Celebrate the Holidays with WTTW's Festive Programming
Daniel Hautzinger
November 22, 2023
The holiday season is here, meaning lots of food, music, family, and good cheer (we hope!). WTTW is here to help foster it all with a line-up of holiday programming featuring everything from Christmas specials from British dramas to cooking shows to concerts to artistic explorations of Kwanzaa. Find our holiday programming below, and enjoy the holidays!
Check our schedule at wttw.com/schedule for more programming; not every show repeat is listed below.
All Creatures Great and Small: Christmas in the Dales
Saturday, December 2 at 8:00 pm and Sunday, December 3 at 10:30 am on WTTW
Celebrate the heartwarming series with clips and behind-the-scenes memories of its Christmas finales. Experience the kindness, empathy and love in the magical village of Darrowby and the stunning Yorkshire Dales during the holiday season.
Season of Light: Christmas with the Tabernacle Choir
Tuesday, December 12 at 7:00 pm and Sunday, December 24 at 10:00 pm on WTTW
The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square join with award-winning artists Lea Salonga and Sir David Suchet for a festive and uplifting Christmas special.
Christmas in New England
Tuesday, December 12 at 8:30 pm on WTTW and Tuesday, December 19 at 6:30 pm on WTTW Prime
From the coast of Maine to the hills of the Berkshires, New England is a uniquely magical place to celebrate the holidays. Join host Lindsay Paris as she visits eight regional destinations to take a look at the traditions and events that make Christmas in New England so special.
Christmas Carol: The Remix by the Q Brothers
Friday, December 15 at 10:00 pm on WTTW and Sunday, December 24 at 2:30 pm on WTTW Prime
Chicago hip hop sensations the Q Brothers Collective heat up the holiday season with this wildly entertaining take on Charles Dickens classic that mashes up hip hop, reggae, dancehall music, dubstep, and epic rock ballads. Recorded live at The Yard At Chicago Shakespeare Theater, this special leads Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of rhythm, rhyme, and redemption.
A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong
Saturday, December 16 at 6:00 pm and Sunday, December 17 at 10:00 pm on WTTW
Blacklisted by the BBC after ruining Peter Pan, the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are not taking their ban lying down and force themselves back on the BBC by hijacking the jewel of the Christmas schedule, a “live” stage production of A Christmas Carol.
Death in Paradise Christmas Special (in two parts)
Saturday, December 16 and 23 at 10:00 pm on WTTW
As the inhabitants of Saint Marie prepare for the festive season, true-crime podcaster Jennifer Langan is found shot dead. Langan had been investigating the strange disappearance of a nine-year-old boy on Christmas Eve in 1977.
Holiday Cooking Marathon
Sunday, December 17 starting at 12:00 pm
To help you gear up for successful and succulent holiday gatherings, A Chef’s Life, New Scandinavian Cooking, America’s Test Kitchen, Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Television, Cook’s Country, and The Great British Baking Show’s Mary Berry assist with the very best recipes to make your holiday the most delicious ever.
Lucy Worsley's 12 Days of Tudor Christmas
Sunday, December 17 at 6:00 pm on WTTW
Join Lucy Worsley as she discovers that much of what we enjoy in contemporary Christmas – from carols to turkey, gift giving to mistletoe - has Tudor origins, rooted in devotion and charity.
Mary Berry's Highland Christmas
Mary Berry spends Christmas in her mother's homeland of Scotland to enjoy a winter break soaking up her Scottish heritage and enjoying traditional festive delights with familiar faces, as well cooking up some of her own indulgent dishes.
Ella Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas with Vanessa Williams
Friday, December 22 at 9:30 pm on WTTW and Monday, December 25 at 11:00 am on WTTW Prime
Enjoy an evening celebrating Ella Fitzgerald's entire iconic album of holiday classics presented by the American Pops Orchestra.
Christmas at DePaul
Join Chicago's DePaul University for the wondrous retelling of the birth of Christ in word and song. This performance features the talents of DePaul faculty, staff and students, and alumni.
