Your 2025 Holiday TV & Streaming Watch Guide: Specials, Family Movies & Streaming Picks

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and one of the busiest for your watchlist. From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to Kevin Costner’s new First Christmas special, the 2025 holiday season is stacked with parades, concerts, reunions, and beloved classics across NBC, ABC, CBS, and major streaming platforms.

Whether you’re home with family, deployed overseas, or celebrating virtually, here’s your comprehensive guide to when and where to watch this year’s biggest holiday events — and a few tips for staying connected across time zones.

NBC: Parades, Tree Lightings & Musical Specials

NBC kicks off the holiday season with a mix of live entertainment, nostalgic animation, and star-studded performances.

Must-Watch Highlights:

• Nov 26 – Countdown to the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (8 p.m.) — A behind-the-scenes look at how floats, bands, and balloons come to life.
• Nov 27 – 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade® (8:30 a.m.–12 p.m.) — The ultimate holiday tradition returns, followed by the National Dog Show Presented by Purina (12–2 p.m.).
• Dec 3 – Christmas in Rockefeller Center (8 p.m.) — Reba McEntire hosts the annual tree-lighting ceremony with musical guests.
• Dec 3 – Christmas in Nashville (10 p.m.) — A brand-new hour of country performances straight from Music City.
• Dec 4 – Animated Classics Night — How the Grinch Stole Christmas (8 p.m.), Frosty the Snowman (8:30 p.m.), and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Dec 5, 8 p.m.).

• Dec 17 – Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Spectacular (9 p.m.) — Fallon teams up with Dolly Parton, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, and more for a surreal musical comedy special.
• Dec 24 – It’s a Wonderful Life (8 p.m.) — Jimmy Stewart’s timeless 1946 film is an enduring story of faith, sacrifice, and community.
• Dec 25 – Ron Howard’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (8:30 p.m.) — Jim Carrey brings the mean green one to life in this live-action favorite.

Where to Watch: NBC and Peacock (live + next-day streaming).

CBS: Sitcom Nostalgia & Family Favorites

CBS goes all-in on reunions and feel-good storytelling this season.

Highlights:

• Nov 20 – Ghosts Thanksgiving Episode (8:30 p.m.) — Travel chaos tests the living and the dead.
• Nov 24 – Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion (8 p.m.) — Ray Romano and the cast reunite to celebrate three decades of family dysfunction and laughter.
• Nov 26 – The Price Is Right Thanksgiving Spectacular (11 a.m.) — Drew Carey deals out luxury prizes and dream vacations.
• Nov 26 – The Bold and the Beautiful Thanksgiving Episode (1:30 p.m.) — Expect family drama — and an unexpected dinner guest.
• Nov 28 – PAW Patrol Christmas (8 p.m.) — Perfect for young kids; new songs and a heartwarming rescue story.
• Dec 6 – Reindeer in Here (8 p.m.) — An uplifting animated special about embracing differences.
• Dec 31 – New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash (8 p.m.) — Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, and Bailey Zimmerman headline CBS’s five-hour country music countdown.

ABC: Disney Magic, Music Specials & Kevin Costner’s First Christmas

ABC’s 2025 holiday lineup has something for every mood — musical, nostalgic, or faith-based.

Top Picks:

• Nov 30 – Prep & Landing Trilogy (8 p.m. on) — All three Disney elf adventures back-to-back, followed by Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (9:30 p.m.) and Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (10 p.m.).
• Dec 1 – The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular (8 p.m.) — Musical performances from Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Aulani Resort.
• Dec 2 – Dancing With the Holidays (8 p.m.) + CMA Country Christmas (9 p.m.) — Back-to-back nights of sparkle and song.
• Dec 9 – Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas (8 p.m.) — A faith-centered retelling of the Nativity — one of this year’s most talked-about premieres.
• Dec 17 – iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025 (8 p.m.) — A-list music from pop’s biggest acts.
• Dec 21 – The Sound of Music (7 p.m.) — The 60th-anniversary broadcast of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic.
• Dec 24 – Home Alone (8 p.m.) — Still the highest-rated holiday movie on broadcast TV.
• Dec 25 – Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade (10 a.m.) + NBA Christmas Games (Noon on) — Holiday joy meets hoops — five NBA games televised nationally.
• Dec 31 – Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest (8 p.m.) — Still the most-watched New Year’s countdown worldwide.

Where to Watch: ABC, with select titles on Hulu and Disney+.

Streaming Favorites & Cable Classics

Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas” (Dec 1–25) – Daily marathons of Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Elf, The Polar Express, and more — perfect for family co-viewing across time zones.

Lifetime’s “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” (Nov 29 → Dec 24) – Twelve new holiday romance movies debut throughout the season — cozy viewing for spouses and families back home.

Apple TV+ / PBS: – Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Charlie Brown Christmas return with limited free-to-stream windows.

Disney+ – All ABC holiday specials (and legacy Disney films) will be available for ad-free streaming shortly after airing.

Holiday Viewing Tips for Military Families

1. Plan around time zones. 8 p.m. ET can mean 3 a.m. in Europe — use DVR or Peacock/Hulu replays.
2. Use download mode. Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock allow offline playback for low-bandwidth deployments.
3. Sync family watch times. Agree on one special per week to “watch together apart.”
4. Check AFN listings. The Armed Forces Network carries select NBC, CBS, and ABC specials overseas.
5. Bring tradition with you. Queue up the same film annually (It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Home Alone) — familiarity helps morale.

Why It Matters

Holiday programming isn’t just entertainment — it’s connection.
 For many service members away from loved ones, sharing a movie night over FaceTime or watching the same parade replay can feel like coming home, if only for a few hours.

This year’s holiday schedule blends nostalgia, new stories, and global access — ensuring that no matter where you’re stationed, there’s always a bit of seasonal spirit on screen.

So grab some cocoa, sync your calendars, and settle in. From Rockefeller Center to The First Christmas, the holidays are officially rolling.

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