10 Reasons Why 'Gilmore Girls' Is the Best Show For the Holidays

When it comes to must-watch television for the holidays, there is no better choice than Gilmore Girls. The show follows single mom Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel). The pair have a charming relationship, feeling more like best friends than typical mother and daughter, a complete juxtaposition to Lorelai's relationship with her own parents, Richard (Edward Herrmann) and Emily (Kelly Bishop) Gilmore.

Throughout the show’s 7 seasons (and a revival), we follow Lorelai and Rory as they navigate love, friendship, and everyday life in their small, quirky town of Stars Hollow. But what is it exactly that makes Gilmore Girls the ultimate holiday watch? What keeps audiences coming back year after year?

Release Date October 5, 2000

Main Genre Comedy

Seasons 7

Studio The CW

10 The Fashion Inspiration

The Gilmore's have impeccable style.

Image via Warner Bros 

Despite premiering in, and being set in, the early 2000s, Gilmore Girls’ fashion is relatively timeless. Sure, there are some styles (especially in the hair department) that are noticeably out of date, but for the most part, the Gilmore’s and their friends knew their way around a closet. It also helped that Lorelai had some impressive sewing skills, allowing her to give even Rory’s Chilton uniform a more age-appropriate flare.

Some of Gilmore Girls’ outfits have become memorable in everyday pop culture, even now, over two decades after its premiere. For example, the outfit Lorelai wore on Rory’s first day at Chilton is a Halloween classic. But even more than that, Lorelai’s business-chic attire, and Rory’s casual yet girly style, are timeless inspirations for the colder months.

9 Coffee, Coffee, Coffee!

There’s an endless supply of coffee in Stars Hollow

One of the perks of cold weather is the plethora of warm drinks that accompany it. Obviously, hot drinks can be an all-year-round thing, but who doesn’t enjoy curling up with a nice hot cup of coffee when the weather gets cold?

Gilmore Girls, and especially the Gilmores themselves, run on coffee and talking fast. In fact, the first scene of the show is Lorelai begging Luke (Scott Patterson) for coffee, which becomes a regular occurrence throughout the series. Coffee is seemingly in endless supply in Stars Hollow, and Luke’s Diner is the hottest spot in town to get it. Caffeine lovers will find a kindred spirit in Lorelai and Rory, and there’s no denying that coffee is a staple beverage to keep trudging on during the holidays.

8 Food! So Much Food!

The Gilmore's Can Eat!

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Another perk of the holiday season is the sheer amount of food that is made and consumed. Thanksgiving pretty much depends on a full feast, and what would Christmas dinner be without a hearty spread of food? Much like how coffee is seemingly in endless supply in Gilmore Girls, there are also endless amounts of food. Lorelai and Rory are always stopping in at Luke’s Diner for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not to mention Friday night dinners at the Gilmore house.

And who can forget the famous Gilmore movie night? We see these nights a few times throughout the show, when the girls rent a movie from the video store and then purchase an excessive amount of junk food. From red vines, to ice cream, to pizza, and chocolate sauce. There’s no shortage of something to snack on (just don’t ask the Gilmore girls to cook for you!) You'll be full just watching the show, especially in some of the more food-centric episodes, such as “A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving” in which Lorelai and Rory must attend four separate Thanksgiving dinners on the same day.

7 ‘Gilmore Girls’ Takes Place During the Fall and Winter Seasons

“I smell snow.”

Image via Warner Bros 

Obviously, Gilmore Girls takes place all year round, and we do see the occasional summer and spring-centred episode (specifically during A Year In the Life), but a lot of Gilmore Girls is shown to take place during the fall and winter seasons. A lot of this is because the show tends to center around Rory’s school year, which is during the fall. We see bits and pieces of the Gilmore’s lives throughout the rest of the year, but the majority of the time we see the town decked out with pumpkins, fall leaves, or snow.

On the topic of snow, Lorelai has an immense love of snow. It has become a known thing throughout the show that every year on the first snowfall she’ll go outside and stand in it, because, as she says herself, all the best things that have happened in her life happened during a snowfall. She’s also able to sniff out when said snowfall will happen, as she’s proven many times throughout the series, often coercing Rory, or Luke to accompany her as she waits for it to fall. The constant state of fall and winter makes Stars Hollow the ultimate holiday destination, even if it’s just a binge-watch.

6 The Eccentric Townsfolk of Stars Hollow

What would the holidays be without some guests?

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One of the most charming parts of Gilmore Girls, and specifically the town of Stars Hollow, are the townies that populate it. Stars Hollow just would not be the same without characters such as Kirk (Sean Gunn) or Miss Patty (Liz Torres). While Lorelai and Rory may be the main characters, it’s the townies that really help color in the series and make it as beloved as it is.

The townsfolk, as lovable as they are, can be a bit overwhelming at times. Whether it be Kirk and his endless amount of jobs, or Taylor’s (Michael Winters) overbearing way of running things. But that’s also why we love them. The townsfolk of Stars Hollow are reminiscent of out-of-town family members. You love them, but their visit and presence is often overwhelming and a bit exhausting. However, it just wouldn’t be the holidays without them, much like how Stars Hollow wouldn’t be the same without the townies.

