As I mentioned on my blog entry about the mystery movies that the Turner Classic Movies channel will be airing during December 2023, here is my entry about the Christmas movies the channel will be showing. Some of these movies are my absolute favorite Cozy Christmas movies – the types I can watch over and over and never tire of seeing. Christmas in Connecticut, Remeber the Night, The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Shop Around the Corner, Auntie Mame, well, the list goes on and on! If you’re looking for Cozy Christmas movies, then try several of these. (Actually, you have probably seen some of these as many times as I have!)
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 2,2023
4:30 PM A Christmas Carol (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve.
Dir: Edwin L. Marin. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart
69 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 3,2023
4:00 PM The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in with a Midwestern family.
Dir: William Keighley. Cast: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley
112 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 9, 2023
8:00 AM Peace on Earth (1939)
Two squirrel children get a story from their grandfather on Christmas Eve how about mankind ended in violence.
Dir: Hugh Harman. Cast: Mel Blanc, Jeanne Dunne, Shirley Reed
9 mins
*****A Christmas cartoon that I haven’t seen.*****
4:00 PM It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
Two homeless men move into a mansion while its owners are wintering in the South.
Dir: Roy Del Ruth. Cast: Don Defore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles
115 mins
6:15 PM Remember the Night (1940)
An assistant D.A. takes a shoplifter home with him for Christmas.
Dir: Mitchell Leisen. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred Macmurray, Beulah Bondi
86 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 10, 2023
6:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
When a magazine writer invites a rescued sailor to spend Christmas with her, he ends up falling in love with her.
Dir: Peter Godfrey. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet
101 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 16, 2023
8:00 AM Alias St. Nick (1935)
A cat, dressed up as Santa Claus, tries to fool Mrs. Mouse and her family of mice on Christmas Eve but Little Cheeser doesn’t believe in St. Nick and has doubts about the impostor.
Dir: Rudolf Ising. Cast: Bernice Hansen
10 mins
*****A Christmas cartoon that I haven’t seen.*****
8:11 AM Joy Scouts (1939)
In this comedic short, a gang of children decide to head off on an unsupervised camping adventure.
Dir: Edward L. Cahn. Cast: Eugene Lee, Leonard Landy, Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer
10 mins
*****A Christmas cartoon that I haven’t seen.*****
11:30 AM Star in the Night (1945)
Three cowboys see a bright light in the distance and decide to investigate on Christmas Eve.
Dir: Don Siegel Cast: J. Carrol Naish, Lynne Baggett, Anthony Caruso
21 mins
*****A Christmas short that I haven’t seen.*****
12:00 PM Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor
113 mins
2:00 PM Little Women (1949)
The four daughters of a New England family fight for happiness during and after the Civil War.
Dir: Mervyn Leroy. Cast: June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien
121 mins
4:15 PM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Feuding co-workers do not realize they are secret romantic pen pals.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch. Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
97 mins
6:15 PM Holiday Affair (1949)
A young widow is torn between a boring businessman and a romantic ne’er-do-well.
Dir: Don Hartman. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey
87 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 17, 2023
1:30 AM Mame (1974)
A wealthy eccentric takes in her orphaned nephew.
Dir: Gene Saks. Cast: Lucille Ball, Bea Arthur, Robert Preston
132 mins
1:30 PM King of Kings (1961)
Epic retelling of Christ’s life and the effects of his teachings on those around him.
Dir: Nicholas Ray. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Robert Ryan
168 mins
11:00 PM It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
Two homeless men move into a mansion while its owners are wintering in the South.
Dir: Roy Del Ruth. Cast: Don Defore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles
115 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – December 18, 2023
3:45 AM Mon Oncle Antoine (1971)
A young boy comes of age at Christmas in rural Quebec.
Dir: Claude Jutra. Cast: Claude Jutra, Jacques Gagnon, Olivette Thibault
110 mins
*****In French*****
6:45 PM A Christmas Carol (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve.
Dir: Edwin L. Marin. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart
69 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Tuesday – December 19, 2023
4:00 PM Meet John Doe (1941)
A reporter’s fraudulent story turns a tramp into a national hero and makes him a pawn of big business.
Dir: Frank Capra. Cast: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold
123 mins
5:45 AM Star in the Night (1945)
***Christmas Three cowboys see a bright light in the distance and decide to investigate on Christmas Eve.
Dir: Don Siegel. Cast: J. Carrol Naish, Lynne Baggett, Anthony Caruso
21 mins
*****A Christmas short that I haven’t seen.*****
6:15 PM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Feuding co-workers do not realize they are secret romantic pen pals.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch. Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
97 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Wednesday – December 20, 2023
6:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
When a magazine writer invites a rescued sailor to spend Christmas with her, he ends up falling in love with her.
Dir: Peter Godfrey. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet
101 mins
8:00 PM Remember the Night (1940)
An assistant D.A. takes a shoplifter home with him for Christmas.
