewing; directed by Hernan Jimenez; A woman flies cross country at the holidays to surprise a suitor she knows only from a dating app, only to find she's been catfished; filmed in Vancouver) - Nov. 5 (Trailer) ****Review****
  
• A Very Big Mouth Christmas (Christmas episode of the adult animated series, featuring puppets instead of the usual animated characters, teased in the season 5 trailer) - Nov. 5
  
• Father Christmas is Back (holiday movie starring John Cleese, Kelsey Grammer, Liz Hurley, Nathalie Cox, Talulah Riley, Kris Marshall, Caroline Quentin, April Bowlby, Ray Fearon and Naomi Frederick; directed by Philippe Martinez and Mick Davis; written by David Conolly, Hannah Davis Law and Dylanne Corcoran; A Christmas control freak is surprised by her estranged father and his new girlfriend while celebrating the holidays with her sisters; filmed in Yorkshire, England) - Nov. 7, Rated PG-13 (Trailer) **Review**
  
• Christmas Flow (French-language series starring Shirine Boutella and Tayc, A journalist and rapper clash, then fall in love, at the holidays) - Nov. 17 (Trailer)
• The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (holiday rom-com, third in the movie series starring Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar and Will Kemp; All three lookalikes have to re-team when a royal relic goes missing; filmed in Scotland) - Nov. 18 (Trailer) ***Review***
  
• Blown Away: Christmas (holiday edition of the glass-blowing competition show hosted by Bobby Berk, featuring Christmas-themed challenges as returning contestants compete for the title "Best in Holiday Blow") - Nov. 19 (Trailer)
• Waffles + Mochi's Holiday Feast (Christmas special based on the animated children's cooking series executive produced by Michelle Obama; An impromptu holiday party for friends helps explore Christmas traditions around the world) - Nov. 23 (Trailer)
• Jonas Brothers Family Roast (Kenan Thompson roasts the singing group brothers with special guests Pete Davidson, Niall Horan, Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, Lilly Singh and Jack Whitehall) - Nov. 23
• A Boy Called Christmas (holiday movie based on the book by Matt Haig, adapted by Ol Parker; starring Jim Broadbent, Zoe Colletti, Sally Hawkins, Michiel Huisman, Maggie Smith and Kristen Wiig; directed by Gil Kenan; Santa origin story featuring 11-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed Christmas, because he was born on Christmas Day—living in Finland with his woodcutter father) - Nov. 24, Rated PG (Trailer), also available in theaters
  
• Robin Robin (Aardman Animation-produced musical special about a robin raised by mice, who is starting to be more aware of her differences and goes on a journey of self discovery) - Nov. 24 (Trailer)
  
• A Castle for Christmas (holiday rom-com starring Brooke Shields and Carey Elwes; directed by Mary Lambert; written by Ally Carter, Kim Beyer-Johnson and Neal & Tippi Dobrofsky; An author wants to buy a Scottish castle, but the owner, a grumpy Duke, doesn't want to sell to a foreigner; filmed in Scotland) - Nov. 26 (Trailer)
  
• School of Chocolate  (eight-episode chocolate competition show; Eight contestants work to be named Best in Class under the tutelage of master chocolatier Amaury Guichon; NOTE: Netflix billed this part of their holiday offerings, but it doesn't feature holiday challenges or content as far as I can tell) - Nov. 26
• Elves (Danish horror-thriller; 6-episode series from Stefan Jaworski; starring Ann Eleonora Jørgensen and Rasmus Hammerich; A family on Christmas vacation unwittingly disturbs a community of elves on a remote island and finds themselves in a fight for their lives) - Nov. 28 (Trailer)
  
• Charlie's Colorforms City: Snowy Stories (animated special based on the vinyl sticky toys) - Nov. 30
• Single All the Way (holiday movie starring Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke MacFarlane, Barry Bostwick, Jennifer Robertson, Jennifer Coolidge and Kathy Najimy; directed by Michael Mayer; written by Chad Hodge; Tired of being hassled about his single status, a man takes his best friend home for the holidays and tells his family they're involved, but when his mom sets him up with her handsome trainer, he's torn; filmed in Montreal) - Dec. 2 (Trailer)
  
• Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (Aardman Animation special based on the children's series, Timmy goes missing during a holiday farmhouse raid, leading Shawn to panic; co-production with the BBC) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
• The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (US debut of 2020 Christmas and New Year's special episodes of the Great British Bake Off) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)
  
• David and the Elves (a.k.a.Dawid i elfy; Polish language family movie starring Jakub Zając, Cyprian Grabowski, Anna Smołowik, Monika Krzywkowska, Piotr Rogucki, Michał Czernecki and Cezary Żak; A boy whose parents are too busy for Christmas teams up with one of Santa's elves to restore their Christmas spirit.) - Dec. 6
• Go Dog Go: Happy Sniffmas (special holiday episode of the preschool animated series based on the classic books) - Dec. 7
• The Claus Family 2 (a.k.a. De Familie Claus 2 ; Dutch-language family film sequel from Belgium, starring Jan Declair, Mo Bakker and Renee Soutendijk; With his faith restored in Christmas, Santa's grandson is getting ready for another holiday season when plans go awry thanks to an intriguing letter) - Dec. 7, rest of world (Trailer)
  
• Carolin Kebekus: The Last Christmas Special (German stand-up comic Carolin Kebekus in a holiday-themed set) - Dec. 8
  
• How to Ruin Christmas: The Funeral  (season 2 of the South African dysfunctional family comedy series that debuted in 2020 as How to Ruin Christmas: The Wedding) - Dec. 10 (Trailer)
  
• StarBeam: Beaming in the New Year (holiday special based on the children's animated superhero series) - Dec. 14 (Trailer)
• Elite: Short Stories "Phillip, Caye & Felipe"  (first of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 15
• A California Christmas: City Lights (sequel to 2020′s A California Christmas, starring real-life husband and wife Lauren and Josh Swickard; Lauren, who wrote the original, also pennedCity Lights, and Shaun Piccinino returns as director; The couple's love is tested when big city obligations draw them away from country life at the holidays) - Dec. 16
  
