In 1994, an interesting news article revealed an all too obvious truth about broadcast media during the Christmas season. That scarcely any of the many Christmas specials on television acknowledge the birth of Christ as central to the meaning of Christmas. So with that in mind this is your guide to great Christmas specials that focus on the Birth of Christ on television, radio, home video and even free downloads from the Golden Age of Radio. This page is far from complete, but meant to be a start to helping you have a sense of what was once called a holy season.
Also many of the specials listed on this page are available on Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS, CD, cassette, and streaming media.
This page is divided into three sections 1) TV/CABLE, 2) RADIO, and 3) CLASSICS & HOME MEDIA. 4) BOOKS and COMICS will be added Dec. 10.
Last Updated: 12/20/2021 - Check for updates daily in December! All broadcast times given are EST. Check back often for updates and new programs.
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Specials Produced by Christian Ministries
Lutheran Hour Specials
For at least 20 years the Lutheran Hour Ministries has syndicated six half hour Christmas specials to local TV stations who tend to air them very close to Christmas morning. Check the Lutheran Hour Program Guide website at: https://www.lhm.org/broadcastinformation.asp for your local day and time.The summaries and dates are from the LH site and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB). All of these programs are also available on VHS and DVD.
Little Shepherd is a 30-minute, animated Christmas special about how the birth of Jesus transforms a shepherd boy and his family. It is LHM's most recently produced TV special.
Red Boots for Christmas (1995) is a 30-minute, animated Christmas special based on a German folk tale about a grouchy shoemaker who comes to understand the gift of giving.
Christmas Is (1970) a 30-minute, animated Christmas special about a boy who dreams he's a shepherd boy in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. This special turns 50 this year!
The City That Forgot About Christmas (1974) is a 30-minute animated Christmas special in which the voices of Sebastian Cabot, Louis Nye, and Charles Nelson Reilly bring to life the tale of a town where Christmas is almost forgotten.
The Stableboy's Christmas (1978) is an Emmy-award-winning, 30-minute Christmas drama about a young daughter's disappointment over a gift she did not receive and a fantasy about the first Christmas. Originally aired as an episode of the long running Lutheran anthology series "This Is The Life".
Puzzle Club Christmas Mystery (1997). The Club search for a missing father and discover the true "mystery" of the season along the way.
CBN - Christian Broadcasting Network Ministries
This episode originally aired December 12, 2012. More schedule information to come.
TBN - Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Christmas Message (2012) This special is designed to provide an inspirational look into the
Max Lucado - God Came Near
https://www.tbn.org/programs/god-came-near-max-lucado/about
"Based on Max Lucado's beloved book, God Came Near invites audiences to the beautiful Blockley Chapel in England to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas -- the birth of Jesus".
TBA
Christmas, Your Children and Your TBN
https://www.tbn.org/programs/christmas-children-and-your-tbn/about
A half hour special on the plight of children world wide, and reaching them for Christ.
TBA
Syndication
Network Television Classic Christmas Specials
Network Television Classic Christmas Specials
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) "Sure Charlie Brown. I can tell you what Christmas is all about". After that line came one of the boldest moments in television history. A child actor reading from the Gospels for a nationally televised audience. This special has worked and been cherished for 55 years.
PBS Network
Sunday, December 19, 7:30pm
 |
| Snippet from Andersen Herald (Anderson, Indiana), Dec. 14, 1968, highlighting the premiere of "The Little Drummer Boy", five days later. |
The Little Drummer Boy (1968) - The Rankin/Bass classic based on the famous song written by school teacher Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941. This special was the personal favorite of Romeo Muller who wrote nearly all the Rankin/Bass "Animagic" specials. Narrated by Academy-Award winning actress Greer Garson.
Freeform
Thursday, December 02, 10:30am
Friday, December 03, 7:00am
Saturday, December 11, 9:05am
Tuesday, December 21, 12:30pm
Tuesday, December 23, 7:00am
Friday, December 24th, 10:30am
The Little Drummer Boy Book II (1976) - Sequel to the 1968 special also narrated by Greer Garson.
AMC
Friday, December 03, 3:00am
The Little Drummer Boy Book II (1976) - Sequel to the 1968 special also narrated by Greer Garson.
