These TV shows provide Christmas spirit

Helene Fischer - These TV shows provide Christmas spirit

In addition to old and new Christmas movies, many musical TV shows sweeten the festive season. These are the highlights in 2023.

"The José Carreras Gala 2023", 14.12., 20:15, live, MDR

It all starts with a live show, which will take place for the 29th time this year. "The José Carreras Gala 2023" in Leipzig will be presented by host and benefactor José Carreras (77), Stephanie Müller-Spirra (40) and Sven Lorig (52). Donations for the fight against leukemia are collected at the charity gala. "Every 41 minutes, a patient in this country is diagnosed with blood cancer. As someone who has been affected himself, José Carreras has been committed to the fight against this insidious disease for many years," says the program announcement.

Katarina Witt, Ronja Forcher, Jenny and John Jürgens, Matze Knop, Axel Schulz, Mariella Ahrens, Jens Atzorn, Luise Bähr, Jürgen Tonkel, Tobias Künzel, Marwa Eldessouky, Robert Lohr, Peter Hardenacke and Sebastian Jacoby, among others, will be on the donation line.

Herbert Grönemeyer, Johnny Logan, Wincent Weiss, Bülent Ceylan, Raphaela Gromes, Marianne Rosenberg, Santiano, Michael Schulte, Christina Stürmer and voXXclub, among others, will provide musical breaks.

The program will be available in the ARD media library for 30 days afterwards.

"Magical Christmas in the Land of 'Silent Night'", 15.12., 8:15 pm, ORF 2 / 24.12., 7:45 pm, MDR / 24.12., 8:15 pm SWR/SR / 24.12., 9:10 pm, BR

Next up is a program that will be broadcast in several slots. The first is next Friday, when Austrian audiences will be able to enjoy "Magical Christmas in the Land of 'Silent Night'". For the first time, Stefanie Hertel (44) will host the musical and contemplative Christmas show, which will be presented for the tenth time in Flachau in the midst of the wintry mountains of Salzburger Land, alongside DJ Ötzi (52).

Viewers will be able to see and hear the musical Christmas artistry of Andrea Berg, Florian Silbereisen, Hansi Hinterseer or the Austrian band Die Seer, their Swiss colleagues the Esteriore Brothers and many more.

The show will be broadcast on three third channels in Germany on Christmas Eve: from 19:45 on MDR, from 20:15 on SWR and SR and from 21:10 on Bayerischer Rundfunk.

"Everyone sings Christmas! The great Advent festival singing 2023", 18.12., 8:15 pm, das Erste / 22.12., 8:15 pm, MDR

To kick off the Christmas week, Florian Silbereisen (42) presents the Christmas show to sing along to on December 18: "Alle singen Weihnachten! The great Advent festival singing 2023". Together with clubs, choirs and groups from all over Germany, stars will sing the most beautiful Christmas carols.

This time they include: "From the boxing club to the baking club, from the fire department to the queens, from American football to Saxon samba", as the broadcaster writes.

They will be supported by these prominent artists: Andrea Berg, Roland Kaiser, Vicky Leandros, DJ Ötzi, Ella and Norbert Endlich, Frank Schöbel, Semino Rossi, Oli.P, Nicole, Ross Antony, Patricia Kelly, Ramon Roselly and many more.

The show will be repeated at the end of the week (22.12.) on MDR.

"Das große Weihnachtssingen", 23.12., 8 p.m., RTL

On the evening before Christmas Eve, the RTL broadcasting group wants to get the audience into the Christmas spirit. In a 15-minute special show, Andrea Berg (57) and Sasha (51) will sing four of the most popular Christmas songs together with a choir and prominent faces from the station. The show will be hosted by Victoria Swarovski (30).

The RTL choir includes presenters and show faces such as Bruce Darnell, Angela Finger-Erben, Mirja Boes, Wolfram Kons and Lola Weippert. The Christmas classics "Oh Tannenbaum", "Last Christmas", "Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht" and "All I want for Christmas" will be performed.

"Das große Weihnachtssingen" will be broadcast simultaneously from 8 to 8:15 p.m. on six TV channels, RTL radio stations and digital platforms.

"Christmas Eve with Carmen Nebel", 24.12., 8:15 pm, ZDF

On Christmas Eve, Carmen Nebel (67) invites you to a joint TV Christmas party in the mountains. The broadcaster promises a "cozy open fire and beautiful Christmas music".

The presenter will meet up with Ella Endlich, Matze Knop, Monika Baumgartner, Wolfgang Ambros, Mark Keller and his son Aaron and Julia Lindholm on a cozy mountain pasture in Tyrol. The cottage band Tschentig will provide the atmosphere.

Fans should particularly enjoy the evening, as "Christmas Eve will be redesigned in 2024", a spokeswoman confirmed to Bild am Sonntag in September.

"The Helene Fischer Show", 25.12., 20:15, ZDF

"The Helene Fischer Show" will conclude on Christmas Day. After a three-year break, host, singer and acrobat Helene Fischer (39) welcomes national and international guests such as Beatrice Egli, Peter Maffay, Ben Zucker, Nena and ESC winner Loreen. Comedienne Tahnee, Twenty4Tim and the ensemble from the musical "Moulin Rouge" are also expected.

Fans can look forward to two duets in particular: as in the last "Wetten, dass...?" show, Fischer and Shirin David will perform their new version of "Atemlos durch die Nacht". Another colorful and musical highlight is likely to be the duet with actor and musician Tom Beck - the two will be seen on the show as pink Barbie and Ken in a blonde wig.

The "Helene Fischer Show" will be broadcast - as usual before the Corona break - on December 25 at 8:15 pm on ZDF.