• A Naija Christmas (Nigerian holiday movie directed by Kunle Afolayan and written by Kemi Adesoye; Three sons race to bring home wives before the holidays, as their mother plans a massive Christmas celebration) - Dec. 16 (Trailer)
  
• The Witcher Fireplace (A Yule Log recreation of the Witcher's Great Hall fireplace) - Dec. 18
• Elite: Short Stories "Samuel & Omar" (second of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 20
  
• Grumpy Christmas (Spanish-language holiday sequel to 2016′s The Patriarch, a.k.a.Un Padre No Tan Padre, starring Héctor Bonilla, Benny Ibarra and Jacqueline Bracamontes; Don Servando and his dysfunctional family spend Christmas at the seaside, but all is not merry and bright; filmed in Mexico) - Dec. 22
• Elite: Short Stories "Patrick" (third of three holiday specials focusing on characters from the Spanish-language Netflix series about a prep school) - Dec. 23
  
• A Thousand Miles From Christmas (a.k.a A Mil Kilómetros de la Navidad; Spanish-language comedy starring Tamar Novas, Andrea Ros, Peter Vives, Fermí Reixach and Verónica Forqué; directed by Álvaro Fernández Armero; written by Francisco Arnal and Daniel Monedero; A Grinch with a history of horrible holidays gets reluctantly swept up in the spirit of Christmas; filmed in Spain) - Dec. 24
• Death to 2021 (year in review comedy special starring Hugh Grant, Lucy Liu, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Joe Keery, William Jackson Harper, Stockard Channing, Cristin Milioti, Diane Morgan and Nick Mohammed) - Dec. 27 (Trailer)
• Kitz (German series starring Valerie Huber, Felix Mayr, Sofie Eifertinger and Bless Amada; A group of rich, spoiled teens spend the winter holidays at a luxury ski resort, but one tries to work their way into their group to find answers and get revenge for her brother's mysterious death the year before) - Dec. 30 (Trailer)

Amazon Prime

• Evie Rose (holiday short, written and directed by Elizabeth Blake-Thomas; A teenager spends the holidays reminiscing with her elderly BFF) - Jan. 22
  
• A Tiny House Christmas (holiday movie starring Kathleen Cannon and Freddy Walker Jr.; directed by Avai d'amici; A women working a holiday job as an elf while living in a tiny home, tries to help a co-worker with a huge secret) - Feb. 12
• Carol's Christmas (holiday movie written and directed by David S Womack, starring Lauren Cakes, Lindsey Cruz and Brenda Daly; A modern, gender-swapped retelling of the classic Dickens tale; filmed in Las Vegas) - Feb. 19, also available on Tubi
• Leo the Truck: Christmas Tree (animated holiday short geared towards pre-schoolers, part of an ongoing character series) - May 12
• 10 Horas Para O Natal (a.k.a 10 Hours for Christmas; Brazilian holiday comedy starring Luis Lobianco, Karina Ramil, Giulia Benite, Pedro Miranda and Lorena Queiroz; released in Brazil in December 2020, first time available in U.S) - July 1
• The Tomorrow War (big-budget alien-fighting action movie, starring Chris Pratt, J.K. Simmons, Edwin Hodge and Betty Gilpin; The time-traveling story kicks off at a present-day Christmas party) - July 2
• A Sunburnt Christmas (Australian holiday movie, originally made for Oz streamer STAN, where it debuted in 2020; starring Daniel Henshall, Natasha Wanganeen and Chris Duncan; A single mom's ranch gets invaded by a criminal dressed as Santa, then her kids mistake him for the real deal; filmed in Adelaide, Australia) - July 24 (Trailer)
• The Food Club (a.k.a. Madklubben; Danish film directed by Barbara Topsøe-Rothenborg and starring Kirsten Olesen, Stina Ekblad and Kirsten Lehfeldt; A women abandoned by her husband on Christmas Eve leans on her friends, a widow and lifelong singleton who take her to Italy to take part in an culinary adventure) - Oct. 8 (Trailer)
  
• The Tunnel (Norwegian-language disaster movie, starring Thorbjorn Harr, Yiva Fuglerud and Lisa Carlehed; directed by Pai Oie; Christmas travelers are trapped in a tunnel after a tanker truck crashes and burns, while a blizzard rages, making outside rescue impossible; released in Norway in 2019 and the UK in 2020) - Oct. 15 (Trailer), also available on digital and DVD Apr 9
• Where's Chicky? Merry Christmas (original animated preschool special, based on the series from creator William Hoareau) - Oct. 28
• The Christmas Doodle (from faith-based Wright Family Films, holiday movie about a Christmas puppy) - Nov. 1, originally available Aug. 1 via VOD
  
• Nativity 3: Dude Where's My Donkey (2014 UK sequel in the Nativity! movie franchise, which began in 2009, this third part available for the first time in the U.S.) - Nov. 5
• All iWant for Christmas (holiday comedy starring Sean Patrick Flannery, Michael Cervantes, Charlie T Flanery and Oliver Givens; directed by B. Harrison Smith; A young girl discovers a popular toy robot may not be what it seems, and tries to warn Santa in an effort to get off the naughty list) - Nov. 19
  
• Christmas on the Carousel (holiday movie from writer-director-star Erik Bloomquist; also starring co-writer Taylor Turner, Madeline Dauer and Rachel Oremland; Four friends return home for their last winter break of college and spend the night at a carousel in hopes of making a viral video; filmed in Vermont) - Nov. 19 (Trailer), also available VOD Oct. 19 and DVD Dec. 14
  
