Merry Christmas, everyone!
Oh, how wonderful it has been to share the joys and wonders of this Holy Christmas Season with all of you, dear It's a Wonderful Movie friends!
I'm so grateful for you all! I hope many of you have enjoyed the friendships you've made here and all the numerous movie reviews, too, whether it be of inspiring new Christmas movies, comedies, classics, or rom-coms throughout the year!
As Christmas Day draws near... may our hearts continue to prepare Him room and our homes radiate His love and light!
Thank you for welcoming It's a Wonderful Movie into your home this year, and I hope you plan to visit again in the new year 2025!
🎄Special TV Programming🎄
for Christmas Week:
Great American Family:
*A Royal Christmas Ballet - movie premiere - Sunday, December 22 (8 p.m. ET)
*Christmas on the Farm - Monday, December 23 (8 p.m. ET)
Details via Great American Family: Viewers are invited to join Jill Wagner and (her husband) David Lemanowicz as they celebrate the true meaning of Christmas: cutting and trimming the holiday tree, gathering for Christmas dinner, and a candlelight service at the restored chapel on the farm. Jill’s military heritage has given her lasting appreciation for being close to loved ones and lifting those in need especially during the holidays. As “Silent Night” is sung around the dinner table, a family is welcomed to the table who lost everything in Hurricane Helene. To the family’s surprise, the community of Tellico Plains, TN, has come together with gifts that will help Makayla, TaMarcus, and their two sons on the road to recovery. Makayla works at the VA Hospital in North Carolina and has spent her entire career caring for veterans and their families.
*Christmas Yule Log - begins Christmas Eve at 2pm/1c
*Christmas Movie Review Marathon - December 28th & 29th ALL DAY
*136th Rose Parade - New Years Day 11am/10c
Hallmark Channel:
Tuesday, December 24th:
*A Season for Miracles (Hallmark Hall of Fame classic!) ... Hallmark Channel ... 8am
Wednesday, December 25th:
*One Christmas Eve (Hallmark Hall of Fame classic!) ... Hallmark Channel ... 4am
*Following Yonder Star ... Hallmark Channel ... 6pm
Friday, December 27th:
*A Novel Noel ... Hallmark Channel ... 8pm
Saturday, December 28th:
*Trading Up Christmas ... Hallmark Channel ... 8pm
Sunday, December 29th:
*Following Yonder Star ... Hallmark Channel ... 8am
*This Time Each Year ... Hallmark Channel ... 8pm
Lifetime:
*Engaged by Christmas - movie premiere - Sunday, December 22 (8 p.m. ET)
UPtv:
*North by North Pole: A Dial S Mystery - Sunday, December 22 at 7pm/6c.
*Small Town Christmas - Sunday, December 22 at 9pm/6c. and 9:30pm/6:30c.
TNT/TBS:
*A Christmas Story movie marathon - Christmas Day
CBS:
Tuesday, December 24th:
*Christmas with Andrea Bocelli and Friends: A Grammy Holiday Special ... CBS ... 8pm
*The Price Is Right at Night "Holiday Heroes" ... CBS ... 9pm
*Nate Bargatze's Nashville Christmas ... CBS ... 10pm
ABC:
Sunday, December 22, 2024:
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (cartoon) ... ABC ... 7pm
The Wonderful World of Disney Presents: The Santa Clause ... ABC ... 8pm
*NOTE: Tim Allen is hosting this special movie presentation.
Tuesday, December 24, 2024:
The Wonderful World of Disney Presents: Home Alone ... ABC ... 8pm
Wednesday, December 25, 2024:
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade ... ABC ... 10am
Plus, if you'd like to see the Christmas programming airing this week on Freeform and AMC - click here!
White Christmas, which is celebrating its 70th Anniversary, will air on AMC very early at 2am/1c on Christmas Eve!
Sundance TV will also air White Christmas on Christmas Day at 12:30pm/11:30c., 5:30pm/4:30c., and 10:30pm/9:30c.
