ABC Unveils Festive Holiday Programming Lineup with New Specials and Returning Favorites

ABC Unveils Festive Holiday Programming Lineup

ABC is sleighing this holiday season, unveiling a massive lineup of festive programming that blends new specials with returning favorites, ensuring viewers have plenty of joyful content during the most wonderful time of the year!

The network is introducing dazzling new content to its annual tradition. A brand-new special, “Dancing with the Holidays,” will bring the ballroom to life with seasonal routines and musical performances. Joining the lineup is “Kevin Costner Presents: The First Christmas,” which explores the powerful journey of Mary and Joseph surrounding the birth of Jesus.

Related-ABC Announces 2025 Broadcast Dates for Disney Parks Holiday Specials

In an exciting broadcast debut, the latest installment of the beloved elf franchise, “Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol,” will air on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 9:00 p.m. EST. It joins the broadcast of its predecessors, “Prep & Landing” and “Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice,” making for a full evening of North Pole adventures.

Related-Filming has begun at Disney World for ABC’s 2025 Disney Parks Holiday Specials

Returning Favorites and Episodic Cheer

Fan-favorite specials and holiday-themed episodes will anchor the schedule:

• ‘The Great Christmas Light Fight’: A new season of the dazzling competition returns on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 9:00 p.m. EST, with judges Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak overseeing the massive, over-the-top displays as families compete for the $50,000 grand prize.
• ‘CMA Country Christmas’: The 16th annual special, hosted by Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis, will air on Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 9:01 p.m. EST, featuring performances by Lady A, Little Big Town, Riley Green, and more.
• Holiday Episodes: Viewers can look forward to festive installments of popular shows like “Abbott Elementary,” “Shifting Gears,” and “Shark Tank,” which will feature holiday-themed business pitches. “What Would You Do?: Holiday Edition,” airing Tuesday, Dec. 2, at 10:02 p.m. EST, also returns with new hidden-camera scenarios.

Classic Movies and Mega-Events

ABC will air several major movies, tapping into a strong trend of family co-viewing. Per the network, the holiday season is a prime time for families to watch together, a trend highlighted by the fact that “Home Alone” has annually been the highest-rated movie on any network among Adults 18-49 since 2022.

• The Wonderful World of Disney Presents: Classic airings include “Mary Poppins” on Thursday, Nov. 27, “The Santa Clause” on Sunday, Dec. 7, “Home Alone” on Wednesday, Dec. 24, and the 60th-anniversary screening of “The Sound of Music” on Sunday, Dec. 21.
• Big Celebrations: The “Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” returns Christmas morning, and the “iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025” special will air Wednesday, Dec. 17.

NBA Christmas Day Takeover

ABC will dominate Christmas Day with a national broadcast of all five NBA games, a massive slate of star-studded action:

Time (EST)	Matchup	Key Players
12:00 p.m.	Cavaliers at Knicks	Donovan Mitchell vs. Jalen Brunson
2:30 p.m.	Spurs at Thunder	Victor Wembanyama vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
5:00 p.m.	Mavericks at Warriors	Cooper Flagg vs. Stephen Curry
8:00 p.m.	Rockets at Lakers	Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James & Luka Dončić
10:30 p.m.	Timberwolves at Nuggets	Anthony Edwards vs. Nikola Jokić

Ringing in the New Year

The holiday festivities will conclude with two major broadcast events: the ratings powerhouse “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2025” on Wednesday, Dec. 31, and the “2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony” on Thursday, Jan. 1. The latter will feature performances celebrating inductees like Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, and Soundgarden.