• A Year From Now (small-budget holiday movie starring Athena Hayes, Daniel W May and Brad Maule; directed by Ricky Kennedy; An unhappy woman gets a glimpse of seven years of her future over one Christmas week) - Nov. 19
• Do, Re & Mi Holiday Special: Merry Nestivus (original holiday animated special based on the Amazon original preschool series) - Nov. 24
• Mistletoe Mixup (holiday rom-com featuring and produced by brothers Joey, Matthew and Andrew Lawrence, who also directs; also starring Danielle C Ryan, Samantha Cope, Skyler M Day, Walter Platz and Eric Osmond; written by Kaylin Richardson; A workaholic woman makes a Christmas wish that leads to two men that could be "the one"; filmed in Utah) - Dec. 1
• ARPO Robot Babysitter: A Very ARPO Christmas (Amazon Kids+ original animated short; ARPO works to make the perfect first Christmas for Cookie) - Dec. 6
• A Christmas Star (holiday movie starring Sara Canning and Daniel Lissing; directed by Jessica Harmon; An astronomer hunting for aliens finds herself falling for a widowed park ranger; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 12
• With Love (five-episode original series starring Emeraude Toubia and Mark Indelicato as siblings looking for love, with each episode set on a different holiday) - Dec. 17 (Trailer)
• Boxing Day (rom-com starring, co-written and directed by Aml Ameen; co-starring Aja Naomi King, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Marianne Jean-Baptiste; A man reluctantly returns home to London accompanied by his American fiancee for the holidays and introduces her to his complicated family for the first time; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 17 (Trailer)
  
• Christmas is Canceled (holiday movie starring Dermot Mulroney, Janel Parrish and Hayley Orrantia; directed by Prarthana Mohan; A year after the death of her mother, a woman finds out her widowed father is dating her old high school nemesis and sets out to break them up over the holidays with the help of her rival's ex-boyfriend, who also happens to be her own high school crush; filmed in Chicago) - Dec. 17, Rated R
• Stuffings (holiday horror movie starring Kathleen Halligan and Daniel Moody; written and directed by Matthew J. Wilkinson; A social media star couple looking for an Insta-worthy Christmas campout stumble upon a horrific holiday secret) - Dec. 18
  
• Joy for Christmas (holiday movie starring Cindy Busby and Sam Page; directed by Pat Williams; To save a holiday toy drive, a woman must convince a pro athlete to be its spokesman; filmed in B.C.) - Dec. 19
  
• The LCD Soundsystem Holiday Special (original Amazon Music holiday musical special featuring special guests Eric Wareheim and Macaulay Culkin) - Dec. 22 (Trailer), also available on Amazon Music Twitch Channel
• Yearly Departed 2021 (second annual, all-female comedy send off to the year that was, an Amazon original) - Dec. 23

On Demand/Digital/DVD

• The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon (Hallmark movie parody performance featuring Jesse Walker, Cecily Gash, Caitlin Houlahan, Ruby Lewis, Ryan Vona and Ian Ward; benefiting The Alzheimer's Foundation of America) - Jan. 12, YouTube
  
• Trappin' 4 Christmas (low-budget, TV-MA holiday movie written by Lisa Maydwell and directed and produced by Midnight Black) - Jan. 15, Vimeo
• Black Christmas 2021 (low-budget, gender-swapped remake of the 1974 horror classic, from writer-director Jackson Bigley) - Jan. 15, YouTube
• This Christmas (Irish short film starring Devlin O'Brien, Ingrid Ni Igoe and Gareth Daly; A family faces eviction and homelessness at the holidays; inspired by Doris Day's I'll Be Home for Christmas) - Jan. 29, YouTube
• Beverly Hills Christmas II (holiday movie starring Timothy Davis, Vincent De Paul, Donna Spangler, Ravin Spangler and Margaret O'Brien; directed by Christian Filippella; A teenager sent to spend Christmas with her eccentric aunt, witnesses a miracle and learns the true meaning of Christmas.) - Feb. 1, online
• A Christmas Wish (Canadian family short film starring Brandon Belov, Stephen Bishop and Donna Clacer; directed by Chih Wu) - Feb. 1, Canada
• Mayor (documentary following Musa Hadid, the popular Christian mayor of Ramallah in Palestine, as he plans a Christmas celebration and leads his occupied city) - Feb. 16, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• The Fright Before Christmas (low-budget holiday horror movie written, directed and starring John Johnson) - Mar. 2, Blu-Ray
• A Covid Christmas (low-budget holiday movie written and directed by Maurice Jones; A wife invites the whole family for Christmas during COVID, without telling her husband) - Mar. 5, YouTube
• Tru (Music Theatre of Connecticut's production of a holiday-set look at a week in the life of Truman Capote; Just before Christmas all Capote's friends realize he has shared their secrets with the world via his infamous novel, Answered Prayers; livestream and in-person performances) - Apr 23, On Demand
  
• A Christmas Sunset (holiday drama starring Cassandra James, Dani Scott, T.C. De Witt and Courtney Locks; written and directed by De Witt and James Burzelic; Five friends get together to celebrate the life of a friend who passed, only to find themselves challenged by the secrets he left behind.) - May 3, Amazon VOD
• Christmas in July (Wownow animation title, directed by Chip Bryant; Santa's summer vacation is thwarted when Dracula tries to take over Christmas) - May 25, DVD
• It's Me, Billy: A Black Christmas Fan Film (Canadian fan-made sequel to the 1974 horror classic) - May 28, Vimeo
• A Frozen Christmas Dance: Christmas in July (animated pre-school special from director Alejandro Aitana) - June 15, DVD
• Mission Fat Hearts (animated movie starring Kaliyah Melnick, Matthew Frizzell, Olivia Davis and Bob Hoffman; Based on the 2018 children's book, The Adventures of Pookie: Mission Fat Hearts) - June 28, YouTube
  
