Holiday TV Episodes 2012

Updated Dec. 19, 2012, 9:03am CT

‘Tis the season when people’s minds start turning toward the holidays! And during this stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, and everything in between, besides eating, shopping and making merry, another thing that folks like to do is relax with some holiday TV programming.

RELATED: THANKSGIVING TV MARATHONS 2012

In addition to the traditional holiday specials and marathons (that you can read about elsewhere on our site), many TV shows this year are carrying on in the long tradition of having special episodes dedicated to the season. Here is a rundown of when to watch holiday TV episodes of your favorite series this year. All times are Eastern, and programs are subject to change. Check back regularly for updates and additions to the list:

Mike & Molly: “Thanksgiving Is Cancelled” — Nov. 19 at 9:30pm on CBS. When Mike (Billy Gardell) gets sick for Thanksgiving, Molly (Melissa McCarthy) is excited that she doesn’t have to cook — until Vince (Louis Mustillo) invites his brother to town for a homemade Thanksgiving meal.

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Let’s Make a Deal — Nov. 20 on CBS (check local listings for time). Teams of families compete for a variety of prizes in this Thanksgiving episode.

NCIS: “Shell Shock — Part II” — Nov. 20 at 8pm on CBS. Gibbs (Mark Harmon) continues to work with Capt. Wescott while he retraces his steps in order to thelp the NCIS team track down a terrorist. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, Abby’s (Pauley Perrette) enthusiasm for the NCIS family dinner is building.

Raising Hope: “Candy Wars” — Nov. 20 at 8pm on FOX. When Natesville holds its annual Thanksgiving Radish Harvest Festival, Jimmy (Lucas Neff) is determined to sell the most candy bars around town, so that Hope can ride atop the town’s Thanksgiving Day float. But when Jimmy doesn’t sell enough to win the contest, Virginia (Martha Plimpton) and Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman) unveil a dark, mafia-inspired family secret that could lead the Chances to victory.

Ben and Kate: “Reunion” — Nov. 20 at 8:30pm on FOX. When a high-school reunion is held on the eve of Thanksgiving, Will (guest star Geoff Stults) encourages Kate (Dakota Johnson) to attend and stand up to the high-school bully, Anna (guest star Amber Stevens) for giving her an unforgettable nickname. Meanwhile, in the midst of the holiday season, Ben (Nat Faxon) doesn’t think he can keep much longer the huge secret that he and BJ (Lucy Punch) have been hiding from Kate.

Happy Endings: “More Like Stanksgiving” — Nov. 20 at 9pm on ABC. Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave (Zachary Knighton) host Thanksgiving dinner at their new place, and Dave gets a little sidetracked by his desire to share his heritage with his friends and give them a real Navajo Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Max (Adam Pally) gets his hands on a copy of the lost season of “The Real World” that he and Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) were on. The whole gang sits down and takes a walk down memory lane to when and how they all met 10 years ago — but also gain some added insight on things they weren’t aware of.

New Girl: “Parents” — Nov. 20 at 9pm on FOX. Jess (Zooey Deschanel) invites her divorced mom and dad (guest stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner) over for Thanksgiving dinner and enlists Nick (Jake Johnson) and Cece (Hannah Simone) to help her with a “Parent Trap” to reunite them. Meanwhile, Schmidt’s (Max Greenfield) cousin, Big Schmidt (guest star Rob Riggle), visits, and Winston (Lamorne Morris) manipulates them into an escalating battle to prove their manhood.

Go On: “Dinner Takes All” — Nov. 20 at 9pm on NBC. When Amy (guest star Lauren Graham) pays a visit to her old college friends Ryan (Matthew Perry) and Steven (John Cho), the guys unexpectedly begin to compete for her affection. Meanwhile, Ryan invites the support group to the K-Bal offices for Thanksgiving, Lauren’s (Laura Benanti) qualifications are tested by Owen’s (Tyler James Williams) mom, and Anne’s (Julie White) kids meet Ryan for the first time.

Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23: “It’s a Miracle …” — Nov. 20 at 9:30pm on ABC. Chloe (Krysten Ritter) and June (Dreama Walker) have different feelings about Thanksgiving — Chloe hates it, June loves it. Sadly, June can’t afford to fly home this year, so Chloe persuades June to come with her to her parents’ house for the holiday — but under the most strange and awkward conditions. Meanwhile, James (James Van Der Beek) volunteers at an exclusive celebrity soup kitchen in order to get a photo opp, and is unpleasantly surprised when he and Luther (Ray Ford) get roped into actually working.

The Mindy Project: “Thanksgiving” — Nov. 20 at 9:30pm on FOX. Mindy (Mindy Kaling) decides to cook Thanksgiving dinner at Gwen’s (Anna Camp) house, but she is completely caught off guard when her former blind date, Dennis (returning guest star Ed Helms), arrives with his new girlfriend. Meanwhile, a lonely Danny (Chris Messina) mans the empty office while Betsy (Zoe Jarman) and Jeremy (Ed Weeks) visit Betsy’s eccentric family for the holiday.

The New Normal: “Pardon Me” — Nov. 20 at 9:30pm on NBC. After recalling the disastrous dinners of Thanksgivings past, Bryan (Andrew Rannells), David (Justin Bartha), Goldie (Georgia King), Shania (Bebe Wood) and Rocky (NeNe Leakes) decide that this year they are going to enjoy the holiday with their new family. Later, after realizing the horrible fates of the turkeys at the farm a sensitive Shania and Bryan pardon all of them and take them home as new pets. The move prompts a meat-free dinner menu and in the spirit of the pardon encourages everyone to invite over family and friends that they need to make amends with. David invites his mother (guest star Jackie Hoffman) and his father (guest star Barry Bostwick), while Bryan extends an olive branch to Jane (Ellen Barkin), Goldie reaches out to Clay (Jayson Blair) and Rocky puts aside her political differences with her brother Clint (guest star Sterling Sulieman). Though the pre-dinner festivities seem to be cheerful it doesn’t take long for personalities to clash.

Arthur: “Arthur’s Perfect Christmas” (encore) — Nov. 21 at 7am & 4pm; Nov. 23 at 7am; Nov. 25 at 9am Dec. 16 at 7pm on PBS (check local listings). The lovable aardvark puts a new spin on seasonal traditions, showing children many ways to celebrate the holidays.

