Holiday Television Programming This Weekend - Dec. 23 - 24

'Twas the weekend before Christmas and all through the house... there were holiday television movies, specials, and cartoons! Of course, you're through with your shopping, wrapping, and baking. It's time for some family time, or even some me time relaxing in front of the TV set, right?

These listings aren't all-inclusive - premium cable stations and local programming aren't included. But, they're representative of the major happenings on broadcast and cable television.

Late Friday night, December 22:

• 11:00 PM ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)
• 11:35 PM ET/PT - CBS - Late Night with David Letterman, Christmas show
• 11:30 PM ET/PT - TBS - The Nightmare Before Christmas (movie)

Saturday, December 23:

• 2 AM ET/PT - F/X - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 4 AM ET/PT - USA - 12 Days of Christmas Eve (movie)
• 7 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Blizzard (movie)
• 9 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Snow (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT - Lifetime - Mr.St. Nick (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Christmas Do-Over (movie)
• 11:15 AM ET/PT - TNT - Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - CW - All I Want for Christmas (movie)
• 1 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Call Me Claus (movie)
• 1 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - A Mom for Christmas (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT - TBS - Hook (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Under the Mistletoe (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - A Christmas Romance (movie)
• 4 PM Et/PT - Food Network - All Star Holiday Party
• 5 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Crazy for Christmas (movie)
• 5 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Mary Poppins (movie)
• 5 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Christmas in America
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC - The Sound of Music (movie)
• 7 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - His and Her Christmas (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Eloise at Christmastime (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Italian Christmas
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Eve's Christmas (movie)
• 10 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Home Alone 3 (movie)
• 10:30 PM ET/PT - TBS - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (movie)

Sunday, December 24:

• Midnight ET/PT - Lifetime - Stolen Miracle (movie)
• 12:30 AM ET/PT - TBS - The Nightmare Before Christmas (movie)
• 1 AM ET/PT - Comedy Central - Bad Santa (movie)
• 2 AM ET/PT - TBS - Snow Day (movie)
• 3 AM ET/PT - USA - Three Wise Guys (movie)
• 3:30 AM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
• 5 AM ET/PT - TNT - A Christmas Carol (movie)
• 6 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - 12 Tiny Christmas Tales
• 6:30 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Mr. Magoo's Christmas
• 7 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Stingiest Man in Town
• 7:30 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Nine Dog Christmas
• 8 AM ET/PT - TBS - Hook (movie)
• 9 AM ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)
• 9:30 ET/PT - Cartoon Network - A Johnny Bravo Christmas
• 10 AM ET/PT - WNET (PBS) - Arthur's Perfect Christmas
• 10 AM ET/PT - A&E - Karroll's Christmas (movie)
• 10 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Eloise at Christmastime (movie)
• 10:55 AM ET/PT - TBS - The Nightmare Before Christmas (movie)
• 10:30 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Night B4 Christmas
• 11 AM ET/PT - Lifetime - Santa Who? (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Bah-Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas
• Noon ET/PT - CW - A Christmas Wish (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Noon ET/PT - ABC Family - Little Drummer Boy
• Noon & 2 PM ET/PT - AMC - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 12:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Leprauchauns' Christmas Gold
• 12:30 PM ET/PT - TBS - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (movie)
• 1 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Bill and Mandy Save Christmas
• 1 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Casper's Haunted Christmas (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - F/X - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas at Water's Edge (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT - TLC - Crazy Christmas Lights
• 3 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
• 4 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Story of the First Christmas Snow
• 4:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
• 5 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - A Christmas Wedding (movie)
• 5 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
• 5 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Pinocchio's Christmas
• 6 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Jack Frost
• 6 PM ET/PT - History Channel - The Real King Herod
• 6 & 8 PM ET/PT - AMC - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 6 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Al Roker's Christmas in New York
• 7 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - All She Wants for Christmas (movie)
• 7 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Frosty's Winter Wonderland
• 7 PM ET/PT - History Channel - The Spear of Christ
• 7 PM ET/PT - Food Network - All Star Holiday Party
• 7:30 PM ET/PT - TBS - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• 7:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
• 8 PM ET/PT - NBC - It's a Wonderful Life (movie)
• 8 & 10 PM ET/PT - TBS - A Christmas Story (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - A Lost Claus
• 8 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Emeril Live: Hilda's Holiday Classics
• 9 PM ET/PT - CBS - A Very Married Christmas (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - WNET (PBS) - The Nutcracker With Mikhail Baryshnikov
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Holiday Wishes (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - A Year Without Santa Claus
• 9 PM ET/PT - Comedy Central - Bad Santa (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - HGTV - White House Christmas 2006
• 10 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Rudolph's Shiny New Year
• 10 PM ET/PT - AMC - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 10 PM ET/PT - HGTV - Holiday Windows
• 10:30 PM ET/PT - WNET (PBS) - Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Renée Fleming and Claire Bloom
• 11 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Little Drummer Boy
• 11 PM ET/PT - HGTV - What's With That Christmas House?
• 11:30 PM ET/PT - ABC - A Dream for Christmas (movie)

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, December 21, 2006

Well, this may be a bit more "schtuff" than actual Newsy Bits tonight. You've been warned!

