In the early 1950’s Bob Hope started a annual tradition to create Television Christmas Special Variety Shows every year; he was soon followed by some of the greatest entertainers in music to host these favorite specials.  Bing Crosby, Perry Como and Andy Williams made it into almost a television genre of it’s own.  Variety specials featured top artists, comedians, actors and actresses of the day — and audiences loved these specials.

Andy Williams took the annual specials to live stages in Branson and Las Vegas up until his death in 2012; and his tradition in Branson continues with the 
Andy Williams Christmas Show.

In that tradition, the team at Admit VIP challenged our resident shows to create Holiday Specials featuring the music and the memories of those golden years of television history. Come be transported back in time to when the family would gather around the Christmas tree, start up a warm fire and switch on the television to sing along with holiday music.

Five of The Modern Showrooms shows will deck the halls from Thanksgiving weekend through New Years Day with special holiday versions.

Holiday Classic Television Specials

Julie Andrews

  • Merry Christmas… with Love, Julie (1979)
  • Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas (1987) 

The Carpenters

  • The Carpenters at Christmas (1977)
  • The Carpenters: A Christmas Portrait (1978)

Kathie Lee Gifford

  • Kathie Lee Gifford: Looking for Christmas (1994)
  • Kathie Lee Gifford: Home for Christmas (1995)
  • Kathie Lee Gifford: Just in Time for Christmas (1996)
  • Kathie Lee Gifford: We Need a Little Christmas (1997)
  • Kathie Lee Gifford: Christmas Every Day (1998)

Jackie Gleason

  • Jackie Gleason’s Honeymooners Christmas (1978/CBS)
  • The Honeymooners Christmas Special (1977)

Amy Grant

  • Headin’ Home For The Holidays (1986/NBC)
  • A Christmas To Remember (1999)

The Osmonds

  • The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1976/ABC)
  • The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1977)
  • The Donny and Marie Christmas Special (1977/ABC)
  • The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1978/ABC)
  • The Donny and Marie Christmas Special (1979/ABC)
  • The Osmond Family Christmas Special (1980/NBC)
  • Marie Osmond’s Merry Christmas (1986)

Andy Williams

  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1964)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1965)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1966)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1967)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1968)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1969)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1970)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1971)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Special (1973)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Show (1974)
  • Andy Williams’ Early New England Christmas (1982)
  • Andy Williams Christmas from Washington (1983)
  • Andy Williams and the NBC Kids Search for Santa (NBC/1985)
  • The Andy Williams Christmas Show (1994)
  • The Daily Show Andy Williams Christmas Special (1997)
  • Happy Holidays: The Best of the Andy Williams Christmas Specials (2001)

Bob Hope

  • The Bob Hope Christmas Special (1953, 1968, 1970, 1980, 1981)
  • The Bob Hope Christmas Show (1965, 1985)
  • The Bob Hope Vietnam Christmas Show (1966)
  • The Bob Hope Christmas Special: Around the World with the USO (1969)
  • The Bob Hope Vietnam Christmas Show (1971)
  • The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special (1977)
  • Bob Hope’s USO Christmas in Beirut (1984)
  • Bob Hope Winterfest Christmas Show (1987)
  • Bob Hope’s USO Christmas from the Persian Gulf: Around the World in Eight Days (1987)
  • Bob Hope’s Jolly Christmas Show (1988)
  • Bob Hope’s Christmas Special from Waikoloa, Hawaii (1989)
  • Bob Hope’s Christmas Cheer from Saudi Arabia (1991)
  • Hope for the Holidays – A Bob Hope Christmas (1993)

