Parades, Specials Put Viewers on the Holiday Bandwagon

‘Tis the weekend for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a new Winnie the Pooh special, the Hollywood Christmas Parade and several ice skating specials.

Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Al Roker host NBC’s three-hour coverage of “The 1998 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” today at 9 a.m.

Catherine Bell and Kevin James are among the stars hosting CBS’ “The All-American Thanksgiving Parade,” today at 1 p.m. The broadcast also covers parades in Detroit, Nashville and Hawaii.

A&E; celebrates Thanksgiving with “Holiday at Pops,” a performance by conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, today at 5 and 9 p.m.

The History Channel presents the documentary “Home for the Holidays: The History of Thanksgiving,” today at 5 and 9 p.m.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends discover the meaning of friendship, family and blessings in the new animated special “A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” tonight at 8 on ABC.

Skaters Scott Hamilton, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Kurt Browning and Josee Chouinard star in “The Snowden, Raggedy Ann & Andy Holiday Show,” Friday at 8 p.m. on CBS. Following at 9 p.m. on CBS is “Ice Wars: USA vs. the World.” Tara Lipinski, Nancy Kerrigan, Brian Boitano and Rudy Galindo face a squad that includes Oksana Baiul, Surya Bonaly, Viktor Petrenko and Philippe Candeloro.

Robert Urich is the grand marshal for “The 67th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade,” telecast live Sunday at 6 p.m. on KCOP. This year, the parade has a new route, beginning at Paramount Studios on Melrose Avenue and ending at the Gower Studios on Hollywood Boulevard.

“The Rise of Christianity,” Sunday at 6 and 10 p.m. on A&E;, is a four-hour look at how the religion spread after Christ’s crucifixion. The series concludes Monday at the same time.

Marathons

Thanksgiving is a party on Lifetime as the network offers a 12-hour marathon of “Party of Five,” beginning at 9 a.m. today. The Nashville Network celebrates with 14 hours of “The Waltons,” beginning today at 10 a.m.

For the family, KCET features a five-hour marathon of the Peabody Award-winning series “Wishbone,” beginning at noon today. FX counters with 12 hours of “The X-Files,” beginning today at noon.

Nick at Nite features Thanksgiving episodes of “Happy Days,” “Bewitched” and “Newhart,” beginning tonight at 10.

KTTV presents its 18th annual “I Love Lucy” marathon, kicking off Friday at 9 a.m. with “The Diet” episode.

Series

Martin Short visits Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio,” Sunday at 5 and 9 p.m.

“The E! True Hollywood Story” presents a documentary on Elizabeth Taylor, Sunday at 8 p.m. on E! Entertainment Television.

Movies

NBC broadcasts the 1946 Frank Capra holiday classic “It’s a Wonderful Life,” today at noon. NBC will repeat the movie in prime time on Dec. 19.

TBS makes your day with its annual “24 Hours of Eastwood,” beginning Friday at 3:05 a.m. It includes Sergio Leone’s entire “Dollars” trilogy and the first three “Dirty Harry” flicks.

Two mice are chased by a cat in the animated holiday musical “Buster and Chauncey’s Silent Night,” Friday at 7 p.m. on the Disney Channel.

Timothy Hutton plays one of America’s most notorious spies in Showtime’s “Aldrich Ames: Traitor Within,” Sunday at 8 p.m. Maureen O’Hara and Jason Beghe star in the heartwarming CBS movie “Cab to Canada,” Sunday at 9 p.m.

Sports

Turkey Day pro football action features the Pittsburgh Steelers playing the Detroit Lions, today at 9:30 a.m. on CBS, and the Minnesota Vikings taking on the Dallas Cowboys at 1 p.m. on Fox.

USC and Notre Dame renew their rivalry at the Coliseum on Saturday at 5 p.m. on ABC.