ABC-TV special holiday season programming announced
The lineup has been released for all of the special holiday season programming on ABC.
From a new Toy Story special to a return of “The Great Christmas Light Fight,” to specials from Walt Disney Animation Studios, PEANUTS, DreamWorks Animation and Dr. Seuss, here is a look at what’s coming starting Nov. 26.
And don’t forget to check out the special 25 Days of Christmas schedule on ABC Family.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” – In the 1973 special, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown wants to do something special for the gang. However, the dinner he arranges is a disaster when the caterers, Snoopy and Woodstock, prepare toast and popcorn as the main dish. A special bonus cartoon from Charles M. Schulz, “This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers,” will air with the PEANUTS classic
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28
“Disney Prep & Landing” – Walt Disney Animation Studios brings you a half-hour holiday special tale of an elite unit of Elves known as Prep & Landing. After working tirelessly on Prep & Landing for 227 years, an elf named Wayne is upset when he doesn’t receive an expected promotion to be the Director of Naughty List Intelligence. Instead, Magee, the North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center Coordinator (NPCECCC for short), partners Wayne with Lanny, an idealistic rookie who has an undying enthusiasm for Christmas. During their Christmas Eve mission, Wayne and Lanny encounter unexpected challenges that push them to their limits. (8-8:30 p.m., ET)
“Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice” – The yuletide adventures of Christmas elves Lanny and Wayne continue. With the Big 2-5 fast approaching, Wayne and Lanny must race to recover classified North Pole technology that has fallen into the hands of a computer-hacking Naughty Kid! (8:30 – 9 p.m., ET)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1
“CMA Country Christmas” — Some of the biggest names in music will come together to celebrate the holidays on “CMA Country Christmas,” a two-hour special hosted for the fifth year by Jennifer Nettles.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2
“Toy Story That Time Forgot” – Pixar Animation Studios’ second new special for television, “Toy Story That Time Forgot.” During a post-Christmas play date, the “Toy Story” gang find themselves in uncharted territory when the coolest set of action figures ever turn out to be dangerously delusional. It’s all up to Trixie, the triceratops, if the gang hopes to return to Bonnie’s room in this “Toy Story That Time Forgot.” (8-8:30 p.m., ET)
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” – In the digitally re-mastered 1965 special, Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism that he sees everywhere during the Christmas season. Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant and Charlie Brown accepts, but it proves to be a frustrating struggle. When an attempt to restore the proper spirit with a forlorn little fir Christmas tree fails, Charlie Brown needs Linus’ help to learn what the real meaning of Christmas is. (8:30-9p.m., ET)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 8
“The Great Christmas Light Fight” – ABC’s hit decorating competition series returns for a second season. Each of the six one hour episodes features four families from across America who work harder than Santa’s elves in order to out-deck the halls of their competition and possibly win the ultimate Christmas Gift–$50,000. (8-9 p.m., ET) and (9- 10 p.m., ET)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9
“Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” – In the perennial favorite created in 1970 by Rankin-Bass Productions (“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,”), Fred Astaire narrates this timeless tale of Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney), a young boy with an immense desire to do good things for others. (8-9 p.m., ET)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” – The hour will also include a series of Christmas-themed animated stories entitled “Charlie Brown Christmas Tales,” based on Schulz’s work, in which each of the beloved PEANUTS characters – Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy and Sally – star in his or her own charming animated vignette. (8- 9 p.m., ET) (
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20
“I Want A Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” – This special centers ReRun, the lovable but ever-skeptical younger brother of Linus and Lucy. It’s Christmas vacation and, as usual, ReRun’s big sister is stressing him out, so he decides to turn to his best friend, Snoopy, for amusement and holiday cheer. However, his faithful but unpredictable beagle companion has plans of his own, giving ReRun reason to ask Snoopy to invite his canine brother, Spike, for a visit. The cast of “I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown!” includes Jimmy Bennett as ReRun, Adam Taylor Gordon as Charlie Brown, Ashley Rose Orr as Lucy Van Pelt, Corey Padnos as Linus Van Pelt, Hannah Leigh Dworkin as Sally, Nick Price as Schroeder, Jake Miner as Pig Pen/Franklin, Kaitlyn Maggio as the little girl and Bill Melendez as Snoopy. (8-9 p.m., ET)
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23
“Shrek the Halls” – Just when Shrek thought he could finally sit back, relax and enjoy his happily ever after with his new family, the most joyous of all holidays arrives. It’s Christmas Eve and everyone is filled with holiday cheer — except for Shrek. He isn’t exactly the picture of yuletide joy, but for the sake of Fiona and the kids, he tries to get into the spirit of things as only an ogre can. (8-8:30 p.m., ET)
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25
“Disney Parks Frozen Christmas Celebration” — Music, magic and merriment come together when Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida present the 31st annual Christmas Day parade and TV special. The star-studded sounds of the season include some of today’s top musical talents lending their voices to celebrate the holidays. And, from fairy tales to classic Christmas carols, Disney friends and holiday characters spread joy and good tidings through Disneyland Park in California and the Magic Kingdom Park in Florida. This year promises some extra Frozen fun with fanciful floats and colorful cavalcades as Santa Claus himself along with his reindeer, wend their holly jolly way down Main Street, USA. (10 a.m.-Noon ET)
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas Special” – Based on the classic children’s book by the legendary Dr. Seuss, this special takes viewers inside a snowflake to Whoville, the magical land of the Whos.
(8- 8:30 p.m., ET)
“Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” takes viewers inside a snowflake to Whoville, the magical land of the Whos. But high above this holiday-loving town resides the Grinch (Jim Carrey), a nasty creature with a heart three sizes too small, who hates Christmas and plots to steal it from the Whos. (8:30-11 p.m., ET)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 29
“Happy New Year, Charlie Brown” is ringing in 1986 and Marcie and Peppermint Patty are throwing a big New Year’s Eve bash. Charlie Brown plans to celebrate the holiday by curling up with a big book that weighs nearly as much as he does, Tolstoy’s War and Peace. The book’s weight doesn’t stop him from lugging it to Lucy’s pre-party dance class, where he cuts a mean rug with a rollicking Patty. With just 1131 pages to go, Charlie Brown takes another break, this time for the party, and summons the courage to invite his true love, the little red-haired girl. She doesn’t respond, but hapless Chuck shows up anyway – with Tolstoy in tow. Then, he settles down with the book – on a porch swing in a snowstorm, and in so doing, misses the evening’s big surprise. In “She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown,” disaster strikes as Peppermint Patty heads to her first major ice-skating competition with coach Snoopy and faithful companion Marcie by her side. As always, the unassuming Woodstock flies in to save the day. (8-9p.m., ET)
“Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” – It’s Rudolph to the rescue when Happy, the Baby New Year, goes missing. (9 -10 p.m., ET)
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31
“Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2015” — Before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, global music sensation Taylor Swift will culminate another record-breaking year with a performance of her hit songs for over 1 million fans in Times Square live on ABC’s telecast.
