By
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - 'Tis the season to gather around the TV set and receive our holiday cheer electronically.
It's either that or another trip to the mall, where getting into the spirit of the season is much more expensive.
So, pour the eggnog, pick up the remote and say ''hello'' to old favorites like CBS' ''A Charlie Brown Christmas'' and such inventive newcomers as Fox Family Channel's ''Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer.'' Here are the highlights (all times EST):
MOVIES:
* ''Holiday Heart,'' 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, Showtime, features Ving Rhames as a melancholy drag queen who helps a mother (Alfre Woodard) and her daughter discover the meaning of family.
* ''It's a Wonderful Life,'' 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, NBC, is an exclusive airing of the bittersweet Frank Capra fantasy with James Stewart, Donna Reed and Henry Travers as Clarence the angel.
* ''How to Marry a Billionaire: A Christmas Tale,'' 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 20, Fox, casts John Stamos, Joshua Malina and Shemar Moore as buddies who conspire to seduce and marry wealthy women before Christmas Eve.
ANIMATION:
* ''A Charlie Brown Christmas,'' 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 11, CBS, lets holiday activists Charlie Brown and pal Linus once again remind the world that Christmas means more than tinsel and toys.
* ''Olive, the Other Reindeer,'' 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, Fox, features Drew Barrymore as the voice of Olive, a dog who pitches in to save Christmas when Blitzen the reindeer is put on the disabled list.
* ''Santa Mouse and the Ratdeer,'' 12:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, Fox Family Channel, finds Santa Mouse with a broken sleigh on Christmas Eve and ready to give up until Rosie Mouse gives him and his faithful ratdeer a boost.
FA LA LA LA LA:
* ''Holiday at Pops 2000,'' 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, A&E Network, features conductor Keith Lockhart, the Boston Pops Orchestra, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and guests Martina McBride, Take 6 and Jimmy Tingle.
* ''Christmas in Washington,'' 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, TNT, has Sarah Michelle Gellar as host of the concert that includes President Clinton among its guests. The Corrs, Billy Gilman, Brian McKnight and Jessica Simpson are to perform.
* ''A Very Special Christmas From Washington, D.C.,'' 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 19, TNT, features Tracy Chapman, Macy Gray, Jon Bon Jovi, B.B. King and others in a celebration of the Special Olympics.
STOCKING STUFFERS:
* ''Emeril's All-Star Holiday Bash,'' 9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, Food Network, features holiday party recipes from the ebullient chef and fellow cooking pros.
* ''The Magic of Christmas,'' 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, PAX, features magician Franz Harary and friends making Christmas trees disappear and, maybe, reindeer fly.
* ''The Miracle of the First Christmas,'' 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, PAX, with host Roger Moore, explores evidence of the birth of Jesus with dramatic re-enactments and comments from biblical scholars.
