Friends, kids, grandparents and you – together around the TV with DStv this December
It’s a season of love, laughter and true togetherness when you Choose Joy with DStv this December. Just peek under your DStv tree and you’ll find so many shows filled with innocent fun, creativity and holiday spirit that you can enjoy as a family.
The cooking shows will grab even the kids’ attention. They’re filled with spectacular creations from the likes of Buddy and Duff and The Great British Bake Off, ice sculptors team up with bakers to make crazy cakes in Santa’s Baking Blizzard, and there’s local flavour, too, when Minki challenges 3 chefs to make something marvellous for us.
There are movies for everyone, from Mickey & Minnie Wish Upon A Christmas, which will delight everyone from the tinies to the grandparents, to family friendly local movies like Nativ(ity) and A Zulu Christmas. These are films filled with the magic and wonder of the season – like First Christmas, The Christmas Market and A Gospel Christmas – that celebrate our love for our homes and our communities. And where there are love stories involved, things stop at a sweet kiss.
Our Christmas stocking is stuffed with specials like Royal Variety Performance 2021, ’n Ster Vir Kersfees, The Cube Christmas Special, and Supervet Christmas Special 2021, along with family-friendly shows like Kids Say The Darndest Things Season 2, Hot Mess House Seasons 1 & 2, Meet The Meerkats and Flexible Buildings. And there are kids shows that will have grownups rolling, too, like Bugs Bunny’s 24 Carrot Holiday Special.
Whatever your family’s tastes, there’s something for everyone. And there’s so much more to see when you Choose Joy with DStv this festive season.
Prepare for a Christmas adventure! The 3 Wise Ones (Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, Robbie Kruse and Stella) are searching for the true Christmas spirit, leading us from star to star and song to song as they travel around South Africa visiting many of kykNET's favourite people and places. Look out for Solomon Cupido!
Watch ’n Ster Vir Kersfees on Friday, 24 December on kykNET (DStv channel 144) at 21:00 and on Sunday, 26 December on kykNET Nou (DStv channel 146) at 15:30
Tiffany Haddish hosts this variety show that reveals how little kids think about the world – to comic effect. This season, Tiffany’s talking wig makes one of the kids feel special, and she takes her little players to meet Drew Carey on the set of his own show, The Price Is Right.
Watch Kids Say The Darndest Things Season 2 from Saturday, 11 December on ME (DStv channel 115) at 17:00
Conductor and violinist André Rieu hosts a festive Christmas concert at his house, a medieval castle in Maastricht in the Netherlands. He’s joined by his Johann Strauss orchestra, soloists and choir as they perform 26 beautiful Christmas songs including Silent Night, Walking in the Air, Winter Wonderland and O Come All Ye Faithful.
Watch Andre Rieu: Home For Christmas on Sunday, 26 December on kykNET (DStv channel 144) at 20:00
This 2-hour special celebration marks the 100th anniversary of the Variety Show, first performed for King George V in 1921. Hosted by Alan Carr, with performances from the cast of the Moulin Rouge and Matilda stage shows, Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, Anne-Marie, Elvis Costello, Keala Settle, Bill Bailey and more.
Watch from Friday, 31 December on M-Net (DStv channel 101) at 21:30
Rob Delaney narrates this animal “soap opera” that follows the fates of 2 meerkats mobs rescued from animal trafficking, as they adjust to life in the Kalahari Desert. See the birth of baby meerkats, watch how a single mom struggles to raise her brood alone, and see how the meerkats hunt, flirt and survive.
Watch from Saturday, 18 December on Discovery Channel (DStv channel 121) at 20:00
Phillip Schofield hosts as Celebrities face intense pressure while they try to beat The Cube at its bizarre and difficult mini-games like Attract, Loop, Pathfinder and Dead Stop. If they beat The Cube, they will win £250,000 (about R5 million) for their chosen charity.
Watch on Thursday, 23 December on BBC Brit (DStv channel 120) at 20:00
Host Cedric the Entertainer showcases viral home videos captured during social distancing and the COVID-19 lockdowns. This season, choreographer and singer Paula Abdul helps Cedric to surprise a family, Cedric has a zoom call with 2 military buddies whose reunion moved the country.
Watch The Greatest At Home Videos Season 2 weekdays from Friday, 17 December on Comedy Central (DStv channel 122) at 22:30
A Quebec-based troupe of comedians ambushes the unsuspecting public in this prank show. This season, see what happens when a thief steals grapes, the public reacts to an ugly baby, a bride falls over, a comedian pretends to spit-wash their cellphone, and more.
