12 lords a-leaping: They gotta be here

It’s all in the numbers now.

“25 Days of Christmas.”

“24-Hour Merrython.”

“20 Merriest Christmas Videos.”

“Adam-12” and “Studio 60.”

So those last two are titles of series whose holiday episodes air this week. You get the point. The tube hosts so much yule merriment, it has to be collected, categorized and counted down.

Have yourself a lengthy little Christmas -- “Ugly Betty” aired a Christmas photo shoot episode way back on Oct. 19. You missed it? ABC aired a different holiday outing on Thursday. Still weren’t ready? Catch up at ABC.com or iTunes. We aren’t even counting those alternative TV delivery outlets -- online, podcasts, on-demand -- and we’re still overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tube tales unreeling around Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the politically handy winter solstice. So many shows, so little time. Unless you start airing ‘em before Halloween.

Yule offerings are everywhere, even documentaries (“Christmas in Yellowstone” on PBS’ “Nature”) and reality shows (Discovery’s new holiday “MythBusters”). But especially for cable channels itching for attention among hundreds of competitors, the holidays provide a handy programming peg.

ABC Family started its annual “25 Days of Christmas” stunt Friday, showcasing something seasonal every night in prime time. That includes vintage Rankin-Bass animation, Christmas sitcoms and holiday films to go along with two new TV movies: “Santa Baby” (coming Sunday), with Jenny McCarthy as the fat man’s executive daughter, and “Christmas Do-Over” (Dec. 16), with Jay Mohr as a holiday screw-up reliving his wrongs till he rights them.

Hallmark Channel has holiday films nightly at 9, including new ones Saturday (“What I Did for Love”) and Dec. 16 (“Love’s Abiding Joy”). Lifetime airs Christmas TV movies nightly at 9. Eight new productions include “A Christmas Wedding” (Dec. 11) with Sarah Paulson (“Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip”) and Eric Mabius (“Ugly Betty”).

Nick at Nite’s All-Nite Holiday Party runs Thursday and Dec. 24 with classic sitcom celebrations -- “Full House,” “Fresh Prince,” “Roseanne” and “Designing Women.”

Kids’ holiday festivals appear on Nickelodeon (Dec. 16 and 24-25), Disney (Dec. 24-25) and Starz Kids & Family (Dec. 24-25). Some other holiday-themed marathons spotlight sitcoms (FX, Dec. 23), game shows (GSN, Dec. 24) and adult animation (Adult Swim, Dec. 24).