Of comfort and joy: Here’s what is predictable and magical about holiday TV

Christmas, they say, comes once a year, but “once” now lasts for days and weeks and months. The yuletide is now upon us, even before Thanksgiving.

Back in the three-network, four-network and even five-network days, one could see all the specials and special episodes and still lead a relatively normal life. But in this time of many platforms (and with ever-more recycled content swelling the pot), one can go snow-blind. And so, to help you make your way through this blizzard, we share the gift of a holiday guide. Enjoy!

Disney, which owns its own television network, always sets itself a place — or two —at this cross-promotional table, celebrating its 10th anniversary. New musical performances by host Derek Hough and other acts, including Aloe Blacc, Good Charlotte, Gwen Stefani and Trisha Yearwood, arrive from Florida’s Walt Disney World, Hawaii’s Aulani Resort & Spa and Los Angeles’ Disneyland. For more of the same, and more, see “40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” below. (ABC, Monday)

Filmed at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, the 16th annual edition of this special is hosted by Christian music superstar Lauren Daigle and hitmaker Jordan Davis, with appearances from Riley Green, Lady A, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and the ever-present BeBe Winans. (ABC, Tuesday)

Reba McEntire heads to New York to host a two-hour special, highlighted by the lighting of a really big tree in NBC’s own backyard. Next we head to Music City, where you might have expected to find McEntire; who we will find is so far a mystery. (NBC, Wednesday)

Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey are your hosts. Expect something old, something new(er). (NBC, Dec. 9)

Something for the youngsters, as Ed Sullivan used to say. While the tour performers are known, the artists featured in the special are yet to be announced as of this writing. You will know some of them, all of them, or none of them. (ABC, Dec. 17)

Shakespeare’s cross-dressing comedy of sexual confusion and mistaken identity (named for and originally performed on the last of the 12 days of Christmas), was filmed at an August performance at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater as part of the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare festival. Cleverly cast brother and sister Lupita Nyong’o and Junior Nyong’o play castaway twins Viola and Sebastian. Other well-known actors include Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sandra Oh and Daphne Rubin-Vega. (Now streaming on PBS.org and PBS app)

Even those with scant interest in classical music or dance will be osmotically familiar with Tchaikovsky’s 1892 Christmas ballet, with its hit-filled score and Sugarplum Fairy. This one is performed by the English National Ballet against an Edwardian backdrop (Act I) and a Candyland (Act II) full of exotic flavor. (PBS, PBS.org and PBS app, Dec. 16)

Christmas spirit is low, Santa is depressed and cartoon versions of characters from the famous pizza place decide to buck him up by throwing a surprise party, as a dark-hearted elf taking fashion cues from Orlando Bloom’s Legolas gets in the way. Reportedly a back-door pilot for a full-service cartoon series — there is an audience for this. (Prime Video and YouTube, now streaming)

In this “save Christmas” special of the kid-popular series, computer-animated puppies in knit sweaters step in when a cold sidelines a sick Santa, threatening the delivery of presents and the true meaning of Christmas. (Paramount+, now streaming)

Should you care to see how the Duchess of Sussex of Montecito gets set for Christmas, Meghan Markle’s inviting you in for a bit of cooking, crafting, hall-decking and who knows what, with “simple how-tos to follow at home.” (Netflix, Wednesday)

Alicia Silverstone is a divorced architect about to sell her house who decides to throw one last holiday party. Her ex-husband (Oliver Hudson) arrives packing new girlfriend Jameela Jamil, which would make anyone jealous. Melissa Joan Hart is in it, too. (Netflix, now streaming)

I can’t name a single Jonas brothers song, but I can heartily recommend this trains-planes-and-automobile story, which finds the trio supernaturally hindered from getting home from Europe for Christmas. (Santa may be involved.) (Disney+, now streaming)

Minka Kelly plays a hotshot executive — shorthand for misguided, unfulfilled — out to acquire a French Champagne vineyard. Stopping over in Paris before heading out into the countryside — shorthand for life as it should be lived — she has a magical night with handsome Frenchman Henri (Tom Wozniczka), who, wouldn’t you know, turns out to be the son of the man (Thibault de Montalembert, from “Call My Agent”) whose company she’s out to buy. (Netflix, now streaming)

Love and larceny combine as Olivia Holt, “a sharp-witted retail worker,” and Connor Swindells, “a down-on-his-luck repairman,” independently plan to rob the same London department store on Christmas Eve. The presence of Peter Serafinowicz and Lucy Punch is icing on the gingerbread. (Netflix, now streaming)

This documentary outlier follows five families who fight for dominance and survival in the New York City Christmas tree trade. The title does not appear to be ironic. (Prime Video, now streaming)

In order to score her daughter half-price snowboard lessons, single mom Taylor (Alexandra Breckenridge) disguises herself as an old man in order to play Santa at a ski resort, like you do. Ryan Eggold is the handsome hotel manager who, as you might expect, complicates matters. (Netflix, Wednesday)