As soon as that last piece of Halloween candy walks away from most people’s front doors, out come their seasonal decorations and Mariah Carey, singing about “All I want for Christmas is you.” The only thing that might make this merry season just a touch brighter, pending any lottery wins, is a solid infusion of holiday-inspired reality television shows.
So, we created this handy little guide, listing these seasonal series to help pull our holiday-loving readers through the first two weeks of December. Now, go ahead and toss another log into the fire, or turn those AC down if your area refuses to chill. And then get cozy, because starting December 2, these four festive reality TV series are landing on ABC.
The Christmas holidays brings with it some reality TV festive cheer: what to watch in December 2025
Every year, major networks roll out nostalgic films like clockwork. You know what I’m talking about. These classics include flicks like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas, and Mickey’s Christmas Carol.
But this year, we want to help you switch things up a bit. So, without further ado, here are four new series to add to your rotations. And yes, these series are all centered around various competitions in the reality TV genre.
Dancing with the Holidays (DWTS) – December 2
Dancing with the Stars Season 34 wraps on November 25. But after this season comes to a close, fans will receive a lovely little parting gift in the form of an all-new tradition: an annual DWTS holiday special. Yes, Halloween is already heavily featured here, thanks in part to when this series airs. But now, the powers that be are throwing us an extra bone with a Christmas episode.
Dancing With the Holidays airs Tuesday, December 2, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This one-hour episode will land on ABC, per usual. It will feature holiday-themed dance routines, musical performances from visiting artists, and special seasonal greetings from various stars. I would tell you more, but the network is still keeping every other detail under wraps (for now).
Celebrity Family Feud: The Housemaid vs The Housewives All-Stars Holiday Special – December 4
Celebrity Family Feud is always a good time. But this year, several Real Housewives stars are entering the mix. Celebrity Family Feud: The Housemaid vs The Housewives All-Stars Holiday Special airs on December 4 at 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
This special will feature an all-star cast consisting of Alexia Nepola, Cynthia Bailey, Eva Marcille, Dorinda Medley, and Melissa Gorga. As for their opponents, these Bravo beauties will face off against the cast of the psychological thriller flick, The Housemaid. These stars include Paul Feig, Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, and Sarah Cooper.
On Instagram, she posted an image of the Housewives filming this holiday special. And in her caption, she penned, “Survey says … this is about to be iconic.”
The Great Christmas Light Fight – December 4
Hanging Christmas lights is not my gift. Picture National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, when the Griswolds’ light show goes straight to hell. That’s me. But thankfully, many other families are far more skilled in this arena, as evidenced by The Great Christmas Light Fight, an annual holiday light-hanging reality television competition series.
This series has been around since 2013. And come December 4, Season 13 begins. Every Thursday night, two episodes of this family-friendly series drop on ABC from 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT. As for the judges, viewers will once again see Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak, who have both starred on this series for several years.
The final two episodes air on December 18, where the winning family’s Christmas lights will score them a sweet $50,000 grand prize and the coveted “Light Fight” trophy.
Shark Tank: 1708 – December 10
Shark Tank debuted in 2009, and shortly after, holiday-themed episodes began airing, complete with Christmas-themed business ideas for the Sharks to either invest in or frostily decline. This year’s episode is titled Shark Tank: 1708. And it airs December 10 from 9:02-10:02 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
As for what viewers can expect to see, ABC’s press release reads, “‘Tis the season for holiday cheer, but will the Sharks be in the giving spirit? Entrepreneurs present seasonal offerings in hopes of fa-la-la-landing an investment deal with the Sharks.”
But which entrepreneurs snag investments from these successful Sharks? Only time will tell.
TELL US – ARE YOU PLANNING ON WATCHING ANY OF THESE FESTIVE SERIES? REGARDLESS, WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO HOLIDAY SHOW OR FILM, MINUS DIE HARD?
