The 25 Days of Christmas
Encyclopedia
25 Days of Christmas is an annual programming block that has been shown on ABC Family
and its predecessors since 1996
. As the title implies, the special programming is shown every year from December 1 to December 25, showing classic holiday programming (such as Rankin/Bass
' classic TV specials
), as well as new Christmas-themed television movie
s each year. In 2006
, the channel aired fewer seasonal films and added general-interest family movies such as Harry Potter
, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
and Beauty and the Beast
. This mix of Christmas and non-Christmas programming has become the norm for the block. Starting in 2007, ABC Family extended the "25" days into November with a Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas block.
are presently being featured during 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):
The Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas returned again in 2009, with an even earlier start date than before: November 10. In 2010, it started later in the month, on November 20. November 20 will also be the start date in 2011.
was watched by 1.5 million viewers. The premiere of Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe was watched by 3.8 million total viewers.
was watched by a total of 3.4 million viewers. Total viewers for 2010 broke records, averaging 2.8 million viewers. An airing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas drew 1.3 million viewers.
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
and its predecessors since 1996
1996 in television
The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
. As the title implies, the special programming is shown every year from December 1 to December 25, showing classic holiday programming (such as Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass
Rankin/Bass Productions, Inc. , also known as Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment, was an American production company, known for its seasonal television specials, particularly its work in stop-motion animation. The pre-1974 library is currently owned by Classic Media,while the post-1974 library is...
' classic TV specials
Television special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
), as well as new Christmas-themed television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s each year. In 2006
2006 in television
2006 in television may refer to:*2006 in American television*2006 in Australian television*2006 in British television*2006 in Canadian television*2006 in Japanese television...
, the channel aired fewer seasonal films and added general-interest family movies such as Harry Potter
Harry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (film)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a 1968 musical film with a script by Roald Dahl and Ken Hughes, and songs by the Sherman Brothers, loosely based on Ian Fleming's novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car. It starred Dick Van Dyke as Caractacus Potts and Sally Ann Howes as Truly Scrumptious. The...
and Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
. This mix of Christmas and non-Christmas programming has become the norm for the block. Starting in 2007, ABC Family extended the "25" days into November with a Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas block.
List of original specials
- 1996 - Home and Family Christmas Special
- 2001 - Donner
- 2008 - A Miser Brothers' ChristmasA Miser Brothers' ChristmasA Miser Brothers' Christmas is a stop motion spin-off special based on the characters from 1974 Rankin-Bass special The Year Without a Santa Claus. Produced by Warner Bros...
- 2009 - Gotta Catch Santa Claus , Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure
- 2010 - The GruffaloThe Gruffalo (film)The Gruffalo is a half hour animated film based on the classic picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Schefller.Directed by Jakob Schuh and Max Lang, the film was produced by Michael Rose and Martin Pope of Magic Light Pictures, London, in association with the award winning...
List of original movies
Most years, at least one new TV film is produced for the channel. However, starting in 2004, two TV films were produced. In 2007, three films were created for the channel, due to the popularity generated from the previous year.The Family Channel era
The Family Channel's 25 Days of Christmas- 1996 - Christmas Every DayChristmas Every DayChristmas Every Day is a 1996 American television movie, directed by Larry Peerce, starring Erik von Detten, and originally broadcast on The Family Channel during their first 25 Days of Christmas programming block...
- 1997 - The Christmas ListThe Christmas ListThe Christmas List is a 1997 TV movie, shown first on The Family Channel, but currently on ABC Family during their 25 Days of Christmas programming block.-Synopsis:...
Fox Family era
Fox Family's 25 Days of Christmas- 1998 - Like Father, Like SantaLike Father, Like SantaLike Father, Like Santa is a TV movie starring Harry Hamlin and William Hootkins. It premiered on Fox Family in 1998 on their 25 Days of Christmas programming block....
- 1999 - The Ghosts of Christmas EveThe Ghosts of Christmas EveThe Ghosts of Christmas Eve is a 1999 made-for-TV concert film showcasing a Christmas music performance by Trans-Siberian Orchestra with guest performers Michael Crawford and Jewel...
