Winter Holiday Programs

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV + Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. and Thursday, Nov 24 at 7 p.m. on KPBS 2 / On demand now with KPBS Passport! Get an intimate look into life in Lapland, fabled land of Santa Claus and actual home of tenacious wildlife such as reindeer, wolverines, Brown bears and more.

Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. and Thursday, Nov. 24 at 8 a.m. on KPBS TV + 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. on PBS Kids. Arthur and his family are getting ready for Thanksgiving! Dad’s whipping up his famous turkey dinner extravaganza, the Lakewood elementary kids are preparing for the annual Thanksgiving parade (complete with a giant flying turkey balloon named Gobbler), and Aunt Minnie is coming to spend the holiday with the Reads.

Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. on KPBS TV + Nov. 24 at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on PBS Kids. The Wild Kratts are on a mission to defend the honor of the wild turkey and to stop Gourmand, who is hunting for the largest, fattest turkey in the forest.

Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV / On Demand now with KPBS Passport! Test cook Lan Lam makes host Bridget Lancaster Easy-Braid Challah. Testing expert Jack Bishop gives a flour primer. Test cook Erin McMurrer and host Julia Collin Davison make Crescent-Shaped Rugelach with Raisin-Walnut Filling.

Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 / On Demand. A film by Ric Burns that endeavors to tell the true story of the Pilgrims, a small group of religious radicals whose determination to establish a separatist religious community planted the seeds for America’s founding.

Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 at 11 a.m. on KPBS 2 / On demand now with PBS Video App. This film challenges the long-held belief that America's first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth, Mass., and chronicles how the discovery of the Nibley papers led to a friendly rivalry between Virginia and Massachusetts about who can rightfully lay claim to the birth of America's Thanksgiving holiday.

Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 at 8 a.m. on KPBS TV + Friday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Dec. 8 at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on KPBS Kids. Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat are having a wonderful time getting ready for Christmas. There’s only one dilemma — neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present!

Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with PBS Video App. Take a look behind the curtain at San Diego’s most iconic theatrical production, “Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at The Old Globe. Hear from cast members and artistic director Barry Edelstein on their experiences with the production.

Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 at 1 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 5 at 12:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 at 10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 5:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with KPBS Passport! 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.

Monday, Dec. 5, 2022 at 9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. on KPBS TV / Watch now with KPBS Passport! Mary's visit culminates in a glittering party for staff and volunteers who gather together to preview the house?s spectacular Christmas decorations and celebrate another magical Christmas at Harewood.

Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 at 9 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 11 at 3 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 23 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 + Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with KPBS Passport! This 60-minute performance stars host and vocalist Vanessa Williams with appearances by Dee Dee Bridgewater, Norm Lewis, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Nova Payton, Dave Detwiler and Morgan James.

Encore Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 at 10 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 11 at 4 p.m. on KPBS 2 / On demand now with KPBS Passport! Christmas at Belmont 2021 features Belmont University students performing holiday favorites in the new Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville. This celebration of the season includes holiday favorites and classic songs.

Premieres Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 24 at 7 p.m. on KPBS TV + Friday, December 23 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS 2 / PBS Video app. Tony® Award-nominee Megan Hilty and television and film actor Neal McDonough join The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for this Irish-inspired edition of this heartwarming annual celebration of music and holiday traditions.

Encore Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with PBS Video app. We locate San Diego's little-known official Christmas Tree. Check out how the holidays were celebrated in San Diego in years gone by, and go back to see the first electrically illuminated tree anywhere in the Country. Discover the rocky beginnings of what came to be called "December Nights" in Balboa Park.

Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 at 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22 at 2 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with YouTube or the PBS Video app. The entire cast is home for the holidays, and they're sharing their tips and tricks for planning a stress-free gathering, while also recounting personal holiday memories and revealing their all-time favorite holiday recipes from the Test Kitchen archives.

Encore Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022 at 4 p.m., Friday, Dec. 23 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 10 a.m. on KPBS TV / On Demand. Join Rick Steves for a colorful, musical celebration of Christmas across Europe. From England to Wales, France, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, you'll see the bright Christmas markets, hear local choirs, share holiday traditions with families…and even play in the snow.

Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV + Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. on KPBS 2 / On demand now with KPBS Passport! Highlights include: a Temperance lithograph illustrating the evils of imbibing spirits; a letter from Gerald Ford to his kindergarten teacher who called him "naughty little Gerry Ford;" and a dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in the film "Some Like It Hot."

Premieres Monday, Dec. 19, 2022 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video App. Mary Berry shares her ultimate Christmas feast with all the trimmings. Friends and Chefs Angela Hartnett and Monica Galetti join her to share favorite festive recipes from their heritage and Mary and TV host Rylan Clark try and convert some kids to Brussels sprouts.

Encore Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 at 3:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand with iTunes. We visit eight enchanting medieval and castle towns in Germany, France and Switzerland. We learn of the history of the town, see their Christmas markets, and celebrate the magic of the season. The show is made all the more delightful by the special folk arrangements of traditional Christmas carols performed by the Kingston Trio.

Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 at 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 24 at 11 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with PBS Video App. The vocal and instrumental musical ensembles of Concordia University Irvine and friends invite you to join us for a festive collection of music that repeats the sounding joy heard at the first Christmas. Songs include the Latvian folk song "The Christmas Season," "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," "Alabanzas Al Rey," "Joy to the World," "Carol of the Bells," and many more.

Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 25 at 6 a.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video App. This performance honors Dean Emeritus Lonel Woods (Hon. ‘20), who passed away unexpectedly in May. The 2021 Crane Candlelight Concert features works by Johannes Brahms, James Weldon Johnson, Arvo Part, Kim Andre Arnesen, Elaine Hagenberg, Gustav Holst and others.

Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022 at 9 p.m. on KPBS TV / On Demand now with KPBS Passport! Join Alan Cumming for the real story of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King with the beloved music of Tchaikovsky. Featuring the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the direction of John Mauceri, this new version is a rare holiday treat.

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. on KPBS TV + Dec. 25 at 1 p.m. on PBS Kids. When the Circo gets stuck at the South Pole on Christmas eve, Leo, Andy, and Carmen are convinced that Santa will never find them. With the help of their friend Luna, the kids endeavor to save Christmas, learning about holiday traditions from around the world along the way.

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. on KPBS TV. In the tradition of the Dickens holiday classic, Nature Cat is visited by the spirits of Nature Past (Daisy), Present (Squeeks) and Future (Hal) on Christmas Eve.

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 at 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video App. With Christmas approaching, the midwives move to their maternity clinic and are delighted when their first patient is a familiar face. Life in Poplar returns to normal after the tragic train crash, and everyone unites for a festive talent show.

Encore Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / On demand now with PBS Video App. Ken takes us back to see what was making New Year's news in San Diego over past decades; the story of how one of the most familiar landmarks in San Diego came to be; see an East County monument to the glory days of rock and roll, and look at some of the things "About San Diego" that viewers have sent in.

Premieres Dec. 31, 2022 at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video App. Ring in the New Year with music that celebrates our nation’s diversity — from folk and rock to opera, country to hip hop, Broadway to bluegrass and beyond. This special performance also reflects on what brings us together as Americans.

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2022 at 7:30 a.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video App. The event returns to its iconic parade route through the ancient City of Westminster. Cultural and community groups rub shoulders with leading professional entertainers and the mayors of London. Plus, more than 20 U.S. marching bands and 1,000 varsity cheerleaders are finally allowed to travel to London for their moment in the global spotlight.

Premieres Jan. 1, 2023 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS Video app. Celebrate the new year with this annual classical music celebration featuring waltzes by Strauss from the opulent Musikverein hosted by PBS favorite Hugh Bonneville.

Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022 at 2 p.m. PST

What is the holiday season like when you're disconnected from your nuclear family? Embodied presents "Estranged," an hour-long special about finding belonging when your family bonds are broken. Host Anita Rao meets two women who — by choice or circumstance — became estranged from their parents. Writer Raksha Vasudevan shares how being an immigrant shapes how she thinks about creating distance from her family, and Tiffany Scott talks about what it was like to be ghosted by her dad. The two reflect on finding belonging elsewhere and seeking support from non-traditional sources. Anita also learns from two siblings who were estranged for more than 40 years that while reconciliation is possible, it's not for everyone.

Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at 2 p.m. PST (1st Day of Hanukkah)

A perennial NPR favorite, "Hanukkah Lights" features all new Hanukkah stories. Read by hosts Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.

