The best holiday TV episodes

By: Mistie BugarinPosted on

The best holiday TV episodes


The best holiday TV episodes of all time

At this time of year, our favourite shows pull out all the stops to come up with holiday episodes that stand out from the rest. Whether funny, raunchy, sweet, or plain weird, the most memorable seasonal offerings leave us wishing we could enjoy them again and again. Here’s our list of TV’s 20 best holiday episodes.



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Seinfeld – The Strike

You might be surprised to learn that this memorable episode is titled “The Strike” and not “Festivus.” The season nine episode features Kramer returning to H & H bagels after being on strike for 12 years, George inventing a fake charity called “The Human Fund” to get out of holiday gifting at the office, and Jerry’s “two-faced” girlfriend who looks great in some light and ghastly in others, but the episode is best-known for introducing the world to Festivus, a holiday invented by George’s dad that includes an “airing of grievances” where family members discuss all the ways they’ve disappointed one another over the past year and a non-decorated Festivus pole. With so much hilarity, it’s no wonder it became a pop culture reference that’s survived decades. Interestingly, Festivus was a real holiday created by Seinfeld writer Dan O’Keefe’s dad.



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The Twilight Zone – The Night of the Meek

Airing during the show’s second season in 1960, this episode features Art Carney as Henry Corwin, a department store Santa Claus who loses his job when he shows up for work drunk, a departure from The Twilight Zone’s usually weird tone. When he finds a mysterious bag full of gifts, Henry sets out to redeem himself by making the holiday special for children in need. What distinguishes the episode from the usual sentimental holiday stories of a benevolent Santa is that Henry doesn’t need to learn the meaning of Christmas spirit. Rather, he is already generous and just doesn’t possess the means to help. After a woman’s complaint leads to his firing, Henry pleads with his boss, “Someone has to tell her that Christmas is another thing finer than that. Richer, finer, truer, and should come with patience and love.”



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WKRP in Cincinnati – Turkeys Away

It only took seven episodes for WKRP in Cincinnati to earn a place in holiday TV history. The first season’s Thanksgiving episode, “Turkeys Away”, sees radio station manager Arthur Carlson (Gordon Jump) launch a promotional give-away that leads to catastrophe when live turkeys are dropped from a helicopter while Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) reports from the scene. His dramatic and hilarious narration of the disastrous event, which includes the memorable line “the turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement!”, was reportedly inspired by watching footage of the Hindenburg disaster. The comical episode was also named one of TV Guide’s 100 most memorable episodes ever.



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The Big Bang Theory – The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis

Given the large number of great holiday episodes of The Big Bang Theory, it’s not a surprise that some of the best have actually been compiled into their own DVD. If we had to pick just one favourite, though, it would be the one from season two in which Penny (Kaley Cuoco) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) making the first steps towards actual bonding when they exchange Christmas gifts. Confused about choosing the right thing to buy for Penny, Sheldon purchases many gift baskets so all options are covered, but when Penny presents her thoughtful gift — a napkin signed by Leonard Nimoy — Sheldon is so happy he actually reciprocates with a hug, and all the gift baskets.



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Black Mirror – White Christmas

It’s definitely not “feel good” holiday viewing, but it is excellent TV. Featuring a superb performance from Mad Men star Jon Hamm, “White Christmas” tells three nightmarish tales that warn of the pitfalls of technology. The episode doesn’t deal with traditional Christmas themes, but asks viewers to question how we treat one another — in reality and online. In addition to Hamm, Rafe Spall and Oona Chaplin also deliver memorable performances in a feature-length episode that contains just enough dark humour and clever writing to make it an eccentric, but deserving, holiday TV classic.



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Parks and Recreation – Citizen Knope

In the history of TV characters there may be no one as kind and considerate as Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) of NBC’s Parks and Recreation. When Christmas comes to Pawnee in this season four episode, Leslie — who is out of the office on a paid suspension — still manages to give all her friends and co-workers perfect gifts. In an effort to pay back her kindness, her office mates brainstorm gift ideas and come up with the perfect tribute. In addition to the usual funny writing, this special episode brings all our favourite Parks characters together for a common goal — thoughtfulness.