- 2000 - Special DeliverySpecial Delivery (2000 film)Special Delivery is a 2000 television film starring Andy Dick. It premiered on Fox Family on their 25 Days of Christmas programming block.-Plot:...
- 2001 - Three Days
ABC Family era
ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas- 2002 - None.
- 2003 - Picking Up & Dropping OffPicking Up & Dropping OffPicking Up & Dropping Off is a TV movie starring Scott Wolf and Amanda Detmer. It premiered on ABC Family in 2003 on their 25 Days of Christmas programming block.-Plot:...
- 2004 - SnowSnow (2004 film)Snow is a Christmas-themed film starring Tom Cavanagh and Ashley Williams that premiered in 2004 on the ABC television network, and was also shown on the ABC Family cable network later the same year...
- 2005 - Chasing ChristmasChasing ChristmasChasing Christmas is a 2005 ABC Family movie starring Tom Arnold as Jack Cameron, a man with a Scrooge-type personality, saddled with his wife, who he caught with another man at their daughter's Christmas play, leading him to hate Christmas...
; Christmas in BostonChristmas in BostonChristmas In Boston is a 2005 TV film starring Marla Sokoloff and Patrick J. Adams. It aired on December 14, 2005, on the ABC Family channel's 25 Days of Christmas programming block.-Plot:... - 2006 - Christmas Do-OverChristmas Do-OverChristmas Do-Over is a TV movie starring Jay Mohr and Daphne Zuniga. It premiered on ABC Family in 2006 on their 25 Days of Christmas programming block. It is a remake of Christmas Every Day, but with an adult as the protagonist.-Plot:...
; Santa BabySanta Baby (film)Santa Baby is an ABC Family Original Movie. It premiered on December 10, 2006 on ABC Family as part of their annual 25 Days of Christmas event. The film stars Jenny McCarthy, Ivan Sergei, and George Wendt and was filmed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It was directed by Ron Underwood.-Synopsis:Mary is... - 2007 - Christmas CaperChristmas CaperChristmas Caper is an ABC Family Original Movie. It aired on November 25, 2007 on ABC Family as part of their 25 Days of Christmas. The film stars Shannen Doherty, Ty Olsson, Sonya Salomaa and Stefanie von Pfetten.-Plot summary:...
; Holiday in HandcuffsHoliday in HandcuffsHoliday in Handcuffs is an American television movie that originally aired on ABC Family on December 9, 2007, as a part of the network's 25 Days of Christmas programming block. The film stars Melissa Joan Hart, Mario Lopez, Markie Post and Timothy Bottoms....
; SnowglobeSnowglobe (film)Snowglobe is a 2007 television film starring Christina Milian, Josh Cooke, Matt Keeslar, Luciana Carro and Lorraine Bracco. The film was produced by ABC Family and first aired on December 15, 2007 in their 25 Days of Christmas programming block.- Plot :... - 2008 - Christmas in WonderlandChristmas in WonderlandChristmas in Wonderland is a 2007 comedy film about three children who move with their father from Los Angeles to Edmonton, Alberta, where they catch a group of counterfeiters while Christmas shopping...
; Snow 2: Brain FreezeSnow 2: Brain FreezeSnow 2: Brain Freeze is a TV movie starring Tom Cavanagh and Ashley Williams. It premiered on ABC Family in 2008 on their 25 Days of Christmas programming block... - 2009 - The Dog Who Saved ChristmasThe Dog Who Saved ChristmasThe Dog Who Saved Christmas is a TV movie starring Dean Cain, Gary Valentine and the voice of Mario López. It was written by childhood friends Michael Ciminera and Richard Gnolfo, and premiered on ABC Family on November 29, 2009 during their Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas programming block...
; Santa Baby 2: Christmas MaybeSanta Baby 2 (film)Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe is a 2009 sequel to ABC Family's Santa Baby. Jenny McCarthy, Lynne Griffin, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Richard Side, and Gabe Khouth all reprise their roles from the original.-Plot:... - 2010 - The Dog Who Saved Christmas VacationThe Dog who Saved Christmas VacationThe Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation is a 2010 sequel to the ABC Family 2009 movie The Dog Who Saved Christmas. The movie stars Paris Hilton and Mario Lopez. It premiered on ABC Family on November 28, 2010 during the Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas programming block.-Plot:The movie starts off...
