Christmas is a time for television—at least it has been my whole life. Television is a cherished part of America’s Christmas celebrations.
A couple of weeks ago I confessed that everything I knew about Hanukkah I learned on TV. Now, with Christmas drawing near it is time to take a look at the odd genre of the Christmas television episode. Most shows, at some point, decide to take a crack at an uplifting Christmas message. Here’s a look at the best, the funniest, and the cheesiest of those episodes.
The best Christmas episode ever wasn’t even about Christmas. “The Strike” from Seinfeld brought the world the wonderful holiday of Festivus.
The Office has always done a great job with Christmas episodes, this year included. But my favorite has always been “Moroccan Christmas.” My horn can pierce the sky.
Bars are always better at Christmas time. Hanging up tinsel and sparkly lights can make any dive feel like home. So, Cheers has to make the list for great Christmas episodes.
Limiting myself to only one Saturday Night Live sketch, the best would have to be Alec Baldwin’s Schewddy Balls.
As much as Christmas is about humor, it’s also about the warm and fuzzies. Nothing delivers the warm and fuzzies (along with pubescent awkwardness) better than The Wonder Years.
Speaking of awkward, the most awkwardly funny moment in a Christmas episode comes from Arrested Development and a duet by Michael and Maeby.
In, perhaps, the cheesiest Christmas episode ever, Saved By the Bell gets at the heart of the holiday season: charity and the mall.
This brilliantly funny episode of The Cosby Show features Dr. Huxtable explaining how Santa Claus is bigger than race.
Night Court gave us a Christmas episode that features both Santa and Michael J. Fox. That’s pretty amazing.
The Simpsons have so many great Christmas moments but here’s the very first.
These are only ten episodes out of hundreds produced. Adding in all day movie marathons of A Christmas Story, Ranking/Bass Christmas specials, and holiday sports like the traditional Christmas Day NBA games, it seems clear to me that couch potatoing is America’s greatest Christmas tradition. It’s just not Christmas without the TV.
