The Beloved Christmas Classic 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' Will Air Twice in 2024
This year, Rudolph will return home and air on NBC.
Published Dec. 5 2024, 11:46 a.m. ET
The holiday season is here, and it’s time to get into the festive spirit! What better way to celebrate than with Christmas classics like Home Alone, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and of course, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?
This stop-motion gem, which first aired on NBC on Dec. 6, 1964, has become a holiday staple. Fans will be excited to know that, after decades, Rudolph is making its return to NBC for the 2024 holiday season. So, when can you catch it? Here's everything you need to know about its air date.
When will 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' be on TV in 2024?
You can catch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer on NBC on Dec. 6, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET, marking the same night the iconic special first aired 60 years ago. If you can’t tune in on Dec. 6, don’t worry, NBC will air an encore presentation on Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. ET. So, make sure to mark your calendars!
NBC was the original licensee holder for 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.'
The original Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer special was created by Rankin/Bass Productions, and NBC was the first license holder for it. The network held the license from 1964, when it first aired, until 1972. Rudolph then moved to CBS, where it aired for the next 50 years. However, this year, Rudolph is coming home.
While the original Rudolph cannot be replicated, its debut sparked a wave of holiday specials from other networks and companies, many of which would go on to become TV staples, with some even adapted into films. On Dec. 9, 1965, CBS released A Charlie Brown Christmas special, an animated adaptation of the comic strip written by Charles M. Schulz, sponsored by Coca-Cola, according to NBC.
However, it took some convincing for CBS to initially get on board with A Charlie Brown Christmas special. Apparently, CBS executives "outright rejected" the special when it was first pitched to them by McCann Erickson, according to Smithsonian Magazine. It's not that the network didn’t think the special would be a success but they seemed especially concerned because NBC had just released Rudolph the year prior.
Ultimately, it seems CBS made the right decision, as A Charlie Brown Christmas has since become another beloved Christmas classic that will be remembered for years to come.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas made its TV debut on Dec. 19, 1966, thanks to animator Chuck Jones. It was an instant hit and has since become a holiday staple, inspiring a 2000 film adaptation starring the beloved Jim Carrey, as well as another animated version in 2018. The special even inspired a Grinch-themed horror film, though we wouldn't recommend looking it up unless you're looking to summon some serious nightmares!
How many adaptations are there of the original 'Rudolph'?
The Rudolph Christmas special is inspired by the Jam Handy Corporation's 1948 animated short Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which led to the 1949 song released by St. Nicholas Music Publishing Co. Since then, there have been multiple movies, TV specials, and books that have adapted the story of Rudolph.