Deck the halls with festive Christmas TV episodes. Every series approaches them differently, which typically matches the show’s tone (but not always).
Usually, comedy Christmas episodes are lighthearted, but every now and then, they include really emotional scenes. Meanwhile, your favorite supernatural shows often want to make you sob all the way through the New Year. Once in a blue moon, a Christmas TV episode is so iconic that it creates its own holiday that’s still celebrated two decades later (we’re looking at you, “The O.C.”).
No matter where your favorite Christmas episodes fall on the sliding scale, one thing’s certain: They’re memorable. Between staples like “The Office,” deeper cuts like “Bones,” and iconic classics like “The O.C.,” here are seven of the best Christmas TV episodes you can stream to get you into the holly jolly mood (or make you cry, I won’t judge).
'Friends' - "The One Where Rachel Quits"
‘Tis the season to quit that job you hate. At least, that’s what Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) does in the aptly-titled “Friends” episode “The One Where Rachel Quits.” Let’s face it: Rachel just might be the worst fictional barista of all time. While her cluelessness is a part of her endearing charm, Central Perk customers won’t be crying to see her move on.
This Christmas episode isn’t just about Rachel, though. Most of the characters have their own wholesome plots — like Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) trying to save the dead Christmas trees from meeting their maker in a woodchipper and Ross (David Schwimmer) selling the fictional equivalent of Girl Scout cookies for a little girl whose leg he accidentally broke.
I’m typically on the “I hate Ross” train, but this plotline was actually pretty sweet (albeit a little creepy, because everything he does is a little creepy). With that said, my original stance is solidified when he forces Monica (Courteney Cox) to buy multiple boxes of cookies despite her protests, leading her to go on a binge (that plotline definitely hasn't aged well). Still, we love to see Rachel take control of her career, even if it’s not what she expected. Everyone has to start somewhere.
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'The Office' - "Christmas Party"
If you want to make a Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) shipper from “The Office” go glassy-eyed, just mention Jim’s teapot. If you know, you know. Who knew when “Christmas Party” debuted in 2006 that it would become an integral part of the fan-favorite couple’s narrative?
Of course, Michael (Steve Carell) is the center of the episode’s main gag when he buys an inappropriate and over-budget iPod for Ryan (B.J. Novak). But once Michael throws a temper tantrum and turns the party into a Yankee Swap, everyone wants to steal the iPod. Obviously.
Naturally, Jim draws Pam’s name and gets her a thoughtful gift in the form of a teapot, stuffing it with inside jokes. He even writes what we can assume is a love letter. Given that Pam is engaged, Jim chickens out of giving it to her, even after she haggles with Dwight (Rainn Wilson) to get the teapot back. Their character arc comes full circle when Reigning Grand Gesture Champion Jim gives her the letter in the series finale.
It’s not necessarily the most chaotic or exciting of the show’s Christmas episodes, but it debuts one of the most impactful arcs of the series. And what’s a Christmas tale without a love story?
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'Bones' - "The Man in the Fallout Shelter"
Nothing brings people together like a Christmas lung fungus. “The Man in the Fallout Shelter” may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Christmas TV episodes — even within the “Bones” canon itself. Yet, nothing can top the impact of the show’s inaugural Christmas episode.
Unsurprisingly, Hodgins (T.J. Thyne) does something stupid (drinking eggnog without a mask in the lab), which forces the gang into quarantine after Hodgins exposes them all to yellow fever. Just another day of cutting open decades-old bones. The episode is still early in season 1, and we learn something new (and primarily hard-hitting) about each character. Booth is a loving dad whose ex tries to keep their son from him, Brennan’s parents went missing on Christmas, Zach (Eric Millegan) has a massive close-knit family, Goodman (Jonathan Adams) has twins, and Angela’s (Michaela Conlin) dad is a famous musician (played by Billy Gibbons and labeled as Billy F. Gibbons in the script).
Yes, this episode makes me cry (but let’s be real, that’s really not that hard to do). But as much as I love the heartwarming moments in the episode, there’s one scene that stresses me out beyond belief. I have a randomly intense obsession with knowing what’s in a gift if it’s shown or referenced in any piece of media. The ending of this episode kills me because Brennan finally opens the present her parents bought for her decades ago before they went missing. It’s such an impactful moment, but we never see what’s inside. Arguably, it’s probably more powerful this way, but this scene will haunt me until I die (because I’m dramatic like that).
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'The O.C.' - 'The Best Chrismukkuh Ever'
You can’t have a best Christmas episode list without the show that literally invented a new holiday that people still reference today. Adam Brody’s Seth Cohen introduced the world to Chrismukkah: a melding of both Christmas and Hanukkah. According to Seth, it’s eight days of one present and one day of many presents. Naturally, he also uses the holiday as an excuse to string both Summer (Rachel Bilson) and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) along because “There’s no choosing on Chrismukkah.” When exactly did Seth turn into a player? Ryan (Ben McKenzie) gave that kid way too much confidence.