Dir: Mitchell Leisen. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred Macmurray, Beulah Bondi
86 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Thursday – December 21, 2023
5:00 AM Christmas Past (1925)
A compilation of Christmas-themed short, silent films.
120 mins
8:00 PM Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor
113 mins
10:00 PM The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in with a Midwestern family.
Dir: William Keighley. Cast: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley
112 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Friday – December 22, 2023
2:15 AM Meet John Doe (1941)
A reporter’s fraudulent story turns a tramp into a national hero and makes him a pawn of big business.
Dir: Frank Capra. Cast: Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward Arnold
123 mins
4:30 AM Beyond Tomorrow (1940)
A ghost tries to smooth the way for two young lovers he knew during his lifetime.
Dir: A. Edward Sutherland. Cast: Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger
84 mins
2:00 PM A Carol for Another Christmas (1964)
Three ghosts teach an industrialist the importance of international peacekeeping.
Dir: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Cast: Sterling Hayden, Eva Marie Saint, Ben Gazzara
85 mins
5:30 PM The Lion in Winter (1968)
Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine celebrate Christmas together and battle for control of the throne.
Dir: Anthony Harvey. Cast: Peter O’Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Merrow
134 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 23, 2023
8:15 AM Little Women (1933)
The four March sisters fight to keep their family together and find love while their father is off fighting the Civil War.
Dir: George Cukor. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas
115 mins
11:30 AM The Thin Man (1934)
In New York, a detective, his wife and his dog solve the murder case of an eccentric inventor.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke. Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Sullivan
80 mins
8:00 PM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Feuding co-workers do not realize they are secret romantic pen pals.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch. Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
97 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Sunday – December 24, 2023
6:00 AM Three Godfathers (1936)
Three fugitives risk their lives to bring a newborn baby out of the desert to safety.
Dir: Richard Boleslawski. Cast: Chester Morris, Lewis Stone, Walter Brennan
82 mins
7:30 AM Beyond Tomorrow (1940)
A ghost tries to smooth the way for two young lovers he knew during his lifetime.
Dir: A. Edward Sutherland. Cast: Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger
84 mins
3:45 PM It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
Two homeless men move into a mansion while its owners are wintering in the South.
Dir: Roy Del Ruth. Cast: Don Defore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles
115 mins
6:00 PM Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor
113 mins
8:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
When a magazine writer invites a rescued sailor to spend Christmas with her, he ends up falling in love with her.
Dir: Peter Godfrey. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet
101 mins
10:00 PM Holiday Affair (1949)
A young widow is torn between a boring businessman and a romantic ne’er-do-well.
Dir: Don Hartman. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey
87 mins
11:45 PM A Christmas Carol (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve.
Dir: Edwin L. Marin. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart
69 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – December 25, 2023
1:00 AM Little Women (1949)
The four daughters of a New England family fight for happiness during and after the Civil War.
Dir: Mervyn Leroy. Cast: June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien
121 mins
3:15 AM Auntie Mame (1958)
An eccentric heiress raises her nephew to be a free spirit.
Dir: Morton Dacosta. Cast: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne
143 mins
11:45 AM Holiday Affair (1949)
A young widow is torn between a boring businessman and a romantic ne’er-do-well.
Dir: Don Hartman. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey
87 mins
3:45 PM The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942)
An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in with a Midwestern family.
Dir: William Keighley. Cast: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley
112 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – December 30, 2023
8:00 AM The Pups’ Christmas (1936)
Two pups experience their very first Christmas and are both excited and fascinated.
Dir: Rudolf Ising. Cast: Bernice Hansen, Leone Le Doux, Dorothy Lloyd
8 mins
*****A Christmas cartoon that I haven’t seen.*****
CAmystery says
The Bishop’s Wife is on December 3 – my favorite.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Cam, I’ll have to watch that one as well!
Jayne Guidinger says
A great selection. Thank you.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jayne, you’re welcome!
JONNY says
Hi Danna,
I’LL BE SEEING YOU. Joseph Cotten and Ginger Rogers. Lovely and touching movie.
Merry Christmas!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Jonny, that’s a good one as well!
Mrs. Ainee C. Beland says
Lovely list for December; I am reminded of that film: “Desk Set” scheduled for this Thursday, unsure of the time; it is on the M channel 34-2 or 34-3 or such; I know it is on 34- and playing on Thursday…sorry for vagueness; we don’t use cable but antennae and most times when the weather is bad, we don’t get reception but lately it has been good and this M channel has had many fine classic movies and “Desk Set” is one to enjoy.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ainee, I hope you manage to watch it on schedule, weather permitting.
barbara says
Not on the list but it’s my all time favorite is “We’re no Angels” with Humphrey Bogart, Don’t see this broadcast too often.
Just watched Lion in Winter again, Hepburn is outstanding in the role of Eleanor.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Barbara, those are both great as well!
Mimi N says
Happy Holidays and thank you for posting such a fun list of holiday movies – many of which are my favorites as well! I’ll enjoy watching them over and over again – anytime they are on!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mimi, happy holidays to you as well, and you’re very welcome!