Summary
- Enjoy some non-Hallmark Christmas movies by watching classic Christmas TV episodes.
- Mix up your holiday viewing with absurd, dramatic, and chaotic episodes from popular TV shows.
- Explore iconic Christmas episodes from Friends, Mad Men, Seinfeld, Gilmore Girls, Frasier, and The Bear.
It doesn’t matter if you’re naughty or nice. You’re going to be sitting around this holiday season and are likely going to want to watch something that puts you in the spirit of Christmas. There are a million Hallmark Christmas movies that you can enjoy, most of which feature someone moving back to their hometown to be with someone from their past rather than the person they are currently with. The quaint charms of small town living are just too much of a pull from the hustle and bustle of their city life.
But if you don’t want to sit through similarly themed Christmas movies, there’s always TV. There have been some amazing Christmas-themed TV episodes over the years that work just as well if you pick up and watch them out of context. Of course, some of them come from classic shows that you may have seen growing up. Others may be ones you enjoyed later on in life. But all of them capture the spirit of the season and are perfect for this time of year.
If you’re looking to sit down, avoid your family for a little bit (or enjoy an episode with them), and watch some Christmas TV episodes, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a list of some of the best options out there and where to stream them. Because you’ve got many days to kill during this time of year and need to be entertained. Check out some or all of this list to continue on your festive mission.
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The One with the Holiday Armadillo
Season 7, Episode 10 of Friends
Friends
- Network
- NBC
- Cast
- Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry , David Schwimmer
- Seasons
- 10
You have to start with some absurdity to truly appreciate the values of Christmas and this memorable installation of Friends delivers. Ross, wanting to teach his son about his Jewish heritage, doesn’t want to dress up as Santa. But his son Ben then believes that Santa not coming means that he’s landed on the naughty list. Ross, in a panic, has to try and find a Santa costume on short notice.
You can clearly see from the image above that he fails and has to resort to the next best(?) thing: an armadillo costume. The line delivery as the armadillo by David Schwimmer makes this episode. It’s one that you’ll be coming back to every year because of how hilarious the concept is.
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Christmas Waltz
Season 5, Episode 10 of Mad Men
Mad Men
- Network
- AMC
- Cast
- Jon Hamm , Elisabeth Moss , Vincent Kartheiser , January Jones , Christina Hendricks , Bryan Batt , Aaron Staton , Rich Sommer
- Seasons
- 7
Not all Christmases can be cheery and bright. In true Mad Men fashion, this episode dives deep into the minds of two of the main characters: Don and Joan. Don, dealing with heartbreak and depression, is joined by Joan, also in the midst of some depression and heartbreak, at a bar. They wax poetically about their upbringings and understand each other more than they ever have.
Don, looking to cheer up Joan, takes her for a spin in a Jaguar as Don’s motives are always half on his personal life and half on his professional one. It’s a melancholic look at the mindset of some during the holidays. And it is delivered in the ever-gorgeous set design and costuming that Mad Men is known for. This won’t pick up your spirits. But you will feel better having watched an episode from one of the best drama series ever.
Arnold’s Christmas
Season 1, Episode 11 of Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! was an incredibly popular Nickelodeon cartoon that began its run in 1996. When watching those first episodes with the football-headed protagonist, little did the audience know that only 11 episodes into the series, one of the best Christmas episodes ever would air. It is also an episode that shows when a side plot intertwines with the main plot and how it can drive the story.
Arnold pulls Mr. Hyunh, an Asian tenant in the same building as his Secret Santa. After learning about how Mr. Hyunh was separated from his daughter for 20 years, he becomes determined to find a way to reunite them. The episode shows you that miracles “can” happen and good people ultimately come through. It is worth the watch any time of year but especially at Christmas.
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The Strike
Season 9, Episode 10 of Seinfeld
Seinfeld
- Cast
- Jerry Seinfeld , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Jason Alexander , Michael Richards
- Seasons
- 9
- Network
- NBC
“It requires no decoration. I find tinsel distracting.” Who knew the airing of grievances would be so fun? Frank Costanza, George’s dad, invents a holiday after a failed attempt at getting a doll for his young son and the rest is history. Festivus has lived on in the zeitgeist since the episode aired in 1997. Feats of strength took on a new meaning.