Watching the Cohens take in Ryan and treat him as their own son is one of the most fulfilling components of the show. He comes to them full of bad memories and a neglectful home life and the Cohens do everything they can to build him new memories — like convincing him to hang a stocking and putting him on the family Christmas card. As Seth says, “Soon Ryan will learn the magic of Chrismukkah. I will convert him.”
It wouldn’t be a holiday in Orange County without alcohol and tears, though. The most tragic storyline in the show comes from Marissa’s (Mischa Barton) descent into severe depression and alcoholism — but her family never takes it as seriously as they should. Watching Ryan’s reaction to Marissa falling apart during this episode is the kicker, as he experienced a similar thing with his mom. After he stops Marissa from driving drunk, Ryan says, “Drinking, crying, cops, well it must be Christmas.” It’s such a heartbreaking sentiment, as is the moment he throws the bottle of vodka out of the car and forces her to see that she’s hurting herself and everyone else.
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'Supernatural' - 'A Very Supernatural Christmas'
The anti-Claus is coming to town. Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) don’t seem like the most festive brothers at first glance. But even demon hunters get into the holiday spirit every now and again — especially when one of them makes a demon deal and won’t be home next Christmas. He’ll just be in hell. It’s fine. No big.
So, when Sam and Dean head to a Christmas-obsessed town in Michigan where people are getting dragged up a chimney and murdered, Dean is still determined to be holly and jolly. One of my favorite parts in the episode is when Sam sets the record straight about the origin of Christmas: “No, Jesus' birthday was probably in the fall. It was actually the Winter Solstice Festival that was co-opted by the church and renamed Christmas. But I mean the Yule log, the tree, even Santa's red suit, that's all remnants of Pagan worship." Not many shows are brave enough to go there, but that’s why we love “Supernatural.”
Sure, the episode has plenty of hilarious moments (like badly singing Christmas carols to a drunk Santa that they thought was an ‘Anti-Claus’) and Dean’s line, “You fudging touch me again, I'll fudging kill you!” However, it also has heartbreaking moments as Dean and Sam spend their last Christmas together. But don’t worry, the show goes on for 12 more years. Deaths don’t typically last very long in this universe.
Watch on Netflix
'New Girl' - 'Christmas Eve Eve'
There are plenty of iconic “New Girl” Christmas episodes, but my favorite is one of the last: “Christmas Eve Eve.” Like Jess (Zooey Deschanel), I break out my Christmas tree immediately after Halloween. Let people enjoy pretty lights, OK?
As someone who’s obsessed with getting the right gift for my friends, I understand Jess’ plight to make everyone’s holiday perfect. So what if she’s slightly manic about it? (Yes, I’m obviously projecting here.) Of course, the rest of the loft isn’t quite as enamored with Jess’ Christmas intensity. When they want to cancel Christmas altogether, Jess says, “That would be a great seminar talk in a school for demons.”
The loft comes up with a compromise for a Secret Santa, so everyone is only responsible for one gift. Of course, Jess gets left out, and as thrilled as she is to see her friends happy, she’s still a little bummed. Naturally, her roommates feels terrible and they throw her a dance party while Regan throws shredded paper off a rooftop for snow. We never said TV was realistic ….
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'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' - 'Amends'
Someone in the 1998 “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” writer’s room must have said, “‘A Christmas Carol,’ but make it vampires.” We love a good sappy, fun and festive Christmas episode — but the holidays are an incredibly hard time for many people (and vampires, apparently). “Buffy” goes that route with a gutwrenching episode that tackles guilt, loneliness and rough family situations.
On one end, we have Xander (Nicholas Brendon) sleeping outside in a tent so he doesn’t have to listen to his parents fight. On the other end, Faith (Eliza Dushku) has no family and reluctantly accepts the Summers’ invitation to spend the holiday with them. Meanwhile, Angel (David Boreanaz) is tormented by his homicidal past when he’s plagued with visions of his time as the bloodthirsty Angelus who enjoyed torturing people a little too much. Fun fact: Angel’s pre-vampire human name was Liam, so do with that what you will.
With quotes like “Your Christmas will be his wake,” this is one of the most memorable episodes in the entire series. And we can’t forget Buffy’s (Sarah Michelle Gellar) pep talk to her ex-vampire boyfriend who came back from the dead after she killed him. She tells Angel that she knows everything he did because he did it to her. (The Buffy/Angel relationship whiplash is real.) On the flip side, the not-so-subtle innuendo when Buffy’s mom says, “So, Angel’s on top again?” is iconic in its own right. But let’s face it: Angelus’ horrid goatee is the scariest part of this episode.
“Amends” is as heartbreaking as it is hopeful. When Angel tries to let himself burn in the sun to make amends for his past and prevent himself from committing any atrocities in the future, we get the vampire version of suicide prevention when Buffy says, “Strong is fighting and it’s every day,” which is similar to her other quote, “The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live.” It's a pretty powerful message to anyone who is struggling. On a cheerier note, can we talk about the snow in California scene, though?
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