• Undertaking Christmas (original holiday musical, storybook spoof from songwriter Joel B. New, starring Joel McVeagh, Carolyn Mignini and Richard Riaz Yoder, with illustrations by Krissy Fox; A party planner's big city life falls apart so he returns to his small town to save the family funeral home and fall in love) - June 30, On Demand (Trailer)
• The Christmas Dance (holiday movie starring Michael Faber, Katherine Kelly Lang, Briana White and Richard Karn; written and directed by Michael Arcell; A traumatized woman learns to enjoy Christmas once again) - July 23, VOD (Trailer), available on Roku & Tubi as of October 29
• Christmas in July (holiday movie starring Grayson Russell, Reiley McClendon and Erin Ownbey, written and directed by Myles Matsuno; A holiday-loving man vows to give his dying grandmother one last perfect Christmas, even though it's the middle of summer; widely available for first time after touring festival circuit) July 23, VOD (Trailer)
• I'll Be Home for Christmas (holiday short film from Conor Soucy; A young couple has to deal with the reality of their complicated relationship when they find themselves stuck alone together for Christmas) - July 25, Vimeo On Demand
• Lupidoo's Incredible Christmas (Indian original animated holiday movie, made for kids' channel ETV Balya Bharat and voiced in 11 different languages) - July 30, India on ETV
• Christmess (Australian holiday comedy starring Steve Le Marquand, Susan Prior and Hannah Joy; directed by Heath Davis; the dysfunctional reality of a Down Under summer Christmas; filmed in Penrith, NSW) - Aug. 1, Australia
• Sleigh! (short horror film; A Christmas Eve party meant to celebrate a recently deceased woman's life turns deadly after an ancient board game reveals her friends aren't who her boyfriend thought they were) - Aug. 14, YouTube
  
• Christmas at Belfast (musical special from Northern Ireland, directed by John F.D. Northover) - Aug. 19, DVD
• The Green Knight (Arthurian fantasy starring Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander and Joel Edgerton; written and directed by David Lowery; based on the 14th century poem, King Arthur's nephew, Sir Gawain, goes on a quest to find a magical emerald; set around the holidays.) - Aug 20, VOD (Trailer); also available in theaters
• What She Said (holiday-set drama written by and starring Jenny Lester, with Juliana Jureanas, Brit Michael Gordon and Peter Evangelista; directed by Amy Northup; A young Jewish woman struggles to recover from trauma amidst the winter holidays, as her family decides to stage a Thanksgiving intervention) - Sep. 14, VOD (Trailer)
• Christmas Collision (holiday movie starring Michael Pare, Vernon Wells, Sebrina Scott and John Wells; directed by Lana Read; A businesswoman runs into a writer in his hometown for the holidays; filmed in Cincinnati) - Oct. 8, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• Lil' Santa's Book Club: A Little Book for Christmas (animated holiday storybook movie from director Sandy Lynn Smith and Once Upon a Tale) - Oct. 8, DVD
  
• Christmas Freak (holiday comedy starring Sean Marlow and Amy Hagan; written and directed by Sean Brown; A troubled man whose father abandoned the family on Christmas tries to do the holiday over every day to get it right and be worthy of love) - Oct. 8, DVD/digital (Trailer)
• Mighty Mensch (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kim Brown; Hanukah has a new hero) - Oct .12, DVD (Trailer)
• 13 Slays Till X-Mas (small budget holiday horror movie starring Jessica Anderson and Christopher Bower; A mysterious message brings five strangers together for Christmas Eve, where they entertain each other by telling scary stories) - Oct. 15, VOD
• Alice-Miranda: A Royal Christmas Ball (Australian animated movie directed by Jo Boag; Melanie Alexander and Alexa Moses; based on the book series by Jacqueline Harvey; A royal Christmas mystery for Alice-Miranda and her friends to solve in time for the ball.) - Oct. 15, Australia on Stan
• Oh Deer (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kyle Remington; An ambitious reindeer teams up with his elf BFF to help bring Santa his favorite dinner) - Oct. 19, DVD (Trailer)
• Defining Moments (starring Burt Reynolds, Sienna Guillory and Tammy Blanchard; holiday-set comedy about the single moment that defines your life; Reynolds' final film, shot shortly before his death in 2018) - Oct. 19, Amazon VOD
  
• The Dog of Christmas (holiday movie starring John Savage, James Duval and Bianca Blanco; directed by Bret Roberts; written by Enrico Pinocci; A well off French family tries to save the holiday by buying a dog; filmed in France in 2018) - Oct. 26, DVD (Trailer)
• Estella Scoorge (filmed stage production starring Betsy Wolfe; directed by John Caird; A female Wall Street tycoon is visited by three ghosts; filmed in 2020) - Nov. 1, Broadway On Demand (Website)
• Another Christmas (holiday movie starring John Bonds, Malik Brazile and Sheena Faust; written and directed by Stacie Davis; A professional baseball player comes home to Myrtle Beach for the holidays to help his family through various domestic struggles and maybe find love himself; filmed in South Carolina) - Nov. 1 (Trailer)
• Hell on the Shelf (holiday horror movie directed by Mark Polonia; A Christmas elf decoration is key to why no one wants to live in a curse house) - Nov. 1, Blu-Ray (Trailer)
  
• A Christmas to Savour (holiday movie starring Britt Irvin,  Zach Roerig, Bethany Brown, BJ Harrison and Lyall Woznesensky; directed by Jessica Harmon; written by Sean Fine; A chef gets a cooking getaway as a gift from her BFF who wants to rejuvenate her holiday menu and Christmas spirit; filmed in Kelowna, B.C.) - Nov. 1, UK on BBC iPlayer (Trailer); also on BBC 2 Nov. 26
  
• Lost at Christmas (holiday movie starring Natalie Clark and Kenny Boyle; After being dumped by his girlfriend following a public proposal, two strangers stranded in the Scottish Highlands join forces to try and get home in time for Christmas; filmed on location in Scotland; debuted in 2020 in the UK) - Nov. 2, Amazon VOD (Trailer)
  