Curious George: “A Very Monkey Christmas” (encore) — Nov. 21 at 8am & 2pm; Nov. 22 at 9am; Nov. 24 at 7am; Nov. 25 at 7am; Dec. 23 at 6pm and Dec. 25 at 8am on PBS (check local listings). Curious George and the Man With the Yellow Hat are having a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas. There’s only one dilemma — neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present.

The Cat In the Hat Knows a Lot About That!: “The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Christmas!”  — Nov. 21 at 9am & 3pm; Nov. 22 at 8am; Nov. 23 at 8am; Nov. 24 at 8am; Nov. 25 at 8am; Dec. 23 at 7pm and Dec. 25 at 9am on PBS (check local listings). The Cat in the Hat, Nick and Sally journey around the world to help a lost reindeer find his way home in time for Christmas in this new, hourlong special.

The Young and the Restless — Nov. 21 on CBS (check local listings for time). The holidays heat up as Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) and Jack (Peter Bergman) share a close moment on Thanksgiving.

Guys With Kids: “Thanksgiving” — Nov. 21 at 8:30pm on NBC. After a failed attempt to figure out who should spend Thanksgiving with their son, Chris (Jesse Bradford) and Sheila (Erinn Hayes) decide to spend the holiday together with his friends. Sheila plans a very traditional dinner in hopes of befriending the group. Elsewhere, Gary (Anthony Anderson) choses to spend the holiday waiting in line to buy a brand new television during the Black Friday sales.

Chicago Fire: “Two Families” — Nov. 21 at 10pm on NBC. Thanksgiving proves to be a busy holiday for the firehouse, including a visit to a meth lab, a gang shooting and a 10-car pileup.

The Simpsons: “Holidays of Future Passed” (encore) — Nov. 23 at 9pm on FOX. The series flash-forwards 30 years, when Bart and Lisa have children of their own and decide to spend the holidays as one big family at Homer and Marge’s house.

Pound Puppies: “I Heard the Barks on Christmas Eve” — Nov. 24 at 9am; Dec. 3 at 9am; Dec. 4 at 12pm; Dec. 9 at 10am; Dec. 18 at 12pm; Dec. 22 at 9am; Dec. 24 at 12pm & 2:30pm on The Hub. The Pound Puppies need a miracle to place thousands of puppies that are overflowing from shelters all over town. The task seems insurmountable, but Rebound’s tenacity may be enough to pull off a Christmas miracle.

The Good Wife: “A Defense of Marriage” — Nov. 25 at 9pm on CBS. Alicia (Julianna Margulies) and Diane (Christine Baranski) agree to let a famous liberal lawyer aid them on their latest case, but they soon realize he may not have their client’s best interests in mind. Meanwhile, Alicia’s mother (guest star Stockard Channing) arrives for Thanksgiving seeking moral and legal support from Alicia and her brother Owen (Dallas Roberts).

The Cleveland Show: “Turkey Pot Die” — Nov. 25 at 9:30pm on FOX. Cleveland takes a reluctant Cleveland, Jr. to a turkey farm in order to teach him how to hunt the family’s Thanksgiving dinner. But Junior refuses to harm the innocent turkeys. So when Cleveland is accidentally shot, he and Junior embark on an elaborate mission to free all of the turkeys before Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Rallo and Donna build a float for Stoolbend’s Thanksgiving Day parade, but Rallo takes matters into his own hands when Donna fails to embrace his artistic vision.

Glee: “Thanksgiving” — Nov. 29 at 9pm on FOX. It’s time for Sectionals, and New Directions receives guidance from some of the recent McKinley graduates who volunteer to mentor the glee club during their Thanksgiving breaks. Meanwhile, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) have a non-traditional holiday dinner in the Big Apple.

My Crazy Obsession: “Christmas Collection” — Dec. 1 at 9pm on TLC. This one-hour special goes inside the lives and homes of extreme collectors who have taken holiday decorating to the next level. Follow four dedicated collectors as they reveal how much money, how many hours, and the amount of energy spend on their obsession. From a man aiming to cover his entire property in one million Christmas lights to a woman who covers every inch of her home with over 120 fully decorated Christmas trees, these compulsive decorators will go to any length to spread their holiday cheer. Meet one husband and wife whose love for nutcrackers and snowmen respectively battle for top priority in their household and another couple whose shared obsession with holiday inflatables has taken over their entire lives.

Holiday ER — Dec. 1 at 10pm; Dec. 2 at 1am; Dec. 2 at 2pm on TLC. A seasonal edition of “Untold Stories of the ER,” this oddity of a holiday special looks at real-life emergency room cases, from Santa having a heart attack to a boy’s stomach blinking bright orange, and a young elf passed out in a hallway.

Good Luck Charlie: “A Duncan Christmas” — Dec. 2 at 7:30pm on Disney Channel. Teddy takes Charlie to see Santa Claus at Super Adventure Land, but when Santa decides to take a break right when it’s Charlie’s turn, Teddy takes matters into her own hands. Meanwhile, Amy and Grandma Linda learn they are performing the same song at the family talent show. Shirley Jones reprises her role as Grandma Linda.

Dog With a Blog: “Bark! The Herald Angels Sing” — Dec. 2 at 8pm on Disney Channel. It’s the family’s first Christmas together and Avery is prepping Tyler, Chloe and Stan for what will likely be their worst Christmas gifts ever – from their new stepmother Ellen, who gives terrible gifts. Meanwhile, Bennett and Ellen try to decide whose Christmas traditions to follow.

Shake It Up: “Merry Merry It Up” — Dec. 2 at 8:30pm on Disney Channel. CeCe picks a fight with Jeremy, leading Georgia to break up with him. To fix the situation, Rocky takes a turn as the ghost of Christmas dance and escorts CeCe on a dream journey to the past, present and future. Zendaya performs the new song “Shake Santa Shake” in the episode.

Strawberry Shortcake’s Berry Bitty Adventures: “Happy First Frost” — Dec. 3 at 1pm; Dec. 22 at 7:30am; Dec. 24 at 12pm on The Hub. When Blueberry gives a First Frost Day “secret” gift that’s more what she wants than what her giftee wants, a hot-potato of passing on the unwanted gift occurs.

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja: “Silent Punch, Deadly Punch” — Dec. 3 at 7pm on Disney XD. Randy travels to the forest to retrieve sap from a sacred tree in order to restock his Ninja gadgets, but McFist beats him there and snags the tree for his holiday party. Randy poses as a Ninja Santa to get in to the party and winds up defending himself against a robot snowman and his team of elves.

