Classic Christmas Movies Guide: Where to Watch It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Die Hard and Others
It was just two years ago that those looking to curl up next to the fire with the OG Miracle on 34th Street instead got left a lump of coal, when the Christmas classic was nowhere to be seen.
Let’s avoid such Yuletide trauma this holiday season, shall we?
Already, TVLine has gift-wrapped for you a joyfully thorough guide to the 150 (!) new and original holiday movies that will be coming at you via Hallmark, Lifetime, Netflix and other outlets.
But what is Christmas without Charlie Brown’s sad little tree, the fear of shooting your eye with a Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, or thinking about George Bailey making violent love to Mary Hatch in the living room? (Wait, what?)
Here is our annual “Where to Watch” guide to some holiday classics, based on currently available data (which is always subject to change). We will update this handy list if additional broadcast/cable airings come to our attention. And as always, TVLine is an interactive experience, so if there’s a legit classic you’d like to see added, maybe you won’t catch us in a Grinchy mood and we will oblige!
All streaming options are those available with subscription; all times Eastern.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
STREAM: Apple TV+ (streams free Nov. 23 through Nov. 27)
TUNE IN: N/A
A Charlie Brown Christmas
STREAM: Apple TV+ (streams free Dec. 22 through Dec. 25)
TUNE IN: N/A
A Christmas Story
STREAM: HBO Max (sign up), truTV
TUNE IN: TBS (Dec. 3 at 7 pm and 9 pm, Dec. 11 at 9 pm), TNT (Dec. 9 at 9 pm and 11 pm, Dec. 15 at 5:30 pm), and many more!
Die Hard (Don’t fight us on this one!)
STREAM: Starz (sign up)
TUNE IN: Nov. 27 on Starz Encore
Elf
STREAM: HBO Max (sign up)
TUNE IN: TNT (Nov. 24 at 4 pm, Nov. 25 at 2 pm), TBS (Nov. 26 marathon)
Frosty the Snowman
STREAM: N/A
TUNE IN: CBS (Nov. 25 at 8 pm, followed by Frosty Returns)
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
STREAM: N/A
TUNE IN: The CW (Nov. 25 at 8 pm)
Home Alone
STREAM: Disney+ (sign up)
TUNE IN: Freeform (Nov. 24 at 6 pm, Nov. 25 at 4 pm), FX (Nov. 26 at 3 pm and 8 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)
STREAM: HBO Max (sign up), Peacock Premium (sign up), truTV
TUNE IN: NBC (Nov. 25 at 8 pm)
It’s a Wonderful Life
STREAM: Prime Video (sign up), fuboTV, FilmBox, TVision
TUNE IN: E! (Nov. 25 marathon)
The Little Drummer Boy
STREAM:Peacock Premium (sign up)
TUNE IN: N/A
Love, Actually
STREAM: Peacock Premium (sign up)
TUNE IN: AMC (Nov. 27 at 6 pm and 11 pm)
Meet Me in St. Louis
STREAM: TVision
TUNE IN: N/A
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
STREAM: Prime Video (sign up), Disney+ (sign up)
TUNE IN: N/A
The Muppet Christmas Carol
STREAM: Disney+ (sign up)
TUNE IN: N/A
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
STREAM: HBO Max (sign up), TVision
TUNE IN: TNT (Nov. 24 at 6 pm, Nov. 25 at noon, Nov. 27 marathon), and others; it’s pretty much always on somewhere for the next few weeks. (“If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn’t be more surprised!”)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
STREAM: Disney+ (sign up)
TUNE IN: Freeform (Nov. 21 at 7:30 pm)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
STREAM: Paramount+ (sign up), AMC+, fuboTV, Philo, PlutoTV
TUNE IN: N/A
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
STREAM: N/A
TUNE IN: CBS (Nov. 29 at 8 pm)
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
STREAM: AMC+ (Nov. 28)
TUNE IN: AMC (Nov. 28 at 8:45 pm)
The Santa Clause
STREAM: Disney+ (sign up)
TUNE IN: Freeform (Nov. 27 at 5:10 pm)
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
STREAM: N/A
TUNE IN: N/A
Only available for purchase/rental via iTunes, Prime Video, etc.
Scrooged
STREAM: Prime Video (sign up), Paramount+ (sign up), YouTube
TUNE IN: VH1 (Nov. 26 at 1 am!)