Watch Just For Laughs Gags: Stand Up Season 14
weekdays from Wednesday, 1 December on Comedy Central (DStv channel 122) at 22:30
It’s Christmas time at Fitzpatrick Referrals and Professor Noel Fitzpatrick and his team are working to get their animal patients well and home in time to celebrate with their families. This will be Noel’s first Christmas without his beloved animal companion, Keira, so we’re hoping to see a little tribute to her.
Watch on Saturday, 18 December on BBC Earth (DStv channel 184) at 20:00
Surrounded by so much clutter that you don’t even know where to get started organising your house? This is your show. Organising expert Cas Aarssen helps clients to take control of their messy spaces by finding an organising style that will come naturally to them, then supporting them online as they set things to rights.
Watch from Thursday, 2 December on HGTV (DStv channel 177) at 20:00
As populations grow across the world and urbanisation soars, the pressure is on architects, engineers and urban planners to come up with the kind of buildings that can grow with our changing needs, and that take care of social needs rather than further dividing populations along financial and political lines. Part of Super Science Mondays.
Watch Flexible Buildings on Monday, 20 December on Curiosity Channel (DStv channel 185) at 21:00
It’s Buddy and Duff in this 4-episode baking competition. Each week, the 2 cake artists will choose a different theme and then they and their teams will have just 20 hours to create a masterpiece each. Judges include Gesine Prado, Elizabeth Falkner, Stephanie Boswell, and Valerie Gordon.
Watch Buddy vs. Duff Holiday Season 1 from Saturday, 18 December on TLC (DStv channel 135) at 17:05
Bakers pair off with master ice sculptors to create dazzling Christmas scenes in challenges presented by series host Casey Webb, with judges Jocelyn Delk Adams, Amanda Freitag and Zac Young. Check out fun snow globe cakes, creations around Mrs. Claus, Christmas tree cake displays, and a Night Before Christmas scene.
Watch from Sunday, 5 December on The Food Network (DStv channel 175) at 19:00
Briony and Terry from Bake Off 2018 series face off against Tom and Yan from Bake Off 2017. They make Christmas cake pops, a sausage roll wreath, and gingerbread showstoppers, so we see everything from a castle to a train station to a skyscraper.
Watch The Great British Bake Off New Year’s Special on Friday, 31 December on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) at 20:00
Take inspiration from chefs and foodies Nic van Wyk, Yolani Abrahams, Jacques Erasmus and Zoë Brown. They'll compete to see who can come up with the most inspired dishes over three rounds of cooking, and host Minki van der Westhuizen will decide who wins.
Watch 'n Woolies Kersfees-kookstryd Met Minki from Wednesday, 1 December on VIA (DStv channel 147) at 17:30
The scene is set for a lavish, snowy Christmas feast at Nigella’s house. Her menu includes food from cold countries around the world including Linzer cookies and vegan gingerbread, pink pomegranate cocktails, smoked salmon on black bread, and Norwegian pork ribs with Swedish-inspired Jansson’s temptation.
Watch Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat Christmas Special on Sunday, 19 December on BBC Lifestyle (DStv channel 174) at 20:00
Chef and food writer Rory O’Connell travels across Europe, visiting a different city in each episode – Palma de Mallorca, Vienna, Lisbon, Madrid, Bath, Nantes, Copenhagen and Edinburgh – to learn about the culture and the cuisine.
Watch A Long Weekend With Rory O'Connell S1 from Monday, 20 December on The Home Channel (DStv channel 176) at 18:00
Nagvlug Films (Skemerdans, Barakat) brings audiences a holiday-themed comedy starring the iconic South African actress June van Merch. A community group plans a Christmas show to save their local hall – but will things go as planned? Featuring David Isaacs and directed by Bianca Flanders of Troukoors (Wedding Fever).
Watch on Saturday, 4 December on M-Net (DStv channel 101) at 21:30 and on M-Net Movies 1 (DStv channel 104) at 12:24
2 lives change for the better after a homeless woman (Crystal Donna Roberts) saves the life of a rich CEO (Laudo Liebenberg) and, moved by the Christmas spirit, he invites her to recover in his penthouse. But he doesn’t know what to think when she claims to be from another world, and strange things start happening.
Watch on Saturday, 25 December on kykNET (DStv channel 144) at 20:00
In this brand-new Disney movie, 11-year-old Ro (Scarlett Estevez) is expecting a dismal Christmas thanks to her parents’ recent divorce. But when she makes a special Christmas wish, she finds herself living Christmas Day all over again… and again… and again. In order to break the loop, Ro must learn to love her new blended family.
