Iconic Christmas TV Episodes to Watch This Vacation Season

Gather around for a Berzatto holiday dinner, wear your best Holiday Armadillo costume, and meet up with the lads of Richmond FC. These are the Christmas TV episodes you need to watch.

While we do have a running Christmas movie advent calendar, we can’t just ignore the many iconic Christmas TV episodes. While they’re certainly not an exhaustive list, we’ve compiled some episodes from shows that deserve a watch or rewatch as the Yuletide season rolls about. Pour yourself some hot cocoa with a ridiculous amount of marshmallows, get a blanket, turn on the Christmas tree, and get binging.

[Hero image: Apple TV+]

Some of the most iconic Christmas TV episodes you should watch

“Carol of the Bells” (S2E04) – Ted Lasso

Though released at the beginning of August 2021, this episode from the second season of the hit Apple TV+ show immediately cemented itself as a Christmas episode that should be watched each year. Still adjusting to the reality that he’s now divorced, Ted’s (Jason Sudeikis) plan to do long-distance Christmas with his ex-wife and son doesn’t go well. In a role reversal, Rebecca (Hannah Waddigham) comes to the rescue and lifts spirits up. Meanwhile, Higgins (Jeremy Swift) welcomes players of Richmond who don’t have anywhere to celebrate Christmas to his home while Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (June Temple) go around town trying to solve the bad breath of Keeley’s niece.

“Noël” (S2E10) – The West Wing

Aaron Sorkin is a master at tackling difficult issues while giving them an uplifting finish in his episodes. Joshua Lyman (Bradley Whitford), the Deputy Chief of Staff, is convinced by his colleagues to see a therapist after his troubling behaviour after his near-death incident. He’s adamant he’s fine, a line that’s all too common for people who are really not. But aside from processing his trauma, the speech that his boss, Leo McGarry (John Spencer), gives him towards the end of the episode is one that will warm your heart and make you seek out true friends who will be with you through thick and thin.

“Christmas Eve Eve” (S6E10) – New Girl

Jessica Day (Zooey Deschanel), being Jessica Day, wants the loft’s Secret Santa to go off without a hitch. That, of course, is wishful thinking when you live with the likes of the loft gang. Winston (Lamorne Morris) is already freaking out about his gift for Cece (Hannah Simone) and Reagan (Megan Fox) arrives to surprise Nick (Jake Johnson). But he also realizes that Jess deserves a special Christmas.

“Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (S2E11) – Community

This show, conceived and written by Dan Harmon, has always been great at being meta and paying homage to many facets of pop culture. This episode takes its inspiration from Christmas claymation specials while also having a similar plot to The Polar Express. As Abed (Dani Pudi) imagines his friends and himself in a claymation world, they go on a fantastical journey which involves Christmas pterodactyls, group therapy, and a claymation John Oliver—basically, all you want from a Christmas TV episode.

“Twice Upon a Time” – Doctor Who

Fans of this long-running sci-fi show know that its Christmas specials are a holiday treat. It’s difficult just to choose one, but this specific Christmas special is quite a unique and special one. This marks the last appearance of Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, but it also pairs him with the First Doctor, played by William Hartnell. The two, who are having trouble coping with the idea of regenerating (where the Doctor “transforms” into another person), go on a journey with a World War I soldier (Mark Gatiss) and a rusty Dalek. The ending with the soldier is quite poignant, and this also marks the first appearance of the Thirteenth Doctor, Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to step into the role.

“Fishes” (S2E06) – The Bear

Christmas episodes are supposed to be fun, light, and happy, but those who’ve watched The Bear know that while there are moments of levity, it’s anything but. This episode chronicles a Christmas dinner with the Berzattos. The Italian-American family are loud, jovial, and many, but things start to bubble up and the matriarch, Donna, played by the scene-stealing Jamie Lee Curtis, starts breaking at the seams. To be fair, it’s possibly the most accurate depiction of family gatherings during the holidays except perhaps with a tinge more drama.

All of the Christmas episodes of Friends

Yes, we know we also did this with the list of Thanksgiving episodes and we will again use the same explanation/excuse: it’s difficult to choose just one. From Ross dressing up as the Holiday Armadillo, he and Monica doing “The Routine”, and Phoebe going crazy as she volunteers for the Salvation Army, all of the Christmas episodes of Friends deserve a rewatch every year. Here are all of them: