Christmas Eve movies to wrap presents by

This festive Larry Fritz illustration graced the cover of TV Guide for the week of December 24, 1955–exactly 63 years ago today. That was back when signals were pulled in from all over on rooftop antennas–for free. Back when there were TV listings magazines–which sold for 15 cents. Back when it used to really snow in Toronto over Christmas–instead of today’s mere dusting.

This Christmas Eve, there are holiday favourites on TV even older than the above illustration, including 1946’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” (8 p.m. ET, NBC and CTV) and 1954’s “White Christmas” (7:30 p.m., CBC). CHCH also has Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in “White Christmas,” but at 8 p.m.

TCM has “The Bishop’s Wife” (1947, 8 p.m.) followed by the 1936 version of “A Christmas Carol.” Much earlier on the 24th, fans can catch or PVR Laurel & Hardy’s weird and wonderful 1934 operetta “Babes in Toyland” (Dec. 24 at 11 a.m.).

For a more modern spin on Christmas, FX offers a marathon of holiday-themed Modern Family episodes (beginning at 8 p.m.). Citytv has two Hallmark movies from 2018, “It’s Christmas, Eve” at 7 p.m., starring LeAnn Rimes, followed by Lori Loughlin in “Homegrown Christmas” (9 p.m.).

Global airs the 2015 Hallmark movie “Christmas Incorporated” with Shenae Grimes-Beech and Steve Lund. AMC has 2002’s “Santa Clause 2” (6 p.m.) followed by “Jingle All the Way” (8:30 p.m.). Showtime brings us the 1993 stop-motion animated gem “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993). Over on Space, for those convinced these are Christmas movies, there’s a “Die Hard” marathon.

On Family CHRGD (formerly Disney XD), the lineup is “Elf” (2011) followed by the classic Peanuts’ special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (1965). W has the family-friendly 2018 Hallmark TV-movie “Reunited at Christmas” (8 p.m.).

Finally, at midnight — for those up late wrapping presents (or just back from shopping at 7Eleven) — CTV has the 1951 Alistair Sim Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol.” As Tiny Tim would say, God bless us everyone.