A “Dexter” Christmas?
Why not? The serial killer of serial killers in sunny Miami celebrated the season several times during his just-ended Showtime run.
Also making merry: the crazy cartoon kids of “South Park.” Want a ghoul yule? Try “The X-Files” or “The Twilight Zone.” Sci-fi Santas? “Doctor Who” and “Warehouse 13.”
Christmas can be found where you least (and most) expect it.
This year’s holiday TV slate brings back Rudolph and Charlie Brown. Sentiment-drenched TV movies premiere, and venerable standbys make their annual reappearance (Alastair Sim’s Scrooge, Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey).
The highlights provided here are just the tip of the iceberg in this connected age, when it seems almost anything ever made might be accessible somehow.
Check your cable / satellite services, too, along with Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and other program providers.
Merry viewing!
Check TV listings for times of many of the shows that are not available yet.
Festive channels
Hallmark Channel, Countdown to Christmas: round-the-clock through Dec. 31, with a dozen holiday movie premieres (hallmarkchannel.com).
Hallmark Movie Channel, The Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas: through Dec. 25, includes the channel’s first original movie and “Christmas classic Thursdays” (hallmarkmoviechannel.com).
Lifetime, It’s a Wonderful Lifetime: ongoing, with six new TV movie premieres (mylifetime.com/movies).
ABC Family, Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas: holiday animation, episodes, TV movies and feature films (abcfamily.com/25days).
Disney Channel, Fa-la-la-lidays: starts Friday, holiday films, episodes, cartoons for kids and family (disneychannel.com).
The classics
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”: 8 p.m. Friday and Dec. 24, ABC.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”: 8 p.m. Dec. 2 on ABC.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946, James Stewart): 8 p.m. Dec. 14 and Dec. 24, NBC.
“A Christmas Carol” (1951, Alastair Sim): 10 p.m. Dec. 19, Turner Classic Movies.
Animation
Friday: “Hoops &Yoyo Ruin Christmas” and “The Elf on the Shelf,” 8 to 9 p.m., CBS; “Shrek the Halls,” 8:30 p.m., ABC.
Dec. 6: “Yes, Virginia” and “Frosty the Snowman,” CBS.
Dec. 9: “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” ABC.
Dec. 21: Rankin-Bass marathon, ABC Family.
Dec. 25: “Kung Fu Panda Holiday” and “Merry Madagascar,” CW.
New movies
Nov. 30: Tatyana Ali, Jordin Sparks in “Dear Secret Santa,” 8 p.m., Lifetime.
Dec. 1: Andy Garcia, Mary Louise Parker in “Christmas in Conway,” ABC; Nicolette Sheridan in “The Christmas Spirit,” Hallmark.
Dec. 7: Sean Astin in “Santa Switch,” Hallmark; Ashley Williams in “Christmas in the City,” Lifetime.
Dec. 8: Jennie Garth, Cameron Mathison in “Holidaze,” ABC Family.
Vintage movies
Dec. 8: December on Turner Classic Movies includes “Scrooge” (1970); other holiday films most nights Dec. 15 to 24.
Dec. 3: “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” ABC Family.
Dec. 16: Tim Allen’s three “Santa Clause” films, ABC. Family, also Dec. 21, 22, 24, 25.
Dec. 24: “A Christmas Story” for 24 hours, TBS.
Dec. 24: “Elf” for 24 hours, Starz.
Dec. 24: “Bad Santa” for 24 hours, Starz Comedy.
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