TURN ON, TUNE IN

BY SHIRLEY BRADY

'Tis the week after Halloween and all across the land, cable television programmers are ramping up holiday plans. From stunts and awards shows to turkey cooking tips and more, these networks will bring viewers some festive cheer to keep the holidays from being a bore?

ABC FAMILY This year's 25 Days of Christmas (Dec. 1-25) event includes a Celine Dion special (Dec. 1) and animated classic shows from Rankin Bass (Dec. 6 and 21). Other highlights include animated versions of classic seasonal tales: Nuttiest Nutcracker (Dec. 9), with the voices of Jim Belushi and Phyllis Diller, and A Christmas Carol (Dec. 14), featuring Nicolas Cage and Kate Winslet.

A&E A week of countdown shows (such as Top Ten Hitched and Ditched) leads up to its Biography of the Year (Dec. 14). Two new Horatio Hornblower movies (Dec. 2 and 3), Holiday Ice Dreams (Dec. 4), Holiday at Pops with the Boston Pops (Dec. 12), Biography: Santa Claus and Ultimate Holiday Town USA (Dec. 18). Playboy's 50th Anniversary special (Dec. 7).

AMC Movie marathons include Star Studded Thanksgiving (Nov. 26-30) which includes uplifter The Shawshank Redemption, Gift Wrapped Comedies (Dec. 14-19), Cowboys for Christmas (Dec. 25) and the Three Stooges on New Year's Eve Countdown with the Stooges.

BBC AMERICA Ground Forces Goes Festive (Dec. 16) and The Office Christmas Party marathon (Dec. 18).

BRAVO The net dons its gay apparel with a Queer Eye for the Straight Guy Holiday Special (Dec. 16), featuring a reunion of the straight guys to see if the Fab Five's hip tips have stuck; new episodes start Nov. 18. An Entertainers of the Year special is also scheduled for Dec. 19.

CARTOON NETWORK Powerpuff Girls in their first one-hour Christmas special, 'Twas the Fight Before Christmas (Dec. 19).

CMT Time to get its holiday twang on with the Christmas in Cowboy Country special (Dec. 5).

COMEDY CENTRAL ThanXgiveaway Weekend (Nov. 27-30) features classic Thanksgiving-themed episodes of Saturday Night Live with movies and prizes from Xbox and Best Buy. Viewers can vote for the funniest moments of 2003 for The Commies Awards Show (Dec. 7). Original movie The Hebrew Hammer teams the Jewish Justice League with the Kwanzaa Liberation Front to save Hanukkah from a ?psychotic, anti-Semitic Santa? (L'chaim!). Other seasonal highlights: A Saturday Night Live Merrython (Dec. 14), Fifty Greatest Episodes of SNL (Dec. 24-28) and on New Year's Eve, The Best of Comedy Central Stand-Up 2003 followed by World Comedy Tour with Lewis Black (Dec. 31).

CSTV In Pigskin Pigout on Thanksgiving Day, CSTV: College Sports Television presents the best games to date from its college football game-of-the-week package.

DISCOVERY Holiday-themed episodes on Christmas Eve and Jesus: The Complete Story (Dec. 25).

DISCOVERY TIMES The Lives They Lived (Dec. 28), a companion doc to the New York Times Magazine's annual tribute issue, pays tribute to remarkable people (from famous to obscure) who passed away in '03.

DISNEY CHANNEL Playhouse Disney's weeklong Holiday Surprises event plus new and holiday-themed episodes of Kim Possible, Lilo & Stitch: The Series and That's So Raven. Its sixth annual New Year's Party features a full day of viewers' choice programming on Dec. 31, with the evening festivities hosted by Raven and her cast mates.

DIY Five-part series Holiday Workshop (Nov. 17) features Christmas and Hanukkah projects.

E! Thanksgiving Day sitcom-themed daylong stunt; E! News Live Holiday Movie Guide (Nov. 22); exclusive Julia Roberts interview (Dec. 3).

ESPN On Thanksgiving day ESPN will televise all seven episodes of the 2003 World Series of Poker. ESPN2 starts the day with Cold Pizza at 7 a.m. and ends with the Great Alaska Shootout featuring Pacific vs. Duke at 11:30 p.m. Christmas Day has a LeBron James bio on ESPN followed by an afternoon telecast of his Cleveland Cavaliers at the Orlando Magic. That's followed by SportsCenter: Top 10 Games and the 2003 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at 8 p.m. ESPN kicks off with the New Year With College GameDay Built by the Home Depot at 9:30 a.m. followed by the 2004 Outback Bowl at 11 a.m. ESPN2's New Year's Day coverage features the World's Strongest Man Competition marathon.

