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Christmas is the most joyful time of year for film and tv, especially sitcoms. Whether it’s a family getting snowed in at an airport or whether Fonzie will finally be able to spend the holidays with a family, sitcom writers have broken out the writing pens (or keyboards) to craft that feel-good holiday episode that people watching can relate to.
That is the beauty of sitcoms. When it's done right, they can produce a magical episode that will bring a dose of holiday cheer from the small screen.
13 “The Voice of Christmas”
'The Brady Bunch'
Image via ABC For some, Christmas is the time of year when the skies are dark, and the search for that holiday magic seems to be in vain. This is where The Brady Bunch comes in, a family that provides endless amounts of joy, even for those who may lack it.
Few shows back in the day did Christmas episodes better than The Brady Bunch, and one of their best was “The Voice of Christmas,” which finds Alice (Ann B. David) and the Brady kids trying to cure their mom, Carol (Florence Henderson), of laryngitis that puts her performance at the annual Christmas service in jeopardy. Since Alice and the Brady kids lack doctor degrees, they turn to the one person who can perform a Christmas miracle, Santa! And, sure enough, he does. Is it cheesy? Of course, it is; but that’s the true charm of this stellar Christmas episode, one that will make even the most cynical Scrooge believe in the magic of the holidays.
Release Date September 26, 1969
Creator Sherwood Schwartz
Cast Robert Reed , Florence Henderson , Ann B. Davis , Maureen McCormick , Eve Plumb , Susan Olsen , Barry Williams , Mike Lookinland
Main Genre Comedy
Seasons 5
Studio ABC
12 “Christmas Show”
'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'
Image via NBC What better way to spend Christmas with the family than being tied up and robbed? Well, maybe that’s not a great way to spend the holidays with loved ones, but that was the fate that befell the Banks family in “Christmas Show,” one of the funniest holiday episodes of the early ‘90s.
The comedy here is simply top-notch from start to finish, which only gets better with the arrival of firecracker Jenifer Lewis, who steals the scene every time she’s on the screen with her hilarious zingers. Of course, after dealing with eccentric family members, and a burglary, the Banks family comes together in a Christmas miracle only the small screen can provide.
Release Date September 10, 1990
Main Genre Comedy
Seasons 6
11 “Christmas Cheers”
'Cheers'
Image via NBC It may sound a bit depressing hanging out at a bar during Christmastime, but not if that bar is the famed Cheers bar in South Boston. It was also the setting of one of the best Christmas episodes of the ‘80s, with “Christmas Cheers,” with the entire gang coming down with the dreaded holiday blues.
While the bar gang all come together to realize the joy of the holidays, “Christmas Cheers” does a great job of showcasing the doldrums of Christmas without the sappy sentiment that other sitcoms love to play up on during the holidays. Where Cheers lacks in sentiment, however, it strongly makes up for in laughs and holiday cheeriness only ‘80s TV could provide.
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Cheers
Release Date September 30, 1982
Seasons 11
Writers James Burrows , Glen Charles , Les Charles
Network NBC
Directors James Burrows , Andy Ackerman
10 “Classy Christmas”
'The Office'
Image via NBC This Christmas episode of The Office was as hilarious as it was heartbreaking. This jolly two-parter finds Michael and Holly’s relationship at a crossroads.
Holly (Amy Ryan) was ready for a commitment from Michael, but he had yet to propose to her. In response, Holly gives Michael (Steve Carell) an ultimatum: propose by the end of the year (in which the year was already almost over) or the relationship is over. “Classy Christmas” works great as it perfectly showcases how The Office intertwines absurd workplace hijinks with emotional depth and heart.
Release Date March 24, 2005
Rating
Seasons 9
Network NBC
Story By Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Franchise(s) The Office
9 “I’m Scheming of a White Christmas”
'Home Improvement'
Image via ABC By its second season, it was increasingly clear to the folks at ABC that they had a hit on their hands with the Tim Allen-led Home Improvement. Now in bona fida hit territory, Home Improvement was ripe to have its first-holiday breakout episode, and it came in Season 2’s “I’m Scheming of a White Christmas.”
The episode follows Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan) and Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) as they collect money for charity, only to keep it for themselves. When their parents find out about their holiday scheme, they admonish the boys for it and make them return the money. The episode had a touch of that 90s holiday cheesiness, but this episode had a lot of heart and taught kids a memorable lesson about committing charity fraud, especially while Santa was watching.
Release Date September 17, 1991
Cast Tim Allen , Earl Hindman , Richard Karn , Debbe Dunning , Zachery Ty Bryan , Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Seasons 8
Creator Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean
Main Genre Sitcom
Producer Gayle S. Maffeo, Alan Padula, Jon Pasquin
Production Company Wind Dancer Productions, Touchstone Television
Number of Episodes 204
8 “A Christmas Story”
'Growing Pains'
Image via ABC Growing Pains is famously (or infamously) known for its unique approach to Christmas episodes. It wasn’t the jolly, hackneyed holiday episode that would characterize the majority of family sitcoms in the '80s. Rather, Growing Pains Christmas episodes always had a touch of drama and dysfunction to them, with “A Christmas Story” starting it all.
Here, Ben Seaver is questioning if Santa Claus is real; and if that wasn’t enough for Jason and Maggie Seaver, one of Jason’s patients threatens to commit suicide by falling head-first through the family’s chimney. It was a typical Seaver family Christmas, one of those moments that made “A Christmas Story” a memorable holiday episode.
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Growing Pains
Release Date September 24, 1985
Seasons 7
Creator Neal Marlens
Main Genre Comedy
7 “Just Christmas, Baby”
'Black-Ish'
Image via ABC Every parent wants to give their kids the best Christmas ever, which is dialed up to 11 when one of your kids is about to head off to college. That was the central plot in the Black-ish Season 3 holiday episode “Just Christmas, Baby.”
