From "Friends" To "The Office" – 15 Sitcom Xmas Episodes That Totally Nailed A Festive Special
by Benjamin Dzialdowski · BuzzFeedAll sitcoms try seasonal episodes, and while they're not easy to nail, some of them are truly perfect. Well, we recently asked the BuzzFeed Community for their fave sitcom Xmas specials, and there were some classics put forward.
So, here are 15 sitcom Xmas episodes that absolutely nailed it:
1. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
"'A Very Sunny Christmas' – 'Merry Christmas, bitches!'"
"I love all the flashbacks of their childhoods but Mac's memories are probably my favourite when he opens a gift and starts innocently screaming in excitement, not realising they're actually stealing another family's gifts who are still in bed. Charlie realised his mum was f*cking all the Santa's and then attacking the Santa in the mall."
2. South Park
"The first 'Mr. Hankey' episode. I did not expect a talking and singing turd to bring such joy, but he does! Plus it's got 'Kyle's Mom's A Bitch.' But the best is the end with Jesus sitting in the dark wishing himself happy birthday."
3. That '70s Show
"The season one Christmas episode. The boys steal a tree, Jackie and her friends get drunk, and state troopers turn up and confiscate the tree. Hilarious."
4. Bob's Burgers
"Hands down 'The Plight Before Christmas' episode of Bob's Burgers. While the episode features the usual Belcher antics, it ends in this genuine heartfelt moment and it reminds you why Bob's Burgers is different from other shows. Despite the gags, jokes, and wacky situations, it's about a family that loves each other."
5. Moonlighting
"I'm so excited this year I don't have to pull out my DVDs to watch the 'Twas the Episode Before Christmas' of Moonlighting. If you haven't seen it, it's one of the best Xmas episodes of all time! So funny and sweet. You get to see the absolute charm of peak Bruce Willis, and at the end, they break the fourth wall and you see the cast, crew, and their families. Absolute perfection. It's not Christmas until I watch it."
6. Father Ted
"The Christmas special with all the vicars lost in the department store. And discovering they’re in the lingerie department."
7. Blackadder
"'Blackadder's Christmas Carol' – it's absolutely timeless."
8. The Office
"The Office has some very good Christmas episodes. Benihana Christmas is probably the best of the bunch, as it's smack dab in the prime of the show. That said, there are so many great Christmas moments from the show as a whole: from Kevin crushing Santa by sitting on his lap, Michael's impromptu intervention for Meredith, YANKEE SWAP, and so much more."
9. The Big Bang Theory
"'The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis' episode. It shows that Sheldon and Penny had the best relationship on that show."
"Sheldon: All I need is a healthy ovum and I can grow my own Leonard Nimoy.
Penny: Okay, all I'm giving you is the napkin, Sheldon."
10. The Simpsons
"The 'Roasting on an Open Fire' episode. Santa's Little Helper finds his forever home, Bart gets a tattoo, and the classic 'Jingle bells, Batman smells'."
11. The Vicar of Dibley
"Let’s not forget British sitcoms! The special with the four Christmas dinners is a classic."
12. Ted Lasso
"That Christmas special was *chefs kiss*. Roy, Keeley and Phoebe with the Love Actually placards, all the international players showing up at The Higgins House, Ted and Rebecca donating gifts and finally Rebecca belting out a Christmas classic in the snow. It's now a yearly tradition – I might watch it right now."
13. Community
"The 'Regional Holiday Music' episode. The Glee parody and how each member of the study group is recruited (more like brainwashed) into the glee club is so well done, not to mention every song being catchy as hell. Seriously, that's how you do a musical episode in a non-musical show. Also, it gave us one of the best line deliveries of the whole series with 'Oh, Britta's in this?'. I can't watch anything with Gillian Jacobs and not have that reaction now."
14. The Royal Family
"All the Xmas specials – particularly the new sofa."
15. Friends
"'The One With the Holiday Armadillo'. It's one of THE most memorable Friends episodes, and that is saying something. Whenever I watch it I get this warm, fuzzy, nostalgic feeling. Chandler's delivery of "but l didn't get to shake my belly like a bowl full of jelly," is wonderful."