• 00K9: Operation Christmas (animated-live action hybrid from WowNow, An evil black panther is bent on destroying Christmas and the only one who can stop him is the CIA's top agent, 00K9) - Nov. 2, DVD (Trailer)
• Christmas Under the Sea 2 (animated sequel movie from WowNow; Spend another Christmas with the underwater inhabitants of Bubbletown) - Nov. 2, DVD
• Christmas Dance 2 (animated sequel from WowNow; Join in the holiday dance party and sing-a-long in the animal town of Sunnyville) - Nov. 2 via DVD
• Santa Saves the Galaxy (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kyle Remington; When cheeky penguins hack into Santa's computer to to get themselves on the nice list, they accidentally put the entire holiday in jeopardy) - Nov. 2, DVD (Trailer)
• A Gift from Bob (holiday sequel to 2016′s A Street Cat Named Bob, based on the book; starring Kristina Tonteri-Young and Luke Treadaway; A ginger cat saves a homeless man at Christmas) - Nov. 9, VOD (Trailer), also available in select theaters Nov. 5
  
• See You Next Christmas (holiday movie starring Elizabeth Guest, AJ Meijer and Vin Vescio; written and directed by Christine Weatherup; Two singles keep meeting, year after year, at a neighbor's Christmas party and begin to wonder if it's destiny) - Nov. 9, VOD (Trailer)
• Miami Heat (holiday-set action movie starring Oleg Prudius, Shannon Murray and Gabriela Wong. A retired Russian special forces agent must rescue his daughter from kidnappers in the days leading up to Christmas.) - Nov. 9, VOD
• Little Santa (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Kim Brown; Little Santa finds himself lost on Christmas Eve and unable to get back to the North Pole) - Nov. 9, DVD (Trailer)
• The Real Bedford Falls: It's a Wonderful Life (documentary from directors Stu Lisson and Francis DiClemente about Seneca Falls, NY, the filming site of the iconic Christmas movie, featuring interview with Life actors Karolyn Grimes and Jimmy Hawkins, along with Monica Capra Hodges and Leonard Maltin) - Nov. 9, DVD (Trailer)
• Hope (a.k.a. Håp; starring Andrea Braein Hovig and Stellan Skarsgard; Norwegian film about a May-December marriage where the younger half of the couple is diagnosed with a brain tumor which they keep secret from their family at the holidays; first time available in the U.S. outside of film festivals) - Nov. 9 (Trailer)
• Letters to Santa 4 (a.k.a Listy do M.4; fourth in the Polish rom-com franchise that began with 2011′s Listy do M., one of the highest-grossing Polish movies of all time; starring Tomasz Karolak, Piotr Adamczyk, Agnieszka Dygant and Izabela Kuna; filmed in Poland and originally set to be released theatrically in 2020, but delayed due to COVID-19) - Nov. 9, Poland via DVD (Trailer); available in limited theatrical release as of Feb. 1
• The Christmas Pitch (holiday movie starring Joseph Morales, Alexa Maria Huerta, Debo Belogun, Ramona Edith Williams and Chandra Michaels; directed by Layne Marie Williams; Two big city execs are sent to one's small hometown, in order to reconnect with Christmas, and become involved in the town's holiday; filmed in Chicago) - Nov. 12, VOD (Trailer)
• Double Walker (holiday-set supernatural horror starring Sylvia Mix and Justin Rose; directed by Colin West; A young woman found dead on Christmas Day comes back as a ghost to get revenge for her murder) - Nov. 12, VOD (Trailer)
  
• More the Merrier: The Special (Live concert from Sarah Reeves, celebrating music of the season as featured on her new album) - Nov. 12, Facebook
• The Collingsworth Family: A True Family Christmas (concert based on the Kentucky "music ministry's" 2019 holiday album) - Nov. 12, DVD
• Paddington Saves Christmas (filmed version of the live stage comedy from Rockefeller Productions; Paddington tries to prepare for the holiday arrival of his Great Aunt Matilda only to find things going awry; filmed live in New York City) - Nov. 15, Broadway On Demand or Marquee TV (Website)
• Ace and the Christmas Miracle (starring Brande Roderick, Steven Chase and Jon Lovitz; directed by Asif Akbar; A guy who owes money to the mob ends up being able to hear a race horse talk after suffering a head injury) - Nov. 16, Rated PG, DVD/digital (Trailer)
  
• Secret Santa: A Christmas Adventure (small budget holiday movie written, directed and starring Nigel Butler; A group of down-on-their-luck buddies team up with Santa on Christmas Eve) - Nov. 16, DVD (Trailer)
• Verzuz Holiday: A Night for the Queens (Hallmark-sponsored live concert featuring Chaka Kahn and Stephanie Mills from L.A.) - Nov. 18, Verzuz TV
• Black Friday (Thanksgiving-set zombie movie starring Bruce Campbell, Devon Saw, Ivana Baquero and Michael Jai White; directed by Casey Tebo; written by Andy Greskoviak; An annoyed group of toy store employees are forced to work on Thanksgiving to prepare for Black Friday, only to find the shoppers have been turned into zombies by an alien infection) - Nov. 19, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
• Live from the Zoo Lights (CBS 11 in Ohio coverage of the kickoff of the Toled Zoo's "Lights Before Christmas" holiday event) - Nov. 19, YouTube
• It's Not a Very Merry Endangered Species Christmas (Canadian animated holiday movie teaching kids about endangered species, starring the voices of Sam Vincent, Tabitha St. Germain and Lee Tockar) - Nov. 20, Canada on Teletoon
• Black Beauty Christmas (animated holiday movie starring the voices of Marco Guzman, Ben Hollington and Rebecca Planter; directed by Avery Lundren; As Christmas approaches, Black Beauty fights for his spot as king of the herd against his evil uncle, Alta) - Nov. 23, DVD (Trailer)
• Pups Alone (holiday movie shot in 2017 starring Dolph Lundgren, Jerry O'Connell, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Danny Trejo, Rob Schneider, Keith David and Eric Roberts; A gang of thieves tries to steal a dog collar that translates canine thoughts into English) - Nov. 23, DVD/digital (Trailer); also available in limited theatrical release Nov. 19
• Boiling Point (UK movie based on a 2019 short of the same name from writer-director Philip Barantini, and starring Stephen Graham, Jason Flemyng and Ray Panthaki; A stressed out restaurant chef faces immense challenges in the lead up to Christmas, his busiest time of year) - Nov. 23, VOD (Trailer); also available in limited theatrical release Dec. 3
  