Holiday Handbells: The Raleigh Ringers
Sunday, December 24 at 6:00 am on WTTW and Monday, December 25 at 12:00 pm on WTTW Prime
The Raleigh Ringers, an internationally acclaimed community handbell choir based in Raleigh, North Carolina, presents a performance running the gamut from old yuletide favorites to the score of Vince Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special Marathon
Sunday, December 24 starting at 12:30 pm on WTTW
Enjoy a marathon of the four previous Call the Midwife Holiday Specials – from 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 – in advance of the premiere of the all-new 2023 edition. You can catch up on previous episodes and specials with our recaps.
St. Olaf Christmas Festival: Love Divine
Sunday, December 24 at 11:30 pm on WTTW
First held in 1912, the St. Olaf Christmas Festival is one of the oldest musical celebrations of Christmas in the United States, featuring familiar carols, beloved choral works, and exciting new compositions.
Christmas at Belmont
Sunday, December 24 at 7:30 pm on WTTW Prime and Monday, December 25 at 12:30 am on WTTW
Belmont University students perform holiday favorites in the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. This celebration of the season includes holiday favorites and classic songs.
Christmas at Westminster: An Evening of Readings and Carols
Sunday, December 24 at 8:30 pm on WTTW Prime and Monday, December 25 at 3:30 am on WTTW
Westminster College Choir presents their yearly holiday music concert, recorded in the Princeton University Chapel and featuring more than 400 musicians in five different choirs.
Thrill of Hope: A Concordia Christmas
Sunday, December 24 at 9:30 pm on WTTW Prime and Monday, December 25 at 2:30 am on WTTW
The vocal and instrumental musical ensembles of Concordia University Irvine and friends present a festive collection of music that celebrates, rejoices, and finds hope in the gifts of Christmas.
St. Thomas Christmas: Reflections of Gratitude
Sunday, December 24 at 10:30 pm on WTTW Prime and Monday, December 25 at 1:30 am on WTTW
The program celebrates the Advent and Christmas season by drawing from both familiar traditional carols and innovative contemporary selections at St. Thomas University.
Debbie Gibson Holiday: A Soundcheck Special
Monday, December 25 at 4:30 am on WTTW
Singer-songwriter, producer, and actress Debbie Gibson shares insight and inspiration about recording her first holiday album, Winterlicious, and performs some classic and new holiday hits.
Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2023
Monday, December 25 at 7:00 and 8:30 pm on WTTW
Two weeks before Christmas, delicate situations cause uncertainty for the midwives. With the upcoming Apollo 8 launch and the festivity preparations starting, a treacherous heavy snowfall may complicate the holiday celebrations for everyone.
Karamu: Feast for the 7th Day
Tuesday, December 26 at 2:00 pm on WTTW
Sira Williams explores the history, principles, and symbols of Kwanzaa and celebrates the culinary traditions of West Africa, featuring dishes from Mali, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Cultural Expressions: Kwanzaa
Sunday, December 24 at 11:00 am on WTTW Prime and Saturday, December 30 at 8:30 am on WTTW
This documentary explores the seven principles that are the foundation of Kwanzaa by sharing seven real-life stories of impact, revealing how each principle plays a role in the Black community, enhanced by cultural elements of dance, storytelling, music, and spoken word.
NEXT at the Kennedy Center: A New Year's Eve Celebration
Sunday, December 31 at 7:00 pm and 11:00 pm on WTTW
Ring in the New Year with a star-studded musical celebration on stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.
Great Performances – From Vienna: The New Year's Celebration 2024
Monday, January 1 at 7:00 pm on WTTW
Continue the tradition of ringing in the New Year with the Vienna Philharmonic at the world-famous Musikverein, with PBS favorite Hugh Bonneville returning as host for a fifth year. The celebrations also showcase the virtuosic dancing of the Vienna City Ballet performed on location in sumptuous Vienna landmarks.