Of course, Frank’s insistence on bringing back the made-up holiday throws the entire gang for a loop. It is just a reminder of the absurd nature of Seinfeld at its best. While Jerry, Kramer, George, and Elaine all have big parts to play, nobody shines brighter than Frank in this episode. He stands as tall as the Festivus pole in this one.
Festivus has lived on in the zeitgeist since the episode aired in 1997. Feats of strength took on a new meaning.
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The Bracebridge Dinner
Season 2, Episode 10 of Gilmore Girls
Gilmore Girls
- Cast
- Lauren Graham , Scott Patterson , Sean Gunn , Keiko Agena , Matt Czuchry , Alexis Bledel , Yanic Truesdale , Kelly Bishop , Melissa McCarthy , Edward Herrmann , Liza Weil , Jared Padalecki , Milo Ventimiglia
- Seasons
- 7
- Network
- The WB
Stars Hollow is one of the most idyllic settings for any show in television history. But the quaint Connecticut town is the perfect backdrop for a Christmas episode and Gilmore Girls didn’t miss with this episode in the second season. It’s the town that shines the most, as gorgeous set design fills the episode. But don’t forget all the snappy dialogue and banter that makes the show great.The episode has all that you might expect:
- Lorelei trying to show out for the whole town
- Sookie doing so much cooking
- Rory flirting
- Luke being a good guy
- Emily and Richard fighting
The Elizabethan theme will make you want to take a horse-drawn carriage in the snow ASAP.
Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz
Season 6, Episode 10 of Frasier
Frasier
- Cast
- Kelsey Grammer , Jane Leeves , David Hyde Pierce , Peri Gilpin , John Mahoney , Jack Cutmore-Scott , Anders Keith , Jess Salgueiro , Toks Olagundoye , Nicholas Lyndhurst
- Seasons
- 11
- Network
- NBC
A classic menorah buying mixup leads to a poor woman getting the wool pulled over her eyes in a way only Frasier can provide. The show based its comedy on line delivery and slapstick for 11 seasons and it is on full display in this holiday classic. Frasier is set up with a woman whose mother believes he’s Jewish. When the daughter finds out he is not, Frasier must go to great lengths to show the mother that he actually is (which he isn’t.)
Frasier needing the help from his dad and brother, Martin and Niles, to show out for Mrs. Moskowitz only makes this worse for the woman and funnier for the audience. Niles dressing as Jesus is a top moment in the series and of course their plan backfires in grand fashion. The episode brings all that is great about Frasier to the forefront.
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Fishes
Season 2, Episode 6 of The Bear
The Bear
- Cast
- Jeremy Allen White , Ebon Moss-Bachrach , Ayo Edebiri , Lionel Boyce , Liza Colón-Zayas , Abby Elliott , Oliver Platt
- Seasons
- 3
- Network
- FX
Want to go to the most uncomfortable Christmas party you’ve ever been to? Have Christmas with the Berzattos in Fishes arguably the most famous episode of The Bear. It is lauded for its performances, notably from all of its guest stars. This episode features Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna Berzatto, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Gillian Jacobs, and Jon Bernthal as attendees to this chaotic Christmas Eve.
In a masterclass of tension, the episode follows people moving around the house as Donna attempts to make the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner of seven fishes. Anxiety just keeps bubbling up until it boils over in fits of rage. Somehow, Richie comes out as one of the calm ones in this episode, and that’s saying something. You’ll never see the ending coming. Curtis rightfully won an Emmy for her performance in the episode.
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Xmas Story
Season 2, Episode 4 of Futurama
Futurama
- Cast
- Katey Sagal , Billy West , Lauren Tom , Maurice LaMarche , David Herman , Tress MacNeille , John DiMaggio , Phil LaMarr
- Seasons
- 9
- Network
- Comedy Central
Xmas Story from Futurama showcases how the show can turn traditions on their heads and make people understand how things can change over time. In the 3000s Fry learns how Christmas is different from the Christmas he was used to in his time. But the unveiling of Robot Santa, voiced by John Goodman, is important to the entire run of the show. Robot Santa doesn’t just put people on the naughty list. He eliminates anyone deemed naughty.
Robot Santa is the basis for all Futurama Christmas episodes, so his debut makes it the most important. Plus, you can never be upset spending time with Bender. You’ll get a kick out of all the ways that Christmas has changed over the years as well. Conan O’Brien voices himself in his appearance, which is a highlight of the episode.
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