25 Days of Christmas

The 25 Days of Christmas (also currently known as ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas, previously known as Fox Family's 25 Days of Christmas and The Family Channel's 25 Days of Christmas) is an annual programming block that has been shown on ABC Family and its predecessors since 1996. As the title implies, it is shown every year from December 1st to December 25th, and features classic holiday programming (such as Rankin/Bass' TV specials), as well as new Christmas-themed television movies. Starting in 2007, ABC Family extended the "25" days into late November with a Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas block.

Original movies
Almost every year since the block started in 1996, at least one new TV film is produced for the channel. In 2007, three films were created for the channel, due to the popularity generated from the previous year.

* - This was released in Canada theatrically, but made its US debut on television.

Current movies
The following non-original (originally premiered theatrically, or direct-to-video, or on another TV network or cable channel) Christmas movies are, as of 2012, presently featured during the 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):


 * A Dennis the Menace Christmas
 * Elf
 * Eloise at Christmastime
 * Fred Claus
 * Home Alone
 * Home Alone 4
 * How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
 * I'll Be Home for Christmas
 * I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
 * Jack Frost
 * Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas
 * Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas
 * Miracle on 34th Street
 * National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
 * The Polar Express
 * Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
 * Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
 * The Santa Clause
 * The Santa Clause 2
 * The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
 * Santa Who?
 * The Search for Santa Paws
 * Sons of Mistletoe
 * Unaccompanied Minors

Past movies

 * An All Dogs Christmas Carol
 * A Carol Christmas
 * A Chance of Snow
 * The Christmas Box
 * The Christmas Path
 * The Christmas Secret
 * Christmas Town
 * The Christmas Wish
 * Ernest Saves Christmas
 * A Holiday to Remember
 * Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
 * Jingle All the Way
 * Meet the Santas
 * A Mom for Christmas
 * Mr. St. Nick
 * The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas
 * The Muppet Christmas Carol
 * Must Be Santa
 * Naughty or Nice
 * The Nightmare Before Christmas
 * Once Upon a Christmas
 * The Prince and Me 3: Holiday Honeymoon
 * Santa and Pete
 * Santa Claus: The Movie
 * Santa Buddies
 * Santa, Jr.
 * Scrooged
 * Stealing Christmas
 * To Grandmother's House We Go
 * Twice Upon a Christmas
 * Unlikely Angel
 * A Very Brady Christmas

Current specials
The following non-original (originally premiered theatrically, or direct-to-video, or on another TV network or cable channel) Christmas specials are, as of 2012, presently featured during the 25 Days of Christmas (including Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas):


 * The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow
 * Frosty's Winter Wonderland
 * Jack Frost
 * The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
 * The Little Drummer Boy
 * The Little Drummer Boy, Book II
 * Mickey's Christmas Carol
 * Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
 * Pinocchio's Christmas
 * Prep & Landing
 * Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice
 * Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July
 * Rudolph's Shiny New Year
 * Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys
 * Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
 * 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
 * Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too
 * The Year Without a Santa Claus

Past specials

 * Annabelle's Wish
 * Cranberry Christmas
 * The Christmas Orange
 * A Flintstone Christmas
 * A Garfield Christmas Special
 * Kung Fu Panda Holiday
 * The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold
 * The Little Rascals Christmas Special
 * Merry Madagascar
 * Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
 * Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!
 * State of Grace Christmas Special

Countdown to The 25 Days of Christmas
In 2007, due to popular ratings from the previous year, ABC Family launched the first official countdown to the programming block, which began on November 23, the day after Thanksgiving.

Although this was the first official early start, in recent years, holiday programming has begun during the last week of November, showing mostly older original films, some of which pertained to Christmas and some that did not. The 2008 countdown included the basic cable debuts of Disney's Aladdin, Garfield, and the ABC Family debut of the 's A Carol Christmas. The 2009 event saw the basic cable premieres of ', Disney's animated films ' and Hercules, and the ABC Family original film The Dog Who Saved Christmas. In 2010, the event, which began on November 21, included The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation.

Soundtrack
In 2009,, which is owned by The Walt Disney Company, ABC Family's owner, released a compilation album titled Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas, featuring a compilation of music from their 2009 special premieres as well as previously released songs that were featured in programs, with the exception of, among others, 's version of Frosty the Snowman from the 1969 TV special, which has aired on.

Controversy
In recent years, many fans of the 25 Days of Christmas programming block have been upset with the inclusion of such movies as the first six Harry Potter films, various Disney and Pixar films, and other non-holiday films in the lineup. This has sparked many complaints to ABC Family, via email and their Facebook page.