5 Family Drama

Friday night dinners often end in arguments in ‘Gilmore Girls’.

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Lorelai’s relationship with her parents is complicated, to say the least. We learn this in the very first episode when she has to enlist her parent’s help in paying for Rory’s schooling. She’s apprehensive to ask for their help as she only ever sees them on major holidays, but if it will help Rory in the long run, she’s willing to do anything. Tired of the divide, her parents request Friday night dinners every week, where both Lorelai and Rory will be present and the four of them will have a nice meal and catch up with one another. But of course, due to the animosity between Emily and Lorelai already, these dinners often result in an argument. In fact, many of Emily and Lorelai’s interactions end in arguments.

While family drama may not be the most wholesome part of the holidays it often does come as a package deal. It’s unfortunate but it’s true. The holidays are a stressful time, so having to host holiday festivities has got to cause some reasonable strife. It’s only natural that there’s a little bit of family drama that accompanies the holidays. It doesn’t have to be anything major, but it’s pretty realistic that most families deal with during this time of year.

4 Friendship — And Its Many Forms

Friendship Comes in All Shapes and Sizes in Stars Hollow

Image via Warner Bros. Television

Friendship is one of the most important parts of the holidays. It's always important to have a good support system, but it’s especially nice during the holiday season. Gilmore Girls understands this and portrays friendship in its many different forms throughout the series. From the solid friendships to the unlikely friendships, Gilmore Girls represents it all and shows that there is more to someone than what you see on the surface.

Perhaps the best example of this is the friendship between Rory and Paris (Liza Weil). When we first meet Paris, she is your typical mean girl, and she immediately bumps heads with Rory. Eventually, the pair warm to one another and, instead of seeing each other as obstacles, embrace one another as friendly competition. This eventually blossoms into an unlikely but beautiful friendship that lasts throughout the series. Not to mention there’s also the lifelong friendship between Rory and Lane (Keiko Agena) and Lorelai and Sookie (Melissa McCarthy). But even though each respective friendship has been close for so many years, Gilmore Girls doesn’t shy away from showing the intricacies of friendship, and ultimately the importance of it.

3 Cheesy Town Traditions

There’s always something going on in Stars Hollow!

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It’s pretty well established that Stars Hollow isn’t a typical town. It’s filled with colorful characters, and also some pretty wacky town traditions. For starters, there are weekly town meetings in which the entire town convenes at Miss Patty's dance studio and discusses the town as a whole, Including upcoming events. Some of these events include the 24-hour dance-a-thon, a picnic basket auction, and a town rummage sale, just to name a few.

It wouldn't be the holidays without some cheesy family traditions, whether it be Christmas carolling, matching pyjamas, or pumpkin carving. These traditions may seem small and eye-roll-worthy at times, but they also make some of the best memories during the holidays. They may not be as chaotic in everyday life as they are in Stars Hollow, but they're still fun and provide great quality time with loved ones.

2 Found Family

There's always room in Stars Hollow.

Image via The WB

Much like friendship, family is a pivotal part of the holiday season, no matter what form that family comes in. Gilmore Girls understands this and portrays this so well, because Lorelai found her family in the kind people of Stars Hollow. She left her parent's home when she was a teenager, and was immediately thrust into adulthood. She had a daughter to provide for and had no support system to back her. That's when she found Mia (Elizabeth Franz), who took her in and gave her a job at the Independence Inn -- the very place she's running when we meet her in the pilot episode.

Lorelai made a home for herself and Rory in Stars Hollow, and found a family in the townsfolk there because the family she was given wasn't always the kindest to her. This is a reality that a lot of people face, and that's why finding family is such a pivotal part of the holidays. Everyone deserves a family to celebrate the holidays with, whether they be blood-related or not. Gilmore Girls normalizes this and shows that sometimes the best families are the ones you make for yourself.

1 The Coziness of Stars Hollow

The town of Stars Hollow feels like home.

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Ask any fan of Gilmore Girls, and they will likely agree that the town of Stars Hollow is a character in and of itself. It may sound silly, but it's true. Stars Hollow is home to the characters we know and love, so, of course, it deserves its own special place on this list. The world of Gilmore Girls is special in general, but there's something about the small-town feeling of Stars Hollow that captures the warm, cozy feeling of the holiday season.

Whether it be the fact that pretty much everything is within walking distance, or that everyone knows one another, Stars Hollow feels like a big ole hug, especially during the fall and winter. As previously mentioned, the show tends to exist in a constant state of fall and winter, making the backdrop of the series always have a beautiful autumn glow, or a glimmer from the pearlescent snow. It's hard not to get sucked into the cozy feeling of Stars Hollow, and it is perhaps the biggest reason as to why Gilmore Girls is the most atmospheric, and therefore perfect, show to watch during the holidays.

Keep Reading: Emily Gilmore Needed 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life' To Feel Complete