SUNDAY
Must Be Santa (CBC, 8:00 PM): In the world premiere of this Christmas special, an unlikely father becomes the newest Santa Claus. Think of "The Santa Clause", with a black Tim Allen (Arnold Pinnock), a Canadian landscape, and a sci-fi theme, and throw in a little upper level controversy for good measure. **
A Season for Miracles (CTV, 9:00 PM): This Hallmark Hall of Fame movie has been adapted from a book by Romance author Debbie Macomber. Emilie Thompson (Carla Gugino) is a young woman struggling to keep her sister's two young children from being taken away by social services (Kathy Baker). She ends up in a small town, and with the help of a friendly angel (Patty Duke), falls for a local police officer. *
MONDAY
A Christmas Carol (CBC, 8:00 PM): This is yet another adaptation (in 1984) of Charles Dickens' famous book, "The Christmas Carol", featuring the recently deceased George C. Scott as the miserly Scrooge. Not as memorable as the 1951 Alastair Sim version, or as humorous as the 1988 Bill Murray version, or as whimsical as Mickey's Christmas Carol, but still an excellent retelling of this well-known tale. ***
TUESDAY
Miracle on 34th Street (CBC, 8:00 PM): While this version for the 1990s starring Richard Attenborough, Dylan McDermott, Elizabeth Perkins, and cannot replace the original from 1947, it does an excellent job retelling the story of the department store Santa charged and tried for merely being what he is, even adding a nice nineties twist to the ending. ****
WEDNESDAY
George Fox Christmas (8:00 PM) & Rankin Christmas Cabaret (9:00 PM) (CBC): Two musical Merry Christmases from Canadian country singer George Fox, and Canadian country group the Rankins (formerly known as The Rankin Family). **
THURSDAY
The closest you'll come to Christmas cheer on this day is the Christmas episode of "ER"...provided it's not a re-run again.
FRIDAY
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (CBC, 8:00 PM): No, not the upcoming movie with Josh Evans and Jim Carrey. This is the original animated version of an unhappy, miserly, mean old Mr. Grinch, who suddenly decides that he just HAS to ruin everyone's Christmas. A children's classic. ****
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