You can find many inspiring Christmas resources out there that you can see, hear, and stream at little or no cost. Click on the Continue Reading link below for a list of live performances, television, radio, and library resources of CDs and DVDs. It’s a little Christmas gift to you from researcher Barbara H. of our Board of Stewardship.
Live Performances
26 Nov. – 26 Dec. – It’s a Wonderful Life, a live radio play by the Hartford Stage Company, Hartford, tickets start at $30.
Television
Connecticut Public/CPT
- 20 Years of Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell joins the Choir and Orchestra for this two-hour 20th anniversary retrospective. 12/13, 9 p.m. Also 12/24, 10:30 p.m., and 12/25, 7 a.m.
- Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Featuring Kristin Chenoweth . 12/16, 10 p.m. Also 12/21, 6:30 p.m.; 12/24, 10 p.m.; and 12/25, 9 a.m.
- Christmas at Belmont: “Christmas at Belmont 2021” features multiplatinum recording artist Josh Turner and nearly 650 Belmont University students performing holiday favorites, traditional carols and festive tunes. 12/20, 9 p.m.
- Handel’s Messiah: This docudrama tells the story of George Frederic Handel, a prodigious musical genius. One of his most notable compositions is his oratorio Messiah. 12/24, 11 p.m.
- Lucy Worsley’s 12 Days of Tudor Christmas [CPTV]: Join Lucy Worsley on a 12-day extravaganza as she discovers that much of what we enjoy in contemporary Christmas — from carols to gift-giving, feasting and drinking — was just as popular 500 years ago, with some surprising Tudor twists. (Also streaming on CPTV Passport). 12/25, 8 p.m.
NBC
- Dr. Seuss’s Grinch (2018, Benedict Cumberbatch). 12/22, 8 p.m.
- It’s a Wonderful Life, 12/4, 8 p.m. Also 12/24. 8 p.m. (Also streaming on Amazon Prime.)
- Christmas Eve Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica. 12/24, 11:30 p.m.
TCM – Turner Classic Movies
- The Bishop’s Wife, 12/24, 8 p.m.
- The Shop Around the Corner, 12/22, 12:01 a.m., and 12/24, 2 p.m.
- A Christmas Carol, (1938 – Reginald Owen), 12/21, 10:30 a.m., and 12/24, 10 p.m.
- King of Kings, 12/19, 1 p.m.
- The Holly & the Ivy: A minister’s family torn apart by World War II reunites for the Christmas holidays. 12/19, 10:15 p.m.
- A Carol for Another Christmas (1964). Three ghosts teach an industrialist the importance of international peacekeeping. 12/23, Noon.
Christmas at the Library
Check out the resources at your local library! Curbside pick-up is available. In addition to items at the library, your card gives you access to many online resources. Don’t forget that your public library card is also valid at all Connecticut public libraries.
Bonus: Don’t forget Middlebury Public Library’s Holiday Contest. Read a Dickens book and watch a Dickens movie to be entered in a drawing for a gift card.
Movies for the spirit of Christmas from Middlebury Public Library
- Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Motion picture: 1951; Alistair Sim)
- Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (Motion picture: 2009; George C. Scott)
- The Man Who Invented Christmas (Motion Picture: 2018)
- It’s a Wonderful Life [Frank Capra] (Motion picture: 1946; James Stewart)
Music for the spirit of Christmas from Middlebury Public Library
- A Big Band Christmas / Stardust Swing Band
- Singalong Family Christmas
- A Windham Hill Christmas: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
- Essential Christmas
- James Taylor at Christmas
- A Medieval Christmas / The Boston Camerata
- Christmas Around the World [sung in original languages]
- Christmas in the Aire / Mannheim Steamroller
- In the Christmas Mood II / Glen Miller Orchestra
- A Christmas Album / Michael Crawford
- A Smooth Jazz Christmas / Dave Koz
- My Kind of Christmas / Christina Aguilera
- Frank Sinatra at Christmas / Frank Sinatra
- Christmas with Placido Domingo
- James Galway’s Christmas Carol
- Joy to the World: A Baroque Christmas
- Joy to the world: Hymns of Christmas
- On Christmas night / Cherish the Ladies
- 20 Christmas Classics / People’s Symphony Orchestra of Vienna
- A Fresh Aire Christmas / Mannheim Steamroller
- A Celebration of Christmas: live from Vienna
- Christmas Songs by Sinatra / Frank Sinatra
- Christmas with the Vienna Boys’ Choir
- Christmas Brass: Carols for Brass, Organ and Choir
- Christmas at the Brooklyn Tabernacle / Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir and Singers
- These are Special Times / Céline Dion
- Celebrate the Season
- Beyond the Season / Garth Brooks
- Noel / Josh Groban
- The Spirit of the Season
- A Winter’s Solstice III / Windham Hill Artists
- If on a Winter’s Night / Sting
- Snowbound / Fourplay
- 2007 Holiday Prelude Concert / Connecticut Master Chorale
- Sleighride! / Boston Pops, Canadian Brass, Robert Shaw Chorale, Philharmonica Virtuousi
- Holiday Prelude Concert 2008 / Connecticut Master Chorale
- Joy to the World / Mormon Tabernacle Choir
- The Gift / Jim Brickman
- Peace / Jim Brickman
- A Winter’s Solstice / Windham Hill Artists
- December: Piano Solos / George Winston
- The Little Drummer Boy / Vienna Boys’ Choir
- Songs of Joy & Peace / Yo-Yo Ma & friends
- Joy to the World. Handel: The Messiah
Broadcast, Streaming, & Archived Online Music
FM Radio
91.1 – WSHU:
- Stream live
- WSHU weekly schedule
- Sunday Baroque
- Sunday Baroque Conversations – https://sundaybaroque.org/interviews/
- Classical Music with Lauren Rico & Classical Music Overnight
88.1 – WMNR: Classical music 24/7
Audacy.com
You can stream these holiday channels along with radio stations and exclusive custom playlists, free, from the site or by downloading the app from your app store:
- Home for the Holidays
- Faith-Filled Christmas
- The Lord’s Holiday
- Classical Music with Lauren Rico
- Classical Music with John Clare
Sirius XM subscription channels
These Christmas channels are available by subscription for your mobile device or automobile:
- Holiday Traditions (Ch. 71)
- Hallmark Radio (Ch. 104)
- Mannheim Steamroller Channel (Ch. 510)
- Incontournable Noel: Francophone Holiday Music (Ch. 753)
- Acoustic Christmas (Ch. 781)
- Christmas Spirit – Christian (Ch. 782)
- Holiday Pops Classical Christmas Carols (Ch. 784)
- Navidad (Ch. 787)
- Holiday Instrumentals (Xtra Ch.)
Enjoy!