25 Days of Christmas (also known as ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas, previously known as Fox Family's 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 movies each year. However, in 2006, the channel aired fewer seasonal films and added general-interest family movies such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. In 2007, ABC Family acquired basic cable premiere rights to The Incredibles, and in 2008 they acquired Cars and The Chronicles of Narnia for the block (all three movies having been produced by The Walt Disney Company, ABC Family's parent company) as well as extending the "25" days into November with a Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas.
[edit] List of original specials
- 1996 - Home and Family Christmas Special
- 2001 - Donner
- 2008 - A Miser Brothers' Christmas
- 2009 - Gotta Catch Santa Claus [1], Holly and Hal Moose: Our Uplifting Christmas Adventure [2]
[edit] 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.[3]
[edit] The Family Channel era
The Family Channel's 25 Days of Christmas
[edit] Fox Family era
Fox Family's 25 Days of Christmas
[edit] ABC Family era
ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas
[edit] Christmas specials
The following non-original (originally premiered direct to video, on some other TV network or cable channel, or as a theatrical featurette) Christmas specials are presently being featured during 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):
[edit] Past Christmas specials
[edit] 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):
[edit] 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 is the first official early start [6], in recent years, holiday programming has begun during the last week of November, showing mostly older original films, some of which pertained to Christmas and some that did not. [7] "Countdown to the '25 Days of Christmas'" returned in 2008 on November 16.[8] Some of the films haven't been released during the ABC Family Christmas season.
The Countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas has returned again in 2009, with an even earlier start date than before: November 10.
- ^ a b c d e f g This is not a holiday special, but was shown during the block anyway
- ^ This is a Groundhog Day special
- ^ This is a New Year's Day special
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ [6]
- ^ [7]
- ^ [8]
[edit] External links
