What’s in Santa’s Broadcast Bag for Broadcast, Cable and Streaming?

As quickly as toys are made in Santa’s workshop, Hollywood is also producing Christmas programs. Broadcast networks, cable channels and streaming services offer seasonal specials.

This year’s options include three sequels to the 2023 Hallmark Channel hit “Christmas on Cherry Lane,” a documentary about what happens when a letter to Santa is dropped in the mail, and the stop-motion classic ” Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Below are 10 options to get you in the Christmas spirit:

– Lindsay Lohan stars in a new holiday romantic comedy for Netflix called “Our Little Secret,” out Wednesday. Lohan and Ian Harding (“Pretty Little Liars”) play exes who spend Christmas together after learning they are now dating siblings. “He’s got a lot of heart and he’s very funny, and I think that’s what we need in film today,” Lohan said in an interview with The Associated Press. Kristin Chenoweth is also there.

— “Dear Santa, The Series” warms the soul like a cup of hot chocolate. Now in its second season, the show highlights the United States Postal Service’s Operation Santa program, in which children write letters to Santa and a team of elves help make their Christmas wishes come true. The new season will stream on Hulu starting Friday.

– Candace Cameron Bure and Cameron Mathison star in “Home Sweet Christmas” as former childhood friends who reunite after the death of a family member who left his maple sugar farm to them both. It premieres Sunday on Great American Family.

— Remember the 1985 film “Brewster’s Millions” starring Richard Pryor and John Candy? The comedy classic has been updated with a holiday twist. In Brewster’s Millions: Christmas, China Anne McClain plays Morgan Brewster, a wealthy heiress who will lose her family’s fortune if she doesn’t complete a series of tasks in time for Christmas. It premieres December 5th on BET+. The film also stars Romeo Miller and two of Pryor’s children, Richard Pryor Jr. and Rain Pryor.

– The 2023 Hallmark film “Christmas on Cherry Lane” was a huge hit for the network. This was followed on Christmas Eve by three families who lived in the same house at different times. Three sequels are streaming on Hallmark+, spanning from 1951 to the present. Jonathan Bennett and Vincent Rodriguez III star in the first sequel, “Season’s Greetings from Cherry Lane,” premiering December 5. “Happy Holidays from Cherry Lane” premieres December 12th and stars Catherine Bell and James Denton. The third film, “Deck the Halls on Cherry Lane,” comes out December 19th and stars Erin Cahill and Brooke D’Orsay.

– An original holiday romantic film titled “A Season to Remember” will air December 7 on OWN. Michele Weaver plays a sports reporter who works hard to prove herself in a male-dominated industry, but is still sometimes overlooked for opportunities. The pressure is on to find a compelling story in the week before Christmas. Weaver works with a freelance photographer (Nathan Owens) who helps her find romance, confidence and the right path.

– Freeform has declared its December schedule the “25 Days of Christmas,” with holiday shows airing from morning to midnight. December 8th is a highlight with Tim Allen’s “The Santa Clause” franchise and the 1964 stop-motion classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and 1969’s “Frosty the Snowman.”

– Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey host “A Motown Christmas Special” on NBC on December 11 (streaming the next day on Peacock). Motown legends like Robinson, Gladys Knight and the Temptations sing some of their most famous songs as well as Christmas carols. Bailey will perform a medley of music from Diana Ross and the Supremes, while Jamie Foxx will lead a Stevie Wonder tribute with Andra Day, Bebe Winans and Jordin Sparks. An 11-piece live band will accompany the performances.

– A new double-episode holiday edition of “The Simpsons,” titled “O C’mon All Ye Faithful,” will stream on Disney+ on December 17th. A famous mentalist arrives in Springfield and uses his mind tricks to increase the Christmas spirit. When Homer is hypnotized into believing he is Santa Claus, the rest of the town questions their own Christmas beliefs and the meaning of the word “miracle.” The special also features music from Patti LaBelle and Pentatonix.

– Netflix will stream two NFL games on Christmas Day. First, the Super Bowl LVII champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, face the Pittsburgh Steelers, followed by the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans. The streamer is giving the Beyhive the gift of Beyoncé this holiday season – as the superstar will perform at halftime during the game with her hometown team, the Texans. The Netflix Christmas games will also be shown on television in participating team cities.

Video journalist Gina Abdy contributed to this report.