* "Perry Como's Christmas Special." Dec. 18. Every year, audiences nation wide make Como's variety specials one of the week's highest-rated shows. You probably won't understand this odd phenomenon any better after viewing the show.
* "John Denver and the Muppets. A Christmas Together," Dec. 21. More Muppets, more music, more fun. What more could you want for Christmas?
* "Pinnocchio's Christmas Dec. 24 Comedian Alan King is the narrator for this animated repeat, which looks at how Pinnocchio's nasal passages react to cold weather.
NBC is going for a concentrated barrage of holiday cheer, featuring a night of prime time this Saturday devoted entirely to seasonal specials. Beginning with two animated shows. "The Swiss Christmas Special," and the "Chipmunks' Christmas Special." NBC's evening-long ex travaganza also includes.
* The NBC Family Christmas Special An annual gathering of stars from NBC's most popular regular season shows.
* "Christmas in Washington." According to an NBC spokesman. "President and Mrs. Reagan will participate in a specially produced segment from the White House." They will join a list of headliners that includes Dianne Carroll, Barbara Mandrell, Ben Vereen, former "Duke of Hazzard" John Schnieder, and Reaganite Dinah Shore. None of the Democratic hopefuls for 1984 will get equal time to rebut the President's Christmas greeting
Also on NBC:
* "The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Special." This animated repeat tells how two bears and their parents learn the true meaning of Christmas.
* "The Family Circus Christmas Special." This is a must see for everyone who loves reading Bil Keane's daily cartoons about his kids. The only problem is that they never seem to grow older, and always talk all at once.
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In addition to the networks, many independent stations feature a grab-bag of holiday movies and theme shows, as well as some highly entertaining visual treats. In New York, for example, a local station broadcasts, throughout Christmas Eve, films of a burning wood fire with Christmas melodies as background music.
Despite severe fiscal woes, public television should make it through the next month to bring viewers a spate of high quality productions--most more cultural in nature than the network offerings. Broadcast dates will vary according to each station's schedules.
The list includes:
* "Christmas Special with Luciano Pavarotti." The opera star brings his talents to the home screen in this always-popular broadcast.
* "Christmas at Pops," "Evening at Pops Christmas Special." These two shows feature the famous Boston Pops, under the direction of music-meister John Williams.
* "In Concert at the White House." A Beverly Sills musical special.
* "In Performance at the White House. Another show for the nation's Presidential mansion, this one featuring violinist Itzhak Perlman and an all-star group of jazz performers.
No doubt the highlight of this holiday season will be a Christmas Day broadcast on public TV called "Christmas a Penn State." According to the show's oficial description. "The Penn State Glee Club and Brass Chorale capture the essence of yuletide in Central Pennsylvania in heir outdoor performance of holiday music. Shot at various locations in and round the Penn State Campus."
You're sure to enjoy touring the now covered dorms and walkways of this spirited East Coast school, as much as all the other screen-borne gifts this holiday season. And don't forget to turnoff the fireplace when you're through watching it.