The Shop Around the Corner
STREAM: HBO Max (sign up)
TUNE IN: TCM (Nov. 25 at 11 am)
The Sound of Music
STREAM: Disney+
TUNE IN: ABC (Dec. 18 at 7 pm)
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
STREAM: N/A
TUNE IN: AMC (Dec. 2 at 6:30 pm)
White Christmas
STREAM: Netflix, AMC+ (Dec. 3-4, Dec. 24-25)
TUNE IN: AMC (Nov. 28 at 10 pm, Nov. 29 at 9:15 am)
The Year Without a Santa Claus
STREAM: AMC+ (Dec. 11)
TUNE IN: N/A
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Really disappointed much beloved fare is not on broadcast television anymore. Costly streaming services bit of a Scrooge. But it seems there is an overarching trend not to show Christmas traditionals. Maybe we should just call it ‘Holiday’ as it seems every aspect of the celebration – sings, food, symbols, colors – is offensive to someone. All anyone can agree on anymore is spending money. That message remains.
I wonder if the ratings are just too low, given that they’re available on streaming and most of us have already seen them a dozen times anyway.
Charlie Brown Christmas has always been highly rated, I believe. Plus it’s a show that people want to watch every year.
It has nothing to do with Christmas being offensive. It is just streaming services looking for exclusives and paying top dollar to have them not air elsewhere. The model of TV/streaming has changed, this has nothing to do with the actual Holiday.
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I’ll be the first to say it. Die Hard is not a Christmas movie!
I’m kind of ok with Die Hard being Christmas but when did Sound of Music or its songs become Christmas? My Favorite Things in on heavy rotation here. Neither Christmas to me!
Next you’re going to tell me Iron Man 3 isn’t a Christmas Movie
Ooh good point.
I recently heard a comedian give the best answer for the is it/isn’t it a Christmas movie:
He’s at a Christmas party on Christmas Eve!!
I’ll be visiting my local shelf for most of these. The rental fees are next to nothing.
How much does your local shelf charge?!
Maintenance fee (Which mainly consists of a regular dusting.)
Ditto. I’m really happy that I’ve collected all of our family favorites over the years. We can watch at our convenience, and any time of the year (during lockdowns holiday programs were some of our favorites to revisit). TV is just ridiculous now. It needs to be simplified again.
Die Hard finally won the ‘is it a Christmas film’-debate:)
Lethal Weapon (1987) is also a Christmas Classic
How is Die Hard a Christmas movie, but The Holiday is not
So is this the first time in 30 or more years that “A Christmas Story” is not running on TBS/TNT ?
End of an era if this is true. No mention of ‘A Christmas Carol” (1951)? Bah Humbug!
It will be on Christmas Eve as usual
The TBS/TNT schedules came in last night, now updated!
Updates: the Year without a Santa Claus has already been on TBS, is on Toon 11/30, then AMC 12/2 & 3.
Santa Claus is Coming to Town just scheduled 12/3 & 4 on Freeform.
Anyone know how the rights to all those Rankin Bass shows got split up so badly? Sure Rudolph stayed network but all the rest were usually together, first on Family/Freeform, then on AMC, but now they’re all over the place. Like, how in the world does AMC have Little Drummer Boy II but the original is on Peacock? Freeform still has Santa but none of the other Santa/Rudolph/Frosty shows.
The rights to the Rankin/Bass library split in the 1970’s…it’s long and complicated and boring
…short story is NBCUniversal owns the 1960’s and part of the 1970’s stuff (Via Dreamworks Classics) and Warner Brothers owns the later 1970’s-1980’s part.
I think the real complication is that even though there’s that ownership there seems to be licenses in place, like Rudolph/Frosty on CBS, Santa Claus on Freeform, and AMC which isn’t owned by any of them (or previously Freeform/Disney). That you’re right, is all too complicated to get into here.
Thanks for including The Shop Around the Corner or as I like to think of it: the only good Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie.
I don’t think itthe only, but it is my favorite of them.
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Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck is must see!
According to yahoo
A Christmas Story will still air on TBS/TNT on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/christmas-story-air-24-hour-005400618.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall
I also saw this on the TBS website.
It makes me sad so many Christmas classics are behind various paywalls. A lot of these were evening traditions during the season, particularly Charlie Brown and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.
Available free of charge on DVD at your local public library for 7 days at a time.
Apple+ offers the Charlie Browns free on particular days.
Well, this is what happens when too many people “cut the cord”. Broadcast TV is no longer interested because of ratings, so they won’t outbid the streamers. Now instead of paying one cable/satellite bill and seeing everything on broadcast, you get to pay for 20-25 streaming services. So, are you really saving money now?
Meet Me in St Louis is on TCM Saturday December 3rd at 4pm.
Rudolph and Santa Claus is coming to town are both on YouTube for free..
I don’t think TVLine is in the business of promoting pirated copies… 😄
Thanks for the list of movie sources! I nearly went crazy last year then just bought my favorites.
What about the Original “Miracle on 34th Street” it is a tragedy that movie is so hard to find for the holidays for all to watch. I have been watching that movie since I was a young child and not being able to now is terrible!!! I don’t understand the issue?
It’s on Disney+. Though it looks like it might air on AMC the 11th, 12th, 23rd, and 25th. But that might be a mistaken listing for the newer one; you can never tell with cable guide listings.