; Christmas CupidChristmas CupidChristmas Cupid is a television film starring Chad Michael Murray, Christina Milian and Ashley Benson and directed by Gil Junger. It premiered on ABC Family on December 12, 2010 as part of their 25 Days of Christmas programming block... - 2011 - Desperately Seeking Santa; 12 Dates of Christmas
Christmas specials
The following non-original (originally premiered direct to video, or on some other TV network or cable channel, or as a theatrical featurette) Christmas specialsTelevision special
A television special is a television program which interrupts or temporarily replaces programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Sometimes, however, the term is given to a telecast of a theatrical film, such as The Wizard of Oz or The Ten Commandments, which is not part of a regular...
are presently being featured during 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):
- The Cat in the HatThe Cat in the Hat (TV special)The Cat in the Hat is an animated musical television special first aired on CBS on March 10, 1971, based on the 1957 Dr. Seuss' children's book of the same name and produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises...
This is not a holiday special, but was shown during the block anyway - Cranberry Christmas
- Dr. Seuss on the LooseDr. Seuss on the LooseDr. Seuss on the Loose is an animated musical television special, cartoon first airing on CBS on October 15, 1973, and hosted by The Cat in the Hat. who appears in bridging sequences where he introduced animated adaptations of Dr...
- A Boy Named Charlie Brown This is not a holiday special, but was shown during the block anyway
- Snoopy Come Home This is not a holiday special, but was shown during the block anyway
- A Flintstone ChristmasA Flintstone ChristmasA Flintstone Christmas is a 60-minute animated Christmas television special featuring The Flintstones. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and aired on NBC on December 7, 1977. This special is not to be confused with the episode "Christmas Flintstone" which aired during the show's run...
- A Flintstone Family ChristmasA Flintstone Family ChristmasA Flintstone Family Christmas is a 30-minute Christmas special for television based on the hit 1960s series The Flintstones. It first aired on ABC on December 18, 1993...
- Frosty's Winter WonderlandFrosty's Winter WonderlandFrosty's Winter Wonderland is an animated Christmas television special produced in 1976 by Rankin-Bass. It is a sequel to the 1969 Frosty the Snowman special, also written by Romeo Muller, with narration provided by Andy Griffith...
- Harry Potter WeekendHarry Potter (film series)The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
(Half Blood Prince to premiere 2011) - Holiday Classics Marathon
- Holiday Movie Marathon
- The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the HatThe Grinch Grinches the Cat in the HatThe Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat is an animated musical television special and crossover starring two of Dr. Seuss' famous characters, The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat. It premiered on May 20, 1982 on ABC and won two Emmys.-Plot:...
- Jack FrostJack Frost (TV special)Jack Frost was an animated television special, directed by Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. and written by Romeo Muller; it premiered on NBC on December 13, 1979. This stop motion animated special tells the tale of Jack Frost, the winter sprite, and his adventures as a human...
This is a Groundhog DayGroundhog DayGroundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end...
special - The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold
- The Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa ClausThe Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a 1902 children's book, written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by Mary Cowles Clark.-Infancy, Youth, Motivation:...
- The Little Drummer Boy
- The Little Drummer Boy, Book IIThe Little Drummer Boy, Book IIThe Little Drummer Boy is a 1968 Christmas television special produced by Rankin/Bass, based on the famous Christmas song of that name. It was followed by a sequel in 1976.-1968 television special:...
- The LoraxThe Lorax (TV special)The Lorax is an animated musical television special produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and first aired on CBS on February 14, 1972 based on the book of the same name by Dr. Seuss.-Plot:...
- Mickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas CarolMickey's Christmas Carol is a 1983 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company. It was directed and produced by Burny Mattinson...
- Mickey's Christmas Special
- Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas DonkeyNestor, The Long-Eared Christmas DonkeyNestor, The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey is a Christmas television special produced in stop motion animation by Rankin-Bass. It was first aired in 1977, and its plot is similar to an earlier Rankin-Bass special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.- Plot :...
- Phineas and Ferb Christmas VacationPhineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation"Phineas and Ferb's Christmas Vacation" is a special Christmas-themed episode of the animated television series Phineas and Ferb. It was originally broadcast on Disney XD on December 6, 2009, on Disney Channel on December 11, 2009, and on ABC Family on December 18, 2009...