Classic Christmas movies airing this week on TCM include: Christmas in Connecticut, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Bells of St. Marys, A Christmas Carol, and more! See the full schedule here.
🎄🌟 🎄🌟 🎄🌟 🎄🌟 🎄🌟 🎄🌟
NBC:
Monday, December 23rd
Sundance TV will also air White Christmas on Christmas Day at 12:30pm/11:30c., 5:30pm/4:30c., and 10:30pm/9:30c.
Classic Christmas movies airing this week on TCM include: Christmas in Connecticut, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Bells of St. Marys, A Christmas Carol, and more! See the full schedule here.
NBC:
Monday, December 23rd
Christmas at Graceland ... NBC ... 8pm
Tuesday, December 24th:
It's a Wonderful Life ... NBC ... 8-11pm
Wednesday, December 25, 2024:
NBC Special: How the Grinch Stole Christmas cartoon ... NBC ... 8pm
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Live Action) ... NBC ... 8:30pm
E! Network:
It's a Wonderful Life - All Day Marathon on Christmas Day!
From my home to yours, I pray you all have a very Merry Christmas celebrating the true and first gift of Christmas... Jesus!
God's blessings to you all!
Merry Christmas, everyone,
Net
What Christmas is All About...
Linus' speech from A Charlie Brown Christmas:
The spotlight shines on Linus center stage as he shares the story of Jesus' birth straight from the scripture Luke 2:8-14...
"And there were in the same country
shepherds abiding in the fields,
keeping watch over their flocks by night.
And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of The Lord shone round about them,
and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them,
Fear not, for behold,
I bring unto you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day
in the City of David,
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you;
you shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel,
a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God, and saying,
'Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace, good will toward men'.
There are many faith-based films coming out in 2024, including:
ReplyDeleteJesus: A Deaf Missions Film
The first feature film about Jesus in American Sign Language, this film will be released in theaters on June 20, 2024.
Ordinary Angels
A true story about a hairdresser who rallies a community to help a widowed father save his critically ill daughter. This film stars Hillary Swank and is scheduled for release in February 2024.
The Forge
A story about a young boy named Isaiah facing the struggles of growing up. This film is from the Kendrick brothers, who also co-created War Room. It is scheduled for release in August 2024.
Bonhoeffer
A true story about a Berlin man's fight to preserve Germany's spirituality against the Third Reich. This film is scheduled for release in November 2024.
The Hiding Place
A stage-to-screen production about Corrie ten Boom and her family's efforts to hide Jews from the Nazis during the war.
Jesus Revolution
A biopic about a former hippie who becomes a Jesus follower in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Journey to Bethlehem
A musical that blends romance, drama, and Glee-style music.
Average Joe
A true story about an assistant high school football coach who knelt in prayer at midfield after every game. This film is rated PG-13 for some thematic material and violence
Thank you for sharing! That is a wonderful list of faith-based films that were released in 2024.
DeleteAlso, add to that list...
Unsung Hero
It follows Rebecca, Joel, and Luke Smallbone of For King & Country and their life journey to become Christian recording artists. The film was released on April 26, 2024.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever – The movie follows six siblings who sneak into church searching for snacks and walk away with the lead roles in the town pageant. Grace (Judy Greer) is directing the performance for the very first time; she and her daughter Beth (Molly Belle Wright) and husband Bob (Pete Holmes) are less than amused. But the play’s mischievous stars might unwittingly teach a community the true meaning of Christmas. The film was released in theaters on November 8, 2024.
Anyone else think of any more Christian films from the theater in 2024?
I certainly hope we see many more films like this in 2025. There has already been an announcement that there will be an 'I Can Only Imagine' sequel coming!!!
Thank you, Net, for your wonderful Christmas card and messages! Yes, may we never forget that you can't have Christmas without Christ! And may you, Net, and everyone else here...have a most wonderful Christmas filled with our Lord's blessings!