• Spencer (starring Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, Sean Harris and Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, centered around one of her final Windsor family Christmases at Sandringham) - Nov. 23 (Trailer); also available in theaters Nov. 5
  
• iHeartRadio Holiday Special (LIVE musical special hosted by Mario Lopez, featuring performance from Kelly Clarkson, Michael Bible, Train and Pentatonix) - Nov. 24, YouTube, Facebook and the iHeartRadio app
• Killer Christmas Elves (low-budget horror movie starring Stephen Lesser; directed by Joshua B. Hall; written by T.C. De Witt;  a father and spend find their neighborhood under attack on Christmas Eve by tiny, evil elves.) - Nov. 25, VOD (Trailer)
• Masha and the Bear: Happy Thanksgiving (animated holiday special from Russian animation company Animaccord, based on its popular Masha and the Bear shorts) - Nov. 26 on YouTube
• Pomp, Snow & CIRQUEumstance (holiday special from Armed Forces Entertainment based on the children's book of the same name) - Nov. 26 on YouTube
  
• Christmas vs the Walters (starring Shawnee Smith, Dean Winters, Bruce Dern and Chris Elliott, written and directed by Peter A. D'Amato; An expectant mother's attempt to create the perfect Christmas for her dysfunctional family goes awry when she's ordered to go on bed rest.) - Nov. 26, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release Nov. 5
• A Story for Winter (small budget holiday movie written and directed by Nathan Weidner; A doctor finds himself stuck by a snowstorm on Christmas Eve in home for children with special needs; filmed in Ohio) - Nov. 27, Amazon VOD
• Puppet Killer (holiday-set horror movie starring Aleks Panuovic, Lee Majdoub, Lisa Durupt and Richard Harmon; directed by Lisa Ovies; A group of school students spending Christmas at a seclued cabin are stalked by a horror movie obsessed killer) - Nov. 29, digital (Trailer), also available in limited theatrical release Sep. 21
• L'il Santa (animated holiday short series, plus half-hour animated special from Montreal-based K6 animation based on the comic book series by Lewis Trondheim and Thierry Robin; Santa's reindeer stage a protest to help save endangered caribou) - Dec. 1, special in Canada on TeleQuebec; shorts available now via app
  
• Christmas at the Ranch (holiday movie starring Lindsay Wagner, Amanda Righetti and Laur Allen; directed by Christin Baker; A big city gal goes home to her family ranch to try to save it and falls in love with the new ranch hand; from Tello Films; filmed in Nashville) - Dec. 1, Tello Films
• A Christmas Carol (live-action animated feature starring Andy Serkis, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman and Leslie Caron; directed by Jacqui Morris; Abstract re-telling of A Christmas Carol when, during a children's paper doll theater telling of the classic story, we enter the imagination of a child hearing it told; Filmed in 2018 and got a very limited theatrical release in 2020, but the first time widely available in the U.S.) - Dec. 1
  
• Anything But Christmas (right-wing holiday movie from JCFilms, starring Timothy Perez-Ross, Dwight Turner and Lea Hutton Beasmore; billed as an "elf political thriller," it uses "inclusivity" as a punchline and posits a proposed law to change the name of Christmas and a North Pole elf that sues to stop it, showing they understand how laws work about as well as they understand what Jesus was really all about; filmed in Kentucky) - Dec. 1, DVD from JCFilms
• Santa's Real (a.k.a. Santa 4 Real; family holiday movie from Big Screen Entertainment Group; starring Hailey Wang and  Elija Elerick; directed by Julien and Ben Deka; filmed in L.A.) - Dec. 1, BSEG
• Where Oliver Fits: A Christmas Eve Tale (animated special based on the book Where Oliver Fits by Cale Atkinson; A puzzle piece gets separated from his family in Santa's workshop and must make and rely on new friends to find his way home) - Dec. 1, Canada on Treehouse and in Latin America on Discovery Kids
  
• Christmas on the Farm (Australian holiday movie starring Poppy Montgomery, Darren McMullen, Hugh Sheridan and Nicholas Brown; A New Yorker who writes books based on Australian farm life, must play the part at Christmas in order to secure a new publishing deal; A take on Christmas in Connecticut; filmed in Brisbane) - Dec. 1, Australia on Stan
  
• The Jolliest Elf (season one of the animated short series about an elf talents competition at the North Pole) - Dec. 3, Amazon VOD and YouTube
• Twas The Night (dark comedy starring Nicole Pringle, David Steven Perez and Abel Rosario. A newly-engaged couple accidentally murder someone right before they host their in-laws for a holiday dinner.) - Dec. 3, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
  
• Funny Thing About Love (Thanksgiving-set rom-com starring Jon Heder, Barry Corbin and Pat Finn; written and directed by Adam White; A women takes her new boyfriend home for the holiday, only to find that her ex is also spending the holiday with them) - Dec. 3, VOD (Trailer), also in limited theatrical release
• Tommy and the Christmas Coal (animated special based on the book by Kenny Wilson, who also wrote and directed the special; starring John Robert Cameron, Gerry Cunningham and Carlie Ferguson; When a little boy's father gets bad news just before Christmas, it seems Christmas will be ruined.) - Dec. 4, Eastlink Community TV in Canada (Trailer)
• It's a Wonderful Life Table Read (celebrity benefit table read of the classic script to honor Ed Asner and benefit the Ed Asner Family Center; featuring Jason Sudeikis, Mark Hamill, Rosario Dawson, Martin Sheen, Ed Harris, Mandy Patinkin, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jean Smart, among others and sponsored by Turner Classic Movies) - Dec. 5, On Demand (Tickets)
• The Higher Spirit (holiday movie from Onyx Keesha, written by B. Danielle Watkins, and starring Rachi Herring, Zenja Dunn and Ronnie Wood; Adopted siblings reunite at the holidays; filmed in Nevada.) - Dec. 5, Les Flicks VOD/subscription (Trailer)
• Santa.com (holiday animated musical special tie-in with the virtual North Pole website; With the North Pole now fully automated, Santa retires, but an online Scrooge intent on cancelling Christmas gums up the works, leaving a plucky elf to save the day) - Dec. 6 on the web and Grom app
  
