Photo “Christmas Lights” by Sam Howzit.
There’s no other channel or livestream like THIRTEEN for the holidays. We are sharing festive specials that celebrate the joys of the season to uplifting music programs and binge-worthy dramas. Whether you’re staying local or traveling, we hope you enjoy the holiday treats we’ve lined up to help make your December merry and bright. Here are highlights, in chronological order:
Performance: Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, with Vanessa Williams
Friday, December 9 at 8 p.m. Stream now.
Vanessa Williams hosts Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas.
Enjoy an evening celebrating jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald’s entire iconic album of holiday classics presented by the American Pops Orchestra. Featuring appearances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Norm Lewis, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Nova Payton, Dave Detwiler, and Morgan James.
History: Lucy Worsley’s 12 Days of Tudor Christmas
Sunday, December 11, 7 p.m. Stream now.
Join Lucy Worsley on a 12-day extravaganza as she discovers that much of what we enjoy in contemporary Christmas – from carols to turkey, gift-giving to mistletoe and mulled wine — has surprising Tudor origins, rooted in devotion and charity.
Performance: O Holy Night: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir
Tuesday, December 13 and 21, 8 p.m. Stream now.
The festivities begin on an uplifting note with O Holy Night: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir. Tony-nominated Broadway star Megan Hilty (Noises Off, TV’s Smash) and acclaimed actor Neal McDonough (Suits) join The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for an Irish-inspired edition of the heartwarming annual celebration of music and holiday traditions. Highlights include “Home for the Holidays,” “The Holly and the Ivy,” and “Deck the Halls.” See all dates on Schedule page.
Hanukkah, First Night. December 18
The first night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, is Sunday, December 18.
In Performance at the White House: The Spirit of the Season
Sunday, December 18, 7 p.m. Stream now.
This dazzling music special celebrates the holidays and highlights the seasonal décor at the White House. Featuring special remarks by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and First Lady Jill Biden, hosted by actress Jennifer Garner, and performances by Andrea Bocelli, Matteo Bocelli, Virginia Bocelli, Camila Cabello, Eric Church, Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, and more!
All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece
Sunday, December 18, 8-11 p.m. Stream now.
Season 2 of the calming PBS favorite All Creatures Great and Small continues, with three episodes (Episodes 4, 5, 6 of seven episodes).
Food: Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas
Monday, December 19, 9 p.m. Stream now.
Mary Berry (right) and friends.
Fans of The Great British Baking Show and its judge extraordinaire Mary Berry won’t want to miss Mary Berry’s Ultimate Christmas , the ultimate guide for a fool-proof Christmas dinner. Packed with Berry’s classic recipes for a delicious three-course feast, this mouthwatering special will help you prep, shop, and plan before the big day itself for a stress-free holiday. Mary Berry shares her ultimate Christmas feast with all the trimmings. Friends and chefs Angela Hartnett and Monica Galetti join her to share favorite festive recipes from their heritage and Mary and TV host Rylan Clark try and win some kids over to Brussels sprouts.
You may also enjoy her Mary Berry’s Simple Comforts episode, Winter Wonderland, filmed in Scotland, featuring by magical scenery, snow-capped mountains and frost-covered forests.
History: Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas
Monday, December 19, 10 p.m. and Sunday, December 25, 7 p.m. See all air dates. Stream now with THIRTEEN Passport.
Just in time for the second night of Hanukkah. The unlikely story of the Jewish immigrants who, enamored with Broadway and Hollywood, wrote some of the most popular songs in America: Christmas music. The documentary features rarely-seen archival footage, musical performances and interviews.
Performance: O Holy Night: Christmas With the Tabernacle Choir
Tuesday, December 20, 8 p.m. Stream now.
See description, above.
Kwanzaa Celebration: Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa
Tuesday, December 21, 10 p.m. See all air dates.
Explore the seven principles that are the foundation of Kwanzaa through seven real-life stories of impact. These stories reveal how each principle plays a role in the Black community, illustrated through cultural elements of dance, storytelling, music, and spoken word. A production of PBS sibling station WXXI, Rochester.