- Pinocchio's ChristmasPinocchio's ChristmasPinocchio's Christmas is a Rankin/Bass Christmas television special. It was released on DVD as part of a box set of specials entitled "Classic Christmas Favorites" on October 7, 2008. It airs annually during the Christmas season on ABC Family.-Synopsis:...
- Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You?Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? is an animated musical television special written by Dr. Seuss, directed by Gerard Baldwin, produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and first aired on ABC on May 2, 1980...
- Prep & Landing
- Puff the Magic DragonPuff the Magic Dragon (film)"Puff, the Magic Dragon" is a 30 minute animated television film released on October 30, 1978, based on the song of the same name. The title character was voiced by Burgess Meredith...
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in JulyRudolph and Frosty's Christmas in JulyRudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July is a feature-length 1979 Rankin-Bass crossover sequel filmed in stop-motion animation in the style of their 1964 Christmas special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It was 97 minutes long. Although designed as a theatrical release , it made its U.S...
- Rudolph's Shiny New YearRudolph's Shiny New YearRudolph's Shiny New Year is the 1976 stop-motion animated sequel to the 1964 television special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, produced by Rankin/Bass.-Plot:...
This is a New Year's DayNew Year's DayNew Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
special - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
- Santa Claus Is Comin' to TownSanta Claus Is Comin' to Town (TV special)Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion television special, made by Rankin-Bass with models carved from wood . The film stars actor Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger, the narrator, and Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus...
- The Story of the First Christmas Snow
- Twas the Night Before Christmas
- Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery DayWinnie the Pooh and the Blustery DayWinnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day is a 1968 animated featurette based on stories from the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A. A. Milne. The featurette was produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution on December 20, 1968 before The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit. This was...
- Winnie the Pooh and Christmas TooWinnie the Pooh and Christmas TooWinnie the Pooh and Christmas Too is a Christmas television special based on the Disney television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, originally broadcast on Saturday December 14, 1991, on ABC....
- Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
- The Year Without a Santa ClausThe Year Without a Santa ClausThe Year Without a Santa Claus is a 1974 Rankin/Bass stop motion animated television special. It usually airs during the Christmas season on United States television. The story is based on Phyllis McGinley's 1956 book of the same name, illustrated by Kurt Werth.-Summary:The show is set in the...
Christmas movies
The following non-original (originally premiered theatrically, or direct to video, or on some other TV network or cable channel) Christmas movies are presently being featured during 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):- A Carol ChristmasA Carol ChristmasA Carol Christmas is a TV movie starring Tori Spelling, Dinah Manoff, William Shatner and Gary Coleman. It premiered on the Hallmark Channel in 2003. The film is an adaptation of the Charles Dickens story of a similar name...
- The Christmas WishThe Christmas Wish (film)The Christmas Wish is a TV movie starring Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Reynolds. It premiered on CBS in 1998, and it was based on a novel by Richard Siddoway.As of 2009, it is shown in the 25 Days of Christmas programming block on ABC Family.-Plot:...
- A Dennis the Menace ChristmasA Dennis the Menace ChristmasA Dennis the Menace Christmas is a 2007 direct-to-video movie starring Maxwell Perry Cotton and Robert Wagner, based on the comic strip by Hank Ketcham. It is a sequel to Dennis the Menace and Dennis the Menace Strikes Again. The plot is based on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol...
- Disney's Aladdin This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway
- A Very Brady ChristmasA Very Brady ChristmasA Very Brady Christmas is a 1988 movie based on the television series The Brady Bunch, featuring all of the original actors who appeared in the series except Susan Olsen who was on her honeymoon when the film was being made; Jennifer Runyon took her place as Cindy...
- A Very Pink Christmas
- Disney's Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (1991 film)Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Ernest Saves ChristmasErnest Saves ChristmasErnest Saves Christmas is a 1988 Touchstone Pictures comedy film directed by John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. It is the third film to feature the character Ernest P. Worrell, and chronicles Ernest's attempt to find a replacement for an aging Santa Claus.-Plot:A man who claims to be Santa...
