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TV Time Capsule
For November-December 2026
Welcome to the Holiday Season!
The Holidays always bring a flood of nostalgia to those who experienced happy occasions with family and friends. Many of those memories included hours and hours of special Christmas-themed episodes with casts of programs who, over time, became like family.
Your family at one time or another included the Kamdens of “The Honeymooners,” Dennis and Mr. Wilson of "Dennis the Menace; Patty and Cathy of “The Patty Duke Show”; and Joanie and Chachi of “Happy Days” and its spin-off “Joanie Loves Chachi.” Many episodes included drama, only to end with a heartwarming conclusion. Even TV dramas aired holiday-themed storylines that ended with a heartwarming conclusion.
The networks also offered specials with long-time stars of years past, like Perry Como, Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Andy Williams, as well as contemporary stars of the day, including The Carpenters and Cher.
For the TV Time Capsule during the Holiday season, I present a variety of holiday-themed shows and specials reaching back to the very early days of television, through the late 1990s. It’s just a small fraction of the total number of Christmas-themed TV shows and specials, estimated at nearly 2,500 during the second half of the 20th century!
Keep in mind, though, life is not a TV show. Some people won't have a great Holiday. The economy, job losses, sickness, and outside stresses unimaginable for most of us will keep many from a heartwarming Holiday conclusion. The only joy many will find will be in a selection of Holiday shows. Please, take the time and effort to make it a better Holiday season for others.
So, as we get into the Holiday Season, no matter what holiday you celebrate, I hope you have a safe, secure, healthy, and lovely season with family and friends. I hope everyone’s Holidays are as happy, or even happier, for you as they were for those on television!
This is a restored and colorized 1952 broadcast of “The Red Skelton Show” that aired on December 21, 1952. This episode is highlighted by an early “Freddie the Freeloader” appearance. The original kinescope has been colorized, which makes it even more special. I’m not a fan of colorizing most TV shows, but I think it adds more interest for new generations.
This broadcast wasn't seen live across Mid-Illinois, as no broadcast stations were on the air at the time.
The Red Skelton Show (1952) NBC Christmas Show
Honeymooners (1955) CBS Twas the Night Before Christmas
This episode is known as “The Orange Squeezer Episode,” in which Ralph comes home and tries to hide his Christmas gift from Alice, only to find that they hid their gifts in the same place. Both Ed and Ralph get cheap gifts for their wives, while Alice and Trixie get much better gifts for their husbands. It ends up being a variation of the O. Henry short story, “The Gift of the Magi.” “Alice, you’re the greatest”
This was broadcast over mid-Illinois on WCIA, WTHI-TV, WTVH, KHQA and KWK-TV.
Dennis looks for his Christmas presents, while Henry (Dennis’s dad) hides them as they arrive from relatives. The episode ends with the Mitchells and the Wilsons singing around the Christmas tree. This episode aired on CBS December 20, 1959, and was seen across Mid-Illinois on WCIA, WMBD-TV, WTHI-TV, KHQA and KMOX-TV.
Dennis the Menace (1959) CBS The Christmas Story
The Patty Duke Show (1963) ABC The Christmas Present
This episode aired on December 25, 1963, on ABC and was seen locally on WTVP, WTVH, and KTVI. It features my personal hero of narration, William Schallert, as Martin, playing a dual role as his twin brother, Kenneth. A notable switch: the star, Patty Duke, plays her identical cousin (a nearly impossible situation) as both Patty and Cathy. Sidney Sheldon (“I Dream of Jeannie”) wrote this episode.
The Andy Williams Show (1963) NBC Christmas Show
This NBC color special was broadcast on December 10, 1963. This installment features Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Osmond Brothers, the Good Time Singers, and Don Knots. This NBC special aired in color and was sponsored by S & H Green Stamps. You may need to ask your grandparents or parents what S & H Green Stamps were, since the commercials were removed from this video.
This Holiday Special would have been seen on NBC stations across Mid-Illinois: WICS, WCHU, WICD, WEEK-TV, WGEM-TV and KSD-TV. WICD, channel 24, Danville, did not broadcast in color then.
The Dean Martin Show (1968) NBC Christmas Show
The Dean Martin Christmas Show was broadcast on December 19, 1968. Also appearing: Bob Newhart, Dennis Weaver, and Dom DeLuise, plus cameos by dozens of celebrities, including Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Johnny Carson, announcing the sending of toy gifts to children in hospitals and through various charities.
“The Dean Martin Show” 1968 Christmas Show aired across the region on NBC and locally on WICS, WICD, WEEK-TV, WTWO-TV, WGEM-TV, and KSD-TV.
The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1967) NBC
This is the annual Bob Hope Christmas Special broadcast in January of 1968 on NBC. This annual tradition continued from World War II through the 1990s. This yearly broadcast included Raquel Welch, Phil Cosby, Elaine Dunn, Barbara McNair, and Miss World, Madeleine Hartog Bell, along with Les Brown and his orchestra. The shows were filmed in December, then edited for broadcast the following month, in January.