• Red Snow (holiday horror movie starring Dennice Cisneros, Nico Bellamy and Laura Kennon; written and directed by Sean Nichols Lynch; A novelist who writes vampire romances, finds herself hunted by real vampires during her Lake Tahoe Christmas retreat) - Dec. 6, VOD (Trailer)
• A Frozen Christmas Dance: Thank you Santa (WowNow animated holiday sing-a-long from director Alejandro Aitana; Sunnyville's baby animals have a Christmas dance party) - Dec. 7, DVD
• Santa Saves the Universe 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by James Snider; Santa must battle his polar opposite to save Christmas) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• A Frozen New Years 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Pippa Seymour; Santa plans his New Year vacation) - Dec. 7, DVD
• The Grump Who Stole Christmas 2 (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Reggie Daniels; Santa enlists the Elf Agency's best and brightest work to remove a spell from an evil witch) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• The New Years Baby (WowNow animated holiday movie directed by Chip Bryant; A genius baby challenges his New Year's Eve sitter, but could help Santa save the world from Frankenstein, Dracula and other monsters) - Dec. 7, DVD (Trailer)
• The Little King: Christmas Night (Rifftrax's Mike Nelson, Conor Lastowka, and Sean Thomason take on the animated short based on a 1930s comic strip) - Dec. 7, Rifftrax.com
• The Christmas Pig Reading with J.K. Rowling and Friends (Scholastic has the author reading with friends from around the world to promote her new book) - Dec. 8, Scholastic YouTube
• The Elf on the Shelf's Night Before Christmas (reading of the children's book by actress Brenda Song) - Dec. 9, Elf on the Shelf YouTube
• A Christmas Number One (a.k.a. A Christmas No. 1; holiday movie starring Iwan Rheon, Freida Pinto and Rich Hall; directed by Chris Cottam; written by Robert Chandler, Keiron Self and Giles New; A disgraced music manager flees New York for London and discovers what she thinks could be the next big thing when she hears a 13-year-old singing online, but clashes with the young star's uncle when she tries to secure rights to the potential hit; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 10, UK on Sky
  
• A Christmas Promise (original short film starring Sophia Carroll; written and directed by John Forte; A grieving beachcomber bonds with a homeless man who believes he's an actual angel; filmed in Sandbridge, Va.) - Dec. 12, YouTube
• 13th Day of Christmas (small-budget, holiday-set crime thriller starring and directed by Matthew Widdowson, along with Jamal Augustine-Clarke, Kerri Hedley-Cheney and Kianna Grace; A cop struggling with mental health issues searching for a serial killer at the holidays; filmed in the UK) - Dec. 13, UK
• O Night Divine (holiday movie short film starring John C Reilly and Alex Wolff; directed by Luca Guadagnino; sponsored by Zara; Santa meets up with a busker in St. Moritz) - Dec. 14, YouTube
• A Princess Ellie Christmas (small-budget holiday movie directed and starring Ekaette Shammah; A set decorator's character comes to life) - Dec. 15 (Website); Release date published, but can't find outlet, so possible it's been delayed
• Sounds of the Season: Together Again (holiday music special presented by Cracker Barrel and featuring Pentatonix and Mickey Guyton) - Dec. 15 on YouTube and Facebook
• We Too Together (holiday-set drama starring Cengiz Dervis, Silvia Busuioc and Nigel Lowe; directed by Deborah Hadfield; A young man living with autism struggles to open his heart to love at the holidays, as his father battles PTSD after returning from combat.) - Dec. 15, Amazon VOD
• Hell of a Holiday (music special from the Pistol Annies, hosted by Blair Garner and benefiting the Music Health Alliance) - Dec. 15 on Facebook
• Masha and the Bear: Christmas Carol (full-length animated holiday special from Russian animation company Animaccord, based on its popular Masha and the Bear shorts) - Dec. 15 on YouTube
  
• A Unicorn for Christmas (holiday movie starring Sunny Mabrey, Chuck Wicks, Abby James Witherspoon, Christian Finlayson, Charlene Tilton, Lane Davies and Ed Marinaro; directed by Stacia Crawford; written by Haven McCord & Andreas Olavarria; A young girl finds a real unicorn at Christmas carnival and most protect it from those who would exploit it; filmed in Georgia) - Dec. 15, CTV in Canada
  
• Sister Krampus (holiday horror movie directed by Mark Polonia; A nun who died horribly summons Krampus to get revenge and in exchange becomes his bride, decades later two sisters traveling in Europe try to stop her killing spree) - Dec. 15, Blu-Ray
• Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (off-Broadway performance from the New Victory Theater in New York City; available On Demand until January 2 ) - Dec. 17, On Demand (Tickets)
  
• Titting About: Christmas Special (Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders with a new audio comedy special based on their popular podcast, focused on holiday topics) - Dec. 17, Audible
• A Holiday Chance (holiday movie starring Nafessa Williams, Sharon Leal, Vanessa Bell Calloway and Amin Joseph; directed by Jamal Hill; written by Curtis Bryant; When a film producer dies unexpectedly his estranged—from each other—daughters come together to save his company at Christmas; filmed in LA) - Dec.. 18, VOD (Trailer)
  