- Disney-Pixar's Finding NemoFinding NemoFinding Nemo is a 2003 American comi-drama animated film written by Andrew Stanton, directed by Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich and produced by Pixar. It tells the story of the overly protective clownfish Marlin who, along with a regal tang called Dory , searches for his abducted son Nemo...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkHome Alone 2: Lost in New York is a 1992 American Christmas comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. It is the second film in the Home Alone series and the direct sequel to Home Alone. The film stars Macaulay Culkin in the lead role as Kevin McCallister, while...
- Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas
- Disney-Pixar's The IncrediblesThe IncrediblesThe Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated action-comedy superhero film about a family of superheroes who are forced to hide their powers. It was written and directed by Brad Bird, a former director and executive consultant of The Simpsons, and was produced by Pixar and distributed by...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa ClausI Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (film)I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is a 2001 film based on the classic holiday song of the same name. The movie's tagline was "Christmas is coming, and Santa's a dirty rat." I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus first aired December 9, 2001, on the PAX Network where it aired until 2007...
- Jack FrostJack Frost (1998 film)Jack Frost is a 1998 Christmas film, starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Keaton stars as the title character, a man who dies in a car accident and comes back to life as a snowman...
- Meet the SantasMeet the SantasMeet the Santas is a TV movie starring Steve Guttenberg and Crystal Bernard. It premiered on Hallmark Channel in 2005. It is a sequel to 2004's Single Santa Seeks Mrs. Claus...
- Miracle on 34th StreetMiracle on 34th Street (1994 film)Miracle on 34th Street is a 1994 American fantasy film directed by Les Mayfield. It is the fourth remake of the original 1947 film. Like the original, this film was released by 20th Century Fox...
- The Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before ChristmasThe Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
- National Lampoon's Christmas VacationNational Lampoon's Christmas VacationChristmas Vacation is a 1989 Christmas comedy film directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik. It is the third installment in National Lampoon's Vacation film series, and was written by John Hughes, based on his short story in National Lampoon Magazine, Christmas ‘59...
(ABC Family premiere 2011) - Once upon a ChristmasOnce upon a Christmas (film)Once Upon A Christmas is a 2000 family film directed by Tibor Takács. It stars Kathy Ireland, John Dye, and Mary Donnely-Haskell. The filming location was in Vancouver, British Columbia. It premiered on the PAX Network...
- The Polar ExpressThe Polar Express (film)The Polar Express is a 2004 motion capture computer-animated film based on the children's book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the human characters in the film were animated using live action performance capture technique, with the...
- Disney-Pixar's RatatouilleRatatouille (film)Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was directed by Brad Bird, who took over from Jan Pinkava in 2005...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Richie Rich's Christmas WishRichie Rich's Christmas WishRichie Rich'$ Christmas Wish is a 1998 direct-to-video sequel to the 1994 film Ri¢hie Ri¢h, released by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment, Harvey Home Entertainment and Saban Entertainment and starring David Gallagher as the titular character.-Plot:It is Christmas Eve and Richie Rich, the world's...
- Santa BuddiesSanta BuddiesSanta Buddies is a 2009 direct to video film. It is the fourth instalment of the Air Buddies spin-off series, and ninth film in the entire Air Bud franchise...
- Surf's UpSurf's Up (film)Surf's Up is a 2007 American computer-animated mockumentary family comedy film directed by Ash Brannon and Chris Buck. It stars the voices of Shia LaBeouf, Jeff Bridges, Zooey Deschanel and Jon Heder among others....
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Happy FeetHappy FeetHappy Feet is a 2006 American-Australian computer-animated family film with music, directed and co-written by George Miller. It was produced at Sydney-based visual effects and animation studio Animal Logic for Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures and Kingdom Feature Productions and was released...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - The Santa ClauseThe Santa ClauseThe Santa Clause is a 1994 American fantasy-dramedy film directed by John Pasquin, it is distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. and starring Tim Allen. In the film, Allen plays Scott Calvin, an ordinary man who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall from his roof on Christmas Eve...
- The Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 2 is a 2002 American comedy film and the sequel to the 1994 film, The Santa Clause. All the principal actors from the first film reprise their roles, except for Peter Boyle, who returns portraying a different minor character...