Zoey (Yara Shahidi) is spending her last Christmas with the family before going off to college, and Dre (Anthony Anderson) wants to make sure that Zoey’s last Christmas as a high school senior is one she’ll remember: it will be one to remember, all right. Bow (Tracee Ellis Ross) is having second thoughts on having another kid, Dre having a hard time coming to terms that Zoey is heading off to college, and relaxing how cruel he was to Junior (Marcus Scribner). Oh, and the family tree caught fire. Yep, another Christmas to remember in the Johnson household.
Release Date September 24, 2014
Seasons 8
Creator Kenya Barris
Main Genre Comedy
6 “The One With the Holiday Armadillo”
'Friends'
Image via NBC Friends has a lot of memorable Christmas episodes it can stuff in its holiday stocking. One of the most memorable is the Season 7 episode “The One with the Holiday Armadillo.”
This is the episode in which Ross (David Schwimmer), in desperation to give Ben, Monica’s (Courteney Cox) nephew, a special Christmas, appears as Santa’s Tex-Mex friend: The Holiday Armadillo, only for Chandler (Matthew Perry) to find a Santa suit and surprise Ben. Joey (Matt LeBlanc), meanwhile, joins the two dressed as Superman, to which Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) remarks, "I understand why Superman is here, but why is there a porcupine at an Easter Bunny's funeral?" This holiday episode had classic written all over it.
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Friends
Release Date September 22, 1994
Rating
Seasons 10
Writers David Crane , Marta Kauffman
Network NBC
Directors David Crane , Marta Kauffman
Studio
Story By Marta Kauffman
Showrunner Marta Kauffman
5 “The Bleakening”
'Bob's Burgers'
Image via Fox This two-part Bob's Burgers Christmas episode finds the Belcher family taking on “The Bleaken,” a creature that steals Christmas presents from bad kids and takes them back to his lair. Not only that, but Linda (John Roberts) has her Christmas spirit broken by the fact that the treetop Linda cut for the kids to decorate was stolen, along with the rest of the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood.
The episode was well-received and highlighted just how similar Linda and Louise (Kristen Schaal) (who believed The Bleaken was the thief) are similar to one another, and how the tone of the episode reinforced the Belchers as one of television’s best families. It's one of the best holiday-themed episodes the series has to offer.
Release Date January 9, 2011
Seasons 15
Network FOX
Franchise(s) Bob's Burgers
Showrunner loren bouchard , Jim Dauterive , Nora Smith
4 “Christmas Eve Eve”
'New Girl'
Image via FOX Only New Girl could take a simple plot as Secret Santa and make it into one of the holiday’s best sitcom episodes, one that can easily turn a holiday frown upside-down, which is what New Girl does best even in its non-holiday episodes.
Here, Jess (Zooey Deschanel) gets into the Christmas spirit by initiating Secret Santa in the loft. Her spirit starts to dim, however, when she finds out that she didn’t have a Secret Santa. The episode took its viewers on an emotional roller coaster, especially at the end, with Robby (Nelson Franklin) and the rest of the gang giving Jess the ultimate Secret Santa gift: a holiday carol from Darlene Love that ended the episode on a warm, festive note.
Release Date September 20, 2011
Seasons 7
Writers Elizabeth Meriwether
Network FOX
Creator Elizabeth Meriwether
Studio
Showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether
3 “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas”
'Happy Days'
Image via ABC Fonzie (Henry Winkler) is one of the coolest guys in television history, which made many hearts sink when they found out that he spent Christmas alone every year.
Richie (Ron Howard), one of his best friends, goes out of his way to let him join his family for Christmas, and the Season 2 episode was full of warm and touching moments. “Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas” put a modern spin on the sitcom Christmas episode, and created an emotional template that other sitcoms would follow in the coming years.
Release Date January 15, 1974
Seasons 11
Creator Gary Marshall
Main Genre Sitcom
2 “Our Very First Christmas Show”
'Full House'
Image via ABC Imagine being snowed in an airport on Christmas Eve. That was the main plot in Full House's Season 2 holiday episode “Our Very First Christmas Show,” which found the family snowed in at a Colorado airport the night before Christmas due to a blizzard.
This elicits fear in Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin) that Santa Claus wouldn’t find them, and the kids felt that Christmas may be ruined. However, in true Tanner spirit, the family (thanks to Jesse reminding them what the meaning of the season is) makes the most out of their airport Christmas. Jesse (John Stamos) and Becky (Lori Loughlin) finally have that iconic first kiss, and the real Santa Claus “finds” the family and delivers their missing gifts. In short, this is a classic Full House Christmas episode.
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Full House (US)
Release Date September 22, 1987
Seasons 8
1 “Christmas Is Where The Heart Is”
'Family Matters'
Image via ABC This Season 5 episode of Family Matters has everything one could ask for in a holiday episode: a dire situation that dampens the holiday mood and a famous nerd reminding everyone what the true meaning of the holidays is all about.
Here, Carl Winslow (Reginald VelJohnson) and Steve Urkel (Jaleel White) become stranded on a subway line on Christmas Eve due to a power failure. With the subway passengers becoming ill-tempered, Urkel takes it upon himself to remind everyone in the car (and those who watch the episode) that Christmas can be celebrated anywhere, including on a downed Chicago subway line with strangers. In the end, it made for a heartfelt and memorable episode with a message that is all too relevant in this day and age. Also, who knew you could decorate a Christmas tree on the L Train?
Release Date September 22, 1989
Seasons 9
Creator William Bickley, Michael Warren
Main Genre Sitcom
Keep Reading: 'The Simpsons' 10 Funniest Christmas Specials
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