Where did the Christmas specials go? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

mets82 · 08-21-2011, 08:39 PM

I know this isnt the time of year for this but I was wondering something. Im watching Home Alone now on Encore and I started to think "Where did all the Christmas specials go"? What I mean is that you can watch Home Alone anytime of the year, yet certain movies only play right around Christmas time.

When I was growing up, Thanksgiving Day/Night, Black Friday, that whole weekend was a setup for Christmas. I mean you would see movies, tv shows etc. all over the place setting up the holiday. Now, they actually have first run programming on Thanksgiving. Also, something that really bothers me too is that you have to wait to see Christmas movies. A Christmas Story. You have to wait until Christmas Eve to see it. Its a Wonderful Life. Christmas Eve as well although you may be able to see it once before. White Christmas. You have to wait at least two weeks before Christmas. The Bells of St. Mary. Not even on.

Now, I know that your thinking "The networks have exclusive rights to such and such a movie". I understand that but you would think to get into the holiday spirit, they would show these movies around Thanksgiving and continue until the holiday ends.
Is it just me or am I reading too much into this?

Mr. Television · 08-21-2011, 09:46 PM

When I was a kid there were so many Christmas Specials. We had Bob Hope, Bing Crosby Perry Como....we had all the animated Christmas Specials. I looked forward to them every year. Then of course we had some great Christmas movies. I don't know what happened. I don't understand showing original shows on Thanksgiving. I won't watch them then. Another one is Easter. For years ABC showed The Ten Commandments on Easter and now they air it on Saturdays to make room for original episodes on Easter. I do not watch original shows on Holidays.

mets82 · 08-21-2011, 10:01 PM

Thats what Im saying. I think all the major networks would show some special or some christmas thing on Thanksgiving, and now nothing.

Regulus · 08-22-2011, 04:45 AM

Fortunately, most of those Christmas themed Specials and Movies are available for purchase on DVD, including many of the animated Specials such as Rudulph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Often, when a Network is showing a Holiday-Themed Movie, I like Playing my copy. timing it so mine starts at the same time their's does. When my copy ends, the Networks version will still have 60-90 minutes more to go. This is due (of course) to the massive number of

COMMERCIALS

that they've stuffed into their presentation!

mets82 · 08-22-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus

Fortunately, most of those Christmas themed Specials and Movies are available for purchase on DVD, including many of the animated Specials such as Rudulph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Often, when a Network is showing a Holiday-Themed Movie, I like Playing my copy. timing it so mine starts at the same time their's does. When my copy ends, the Networks version will still have 60-90 minutes more to go. This is due (of course) to the massive number of

COMMERCIALS

that they've stuffed into their presentation!

What sucks to Regulus is that NETWORKS have exclusive rights to certain movies. TBS has the rights to A Christmas Story. NBC has the rights to Its a Wonderful Life. Your better off playing your copy because not only no commericals but you can play it when YOU want to and not have to wait until the networks are good and ready to show the movies.

UMFaninMD · 08-22-2011, 08:56 PM

I know it's Christmas when Spike or USA airs all the Star Wars movies.

Either they air original shows or they air non-holiday marathons, apart from the 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" on TBS (and really, that's just lazy programming).

I was never one that was keen for Christmas specials, especially the movies, but I did watch them when I was young because it got me into the holiday mood. However, I do like it when PBS airs holiday shows because it's traditional Christmas music concerts done by choirs and people that can actually carry a tune, not Christmas With the Kardashians (and it probably won't be long before we see that somewhere).

Marvo301 · 08-22-2011, 09:24 PM

This is why I own most of my favorite holiday movies and specials on DVD! I get to program my own holiday viewing!

MrCleveland · 08-23-2011, 05:24 PM

Yeah...I remember watching Christmas Specials on TV in 1990, they aired "Looney Tunes Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas".

There was also a special from The New Kids On The Block!

mets82 · 10-19-2011, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuck In The '70's

When I was a kid there were so many Christmas Specials. We had Bob Hope, Bing Crosby Perry Como....we had all the animated Christmas Specials. I looked forward to them every year. Then of course we had some great Christmas movies. I don't know what happened. I don't understand showing original shows on Thanksgiving. I won't watch them then. Another one is Easter. For years ABC showed The Ten Commandments on Easter and now they air it on Saturdays to make room for original episodes on Easter. I do not watch original shows on Holidays.

You know I wonder where all the Christmas specials are? Stuck in the 70s, you mention above about Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Perry Como etc. but I wonder if those specials were erased or are they available to air? Then if they are available to air, then why dont they air them?

old grouch · 10-20-2011, 10:23 AM

I have all of my favorite Christmas movies and specials on DVD or video, so I can watch them whenever I want. (I can't believe that in a few weeks it will be time to break them out and watch them again.)

By the way, does anyone remember when the networks use to show episodes from their Saturday morning lineups on the day after Thanksgiving???

Regulus · 10-20-2011, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old grouch

I have all of my favorite Christmas movies and specials on DVD or video, so I can watch them whenever I want. (I can't believe that in a few weeks it will be time to break them out and watch them again.)

By the way, does anyone remember when the networks use to show episodes from their Saturday morning lineups on the day after Thanksgiving???

I remember seeing those cartoons on the Friday after Thanksgiving. In my area there was this one Station that would play The Man Called Flintstone on their Morning Movie and Hey There, it's Yogi Bear! on their afternoon Movie. Us kids got to OD on Cartoons all day if we weren't out at the Stores with our Parents.

(The Stores would open at their NORMAL TIMES, and they didn't have the "Doorbuster" Bargains they do now).

And most Stores were CLOSED on Sundays, even the Sunday After Thanksgiving!

Maybe this year I'll recreate that TV Schedule this November 25, since I have both of those Movies and a boatload of Animated Series on DVD. Of course they'll have to wait till I get back from my "Daring Pre-Dawn Raid" of all the area Stores. I will be looking for
(What Else?), MORE DVDs!

born2late · 10-22-2011, 03:33 PM

When I was a kid, we always watched Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams and any other special shown during the holidays. The difference between then and now is there were talented entertainers then. I can't see me watching "A Britney Spears Christmas", or any other crap like that. I think A&E showed some Bing Crosby Christmas specials, but that was awhile ago. I wish someone would show these classic Christmas specials. There are some of the Christmas specials available on Amazon though.

mets82 · 11-04-2011, 10:04 PM

I posted on another thread the link that TVTango has listed for there holiday programming for November. What do you guys think? Have you heard any specials that will air in December?

mets82 · 12-07-2011, 05:29 PM

Well like I posted A Christmas Story was on last night on TCM. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is going to be on ABC Family tonight.

The thing is that Hallmark Channel have been running Christmas movies non stop. The only thing is that they are running these movies into the ground. There on all the time and I think people are getting sick of them. And besides they are mostly tv movies and not classic movies, like Its A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, The Bells of ST.Mary, etc.

08-21-2011, 08:39 PM	#1
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	Where did the Christmas specials go? I know this isnt the time of year for this but I was wondering something. Im watching Home Alone now on Encore and I started to think "Where did all the Christmas specials go"? What I mean is that you can watch Home Alone anytime of the year, yet certain movies only play right around Christmas time. When I was growing up, Thanksgiving Day/Night, Black Friday, that whole weekend was a setup for Christmas. I mean you would see movies, tv shows etc. all over the place setting up the holiday. Now, they actually have first run programming on Thanksgiving. Also, something that really bothers me too is that you have to wait to see Christmas movies. A Christmas Story. You have to wait until Christmas Eve to see it. Its a Wonderful Life. Christmas Eve as well although you may be able to see it once before. White Christmas. You have to wait at least two weeks before Christmas. The Bells of St. Mary. Not even on. Now, I know that your thinking "The networks have exclusive rights to such and such a movie". I understand that but you would think to get into the holiday spirit, they would show these movies around Thanksgiving and continue until the holiday ends. Is it just me or am I reading too much into this?