Watch on Friday, 24 December on Disney (DStv channel 303) at 17:00
When bakery owner Molly (Alvina August) meets Josh (Eion Bailey), a widower who recently moved to her town with his young son, her feelings for him become increasingly confused, because she’s also falling for a mysterious client – someone she’s never met in person. How long will it take for Molly to realise that they’re the same man?
Watch on Saturday, 4 December on Universal (DStv channel 117) at 15:00
When her family's diner, The Starlight Café, is slated for demolition, a lawyer named Annie (Kimberley Sustad) makes a deal with the heir to a development firm, William Holt (Paul Campbell) to spare it just before Christmas. But William really does need a lawyer, to appease his father after he makes some expensive mistakes.
Watch on Sunday, 5 December on Universal (DStv channel 117) at 15:00
A small town’s mayor, Alex (Brooke Nevin) decides to hold a special Christmas market to help local businesses that are under financial pressure thanks to a disruptive construction project. She’ll need everyone’s help, including that of the reclusive mill owner, Darcy (Corey Sevier) and romance sparks when she goes to invite him to the event.
Watch on Saturday, 18 December on Universal (DStv channel 117) at 15:00
Young assistant pastor Olivia (Demetria McKinney) is assigned to be the head pastor of a church in a new town just a month before Christmas. She’ll need to whip the choir into shape and open the town’s annual Winter Jamboree while navigating local politics. With a special appearance and songs by Kirk Franklin.
Watch on Saturday, 25 December on Lifetime (DStv channel 131) at 19:20
Writer Halle Downing (Idara Victor), who was given up for adoption as a child, is invited to spend Christmas in New Orleans with the biological family she never knew she had. Being around the eccentric strangers who are now her family shifts her writer’s block and sparks a flurry of creativity.
Watch on Saturday, 4 December on M-Net Movies 4 (DStv channel 108) at 17:40
Sometimes the best way to teach your child a lesson is to give the job to Granny. A city boy is sent to his Granny’s house in KZN where she teaches him all about his culture and dazzles him with stories of his heritage and family traditions. With Deli Malinga, Sphumuzo Sidzumo and Ayanda Banda.
Watch on Saturday, 11 December on M-Net Movies 4 (DStv channel 108) at 16:00 and on Saturday, 18 December on Me (DStv channel 115) at 20:00
Mickey, Minnie and the gang wind up split all over the world after a series of mishaps, and they must all try to get back to Hot Dog Hills by Christmas Eve. Then a jolly stranger tells them about The Wishing Star, which could be the key to bringing everybody home in time to celebrate the holiday together.
Watch on Friday, 24 December on Disney Junior (DStv channel 309) at 09:30
The Treehouse Stories: The Christmas Feast. A wolf, a fox and a weasel have a Christmas feast with a turkey.
Darwin & Newts: It’s Snowing in Kiwifruit Valley. Darwin and Newts discover that every snowflake has six sides.
Darwin & Newts: Kiwifruit Valley Christmas. Our friends work together to create a Christmas celebration full of aroha after a Christmas Eve storm wrecks the festive preparations.
Do You Know? At Christmas. Maddie meets Santa’s favourite helper, the reindeer, and discovers how Christmas decorations are made!
Odd Squad: Reindeer Games. Olive and Otto help Santa to find his missing reindeer, and Oscar helps Ms O to escape Santa’s naughty list.
Horrible Histories Specials: Xmas. Smelly Saxon gifts, terrible Tudor pudding and crazy Victorian cards. And find out about WW1’s 1914 Christmas Day Truce.
Did You Know? Making Christmas Special. Tips on decorating, and spotting fake money and gifts.
Watch on Friday, 24 December from 15:05-17:20 and Saturday, 25 December from 09:30-11:45 on Da Vinci (DStv channel 318)
10 December at 12:25: My World Kitchen: Dougie is from Essex, a county in the South-East of England and he is making a Christmas yule log.
10 December at 18:40: Bluey: The Heelers celebrate Christmas together. Bluey finds out that Santa only visits children who’re well behaved, but struggles to be good when Socks bites her during a game of Veranda Santa.
24 December at 06:25: Topsy & Tim: Five-year-old twins Topsy and Tim decorate the tree on Christmas Eve with mom, dad and granny, and the even see Father Christmas on his sleigh.
31 December at 09:15: Go Jetters: Big Ben is missing when the Go Jetters visit London for New Year’s Eve. Can they solve the mystery and save the day in time for the big bong?
Watch from Friday, 10 December on CBeebies (DStv channel 306) at 12:25
Get the DStv app (Apple, Android or Huawei) and download episodes to watch on your phone or tablet – just remember to connect to the Wi-Fi first so there are no surprise data costs.