Okay, who's following the Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump brouhaha? (You know how I love to use the word "brouhaha" in a sentence, right? A perfect excuse to do it!) I simply can't believe these two wealthy celebrity adults, can you? And, what's getting me is that I think Donald sunk lower than Rosie. I would have thought it would be the other way around. I'm a huge The Apprentice fan, but he's disappointed me with his behavior in this matter. To sink to calling someone "ugly" and "fat" is schoolyard stuff. Not that I'm defending Rosie, mind you. But...!

Did anyone see the brief Lost promo during Ugly Betty tonight? Jack and Kate have the walkie-talkies and Jack's trying to get Kate a way off the island. Yes, more proof there are indeed two islands. Heck, if giant polar bears run amok, they can go around an island and never see another right nearby. Kate and Sawyer are attacked by the others and someone gets shot.

It seems tonight is the meatball-and-pizza-on-the-tree night for the Late Show with David Letterman judging by the promos. And, tomorrow night is the Christmas show with the Annual Christmas Tree Football Toss.

Ho ho...

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Uh-oh, winter starts tomorrow. Do you have your hats and gloves? Oh, sure... I'm certain some folks live in warm winter states, but I'm not one of them. However, the forecast for this area is not including a white Christmas this year. I'm sure we'll have a white Groundhog's Day and be ready for spring anyway.

Here at the TV Newsy Bits I found while poking about the Internet today:

• The TV Tattler has an interview with Yul Kwon, recent Survivor winner (as if you'd forget).
• Taylor Hicks First Album Enters Chart at #2 in First Week - I saw Taylor Hicks singing "White Christmas" this morning on The Early Show. It was a rather unusual version, but enjoyable. I can't help but wonder what new talents we'll see next month when American Idol returns.
• Speaking of American Idol, previous winner Ruben Studdard has shed 100 pounds and has his sights set on helping others in Alabama lose weight.
• Evangeline Lilly, Kate on Lost, lost her Hawaii rental home to a fire early today. Thankfully, she and her roommate(s) weren't home at the time, so they're fine.

I'm currently watching Criminal Minds. I know it's a repeat, but remember... this is a show I haven't been watching, so it's new to me. Y'know, I may end up getting hooked on this show.

Are you all out catching up on shopping or did you get some TV watching done today?

Today's Lyrical Non Sequitur:

Seasons change with the scenery,
weaving time in a tapestry,
won't you stop and remember me at any convenient time?
Funny how my memory skips while looking over manuscripts of unpublished rhyme,
drinking my vodka and lime,
I look around, leaves are brown and the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
Look around, leaves are brown there's a patch of snow on the ground.
-- "Hazy Shade of Winter" by Paul Simon, recorded by Simon and Garfunkel

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Get yer bits here. Fresh TV Newsy Bits hot off the press... er, keyboard.

Now, bear with me a moment here. Last week, the CBS website for The Late Show with David Letterman had Bette Midler listed as the Friday night headline guest. Instead, it was Clint Eastwood. They never updated the page to reflect the change. I made a correction to my weekly Late Show guest listings article when I saw the promos.

Being the huge Letterman fan that I am, I know it's always Jay Thomas who does the Annual Christmas Tree Football Toss. He's listed on the website to do it this Friday. But I swear my ears are hearing Dave Price (from The Early Show). Say what? Am I going strangely hearing deficient? Has anyone else heard Dave Price? I'll listen more closely tonight, I guess.

Right now I have the new NBC show Identity on in the background as I write this. I like the premise of the show, but I'm not sure it will hold my interest. So far my impression is that the old What's My Line? married the stage (and music) of The Weakest Link and the wedding was ordained by Penn of Penn and Teller.

The good folks at TBS sent me some more screeners for new My Boys episodes which I'll be watching over the next few days and report back on. They also sent me the news that they've ordered nine new episodes in addition to the five new ones which will air December 26th - 28th starting at 10 p.m. ET/PT. If you liked Friends and Sex and the City, My Boys attracts the same sort of audience while not really being much like either. Have I confused you yet? Check out the show!