Pair of Kings: “Yeti, Set, Snow” — Dec. 3 at 7:30pm on Disney XD. When Boomer discovers that he and Boz do not have any brotherly memories like he and Brady do, he sets out to recreate a ski-trip from his childhood. But, when Boomer finds that the land he wants to build his resort on is occupied by Yetis, he removes them from the land and attempts to teach them how to be civilized.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: “Zdroj Family” — Dec. 3 at 8pm & 9pm on ABC. This prime-time holiday-themed special episode features Ty Pennington, the team of designers and firefighters from across the nation. The EM:HE design team has just seven days to build a brand new home for the Zdroj family, as well as remodel the firehouse for the community of volunteer firefighters. The Zdroj family has been whisked away on a coast-to-coast Christmas vacation — first to New York for a Christmas celebration, then off on a big surprise visit to a very special location on the West Coast.

Regular Show: “The Christmas Special” — Dec. 3 at 8pm on Cartoon Network. Mordecai and Rigby have to destroy a gift for Santa to save Christmas. The episode features guest voices of Ed Asner as Santa Claus, and Thomas Haden Church as a rogue elf.

Kickin’ It: “Oh, Christmas Nuts!” — Dec. 3 at 8pm on Disney XD. To teach the gang about the spirit of Christmas, Rudy volunteers Jack, Jerry and Milton to work at Santa’s village. However, their good intentions backfire when the lead elf gets them banned from the mall, forcing them to become “the kids who stole Christmas.” While the guys try to prove their innocence, Kim and Eddie battle it out in a holiday window display contest.

Annoying Orange: “Annoying Carol” — Dec. 3 at 8:30pm on Cartoon Network. It’s Christmas Eve, and Orange’s annoying antics are spoiling everyone’s holiday cheer. Will a visit from three ghosts bring Orange the holiday spirit, or will he end up alone, annoying only himself?

Gossip Girl: “It’s Really Complicated” — Dec. 3 at 9pm on The CW. Serena (Blake Lively) and Dan (Penn Badgley) decide to throw their first Thanksgiving together, inviting only their closest friends, but everyone seems to have their own agenda for attending.

Castle: “Secret Santa” — Dec. 3 at 10pm on ABC. When a bearded, rotund man in a red Santa suit with an ID reading Kris Kringle falls from the sky in Central Park, Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett (Stana Katic) are on the hunt to find the person who killed Santa. But everything isn’t holiday cheer, as they discover St. Nick may have been more naughty than nice. Meanwhile, Castle and Beckett prepare for their first Christmas together.

The Amazing World of Gumball: “Christmas” — Dec. 4 at 7pm on Cartoon Network. Santa Claus is coming to town. Unfortunately, he gets run over by the Wattersons, so it’s up to them to save Christmas.

The Looney Tunes Show: “A Christmas Carol” — Dec. 4 at 7 :30pm on Cartoon Network. When the overwhelming heat zaps everyone’s enthusiasm for Christmas, Lola (voiced by Kristen Wiig) decides to stage her own version of “A Christmas Carol” to renew the town’s holiday spirit, while Foghorn and Daffy set off for the North Pole to set up a giant fan that will blow cold air down to their sweltering town. It all culminates with “Christmas Rules,” an all-new Merrie Melody performed by the cast of The Looney Tunes Show singing about why Christmas is such a wonderful holiday.

Shark Tank — Dec. 4 at 8pm on ABC. A man from Torrance, Calif., gets the Sharks in the holiday spirit with his rent-a-live Christmas tree service, which hires war veterans to maintain and deliver the trees, creating approximately 200 jobs during the holiday season.

Go On: “The World Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” — Dec. 4 at 9pm On NBC. When the group settles on a date for their holiday party, it happens to fall on what Mr. K (Brett Gelman) believes will be the end of the world.

The New Normal: “Baby Proofing” — Dec. 4 at 9:30pm on NBC. David (Justin Bartha) hires Carla, (guest star Cheri Oteri) a baby proofer to make the house safer, but instead of creating a sense of security, it puts a wedge between him and Bryan (Andrew Rannells) causing them to bicker. Meanwhile, in the process of decorating the Christmas tree and getting into the holiday spirit, it is revealed that eggnog makes Jane (Ellen Barkin) an unusually nice person. Later, Bryan and Jane attend a Hollywood party at Los Angeles realtor to the stars Nancy Niles’ (guest star Marlo Thomas) house that will turn out to be the boost that Jane has been looking for.

The Middle: “Christmas Help” — Dec. 5 at 8pm on ABC. Christmas doesn’t seem so merry to Mike (Neil Flynn) when he helps brother Rusty (guest star Norm Macdonald) move some furniture into the Heck house garage and discovers that Rusty doesn’t actually own the items. Meanwhile, Frankie (Patricia Heaton) hatches a plan to take a part time holiday job in a department store in order to get an employee discount to buy presents; Axl (Charlie McDermott) turns the garage with the stolen furniture into his own bachelor pad; and Reverend TimTom (guest star Paul Hipp) makes a bold choice by casting Brick (Atticus Shaffer) in a holiday play and tasks an overly zealous Sue (Eden Sher) with baking cookies for the event.

The Neighbors: “Merry Crap-Mas” — Dec. 5 at 8:30pm on ABC. The Weavers ask the Bird-Kersees to hide the multitude of Christmas gifts they’ve purchased for Amber (Clara Mamet), Max (Max Charles) and Abby (Isabella Cramp). But when Marty (Lenny Venito) and Debbie (Jami Gertz) are put off by their kids’ entitled attitude towards the holiday, they decide to return all the gifts and put the money toward a family vacation where they can focus on the true meaning of the holiday. There’s just one problem: Larry Bird (Simon Templeman) has opened one of their gifts, spawning a frenzy of gift opening among the aliens and leaving the Weavers with no gifts and no way to pay for the trip. Can alien “Scrooge” Larry Bird save Christmas for the Weavers?

Guys With Kids: “Christmas” — Dec. 5 at 8:30pm on NBC. Concerned that their friends’ marriage is in a rut, Nick (Zach Cregger) and Emily (Jamie-Lynn Sigler) attempt to help Gary (Anthony Anderson) and Marny (Tempestt Bledsoe) rekindle their romance. Chris (Jesse Bradford) and Sheila (Erinn Hayes) struggle with deciding who should keep the engagement ring after the divorce. Meanwhile, Gary and Marny pursue Emily’s idea for a perfect date and find themselves disappointed.

