***1/2

Friday 26 December 7.30pm, ABC

I think it's safe to say that Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor has been a resounding success. Strange, complicated, sometimes unlikeable, and full of zing he's brought just the blast of oxygen this venerable series needs to keep it burning bright. Tonight he hits his first big milestone – the rather newer tradition of the Dr Who Christmas special – and as always it promises to arrive complete with bells, whistles, snow, festive references, scary bits, and (no doubt) a heart-warming message on which to send us all to bed. Of course, this won't screen until Christmas Day in Britain, so we have no real idea what might actually transpire. But – as always – judicious leaks provide a few hints. The most enticing so far is that Nick Frost will appear as Santa Claus. Big question: what will this version of Santa be? Naughty? Or nice? (It's hard to imagine (a) Nick Frost playing an evil Santa and (b) this series giving a whole generation of kids the heebie-jeebies about the jolliest man on earth. But you never know…) There are also rumours that this might be the last hurrah for Jenna Coleman's Clara. That is, the title of this year's special isn't just a Wham! reference. It might actually refer to the last Christmas our odd couple spend together. We'll have to wait and see on that one. Naturally there'll be aliens, but so far it doesn't look like they'll be of the tin can variety (that is, cybermen or daleks). The very brief trailer actually makes them appear kind of slimy. This is set in the Arctic Circle, so maybe we'll see a Moffatt-esque take on The Thing? It's directed by Da Vinci's Demons' Paul Wilmshurst, so we can certainly expect everything to be L.A.R.G.E. (although hopefully rather better-lit than DVD tends to be). And what we can be completely assured of is that for the generations of Dr Who fans out there, there is no better way to spend a Boxing Day evening.

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT

***1/2

Wednesday 24 December 8pm, Nine

It's extraordinary to think Carols by Candlelight has been going now for 77 years. That's longer than television! And this year marks the 34^th year it's been a fixture in Nine's broadcast schedule – and in living rooms across Australia. As with Carols in the Domain, we'll certainly see a great many past and present performers from both The Voice and The Voice Kids. There'll also be all the familiar favourites (Marina Prior, David Hobson, Denis Walter et al). David Campbell is back to co-host with Lisa Wilkinson. And Shaynna Blaze will be making her Carols debut. In what capacity remains to be seen.

ARTS

A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE CONCERT

****

Wednesday 24 December 5pm, Studio

You mess with Dickens at your peril but this simply-staged and meticulously-produced concert version is a triumph. In 2010 composer/director Bob Christianson and writer Alisa Hauser took the classic novella and created a piece for orchestra, band, choir and five actor/soloists, which in December 2013 was then performed live and filmed for PBS. The result is a very clever, surprisingly faithful, hugely entertaining and ultimately moving performance that uses the best of big Broadway musicals to inject incredible life and vigour into this familiar tale. The cast – unfamiliar to us but veterans of the Chicago and New York theatre scenes – are sensational. The score moves effortlessly from classic Broadway to blues and gospel. It's also a credit to everyone involved that the story is so compact and lucid, and one of the pleasures of watching this is seeing the faces of a number of small persons in the audience (about a quarter of the hall is under 12): dismayed at Scrooge's Scrooge-ish-ness; alarmed at the appearance of the ghost; delighted at his eventual transformation. They are clearly following every moment, despite much of the narrative being sung. It's also a reminder of Dickens' genius. He may have drawn in broad strokes, but his message is as pertinent, and as affecting, now as it was two centuries ago.

LIFESTYLE

TINY: A STORY ABOUT LIVING SMALL

***1/2

Monday 22 December 7.30pm, Lifestyle Home

If the consumer fever of Christmas is getting you down, this delightful documentary could be just the antidote. Using one young man's decision to build himself a "tiny house" as an anchor, this explores the larger movement in the United States to reject the McMansion trend and test just how small a dwelling you can build and still be happy. The answer is: tiny. To qualify your home needs to be less than 200 square feet (a shade under 19 square metres) and the ingenuity involved in creating a liveable space that small is fascinating, while the journey is inspiring.

SPORT: CRICKET

***1/2

Friday 26 December, Nine

The great thing about the Boxing Day Test is that the cricket is almost incidental. Of course, some millions will be closely following the fortunes of the Aussie team, with a new-look Indian side in the mix and an extraordinary emotional investment in the outcome. For many people, though, it's the only game they watch all year. Like the Melbourne Cup, this is a match that transcends sport to become a ritual in its own right and it's hard to think of a better way to spend this laziest of summer days than in front of the box, with a ham sandwich and a bevvy, cheering on our boys.

DRAMA

CALL THE MIDWIFE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

***1/2

Friday 26 December 8.30pm, BBC First

As this only screens on Christmas night in Britain, we don't know for sure how it will all pan out but this beloved series has become such a reliable pleasure, it's hard to imagine them getting it wrong. We open in 2005 with Jennifer – Vanessa Redgrave on screen for the first time – preparing for Christmas with hubbie Philip. Of course she starts reminiscing about the old days at Nonnatus House, which takes us back to 1959 and a story that features Chummy at her finest.