AMC
Friday, December 03, 3:00am
Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)
The story of a donkey with ears like Dumbo, who is given away one night to a special couple on their way to Bethlehem. Another Rankin/Bass classic based on the 1975 song which was co-written by Gene Autry, more famous for his rendition of the similar "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
AMC
More information to come as program schedules become available. The following programs usually
air Christmas episodes each year:
Adventures In Odyssey - www.whitsend.org
The story of a donkey with ears like Dumbo, who is given away one night to a special couple on their way to Bethlehem. Another Rankin/Bass classic based on the 1975 song which was co-written by Gene Autry, more famous for his rendition of the similar "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
AMC
TBA
Available on AMC+
❄**** ❄ RADIO ❄ ****❄
More information to come as program schedules become available. The following programs usually
air Christmas episodes each year:
Great Radio Dramas
Adventures In Odyssey - www.whitsend.org
The following episodes are airing the week of Christmas:
A Christmas Conundrum - December 22, 2021
Silent Night - December 23, 2021
Grandma’s Christmas Visit - December 24, 2021
Caroling, Caroling - December 25, 2021
Patch The Pirate - http://patchthepirate.org/broadcasts
Currently airing the storyline "A Peanut Butter Christmas"
Children's Bible Hour - American radio's longest-running children's program usually broadcasts a Christmas episode the Saturday before Christmas. Airs Saturday Mornings at 9:00am on BBN stations.
Focus On The Family Radio Theatre - https://www.focusonthefamily.com/radio-theatre/
Unshackled -
Songs In The Night - Long-running devotional music teaching series from Moody Church Radio hosted by Dr. Erwin Lutzer. A Christmas hymn episode is usually broadcast the weekends leading up to Christmas.
One Perfect Life - A special Christmas presentation by "Grace To You", the ministry of John MacArthur.
https://www.gty.org/christmas
BBN Radio All Christian Christmas Music
Every December 1 - 31 the Bible Broadcasting Network plays the most beautiful and inspiring Christmas music. Beginning a few years ago the network began airing original vignettes that air throughout the month. Children's music can be heard Saturday mornings between 9am to 11am with the "Children's Music Room", "Patch The Pirate" and "Adventures in Odyssey".
"Little Town of Bethlehem" - Mr. First Nighter Program. (12/22/1945)
This play was presented annually at Christmas time on radio's "Little Theater Off Town Square" and was one of radio's most beloved traditions.
With the Voices of Barbara Luddy (Mary) and Olan Soule (Joseph).
For more about this Christmas drama: - https://familybiblemedia.blogspot.com/2017/12/little-town-of-bethlehem-classic.html
Christian Movie Classics (CMC)
"Christian Movie Classics" is a growing archive of films that chronicle how the Bible was presented to 20th century audiences through the medium of films and television". Several wonderful Christmas classics are available for you to stream, download and purchase DVD. Please consider a donation to this wonderful ministry. Along with these stories are many others about missionaries, the Old and New Testament.
Please visit Christian Movie Classics to view:
The Living Christ Series - Still moving 12 part serial of the life of Christ that starts with the 1st chapter "Holy Night".
The Star of Bethlehem (1956) - Silhouette animated story of the Nativity by the legendary Lotte Reiniger. A favorite at Christmas time
Three Young Kings - The story of three young Latin American boys who follow a village tradition of carrying Christmas gifts to mission church children while dressed as the Three Wise Men.
God's Christmas Gift - From the "Our Children" series, the story of a young girl who wonders about what God's special gift is at Christmas.
Christmas is Magic - Magic happens when a war widow and her young son take in an amnesia veteran on Christmas Eve.
There are far more Christmas specials about the birth of Christ that have aired on radio or television over the years, but all are not available on DVD, streaming media, or have not aired on television in some time. You may still have these in your home, or they may be available from your church library. Many are on YouTube, but obtaining your own copy is recommended.
A Cosmic Christmas (1977 TV special, on VHS)
The Nativity (1979, ABC TV-Movie, VHS only)
A Star For Jeremy (1982, VHS only). Half-hour animated Christmas special by Agapeland Productions, 1982.
The Treasure Chest: The Christmas Story [The Birth of Jesus or The One Who Stayed Behind (1985, VHS only). Live-Action storytelling puppet series from Christian Duplications, Int'l. The story of the nativity is read by Ann Marie Weis to a group of children.
The Greatest Adventure: Stories From The Bible - "The Nativity" (1987 VHS and DVD)
Entry in the popular Hanna-Barbara animated series in which two young archaeologists and their nomadic friend witness the Nativity.
Scrooge & Marley (2001, VHS only) A moving and unique adaption of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol in which Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Dean Jones) is connected with the Gospel, and is taken to trial to learn what the world would have been like if Jesus had never been born. Produced by Coral Ridge Ministries and adapted from the book What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by Dr. James Kennedy, Ph. D.
