Television

12 Days of Christmas TV

Find out what to watch during the last 12 days leading up to Christmas.

Whether you’re celebrating a religious Christmas, putting your menorah away after another celebration of the miracle of light, welcoming the solstice and the turn toward longer days, or simply commemorating the year that has passed, the “holiday spirit” is worth taking a moment to appreciate. This is a time of year for reflection and renewal, sharing traditions and making new ones. What better way to appreciate the season than to spend the evenings of the next two weeks with family (biological or chosen), gathered around the TV, watching Christmas specials? Here’s your guide to the 12 days of Christmas TV. Monday, Dec. 14: On the first day of Christmas, my TV gave to me… A whole streaming site dedicated to the holidays. At Hulu for the Holidays, you’ll find Christmas specials from your favorite sitcoms and dramas, from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Ally McBeal, and from to Desperate Housewives to Modern Family. “Doctor Who Christmas specials” and “Christmas Specials from the U.K.” have their own categories. Under the “The Holidays Just Got Real” section are 11 reality TV Christmas specials, including a Christmas pageant episode of Toddlers & Tiaras. Though Hulu is known more for its TV than for its movie selection, there sure are some gems in the “Festive Films” section, like Christmas in Hollywood, in which a boy from Shanghai must convince three people to believe in the spirit of Christmas to save his father’s Chinese restaurant. Also included is The Christmas Toy, a 1986 Jim Henson film about a toy who wants to be wrapped and put under the Christmas tree for a second year. By far the best part of the Hulu for the Holidays page is the selection of Christmas cartoons — fun for adults and kids alike: Hey Arnold, The Wild Thornberrys, Adventure Time, Madeline, Care Bears and Ren & Stimpy, plus my Christmas classics like Yes, Virginia and The Snowman.
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