TUESDAY, JANUARY 23

"GILMORE GIRLS" - (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)

"Santa's Secret Stuff" (TV-PG) (HDTV)

LORELAI MAKES CHRISTMAS WAIT FOR RORY'S RETURN - Rather than celebrating Christmas while Rory (Alexis Bledel) is in London over the holidays, Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Christopher (David Sutcliffe) decide to put their holidays on hold. Once Rory returns to Stars Hollow, they decorate several Christmas trees, do their shopping and even bake Christmas cookies for the first time as a family. Turning up unexpectedly at the inn, Luke (Scott Patterson) asks Lorelai to write a character recommendation letter for his custody battle over April (Vanessa Marano). Lorelai struggles to write the letter until she and Rory run into Luke and April at the mall and Lorelai suddenly remembers how important Luke has always been in Rory's life. Inspired, Lorelai writes the letter and mails it to Luke's attorney. Rory decides she will write an apology letter to her friend Lucy (Krysten Ritter), explaining why she and Marty kept their past friendship a secret. Melissa McCarthy and Keiko Agena also star. Lee Shallat Chemel directed the episode written by Rebecca Rand Kirshner (#2T7761).