Murray and Susan looked back into the show's 30 year archive and picked their favorite stories: "Hanukkah Gelt" by Sholem Aleichem, "Gifts of the Last Night" by Rebecca Goldstein, "How To Spell The Name Of G-d" by Ellen Orleans, "Of Love and Latkes" by Lia Pripstein, and "Erev Christmas" by Clement Clarke Moore, translated by Marie Jaffe.

Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 at 9 p.m. PST (Winter Solstice)

From "Living On Earth" | PRX

Native American myths and tales help us endure or even enjoy the short days and long nights of winter. "Living on Earth’s" annual celebration of stories helps connect people with the natural world and includes an Iroquois explanation of why the constellation Pleiades twinkles overhead and an Abenaki custom that asks forgiveness for any wrongs of the previous year. Seasonal stories and more, in this holiday special

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 at 2 p.m. PST (Christmas Day)

Join host Jesse Sparks for a holiday edition of The Splendid Table’s newest “podbaby,” "The One Recipe." Jesse talks to culinary superstars about their “One,” the recipe that signals the holiday has begun! They’ll get into traditions and food with influences from all over the world and leave you with recipes that could jump start your own festivities! It’s delicious eating all month long. Guests include chef, YouTube personality and best-selling author Carla Lalli Music; The New York Time’s food writer Eric Kim, author of "Korean- American: Food That Tastes Like Home" and more to come!

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 at 6 p.m. PST (Christmas Day) Encore Presentation

In keeping with a well-loved NPR holiday tradition, hear the third collection of extraordinary Christmas stories that will transport you to unexpected places.

Audie Cornish, Ken Harbaugh, Nina Totenberg and other voices from NPR's past and present tell stories of the season in this hour-long special. Some tales are funny; some are touching; some are insightful or irreverent or nostalgic or surprising. You might recognize them from our broadcast archives — or you might fall in love with them for the first time. Hosted by Lynn Neary

Featured Stories:
December's Soundtrack (Amy Dickinson)
Christmas With UPS (Loree Gold)
Merry Stressmas: It's That Time Of The Year (Kevin Kling)
Appreciating The Ugliness Of The Christmas Tree (Ken Harbaugh)
Stealing Hemlock (Bailey White)
Christmas Lights Tour (Bill Harley)
Christmas With The Totenbergs (Nina Totenberg)
The Gift Of The Magi (O. Henry, read by NPR's Audie Cornish)
Christmas For Cows (Baxter Black)
Christmas Pudding (Marialisa Calta)
Caroling In The Cold (Julie Zickefoose)
Christmas Magic (Joseph C. Phillips)
Grinch's True End (John Moe)

- Friday, December 30 at Noon + Sunday, Jan. 1 2023 at 2 p.m. PST (Last Day of Kwanzaa) (PRX)

Hosted by acclaimed storyteller Madafo Lloyd Wilson, "A Season's Griot" is an annual one-hour special that captures the tales and traditions of African American and African peoples.
The show's poet laureate, Beverly Fields Burnette, and other members of the Season's Griot family return with familiar and favorite elements of Griot.

Two hour broadcast: Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. *(Replacing Takeaway and Midday)

"Turkey Confidential" is The Splendid Table’s annual Thanksgiving show. Francis Lam takes calls and comes to the rescue of Thanksgiving cooks, kitchen helpers, and inner guests during the biggest cooking day of the year.

One hour broadcast: Thursday, Nov. 24, 2022 | 8 p.m. *(Replacing Midday rebroadcast)

As Americans gather to give thanks over a feast, a look at how embracing the plant world in our diets connects to climate, health, and democracy. Also, in some Native cultures four more staples join the “Three Sisters” of corn, beans, and squash. The “Seven Sisters” and the importance of saving Native seeds, that and more in this special Thanksgiving edition of Living on Earth from PRX.

On Demand

This week, we’re getting ready for Thanksgiving with some help from our friends. Cheryl Day joins us to answer your holiday baking questions, Sam Fore cooks Thanksgiving with a Sri Lankan take, J. Kenji López-Alt explains why he eats lobster for Thanksgiving, Dan Pashman tells us how to eat pie the right way, and we learn to make Yogurt-Roasted Carrots with Warm Spices.