By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

Remember when just about every TV show had a Christmas episode?

You can share some TV holiday memories with ghosts of Christmas past with the Classic TV Christmas Collection from the Warner Archive.

The ten-show four disc set includes Christmas episodes from some fairly recent TV show such as Suddenly Susan and Veronica’s Closet, to some golden oldies like The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Eight is Enough  and CHIPs.

The oldest show in the set is Dr. Kildare (12/24/64) where Richard Chamberlin (Dr. Kildare) has to deal with a derelict alcoholic who thinks he is about to die and gives away all the money he has been hoarding for years to the other patients on the ward.

There is more “heartwarming” sentimentality on The Courtship of Eddie’s Father in Gifts are for Givin (12/23/70). A very young Jodie Foster guest stars as a little girl who joins Eddie (Brandon Cruz) and his dad (Bill Bixby) at Christmas time.

Jon and Ponch (Erik Estrada) don’t get any time off from their highway patrol jobs after a 500-year-old bell is stolen from a church in CHIPs Christmas Watch (12/15/79.

You get two episodes of Eight is Enough in Yes, Nicholas, There is a Santa Claus (12/14/77) after the Bradford’s Christmas takes a downturn after all the family’s presents are stolen.

It is highlights from past episodes on Welcome Back, Kotter Sweathog Christmas Special 12/15/77.

It didn’t have the makings of a merry little Christmas on Alice in A Semi-Merry Christmas after Alice, Tommy, Flo, Vera and Mel spend Christmas together  snowbound in a semi-trailer (12/18/77), but you know everything will turn out just dandy.

Other episodes in the collection include Perfect Strangers (12/16/88) and Mama’s Family (12/20/86).

Warner Archive Collection DVDs are available for purchase only online and made to order. Go to www.Warnerarchive.com.

You can catch more Christmas episodes on TV Land’s 11th annual Merrython of holiday shows today. Episodes are on throughout the day including Christmas episodes from Everybody Loves Raymond, Bewitched, Roseanne and Three’s Company.

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If you like American and British politics than by all means take a look at the HBO Film, The Special Relationship, an American/British co-production that examines the friendship and different styles of British Prime Minister Tony Blair (being played for a third time by Michael Sheen) and Bill Clinton (Dennis Quaid).

The film’s time period includes (briefly) Blair’s aspirations to be prime minister and a subsequent visit to the Clinton White House, where Washington political insiders have already decided he will be the next prime minister of England. Sheen, as expected, is excellent in the role since he had already played Blair in two previous films including The Queen.

Quaid has the mannerisms of Clinton down pat even if he doesn’t quite resemble the former president.

Film highlights include the two men’s confrontations over Kosovo during Clinton’s second term as well as how Blair deals with the Clinton cheating scandal. Hope Davis also does a commendable job playing First Lady Hillary.

The film received acting nominations for Quaid, Sheen and Davis as well as nominations for outstanding made for television movie and outstanding writing  for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special.