Christmas Specials and Holiday Viewings

I'm a psychotic Christmas fan. I usually call it Xmas, ensuring to take the Christ out of Christmas but regardless, I can sit here all day 365 days of the and listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas specials.

The number one favorite being a tie between A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rankin-Bass' Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. Both are sublime and amazing. And for as much as I dislike religion and the such, nothing gets me like the "meaning of Christmas" speech Linus Van Pelt gives toward the end of Charlie Brown... amazing!

So because I'm a Christmas freak, I thought I'd bring you some of the fun marathons and such that are taking place in the next 48 hours.

Obviously we start with the mother of all marathons, TBS's 24 hours of A Christmas Story. Still one of the best holiday films EVER! Who doesn't love Ralphie, Randy, The Bunny Suit, Farkas, The Bumpus' dogs, Schwartz, and Flick with that damn pole. Beginning December 24th at 8pm settle in with some cocoa and prepare to watch the FUDGING best movie!

ABC Family 12pm December 24th: 12 hour marathon of my favorite childhood animators, Rankin-Bass' famous holiday work. Now, the two best pieces of Rankin-Bass work are not present (Frosty and Rudolph) but you've gotta tune in for The Little Drummer Boy (12pm), Nestor (4:30), Jack Frost (6pm), Twas the Night Before Christmas (7:30), Santa Claus is Comin' To Town (8pm), The Year Without Santa Claus (9pm). God I love the Heat Meiser!

AMC has 18 hours of the original black and white classic Miracle on 34th Street. Watch Natalie Wood before she was Maria and before she was a floatin' in the water.

NBC has It's a Wonderful Life at 8pm on Christmas Eve. If you've ever wanted to box someone's ears, this will steer you in the other direction. Plus for all you tv freaks out there, if you ever wanted to know where thirtysomething and Once & Again creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick got the closing tag "And Dance By The Light of The Moon" well, here's your chance! Merry Christmas Movie Theatre!

TVLand has a 24 hour classic tv episode marathon beginning 6pm Christmas Eve! The 24-hour event showcases holiday-themed episodes of Good Times, All in the Family, Cheers, Sanford and Son, Benson, Green Acres, Little House on the Prairie, Gunsmoke and more.

Others that must be seen if possible: The Bells of St. Mary's and another no-brainer... Christmas Vacation!

Merry Christmas Everyone