Ahh, Christmas. Who doesn’t like this magical and surprise-filled time of the year? Toys, Christmas trees, and the first two Die Hard movies (yes, those are Christmas movies!) Yet, sometimes those can become…a little stale. To the rescue come some of the best Christmas episodes and Christmas specials. Television is often the rescue net for Christmas Eves that get a little boring. With a simple push of a few buttons on the remote, you get the chance to see the best Christmas TV episodes from your most loved shows. But, with so many Christmas shows and episodes to choose from — which shows have the greatest Christmas episodes?
While what makes up a good Christmas episode is up for debate, we’d normally expect it to have a little romance, a sense of nostalgia, a festive soundtrack, and lots of laughs. The perfect combination of these elements can be found in the good ol’ situation comedies. Shows like Friends and Seinfeld feature some of the best sitcom Christmas episodes to enjoy with the family. Indulging in those will undoubtedly create some laughs around the table as we put ourselves in the characters’ shoes and the comical situations they get into. With no harm coming to us, we can laugh and enjoy the moment for what it is — a Festivus celebration (Seinfeld fans will get this)!
With the festive season just around the corner, now is the perfect time to create a list of Christmas episodes you might want to revisit. Here at Bored Panda, we have gathered some of the best Christmas specials, gathered from both your favorite TV shows and animated series. If an episode reminded you of the good old times, upvote it. If you remember an episode from the show that you watch every Christmas, comment it down below and share your thoughts!
This post may include affiliate links.
#21 The Golden Girls, "Have Yourself A Very Little Christmas" (Season 5, Episode 12)

A very big surprise awaits Blanche, Rose, Sophia, and Dorothy as they volunteer to serve Christmas dinner at a soup kitchen.
Report
9points
#22 Batman: The Animated Series, "Christmas With The Joker" (Season 1, Episode 2)

This timeless episode of Batman: The Animated Series is enjoyable for both adults and children and features the Joker's well-known holiday song. And nor should we forget, Mark Hamill is the voice of the Joker!
Report
9points
#23 The Wonder Years, “Christmas” (Season 2, Episode 3)

This show successfully maintained a wonderful balance between laughter and sadness. Kevin (Fred Savage) is looking for the ideal gift for Winnie (Danica McKellar). He and his brother are trying to persuade their father to get a color TV in the meantime.
Report
9points
#24 Only Fools And Horses, "Christmas Crackers" (Season 1, Episode 7)

Along with boxing day discounts and mince pies, the Only Fools And Horses special is a Christmas tradition that will always be associated with Christmas in the UK. But only a small percentage of those wonderful episodes really take place around the holidays; much like their UK counterparts, the majority are lengthy one-offs with little to no link to Christmas. However, in the early seasons of the series, Christmas really did signify Christmas, and it is in this episode that we find the underappreciated gem "Christmas Crackers," a low-key day with the Trotters adventure that is totally dependent on conversation driven by the characters.
Report
9points
#25 Scrubs, "My Own Personal Jesus" (Season 1, Episode 11)

No one on the staff or among the patients in this first-season episode looks forward to spending Christmas in the hospital. But as it turns out, a number of coincidences happen at once, including Elliot (Sarah Chalke's) pregnant patient going missing and J.D. (Zach Braff's) unconscious patient awakening. Everyone starts to question whether it's a sign to have faith as they search for solutions.
Report
8points
#26 Modern Family, "Undeck The Halls" (Season 1, Episode 10)

Watch the comedy that happens when Phil and Claire threaten to "cancel" Christmas in the very first Modern Family Christmas episode, and be amazed at how much the Dunphy children have grown since the first season.
Report
8points
#27 Modern Family, “Express Christmas” (Season 3, Episode 10)

Phil (Ty Burrell) assigns everyone tasks to fulfill for an emergency holiday after the family members discover they won't all be together for Christmas. Of course, everything fails, but they're all closer because of it.
Report
8points
#28 The League Of Gentleman, "Yule Never Leave!" (Christmas Special)

