One of my favorite parts of the holidays is curling up on the couch and watching all the classic Christmas movies and TV episodes that air. Thanks to Netflix, we don't have to wait for all of them to air. We can pick and choose when we want to watch which classic Christmas episode we want. I've gone ahead and ranked the 25 best Christmas-themed TV episodes available on Netflix for you.
25. Mad Men: "Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Season 4, Episode 2)
Not exactly a sitcom classic, but nothing makes you feel more classy and traditionally Christmas than by spending it with Don Draper in the 1960s. In this episode, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce hosts an office Christmas party for one of their biggest clients. However, things don't go according to plan, as they end up hosting an unexpected visitor.
24. 30 Rock: "Ludachristmas" (Season 2, Episode 9)
In one of my favorite 30 Rock episodes, Liz's parents come for a visit, and Jack instantly feels a bond with them. Meanwhile, the office gets ready for another racy Christmas party, that of course does not go according to plan.
23. The Office: "Christmas Wishes" (Season 8, Episode 10)
Admittedly, this was probably the worst season of The Office, but they really know how to do Christmas episodes right. Throwing his first Christmas party as office manager, Andy sets out to make everyone in the office's Christmas wishes come true. Robert California visits, and gets a little creepy with Erin, much to Andy's dismay.
22. Futurama: "Xmas Story" (Season 2, Episode 8)
There are a couple good Christmas-themed Futurama episodes. This one sticks out because it's the first time Fry (and us as well) learn how Christmas has changed over the past thousands years, and he gets nostalgic for the 20th-century Christmas traditions. Meanwhile, a giant robot Santa voiced by John Goodman attacks New York.
21. That '70s Show: "Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 7)
When Jackie gets kicked off the cheerleading team, she brings Hyde and the gang to the high school Christmas party to show off her older boyfriend and friends. For some reason, Eric is all of a sudden really popular with the high school girls, and Fez hides from the football team.
20. How I Met Your Mother: "Symphony of Illumination" (Season 7, Episode 12)
While kind of a darker episode, this Christmas-themed HIMYM episode still gets you in the holiday spirit. We follow Robin's narration as she tells her hypothetical kids how she met their father. The great thing about this episode is how Ted is determined to keep her in the holiday spirit.
19. The West Wing: "In Excelsis Deo" (Season 1, Episode 10)
After the tragic death of a US veteran with no close family or friends in the National Mall, Toby sets out to make sure he gets a proper funeral. As it turned out, the homeless man was wearing a coat that Toby had donated to Goodwill, making him the man's only known connection. Meanwhile, Josh and Donna argue about what they're getting each other for Christmas.
18. New Girl: "The 23rd" (Season 1, Episode 9)
In the first Christmas episode of the series, the gang attends Schmidt's office Christmas party before all going home for the holidays. At the party, the ladies of the office turn Schmidt into a sexy Santa. Meanwhile, Jess and Paul exchange gifts, and Paul drops the L bomb, leaving her speechless. Schmidt tries to get CeCe a romantic gift and Winston gets bummed about being unemployed. The gang goes caroling, and Christmas wishes come true.
17. That '70s Show: "Hyde's Christmas Rager" (Season 2, Episode 9)
After Hyde moves out of the Foreman's and in with his dad, he decides to throw a Christmas party. Wanting to seem like the "cool dad", his dad allows it, and Eric gets wasted. Meanwhile, Jackie and Donna go on a double date with older guys, only to discover they have something (or someone) in common with them.
16. The Office: "Benihana" (Season 3, Episode 10)
In the second Christmas episode of The Office, the Stamford branch and the Scranton branch try to bond while planning a Christmas party. Angela's dictatorship causes Karen and Pam to plan a separate Christmas party. Meanwhile, Michael (drunk and brokenhearted) brings two Asian waitresses back to the party, but has trouble telling them apart. One of my favorite episodes ever.
15. Everybody Loves Raymond: "All I Want For Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 12)
Raymond is feeling romantic as the holidays roll around, and for a strange turn of events, so is Debra. Not surprisingly, at every turn they make to have sex, Ray's family ruins the moment. When Ray hints that they need some alone time, the family won't let him live it down.
14. Frasier: "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" (Season 6, Episode 10)
While out doing his Christmas shopping and minding his own business, a Jewish woman approaches Frasier and begs him to take her daughter on a blind date. After reluctantly accepting, Frasier is pleasantly surprised at how charming the woman actually is. However, when they come visit him on Christmas Eve, Frasier has his family pretend to be Jewish to win over her family.