Modern Family: “Express Christmas” (encore) — Dec. 5 at 9pm on ABC. In a repeat from last season, the family is gathered at Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria’s (Sofia Vergara) pool on a sunny December day, and that’s where they realize that everyone will be scattered this coming Christmas, so if they want to celebrate together, then it will have to be today. Everyone sets off with their respective duties for Express Christmas – Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), Alex (Ariel Winter) and Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) get the tree, Jay and Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) are in charge of gift wrapping, Phil (Ty Burrell) and Manny (Rico Rodriguez) get the groceries, Gloria and Luke (Nolan Gould) go retrieve the ornaments, and Claire (Julie Bowen) and Haley (Sarah Hyland) shop for all the gifts.

Suburgatory: “Krampus” — Dec. 5 at 9:30pm on ABC. When George (Jeremy Sisto) sends Tessa (Jane Levy) to NY for a Christmas excursion with her mom, he assumes that he’s given her the best present ever. Tessa soon learns to be careful what you wish for, and she finds herself missing George and Chatswin. Meanwhile, Ryan (guest star Parker Young) finds out that he was adopted — throwing the Shay family in turmoil — and Carly asks for Carmen (guest star Bunnie Rivera) for Christmas.

Duck Dynasty: “I’m Dreaming of a Redneck Christmas” — Dec. 5 at 10pm on A&E. It’s the holiday season, and as usual, the Robertsons are doing things a little differently. The family gears up for Ms. Kay’s big Christmas party where her ultimate cooking creation takes center stage; the “Pirducken” (pig that’s been stuffed in a turkey, then stuffed in a duck and then stuffed in a chicken). In preparation for the festivities, Jase and the rest of the boys inject some redneck flair into the house’s Christmas light decorations, while Ms. Kay and Phil head out on their land to cut down this year’s tree. Meanwhile, Willie volunteers to play Santa at a children’s church event and Si tags along as an uninvited elf.

American Horror Story: “Unholy Night” — Dec. 5 at 10pm on FX. A murderous Santa wreaks havoc on Briarcliff; Sister Jude faces off with the devil; Arden has a shocking encounter in the Death Chute.

MAD: “Fantastic Four Christmases/Red and White Collar” — Dec. 6 at 8pm on Cartoon Network. In the MAD Christmas special, the kids of the Fantastic Four have to go to all four relatives’ houses in one day, and deal with yuletide super-villains. Then, Santa is let out of jail and teams up with the FBI. Plus, Christmas commercials, Spy vs. Spy and more.

SpongeBob SquarePants: “It’s a SpongeBob Christmas!” — Dec. 6 at 8pm on Nickelodeon. After making its premiere on CBS a few weeks ago, this stop-motion animated special now makes it Nick debut tonight.

The Office: “Dwight Christmas” — Dec. 6 at 9pm on NBC. When the party planning committee drops the ball on the annual Christmas party, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) gets everyone to celebrate with a traditional Schrute German Christmas. Darryl (Craig Robinson) fears Jim (John Krasinski) has forgotten his promise to take him along to the new job in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Pete (Jake Lacy) teaches Erin (Ellie Kemper) about his favorite movie, Die Hard.

Four Weddings Holiday Showdown — Dec. 6 at 9pm & 11pm on TLC. In this special episode of Four Weddings, four brides with four different winter holiday-themed weddings have agreed to attend, and score, each other’s big days.

NTSF:SD:SUV:: “Christmas Activity” — Dec. 6 at 12:15am (early morning Dec. 7) on Adult Swim. While celebrating Christmas together at Kove’s house, the team is attacked by the evil Alaskan Santa Claus.

Austin & Ally/Jessie: “Austin & JESSIE & Ally All Star New Year” — Dec. 7 at 8pm on Disney Channel. Austin, Ally, Trish and Dez travel to Times Square where Austin is booked to perform on New Year’s Eve. When they can’t get through New York City’s crowded streets, Jessie comes up with a plan to get them to the stage and to ultimately have Austin record one of her songs. Three songs are performed in the hour-long episode: “Face to Face,” a duet by Austin (Ross Lynch) and Jessie (Debby Ryan), and “Christmas Soul” and “Can You Feel It” by Austin.

Phineas and Ferb: “For Your Ice Only/Happy New Year!” — Dec. 7 at 9pm on Disney Channel. NHL superstar Luc Robitaille offers his assistance when Phineas and Ferb take an ice hockey game to the extreme. Then, in a special holiday episode, “Happy New Year!,” Phineas and Ferb plan their own New Year’s Eve ball drop, complete with a customized multi-dimensional ball, while Candace makes it her resolution to refrain from busting her brothers before the clock hits midnight.

How to Rock: “How to Rock Christmas” — Dec. 8 at 9pm on Nickelodeon. It’s the night before Christmas, and all through the mall, not a creature is stirring, except Gravity 5 — who are locked in. Making matters worse for Kacey, Molly is locked in, too.

Winx Clubs: “A Magix Christmas” — Dec. 9 at 1pm on Nickelodeon. When the Trix send terrifying Ice Dragons after Bloom, she is stuck at Alfea for Christmas. It’s up to the Winx to defeat the Tric and bring their own holiday “cheer” to Bloom and get Bloom home in time for Christmas.

See Dad Run: “See Dad Run Christmas Into the Ground” — Dec. 9 at 8pm on Nickelodeon. When Amy has to work on Christmas Eve, David promises to take ever of everything, but the stress of making the holiday perfect for the kids gets to him, and he temporarily loses track of what Christmas is really about.

TV Land’s Merrython — Dec. 9 at 8pm-Dec. 10 at 6am; Dec. 24 at 9pm-Dec. 25 at 6am; and Dec. 25 at 8am-Dec. 26 at 12am on TV Land. Classic holiday episodes of M*A*S*H, Everybody Loves Raymond, The King of Queens, That ’70s Show, Roseanne, The Cosby Show, The Nanny, Home Improvement and more.

90210: “The Things We Do For Love” — Dec. 10 at 8pm on The CW. The friends prepare for a Christmas party at The Offshore. Musical guests Tegan & Sara perform.

