Festive TV movies and specials are perfect for spending time with the family. We love the CBC for their line-up of classic festive favourites, especially Scrooge, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. And then there is CTV with The Sound of Music, and It’s A Wonderful Life and the W Network’s Hallmark holiday lineup. We have multiple streaming options too. Here’s our roundup of 10 specials to watch this year in Canada to help with your holiday viewing.
Watch the Future Star-Studded Christmas Classic, JINGLE JANGLE: A Christmas Journey
This Netflix musical adventure and visual spectacle is a fresh and spirited family holiday event. Set in the gloriously vibrant town of Cobbleton, the film follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker), whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. But when his trusted apprentice (Emmy winner Keegan-Michael Key) steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (newcomer Madalen Mills) to heal old wounds and reawaken the magic within. From the imagination of writer-director David E. Talbert, Jingle Jangle reminds us of family strength and the power of possibility. Featuring original songs by John Legend, Philip Lawrence, Davy Nathan, and “This Day” performed by Usher and Kiana Ledé.
Get Magical & In A Festive Mood with Mariah Carey
This extravaganza is a must-watch on Apple TV+. The special starts with a holiday cheer crisis in the North Pole. And there’s only one person who can save the day: Santa’s great friend, Mariah Carey. Combining musical performances and groundbreaking animation, the undisputed Queen of Christmas jumps into action to make the whole world merry again. The guest superstars include Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, and more. In this one-of-a-kind holiday event, you get to hear Mariah’s new single, “Oh Santa!”
Good Samaritan Finds Love in 12 Pups Of Christmas
Watch the Canadian premiere of this rom-com movie of a woman tasked with finding homes for 12 abandoned puppies before Christmas. And best of all, she finds love with her co-worker just in time for the holidays. Watch it on CBC.
Star-Studded Coming Out in Happiest Season
Home for the holidays takes a whole new turn with this one. This comedy’s lineup is stellar with Kristen Stewart, Alison Brie, Mackenzie Davis, and our own Dan Levy. Watch this now on Amazon Prime Canada.
Love, Lights Hannukkah! for this Festive Season
This Hallmark movie is just adorable. A restauranteur receives a DNA test revealing that she’s Jewish. The discovery leads her to a new family and an unlikely romance over eight nights. Watch this on W Network on Dec 13.
A Hopeful Take of Home for the Holidays
A woman strikes up a friendship with a homeless man, and, through music, the two help each other reconcile with their families just in time for Christmas. Watch this and check out the festive lineup on CBC Gem.
Get “Tinsel-litis” with Corner Gas
Time to get cozy and Canadian with the residents of Dog River as they gear up for Christmas in small-town Canada. Stream it on the CTV app or watch it on the CTV network on Dec 25.
Re-watch the Ever Hilarious Schitt’s Christmas
We miss Schitt’s Creek. And boy, are we excited to find this in the festive curation on CBC Gem. Time to say, “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose.”
The Documentary of Silent Night
Silent Night – A Song for the World is a documentary about the creation and success of the world’s most famous Christmas Carol – a song composed in 1818 in Salzburg. This song has been translated into 140 languages. It even stopped World War I at Christmas. The film tells the story of the creation of the Christmas Carol and features stars sharing their personal Christmas experiences in their hometowns and performing Silent Night. We are talking Kelly Clarkson, David Foster, Josh Groban, Joss Stone, The Tenors, Vienna Boys Choir, and many more. Don’t miss this on CTV on Dec 23.
Christmas Romance at Dollywood
This Hallmark special on W Network with Dolly Parton is the perfect finish to our list. The story starts when an NYC event planner returns to Tennessee to plan the Christmas celebration at Dollywood. She is paired with the head of operations who thinks he can handle the party just fine on his own. And then there is Dolly too. And don’t forget to check the full festive lineup at W Network too.
T’is the season for festive TV, Falalala Lalala
That wraps up our picks of the ten festive movies and specials to watch on TV in Canada this year. If your tree is not up, this is the perfect time to get the family to do it together. And after that, enjoy some hot cocoa and get festive with these TV movies and specials. If you rather wait a bit, please check out our Best Funny Movies & TV Shows About Women too.
