The 12 Christmas shows, specials and movies we wouldn't dream of missing

For many of us, the holiday season just isn't the same without treasured traditions - including the chance to watch a favorite Christmas special or holiday movie.

Maybe it's a cartoon you loved as a kid, or a film classic you've seen a dozen times. It doesn't matter: The holidays seem just a bit more jolly after you spend a half-hour with "The Grinch" or a night with "A Christmas Story."

Here are a few of our favorites:

<b>"How the Grinch Stole Christmas"</b>

No matter what troubles worry me, it's truly Christmas after I watch the Grinch.

Grinch author Dr. Seuss was brilliance personified. The sounds of his sentences. The imaginative illustrations. The simple, profound lessons.

The 1966 animated retelling of the Grinch with bar-none baritone Boris Karloff is a gift. When Max stands with that silly reindeer horn tied atop his head, wags his tail with tongue lolling, and waves from the back of that ramshackle sleigh, how can you not grin? Every detail is delightful. The giant magnet used to remove stocking nails, the windup toys marching into sacks, the Grinch using a candy cane as a pool cue. There is all of that and more: Evil. Goodness. Hope. Redemption.

Once we watch on Christmas Eve, the season's higher meaning has settled into our souls. After all, as the Whos down in Whoville sing so well, "Welcome Christmas. Welcome, Welcome ... Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp."

<B>Catch it:</B> 7 p.m. Dec. 24 on ABC

<i>- Madeleine Doubek</i>

<b>"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"</b>

The squirrel blasting out of the Christmas tree.

The cat gnawing through the strand of lights.

The turkey puffing at the holiday dinner.

These are the memorable disasters that foil Clark Griswold's high standards for a Christmas family gathering in this 1989 comedy starring Chevy Chase.

How Griswold's neighbor (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) suffers through some of the fiascos add unexpected laughs in a chain of physical jokes. Especially when Griswold decorates his house with a too-tall tree and too many lights, temporarily blinding her in a bedroom moment with her husband.

<B>Catch it:</B> 9 p.m. Dec. 10, 8 p.m. Dec. 12, 7 p.m. Dec. 22, 5 p.m. Dec. 23 and 9 p.m. Dec. 25 on ABC Family

<i>- Katlyn Smith</i>

<b>"A Christmas Story"</b>

It isn't so much that 1983's "A Christmas Story" turned holiday films on their collective ear with its dysfunctional examination of an American child's lust for the ultimate Christmas present. It's that everyone who watches it can identify with 9-year-old Ralphie's pursuit.

The film skews traditional holiday images of magnificent Christmas trees, playful elves and melodic carols in favor of a scary Santa, a provocative desk lamp and giant pink bunny pajamas. It turned "you'll shoot your eye out" into an appropriate holiday salutation and forever changed the pronunciation of fragile to an excited "Frah-gee-lay!"

Even if you never got - or wanted - an official Red Ryder carbine-action, two-hundred-shot range model air rifle, the movie deserves a grade of A-plus-plus-plus-plus.

<B>Catch it:</B> In a 24-hour marathon starting 7 p.m. Dec. 24 on TBS

<i>- Jake Griffin</i>

<b>"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"</b>

Banished from Christmastown for being different, Rudolph (whose bright red nose makes him an outcast among his fellow reindeer) and Hermey (an elf who'd rather be a dentist) team up, vowing to be "in-de-pen-dent." Along the way, they encounter others who don't fit in, including a collection of misfit toys.

Yes, the stop-motion animation by Rankin/Bass is dated, but the film is still full of beautiful moments like when Rudolph floats away on the ice floe into the glow of the Northern Lights.

Narrator Burl Ives (as Sam the Snowman) nearly steals the show. His warm wonderful voice conjures up Christmas itself, and the soundtrack featuring "A Holly Jolly Christmas" is now a holiday staple.

In the end, Rudolph's nose helps lead Santa through a blizzard and the misfit toys find happy homes with children who love them.

"Rudolph" teaches us that our differences should be celebrated and that misfits not only can fit in, they can save Christmas.