Performance: Mariah Carey – Live at the Tokyo Dome
Thursday, December 22, 8 p.m.; December 24, 4 p.m. (see Schedule for all dates). Stream now.
Her Christmas smash international hit, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” makes the wish list on Mariah Carey’s historic first show in Japan, a stop on her first-ever international tour in celebration of her fifth studio album, Daydream (1995). The concert features standout versions of the Long Island native’s greatest hits, including “Emotions,” “Fantasy,” and “Dreamlover.” And the bass player? That’s Randy Jackson, more recently famous as an American Idol judge from 2002 to 2013 (see the tour’s musician list). Tune in for the historic concert broadcast, or stream it on-demand with THIRTEEN Passport. See a 12-minute sneak peek of Mariah’s concert.
Performance: Soundcheck: Debbie Gibson
Friday, December 23, 10:30 p.m. Stream now.
Singer-songwriter, producer and actress Debbie Gibson (“Only in My Dreams”) shares insight and inspiration about recording her first holiday album Winterlicious and performs some classic and new holiday hits. Singer Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block also discusses what it’s like working with Gibson. This NJ PBS Specials production is hosted by NJ PBS producer Jen Eckert at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, NJ.
Drama: Miss Scarlet and the Duke Marathon
Saturday, December 24, 9 p.m. Stream all seasons.
A Season 2 marathon of all six episodes of Miss Scarlet and the Duke . Season 3 is streaming now for THIRTEEN Passport members; Season 3 premieres in January on broadcast.
Christmas Day
Kids: Nature Cat: A Nature Carol
Sunday, December 25, 8:30 a.m.
If your children have long opened their gifts and settled down by 8:30 a.m., an animated treat awaits. In this homage to A Christmas Carol, Nature Cat is bursting with Christmas spirit. Lead character Nature Cat wants to celebrate with lots of presents — for himself! — and by decorating the woods with bright lights and loud music. His great big Christmas celebration upsets his friendship with Daisy, Hal, and Squeeks and bothers the animals in the woods. Will a visit from the spirits of Nature Past, Present, and Future help Nature Cat finally see the true meaning of Christmas? Stream Nature Cat on kids.thirteen.org
Kwanzaa Celebration: Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa
Sunday, December 25, 1:30 p.m.
Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa airs Tuesday, December 20 and Sunday, December 25. See description, above.
Performance: Great Performances: Anything Goes
Sunday, December 25, 3:30 p.m. Stream with THIRTEEN Passport.
Kick off your Christmas Day with a special encore of Great Performances: Anything Goes. Sutton Foster reprises her Tony-winning performance as brassy, sassy evangelist-turned-nightclub singer Reno Sweeney in the celebrated West End revival of Cole Porter’s classic musical.
History: Dreaming of a Jewish Christmas
Monday, December 19, 10 p.m. and Sunday, December 25, 7 p.m. See all air dates. Stream now with THIRTEEN Passport. See description, above.
Drama: Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2022
Sunday, December 25, 9 p.m. Stream.
The Call the Midwife Holiday Special airs December 25, 2022 on THIRTEEN.
Join the nuns and wives at Nonnatus House for a memorable Christmas in an all-new Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2022 . With Christmas approaching, the midwives move to their maternity clinic and are delighted when their first patient is a familiar face. Life in Poplar returns to normal after the tragic train crash, and everyone unites for a festive talent show.
In a great gift to Call the Midwife fans, four holiday specials from 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 are streaming for THIRTEEN Passport members now through January 24, 2023.
New Year’s Eve
Smart Talk: Love & Respect with Killer Mike: Fab 5 Freddy
Saturday, December 31, 10:30 a.m. Stream now.
Fab 5 Freddy (left) and host Killer Mike (right).