Hart of Dixie: “Blue Christmas” — Dec. 11 at 8pm on The CW. Zoe (Rachel Bilson) finds herself anxious that her ever-critical mother will be visiting BlueBell soon for the holidays. In order to avoid spending quality time with her mother, she busies herself with a patient, but potentially ruins Christmas Eve for the whole town.

Raising Hope: “Last Christmas” — Dec. 11 at 8pm on FOX. Virginia (Martha Plimpton) is convinced that the world is going to end on Dec. 21, 2012, so she uses her extreme couponing skills to stock up on supplies and forces the family to train for the apocalypse. Meanwhile, Jimmy (Lucas Neff) is determined to give Hope the best Christmas he can, since it likely will be the first one she remembers, and Maw Maw (Cloris Leachman) tries to knock a few more items off her bucket list before the world ends. This episode will encore Dec. 24.

New Girl: “Santa” — Dec. 11 at 9pm on FOX. When the gang attempts to juggle multiple holiday parties in one night, Jess (Zooey Deschanel) tries to avoid a remorseful Sam (guest star David Walton), Nick (Jake Johnson) tries to keep up with a sexually adventurous Angie (guest star Olivia Munn), and Winston (Lamorne Morris) panics when he gets a cranberry stuck in his ear. This episode will encore Dec. 25.

The Mindy Project: “J&M’s Christmas Party” — Dec. 11 at 9:30pm on FOX. Mindy (Mindy Kaling) throws an office Christmas party at her apartment, and she’s eager for her colleagues to finally meet her boyfriend, Josh (guest star Tommy Dewey). Meanwhile, Jeremy (Ed Weeks) deals with doling out the holiday bonuses, much to everyone’s chagrin. This episode will encore Dec. 27.

Parenthood: “What to My Wondering Eyes” — Dec. 11 at 10pm on NBC. The holiday incites a mix of emotions as Adam (Peter Krause) and Kristina (Monica Potter) experience a health scare while Crosby (Dax Shepard) and Jasmine (Joy Bryant) celebrate their first Christmas together as a family. Sarah (Lauren Graham) is torn between her feelings for Mark (Jason Ritter) and her evolving relationship with Hank (Ray Romano). Amber (Mae Whitman) and Ryan (Matt Lauria) face challenges in their relationship. Meanwhile, Zeek (Craig T. Nelson) helps to restore belief in a childhood hero.

The Adventures of Chuck and Friends: “Up All Night; Boomer the Snowplow” — Dec. 12 at 6:30am; Dec. 24 at 6:30am on The Hub. Chuck and friends try to stay up late to welcome in the New Year. Then, it’s Christmastime at the truck stop, and Boomer admits that he wants to be a snowplow when he grows up.

Super Why!: “Twas the Night Before Christmas” — Dec. 12 at 9am & 2pm; Dec. 21 at 9am & 2pm; Dec. 23 at 8am; Dec. 24 at 9am & 2pm on PBS (check local listings).

Arrow: “Year’s End” — Dec. 12 at 8pm on The CW. Oliver (Stephen Amell) discovers that after he and his father went missing, Moira (Susanna Thompson) and Thea (Willa Holland) stopped celebrating Christmas. Determined to make up for lost time and restore a sense of normalcy to the Queen household, Oliver decides to throw the family a Christmas party. Meanwhile, Tommy (Colin Donnell) asks Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to spend Christmas with him but she points out that Christmas was also her sister’s Sara’s birthday and she needs to be with her father. Tommy suggests changing things up might be the best way for everyone to heal but Laurel isn’t sure her father is ready for that.

R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: The Series: “A Creature Was Stirring” — Dec. 13 at 6pm; Dec. 22 at 6pm; Dec. 25 at 6pm on The Hub. It didn’t matter if Timmy was naughty or nice. This year he got one present he couldn’t return.

The Big Bang Theory: “The Santa Simulation” — Dec. 13 at 8pm on CBS. Sheldon revisits some Christmas memories during a game of Dungeons and Dragons, while Penny, Bernadette and Amy try to find a girl for Koothrappali when he joins the girls for ladies’ night.

The Vampire Diaries: “O Come, All Ye Faithful” — Dec. 13 at 8pm on The CW. As a Winter Wonderland-themed party fills the streets of Mystic Falls, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice Accola) find themselves at odds with Tyler (Michael Trevino) over his plans for Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and his hybrids. Meanwhile, Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Damon retreat to the Gilbert Lake House to help Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) conquer some dangerous inner demons with the help of Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Professor Shane (guest star David Alpay), who reveals a piece of ancient history that leaves them all speechless.

Up All Night: “First Snow” — Dec. 13 at 8pm on NBC. Regan (Christina Applegate) and Chris’ (Will Arnett) attempt to take Amy to see snow for the first time turns into an unexpected misadventure. Meanwhile, Ava (Maya Rudolph) gets some help from Scott (Luka Jones) when she has trouble planning for Christmas gifts on a budget.

Two and a Half Men: “Give Santa a Tail-Hole” — Dec. 13 at 8:30pm on CBS. Walden (Ashton Kutcher) juggles having two identities — rich man and poor man — and Alan (Jon Cryer) finds himself alone at Christmas.

Glee: “Glee, Actually” — Dec. 13 at 9pm on FOX. In a tribute to the film Love, Actually, seemingly separate storylines come together as one holiday-themed episode, in which Sam (Chord Overstreet) and Brittany (Heather Morris) live their lives to the fullest before the much-heralded Mayan Apocalypse occurs. Meanwhile, Jake (Jacob Artist) and Puck (Mark Salling) spend quality sibling time together for Hanukah, Artie (Kevin McHale) has a holiday dream that changes his outlook on life and Kurt (Chris Colfer) has a Christmas he’ll never forget.

The Adventures of Chuck and Friends: “The Regifters” — Dec. 14 at 6:30am; Dec. 25 at 6:30am on The Hub. Robotruck is the hottest new toy this Christmas, and Chuck got the last one in the stores. When he discovers that Boomer also wanted the toy, Chuck decides to “re-give” it, and discovers the value of giving meaningful gifts.

Caillou: “Caillou’s Christmas” — Dec. 14 at 1pm; Dec. 25 at 1pm on PBS (check local listings).

Last Man Standing: “Putting a Hit on Christmas” — Dec. 14 at 8pm on ABC. Vanessa, worn out from the recent Thanksgiving holiday, longs for the quiet, no-fuss Christmases when it was just her and Mike. Since he doesn’t have a clue about what to get Vanessa for Christmas, he decides a family-free holiday is the perfect gift, and now must figure out a way to get Boyd and the girls away for the holidays.