<B>Catch it:</B> 7 p.m. Dec. 10 on CBS

<i>- Kathleen Danes</i>

<b>"The Ref"</b>

Who at Christmastime hasn't wanted to upbraid some pompous rich widow with a sneering, "Your husband ain't dead, lady. He's hiding!"? Ah, and that's just one of the delicious sentiments that Denis Leary brings to the holidays in this 1994 comedy about a would-be robber who winds up holding a Connecticut family hostage on Christmas Eve.

Many of the best lines from the dysfunctional central couple, played by Judy Davis and Kevin Spacey, can't be repeated in a family newspaper, so don't throw this one up on the DVD player with the kids unless you've screened it first. But if you're looking for something that puts a little kick in your egg nog, you won't find too many films in which lines like "Should I untie Grandma? She's starting to chew through her gag" blend so satisfyingly with a tidy, warm and fuzzy holiday feeling.

<B>Catch it:</B> On DVD

<i>- Jim Slusher</i>

<b>"It's a Wonderful Life"</b>

Yes, it's as sappy and corny as can be, but this Frank Capra movie never fails to lift my spirits about man's inherent goodness triumphing over evil.

But what keeps me coming back every year are the unforgettable scenes. Some are hilarious, possibly unintentionally so: George Bailey and his guardian angel Clarence enter Martini's bar, and Clarence fidgets over his choice of a few chi-chi-sounding drinks. Nick, the bartender, lets Clarence have it: "Hey, look, mister, we serve hard drinks here for men who want to get drunk fast. And we don't need any characters around to give the joint atmosphere." They don't write 'em like that anymore.

Or how about the close-up of George and Mary, talking long-distance to Sam Wainwright, Mary's boyfriend at the time. Without saying a word, they convey their undeniable magnetism, until George grabs Mary, almost violently, and tells her he doesn't want to be on the ground floor of Sam's business scheme, doesn't want to be married to anyone. "I want to do what I want to do," he proclaims. Then they kiss. Passionately. Then they get married. Great stuff.

<B>Catch it:</B> 7 p.m. Dec. 24 on NBC

<i>- Jim Davis</i>

<b>"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"</b>

As a young girl I loved the story of how Kris Kringle came to be Santa Claus (reflecting on it I think I kind of had a crush on the skinny redheaded fella). With its catchy songs and lovable cast (except of course for that nasty Burgermeister Meisterburger), the 1970s stop-motion special was one I never missed.

Fast forward a couple of decades, and I'm now watching the show on a Saturday evening with my 11-month-old son who has mastered the art of cruising along the furniture, but hasn't been brave enough to walk unassisted. I'm on the couch, he's standing, hands on the screen, in front of the TV when Kris coaxes Winter Warlock out of his wicked woods. As they sing "put one foot in front of the other," my son does just that and takes his first steps toward me. Talk about a Christmas present.

<B>Catch it:</B> 6 p.m. Dec. 9, 1 and 9 p.m. Dec. 17, 6 p.m. Dec. 24 and 10:30 a.m. Dec. 25 on ABC Family

<i>- Deborah Pankey</i>

<b>"Home Alone"</b>

"If it makes you feel any better, I forgot my reading glasses."

As the massive McCallister family sprints through the airport to catch a flight to France for the holidays, 8-year-old Kevin (Macauley Culkin) wakes up to find he's been accidentally left behind.

At first, he relishes having the run of the house - and the neighborhood. No rules! No chores! No annoying brothers and sisters! But after a few sprints through the house, some jumping on the bed and a massive dose of junk food, reality sets in. He's 8. And he's alone.

The movie turns from the whimsical to slapstick with the appearance of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern as a couple of robbers. In defending his home, Kevin learns to face his fears and to give people the benefit of the doubt.

And that, maybe, just maybe, it's good to have family around. Especially for the holidays.

<B>Catch it:</B> 5:20 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. Dec. 19 on Encore

<i>- Brian Shamie</i>

<b>"The Year Without a Santa Claus"</b>

It's happened to all of us. You wake up feeling like you've been hit by a truck, and you decide staying in bed is your best bet.

But what if it's Christmastime - and it's Santa who has the sniffles? Well, that's the premise of the 1974 Rankin-Bass holiday special, "The Year Without a Santa Claus."

