Christmas TV Specials in November? Too soon!

Every year it seems that people have the same conversation with one another. “Doesn’t it seem like Christmas comes earlier and earlier every year?” We see it as retail stores change out the Halloween costumes for bows, tree skirts and twinkle lights before the calendar even turns to November. The malls bring in Santa and the Christmas music before we even head to the voting booths. This year, it seems that TV is no different.

Family traditions continue around the television. Sure, the traditions are now in High Def, played on Blu-Ray, or watched streaming online, but the sentiment remains. We love to gather around and watch Rudolph, Frosty and A Christmas Story.

It starts for many in our area by watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade which ends around noon by having Santa close the show. Then it seems a switch clicked and before we even sit down to the turkey, it is Christmas season.

On Thanksgiving day, according to this list, NBC showed Miracle on 34th Street at 2pm and FOX played Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas at 8pm. What happened to Thanksgiving? Thankfully ABC stayed on the day and played A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.

Last night, November 29, I received the annual phone call from my mother: “Rudolph is on CBS!”. I quickly turned from Glee (don’t worry, it was on DVR) to CBS and sat down to enjoy the special that is, without a doubt, my favorite. During a commerical, about 20 minutes in, I caught a glimpse of my Google calendar and realized it’s still November! I was watching my favorite Christmas special almost an entire month before Christmas. Something is wrong here.

I took a look at the holiday special list and noticed that before we even reach December we’ve seen the airings of Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer and Hoops & YoYo Ruin Christmas (CW), The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story and Rudolph (CBS), How The Grinch Stole Christmas and Shrek the Halls (ABC).

Sure, I’ve put the lights on the tree outside and have listened to some of the local stations that are playing Christmas music, but when it comes to my TV specials, I want them closer to Christmas.

Many networks run into the fear that the closer we get to Christmas, the less TV watching we do. While it’s a nice sentiment to think we’re all sitting around in candlelight reading stories to one another, I don’t think that’s a very realistic statement. That list I mentioned above shows just how many holiday specials there really are on TV these days – especially with the continuing tradition of ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas. I guess they need time to air them all, but the best – the real winners – should be saved for closer to Christmas.

Do I own Rudolph, Frosty and the Miser Brothers on DVD? Of course. But there’s something more fun about finding them on TV. It’s like the radio. I own every CD Billy Joel ever released, but it’s still more thrilling to catch the piano clanking out Italian Restaurant on a random scan of radio stations – isn’t it?

My saving grace is the marathon of A Christmas Story that starts on Christmas Eve. Thanks to Turner for keeping that alive. It’s the one special left to help pave the way for Christmas morning.

What about you guys? Am I way off base here? Do you like getting your shopping AND your TV Special viewing out of the way early in the season or are you like me and wish they aired closer to the day? Let me know.

You can follow KP and all his TV-related exploits on Twitter, Facebook or at KPonTV.com.