Malibu Country: “Merry Malibu Christmas” — Dec. 14 at 8:30pm on ABC. Reba is shocked when Kim is chosen over her to sing a solo during the church’s Christmas service, and June confides in Cash that she is beginning to question her faith in God.

America’s Funniest Home Videos Christmas Spectacular (encore) — Dec. 16 at 7pm on ABC. This 2011 episode celebrates from the Disneyland Resort in California with host Tom Bergeron, highlighting the best classic Christmas videos in “AFHV” history. The episode includes: videos featuring the hazards of decorating, as lights, mantles, trees and people all go down; videos of kids reacting to lousy gifts, or causing mayhem during recitals, or the hilarious things they say while sitting on Santa’s lap; and videos of cats and dogs getting in on the Christmas mischief as they investigate gifts and decorations.

The Cleveland Show: “Die Semi-Hard” (encore) — Dec. 16 at 7pm on FOX. A repeat of last year’s Christmas episode in which Cleveland tells his family his own version of one of his favorite holiday stories, Die Hard.

The Cleveland Show: “‘Tis the Cleveland to Be Sorry” — Dec. 16 at 7:30pm on FOX. Cleveland discovers that the food served at the local homeless shelter is much better than it is at home, so he pretends to be homeless to benefit from the meals. But when the community catches on to this scheme, they confront him, and he must apologize to everyone. Meanwhile, chauvinistic storeowner Harris Grundle (guest voice Nick Offerman) hires Roberta as a Christmas elf, but requires all of Santa’s female helpers to don sexy costumes.

Wipeout: “Deck the Balls!” (encore) — Dec. 16 at 8pm on ABC. On this 2011 special episode of Winter Wipeout, contestants show their holiday spirit as they battle the Nutcracker Sweet, Santa’s Workshop and The Jingle Balls.

Bob’s Burgers: “God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins” — Dec. 16 at 8:30pm on FOX. Bob inherits a storage unit, and the whole family imagines treasures, but only finds a man named Chet (guest voice Zach Galifianakis) living inside. Imbued with the holiday spirit, Linda persuades Bob to invite Chet to stay at the restaurant, where it’s discovered that the stranger, who claims he was once a mannequin, has a gift for intricate and living window displays.

Call of the Wildman: Holiday Special — Dec. 16 at 9pm on Animal Planet. Before Ernie, Neal and the rest of “Team Turtle” can enjoy their annual holiday feast, they want to ensure that other families can do the same. When a call comes in from a local turkey farm about a critter terrorizing its prized birds, it’s up to Turtleman to investigate and capture the Grinch that may ruin the holidays. Then, when a local Kentucky family discovers bite marks in their holiday light display, they fear their goodwill gesture may go up in flames. Turtleman springs into action in hopes of catching the critters that are chowing down on the lights and chewing away holiday spirit.

Family Guy: “Jesus, Mary & Joseph” — Dec. 16 at 9pm on FOX. Peter (voice of Seth MacFarlane) tells his own version of the Nativity story.

Royal Pains: “Off-Season Greetings” — Dec. 16 at 9pm & 11pm on USA Network. Not a special episode, per se, but an original movie based on the hit USA series Royal Pains to tide fans over until new episodes begin again. It’s the holidays in the Hamptons. Preparations are afoot for Evan and Paige’s “royal” wedding, but an impending blizzard may derail their fairytale plans. Before the wedding, both the bachelor and bachelorette parties unexpectedly descend on Las Vegas where someone takes a big gamble on the future. Following the explosion at Shadow Pond, Hank must confront his own worsening medical condition while treating the girlfriend of a HankMed regular. Still reeling from her break-up with Rafa, Divya makes an unexpected decision. The brothers’ cousin Owen arrives with a secret about Evan’s past that throws the groom-to-be into a tail spin. And a face from Hank’s past triggers memories for both Hank and Evan about their life before the Hamptons.

American Dad: “Minstrel Krampus” — Dec. 16 at 9:30pm on FOX. It’s holiday time in Langley Falls, and Steve starts acting like a spoiled brat, so Stan takes him to see his incarcerated Grandpa Jack, who tells the story of how, as a boy, he captured the legendary Minstrel Krampus (guest voice Danny Glover), a Christmas demon who used to punish naughty children on Christmas.

Robot Chicken Holiday Special — Dec. 16 at 12am (early morning Dec. 17) on Adult Swim. The Robot Chicken has Santa nearly missing Christmas; Kano from Mortal Kombat shares the holidays with Mrs. Cage; Justin Bieber’s new song is bound to be a Christmas hit; the writers give G.I. Joe a very special Christmas.

WordWorld: “The Christmas Star/A Christmas Present for Dog” — Dec. 17 at 12pm; Dec. 21 at 12pm; Dec. 25 at 12pm on PBS (check local listings).

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: “Harris Family” — Dec. 17 at 8pm & 9pm on ABC. Host Ty Pennington and the team of designers visit the Harris family of Smithville, TX for a Christmas-themed wounded veteran episode.

How I Met Your Mother: “The Final Page, Part One and Two” — Dec. 17 at 8pm on CBS. In this special hourlong episode, with Christmas fast approaching, Barney tells Ted that he plans on proposing to Patrice, which leads Ted to debate whether or not to tell Robin. Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily run into an acquaintance from college (guest star Seth Green).

2 Broke Girls — Dec. 17 at 9pm on CBS. Desperate for a way to pay their overdue rent, Max and Caroline get involved with a group of sketchy customers willing to pay top dollar for their cupcakes.

Mike & Molly: “Karaoke Christmas” — Dec. 17 at 9:30pm on CBS. Even while portraying Santa, Mike cannot contain his frustrations over Molly’s Christmas spending and warns unsuspecting children about the dangers of maxing out credit cards to buy toys. Later, while Molly’s family enjoys holiday festivities at home – complete with Christmas carols on Victoria’s new karaoke machine – Mike and Molly get roped into spending Christmas Eve at church with Mike’s mother and boss (guest star Gerald McRaney).

NCIS: “You Better Watch Out” — Dec. 18 at 8pm on CBS. It’s Christmas time and Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly) can’t decide if he’ll be naughty or nice when his dad, Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. (guest star Robert Wagner), comes to town for a visit. Meanwhile, the NCIS team is “following the money” in order to solve a murder investigation, and Abby is bursting with excitement over all the holiday festivities.

