'TIS THE SEASON TO "BET" JOLLY

RAVEN-SYMONE' AND TICHINA ARNOLD STAR IN "THE HOT CHOCOLATE NUTCRACKER" DIRECTED BY DEBBIE ALLEN PREMIERING SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7 AT 8PM ET/PT

BET'S FIRST HOLIDAY ORIGINAL MOVIE "A VERY LARRY CHRISTMAS" STARRING DERAY DAVIS AND TATYANA ALI PREMIERES TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 AT 8 PM ET/PT

"BOBBY JONES GOSPEL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL" AIRS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 AT 9 AM ET/PT

November 24, 2014 - NEW YORK - This December BET Networks is switching up tradition and bringing some new flavor to your holiday with a fresh line-up of seasonal fare for the whole family to enjoy!

Renowned executive producer and director Debbie Allen presents a modern version of a holiday classic with "The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker" starring Raven-Symone' and Tichina Arnold premiering Sunday, December 7 at 8 PM ET/PT. The celebration continues on Tuesday, December 9 at 8 PM ET/PT with the premiere of BET's first holiday original movie, "A Very Larry Christmas" starring DeRay Davis and Tatyana Ali.

Dr. Bobby Jones rounds out the holiday cheer with the "Bobby Jones Gospel Christmas Special" airing Sunday, December 21 at 9 AM ET/PT. Deck the halls with performances by gospel superstars Erica Campbell, Pastor Shirley Ceasar, Vickie Winans, Jonathan McReynolds and more.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7

"The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker" premieres at 8 PM ET/PT - Kara is a young girl whose dreams come true when her Christmas gift comes to life in the form of her toy nutcracker. The ballet follows Kara as she journeys through new lands of wonder: Candy Cane Land, Egypt, the Indian Rainforest/Bollywood, Jazzland, Russia, and the Land of the Kimono Dolls putting a millennial twist on the timeless Christmas story. Starring Raven-Symone' and Tichina Arnold.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9

"A Very Larry Christmas" premieres at 8 PM ET/PT - Larry (DeRay Davis) is a warmhearted guy that believes he can't do anything right including his job as a mail carrier. During the Christmas holiday, Larry's Scrooge-of-a-boss assigns him a delivery route that is nearly impossible to complete and Larry is fired. Santa has a bad accident that renders him incapable of delivering toys on Christmas Eve enlists Larry to take his place for the night. It's up to Santa's little helper and his PR maven Nicole (Tatyana Ali) to whip Larry into shape and save Christmas! Also starring Loretta Devine and Charles Dutton.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21

"Bobby Jones Gospel Christmas Special" premieres at 9 AM ET/PT - Performances by gospel superstars Pastor Shirley Ceasar, Vickie Winans, Jonathan McReynolds, Erica Campbell and an appearance by the Howard University Gospel Choir.

For more information on these holiday movies and specials go to BET.com. Join the conversation on Twitter: @BET.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks - BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.