13. That '70s Show: "The Best Christmas Ever" (Season 1, Episode 12)
Tired of attending his family's boring Christmas party year after year, Eric asks Red for permission and money to throw his own in the basement. Red gives him money to go buy a tree, saying the rest can be used for his party. Instead, the gang steals a tree and keeps all the money. Annoyed Eric got his way, sister Laurie spikes his party's punch. Meanwhile, Hyde tries to figure out how to get Donna a romantic gift on a low budget.
12. How I Met Your Mother: "How Lily Stole Christmas" (Season 2, Episode 11)
During their first Christmas back together, Lily excitedly decorates the apartment as a treat for Marshall after his finals. While in the process, she finds an old voicemail from Ted to Marshall, in which Ted calls her a "grinch", and she freaks out.
11. The Office: "Moroccan Christmas" (Season 5, Episode 11)
Phyllis is finally head of the Party Planning Committee, much to Angela's dismay. She plans a Moroccan-themed party, but things go sour when Meredith's drinking problem causes a fire. On her head. The office tries to figure out how to confront her about her problems, while Dwight hustles Christmas toys and Phyllis blackmails Angela.
10. Futurama: "The Futurama Holiday Spectacular" (Season 6, Episode 13)
What I like most about this episode is the way it's split in three different segments, so as to hit three different holidays. We first cover "Xmas" (the 31st-century version of Christmas), then "Robanukah" (Bender's version of Hannukah to avoid doing work) and lastly Kwanzaa, when the gang searches for beeswax to make traditional beeswax candles.
9. Family Guy: "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" (Season 3, Episode 16)
After hours of Christmas shopping, Peter manages to accidentally give away all the family's gifts to charity. While out trying to replace them all on Christmas Eve, Brian is left at home and accidentally sets fire to the house. All of these mishaps cause Lois to freak out and wreak havoc on the town Christmas tree.
8. Scrubs: "My Own Personal Jesus" (Season 1, Episode 11)
Just as JD is getting ready to tell a family that their son isn't going to make it, the son makes an unexpected recovery. Turk is convinced it's a miracle, and tries to get JD and Carla in the Christmas spirit. But after spending Christmas Eve performing one tragic surgery after another, Turk begins to question his faith.
7. Arrested Development: "Afternoon Delight" (Season 2, Episode 6)
The Bluth Company hosts its annual Christmas Party, where roasting the boss has been known to get you fired. With GOB in command, the employees are even more afraid, especially after he warns them to stay away from Lindsey. Meanwhile, Michael tries to bond with Maeby, but things take an awkward turn when they sing a song with sexual connotations.
6. How I Met Your Mother: "False Positive" (Season 6, Episode 12)
After Marshall and Lily receive a positive pregnancy test, the rest of the gang starts to evaluate where they are in their lives and start to make big life decisions. After realizing that Marshall and Lily aren't actually pregnant, they don't feel as bad about what they're doing with their lives.
5. That '70s Show: "An Eric Forman Christmas" (Season 4, Episode 12)
Bummed that Christmas isn't fun anymore, Eric doesn't mind when his mom signs him and the gang up to put on a Christmas play at the church, as he thinks it'll get him in the spirit. When the gang isn't interested, Eric is discouraged by the lack of Christmas spirit in his friends and family.
4. Malcolm In The Middle: "Christmas" (Season 3, Episode 7)
Malcolm, Reese and Dewey misbehave one too many times, so fed-up Lois moves all the decorations and presents to the garage to hold them hostage. Francis gets shipped off to his grandmother's for Christmas, who's cranky and out of booze.
2. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: "A Very Sunny Christmas" (Season 6, Episode 13)
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Every Christmas, Frank has bought Dennis and Dee's dream gifts for that year, and kept them for himself. This year, it was a lamborghini and designer purse. Pissed that he's taken it too far, they enlist the help of Frank's old business partner to set him up in a Scrooge-type scenario to look at his life. Meanwhile, Mac and Charlie learn some disturbing truths about their beloved childhood Christmas memories.
1. The Office: "Christmas Party" (Season 2, Episode 10)
The
office hosts their first Christmas party (that we've seen), and
Michael, excited about the huge bonus he made from letting someone go,
buys an iPod for secret santa. When he's given a homemade oven mitt, he
throws a tantrum and turns secret santa into yankee swap. This upsets
everyone, so Michael solves the holidays in the best way possible: with
alcohol. This episode is one of the all-time classics of the series, and
my favorite Christmas episode ever.
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