Holliston: “Holliston Christmas Special” — Dec. 18 at 8pm on FEARnet. A Season 1 Holliston marathon starting at 3:30pm leads into this one-hour Christmas special in which a blizzard strikes the town of Holliston, trapping  Adam, Joe, Corri and Laura inside with no power. To make matters worse, a crazed serial killer has just escaped and is said to be lurking somewhere in the area. Fearing for their lives and having nothing but flashbacks to entertain them, the gang reminisces about the moments in their past that brought them all together.

Happy Endings: “No-Ho-Ho” — Dec. 18 at 9pm on ABC. The gang is shocked to discover that Jane is really a Christmas baby and has been lying about her birthday this whole time because she hated being overshadowed by the holiday. So the group makes an extra special effort to throw her a Christmas-free birthday celebration — but will the holiday spirit prove to be too strong to fight?

NCIS: Los Angeles: “Free Ride” — Dec. 18 at 9pm on CBS. Callen, Sam, Kensi and Deeks spend Christmas aboard an aircraft carrier investigating the death of a fellow NCIS special agent. Meanwhile, Nell and Eric make the most of the holidays back at headquarters, and Hetty takes a trip.

The Facts of Life Christmas episodes — Dec. 19 from 8-10pm on The Hub. Four holiday-themed episodes from The Facts of Life: “The Christmas Show”; “Christmas in the Big House”; “Christmas Baby”; and “It’s a Wonderful Christmas.”

Nature: “Christmas in Yellowstone” (encore) — Dec. 19 at 8pm; Dec. 20 at 1am; Dec. 23 at 12am & 5pm on PBS (check local listings). As snow falls and Christmas lights glow in Jackson Hole, a holiday season of a different sort settles in just beyond the town, in the great winter world of Yellowstone.

Chicago Fire: “Merry Christmas, Etc.” — Dec. 19 at 10pm on NBC. After putting out a kitchen fire in an upscale townhouse, Casey (Jesse Spencer), Herrmann (David Eigenberg), Mouch (Christian Stolte), Cruz (Joe Minoso), Otis (Yuri Sardarov) and Mills (Charlie Barnett) find themselves accused of stealing a $50,000 diamond necklace from the home, touching off an internal investigation. Cruz’s brother Leon (guest star Jeff Lima) is caught in the middle of an escalating gang war, leaving Cruz to make a desperate choice to save him. Meanwhile, Dawson (Monica Raymund) invites Casey to her cousin’s fancy Christmas party, and a frustrated Shay (Lauren German) has reached her limit with Severide (Taylor Kinney).

Beverly Hills, 90210 Holiday Episodes — Dec. 20 from 7am-11am on ABC Family. Three Christmas episodes from the original Beverly Hills, 90210 series: “Christmas Comes This Time Each Year”; “It’s a Totally Happening Life”; and “Walsh Family Christmas” (two-hour episode).

ALF: “Oh, Tannerbaum” — Dec. 20 at 8pm; Dec. 21 at 2am on The Hub. It’s ALF’s first Christmas. As the Tanner family gets ready to decorate the house, ALF accidentally dampens the holiday spirit by chopping the Christmas tree into firewood.

Transformers Animated: “Human Error” — Dec. 21 at 6pm & 6:30pm; Dec. 25 at 5pm & 5:30pm on The Hub. In this two-part episode, Optimus Prime is uneasy when Porter C. Powell starts selling Soundwave action figures for Christmas. The holiday takes an even stranger turn when the Autobots wake up in altered states, just as Detroit City is being invaded by Decepticons.

My Ghost Story: “Holiday Hauntings” (encore) — Dec. 21 at 8pm, Dec. 22 at 12am & 6pm on BIO Channel. The historic Palmyra is haunted by a mother and her six children who died there in a fire two days before Christmas over 100 years ago; a Texas hotel is home to the famous ghostly “man on the stairs”; ghost children appear as orbs in Christmas pictures taken at a Pennsylvania home; a dog follows his dead mistress’s spirit around a California house; and a couple’s best friend comes back to visit them at Christmas after dying of breast cancer.

My Ghost Story: Caught on Camera: “Love Never Dies” — Dec. 21 at 9pm; Dec. 22 at 1am; Dec. 28 at 8pm on BIO Channel. Tracy Wilson of Maryland and her family have a joyous Christmas when they find evidence that the spirit of Tracy’s beloved grandmother, Bernice, still inhabits her long-time home.

The Twisted Whiskers Show: “Mister Mewster’s Holiday Spectacular; Road Rage Racers” — Dec. 22 at 6am on The Hub. What starts out as holiday cheer at Mewser’s house turns into chaos when cats and dogs go wild, and Von Ripper chews up Santa. Then, the race is on when a new mall opens, offering a prize of free pet food to the first pets who show up at the grand opening.

Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot: “Holiday Hics” — Dec. 22 at 8am on The Hub. It’s Great Giving Day Eve. But when Tenderheart gets a bad case of the hiccups, the Care Bears must cure him before the holiday is ruined.

Care Bears: Welcome to Care-a-Lot: “Holi-Stage” — Dec. 22 at 8:30am on The Hub. It’s Great Giving Day, but when Ethan comes to help the Care Bears with their Great Giving Day pageant, he takes over the pageant, jeopardizing Great Giving Bear’s once-a-year appearance.

My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: “Hearth’s Warming Eve” — Dec. 22 at 10am; Dec. 24 at 11:30am on The Hub. The six friends are honored to put on Canterlot’s most important play of the season, the Hearth’s Warming Eve’s holiday pageant that illustrates how Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies put aside their differences and founded Equestria.

Dan Vs.: “The Mall Santa” — Dec. 22 at 4pm on The Hub. Dan and Chris land jobs at the mall’s Christmas display and Dan finds himself at war with the Mall Santa. Mark Hamill provides a guest voice.

Transformers Rescue Bots: “Christmas in July” — Dec. 23 at 12pm; Dec. 24 at 9:30am on The Hub. Snow from a weather machine seems like the perfect antidote to a scorching Griffin Rock summer, but when the machine goes awry, Cody, his family and the Rescue Bots have to battle a colossal snow storm in July.

Family Game Night — Dec. 23 at 5pm; Dec. 25 at 12pm on The Hub. Holiday-themed episode.