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• Reality News Online (RNO rocks) has a transcript of the Yul and Ozzy (Survivor) interviews from The Early Show. The RNO interview with Ozzy sheds makes me like the guy even more. Yul explained his strategy in his interview with them.
• RNO rocked on with a Sundra interview, an Adam interview and a Becky interview.
• Have you had enough Survivor yet? If not, more details about next season have been reported by Reality TV World. Celebrity Spider has news about the ratings (very good) and about show memorabilia up for auction.
• What? More Survivor? AOL has a peachy-keen "Where Are They Now?" feature (not limited to just AOL members). Well, we probably all know where Richard Hatch is...!
• In non-Survivor news, Former 'N Sync Star Joey Fatone Set for Dancing With the Stars

This Week's Holiday Television Programming - December 18 - 22

Oh, no! Time is running out! Chanuka has already begun; Christmas will be here soon. But you can still shop for Christmas gifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And, there are plenty of specials and holiday shows for you to enjoy during quiet times. This list isn't totally inclusive -- premium cable and local programming are noticeably asbsent. But it gives the skinny on specials, holiday movies, and more during the week.

Graphic artist Zoetawny made me a rockin' reindeer for the holiday, so let's all dance!

Thump.

Or not. Thanks, Zoetawny! It's spiffy!


Monday, December 18:

• Daytime television shows such as Rachael Ray and Martha will be featuring holiday content throughout the week. Ellen DeGeneres is reruns this week.
• 7 PM ET/PT - HGTV - The White House Christmas 2006
• 7 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (movie)
• 8 & 10 PM ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - All She Wants for Christmas (movie)

Tuesday, December 19:

• Midnight ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)
• 8 AM ET/PT - Comedy Central - The Hebrew Hammer (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas on Chestnut Street (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Recipe for a Perfect Christmas (movie)
• 6 PM ET/PT - HGTV - Holiday Windows 2006
• 7 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Mr. Magoo's Christmas
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Frosty's Winter Wonderland
• 7:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC - I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas at Water's Edge (movie)

Wednesday, December 20:

• 8 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie)
• 10 AM ET/PT - TBS - Beethoven (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - A Lost Claus
• 11:30 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Tom and Jerry: Shiver Me Whiskers (animated movie)
• Noon ET/PT - Lifetime - The Secret of Giving (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Borrowed Hearts (movie)
• 3:15 PM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
• 6 PM ET/PT - HGTV - What's With That Christmas House?
• 7 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Year Without a Santa Claus
• 8 PM ET - WNET (PBS - NYC) - Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Renée Fleming and Claire Bloom
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Christmas Do-Over (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - TNT - A Christmas Carol (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Home for the Holidays (movie)
• 10 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Year Without a Santa Claus
• 10 PM ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)

Thursday, December 21:

• Midnight ET/PT - TNT - A Perfect Day (movie)
• 8 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Night B4 Christmas
• 8:30 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• 9 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Casper's Haunted Christmas (animated movie)
• 10 AM ET/PT - TBS - Christmas Rush (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
• Noon ET/PT - Lifetime - The Angel Doll (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - History Channel - The Christmas Truce
• 2 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas in My Hometown (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
• 6 PM ET/PT - HGTV - Outta Control Christmas
• 7 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Bill and Mandy Save Christmas
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Cat in the Hat
• 7:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Seuss on the Loose
• 8 PM ET/PT - CBS - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
• 8 & 10:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - How the Grinch Stole Christmas (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - A Town Without Christmas (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - HGTV - Over the Top Holiday

Friday, December 22:

• 7 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Once Upon a Christmas (movie)
• 8 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Olive, the Other Reindeer
• 9 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Twice Upon a Christmas (movie)
• 9 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - The Legend of Frosty the Snowman
• 10 AM ET/PT - TBS - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (movie)
• 10 AM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Bah! Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas
• 11 AM ET/PT - F/X - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - USA - A Christmas Carol: The Musical (movie)
• Noon ET/PT - Lifetime - The Road to Christmas (movie)
• 12:30 PM ET/PT - NIK - I'll Be Home for Christmas
• 1 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Casper's Haunted Christmas (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - USA - Three Wise Guys (movie)
• 2 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - A Town Without Christmas (movie)
• 4 PM ET/PT - USA - The 12 Days of Christmas Eve (movie)
• 7 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Rudolph's Shiny New Year
• 8 PM ET/PT - CBS - The 8th Annual A Home for the Holidays with Rod Stewart
• 8 PM ET/PT - BET - Holiday Heart (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
• 8 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Mary Poppins (movie)
• 8 PM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - PAX - It Happened One Christmas (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas Child (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - A Lost Claus
• 9:30 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Bravo Christmas