โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ returns to its original home of NBC for the second consecutive year.
The classic stop-motion Christmas special has been charming TV audiences of all ages since it debuted on NBC in 1964. It continued airing on the network every holiday season through 1972 before moving to another network.
The movie returned to NBC in 2025 after more than 50 years and itโs back again this year to spread more holiday cheer.
โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ tells the heartwarming story of a shy reindeer who becomes the leader of Santaโs sleigh pack thanks to the very thing โ his glowing red nose โ that once made him an outcast.
Hereโs everything you need to know about how to watch โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ this year.
How to Watch โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ on TV in 2025
โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ airs on NBC on Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
If you miss the special, or simply want to enjoy it again, catch an encore presentation on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
What Is โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ About?
The timeless holiday special tells the story of a doe-eyed, red-nosed reindeer, who learns to love the unique attribute that separated him from his reindeer peers after it allows him to lead Santaโs pack of sleigh reindeers through dicey weather on Christmas Eve.
One of the most iconic lines from the stop-motion film is when Santa turns to Rudolph and says, โRudolph, with your nose so bright, wonโt you guide my sleigh tonight?โ
The story of Rudolph is based on a story created by Robert L. May in the 1930s, and it gained more popularity when Johnny Marks wrote a song about it in the 1940s.
In 1964, NBC released its TV special, which included more characters and a more detailed storyline.
An Impact Thatโs Lasted More than 60 Years
When โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeerโ celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2024, NBCโs Joe Fryer spoke to one of the movieโs original voice actors about how the movie still resonates with fans today.
โWe had no idea that we would be seeing this for 60 years afterward,โ said Corinne Conley, who voiced Rudolphโs mother.
Conley added, โItโs nice to have been involved in something that affects people so warmly.โ
