[ot-caption title=”Freshman Liza Goldstone getting into the holiday spirit by watching a holiday classic, Frosty the Snowman (via Ava Goldstone, Junior)”]

The holiday season has just arrived and everyone is starting to get into the spirit. With so much to look forward to in the entertainment world this time of year, here are a few highlights of TV, movies, and music for this festive holiday season.[spacer height=”20px”]

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2016[spacer height=”20px”]

Although many of the Jingle Ball concerts are already sold out in select cities, it is still possible to hear music’s most popular songs and artists from the comfort of your own home. On Thursday, December 15th, 2016, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball will be broadcast on national television on The CW Network. This televised concert will feature some of today’s most famous artists, such as Ariana Grande, The Chainsmokers, and Justin Bieber. This show is a great way to see the talented musical acts and artists who are on the radio.[spacer height=”20px”]

Holiday Classics[spacer height=”20px”]

It is not the holiday season without the classic holiday specials on television such as, It’s A Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and Eight Crazy Nights. These four specials will be aired often throughout this holiday season as many people look forward to seeing them year after year. These four classics, along with many more, will be aired on channels like NBC, ABC, TCM, and Freeform. They provide entertainment and holiday spirit for the whole family to enjoy.[spacer height=”20px”]

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life[spacer height=”20px”]

Gilmore Girls, a fan-favorite show centering the remarkable mother-daughter relationship shared by Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, has returned. On November 25, 2016, four 90 minute episodes of the Gilmore Girls revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, were released on Netflix. The revival, starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore), Alexis Bledel (Rory Gilmore), Kelly Bishop (Emily Gilmore), Scott Paterson (Luke Danes), and featuring Melissa McCarthy (Sookie St. James), and many more, highlights the three generations of Gilmore girls and what their futures hold, along with a return to the charming, quaint town of Stars Hollow. Each episode, named after a different season, will involve drama, suspense, humor, and certainly coffee.[spacer height=”20px”]

Moana[spacer height=”20px”]

Moana, a Disney animated film, was released to theaters around the country on November 23, 2016. This movie tells the tale of Moana, an energetic teenager who sails out on a mission to save her people in the South Pacific. Along her journey, Moana meets new people and finds herself in tricky situations. Moana has been compared to other Disney favorites, such as Frozen, Zootopia, and Tangled. Recently, it became number one on Rotten Tomatoes’ weekend box office chart. Additionally, the soundtrack for Moana, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the hit broadway musical, Hamilton, and other collaborators, has gotten fabulous reviews. This movie, starring Auli’i Cravalho as Moana and Dwayne Johnson as Maui, is highly rated by many critics and is a movie that is not to be missed this holiday season.[spacer height=”20px”]

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them[spacer height=”20px”]

This spellbinding prequel to Harry Potter has Hogwarts fans on the edge of their seats. Set in 1926, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is about an English wizard, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), and his adventures in New York dealing with all kinds of supernatural creatures. This film was released only a few weeks ago and has already hit 500 million dollars in the worldwide box office. Much to the surprise of Harry Potter fans worldwide, the adventures of wizards and muggles continue.[spacer height=”20px”]

24k Magic [spacer height=”20px”]

24k Magic is Bruno Mars’ third studio album containing nine songs and including the hit, 24k Magic. The popular album was released on November 18, 2016. 24k Magic is currently ranked number one on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Accompanying the song, the music video for 24k Magic is a must see. Overall, reviewers and critics love how Mars was able to incorporate ‘90s-style R&B into today’s modern music. Besides 24k Magic, other songs in this album include Finesse, Chunky, and Versace On The Floor. Once again, Bruno Mars adds upbeat, fun, and funky music to the world.[spacer height=”20px”]

A Pentatonix Christmas[spacer height=”20px”]

Experience the holiday joy this year by listening to Pentatonix’s A Pentatonix Christmas. The 11-song holiday album was released on October 21, 2016, featuring holiday classics with an a capella twist. A few of the songs in the album include Hallelujah, White Christmas, and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays. Pentatonix is an a capella group consisting of five talented a capella singers. A Pentatonix Christmas is Pentatonix’s fourth studio album. In addition to this holiday album, NBC will host A Pentatonix Christmas Special on December 14, 2016.[spacer height=”20px”]

The TV shows, movies, and music that are listed above are just some of the spectacular entertainment options for this holiday season. So, grab some popcorn and good friends and enjoy![spacer height=”20px”]

Sources: iHeart, Warner Bros., Digital Spy, Teen Vogue, Entertainment Weekly, iTech Post, Rotten Tomatoes, Billboard, NME, Time, The Guardian, Christmas TV Schedule, The Hollywood Reporter