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All the Holiday Movies Airing on NBC in December

From The Grinch to It's a Wonderful Life. 

By Elizabeth Logan

NBC has you covered this holiday season, with classic movies the whole family can enjoy. Check out the complete schedule of holiday movies coming to NBC this December, below.

Thursday, December 5

A grumpy hermit hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".

How The Grinch Stole Christmas airs at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Frosty The Snowman at 8:30 p.m. ET. 

Both are based on classic children's tales, the first a Dr. Seuss book about a social outcast who learns the true meaning of Christmas when his theft of all the presents and Christmas frippery doesn't dull the Whos' spirit. Directed by legendary cartoonist Chuck Jones, the short is narrated by Boris Karloff, who also voices the titular green meanie. This is the version that introduced the famous song, "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!"

The second is well-known from the song about how Christmas magic (and a hat) brought a snowman to life to play with local kids. 

Friday, December 6

Elves and reindeer cheer together in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).

Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer airs at 8 p.m. ET. 

Another animated classic taken from a tale told through song, Rudolph is Santa's ninth flying reindeer, whose special glowing nose saved the day even after Rudolph was bullied by his brethren. In this version, Rudolph's story goes farther, as he sets out on a fantastic journey where he meets Hermey the elf, prospector Yukon Cornelius, and a host of Misfit Toys, all while trying to hide from the Abominable Snow Monster. 

Wednesday, December 11

A scene from the movie Shrek featuring Shrek

An encore airing of Frosty The Snowman at 8 p.m. ET followed by Shrek The Halls at 8:30 p.m. ET. 

The half-hour special from 2007 is a fun and festive complement to the Shrek series, with the original characters in an original Christmas story.

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Thursday, December 12

A second airing of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at 8 p.m. ET. 

Tuesday, December 24

At 8 p.m., NBC presents the Frank Capra classic It's A Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart, in which an angel is sent from heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. 

Wednesday, December 25

How The Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey

On Christmas Day, the Grinch will steal the holiday twice, first in the animated 1966 short at 8 p.m. ET, and then in the 2000 Jim Carrey movie at 8:30 p.m. ET Head's up: It's a little scarier and more exciting than the animated version, so the littlest kids may want to go to bed!

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