• November 10, 2008

Middleboro, Mass.-based cranberry growers coop Ocean Spray will run its first-ever holiday TV special, "Cranberry Christmas." The animated program, airing at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 8 and on Dec. 13 at 12:30 p.m. on ABC Family, is part of the network's "25 Days of Christmas" programming event.

The commercial-free special is based on a children's book of the same title, written and illustrated by Wende and Harry Devlin. It also features two new songs by Barry Manilow.

The story is about an antagonist, Cyrus Grape, who won't let kids ice skate over the local cranberry bog near his home. The hero, a young girl, saves Christmas Day for the children by reclaiming their favorite ice skating spot and discovering the land's rightful owner.--Karl Greenberg