Family Game Night — Dec. 23 at 6pm; Dec. 25 at 1pm on The Hub. Another holiday-themed episode.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman holiday episodes — Dec. 23 from 8-10pm on The Hub. Three holiday episodes of Lois & Clark: “Season’s Greetings”; “Home Is Where the Hurt Is”; “Twas the Night Before Mxymas”.

American Dad: “Season’s Beatings” (encore) — Dec. 23 at 9:30pm on FOX. In an encore broadcast of last season’s holiday-themed episode, Father Donovan (guest voice Martin Mull) holds a Christmas play at the mall and casts Stan as Santa Claus and Roger as Jesus.

Full House: “A Very Tanner Christmas (encore) — Dec. 24 at 9am on ABC Family. The Tanners need a dose of Christmas spirit after Rebecca (Lori Loughlin) is nostalgic for a Midwestern Christmas, Danny (Bob Saget) longs for his absentee girlfriend, and D.J. (Candace Cameron) is blue after a fight with her boyfriend.

Animaniacs holiday episodes — Dec. 24 4pm, 4:30pm; 5:30pm; 6:30pm; and 7:30pm on The Hub. Various holiday episodes of Animaniacs.

2 Broke Girls: “And the Very Christmas Thanksgiving” (encore) — Dec. 24 at 9pm on CBS. Caroline and Max (Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings) spend Caroline’s first broke holiday season working at a department store’s SantaWorld to earn extra money.

Mike & Molly: “Christmas Break” (encore) — Dec. 24 at 9:30pm on CBS. When Molly (Melissa McCarthy) gets disappointing news at work, she is thrown into a funk that threatens to ruin Christmas.

Sabrina, The Teenage Witch holiday marathon — Dec. 25 from 7-10am on The Hub. Holiday episodes include “A Girl & Her Cat”; “Sabrina Claus”; “Christmas Amnesia”; “Sabrina, Nipping at Your Nose”; “Sabrina’s Perfect Christmas”; and “It’s a Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Christmas”.

Atomic Betty: “The No-L 9” — Dec. 25 at 10am on The Hub. Atomic Betty has to stop Maximus from turning singing planets from a forgotten constellation into ornaments for his Christmas tree.

Batman: The Animated Series: “Christmas With the Joker” — Dec. 25 at 7pm; Dec. 26 at 1am on The Hub. The Joker kidnaps three prominent citizens during Christmas and challenges Batman to find him before midnight.

Batman: The Animated Series: “Holiday Knights” — Dec. 25 at 7:30pm; Dec. 26 at 1:30am on The Hub. During the Christmas season, Harley and Poison Ivy lure Bruce into a hypnotic shopping spree while Joker threatens Gotham with a sonic bomb.

NCIS: “Newborn King” (encore) — Dec. 25 at 8pm on CBS. On Christmas Eve, the NCIS team must track down and protect a very pregnant Marine and her unborn baby from unknown assailants.

New Girl: “The 23rd” (encore) — Dec. 25 at 8pm on FOX. In an encore broadcast from the show’s first season, the gang attends Schmidt’s (Max Greenfield) holiday office party and Jess (Zooey Deschanel) frets when she receives an expensive gift from Paul (guest star Justin Long).

The Incredible Dr. Pol: “Jingle Pols” — Dec. 25 at 8pm & 11pm on Nat Geo Wild. Christmastime is finally here, and Nat Geo WILD joins the Pols in central Michigan as they get into the holiday spirit. As the whole family pitches in to get the house ready for the holidays, Dr. Pol and Charles take the time to reflect back on some of the most exciting experiences in the clinic and out on farm calls over the past year. They also take a look ahead to moments in upcoming episodes of The Incredible Dr. Pol.

Doctor Who Christmas Special: “The Snowmen” — Dec. 25 at 9pm on BBC America. The Doctor (Matt Smith) gets in the holiday spirit in this new Christmas special written by lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat. Accompanied by his newest companion, played by Jenna-Louise Coleman, the Doctor’s latest adventure through space and time sees him on a mission to save Christmas from the villainous Doctor Simeon (Richard E Grant) and his army of icy snowmen. U.S. Premiere.

The Young and the Restless — Dec. 26 at 12:30pm ET, 11am PT on CBS. Romance is in the air for the holidays as friends and family gather throughout Genoa City to celebrate the season. Victor and Nikki exchange heartfelt gifts; Adam must make a heartwrenching decision regarding his marriage; and Avery confesses details of her past to Nick. Meanwhile, Jack’s loved ones take drastic measures to help him, someone uncovers Noah’s dangerous secret, and Billy and Victoria spend a joyous holiday with her son, Reed. Later that week, Tyler’s charming behavior towards Lily unnerves Cane.

The Bold and the Beautiful — Dec. 26 at 1:30pm ET, 12:30pm PT on CBS. Friends and family of the late Stephanie Forrester attempt to move through their grief and keep her traditions of Christmas alive. When they gather at the Forrester Mansion, they are met with a great surprise that turns their Christmas upside-down and takes them to a faraway place, filled with Christmas cheer, memories of Stephanie and the power of joy, hope, love and, most importantly, family.

Call the Midwife Holiday Special — Dec. 30 at 7:30pm on PBS (check local listings). Paving the way for the second season of the critically acclaimed Call the Midwife series, which will debut in the U.S. March 31 on PBS, this 90-minute standalone special episode finds the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House busier than ever as the holidays are approaching. When a young girl gives birth in secret and leaves the baby on the steps of Nonnatus House, the nurses pull together with the community to care for the newborn and find his mother. Meanwhile, nurse Jenny Lee looks after Mrs. Jenkins, an elderly vagrant who has lost everything. And newly married Chummy spreads holiday cheer, bringing the children of Poplar together for a nativity play to remember.

Downton Abbey, Season 2: “Episode Seven” (encore) — Dec. 30 at 9pm on PBS (check local listings). In the Season 7 finale, the family gathers at Downton Abbey for Christmas.

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Raising Hope: © 2012 Fox Broadcasting Co. Credit Greg Gayne/FOX

The New Normal: Trae Patton/NBC

Dog With a Blog: Disney Channel/Ron Tom

Robot Chicken: Courtesy of Adult Swim

New Girl: © 2012 Fox Broadcasting Co. Credit Greg Gayne/FOX

American Dad: ™ and © 2012 TCFFC All Rights Reserved. Credit: FOX

Happy Endings: Jordin Althaus/ABC