With little over a month left in 2025, Thanksgiving and Christmas are nearly upon us.
Networks like NBC and ABC as well as Freeform are prepared for the month of December with lengthy schedules of classic films and newer animated adventures to count down until Dec. 25 and also New Year’s Eve.
Read on to find an extensive list — we’ve checked it twice, and it rivals Santa’s — of festive television programming, Christmas movies and other specials that will air over the holidays in 2025. All times listed are in both Pacific and Eastern time zones.
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NBC Specials – ‘Wicked: One Wonderful Night,’ ‘Shrek The Halls’
NBC released its holiday programming slate and anticipated specials two days before Halloween 2025. Wicked: One Wonderful Night aired Nov. 6 from 8 to 10 p.m. For those who may have missed the window, the special is also streaming on Peacock. Wicked: For Good arrives in theaters Nov. 21, 2025.
The network will also air a countdown to the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Nov. 26 — which Cynthia Erivo will kick off with a Wicked performance — from 8 to 9 p.m. with a simulcast from Peacock. The countdown will take place the eve of the big event before floats, balloons, bands and more grace the streets of New York.
Other specials airing in December include the “Password” Holiday Special hosted by Keke Palmer and starring Jimmy Fallon Monday Dec. 8 from 10 to 11 p.m. (encore Dec. 18 at 8 p.m.) with Jonathan Groff as celebrity guest, the half-hour animated Shrek the Halls special Tuesday Dec. 9 (encore Dec. 17 at 8 p.m.), A Motown Christmas hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey Tuesday December 9 from 9 to 11 p.m. (encore Dec. 17), the NBC 2025 Year in Review first airing Thursday Dec. 11 at 9:15 p.m. with a one-hour extended version airing Dec. 17 at 10 p.m., Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular Wednesday Dec. 17 from 9 to 10 p.m. and more.
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A Saturday Night Live Thanksgiving – NBC
On Wednesday, November 26, from 9 to 11 p.m. Saturday Night Live will showcase Thanksgiving-themed sketches.
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99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – NBC
Image Credit: Getty The 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will air on NBC Nov. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. with an encore at 2 p.m. and a simulcast on Peacock.
For those mourning the end of Jon M. Chu’s Wicked film duology, they can tune into this celebration to get another glimpse of the magic with Cynthia Erivo opening the parade with a Wicked number.
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National Dog Show – NBC
Hosted by John O’Hurley and David Frei, the National Dog Show will air from 12-2 p.m. with a simulcast on Peacock.
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Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas 2025
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox Film Corp./Courtesy Everett Collection As is tradition for Disney-owned Freeform, the first 25 days of December will be chock-full of Christmas movies leading up to the holiday with The Santa Clause and Home Alone films kicking off the stretch of festive films on Dec. 1. Such films will repeat multiple times throughought the month of December alongside Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Love Actually will air at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 2. Frozen and Frozen 2 will also prompt viewers to be cozy or build snowmen.
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Christmas Movies On NBC
The animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snowman will air back to back on Thursday, December 4 starting at 8 and ending at 9 p.m. with encores Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. for How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. for Frosty the Snowman.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer will air Friday, December 5 from 8 to 9:15 p.m. with an encore on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. It’s A Wonderful Life will air on NBC Christmas Eve from 8 to 11 p.m. How the Grinch Stole Christmas will air Christmas Day from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
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Christmas in Rockefeller Center – NBC
Reba McEntire will host Christmas in Rockefeller Center on Wednesday, December 3 from 8 to 10 p.m. with a simulcast on Peacock.
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Christmas in Nashville – NBC
Music City’s televised Christmas celebration will take place Dec. 3 from 10-11 p.m.
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A ‘Saturday Night Live’ Christmas – NBC
Saturday Night Live’s Christmas-themed sketches will play Thursday, Dec. 18 from 9 to 11 p.m. with an encore on Dec. 22 at 9 p.m.
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Christmas Eve Mass – NBC
On Christmas Eve, viewers can tune into the Pope Leo-led mass from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 24.
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137th Rose Parade – NBC
Image Credit: Brian van der Brug / Getty Images The annual Rose Parade will air Thursday, Jan. 1 at 11 a.m. ET and 8 a.m. PT. The two-hour event will be simulcast on Peacock.
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Christmas Movies on ABC
Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection Starting on the last day of November, ABC will transition to the Christmas spirit airing many classic films and some newer ones. Half-hour entries include Disney’s Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure and Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town. The Santa Clause will air at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 on ABC, and Home Alone will air Christmas Eve at 8 p.m.
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Dancing with the Stars – Dancing with the Holidays – ABC
Dancing with the Stars will be getting in the Christmas spirit Tuesday, Dec. 2 with festive routines and more. The show will air at 8 p.m. and be available to stream on Disney+.
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CMA Country Christmas – ABC
The 16th annual CMA Country Christmas filmed in Nashville in front of a live audience will are at 9 p.m. on ABC on Tuesday, Dec. 2, hosted by Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis, who will perform along with Riley Green, Lady A, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney and more.
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“Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas” – ABC
Kevin Costner will host the special that highlights Mary and Joseph’s journey to Jesus’ birth, airing at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 9.
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iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2025 – ABC
ABC will air the 2025 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17.
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Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve – ABC
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest will ring in 2026 Dec. 31 starting at 8 p.m. ET from New York. New this year, the program will mark a historic first with a live central time countdown in Chicago starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT and 7 p.m. central.
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