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!
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#61 Laverne And Shirley, “Oh Hear The Angel’s Voices” (Season 2, Episode 10)
No location would be a better place to celebrate Christmas than a mental hospital. Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, along with the rest of the gang, volunteer to perform a variety show in the neighborhood looney bin.
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5points
#62 Will & Grace, "Jingle Balls" (Season 4, Episode 12)
In this Will & Grace episode, Grace (Debra Messing) graciously plays Santa Claus for Jack (Sean Hayes) by creating a stunning holiday window display at Barneys. The spirit and glitz of Christmas are on full display.
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4points
#63 Full House, "A Very Tanner Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 12)
Before starting "Nutcrackers," savor all the holiday Tanner family fun from this flashback episode (another winning Christmas episode from Fuller House season 2).
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4points
#64 Home Improvement, "I'm Scheming Of A White Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 12)
Tim Allen's other Christmas-themed roles are worth checking out throughout the holiday season, in addition to Scott Calvin (the star of The Santa Clause).
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4points
#65 Family Matters, "Christmas Is Where The Heart Is" (Season 5, Episode 11)
A Winslow Christmas is one of the most perfect situations there seems to be. Every Family Matters Christmas episode has its memorable moments, but "Christmas Is Where the Heart Is" really emphasizes the theme of the show's title when Carl (Reginald VelJohnson) and Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) become caught on a train together.
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4points
#66 Little House On The Prairie, “Christmas At Plum Creek” (Season 1, Episode 15)
Secrets are a big part of Christmas. Melissa Gilbert's character, Laura, wants to give her mother an expensive gift. Melissa Sue Anderson's character, Mary, wants to create something for her father.
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4points
#67 King Of The Hill, "Pretty Pretty Dresses" (Season 3, Episode 9)
With its dedication to a realistic tone, King Of The Hill distinguished itself from the other animated sitcoms. Therefore, it makes sense that its best Christmas episode would rank among the darkest Christmas comedies in history. Bill, who has been miserable his entire life, continues to sink deeper and deeper into the muck of despair as he thinks back to the day his wife Lenore left him.
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4points
#68 The Colbert Report, "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All" (Christmas Special)
Stephen brings us into his very own Christmas cabin to enjoy some vintage music and entertainment with his own straight-faced, sarcastic take on the traditional format. Unfortunately, he is forced to stay inside for the majority of the night because he hears a bear outside. Nevertheless, a number of special guests, including Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Jon Stewart, Feist, and John Legend join him in an attempt to escape.
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4points
#69 Superstore, "Christmas Eve" (Season 3, Episode 7)
Everybody knows that your neighborhood megastore is the best option for your yearly Christmas photo with Santa. At least, that's what Superstore does in this episode from season 3. Before the greatest holiday of the year, Amy (America Ferrera) chooses to have fun after hearing her coworkers describe her as boring. The ideal holiday special can be created by including some problems with your roommates.
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3points
#70 The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, "Deck The Halls"
In the first Christmas episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, professional boxer Evander Holyfield made a guest appearance as himself.
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3points
#71 Curb Your Enthusiasm, "Mary, Joseph, And Larry" (Season 3, Episode 9)
Close to Christmas, Larry David discovers the value of generously tipping the hard way.
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3points
#72 Fresh Off The Boat, "The Real Santa" (Season 2, Episode 10)
The Huang family does an excellent job of mocking Fresh Off the Boat's whitewashing of the holiday season, demonstrating the impact of representation — or lack thereof — in real life. (Bonus points for appointing a woman as the "Boss Santa")
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3points
#73 The Real Housewives Of New York City, "December: Berkshires County" (Season 8, Episode 9)
Dorinda decorated. She made food. She did a wonderful job.
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2points
#74 The Mindy Project, "Christmas Party S*x Trap" (Season 2, Episode 11
Who thought Aaliyah and Danny Castellano (Chris Messina) would make such a good match?
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2points
#75 Black-Ish, "Black Santa/ White Christmas" (Season 1, Episode 10)
In the Christmas episode of the first season of Black-ish, Dre (Anthony Anderson) contests the belief that Black people can't be racist by insisting that his office Christmas party needs a Black Santa (specifically him).
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2points
#76 Girlfriends, "Merry Ex-Mas" (Season 4, Episode 11)
When Joan (Tracee Ellis Ross) tries to plan a group outing to go caroling, not everyone is in favor of the idea, which makes Joan take her love of Christmas to a new level. The ex-husband and his new girlfriend are invited to Maya's (Golden Brooks) Christmas party, which is being held in the meantime. This episode is great, with lots of holiday humor (and a little drama).
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2points
#77 This Is Us, "Last Christmas" (Season 1, Episode 10)
A word of caution: Be sure to have some Kleenex handy if you want to watch your favorite drama's holiday episode. But coming from This Is Us, you wouldn't expect anything less than a whole lot of emotional twists and turns.
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2points
#78 New Girl, "Laxmas" (Season 4, Episode 11)
The New Girl loft's most highly anticipated holiday may be Thanksgiving, but Jess and the gang also had some Christmas enthusiasm. They made the most of their situation in season 4 when canceled planes left them stuck in LAX.
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2points
#79 ER, "I’ll Be Home For Christmas" (Season 8, Episode 10)
An enjoyable summary to one of the series' strongest arcs, Dr. Peter Benton's custody trial, culminates in his final appearance as a regular cast member. Elsewhere, in the actual emergency room, things continue as usual despite the fact that it's unclear whether a critically injured boy will survive. In a plot line that is properly emotionally charged, the team desperately holds out hope for a Christmas miracle.
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2points
#80 Six Feet Under, "It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" (Season 2, Episode 8)
The patriarch Nathaniel Fisher was murdered in a car crash on Christmas Eve in the show's festive episode. As a serialized show with a sizable ensemble cast, there's a lot going on here, some Christmassy, some not so much. However, the "funeral of the week," which takes place on Christmas Day and involves a Hell's Angels cyclist who passed away in an accident while traveling to his job as a mall Santa, may be the episode's most festive subplot.
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2points
