TCM in December: Christmas Movies

It's time for my annual look at the Christmas movies playing on Turner Classic Movies this December!

Christmas films are scattered throughout the schedule in the earlier part of the month, with double bills of Christmas movies on Saturdays and Sundays.

TCM's Christmas movie marathon will launch on the evening of December 17th and continue through Christmas Day.

As always, there's a small fluctuation in the Christmas films shown on TCM from year to year; for instance, this year you won't find LADY ON A TRAIN (1945), COVER UP (1949), or THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (1952). (I'd add that all three films are available from Kino Lorber and would make great additions to any film lover's Christmas movie shelf.)

On the other hand, some films which weren't shown last year have returned to this year's Christmas lineup, including THE CHEATERS (1945) and GOOD SAM (1948).

I'm very happy about this year's inclusion of THE MAN I LOVE (1947), in which Ida Lupino makes a Christmas visit to her family in the city of my birth, Long Beach, California.

I'm especially excited about the TCM premiere of the "B" movie MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET (1939) which I first read about in Jeremy Arnold's book CHRISTMAS IN THE MOVIES. Jeremy shared with me that it's a remastered print and should look good! The interesting cast includes Margo, Walter Abel, Jane Darwell, Lyle Talbot, and Jean Brooks.

Please note that I've included films with general religious themes and New Year's settings on the schedule, along with Christmas titles.

Click any hyperlinked title for a complete review. For movies which are shown multiple times, the review is only linked at the first mention.

December 2nd

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938)

FITZWILLY (1967)

December 3rd

BEN-HUR (1959)

THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1942)

THE BISHOP'S WIFE (1947)

December 5th

OCEAN'S ELEVEN (1960) (New Year's)

December 9th

IT HAPPENED ON 5TH AVENUE (1947)

REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1950)

December 10th

IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949)

CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945)

December 11th

ON MOONLIGHT BAY (1951)

December 16th

STAR IN THE NIGHT (1945) (short)

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) (Musical Matinee)

LITTLE WOMEN (1949)

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940)

HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949)

BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952) (Noir Alley)

December 17th

BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952) (Noir Alley)

3 GODFATHERS (1948)

KING OF KINGS (1961)

IT HAPPENED ON 5TH AVENUE (1957)

BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST (1925)

MON ONCLE ANTOINE (1971)

FANNY AND ALEXANDER (1982)

December 18th

TENTH AVENUE ANGEL (1948)

KIND LADY (1935)

ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952)

BUNDLE OF JOY (1956)

BACHELOR MOTHER (1939)

THE GREAT RUPERT (1950)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938)

MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET (1939) (TCM Premiere)

BLAST OF SILENCE (1951)

CASH ON DEMAND (1961)

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944)

MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE (1983)

STAR IN THE NIGHT (1945) (short)

December 19th

MRS. PARKINGTON (1944)

AND SO THEY WERE MARRIED (1936)

LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938)

THE DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O'GRADY (1950)

ON MOONLIGHT BAY (1951)

MEET JOHN DOE (1941)

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940)

GOING MY WAY (1944)

THE BELLS OF ST. MARY'S (1945)

O. HENRY'S FULL HOUSE (1952)

PERIOD OF ADJUSTMENT (1962)

METROPOLITAN (1990)

December 20th

MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S (1969)

THE MAN I LOVE (1947)

MIRACLE ON MAIN STREET (1939)

THE TROUBLE WITH ANGELS (1956)

NEVER SAY GOODBYE (1946)

SUSAN SLEPT HERE (1954)

CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945)

REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1940)

THE CHEATERS (1945)

WE'RE NO ANGELS (1955)

LADY IN THE LAKE (1947)

ROADBLOCK (1951)

CHRISTMAS PAST (1925)

December 21st

HELL'S HEROES (1929)

THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944)

THE ROCKING HORSE WINNER (1949)

MY REPUTATION (1946)

BACKFIRE (1950)

LARCENY, INC. (1942)

MR. SOFT TOUCH (1948)

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)

THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1952)

FITZWILLY (1967)

MEET JOHN DOE (1941)

BEYOND TOMORROW (1940)

December 22nd

BLOSSOMS IN THE DUST (1941)

BOYS TOWN (1938)

OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945)

THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT (1964)

CAROL FOR ANOTHER CHRISTMAS (1964)

3 GODFATHERS (1948)

THE LION IN WINTER (1968)

THE BISHOP'S WIFE (1947) (Star of the Month)

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (1957) (Star of the Month)

ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952) (Star of the Month)

PENNY SERENADE (1941) (Star of the Month)

IN NAME ONLY (1939) (Star of the Month)

December 23rd

DESTINATION TOKYO (1943) (Star of the Month)

LITTLE WOMEN (1933)

ALIAS BOSTON BLACKIE (1942)

THE THIN MAN (1934)

GOOD SAM (1948)

BELL BOOK AND CANDLE (1958)

POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES (1961)

THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940)

IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949)

DESK SET (1957)

SUSAN SLEPT HERE (1954)

BUNDLE OF JOY (1956)

December 24th

THREE GODFATHERS (1936)

BEYOND TOMORROW (1940)

THE GREAT RUPERT (1950)

TENTH AVENUE ANGEL (1948)

LOVE FINDS ANDY HARDY (1938)

GOING MY WAY (1944)

IT HAPPENED ON 5TH AVENUE (1947)

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944)

CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945)

HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1938)

LITTLE WOMEN (1949)

AUNTIE MAME (1958)

BIG BUSINESS (1929)

December 25th

BACHELOR MOTHER (1939)

ALL MINE TO GIVE (1957)

NEVER SAY GOODBYE (1946)

HOLIDAY AFFAIR (1949)

THE APARTMENT (1960)

THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER (1942)

IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949)

December 30th

THE PUPS' CHRISTMAS (1936) (cartoon)

REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947) (New Year's)

New Year's Eve will feature films set on New Year's, including OCEAN'S ELEVEN (1960) and AFTER THE THIN MAN (1936), followed by comedies of the '70s-'90s later in the evening.

For more on TCM in December 2023, please visit TCM's online schedule along with my Quick Preview of TCM in December, TCM Star of the Month: Cary Grant, and TCM in December: Highlights.

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