ReplyDeleteI plan on spending the next few days not watching Hallmark or GAF movies, but rather watching some of the old classic Christmas movies and TV specials from years gone by. We have had a tradition for many years now...attending Midnight Mass, and then watching the Alistair Sim version of A Christmas Carol with a nice fire going. For me, it's a wonderful way to bring in Christmas Day!
Mark 25, A Very Merry and Blessed Christmas to you, my friend! I love to watch the classics on these last few days, too! The other night I watched Bells of St. Marys with teary eyes... it is so beautiful, and I'm always the same at the end of It's a Wonderful Life when Harry Bailey walks in and cheers his brother and says, "To the richest man in town!" Gives me chills just thinking about it!
DeleteEnjoy every minute of your wonderful celebration and worship... leading to Christmas Day!
God bless & Merry Christmas Eve Eve!!!
Mark, The Alastair Sim version of a "A Christmas Carol" is my favorite one of all of them.
DeleteMerry Christmas everyone!
Net, thank you for all the work you put into this site. Thank you for letting me visit here. I love reading the comments and info given.
ReplyDeleteMy comments have been few because I have not had time to watch a lot of the Christmas movies this season. I wish the networks would spread them out over months instead of weeks.
Merry Christmas Net! Merry Christmas to all of you!
kitkat, Thank you for commenting! I completely understand how busy the season gets. Please feel free afterwards when you may have more time to share any thoughts or reviews you may have with us of the Christmas movies. I'll still be watching, too!
DeleteMerry Christmas to you and your dear family!!! God bless!!!
Merry Christmas, everyone!! I'm so thankful to have spent another incredible year reviewing movies with all of you, and I especially look forward to what Great American Family has planned (especially if my 1 big dream for them comes true!)! -Maria
ReplyDeleteMaria, A very special Merry Christmas to you, my friend! It has been wonderful to watch the movies with you this year, and I look forward to doing it all over again next year!
DeleteBlessings to you! I hope your Christmas is filled with much joy & happiness! :)
Merry Christmas, Net and all who come here. I hate to admit it, but I didn’t see Charlie Brown this Christmas. I just listened to Linus’s speech and I so needed it with all the Christmas chaos lately. We all need to remember the true meaning sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAllie B, I know just what you mean. It really isn;t the same since ABC stopped playing Charlie Brown. I'm sure many don't see it anymore, especially children who really need to know there is more to Christmas than Santa bringing presents.
DeleteThank you for sharing the true joy of Christmas with us! God bless & Merry Christmas!!! :)
Finally, my favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life. Reserved only for Christmas Eve. Robert
ReplyDeleteRobert, It's a Wonderful Life is my top favorite, too! Hence the reason this blog is called It's a Wonderful Movie!
DeleteThank you for sharing with us! Enjoy your annual watching of this beloved Christmas classic! Merry Christmas to you!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too! Thank you for all of your comments through the year. I appreciate you so much! :)
DeleteMerry Christmas my dear friends!
ReplyDeleteYou have all been a blessing to me. I am so grateful to the Lord for our friendship! Praying everyone here has a joyful Christmas as we celebrate our Savior!
Abigail, I'm so grateful for you and your wonderful contributions to this blog. Thank you for being such a good friend to me and many others here, as well. You have such a sweet, warm, giving spirit that shines through your comments here.
DeleteA very Merry Christmas to you and your precious family, my friend!!! God bless you all!
Some faith-based movies coming out in 2025 include:
ReplyDeleteThe King of Kings
An animated film based on Charles Dickens' The Life of Our Lord, which tells the story of Jesus Christ. The film stars Oscar Isaac as Jesus, Kenneth Branagh as Dickens, and also features the voices of Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker, Uma Thurman, Mark Hamill, and Pierce Brosnan. It's scheduled for release in theaters around Easter 2025.
The Chosen Season 5
Production on the fifth season of The Chosen has begun, and season four is expected to be released for streaming.
JESUS
An animated film based on the story of Jesus is set to be released in 2025.
Faith, Hope & Grace
A 2025 film starring Wayne D Burdette Jr., Anna Stadler, and Kiley Opsal.
