The Christmas season is a perfect opportunity for Bravo fans to review their favorite The Real Housewives holiday episodes. The Real Housewives of New York City always know how to enhance the festive spirit, especially if they are in attendance at Dorinda Medley's Blue Stone Manor, where the host solidified her place in Bravo history by how well she "made it nice" for the holidays. In Season 13 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Cynthia Bailey got the ladies into the giving spirit with a "White Christmas" gift exchange. Some of The Real Housewives understand the holiday spirit better than others, as the ladies of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills proved in Season 11 when they grilled Erika Girardi about her legal troubles over a festive Christmas dinner hosted by Kyle Richards.
Whether the ladies were naughty or nice each holiday season, the festive time of year always promises a little bit more than cheer, as these dynamic divas always seem to be surrounded by drama. And no group of Housewives knows drama better than the cast of The Real Housewives of New Jersey. The ongoing feud between sisters-in-law Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga started when Joe Gorga joined the cast with his wife in Season 3. Teresa viewed the series as something of hers that her family was intruding upon, and her relationship with her brother never recovered after he and Melissa became cast members.
Even though the holiday episodes are a festive treat when they air, the holiday episodes are rarely essential viewing. There are some that come close, like the Real Housewives of New York episodes that feature Dorinda and her Berkshires estate. But there is one The Real Housewives of New Jersey holiday episode that perfectly encapsulates what attracted viewers to the series in the first place, while also giving a glimpse of exactly where it went wrong. The series was put on pause after the disastrous Season 14 made it clear Teresa and Melissa would never be able to film together without a blow-out, which showed what permanent damage has been done to their relationship since the Gorgas joined the series in Season 3. The holiday episode from Season 7, "Jingle Bells and Prison Cells" perfectly sums up what RHONJ is all about.
"Jingle Bells and Prison Cells" Is Essential 'RHONJ' Viewing
Outside the holiday cheer, this episode is actually essential RHONJ viewing. It provides a cohesive series of flashbacks that show the many conflicts that have arisen between Teresa and her family throughout the years. It also reminds viewers of how ruthless Teresa can be in her relationships — whether friendships or family — when she feels slighted. Jacqueline Laurita's storyline provides insight into how easily Teresa can cut people out of her life when angered.
The episode also demonstrates that, at its core, the heart of the series is family bonds. RHONJ was built on the back of Teresa's family relationships, but nothing endeared the viewers like Teresa's bond with her four young daughters. Less frequently discussed is the wonderful job that Melissa did with raising her young children on the series over the years as well. Teresa and Melissa packing their girls off to college at the same time in Season 14, all the while never speaking to one another, was a reminder of how the two women have so much in common, and as family, how they should be able to lean on each other at these times of transition.
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Teresa's Inability To Forgive Led to the Downfall of 'RHONJ'
Image via Bravo Teresa's return to her family is one of the most touching moments in Real Housewives history. Giudice yelling "Girls, I'm home!" as her daughters ran into her arms moments later is so touching, it's unsurprising that People wanted exclusive rights to the photos. Her homecoming was such a touching reminder that the heart of RHONJ is these strong family ties. Watching Melissa and Joe talk about Teresa's return, and their hopes to become a united family again after she attends their Christmas Eve party, there was such potential for the family after this big shift in Teresa's life.
The sequel holiday episode in Season 7, "A Very Hairy Christmas," showed the family starting off on the right foot, with Teresa attending her brother's holiday party and looking for a fresh start with him and Melissa. Teresa reached out to have her brother pick her up, to avoid the paparazzi as much as she could. But Teresa's focus on the paparazzi over a heartfelt reunion marked the first step off-course with the family after Teresa's return, as it showed she wasn't truly concerned about repairing their relationship, so much as she was concerned about looking good for the right cameras. Teresa never got over the perceived slights she felt from her brother and Melissa in the past, and though Teresa was supposed to be all about "family, family, family," she couldn't ever get over her feeling of superiority towards her sister-in-law. And that was the downfall of their relationship and, ultimately, RHONJ.
Past seasons of RHONJ can be streamed on Peacock in the U.S.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey follows the dramatic lives of a group of affluent women living in the Garden State. Centered around family, friendship, and fierce rivalries, the series delves into their personal and professional endeavors. With lavish lifestyles as the backdrop, the show captures intense confrontations, heartfelt moments, and the complexities of balancing relationships and social expectations.
Release Date May 12, 2009
Main Genre Reality
Seasons 13
Franchise The Real Housewives
Producer Andy Cohen
English (US) ·