The best Christmas TV episodes
The top 3 according to 82 votes from people: Seinfeld – 'The Strike' (1997) · Friends – 'The One with the Holiday Armadillo' (2000) · The Simpsons – 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' (1989). (Updated Dec 8, 2025.)
Festivus, the Holiday Armadillo, Abed's stop-motion Christmas and the Simpsons' very first episode: the holiday episodes MovieWeb and Collider rank highest.
Top 12
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1
Seinfeld – 'The Strike' (1997)
Season 9, episode 10: Frank Costanza's Festivus, 'for the rest of us'.
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2
Friends – 'The One with the Holiday Armadillo' (2000)
Season 7, episode 10: Ross teaches Ben about Hanukkah dressed as an armadillo.
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3
The Simpsons – 'Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire' (1989)
Season 1, episode 1: Homer loses his Christmas bonus and the family gets Santa's Little Helper.
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4
The Office – 'Christmas Party' (2005)
Season 2, episode 10: Michael turns Secret Santa into Yankee Swap.
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5
Community – 'Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas' (2010)
Season 2, episode 11: Abed sees everything in stop-motion.
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6
Grey's Anatomy – 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' (2005)
Season 2, episode 12: Christmas and Hanukkah at Seattle Grace.
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7
Ted Lasso – 'Carol of the Bells' (2021)
Season 2, episode 4: Ted's first Christmas away from his son.
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8
Parks and Recreation – 'Citizen Knope' (2011)
Season 4, episode 10: Leslie's team gives her the perfect gift.
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9
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia – 'A Very Sunny Christmas' (2010)
Season 5, episode 13: the gang's twisted holiday traditions.
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10
How I Met Your Mother – 'Symphony of Illumination' (2011)
Season 7, episode 12: Robin narrates for once, with a heartbreaking twist.
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11
30 Rock – 'Christmas Special' (2008)
Season 3, episode 6: Jack tries to win back his mother's affection.
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12
Brooklyn Nine-Nine – 'Christmas' (2013)
Season 1, episode 11: Jake becomes Captain Holt's bodyguard.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (1)
Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas at only 7th is a crime. Stop-motion Community is peak television and I will die on this hill.