What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (VHS only) A documentary based on the book by Dr. James Kennedy. Makes and nice companion viewing to "Scrooge & Marley".
The Small One (1978 Disney Short) (VHS & DVD and iTunes) - One of the very few Disney productions based on the Bible. Note that the VHS version is the only one where the Star of Bethlehem resembles a cross as it was originally presented in theaters.
Superbook: The First Christmas (1983 Version) (VHS & DVD). View on the CBN Superbook Channel
Children's Bible Hour - American radio's longest-running children's program usually broadcasts a Christmas episode the Saturday before Christmas. Airs Saturday Mornings at 9:00am on BBN stations.
Focus On The Family Radio Theatre - https://www.focusonthefamily.com/radio-theatre/
Unshackled -
Songs In The Night - Long-running devotional music teaching series from Moody Church Radio hosted by Dr. Erwin Lutzer. A Christmas hymn episode is usually broadcast the weekends leading up to Christmas.
One Perfect Life - A special Christmas presentation by "Grace To You", the ministry of John MacArthur.
https://www.gty.org/christmas
Bible Broadcasting Network (BBN) Radio
BBN Radio All Christian Christmas Music
Every December 1 - 31 the Bible Broadcasting Network plays the most beautiful and inspiring Christmas music. Beginning a few years ago the network began airing original vignettes that air throughout the month. Children's music can be heard Saturday mornings between 9am to 11am with the "Children's Music Room", "Patch The Pirate" and "Adventures in Odyssey".
Best of Old Time Radio
"Little Town of Bethlehem" - Mr. First Nighter Program. (12/22/1945)
This play was presented annually at Christmas time on radio's "Little Theater Off Town Square" and was one of radio's most beloved traditions.
With the Voices of Barbara Luddy (Mary) and Olan Soule (Joseph).
For more about this Christmas drama: - https://familybiblemedia.blogspot.com/2017/12/little-town-of-bethlehem-classic.html
❄****❄ CLASSICS & HOME MEDIA ❄****❄
Christian Movie Classics (CMC)
"Christian Movie Classics" is a growing archive of films that chronicle how the Bible was presented to 20th century audiences through the medium of films and television". Several wonderful Christmas classics are available for you to stream, download and purchase DVD. Please consider a donation to this wonderful ministry. Along with these stories are many others about missionaries, the Old and New Testament.
Please visit Christian Movie Classics to view:
The Living Christ Series - Still moving 12 part serial of the life of Christ that starts with the 1st chapter "Holy Night".
The Star of Bethlehem (1956) - Silhouette animated story of the Nativity by the legendary Lotte Reiniger. A favorite at Christmas time
Three Young Kings - The story of three young Latin American boys who follow a village tradition of carrying Christmas gifts to mission church children while dressed as the Three Wise Men.
God's Christmas Gift - From the "Our Children" series, the story of a young girl who wonders about what God's special gift is at Christmas.
Christmas is Magic - Magic happens when a war widow and her young son take in an amnesia veteran on Christmas Eve.
More Films and Special Release Films
A Cosmic Christmas (1977 TV special, on VHS)
The Nativity (1979, ABC TV-Movie, VHS only)
A Star For Jeremy (1982, VHS only). Half-hour animated Christmas special by Agapeland Productions, 1982.
The Treasure Chest: The Christmas Story [The Birth of Jesus or The One Who Stayed Behind (1985, VHS only). Live-Action storytelling puppet series from Christian Duplications, Int'l. The story of the nativity is read by Ann Marie Weis to a group of children.
The Greatest Adventure: Stories From The Bible - "The Nativity" (1987 VHS and DVD)
Entry in the popular Hanna-Barbara animated series in which two young archaeologists and their nomadic friend witness the Nativity.
Scrooge & Marley (2001, VHS only) A moving and unique adaption of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol in which Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Dean Jones) is connected with the Gospel, and is taken to trial to learn what the world would have been like if Jesus had never been born. Produced by Coral Ridge Ministries and adapted from the book What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by Dr. James Kennedy, Ph. D.
What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (VHS only) A documentary based on the book by Dr. James Kennedy. Makes and nice companion viewing to "Scrooge & Marley".
The Small One (1978 Disney Short) (VHS & DVD and iTunes) - One of the very few Disney productions based on the Bible. Note that the VHS version is the only one where the Star of Bethlehem resembles a cross as it was originally presented in theaters.
Superbook: The First Christmas (1983 Version) (VHS & DVD). View on the CBN Superbook Channel
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