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The Simpsons – The Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire

With more than 30 years of The Simpsons running on our TVs, you may need reminding that the very first full-length episode was a Christmas show in which Homer takes on a job as a store Santa after Bart needs a tattoo removal and uses up the gift budget. The animated family, who had previously appeared in short vignettes on The Tracey Ullman Show, got their full due here with Bart uttering “Ay, caramba!” for the first time and Lisa making her first official request for a pony, not once, but six times. It was also the episode that introduced us to family pet Santa’s Little Helper, a race dog that Bart and Homer take home from the track when he’s declared a loser. Hilariously self-aware and full of heart, it was a perfect introduction to a series the world would embrace for decades to come.



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Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Amends

This holiday-inspired, season three offering is one of the more reflective episodes in the Buffy series, penned and directed by show creator Joss Whedon. After sharing dreams with demon ex-lover Angel (David Boreanaz), Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) discovers that he’s haunted by nightmarish visions of former victims who want him to eliminate Buffy and destroy Sunnydale. Add in a rare California snowstorm and other characters recounting their Christmas memories, and you have an episode that is both dark and romantic with a nod to holiday cheer.



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Friends – The One with the Holiday Armadillo

After watching this season seven episode of Friends, many people surely wished the Holiday Armadillo — “Santa’s half-Jewish friend” invented by Ross (David Schwimmer) to teach his son about Hanukkah — had caught on as a seasonal mascot. Sadly, the armadillo’s thunder is stolen when Chandler (Matthew Perry) shows up dressed as Santa, and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) arrives in a Superman costume. Meanwhile, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) comes up with disruptive gifts for Joey, like a drum and tarantula, so that Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) will want to be roommates with her again, and Monica (Courtney Cox) finds Chandler’s Santa outfit surprisingly sexy.



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Lost – The Constant

This pivotal episode in the fascinating, labyrinth-like world of Lost blended romance and sci-fi. Set on Christmas Eve in both 1996 and 2004, the time-jumping, season four episode follows Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) as he loses his memory and bounces back in forth in time with only physicist Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) to guide him through this disorienting experience. The episode also gives us a chance to see Desmond connect with his love, Penny (Sonya Walger). It’s not your usual holiday episode, but Desmond’s desperation to find his place in a mad world and reconnect with his true love are themes that do tend to work especially well at this time of year.



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Cheers – Thanksgiving Orphans

Considered one of the most beloved episodes of the long-running sitcom, this season five offering sees the gang gather at Carla’s (Rhea Perlman) new house to celebrate a potluck Thanksgiving. Norm (George Wendt) brings an enormous turkey that takes too long to cook, some of the guests are no-shows, and Diane (Shelley Long), who initially blew off the group to dine with a professor, eventually arrives wearing a pilgrim costume. The episode culminates in a spirited food fight that had the live studio audience roaring with laughter. Thanks to the usual comedy of errors, it’s not the holiday any of them planned for, but it does end up being one to remember.



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South Park – Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo

This first–season episode is an off-colour homage to many classic Christmas specials including A Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty the Snowman. Residents of South Park try to plan a politically correct celebration by removing all references to Christmas. Kyle laments being excluded from the nativity play and trips to see Santa because he’s Jewish and tries in vain to convince his friends of the existence of the magical Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo. Considering the current popularity of the poop emoji, it’s not surprising that a talking Mr. Hankey even became a hot-selling toy. The episode was the only one in which the character of Kenny didn’t die and was the first of many musical episodes to be featured in the series.



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The Office – Christmas Party

It was an important moment in the relationship of one of TV’s best couples, Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Jim (John Krasinski), and the first time fans of The Office got to meet Bob Vance (Robert R. Shafer). The season two episode was the first of many holiday episodes in the series and also the most memorable. Michael (Steve Carell) hosts a Christmas party at the office, but when his Secret Santa gift nets him a disappointing present, he turns it into a “Yankee Swap” to get something he likes better. Jim, meanwhile, hurries to make sure the personal present he got for Pam — which included a note about his true feelings — doesn’t end up in Dwight’s (Rainn Wilson) hands. With everything going to pieces anyway, Michael breaks out the vodka.



