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This season's lineup: new gifts and Christmas classics

IN THE AGE of downloads, you probably can watch your favorite Christmas special any time you want. But there's something special about watching holiday films during the holidays. Here's a rundown of some classics and some new delights, in case you want to tune in. Be sure to confirm air times, which are subject to change.

IN THE AGE of downloads, you probably can watch your favorite Christmas special any time you want. But there's something special about watching holiday films during the holidays. Here's a rundown of some classics and some new delights, in case you want to tune in. Be sure to confirm air times, which are subject to change.

_ "A Charlie Brown Christmas": Poor Charlie Brown. Though he's directing a Christmas pageant, he's lost the holiday spirit in the midst of commercialization. The blockhead regains his spirit - and spreads it to his friends - with the help of Linus and the scrawniest tree imaginable. Worth tuning in just for the Vince Guaraldi soundtrack. 8 p.m. Nov. 28; 8 p.m. Dec. 20, ABC.

Fun fact: CBS produced a version with a laugh track over creator Charles M. Schultz's objections. It was never released.

_ "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" Boris Karloff narrates the charming Dr. Seuss tale, yet another slap in the face to commercialism. 8 p.m. Dec. 18; 8 p.m. Dec. 25, ABC.

Fun fact: According to The Journal of Popular Culture, Theodore Geisel (Seuss) worked with Grinch animator Chuck Jones and "It's A Wonderful Life" director Frank Capra on a series of animated instructional films for the U.S. Army during World War II.

_ "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Ridiculed for his red nose, Rudolph hits the road with a grizzled prospector and an elf who wants to be a dentist. After a run-in with the Abominable Snowman and a stop on the sad Island of Misfit Toys, Rudolph returns to the North Pole to help Santa see through a blizzard that threatens to cancel Christmas. 8 p.m. Dec. 4, CBS.

_ "Elf." In this modern classic, Will Ferrell stars as Buddy the Elf. A human raised by Santa's helpers as one of their own, naive Buddy learns his true identity and heads to New York City to find his father. 8 p.m. Dec. 15, CBS.

Fun fact: Voice actor Maurice LaMarche ("Futurama") created Buddy's memorable 12-second belch.

_ "A Christmas Story." The leg lamp. The furnace. The triple-dog dare. "Fra-gee-lay!" Although broad and insufferable to some, this is a bona fide Christmas staple, based on the works of author Jean Shepherd (who also narrates). 8 p.m. Dec. 24, TBS (24-hour marathon).

Fun fact: Jack Nicholson was considered for the father role that went to Darren McGavin.

_ "It's A Wonderful Life." No Christmas season is complete without watching George Bailey and Clarence the angel save Bedford Falls in glorious black and white. Clarence gives desperate George a look at how much worse off his city and its residents would be if he had never existed, and George repays the debt by helping the cherub-in-training get his wings. 8 p.m. Dec. 1; 8 p.m. Dec. 24, NBC.

New this year

_ "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" This stop-motion special marks the first time the denizens of Bikini Bottom appear on network TV. 9:30 p.m. Friday, CBS.

_ "Home Alone: The Holiday Heist." The thieves are back and so is a little kid. But this time, the house is haunted. 8 p.m. Nov. 25, ABC Family.

_ "Christmas in Rockefeller Center." Trace Adkins, Mariah Carey and Cee Lo Green perform at the live lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. 8 p.m., Nov. 28, NBC.

_ "Blake Shelton's Not So Family Christmas." Kelly Clarkson, Miranda Lambert and Reba McEntire join "The Voice" personality, crooning holiday favorites. 10 p.m. Dec. 3; 8 p.m. Dec. 7, NBC.

_ "Christmas with Holly." The latest Hallmark Hall of Fame offering focuses on three uncles and a little lady. 9 p.m. Dec. 9, ABC.

_ "The Mistle-Tones." It's a "Glee"-ful holiday as rival vocal groups compete in a Christmas Eve sing-off. 8 p.m. Dec. 9, ABC Family.

_ "Michael Buble: Home for the Holidays." The popular songster returns to NBC for his second holiday special. 10 p.m. Dec. 10; 8 p.m. Dec. 21, NBC.

_ "Christmas in the White House." This all-new holiday event follows the season with the Obamas. 8 p.m. Dec. 13; 9 p.m. Dec. 21, NBC.

_ "CMA Country Christmas." Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles hosts; Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery and Keith Urban headline the performers. 9 p.m. Dec. 20; 9 p.m. Dec. 22, ABC.

Cable channels ION, Lifetime, Hallmark, and have scheduled a sleighful of new holiday movies. Find out more at iontelevision.com, mylifetime.com, and hallmarkchannel.com.