Hi everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying the festive season! Today, just for fun, I’m sharing some of my favourite Christmas-themed episodes of sitcoms from across the years. So, without further preamble, here are:
10 Christmas-Themed Sitcom Episodes Everyone Should Watch!
Christmas is a time for staying home, staying warm and settling down in a big old comfy chair with a nice cup of warm whatever to watch a delightfully festive feast of Christmas-themed entertainment.
Sitcoms over the years have been a source of such holiday cheer, with many of them providing special episodes to help get us in the spirit of things. Here are just some of the many shows out there just waiting to be enjoyed – at any time of the year.
1 Friends – The one with the Holiday Armadillo
There couldn’t be a list of holiday-themed sitcom episodes without mentioning Friends. After all, it boasted ten Christmas-themed episodes throughout its ten seasons, and this one is episode 10 from season 7, originally airing on December 14th 2000.
In this, the second Christmas-themed episode of the seventh season, Ross wants to familiarise his son, Ben, with his Jewish heritage. Ben, however, is only interested in Santa, so, giving in, Ross sets out to find a Santa costume to surprise Ben – the only problem is that the costume shop is all out of Santas, leaving Ross with only one outfit option – you guessed it – an Armadillo.
Later, when ‘Holiday’ Armadillo appears attempting to explain to Ben why Hanukkah is important, Chandler shows up wearing a Santa outfit.
2 The Golden Girls – ‘Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas
Unfortunately, The Golden Girls only produced two festive episodes during the show’s eight-season run, and the eleventh episode of Season Two, ‘Twas The Nightmare Before Christmas, was the first, originally airing on December 20th 1986.
In this one, the women have each planned to go off and visit their respective families for the holidays, but a man dressed as Santa Claus holding them at gunpoint at the Grief Counselling Centre where Rose works scuppers their plans.
It is up to Sofia to save them when she comes in and snatches the gun from their captor, revealing it to be only a toy.
3 I Love Lucy – The I Love Lucy Christmas Show
The 27th Episode of the sixth and final season of I Love Lucy aired on Christmas Eve in 1956 and became the very first clip show on Television. In the episode, the Ricardo’s and the Mertzes spend Christmas together and reminisce about the birth of Little Ricky. The Ricardos and the Mertzes each dress up as Santa Claus to surprise little Ricky, but the real Santa has come to visit him.
4 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – Deck the Halls
The classic sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, was a staple of TV viewing for those of us growing up in the 90s and on December 10th 1990, the first of the series’ four Christmas episodes aired. In this particular episode, Will decides to show Ashley what a ‘real’ Christmas looks like since in Philadelphia, there would have been lots of Christmas decorations, lights and carolers, and while there are those things in Bel-Air, they are few and far between. Will decides to vibrantly decorate the inside and outside of the house – much to the chagrin of the neighbours.
5 Bewitched – Santa Comes to Visit and Stays and Stays
In the fourteenth episode of season six, first broadcast on December 18th 1969, Samantha and Darrin’s housekeeper, Esmerelda (a witch), accidentally brings Santa to the Stephens’ – home and, unfortunately, is unable to send him back to the North Pole. As Christmas Eve approaches, Samantha decides she must bring Santa’s whole workforce, including his workshop, to her home so Christmas isn’t ruined.
6 The Big Bang Theory – The Santa Simulation
The Santa Simulation is the sixth season’s eleventh episode, airing on December 13th 2012. In this festive instalment, the guys play Dungeons and Dragons without the girls, so the girls decide to have an all-girls night. Sheldon tells stories about his past experiences around Christmas, revealing his hatred for the holiday.
7 Everybody Loves Raymond – The Toaster
Season three’s twelfth episode brings us The Toaster, a classic Everybody Loves Raymond episode and one of the finer of its many Christmas-themed episodes. Here, Ray’s parents upset him when they traded in the gift he got them – a personally engraved Toaster- for a coffee maker. This episode first aired on December 14th 1998.
8 Frasier – Miracle on Third or Fourth Street
Frasier was on the air for eleven seasons, eight of which have Christmas episodes. Miracle on Third or Fourth Street is episode twelve from season one. In it, Frasier’s son, Frederick, chooses to spend Christmas in Switzerland with his mother. Frasier, feeling down, is left to have a miserable Christmas. Stopping at a diner for his Christmas Dinner, however, he witnesses a miracle when, upon losing his wallet, the diner’s regulars chip in and pay for his meal. This episode originally aired on December 16th 1993.
9 Home Improvement – Bright Christmas
Home Improvement is another long-running sitcom with many a Christmas-themed episode – it actually manages to cram in nine across its eight seasons!
The seventh season’s eleventh episode, Bright Christmas, aired on December 16th 1997. In this one, in typical Tim Taylor fashion, Tim gets caught up in a Christmas decorating competition and winds up going overboard with the lights. Meanwhile, Jill is upset that her mother has started dating so soon after her father’s death.
10 Maude – The Christmas Party
Maude ran for six seasons and gave us four Christmas-themed episodes throughout its run. The Christmas Party is episode fourteen of season four, originally airing on December 22nd 1975. With Walter, Maude’s husband, hosting his annual Christmas party at the house, he’s worried that Stephanie, a feminist friend of Maude’s, will ruin the evening, and Maude must step in to mediate when things get heated.
Thank you, as ever, for stopping by to read my post. It really means a lot.
I hope you all have the very merriest of Christmases (or your religious holiday of choice). Until next time,
George
© 2024 GLT
GEORGE L THOMAS 
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