This broadcast would have been seen on NBC stations, WICS, WCHU, WICD, WEEK-TV, WTWO-TV, WGEM-TV, and KSD-TV. WICD, Channel 24, did not air the show or any NBC programming in color at the time. WCHU and WICD combined on Channel 15 in May 1968 and broadcast a full-powered signal in color. See history of WCHU, WICD and WICS for details.
This ABC Color broadcast aired on December 21, 1968, and was seen across central Illinois on ABC stations WAND, WIRL, and KTVI.
Guests on this broadcast include Kathryn Crosby, Harry Crosby, Glen Campbell, John Byner, Nicolai Olkovikov, and the Lennon Sisters. This also includes several of Bing's Christmas classics, along with a performance by Glen Campbell of his hit “Wichita Lineman,” widely believed to be the best country song ever written and performed. It was also a major pop hit, recorded with help from “The Wrecking Crew,” a group of studio musicians in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood Palace (1968) ABC The Bing Crosby Christmas Show
The Beverly Hillbillies (1968) CBS Christmas in Hooterville
The Clampetts celebrate the holidays by returning to Hooterville, where Jed opens a new bank and makes Mr. Drysdale panic. A series of romantic proposals takes place among those gathered in Hooterville. This aired on December 25, 1968, on CBS and was shown locally on WCIA, WMBD-TV, WTHI-TV, KHQA, and KMOX-TV.
The Andy Williams Christmas Show (1971) NBC
This 1971 edition of “The Andy Williams Christmas Special” included guest stars The Lennon Sisters, The Williams Brothers, The Osmonds, Lorrie Morgan, and members of his family, including Claudine Longet (who passed away just a few months ago). Of course, Andy sings several of his hit Christmas songs. The show was written by Chris Bearde, Allan Blye, and Marty Farrell.
This broadcast aired December 14, 1971, on NBC and was shown locally on WICS, WICD, WEEK-TV, WTWO-TV, WGEM-TV, and KSD-TV.
Commercials for Kodak, the show's first segment sponsor, included Carl Reiner and John Forsythe.
Perry Como Christmas with the Carpenters (1974) CBS
This 1974 Holiday special appeared on CBS on December 17, 1974 and would have been seen on WCIA, WMBD-TV, WTHI-TV, KHQA, and KMOX-TV. After years on NBC, I guess Perry’s Christmas show concept was turned down by the Peacock Network, and the sponsor's ad agency took it to CBS, where it was picked up. Guests included The Carpenters, Peggy Flemming, and Rich Little. GTE (a phone company known by many across mid-Illinois, especially in the 309 area code) sponsored the special entirely.
The Cher Show (1975) CBS Christmas Show
“The Cher Show” was the follow-up to her and Sonny’s comedy variety show. This Christmas show was broadcast on December 21, 1975, on CBS. Cher's guests included The Lennon Sisters, Redd Fox, and The Hudson Brothers. It also included her and Sonny’s daughter, Chastity Bono. This show would have been seen on WCIA, WMBD-TV, WTHI-TV, KHQA, and KMOX-TV.
The Bob Hope Show (1976) NBC Christmas Variety Special
This Christmas edition of “The Bob Hope Show” features guests John Wayne, Diane Cannon, Lola Falana, Kate Jackson, and Neil Sedaka. Each Bob Hope Show, going back to the Classic Radio Days of the 1940s, followed the same formula. Each show included a monologue, a sketch or two, a comedy segment, and musical selections with Bob singing his hit songs featured in the movie, “The Lemon Drop Kid,” “Silver Bells.” The Holiday shows also introduced the AP All-America Football Team, Miss America, and the musical conductor Les Brown and his Band of Renown.
This NBC broadcast was seen on December 13, 1976, over Mid-Illinois on WICS, WICD, WEEK-TV, WTWO-TV, WGEM-TV and KSD-TV.
Christmas at Walt Disney World (1978) NBC
Shiels and Yarnell hosted this Disney Christmas special, with guests Pablo Cruise, Phyllis Diller, Andrea McArdle, Danielle Spencer, and Avery Schreiber, along with Disney characters. It aired on NBC as part of “The Wonderful World of Disney” series. This was seen across Mid-Illinois on WICS, WICD, WEEK-TV, WTWO-TV, WGEM-TV, and KSDK-TV.
Joanie Loves Chachi (1982) ABC Christmas Show
Al wants to spend Christmas Eve at home with his close family and friends, but Rico books the band to perform at Al’s Drive-In on Christmas Eve for a live radio broadcast. The band picks up a hitchhiker along the way, and later the van gets stuck in the snow. That allows Joannie and Chachi to perform as fill-in singers.
This broadcast aired December 16, 1982, on ABC and was shown across Mid-Illinois on WAND, WRAU, and KTVI.
Married With Children Compilation (1987-97) FOX TV Network
Al’s Christmas poem (Season 4 Episode 11)
Al the Santa (Season 2 Episode 13)
Christmas at the Jablonskys (Season 4 Episode 12)
Al gets presents for his family (Season 7 Episode 12)
A quiet Christmas watching TV (Season 8 Episode 13)
A “real” Christmas for the Bundys (Season 10 Episode 13)
A Christmas statue-napping (Season 11 Episode 8)
Merry Christmas from the Honeymooners (1955) CBS
Merry Christmas from Ralph and Alice, and the Honeymooners address the audience!