Bing Crosby

  • Happy Holidays with Frank and Bing starring Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby (1957)
  • The Bing Crosby Christmas Show (1961, 1962, 1965)
  • Christmas with Andre, Bing, and Mary (1962)
  • The Hollywood Palace with Bing Crosby (1965, 1966, 1967, 1968)
  • Bing and Carol Together Again for the First Time (1969) Bing Crosby, with Carol Burnett
  • Goldilocks (1969) Bing Crosby with Kathryn Crosby, Mary Frances Crosby and Nathaniel Crosby along with Avery Schreiber and Paul Winchell
  • Bing Crosby’s Christmas Show (1970)
  • Bing Crosby and the Sounds of Christmas (1971)
  • A Christmas with the Bing Crosbys (1972)
  • Bing Crosby’s Sun Valley Christmas Show (1973)
  • A Christmas with the Bing Crosbys (1974)
  • Merry Christmas, Fred, from the Crosbys (1975) Bing Crosby, with Fred Astaire
  • The Bing Crosby White Christmas Special (1976)
  • Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas (1977) with David Bowie, Twiggy, and Ron Moody
  • The Christmas Years (1978) tribute program

Dean Martin

  • Dean Martin’s California Christmas (1975)
  • Dean Martin’s Christmas in California (1977, 1979)
  • Dean Martin Christmas Special (1980)
  • Dean Martin’s Christmas at Sea World (1981)

Perry Como

  • Perry Como’s Christmas In New York (1959)
  • The Perry Como Holiday Special (1967)
  • Christmas At The Hollywood Palace (1969)
  • Perry Como’s Winter Show (1971)
  • The Perry Como Winter Show (1972, 1973)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas Show (1974)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In Mexico (1975)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In Austria (1976)
  • Perry Como’s Olde Englishe Christmas (1977)
  • Perry Como’s Early American Christmas (1978)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In New Mexico (1979)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In The Holy Land (1980)
  • Perry Como’s French-Canadian Christmas (1981)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In Paris (1982)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In New York (1983)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In London (1984)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In Hawaii (1985)
  • Perry Como’s Christmas In San Antonio (1986)
  • Perry Como’s Irish Christmas (1994)

Mariah Carey

  • Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to You (2010, ABC)
  • Mariah Carey’s Merriest Christmas (2015, Hallmark Channel)
  • Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special (2020, Apple TV+)

One Off Holiday Specials

  • The George Burns Early, Early, Early Christmas Special (1981)
  • The Captain and Tennille Christmas Show (1976)
  • Jackie DeShannon: What the World Needs Now (1978)
  • Michael Jackson: Beat It (1982)
  • Taylor Swift: Shake It Off (2014)
  • Elton John: Crocodile Rock (1973)
  • Elton John: I’m Still Standing (1983)
  • Tom Jones: What’s New Pussycat (1963)
  • Carly Rae Jepsen: Call Me Maybe (2012)
  • Selena Gomez: Come & Get It (2013)
  • Journey: Don’t Stop Believing (1981)
  • Lady Gaga: Applause (2013)
  • The Johnny Cash Christmas Special (1976–1979)
  • Kelly Clarkson: Kelly Clarkson Presents: When Christmas Comes Around (2021, NBC)
  • Kelly Clarkson: Kelly Clarkson’s Cautionary Christmas Music Tale (2013/NBC)
  • A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All (2008/Comedy Central)
  • CMA Country Christmas (2010–present)
  • Mac Davis: I Believe in Christmas (1977)
  • John Denver’s Rocky Mountain Christmas (with The Muppets) (1975)
  • John Denver: Montana Christmas Skies (1991)
  • Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special (2008/Comedy Central)
  • Dave Foley’s The True Meaning of Christmas Specials
  • Freddie the Freeloader’s Christmas Dinner (1981/HBO)
  • The Judy Garland Christmas Show (1963)
  • Paul Lynde: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (1977)
  • Darci Lynne: A Hometown Christmas (2018)
  • The Mitzi Gaynor Christmas Show (1967)
  • Rich Little’s Christmas Carol (1979/HBO)
  • Dolly Parton: Home For Christmas (1990)
  • Luther Vandross: This is Christmas (1996)