‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ on TV Tonight — Time, Channel and How to Watch

Looking for a classic holiday film to watch on Christmas night? NBC has you covered with the animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Families can gather around the tree with blankets, hot chocolate, and candy canes and take in the mischief for a live showing on Thursday, December 25 at 8:30 p.m. It will be available to watch live on the network, so check your local listings. 

Originally released on Dec. 16, 1966, the joyous, heart-tickling holiday classic is based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved book of the same title, and features the voice of Boris Karloff. The children’s book was released nearly a decade earlier in 1957.

The special received mainly positive reviews from critics, including The New York Times, The Toronto Star, and The Macon Telegraph. CBS aired the special annually until 1988 before it was transferred to TNT.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas was produced by The Cat in the Hat Productions, in conjunction with television and animation divisions of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios. It originally premiered on CBS and is considered a perennial holiday special.

A coinciding soundtrack was also released in conjunction with the television special. Songs include “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Welcome Christmas,” and “Trim Up the Tree.” In the recorded version, Karloff does all voices, including the Grinch’s nemesis, Cindy Lou Who. The CD soundtrack version was released in 1999. 

Several iterations of the special have been released since, including the 2000 film starring Jim Carey as the title character in the comedy film. Another animated version was released in 2018.