Thanksgiving is over, and you know what that means—it’s Christmas time! Yes, that glorious December holiday has already begun to descend upon us, and you're way behind on your shopping. The wholly commercialized aspect of Christmas has resulted in the marketplace bumping up the “start” of Christmas earlier and earlier in hopes of drawing more profit from consumers, and while cynically speaking this is a rather frustrating business tactic (it's literally incentivizing consumers for extending the celebration date of the holiday), there are some advantages to celebrating Christmas for an entire month, including ABC Family’s “25 Days of Christmas”.
Yes, the network that will soon change its name to “Freeform” has carved itself a rather blissful niche over the past few years as being the home of the Harry Potter Weekend marathon, "13 Days of Halloween", and “25 Days of Christmas”. The latter is a 25-day marathon of Christmas movies, and in a day and age where you can’t simply run down to Blockbuster and peruse the Christmas section anytime you want, this programming block is actually pretty useful.
The slate begins today, December 1st, and ABC Family has unveiled the full schedule, which is chock-full of stop-motion classics, holiday staples, forgotten failures (anyone remember Jack Frost with Michael Keaton), and a couple of puzzlers (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory?). There’s also the delightful inclusion of remastered versions of Jim Henson classics The Bells of Fraggle Rock and Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, so mark those calendars.
Peruse the full programming calendar below, and sound off in the comments with the films you’re most likely to tune into more than once.
Tuesday, Dec. 1
The Preacher’s Wife, 7 a.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol 11 a.m.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, 1 p.m.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, 2:30 p.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 3:30 p.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 4 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 6 p.m.
The Polar Express, 7 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live action), 9 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Clause, midnight
/midnight Rudolph’s Shiny New Year 1 a.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
The Christmas Shoes, 7 a.m.
The Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 9 a.m.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, 11 a.m.
A Miser Brothers Christmas, 12:30 p.m.
Jack Frost, (animated) 1:30 p.m.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 2:30 p.m.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 3:30 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 6 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 8:45 p.m.
Snow, midnight
Thursday, Dec. 3
Christmas in Boston, 7 a.m.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 9 a.m.
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 11 a.m.
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, 1:45 p.m.
Jack Frost, (live action) 4 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 6 p.m.
Fred Claus, 8:15 p.m.
Snow 2: Brain Freeze, midnight
Friday, Dec. 4
Meet the Santas, 7 a.m.
The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow, 9 a.m.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 11 a.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 12 p.m.
Jack Frost, (live action) 2 p.m.
I’ll Be Home for Christmas, 4 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 6 p.m.
Fred Claus, 7 p.m.
Elf, 9:30 p.m.
Prancer, 11:50 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 5
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 7 a.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 8 a.m.
I’ll Be Home For Christmas, 10 a.m.
Prancer, 12:15 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 3 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, 4 p.m.
The Polar Express, 5 p.m.
Elf, 7:15 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 9:30 p.m.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 12:30 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 6
A Very Brady Christmas, 7 a.m.
The Holiday Heist, 9 a.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 11 a.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 12 p.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 12:30 p.m.
The Polar Express, 2:30 p.m.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 4:45 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, 6:30 p.m.
Beyond the Shadows: The Making of Shadow Hunters, 9:30 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 10 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 7
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, 7 a.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 9 a.m.
Three Days, 11 a.m.
Love Actually, 1 p.m.
Fred Claus, 4 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 8:45 p.m.
The Mistle-Tones, midnight
Tuesday, Dec. 8
Fred Claus, 7 a.m.
Secret Santa, 11 a.m.
The Mistle-Tones, 1 p.m.
Pinocchio’s Christmas, 3 p.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 4 p.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 6 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 6:30 p.m.
The Polar Express, 8:45 p.m.
Snowglobe, midnight
Wednesday, Dec. 9
12 Dates of Christmas, 7 a.m.
The Little Drummer Boy Book II, 9 a.m.
Pinocchio’s Christmas, 11 a.m.
Prancer, 12:10 p.m.
Snowglobe, 2:20 p.m.
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 4:30 p.m.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 6 p.m.
The Polar Express, 6:30 p.m.
Elf, 8:45 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, midnight
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 1 a.m.
Thursday, Dec. 10
Prancer, 7 a.m.
Nestor, The Long Eared Christmas Donkey, 11 a.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 11:30 a.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 12 p.m.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 2 p.m.
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 2:30 p.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 4 p.m.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 4:30 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 5:30 p.m.
Elf, 6:30 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 8:45 p.m.
Christmas Maybe, midnight
Friday, Dec. 11
Desperately Seeking Santa, 7 a.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 9 a.m.
Holiday in Handcuffs, 11 a.m.
The Family Man, 1 p.m.
