Classic Christmas Movies Guide: Where to Watch It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Die Hard and Others
Three years ago, 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.
Ever since then, it has been TVLine’s annual mission to help you avoid such Yuletide trauma.
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Already, TVLine has gift-wrapped for you a joyfully comprehensive guide to the 100+ (!) 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, thinking about George Bailey making violent love to Mary in the living room (wait, what?), or the fear of shooting your eye with a Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle?
Here;s our annual “Where to Watch” guide to some holiday classics, based on currently available data (which is always subject to change). We’ll update this list as additional airings come to light. 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
STREAMING: Apple TV+ (streams free Nov. 18-19)
AIRING: N/A
A Charlie Brown Christmas
STREAMING: Apple TV+ (streams free Dec. 16-17)
AIRING: N/A
A Christmas Carol (1951 | Alastair Sim)
STREAMING: Prime Video (rent for $1.99)
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
A Christmas Carol (1984 | George C. Scott)
STREAMING: Starz (sign up), tubi, Roku
AIRING: TCM (Monday, Dec. 18 at 6:45 pm; Sunday, Dec. 24 at 11:45 pm)
A Christmas Carol (1999 | Patrick Stewart)
STREAMING: DirecTV Stream (sign up)
AIRING: TNT (Thursday, Dec. 14 at 10 pm)
Christmas in Connecticut
STREAMING: Max
AIRING: TCM (Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 6 pm; Sunday, Dec. 24 at 8 pm)
A Christmas Story
STREAMING: Max, DirecTV Stream
AIRING: TBS (Dec. 2 at 8 pm; Dec. 3 at 6:30 pm; 24-hour marathon starts Sunday, Dec. 24 at 6 am); TNT (Nov. 13 at 8pm; Nov. 14 at 3 pm; Dec. 14 at 8 pm; Dec. 17 at 6 pm; Dec. 18 at 7:45 pm; 24-hour marathon starts Sunday, Dec. 24 at 9 pm)
All streaming options are those available with subscription; all times Eastern.
Die Hard (Don’t fight us on this one!)
STREAMING: Hulu (through Nov. 30), MGM+, fuboTV, tubi, DirecTV Stream
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
Elf
STREAMING: Max, Hulu (starting Nov. 23)
AIRING: TBS (Nov. 4 at 7:30 pm; Nov. 5 at 7 pm; Nov. 19 at 5 pm and 9 pm; 24-hour marathon starts Friday, Nov. 24 at 8 pm); TNT (Nov. 12 at 8 pm; Nov. 13 at 6 pm; Nov. 23 at 7 pm; Nov. 24 at 3:30 pm; Nov. 27 at 8 pm and 10 pm; Nov. 30 at 8 pm and 10 pm)
Frosty the Snowman
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: CBS (Saturday, Dec. 16 at 9 pm; followed by Frosty Returns)
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: THE CW (Friday, Nov. 24 at 8 pm; Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7 pm; Friday, Dec. 22 at 9 pm)
Holiday Inn
STREAMING: Prime Video
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
Home Alone
STREAMING: Starz (sign up), DirecTV Stream
AIRING: ABC (Sunday, Dec. 24 at 8 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966 | animated)
STREAMING: Peacock (sign up)
AIRING: NBC (Thursday, Nov. 30 at 8 pm; Monday, Dec. 25 at 8 pm)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 | Jim Carrey)
STREAMING: Peacock (Dec. 20-31)
AIRING: TBS (Nov. 18 at 5 pm; Dec. 10 at 7 pm; Dec. 16 at 8 am; Dec. 22 at 8 pm; Dec. 23 at 7 pm); TNT (Nov. 12 at 7:30 pm; Nov. 13 at 5:30 pm; Nov. 19 at 7:30 pm; Dec. 14 at 7:30 pm; Dec. 17 at 5:30 pm); NBC (Monday, Dec. 25 at 8:30 pm)
All streaming options are those available with subscription; all times Eastern.
It’s a Wonderful Life
STREAMING: Prime Video (sign up), Roku, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream
AIRING: NBC (Sunday, Dec. 24 at 8 pm)
The Little Drummer Boy
STREAMING: Peacock(sign up)
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
Love, Actually
STREAMING: Netflix
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
March of the Wooden Soldiers (né Babes in Toyland)
STREAMING: Freevee, tubi, Roku, PlutoTV, AMC+
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
Meet Me in St. Louis
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: TCM (Thursday, Dec. 21 at 8 pm; Sunday, Dec. 24 at 6 pm)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
STREAMING: Hulu (sign up) and Disney+ (sign up); they also have 1994 remake
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
The Muppet Christmas Carol
STREAMING: Disney+ (sign up) and Hulu
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
All streaming options are those available with subscription; all times Eastern.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
STREAMING: Max, Hulu (starting Nov. 23)
AIRING: TBS (Nov. at 9:30 pm; Nov. 5 at 5 pm; Nov. 11 at 8 pm and 10 pm; Nov. 17 at 8 pm and 10 pm); TNT: Nov. 5 at 7:45 pm and 9:45 pm; Nov. 19 at 8 pm; Nov. 20 at 5 pm; Nov. 23 at 9 pm; Nov. 24 at 1:30 pm; 24-hour marathon starts Saturday, Nov. 25 at 10 pm)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
STREAMING: Disney+ (sign up)
AIRING: Freeform (Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 3 pm)
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
STREAMING: Paramount+ (sign up), AMC+, fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, PlutoTV, Showtime
AIRING: SHO2 (Thursday, Nov. 9 at 6:25 am)
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: CBS (Monday, Nov. 27 at 8 pm)
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
The Santa Clause
STREAMING: Disney+ (sign up)
AIRING: Freeform (Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 6:20 pm), ABC (Sunday, Dec. 3 at 8 pm)
All streaming options are those available with subscription; all times Eastern.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970)
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: ABC (Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 8 pm)
Scrooged
STREAMING: Paramount+ (sign up), YouTube, Philo (free trial), fuboTV
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
The Shop Around the Corner
STREAMING: Max
AIRING: TCM (Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 6:15 pm; Saturday, Dec. 23 at 8 pm)
The Sound of Music
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: No date announced yet; typically airs on ABC
White Christmas
STREAMING: Netflix, tubi
AIRING: Nothing scheduled last we checked
The Year Without a Santa Claus
STREAMING: Only for rent/purchase
AIRING: TBS (Nov. 18 at 5:30 pm; Nov. 19 at noon; Nov. 23 at 12:15am; Nov. 24 at 4:45 pm); TNT (Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm; Nov. 23 at 4:15 pm)
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