EWTN Special live events from the Vatican: on Christmas Eve, the Solemn Mass at Midnight with the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, from St. Peter's Square (Dec. 24 at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT); and Urbi et Orbi from St. Peter's Square, Pope John Paul II's inspiring Christmas Day message to the world (Dec. 25 at 6:00 am ET/3:00 am PT). Also, live telecasts of the Solemn Mass from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, 10:30 pm ET/ 7:30 pm PT) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25, 12:00 pm ET/9:00am PT). Other holiday highlights include Christmas concerts such as Carols from Many Lands, featuring the St. Louis Cathedral Choir of New Orleans performing a special selection of French carols and African American gospel songs (Dec. 14, 1:30 pm ET/10:30 pm PT), and family programming such as The Legend of the Three Trees, an animated tale narrated by Hal Hobrook (Dec. 10, 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PT). For EWTN's complete holiday schedule, go to http://www.ewtn.com/tv/G1Radvance4.htm.

FAMILYNET Big Band Christmas with Ralph Carmichael (Nov. 27), The Candy Maker's Christmas (Dec. 2), Cherub Wings: The Angel Song (Dec. 3), A Dennis Jernigan Family Christmas (Dec. 5), Birth of a King (Dec. 10).

FINE LIVING Ultimate Gift Guide special (Nov. 23) features the best of the network's 600 Fine Living Holiday Selects interstitials. An Aspen Christmas (Nov. 30) mixes ?the four best chefs west of the Rockies? with master sommelier Andrea Immer. A Sheila Bridges Holiday (Dec. 14) brings a fresh twist to Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. A Swell Holiday (Dec. 17) offers hip holiday tips from Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig. 10 Perfect Winter Wonderlands (Dec. 25) is hosted by Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street.

FOOD NETWORK Thanksgiving-themed In the Kitchen marathons hit prime time (Nov. 13-23), Emeril's Thanksgiving With Our Troops and Food Finds: Thanksgiving (both Nov. 16), Follow That Feast (Nov. 19), Tyler Talks Turkey (Nov. 21) and the Let's Talk Leftovers marathon (Nov. 28). December highlights include Season's Eating marathons all month plus specials such as Holiday Cookie Extravaganza With Sara Moulton (Dec. 4), A Barefoot Contessa Holiday (Dec. 7), The Holidays From Martha's Kitchen (Dec. 7), Emeril Kicks Up the Holidays (Dec. 14) and Christmas in America, hosted by Deborah Norville (Dec. 14).

FOX SPORTS WORLD Premios Fox Sports (Dec. 21) is the network's inaugural tip of the cap to U.S. Hispanic and Latin American athletes.

FX Thanksgiving Day movie marathon for guys includes Tao of Steve, Big and Edward Scissorhands.

G4 Holiday Hit List (Nov. 21) guides viewers through the holiday shopping maze to the year's best video games.

GAME SHOW NETWORK Feast of Favorites Thanksgiving day marathon touts ?the greatest game shows of all time.?

GOLF CHANNEL Year-end specials include The Year in Golf (Dec. 16) and Fitting a Tiger (Dec. 27).

HALLMARK CHANNEL Original movie premieres A Time to Remember, with Doris Roberts and Dana Delany (Nov. 23), and A Carol Christmas with Tori Spelling and William Shatner (Dec. 7), plus other Hallmark holiday films.

HBO Original movie Angels in America over two Sunday nights (Dec. 7 and 14) is an epic on sex, politics, religion, faith, AIDS and love starring Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson; Mike Nichols directed this film of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

HGTV White House Christmas Memories (Nov. 29) features First Lady Laura Bush and former First Lady Hillary Clinton, while The White House Christmas 2003 (Dec. 14) goes behind the scenes for an exclusive peek at the official presidential celebration. Month-long holiday-themed programming includes decorating tips in Room by Room for Christmas, Decorating Cents: Holiday Style and Christmas Design on a Dime (all Nov. 28).

HISTORY CHANNEL A Very Ermey Christmas special features R. Lee Ermey of Mail Call fame (Dec. 21) showing how U.S. troops have celebrated the season under trying conditions from World War I to present day.

HITN The Hispanic network's Christmas Day lineup include Yo Encontre a Papa Noel (Here Comes Santa Claus), a film for the whole family.

INSPIRATION NETWORK INSP holiday programming includes The Perfect Gift and the I Gospel Christmas Special (Nov. 29), Hope for the Holidays (Dec. 6), Down Home Christmas (Dec. 13) and the New Year's Eve music special Celebration 2004 (Dec. 31).

LIFETIME Original movie premiere Comfort and Joy (Dec. 1), starring Nancy McKeon, the ISU Grand Prix of Skating series hosted by Nancy Kerrigan (Dec. 5-21) and holiday-themed movies throughout December.

