2016 Christmas TV Schedule: When Are Holiday Classics On TV?

The TV networks have announced air dates for holiday classics like "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and a "Gilmore Girls" binge-fest. The deluge of Santa Claus, elves and all things Christmas is kicking into high gear at Thanksgiving. Stars to look for this season include Oscar-winner Shirley Maclaine, "Outlander’s" Sam Heughan and Eric McCormack of "Will and Grace" fame.

If your family Christmas traditions include gathering the kids to watch “Elf” or “Christmas Vacation,” or a heartwarming oldie like “It’s A Wonderful Life,” we have the dates and times for you to post on your calendar. Check the 2016 season’s lineup of holiday programming on TV to find your favorite classic films — "A Christmas Story," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "Miracle on 34th Street" and more.

Patch has pulled together these highlights for holiday shows every night into the new year, courtesy of Freeform (formerly ABC Family) and a holiday TV website.

It runs the gamut from Bing Crosby and Jimmy Stewart on Turner Movie Classics to countless showings of Will Ferrell as everyone’s favorite elf. The deluge of Christmas romances on Hallmark Channel has begun nearly around the clock.

The folks at the UP channel kicked off their holiday programming on Nov. 18, with the "GilMORE the Merrier" binge-a-thon. The marathon features all seven seasons of "Gilmore Girls" from start to finish, 24 hours a day for 153 hours straight to 3 a.m. ET Friday, Nov. 25.

Freeform kicks off its annual holiday programming Dec. 1 with its 25 Days of Christmas schedule, which has not been fully released yet. Likewise for NBC, which shows "It’s a Wonderful Life" several times during the season.

We’ll update this as more networks confirm their offerings.

»What are your must-see holiday movies? Let us know in the comments.

Listings are subject to change; check each network’s website for updates.

Here’s the schedule of evening shows, all times Eastern unless otherwise noted:

Saturday, December 3

• 6:45 pm - Arthur Christmas | Freeform
• 8 pm - A Dream of Christmas | Hallmark
• 8:50 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 10:55 pm - The Holiday | Freeform

Sunday, December 4

• 4:30pm - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town | Freeform
• 5:35 pm - The Year Without a Santa Claus | Freeform
• 6:40 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 7 pm - Girlfriends of Christmas Past | UP
• 8 pm - Looks Like Christmas | Hallmark
• 8:45 pm - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Freeform
• 10:55 pm - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town | Freeform

Monday, December 5

• 7 pm - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Freeform
• 8 pm - The Great Christmas Light Fight | ABC
• 9 pm - Scrooged | Freeform

Wednesday, December 7

• 5 pm - The Polar Express | Freeform
• 7 pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 9 pm - Elf | Freeform
• Midnight - 12 Dates of Christmas | Freeform

Thursday, December 8

• 5 pm - Deck the Halls | Freeform
• 7 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 8 pm - Toy Story That Time Forgot | ABC
• 8 pm - Taraji's White Hot Holidays | FOX
• 8:30 pm - Shrek the Halls | ABC
• 9 pm - Disney's A Christmas Carol | Freeform

Friday, December 9

• 5:40 pm - The Search for Santa Paws | Freeform
• 7:45 pm - Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups | Freeform
• 9:50 pm - Snow Buddies | Freeform
• 11:55 pm - Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas in July | Freeform

Saturday, December 10

• 8 pm - A Nutcracker Christmas | Hallmark
• 8 pm - It's a Wonderful Life | NBC
• 10:20 pm - Toy Story That Time Forgot | Freeform
• 12:55am - The Year Without a Santa Claus | Freeform

Sunday, December 11

• 7 pm - Season’s Greetings | UP
• 8 pm– Meant To Be | Hallmark
• 9:25 pm - Toy Story That Time Forgot | Freeform
• 9:55 pm - The Polar Express | Freeform

Monday, December 12

• 5:30 pm - Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas | Freeform
• 7 pm - The Polar Express | Freeform
• 8 pm - The Great Christmas Light Fight | ABC
• 8 pm - Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer | CW
• 8 pm- Meet Me in St. Louis | TCM
• 9 pm - The Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown | CW
• 9 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 10 pm- In the Good Old Summertime | TCM
• 12 am - Christmas Cupid | Freeform
• 12 am- A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! | TCM
• 1:15am - Bachelor Mother | TCM
• 2:45am - Bundle of Joy | TCM
• 4:30am - Susan Slept Here | TCM