- The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseThe Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause is a 2006 American film, the sequel to The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2. This is the third and final film in the trilogy. This film was also scheduled as a Disney Channel Original Movie....
- Disney-Pixar's Toy StoryToy StoryToy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 2Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Santa Who?Santa Who?Santa Who? is a TV movie first shown in 2000 on ABC, starring Leslie Nielsen, and directed by William Dear. The plot centers on Santa Claus developing a case of amnesia right before Christmas...
- The Search for Santa PawsThe Search for Santa PawsThe Search for Santa Paws is a 2010 direct to video film. A Prequle to Santa Buddies, it is a spin-off of the Air Buddies series , and the tenth film in the overall Air Bud franchise...
(Network TV premiere 2011) - Sons of MistletoeSons of MistletoeSons of Mistletoe is a TV movie starring Roma Downey and Cathy Lee Crosby. It premiered on CBS in 2001. As of 2009, it is shown in the 25 Days of Christmas programming block on ABC Family.-Plot:...
- To Grandmother's House We GoTo Grandmother's House We GoTo Grandmother's House We Go is a 1992 Christmas television film starring Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. The film's title is one of the first verses of Lydia Maria Child's Thanksgiving song "Over the River and through the Woods"...
- Twice Upon a ChristmasTwice Upon a ChristmasTwice Upon A Christmas is a 2001 sequel to the PAX television film, Once Upon A Christmas. The filming location was in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is directed by Tibor Takács and stars most of the original cast from the first film...
- Unaccompanied MinorsUnaccompanied MinorsUnaccompanied Minors is a 2006 comedy film directed by Paul Feig and starring Dyllan Christopher, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly, Gina Mantegna, and Quinn Shephard. Unaccompanied Minors has been rated PG by the MPAA for "mild rude humor and language"...
- Unlikely AngelUnlikely AngelUnlikely Angel is a 1996 Christmas film starring Dolly Parton. It premiered on CBS in 1996. As of 2009, it is shown in the 25 Days of Christmas programming block on ABC Family.- Plot summary :...
- Disney-Pixar's UpUp (2009 film)Up is a 2009 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar, distributed by Walt Disney Pictures and presented in Disney Digital 3-D. The film premiered on May 29, 2009 in North America and opened the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first animated and 3D film...
(ABC Family premiere December 2011) This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Disney-Pixar's WALL-EWALL-EWALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryWilly Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryWilly Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film tells the story of Charlie Bucket as he receives a golden ticket and visits Willy...
This is not a Christmas movie, but was shown during the block anyway
Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas
In 2007, due to popular ratings from the previous year, ABC Family launched the first official countdown to the programming block, which began on November 21. Although this was the first official early start , in previous years holiday programming had unofficially begun during the last week of November, showing mostly older original films, some of which pertained to Christmas and some that did not. "Countdown to the '25 Days of Christmas'" returned in 2008 on November 16.The Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas returned again in 2009, with an even earlier start date than before: November 10. In 2010, it started later in the month, on November 20. November 20 will also be the start date in 2011.
2008
In 2008, the first week of programming attracted 2.7 million total viewers. The entire lineup had an average 2.5 million viewers.2009
The third annual "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" was watched by 1.2 million viewers. The first week of viewers for "25 Days of Christmas" averaged 1.2 million viewers as well.The network premiere of The Santa Clause 3 was watched by 1.6 million viewers, while an airing of Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth novel in the Harry Potter series written by J. K. Rowling, published on 8 July 2000.The novel won a Hugo Award in 2001, the only Harry Potter novel to do so...
was watched by 1.5 million viewers. The premiere of Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe was watched by 3.8 million total viewers.
2010
The fourth annual "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" was watched by 2.1 million viewers. The lineup began its first week with record breaking 3 million average viewers. The December 12th premiere of Christmas CupidChristmas Cupid
Christmas Cupid is a television film starring Chad Michael Murray, Christina Milian and Ashley Benson and directed by Gil Junger. It premiered on ABC Family on December 12, 2010 as part of their 25 Days of Christmas programming block...
was watched by a total of 3.4 million viewers. Total viewers for 2010 broke records, averaging 2.8 million viewers. An airing of How the Grinch Stole Christmas drew 1.3 million viewers.