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The X Files – How the Ghosts Stole Christmas

This season six episode of the popular sci-fi drama is most notable for its guest appearances by Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin. It’s Christmas Eve, and instead of letting her get on with festive things like wrapping gifts, Mulder (David Duchovny) brings Scully (Gillian Anderson) to a haunted house in Maryland where two lovers died in a murder-suicide pact. Legend has it, Mulder explains, that since their fateful deaths in 1917, the ghostly duo terrorize and cause the deaths of any couple who enters the home. Despite the dark premise, the ghost characters are clearly good fun for the audience, and the whole episode contains many elements that made The X-Files so popular — it’s creepy, amusing, and gives us a chance to see Mulder and Scully’s opposite but complimentary natures in action.



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Community – Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas

On the surface, this season two episode is a creative, stop-motion animation homage to Christmas specials of the past in which Abed (Danny Pudi) and his friends travel through a strange and magical world to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Underneath the colourful scenery, however, lies a more heartfelt and relevant story about how the holidays can be an especially stressful and lonely season for some, and how real friends can help us out when the world seems both overwhelming and pointless. Due to the time it takes to produce stop–motion animation, the episode was actually written and recorded before most of the other season two episodes.



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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – A Very Sunny Christmas

Fans of the hilarious and crude series probably wouldn’t have tolerated too much sappiness, even in a Christmas episode. So it makes sense that the recipe for this season six episode is two parts amusingly gross with just a dash of sweetness. While talking about their childhood holiday memories, Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Charlie (Charlie Day) realize the things they remember — including robberies and “Santas” coming to visit a prostituting mother — weren’t nearly as happy as they thought. Meanwhile, Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Dee (Kaitlin Olson) find a way to get back at Frank (Danny DeVito) for his Scrooge-like selfishness every Christmas. They all come together in the end, though, to bond by throwing rocks at trains.



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Arrested Development – Afternoon Delight

The obliviousness of the Bluth family has always made for some hilarious moments on Arrested Development, and that’s certainly the case during this season two Christmas episode. After Gob (Will Arnett) makes a speech about sexual harassment, Lindsay (Portia de Rossi) scours the Bluth Company Christmas party for a date. Michael (Jason Bateman) makes things even more awkward by doing a karaoke version of the naughty song “Afternoon Delight” with his niece, Maeby (Alia Swawkat), but it’s soon forgotten when Oscar (Jeffrey Tambor) and Lucille (Jessica Walter) are caught getting frisky. Whether you find the bawdy holiday episode funny or just too raunchy comes down to taste, but there’s no question that it’s certainly one of the most memorable office Christmas parties ever shown on TV.



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30 Rock – Ludachristmas

Nobody makes matching Christmas sweaters more adorably nerdy than Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) and her wholesome family (Buck Henry, Anita Gilette, and Andy Richter). In this season two episode, Jack’s (Alec Baldwin) relationship with his harsh but hilarious mother (Elaine Stritch) stands in stark contrast to the loving and supportive Lemon family. Jack reminds his mother of her cold demeanour with hilarious lines, like “Mother, there are terrorist cells that are more nurturing than you are,” before plotting ways to take out his jealousy on Liz and the rest of the Lemons. While the rest of the staff gets ready to blow off steam with a wild office party, Kenneth (Jack McBrayer) aims to teach them “the true meaning of Christmas” in the least joyous way possible.



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The Mindy Project – Christmas Party S** Trap

If you need proof as to why this series was one of TVs best romantic comedies, look no further than this amusing and sexy season two episode. Mindy (Mindy Kailing) plans an elaborate Christmas party for the whole building so that she can spend more time with new crush Cliff (Glenn Howerton), but her old flame Brendan (Mark Duplass) and his date Maria Menounos (as herself) overshadow her plans. Just as Mindy begins to feel truly sorry for herself, Danny (Chris Messina) gives her a memorable present: a steamy dance choreographed to her favourite song, Aaliyah’s “Try Again.”



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Doctor Who – A Christmas Carol

The hero of this adventure-filled Christmas episode isn’t Santa, but rather the Doctor (Matt Smith) himself. A new take on a classic holiday tale, the episode sees the Doctor arriving on an unknown planet to save the soul of a crotchety miser — played to perfection by guest star Michael Gambon — so that Amy (Karen Gillan) and Rory (Arthur Darvill) can be rescued from a crashing space liner. While you might think you’ve seen every possible version of A Christmas Carol, this one has the added, fun elements of the Who universe, including time travel, memory shifting, and even flying fish. AV Club writer Keith Phillips declared it “the best Doctor Who Christmas episode” ever.



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Categories: Recreation