Thursday, December 15

• 5 pm - Arthur Christmas | Freeform
• 7 pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 8 pm - Disney's Prep & Landing | ABC
• 8 pm - iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2016 | CW
• 8 pm- The Shop Around the Corner | TCM
• 8:30 pm - Disney's Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice | ABC
• 9 pm - The Search for Santa Paws | Freeform
• 10 pm- Christmas in Connecticut | TCM
• 12 am - Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe | Freeform)
• 12 am- Love Finds And Hardy | TCM
• 1:45am - Desk Set | TCM
• 3:45am - Period of Adjustment | TCM

Friday, December 16

• 7:35 pm - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Freeform
• 8 pm - The 85th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade | CW
• 9:45 pm - The Polar Express | Freeform
• 11:55 pm - Disney's A Christmas Carol | Freeform

Saturday, December 17

• 6:50 pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 8 pm - I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown | ABC
• 8 pm - My Christmas Love | Hallmark

Sunday, December 18

• 5:10 pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 8 pm - Sleigh Bells Ring | Hallmark
• 9:50 pm - Elf | Freeform

Thursday, December 22

• 6:45 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 8 pm - Terry Crews Saves Christmas | CW
• 8 pm- Holiday Affair | TCM
• 8:55 pm - Jingle All the Way | Freeform
• 9:45pm - Remember the Night | TCM
• 11:30pm - A Christmas Carol | TCM
• 12 am - Disney's A Christmas Carol | Freeform
• 1:15am - Babes in Toyland | TCM
• 2:45am - Little Women | TCM

Friday, December 23

• 5 am - A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! | TCM
• 7 am - Frosty's Winter Wonderland | Freeform
• 7:30 am - Jack Frost | Freeform
• 11 am - Richie Rich's Christmas Wish | Freeform
• 1 pm - Jingle All the Way | Freeform
• 3 pm - Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas | Freeform
• 4:35 pm - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town | Freeform
• 5:40 pm - The Year Without a Santa Claus | Freeform
• 6:45 pm - Disney's A Christmas Carol | Freeform
• 8 pm - A Home for the Holidays | CBS
• 8 pm - Terry Crews Saves Christmas | CW
• 8:50 pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 9 pm - Terry Crews Saves Christmas | CW
• 12 am - Home Alone: The Holiday Heist | Freeform

Saturday, December 24

• 6:45am - Tenth Avenue Angel | TCM
• 8 am- Meet John Doe | TCM
• 10:15am - Scrooge | TCM
• 12:15pm - It Happened on 5th Avenue | TCM
• 2:15pm - Holiday Affair | TCM
• 3:30pm - The Polar Express | Freeform
• 4 pm- The Shop Around the Corner | TCM
• 5:35pm - The Santa Clause | Freeform
• 6 pm- Meet Me in St. Louis | TCM
• 7:40pm - Elf | Freeform
• 8 pm- It's a Wonderful Life | NBC
• 8 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 8 pm- Christmas in Connecticut | TCM
• 9:45pm - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Freeform
• 10 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 10 pm- The Dolly Sisters | TCM
• 11:55pm - Scrooged | Freeform
• 12 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 12 am- In the Good Old Summertime | TCM
• 2 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 2 am- The Man Who Came to Dinner | TCM
• 4 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 4 am- Bell Book and Candle | TCM

Sunday, December 25

• 6 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 6 am- Going My Way | TCM
• 7 am - The Search for Santa Paws | Freeform
• 8 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 8:30am - Boys Town | TCM
• 9 am - The Disney Parks' Magical Christmas Celebration | ABC
• 9:10 am - Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws | Freeform
• 10 am- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 11:20 am - Arthur Christmas | Freeform
• 12 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 1:25 pm - The Polar Express | Freeform
• 2 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 3:30 pm - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town | Freeform
• 4 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 4:35 pm - The Year Without a Santa Claus | Freeform
• 5:40 pm - Elf | Freeform
• 6 pm- A Christmas Story | TBS
• 7:45 pm - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Freeform
• 9 pm - When Calls the Heart | Hallmark
• 9:55 pm - Scrooged | Freeform

»Patch file photo of "A Christmas Story" house in Cleveland

By Deb Belt (Patch Staff)