Look back on the past half-century of hip-hop with a legend. New York hip hop pioneer Fab Five Freddy joins Killer Mike for a look at his influence on music, art and culture dating back to the 1970’s. Fab 5 Freddy (Fred Brathwaite) was raised in Brooklyn, but for more hip-hop history, read, How the Bronx Gave Us Hip-Hop.
Drama: Atlantic Crossing on Masterpiece
Saturday December 31, 2–10 p.m.
Ring in the new year with the Roosevelts! This encore marathon of Atlantic Crossing on Masterpiece stars Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks, Sex and the City) as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, opposite Swedish star Sofia Helin (The Bridge) as Princess Martha from Norway. Broadway actress Harriet Harris plays Eleanor Roosevelt (an American icon Harris as portrayed many times). The epic drama set during World War II centers on the relationship between Franklin Roosevelt and Norwegian Crown Princess Martha.
Performance: United in Song: A New Year’s Eve Special
Saturday, December 31, 10 p.m.
Nine-time GRAMMY Award nominee Natalie Grant and American Pops Orchestra performing at the historic Peoples Bank Theatre in Marietta, Ohio.
Ring in the New Year with music that celebrates our nation’s diversity — from folk and rock to opera, country to hip-hop, Broadway to bluegrass and beyond. This star-studded concert features the American Pops Orchestra, and a performance by New York City Ballet dancers Tiler Peck and Roman Mejia. This new episode of United in Song will feature multiple regions of the United States, filmed in Boise, Idaho, Marietta, Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia, Los Angeles, California, and New York City, and Washington D.C. This special performance will also reflect on what brings us together as Americans, as we unite through the arts.
New Year’s Day
Ceremony: London’s New Year’s Day Parade 2023
Sunday, January 1, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The London Mayor Balloon and bagpipe players in the London’s New Year’s Day Parade 2022.
London’s New Year’s Day Parade (LNYDP) brings good old-fashioned fun to the U.K. capital. Running alongside the parade is the LNYDP concert series and the Grand Finale of the London International Choral Festival performed in internationally acclaimed music venues across London. Learn more on the official website of the parade.
Ceremony: Inauguration of Governor Kathy Hochul
Sunday, January 1, 2 p.m.
Fellow PBS station WXXI brings live coverage of the inauguration of Governor Kathy Hochul, which also marks the first time a woman will be sworn in as governor of New York State.
Performance: From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2023
Sunday, January 1, 8 p.m.
Scene from a Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Day concert 2019 from Great Performances, filmed at Vienna’s opulent Musikverein.
The annual Vienna Philharmonic concert from Great Performances, filmed at Vienna’s opulent Musikverein, showcases beloved Strauss Family waltzes, the dancing of the Vienna State Ballet, and the sights of Vienna. The festivities are hosted by Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville. (And, did you know that you can stream all seasons of Downton Abbey now, with the THIRTEEN Passport member benefit? Watch soon, as episodes expire January 31, 2023. )
THIRTEEN Passport
THIRTEEN Passport is the member benefit that provides you with extended access to an on-demand library of quality public television programming, including current and past seasons of PBS shows. Your membership supports public media for the tri-state community. For questions and to solve technical issues, visit our FAQs page.
ALL ARTS Holiday Programs
There’s no shortage of holiday cheer on our ALL ARTS channel. Get in the holiday spirit with a lively Nutcracker Marathon (Sunday, December 18, 12 noon–12 midnight) featuring eight back-to-back productions of the beloved ballet; the world premiere of author James Patterson and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City’s holiday special, Topsy Turvy New York (Wednesday, December 21, 8 p.m.), co-written with Susan and Richard DiLallo; The 31 Days of Christmas Music (Thursday, November 24–Sunday, December 25; visit allarts.org/schedule for programs and air times); ALL ARTS Yule Log (Saturday, December 24, 8 p.m.); and a Christmas Day marathon of The Carol Burnett Show: Carol’s Favorites (Sunday, December 25, 12 p.m.-3 a.m.). Tune in, watch online at–allarts.org, or with the ALL ARTS app.
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