• Last Train to Christmas (Sky Cinema original starring Michael Sheen, Cary Elwes and Nathalie Emmanuel; written and directed by Julian Kemp; An '80s nightclub owner on train going home for the holidays finds that moving from car to car actually travels him through time, and he can change his past and future via his actions; filmed in Wales) - Dec. 18, UK on Sky
• Eve's Christmas (DSTV original starring Mark Elderkin; directed by Marvin-Lee Beukes; written by Ephraim Gordon; A pair of feuding siblings reunite at Christmas thanks to a child's Christmas wish, but it doesn't go smoothly; filmed in South Africa) - Dec. 18, South African on DSTV M
• The Amazing Mr. Blunden (Sky original family movie starring Simon Callow and Tamsin Greig; A mysterious man offers a struggling family a new job on run down farm that contains some mysterious secrets) - Dec. 20, UK on Sky
• Crossovers Live! Holiday Finale (Broadway chat show hosted by Tony winner Brian Stokes Miller, featuring special guests who made the transition from stage to screen) - Dec. 20, Stellar
• Secrets of Diana's Last Royal Christmas: 1991 (UK documentary written and directed by Amber Rondel about the last holiday Diana spent as a Windsor) - Dec. 21, VOD
  
• A Lotus 'Til Reckoning (small budget holiday-set drama starring Kim Griffin, Justin McElfresh and Kathleen McElfresh; written and directed by David McElfresh; After taking an exotic drug at a Christmas party spouses begin to question their partner's faithfulness, but can't tell if they're under the influence or seeing clearly; released at a festival in 2017, but first time available to wider public) - Dec. 21, Amazon VOD
  
• A Christmas Reckoning (small-budget holiday movie written, directed and starring Ray Martin, along with Eoin O'Shea and Jake Mattera; On Christmas Eve 2020 three people find themselves in a mysterious holding area after an awful year) - Dec. 23 (Facebook)
• Blackburn Sings Christmas with Gareth Malone (Celebrating the NHS in one of the areas of Britain hardest hit by the pandemic) - Dec. 23, UK on BBC 2
• The Holiday to Remembe r (small-budget holiday movie about regaining the magic of a childhood Christmas; written and directed by Sharlene Humm; starring Karen Ann Martino, Maja Nile and Tracey Eman; filmed in Florida in 2017) - Dec. 24 (Website)
• Sister Scrooge (holiday thriller starring Nessa Noel and Tony Davis; written and directed by JD Lawrence; When a man ends their affair, Paige Scrooge turns against Christmas) - Dec. 24 (Website)
  
• Adam Saves Christmas (Irish animated special starring Adam King; Adam and his friends must help Santa restore the Northern Lights or Christmas will be cancelled) - Dec. 24, Ireland on RTEjr
• A Kids' Country Christmas (kids' performer musical special) - Dec. 24, Ireland on RTEjr
• Terry Pratchett's The Abominable Snow Baby (hand-drawn animated special based on the short story; starring Hugh Dancy, Julie Walters and David Harewood; When a 14-foot Abominable Snow Baby shows up in quaint Village after a storm, the townspeople all show fear, except one who welcomes him in her home.) - Dec. 25, UK on Channel 4
  
• Christmas in Sun Valley (a.k.a. Christmas in Blue; holiday movie directed by Sebastian Siegel; written by Victoria Cordova and Gary Quinn) - Dec. 25
• Marvin's Christmas (holiday movie from director Antonio Jefferson and Love Star Entertainment; starring Alaja Greene; A soft-hearted man resists his family's attempts to get him to strike out on his own; filmed in Baltimore) - Dec. 25 (Website)
• Asseblief & Dankie (South African holiday movie about a homeless woman who saves a wealthy man's life, so he invites her to recover in his penthouse, but soon finds she may be a literal angel) - Dec. 25 kykNET/Showmax in South Africa

27 notes

December 22, 2021

2021 Real-Time Holiday Movie Ranking

sleepykittypaws:

2021 is the year the Christmas movie explosion exceeded my even my interest level and time commitment to keep track of everything, so this will likely be my last year even attempting to quantify and aggregate all of the new Christmas content, but in keeping with recent tradition, I will try and keep a real-time ranking of all the new movies I watch, both here and on Letterboxd.

Edited to Add: This year has become so busy and overstuffed with content, I basically gave up on doing real reviews, such as they are, of anything right around Thanksgiving, so tried to link to my quick takes on Twitter for everything else.

Updated: December 22, 2021

1. 8-Bit Christmas , HBO Max (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
2. Single All the Way, Netflix (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾🐾)
3. Love Hard, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾🐾)
   
4. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star , Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
5. An Unexpected Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
6. A Castle for Christmas , Netflix (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
7. A Clusterfunke Christmas , Comedy Central (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
8. One December Night , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
   
9. Fruitcake Fraud , Discovery+ (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
10. A Christmas Proposal , CBS (🐾🐾🐾)
    
11. Crashing Through the Snow, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
12. Debbie Macomber's A Mrs. Miracle Christmas , Hallmark Movies (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
13. Merry Liddle Christmas Baby , Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
14. Every Time a Bell Rings , Hallmark Movies Now (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
15. Christmas in Tune , Lifetime (🐾🐾🐾)
16. The Housewives of the North Pole , Peacock  (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
17. Holiday in Santa Fe , Lifetime (Quick Take,🐾🐾🐾)
    
18. A Dickens of a Holiday! , Hallmark (Quick Take 🐾🐾🐾)
19. Let's Get Married , VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
20. Adventures in Christmasing, VH1 (Quick Take, 🐾🐾🐾)
21. Christmas Sail, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
22. Next Stop, Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
23. The Nine Kittens of Christmas  Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾🐾)
    
24. A Jenkins Family Christmas , BET (Quick Take, 🐾🐾)
25. Father Christmas is Back, Netflix (Review, 🐾🐾)
    
26. The Santa Stakeout, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
    
27. A Kiss Before Christmas, Hallmark (Review, 🐾🐾)
28. An Ice Wine Christmas,  Lifetime (Review, 🐾)
29. Mistletoe in Montana, Lifetime (Quick Take, 🐾)
    
30. Christmas at Castle Hart,  Hallmark (Review, 🐾)
    
31. Home Sweet Home Alone , Disney+ (Quick Take)
32. Candy Coated Christmas , Discovery+ (Review)
33. Angel Falls Christmas , IMDb TV (Quick Take)

source: Letterboxd

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Baby It's Cold Outside Vanessa Williams and Bobby Caldwell

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