Santa wakes up with a cold shortly before the big day. When his surly doctor gives him the whole "Bah, Humbug!" routine - and convinces the usually Jolly Old Elf the rest of the world feels the same - Santa decides to cancel Christmas.

In an effort to cheer up Santa and make the holidays merry, Mrs. Claus sends two elves, Jingle and Jangle, to Southtown, U.S.A., to find just a bit of Christmas spirit. When Santa finds out what she's done, he goes after them to make sure they stay out of trouble.

They don't. They're cited for wearing funny clothes on a Sunday, their reindeer is impounded by the town's dogcatcher and they find out none of Southtown's children or its mayor believe in Santa. And, oh yeah, they have a run-in with the Miser Brothers, Heat Miser and Snow Miser.

It's a cute story, made cuter by the iconic Rankin-Bass stop-motion animation. But that's not what this special is about. It's a reminder to keep the Christmas spirit year-round. Because we don't want Santa canceling Christmas again, right?

<B>Catch it:</B> 5 p.m. Dec. 9, 11 a.m. Dec. 17, 7 p.m. Dec. 24 and 11:30 a.m. Dec. 25 on ABC Family

<i>- Melynda Findlay</i>

<b>"A Colbert Christmas" </b>

Although it's probably inappropriate, "A Colbert Christmas" is quickly becoming the modern classic in our house.

The 2009 comedy special takes direct aim at Christmas commercialism in a way that only Colbert's conservative pundit alter-ego can.

It's filled with appearances from guest stars like Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello and, of course, Jon Stewart - all based on a thin plot of Colbert trying to escape his cabin through a snowstorm to get back to New York for his Christmas special.

And somehow through catchy (and hilarious) songs about the "War on Christmas" or the merits of nutmeg, the comedian actually manages to capture what's right about this holiday.

<B>Catch it:</B> On DVD

<i>- Elisabeth Mistretta</i>

<b>"A Charlie Brown Christmas"</b>

When "A Charlie Brown Christmas" first debuted in 1965, it challenged many TV cartoon conventions of the time. Actual kids voiced Charles M. Schulz's famed "Peanuts" characters, while the show dared to question the commercialization of Christmas. As a child, I identified with Charlie Brown questioning his unhappiness around the holiday season, and I grew to love the show's jazzy soundtrack performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" not only introduced Guaraldi's iconic "Linus and Lucy" theme music, but also gave us the modern carol "Christmas Time is Here," which uncommonly weds joyful lyrics to a melancholy minor-key tune (an apt reflection of Charlie Brown's own "wishy-washiness").

Now it's unfortunate that "A Charlie Brown Christmas" has itself capitulated into being an overly marketed component of the season. I'm not sure if those who happily bought mass-produced replicas of Charlie Brown's sagging one-ornament Christmas tree were aware of the irony of doing so. Yet the sentiments in the original TV special are still sound and a nostalgic part of America's holiday season.

<B>Catch it:</B> 7 p.m. Dec. 15 on ABC

<i>- Scott C. Morgan</i>

<b>"Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas"</b>

"Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas" began in 1971 as a children's book by Russell Hoban. In 1977, Muppet master Jim Henson produced an adaptation of the story for an HBO television special.

Emmet Otter and his widowed mother Alice (who actually both resemble curly brown Muppet teddy bears more than otters, but who cares - they are adorable!) live a humble life in a tiny home by the river. Struggling for money, Alice takes in laundry, and Emmet finds odd jobs to do in town. But with Christmas approaching, what are poor otters to do about buying gifts?

A local talent show offers the mother and son a chance to win $50 - but in a "Gift of the Magi" theme, each one must part with something that they desperately need to enter the contest.

Henson's production offers lovely, cozy scenes of life on the river - watch as Emmet and his mother row their boat through the slowly rippling water at sunset. Songs by composer/singer Paul Williams are seamlessly woven into the story. You'll find yourself tapping your toes to some of the tunes, and others may bring a tear to your eye. For there's nothing like love and family and the holidays - even for storybook otters.

<B>Catch it:</B> On DVD

<i>- Laura Stewart</i>