With November sweeps month drawing to a close, ABC pulls out all of the stops. The addictive variety show hit “Dancing with the Stars” (8 p.m., ABC) takes two whole hours to announce its winner.

Just as Fox uses “American Idol” to boost ratings during the second half of the season, ABC has made judicious use of “Stars” to dominate ratings and keep faithful viewers from sampling the competition’s wares on both Monday and Tuesday nights.

Who knows how many potential viewers of “Chuck,” “Big Bang Theory,” “Reaper” or “Aliens in America” have been glued to “Dancing with the Stars”?

¢ To buttress its efforts, ABC will also air what could possibly be the earliest-ever annual broadcast of the 1965 cartoon “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (7 p.m., ABC). It somehow doesn’t seem right to watch this before Dec. 1, but by then, November sweeps will be over.

“Christmas” and other “Peanuts” specials aired on CBS from 1965 to 1999, at which point CBS found the franchise expendable. Now ABC is using it as a sweeps stunt. Not bad for a 42-year-old cartoon.

Of course, the very notion of ratings seems a tad ironic when considering a special dedicated to questioning the commercialization of the holiday and the discovery of the real meaning of Christmas. But “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz was always smart enough to make fun of hype while at the same time being associated with one of the most aggressively licensed properties of all time.

It’s also interesting to see how the special’s religious content has held up over the years and against shifting attitudes. Controversial in its time, Linus’ brief invocation of the biblical Christmas story still manages to produce awe.

In terms of the story, it really comes from out of nowhere. Charlie Brown may be drowning in holiday blues, but for the other kids (and at least one dog), the party has just gotten started. Even if you’ve seen this a thousand times, you can still feel a tingle every time Linus says, “Lights, please” and begins his short speech.

You don’t have to be Christian or particularly religious to find the scene moving and beautiful.

Schulz may have had misgivings about the commercial aspects of Christmas and his place in them. But he didn’t accuse others of waging a “War on Christmas,” as fools on Fox News did some years back. The lasting lesson of Linus is to keep Christmas in your own way, not to use your beliefs to browbeat others into saying “Merry Christmas,” or else.

¢ Acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival, the documentary “Sisters in Law” (9 p.m., Independent Lens) profiles a small courthouse in Cameroon where two women, a judge and a prosecutor, are helping abused women fight for their rights.

Tonight’s other highlights

¢ A Christmas sleigh-ing ends one Santa’s reign on “Bones” (7 p.m., Fox).

¢ A repeat “Nova” (7 p.m., PBS, check local listings) explores the story of Pocahontas.

¢ Cuddy puts an end to House’s star search on “House” (8 p.m., Fox). Isn’t it interesting that this narrative gimmick may end the very same night as the “Dancing with the Stars” finale?

¢ Sam runs errands for the devil’s girlfriend on “Reaper” (8 p.m., CW).

¢ “Frontline” (8 p.m., PBS, check local listings) repeats “Spying on the Homefront.”

¢ Mike’s “Dirty Jobs” (8 p.m., Discovery) include painting an airport, spraying insulation and testing diapers.

¢ A gambling cruise becomes a nightmare on “Cane” (9 p.m., CBS).

¢ A nanny’s murder casts suspicion on her wealthy employees on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (9 p.m., NBC).

¢ A patient inspires Sean on “Nip/Tuck” (9 p.m., FX).