Meryl Streep wishes all a good night in ‘Night Before’ video poem on Showtime

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that you-know-who will soon be there. Uh-oh. It must be Christmas. Hope the shopping’s done.

Rabbit Ears--a company that specializes in kid vid, audio and books--presents The Night Before Christmas on Showtime; it’s narrated by Meryl Streep. The show uses six traditional carols as musical poems, featuring illustrations by well-known artists, leading to Streep’s reading of the famous Clement C. Moore poem.

Songs are performed by Streep (this is her fifth project for the company), George Winston, the Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Oxford, England and the Edwin Hawkins singers.

As a segue from one carol to another, Streep will read a quote by Charles Dickens, taken from his Christmas essays.

All of the songs, as well as the poem in “The Night Before Christmas,” feature dissolve animation, a format that Rabbit Ears has used in all of its videos to “give the feel of turning the pages of a book,” said show producer Ken Hoin.

In addition to the video of the show, an audio release--with additional songs--will be released.

“The Night Before Christmas” airs Sunday, 5:30-6 p.m. Showtime. For ages 6 and up.

MORE FAMILY SHOWS

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Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas (Sunday 8-9 p.m. Nickelodeon) features Emmet and his mom facing a dismal holiday until they enter a talent show. For ages 2 to 11.

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Unsolved Mysteries (Wednesday 8-9 p.m. NBC) presents “Christmas Miracle,” marking the 10th anniversary of what many believe occurred as a modern-day miracle: a young angel visiting a 7-year-old boy near death. For ages 10 and up.

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Ben is a teddy bear who wants to go “unteddy” and come alive in Teddy Bear Christmas (Thursday 1:30-2 p.m. Disney). When his owner’s sister would like a teddy of her own, Ben heads out to a department store in search of another bear that can come alive. For ages 2 to 8.

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From Stevie Wonder to the Postmaster General, millions of Americans believe Santa exists on There Really Is a Santa Claus (Thursday 5-6 p.m. Discovery). For ages 10 and up.

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The Family Channel presents a Christmas anthology Thursday: Madeline’s Christmas (6 p.m., for ages 2 to 11 ), Morgan Freeman narrating The Savior Is Born (6:30 p.m.), a Prince Valiant (7 p.m.) episode entiled “Peace on Earth,” (with the guest voices of Mark Hamill and Fred Savage) and “It’s a Wonderful Zorro,” on Zorro (7:30 p.m.). For ages 6 and up.

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Joel Grey narrates the rebroadcast of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (Thursday 8 -8:30 p.m. CBS) featuring a kindly clockmaker, a family of mice and a sensitive Santa Claus. For ages 3 and up.

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Opus and Bill, the whimsical characters from the comic strips “Bloom Country” and “Outland,” star in a rebroadcast of the holiday special A Wish for Wings That Work (Thursday 8:30-9 p.m. CBS). Penguin Opus, tired of being mocked by other birds for his futile efforts to fly, faxes Santa with a request for working wings. For ages 3 and up.