Nobody watches The League of Gentlemen Christmas special hoping for universal harmony and peace. But in "Yule Never Leave!," arguably the most horrifying and disturbing Christmas program ever, Royston Vasey pushes the limits of evil. Bernice Woodall, everyone's favorite atheist reverend, listens to three unsettling stories from parishioners seeking holiday comfort.
Report
8points
#29 Gilmore Girls, "The Bracebridge Dinner" (Season 2, Episode 10)

Winter in Connecticut! A very special Stars Hollow party hosted by Lorelai (Lauren Graham)! Drama between Richard and Emily (Edward Herrmann and Kelly Bishop)! Sneaky, rude, and flirtatious Jess (Milo Ventimiglia). What more could you ask for in a Gilmore Girls Christmas?
Report
7points
#30 The X-Files, "How The Ghosts Stole Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 6)

Mulder and Scully's (David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson) Christmas gift exchange is one of The X-Files duo's all-time best moments after dealing with a challenging pair of elderly married ghosts.
Report
7points
#31 Buffy The Vampire Slayer, "Amends" (Season 3, Episode 10)

One of the most heartwarming moments of Angel and Buffy's romance occurs when the sun is obscured by snowfall in the only Christmas episode of Buffy, which is a low point for a memory-haunted Angel (David Boreanaz) who plans to stand outside as the sun rises (and we know how that may end for vampires). Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Angel (David Boreanaz) then go on their first-ever daytime walk through Sunnydale.
Report
7points
#32 Cheers, "Christmas Cheers" (Season 6, Episode 12)

Everyone from the group is here! Sam ends up finding Rebecca a very last-minute gift when she asks all of the Cheers bartenders to stay and work on Christmas Eve.
Report
7points
#33 Frasier, "Miracle On 3rd Or 4th Street" (Season 1, Episode 12)

After watching your favorite holiday-themed episode of Cheers, watch this gratifying Frasier episode (which, coincidentally, also involves working through the holiday).
Report
7points
#34 The Bojack Horseman Christmas Special

This special, despite being technically a stand-alone and not a Christmas episode, explores '90s comedy cliches as well as more serious subjects like surveillance and mental illness — all with the trippy, darkly humorous qualities you've come to expect from BoJack Horseman.
Report
7points
#35 Hey Arnold!, "Arnold’s Christmas" (Season 1, Episode 20)

In order to provide his daughter a safer life during the Vietnam War, he handed her to a US soldier, but he hasn't been able to find her since. As the big day draws near, Arnold and his friend Gerald try their best to locate her. Bully Helga, who is perpetually insecure, is yearning fervently for the trendy Nancy Spumoni snow boots.
Report
7points
#36 New Girl, "The 23rd" (Season 1, Episode 9)

The first Christmas episode of New Girl was a gem of the first season of the sitcom, bringing heart and humor (oh, Schmidt!) in equal parts.
Report
6points
#37 It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, "Very Sunny Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 13)

In order to provide as much holiday cheer as possible, Always Sunny's two-parter at the end of season 6 had to be twice as long.
Report
6points
#38 The O.C., "The Best Chrismukkah Ever" (Season 1, Episode 13)

It was "The Best Chrismukkah Ever" in the Season 1 episode in which Seth Cohen's (Adam Brody) favorite holiday was covered!
Report
6points
#39 30 Rock, "Christmas Special" (Season 3, Episode 6)

What could be a more fitting theme for a holiday TV program than how one is produced? And what better way to celebrate Christmas than with your loved ones? And what better family than Jack's mother's (Elaine Stritch)?
Report
6points
#40 I Love Lucy, "The Christmas Show" (Season 4, Episode 18)

This episode, which debuted in 1956, is notable for being the first television "flashback." With the help of their greatest holiday memories, Lucy (Lucille Ball), Ricky (Desi Arnaz), Fred (William Frawley), and Ethel (Vivian Vance) allow viewers to see major events that forever changed the gang's life. In the end, isn't that what the holiday season is all about — taking a minute to reflect on the past?
Report
6points


