Deck the Living Room…
With boughs of rampant TV watching because it’s the most wonderful time of the year for cheesy Christmas TV. Indulge yourself with these up-n-comers!
The Year Without A Santa Claus
Network: NBC
Airs: Dec. 11, 9 p.m
This update on the 1974 Jules Bass/Arthur Rankin Jr. animated classic stars Dylan Minnette as a young boy who helps Santa (John Goodman) recapture the holiday magic.
When Santa’s devious head elf, Sparky (SNL’s Chris Kattan), tells the Jolly One he must “keep up with the times” no matter how materialistic they are, Santa resists, fearing that Christmas has become far too commercial.
Santa decides to take the year off and not deliver any gifts because he’s convinced no one believes in him anymore and that people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. His two closest elves, Jingle (Ethan Suplee, Randy on "My Name is Earl") and Jangle (Eddie Griffin), are none too happy about this.
The two elves set out to prove Santa wrong. Their efforts are unfortunately complicated by characters Heat Miser and Snow Miser, the two feuding sons of Mother Nature.
Some say you should never mess with a classic, but hey, to those folks I say expand your horizons! This fun remake also stars Delta Burke as Mrs. Claus.
A Christmas Wedding
Network: Lifetime
Airs: Dec. 11, 9 pm/ET
If you watch “Ugly Betty” or “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”, you’ll be glad to see this movie about a couple in the hectic throws of planning their wedding.
Emily (Studio 60’s Sarah Paulson) and Ben (Ugly Betty’s Eric Mabius) are to be married on Christmas day, exactly two years after they met (Christmas Day?! What are they, nuts?!)
Unfortunately, Emily’s work tears her away from the cake, flowers, dresses, matching shoes and all that other fairytale stuff, leaving it to fall in Ben’s clueless lap. Is there any possible way he can pull this off? And of course, the weather never cooperates, and a snowstorm threatens to ruin the whole wedding!
So this is a syrupy story with a holiday twist, but that’s alright. It’s fun to see some of the brightest stars from this fall’s TV lineup out of their element.
A Christmas Story Marathon
Network: TBS
Airs: Dec. 25, all day
“You’ll shoot your eye out!” So begins the movie about a kid’s obsessive desire for an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. It’s all the bespectacled youngster can think about in this cult-classic that became a smash hit when it was released in 1983.
From that hideous “leg lamp” to the bum furnace, I think we can all identify with something in this movie. Even in these modern times, aren’t we all really living young Ralphie’s life? Fess up! You probably have an Aunt Clara who believes you’re perpetually four years old. Or a dad who “works in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay.” Or a kid brother who “hasn’t voluntarily eaten in three years.” Oh Ralphie!
After the presents are opened and the Christmas frenzy dies down, leave this movie on and quote random snippets throughout the day. Just don’t try to convince your little brother to stick his tongue to a pole outside.