NFL NETWORK: On Thanksgiving Day, Football America: The Bravest Team looks at the 2002 season of the New York City Fire Department, which lost 22 active and former members of the FDNY football team on 9/11, and NFL Films' Giving Thanks. Dec. 22 brings NFL Football Follies (100 goofy moments) and NFL Films Presents: Christmas Day.

NICK Nick at Nite Holiday Special (Nov. 28) for big kids plus plenty of seasonal goodies for the little ones.

NOGGIN Warm and Fuzzy Holiday Party (Dec. 14) on Noggin, and on The N, Degrassi: The Next Generation hourlong year-end holiday finale (Dec. 19) while the Real Access series ? billed as the first interactive entertainment newsmagazine for teens, produced with Access Hollywood ? premieres on New Year's Eve. World AIDS day (Dec. 1) features A Walk in Your Shoes: Living With HIV/AIDS.

NY1 New Yorkers can get ready for Thanksgiving Day the night before with The Great Big Balloon Inflation (Nov. 26), a look at the floats getting primed for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

PAX Seasonal episodes of original series Doc and Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye plus holiday movies (such as Pax original I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause, Dec. 13) galore.

SCI FI Holiday movie fests include the Nov. 29 premiere of Sci Fi original movie Epoch: Evolution during the Thanksgiving marathon (Nov. 27-30), plus a Christmas Day movie marathon and a Tremors: The Series marathon on Dec. 26. The ninth annual New Year's Eve Twilight Zone marathon features 46 hours of the classic TV series. Original series Battlestar Galactica premieres Dec. 8,

SHOWTIME Original movie Stealing Sinatra (December) stars William H. Macy and David Arquette in a comic recreation of the 1963 botched kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr.; also slated for a run on Showtime's HD service.

SOAPNET Post-Thanksgiving digestion aided with a Sonnylicious marathon, devoting Nov. 28 to General Hospital's resident baddie with a heart of gold, Sonny Corinthos. Christmas Day brings the second annual Christmas with the Carringtons Dynasty marathon.

SPIKE TV The Goods: Holiday Shopping Guide special (November) and its first Video Games Awards (Dec. 4).

STYLE Specials in December include Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? (Dec. 5) and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Dec. 10).

SUNDANCE CHANNEL Holidays documentary (Dec. 8) follows spiritual quests to Jerusalem, Florence and (yes) Las Vegas while the Beyond Belief triple-feature looks at faith, spirituality and struggle (Dec. 8 and 23). Pre-Christmas celebration of the shortest day of the year with Shorts All Day, a 24-hour lineup of short films (Dec. 21).

TBS The net urges viewers to ?give thanks this isn't your family? with original movie National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Reunion (Nov. 28).

TECHTV Highlights include Top 20 Gifts: A Holiday Buying Guide Special (Nov. 24), Call for Helpathon (Dec. 26) and Best Innovations of the Year (Dec. 28).

TLC Trading Spaces Family Special (Thanksgiving Day) and Don't Dress Like a Turkey What Not to Wear marathon (Nov. 28).

TNT Holiday-themed lineup includes Word of Honor movie (Dec. 7) and Christmas in Washington special (Dec. 14).

TRAVEL CHANNEL Specials include Christmas in New York (Nov. 27), Top 10 Toylands (Dec. 12), Magical Disney Holidays (Dec. 14) and Holy Land Secrets Night (Dec. 24)

TRIO Miniseries all Thanksgiving weekend (including Shogun, Brideshead Revisited and Holocaust) kicks off Nov. 26 with original documentary, Epic TV: The Top ten Miniseries of All Time, narrated by Jane Seymour. December features star-struck and awards-related programming highlighted by original special, The Award Show Awards Show (Dec. 7), narrated by Tatum O'Neal. Special White Noise is a humorous take on the best and worst of 2003 (Dec. 18).

USA Originals Santa Who?, starring Leslie Nielsen, and Stealing Christmas, featuring Tony Danza, both premiere on Nov. 30.

VH1 The net celebrates a year in pop culture with the VH1 Big in '03 Awards (Nov. 30), with performances by Shania Twain and Kid Rock, whose Nov. 3-4 concerts in Detroit are also being taped by VH1 for a December holiday TV special (Dec. 14). VH1 Classic presents its first-ever A Very Classic Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), bringing Gloria Gaynor, Deborah Gibson, Darryl ?Run DMC? McDaniels and Dee ?Twisted Sister? Snider to the table to reminisce about holidays past.

WAM Tween reporter Fred Medill returns with WAM! Movie News Season's Screenings (Nov. 14), previewing the hottest movie releases with kid appeal this holiday season.

WE Everyday Elegance With Colin Cowie serves a Thanksgiving special (Nov. 17) and Christmas special (Dec. 1).

WEATHER CHANNEL The net helps folks get home safe for the holidays while unwrapping new series Wrath of Winter on Dec. 1.