Ten Disney+ Programs to Watch during the Holidays
Every family develops a pattern for how they celebrate the holidays.
You’ve got all sorts of free time since you’re off from work/school, and you want to have something on in the background to entertain everyone.
Photo: The New York Post
Here are 10 Disney+ programs to watch during the holidays this year.
All the Santa Clauses
Tim Allen may not have returned for Lightyear, the Toy Story character’s origin story, but you’ll find him on Disney+, nonetheless.
Photo: Disney
Allen has returned to portray one of his most memorable characters, Scott Calvin, the man you know as Santa Claus.
Imagine a MUCH gentler Succession with characters from The Santa Clause franchise, and you get the gist.
Photo: Disney +
Of course, you can also watch the three Santa Clause movies on the service as well.
The Disney Holiday Singalong
During the pandemic, Disney improvised as it tried to invent new programming on the fly.
ABC suddenly lacked about, oh, 80 percent of its content. So, Disney filled some of it with musical performances.
The third such gathering is The Disney Holiday Singalong. It includes staggeringly popular musical acts like BTS, Ciara, Katy Perry, and Pink singing holiday classics.
(ABC)
JULIANNE HOUGH
As far as background noise goes, you’ll never hear anything more melodic. It’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s face.
M.D.
What’s more important this time of year than family?
Image: Disney
Also, you know all too well that an uncomfortable number of your family members love medical dramas.
We’ve reached a stage where primetime television wouldn’t exist without them. It’s like old people’s catnip.
Photo: Shutterstock/Kourtney Kang
So, you can enjoy some multi-generational entertainment when you watch this Hawaiian reboot of Doogie Howser M.D.
In this series, a teen girl has somehow finished medical school and started her training at a local hospital near where she lives.
Photo: NBC News
Alas, her boss proves problematic from day one. The head of the hospital is none other than the girl’s mother. Drama!
Look, we can dissect this, claim that it’s silly, and dismiss it out of hand for its concept.
Photo: Variety
However, I’ve watched quite a bit of this series. I’ll happily confirm that it requires little backstory for the viewer to catch up, making it ideal during the holidays.
You never know who will drop in, and the last thing you want is to miss ten minutes of a show explaining everything.
Photo: D23
Also, the cast here is absolutely terrific and will put a smile on the face of any Disney fan.
Jason Scott Lee of Lilo & Stitch plays the loving father trapped between a brilliant wife and daughter who are constantly butting heads.
Image Credit: Disney
He’s wonderful here, as is the lead actress, Peyton Elizabeth Lee, previously known as Disney’s Andi Mack.
The Great Christmas Light Fight
Disney fans love the lights. We know this because the company decorates its theme parks each holiday season. Meanwhile, park guests demand more.
Image Credit: Disney
We have voracious appetites for this stuff, which explains the existence of this reality show competition.
During The Great Christmas Light Fight, contestants compete to show that they could give the late Jennings Osborne a run for his money.
Credit: ABC
Disney+ currently offers two seasons, although I’ll warn you that season 10 shows its episodes out of order.
If you’re paying attention rather than leaving the show on in the background, you’ll want to adjust the order yourself.
Photo: ABC
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
This year, Marvel has started a new holiday tradition: kidnapping Kevin Bacon.
That’s not even a joke. It’s legitimately the plot of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Photo: DIsney+
The other Guardians recognize how unhappy Peter Quill is since he lost Gamora. They try to cheer him up by retrieving Earth’s greatest hero, the star of Footloose.
Yes, this 50-minute mini-movie contains maximum James Gunn. I know that less is more for some of you, which explains why Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 didn’t work for everyone.
Photo: Justwatch.com
Still, I think Gunn is never better than here. He reveals a pertinent surprise detail about a relationship between two Guardians.
More importantly, the director somehow makes fun of the concepts of Christmas AND relishes the familial nature of this holiday.
Photo: Disney+
Think of this holiday episode as a 50-minute holiday hug. It’s wonderful.
Hawkeye
This Marvel series debuted during the holidays last year, and you might have watched it then.
Even if you did, you should still catch the six episodes again this year. I say this because Hawkeye is overflowing with the holiday spirit.
Photo: Marvel
Somehow, the story pulls ideas from several other beloved Christmas stories plus some more controversial ones.
I’m not getting into the debate regarding whether Die Hard counts as a holiday movie, but I still give Hawkeye mega-bonus points for its homages.
At one point, Kate Bishop even does the blind jump off a tall building, just like John McClane did!
Home Alone/Home Sweet Home Alone
Image Credit: Disney
Come on, it’s Christmas! You can’t possibly ignore Kevin while he goes through the battle of his young life!
The poor kid was left behind by his family as they went on vacation. Now, he finds himself battling home invaders!
Image Credit: Disney
The whole thing seems so unlikely that you may not believe it’s possible. Au contraire! Poor Max Mercer went through the same thing last holiday season!
You can watch both and then internally debate whether you should call Child Services on both sets of parents.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas
Photo: Disney+
Join Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and their friends in this anthology of everyone’s holiday struggles.
This underrated gem highlights the brilliance of hand-drawn animation, the classic Disney style that we’ve mostly lost.
Photo: Disney
Even the sequel to this title, Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, uses computer graphics instead.
Also, fans of A Goofy Movie should watch this one for its Goofy/Max story.
Olaf’s Frozen Adventure
Photo: Disney+
Who wouldn’t want to spend more time in Arendelle this holiday season?
A few years ago, Frozen fever took hold, and Disney couldn’t satisfy its starving fans for new content.
So, animators put together a 22-minute holiday short that shows Olaf’s attempt to take care of his humans, Anna and Elsa.
Photo: Disney
Because the sisters spent so much of their childhood apart, they have no holiday tradition of their own…or so Olaf thinks.
Ultimately, a fruitcake-related miracle occurs, and you pretty much have to watch to find out what that could possibly mean.
Arendelle Castle Yule Log
Finally, you may not want any distractions on the television. I have a suggestion that will check that box while discouraging anyone from changing the channel.
Photo: DIsney+
Disney+ hosts the Arendelle Castle Yule Log. It’s like so many yule log programs you’ve watched on YouTube.
The difference here is that people aren’t as likely to turn it off if you tell them it’s the place from Frozen.
Photo: ABC
Honestly, you shouldn’t expect much, though. I’ve had it on for hours, and nothing ever happens.
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