Fred Claus, 4 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6:45 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, (live action) 9 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, midnight
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 1 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 12
Jack Frost (animated), 7 a.m.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, 8 a.m.
MIckey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 9:45 a.m.
The Bells of Fraggle Rock, 11:30 a.m.
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, 12:15 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Clause, 1:20 p.m.
Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town, 2:30 p.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 3:30 p.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 4 p.m.
Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, 6 p.m.
Elf, 9 p.m.
Fred Claus, 11:15 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 13
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, 7 a.m.
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 8:45 a.m.
The Bells of Fraggle Rock, 10:25 a.m.
Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, 11:05 a.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 12:10 p.m.
Elf, 2:15 p.m.
Toy Story, 4:30 p.m.
Toy Story 2, 6:45 p.m.
Toy Story That Time Forgot, 9 p.m.
Toy Story 3, 9:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 14
Mr. St. Nick, 7 a.m.
Twas The Night Before Christmas, 9 a.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 11 a.m.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 11:30 a.m.
Toy Story, 2 p.m.
Toy Story 2, 4 p.m.
Toy Story That Time Forgot, 6 p.m.
Toy Story 3, 6:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 8:45 p.m.
Snow, midnight
Tuesday, Dec. 15
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 7 a.m.
Desperately Seeking Santa, 11 a.m.
Santa Baby, 1 p.m.
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe, 3 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, 5 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 6 p.m.
Elf, 8:15 p.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 10:30 p.m.
Snow 2: Brain Freeze, midnight
Wednesday, Dec. 16
Three Days, 7 a.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 9 a.m.
The Family Man, 11 a.m.
Christmas in Boston, 2 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 4 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 5 p.m.
Elf, 6 p.m.
The Polar Express, 8:15 p.m.
Nestor, The Long Eared Christmas Donkey, 10:30 p.m.
Desperately Seeking Santa, midnight
Thursday, Dec. 17
The Family Man, 7 a.m.
Love Actually, 10:15 a.m.
The Preacher’s Wife, 1:30 p.m.
Snow, 4:15 p.m.
The Polar Express, 6:30 p.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 8:45 p.m.
Holidaze, midnight
Friday, Dec. 18
The Preacher’s Wife, 7 a.m.
Christmas Cupid, 9:45 a.m.
The Mistle-Tones, 12 p.m.
Snow 2: Brain Freeze, 2 p.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 4:15 p.m.
Disney’s Prep & Landing, 6:30 p.m.
Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, 7:00 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 7:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 9:45 p.m.
Three Days, midnight
Saturday, Dec. 19
Prancer, 7 a.m.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 9:30 p.m.
Jack Frost, (live action), 10:30 a.m.
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 12:30 p.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 2:30 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 3:00 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 4:05 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 5:15 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. 7:30 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 9:45 p.m.
Holiday in Handcuffs, midnight
Sunday, Dec. 20
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 7 p.m.
Jack Frost (live action), 8 a.m.
Prancer, 10 a.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 12:45 p.m.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 3 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 4:45 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 7 p.m.
Elf, 9:15 p.m.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 11:30 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 21
Prancer, 7 a.m.
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 9 a.m.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 11:15 a.m.
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 1 p.m.
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 2 p.m.
Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 2:30 p.m.
Snowglobe, 4:30 p.m.
Elf, 6:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 8:45 p.m.
Jack Frost (live action), midnight
Tuesday, Dec. 22
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 7 a.m.
12 Dates of Christmas, 8 a.m.
Holidaze, 10 a.m.
Christmas Cupid, 12 p.m.
Jack Frost (live action), 2:15 p.m.
The Year Without a Santa Clause, 4:30 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, 5:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause, 6:30 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 8:45 p.m.
Holiday in Handcuffs, midnight
Wednesday, Dec. 23
The Mistle-Tones, 7 a.m.
The Holiday in Handcuffs, 9 a.m.
Santa Baby, 11 a.m.
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe, 1 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 3:15 Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 4:15 Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 6:30 p.m.
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 7 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 7:30 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 9:45 p.m.
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, midnight
Thursday, Dec. 24
Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July, 7 a.m.
The Little Drummer Boy, 9 a.m.
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, 11 a.m.
Prancer, 1 a.m.
The Nightmare Before Christmas, 3:15 p.m.
Disney’s Prep & Landing, 5 p.m.
Disney’s Prep & Landing Naughty vs. Nice, 5:30 p.m.
Toy Story That Time Forgot, 6 p.m.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6:30 p.m.
Elf, 8:45 p.m.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, midnight
Friday, Dec. 25
Prancer, 7 a.m.
Nestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, 11 a.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, 11:30 a.m.
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 12:30 p.m.
Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, 2:15 p.m.
Toy Story That Time Forgot, 4:30 p.m.
Elf, 5 p.m.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 7:15 p.m.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, midnight
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 1 a.m.