08-21-2011, 09:46 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,132	When I was a kid there were so many Christmas Specials. We had Bob Hope, Bing Crosby Perry Como....we had all the animated Christmas Specials. I looked forward to them every year. Then of course we had some great Christmas movies. I don't know what happened. I don't understand showing original shows on Thanksgiving. I won't watch them then. Another one is Easter. For years ABC showed The Ten Commandments on Easter and now they air it on Saturdays to make room for original episodes on Easter. I do not watch original shows on Holidays.
	__________________ Sonny

08-22-2011, 04:45 AM	#4
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374	Fortunately, most of those Christmas themed Specials and Movies are available for purchase on DVD, including many of the animated Specials such as Rudulph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Often, when a Network is showing a Holiday-Themed Movie, I like Playing my copy. timing it so mine starts at the same time their's does. When my copy ends, the Networks version will still have 60-90 minutes more to go. This is due (of course) to the massive number of COMMERCIALS that they've stuffed into their presentation!
	__________________ Grail Shows: *Doc Elliot, Owen Marshall-Counselor of Law, Here's Boomer, Three for the Road, Holmes and YoYo* Bucket List Shows: *Hot Wheels, Skyhawks, Run Joe Run, Westwood*

08-22-2011, 09:24 PM	#7
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	This is why I own most of my favorite holiday movies and specials on DVD! I get to program my own holiday viewing!
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

08-23-2011, 05:24 PM	#8
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	Yeah...I remember watching Christmas Specials on TV in 1990, they aired "Looney Tunes Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas". There was also a special from The New Kids On The Block!
	__________________ Thank God for kids that love Obscure Things. Lee Hazlewood (1929-2007) You ARE Special to God! Rev. Ernest Angely (August 1921-May 2021)

08-21-2011, 10:01 PM	#3
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	Thats what Im saying. I think all the major networks would show some special or some christmas thing on Thanksgiving, and now nothing.

08-22-2011, 08:56 PM	#6
UMFaninMD I love a mystery Senior Member Join Date: Apr 19, 2011 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,287	I know it's Christmas when Spike or USA airs all the Star Wars movies. Either they air original shows or they air non-holiday marathons, apart from the 24 hours of "A Christmas Story" on TBS (and really, that's just lazy programming). I was never one that was keen for Christmas specials, especially the movies, but I did watch them when I was young because it got me into the holiday mood. However, I do like it when PBS airs holiday shows because it's traditional Christmas music concerts done by choirs and people that can actually carry a tune, not Christmas With the Kardashians (and it probably won't be long before we see that somewhere).

10-20-2011, 10:23 AM	#10
old grouch Member Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2010 Location: montana Posts: 1,877	I have all of my favorite Christmas movies and specials on DVD or video, so I can watch them whenever I want. (I can't believe that in a few weeks it will be time to break them out and watch them again.) By the way, does anyone remember when the networks use to show episodes from their Saturday morning lineups on the day after Thanksgiving???

10-22-2011, 03:33 PM	#12
born2late Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2011 Location: Tn Posts: 360	When I was a kid, we always watched Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams and any other special shown during the holidays. The difference between then and now is there were talented entertainers then. I can't see me watching "A Britney Spears Christmas", or any other crap like that. I think A&E showed some Bing Crosby Christmas specials, but that was awhile ago. I wish someone would show these classic Christmas specials. There are some of the Christmas specials available on Amazon though.

11-04-2011, 10:04 PM	#13
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	I posted on another thread the link that TVTango has listed for there holiday programming for November. What do you guys think? Have you heard any specials that will air in December?

12-07-2011, 05:29 PM	#14
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	Well like I posted A Christmas Story was on last night on TCM. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation is going to be on ABC Family tonight. The thing is that Hallmark Channel have been running Christmas movies non stop. The only thing is that they are running these movies into the ground. There on all the time and I think people are getting sick of them. And besides they are mostly tv movies and not classic movies, like Its A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, The Bells of ST.Mary, etc.