How to watch 'Frosty the Snowman' before Christmas: TV times, streaming and more
Christmas is mere days away but there is still a chance to catch your favorite holiday movie or TV special before the season is over.
One must-see classic, "Frosty the Snowman," hit the airwaves of NBC this year after airing on CBS for over 50 years. While those showings have already passed, there are still other chances to watch the animated made-for-television short.
Based on the song originally sung by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950, "Frosty the Snowman" tells the story of a snowman who magically comes to life thanks to an enchanted hat, befriends the neighborhood children and embarks on a journey to get to the North Pole before the weather gets too warm, causing him to melt.
In the film, he and one of the local children, Karen, are pursued by a greedy magician hoping to steal the mystical hat from Frosty's head.
The original song has been re-recorded by countless musical artists, but it was Jimmy Durante's 1950 version that became especially popular after he narrated the 1969 film – driving both into becoming holiday mainstays.
Here's how to catch "Frosty" on TV and streaming before Christmas is over this year.
Where to watch 'Frosty the Snowman' on TV before Christmas
"Frosty" premiered on CBS in 1969 and stayed on the channel for half a century until 2024, when NBC obtained the rights. Earlier this month, it aired on NBC twice.
Luckily, the special is also airing on Freeform throughout the rest of the season, meaning cable watchers can still watch it there.
When to catch 'Frosty the Snowman' on TV before Christmas
While the NBC primetime special airings of "Frosty" have passed, it is part of Freeform's "25 Days of Christmas" lineup, meaning it will air multiple times on the channel leading up to Christmas.
Cable subscribers can still catch the classic on Freeform on the following schedule:
- Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT
- Dec. 25 at 10:30 a.m. ET/PT
Watch on Hulu: Subscribe
Where to stream 'Frosty the Snowman' before Christmas
Non-cable fans are not out of luck: "Frosty" will also be available on several streaming services this holiday season.
You can watch the animated classic on Hulu, Apple TV+, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video as part of the platforms' standard paid memberships.
Hulu plans start at $9.99 a month with ads and $18.99 a month without and can be bundled with Disney+, which is $9.99 a month on its own with ads and $15.99 without. (A Disney+/Hulu bundle starts at $10.99.)
Apple TV+ memberships start at $9.99 a month and Amazon Prime Video on its own is $8.99 a month or $14.99 monthly for Amazon Prime which includes Prime Video and other perks.
Get Apple TV+: https://apple.co/45ZP1vN
Get Amazon Prime Video: https://amzn.to/3sGJHzk
"Frosty the Snowman" voice cast
- Jimmy Durante as Narrator
- Billy De Wolfe as Professor Hinkle and The Magician
- Jackie Vernon as Frosty
- Paul Frees as Santa Claus, Traffic Cop and Additional Voices
- June Foray as Karen (original version), Kids, Teacher and Additional Voices
- Suzanne Davidson as Karen (re-dubbed version)
- Greg Thomas as Karen's friends (re-dubbed version)
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