It’s a Wonderful Season With Starry Specials, Classic Movies

Holiday movies and specials dominate the Christmas weekend programming.

Students from the Orange County High School of the Arts perform holiday songs on “A Magical Century of Christmas,” tonight at 7:30 on KOCE.

Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, Rene Russo, Candice Bergen and Rhea Perlman raise awareness about adoption on CBS’ “A Home for the Holidays,” tonight at 8. LeAnn Rimes, Brian McKnight and ‘N Sync are the musical guests.

AMC presents the superlative 1951 British version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Friday at 1 p.m. Alastair Sim stars as Scrooge. At 5 p.m. Friday is the delightful 1947 romantic holiday fantasy “The Bishop’s Wife,” starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young.

KCET-TV presents the 40th annual “Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration,” Friday at 3 p.m. The six-hour event from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion features such artists as the California Philharmonic, the AguaLuna Dance Company, the Chinese American Dancing Group and Vox Femina Los Angeles.

TNT kicks off its third annual 24-hour showing of the wonderfully quirky 1983 comedy “A Christmas Story,” Friday at 8 p.m. Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon and Peter Billingsley star. Bob Clark directed.

CBS repeats the 1996 musical “Mrs. Santa Claus,” starring Angela Lansbury in the title role, Friday at 8 p.m. Jerry Herman wrote the catchy score.

Pope John Paul II celebrates “Christmas Eve Midnight Mass” in Vatican City, Friday at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. At 12:05 a.m., CBS offers “An American Christmas.”

Specials

The Discovery Channel offers “The Natural History of the Teddy Bear,” Friday at 8 p.m.

Linda Ellerbee covers the millennium on the latest edition of “Nick News,” Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on Nickelodeon.

Sports

NBC presents two NBA basketball games, beginning Saturday at 4 p.m. with the Knicks and the Pacers, followed at 6:30 p.m. with the Spurs and Lakers.

“College Bowl Championship Show,” Saturday at 4 p.m. on KABC, looks at the postseason football matchups.

Series

A&E;’s “Biography,” Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m., offers a two-hour profile of the great songwriter Irving Berlin.

Patrick Duffy and Victoria Principal appear in a live-action sequence as their “Dallas” characters on Fox’s “Family Guy,” Sunday at 8:30 p.m.

“The E! True Hollywood Story,” Sunday at 9 p.m. on E!, looks at the ‘70s TV series “CHiPS.”

HBO begins repeats of its wondrous mob series “The Sopranos,” Sunday at 10 p.m. It’s a series you can’t refuse to watch.