Roll with It
A small-town waitress enters a karaoke showdown to save her house from foreclosure.
Net,
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you! I wanted to wish you a blessed day filled with joy and laughter and time with family and friends. May your day be one of peace and love. You have no idea how much I have enjoyed coming here over the years. I adore you! You have been a beacon of light and goodness. And, you have always been so gracious. So thank you from the bottom of my heart!
To all of my friends here who I have grown to care so much about.
Peace to you all and good tidings. May God be with you as you enjoy time with loved ones. Thanks for being part of my life! I know we have never met but I feel like I know you all well. :-) God is good!
Joan, Your endearing comment warmed my heart. What a sweet gift! I'm in and out this week - trying to soak up time with family, but what joy your thoughtful words gave me. I'm so glad you enjoy your visits here. You are such a dear friend to me and others here! God's richest blessings to you and Happy New Year!!! :)
DeleteNet,
DeleteThank you so much! Your sweet words made me smile! :-) And, I am so happy to hear my words brought you joy! :-) May God's richest blessings be yours as well. And, Happy New Year too! :-)
Merry Christmas, to all my friends here!! Net, you are such a sweet blessing from God! And I love your nostalgic Christmas card greetings!! Hopefully, tonight and tomorrow will have enough quiet time in my schedule to continue to reflect, prepare my heart, and rejoice the birth of our Savior. . . O come, O come, Emmanuel!!! Glory to God, in the highest!!! ~~Jane (aka Hear the Bells Ring!!)
ReplyDeleteJane, Bless you my dear friend for your thoughtful comment and words of encouragement. I'm so delighted you are a part of this It's a Wonderful Movie family!!! And even better than that, I know we are sisters in The Lord!!!
DeleteAlthough some of the movies can be mundane and as stale as day old gingerbread, (this is my sincere attempt to sound like you!!!!), your comments are always a refreshing treat!!!
A very Merry Christmas & a safe, healthy, Happy New Year 2025 to you and yours!!! :)
I've been meaning to mention this news for all of you Heartland fans... Heartland Season 17th begins Sunday, January 12th, at 7 PM ET on UPtv.
ReplyDeleteNet-thank you for the Heartland update! I've watched it from the begining and though it's changed some, I still enjoyed it last season. ~LR
DeleteDolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (2022)
ReplyDeleteDecember 26. 2024
9pm-11pm
NBC
Inspired by the hopeful spirit of Great Smoky Mountains, Dolly Parton returns to Dollywood to star in a new musical with special guests: Jimmy Fillon, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jimmie Allen, Zach Williams, Miley Cyrus, many more
Merry Christmas! Thanks for having and keeping up with the blog! Perhaps, it was mentioned already, but does anyone know if Hallmark will have 90-minute commercial-free movies on Christmas Day again this year? My cable DVR does not show it in the listings. I just thought I would check and see if anyone has heard or seen anything about this. I do see where GFAM is having a marathon of 90-minute movies later in the week. I really like when the networks give us this “gift”. Again, Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteWell, the past weekend's Christmas movies overall weren't very good. However, Jill Wagner's special was quite moving. She is an amazing person and I adored her little family. Plus, she lives in such a beautiful place. Oh, and that chapel was a gift from God. I have always been drawn to houses of worship and wherever I travel, I seek out churches. Visiting them restores my soul.
Since the movies disappointed me, my husband and I pulled out copies of our favorite Christmas movies we have on DVD. We watched "The Shop Around the Corner" and "It's a Wonderful Life". And, on Christmas Day, we will watch "The Bishop's Wife".
Do you know if they will be replaying the Jill Wagner special any time? I completely forgot to record it. Thanks, Michelle
DeleteMichelle, Unfortunately, I'm not currently seeing a replay of "Christmas on the Farm with Jill Wagner and Family."
DeleteThe only place I see to watch this special is through a subscription with Great American Pure Flix. See details here:
https://amzn.to/3BO1LMK
If I catch any additions to the schedule, I'll be sure to let you know.
Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWhat’s happen to Macy’s Christmas Parade on Christmas Day - its support to air twice since Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for you Net and all who contributed this year. I can’t begin to say how grateful I am. Merry Christmas!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwww... thank you! I so appreciate your comment. I hope you had a very Merry Christmas, too! :)
DeleteMerry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year! Net, thank you for all you do to keep us informed! May God richly bless you and all that visit here!
ReplyDeleteJoyce, Thank you, my sweet friend! I so appreciate all of your wonderful reviews throughout the year. But most of all, I'm grateful for our chats and our special friendship! God's blessings to you & yours in the New Year. I pray you had a very Merry Christmas!!! :)
DeleteCandace looks to film 4 or 5 movies next year.
ReplyDeleteLink: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/candace-cameron-bure-christmas-movies-great-american-family-1236093888/
-Maria
Maria, Thank you for sharing this great article! I'm not sure if Candace was completely series about 4 or 5, but I certainly hope we see her in more movies this year.
DeleteOf course, as we all know, she has the Ainsley McGregor Mysteries movie coming up and maybe more of those. Plus, she will definitely have one new Christmas movie, at least, in 2025. Would love to see her in a faith-based Easter movie!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone
ReplyDeleteChris, A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, as well!
DeleteThank you for your comments through the year. God bless you! :)
Merry Christmas everyone! I am so so thankful for you Net and all the hard work you do on this site. All of the movie reminders and reviews are so helpful to me. And I am so thankful to each person on here. Even though we don’t know each other in person, I love the friendship we have all built online. Prayers for a new year with good health and Gods’ blessings 🤍
ReplyDelete~Paula
Paula, Awww... Thank you! What a sweet, beautiful message! I feel the same way... like we are all special friends who've connected here! You are such an integral part of this IAWM family!
DeleteMerry Christmas week to you and your precious family! God bless you all, as well!
What’s happened to Macy’s Christmas Day Parade was on TV
ReplyDeleteI'm not aware of Macy's Christmas Day Parade, just the Thanksgiving Parade.
DeleteDisney had a parade on Christmas Day.
It’s too early at 5am in the morning, Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade for 2 hours when I set to record
DeleteWhy not? 8am in the morning, it’s always Christmas Parades & after that Dog Show
Just read an article on FOX app that stated that Amazon totally messed up “It’s a Wonderful Life” showing. They edited out the part where George Bailey is shown what it would have been like if he hadn’t been born. At least that’s the way I understood it. If so, shame on them. It totally changes meaning of movie. I apologize if I misunderstood it.
ReplyDeleteJoCo, I've been seeing this same story everywhere, so you are definitely not wrong. It is outrageous, if you ask me, and I'm so glad viewers not only caught this but called Amazon out on it.
Delete“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a movie that should NEVER be edited in any way, especially the key scenes where George sees what the world would be like if he had never been born. From what I understand, they edited it in such a way that it seems like Clarence gives him the $8,000.
If you search the phrase "amazon it's a wonderful life abridged," then you will see all of the various articles about it.
I'm so glad Amazon is getting criticism over this. I've always feared that Apple might try to edit "A Charlie Brown Christmas" to cut out the religious part. Hopefully, this incident will help to protect other beloved classics from being cut to pieces by woke companies.
Re-watched 'Its a Wonderful Life' tonight with my parents (on DVD, like we always have over the years, shame on Amazon Prime for their stupidity!) (hopefully the networks go back to airing the Peanuts specials next year).
ReplyDeleteAlso watching Fox nation's Christmas at the Greenbrier, very pretty movie! -Maria
Maria, "Christmas at the Greenbrier" made me want to take a vacation there!! Sweet movie! And we've been trying all season to make time for "It's a Wonderful Life" and when I saw your post about watching it with your family it reminded me to try again tonight. But, once again, a major interruption -- argh! Hopefully, a nice quiet, and rainy, New Year's Eve tomorrow will be the perfect time to finally watch!! Hope you have a nice New Year's Eve, as well!! And, thank you for all your reviews this Christmas! ~~Jane
Delete