Image Credit: Gilmore Girls (2000), Warner Bros

*Spoilers for Benidorm*

Throughout the months of November and December, streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ flood us with an endless supply of Christmas films, all with rushed plots and predictable endings. However, year after year, I find myself trying to skip them and instead spend time meticulously (and frustratingly) searching through site menus for the token Christmas episode from my favourite television shows. 

Anyone who knows me is aware of my complete obsession with Christmas and as a self-professed lover of nostalgia, I have a deep love for many Christmas films that evoke these feelings. However, certain television episodes hold a unique power to truly transport me back to specific moments in my life. The compiled list at the end of this article reflects this, covering episodes from across my entire life that have significantly shaped both my childhood and ongoing adulthood. They are also significantly shorter than watching a whole movie, important amidst our busy holiday calendars. 

British Television

A great starting point is one of my family’s favourites, Only Fools and Horses. With 18 Christmas specials to its name, this show is a holiday staple in the Herbert household. Christmas isn’t truly underway until my Mum and I have watched an episode together in bed, waiting for my Dad to finish making breakfast.

One of my personal favourite shows is the classic Benidorm, but I have to admit that I always skip the 2010 Christmas Special. Though the episode is brilliant throughout, the ending hits me hard when we learn that Mel has died on Christmas Day, which would have also been his birthday. The episode’s sadness is made heavier by the dedication to Geoffrey Hutchings (Mel), who passed away earlier that year. If you aren’t as prone to tears as I am, the Benidorm special is still a fantastic watch. 

A more recent addition to my Christmas watchlist is the two Motherland holiday episodes. The first features Julia running around frantically with red tinsel wrapped around her neck. In contrast, the 2022 episode, ‘Final Christmas,’ served as the series finale and had a rather bleak tone, so I might skip rewatching that one this year. However, at 9.15pm on Christmas Day this year we are being treated to a festive special of the show’s spin-off, Amandaland. 

There is one series that will always take the (paper) crown for best Christmas episodes, and that is none other than Gavin & Stacey. I must rewatch the show at least four times a year, but the Christmas specials will be on constant repeat throughout December. I can still remember the 2019 episode coming out, screaming at the screen when the credits started rolling, my dad sat laughing next to me. Although it was not festive themed, last year’s finale had us racing home from our dinner all tucked up with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange on the sofa, ending with me balling my eyes out on Christmas, just like I was in 2019. However, nothing can beat the 2008 special, I feel emotional just thinking about it. The music, jokes, decorations and chaos perfectly captures the mundane yet beautiful feeling of a family Christmas. 

Disney Channel & Nickelodeon 

Moving onto some childhood classics, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon delivered some memorable Christmas specials. One standout is from The Suite Life of Zack and Cody: Season One, Episode 21, ‘Christmas at the Tipton.’ Fast-forward to the spin-off series Suite Life on Deck, where the episode ‘A London Carol’ puts a fun twist on the beloved Charles Dickens classic.

In Season Two, Episode 13 of Victorious, Christmas visits Hollywood Arts in the show’s only holiday-themed episode. The storyline revolves around Sikowitze assigning his students a Secret Santa challenge, giving us the brilliantly catchy song, ‘It’s Not Christmas Without You’, that has stayed on my winter playlist since 2011. 

American Comedies

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the heavy influence of American saturation, and I eat it up every year. While I’m sure some honourable mention’s should go to the likes of Friends and The Office, I have to embarrassingly admit that I have never really watched them (I got up to season 7 of Friends and gave up). There are five comedies where I always return to their Christmas special and I hope to inspire some of you to go back and watch them if you haven’t already. 

To begin, we look at Gilmore Girls, a series that doesn’t have many specifically dedicated Christmas episodes. While there are winter-themed episodes, we don’t actually see a Christmas Day throughout the show. Snow is present for at least half a season in Stars Hollow and so you could pick your own bunch of episodes to get you in the mood. My personal favourite is episode 10 of Season Two, ‘The Bracebridge Dinner’, in which Lorelai and Sookie put on a whole meal for the town. ‘Santa’s Secret Stuff,’ the 11th episode of Season Seven, is arguably the most Christmassy, despite being an awkward and difficult watch for many viewers, especially if Christopher is too much to handle for you like he is for me. 

Next is Modern Family, a show known for its excellent themed episodes. Many parents threaten to cancel Christmas when their child misbehaves, but in the first festive episode of the series (S01E10), Phil Dunphy takes this threat to an unnecessarily extreme level. It is one of my favourite episodes to revisit as you can contrast it with the final Christmas special from Season 11, ‘The Last Christmas,’ to see how the characters/actors have grown up. 

For a dose of 1970s Christmas nostalgia, That ’70s Show is the perfect entertainment to pop on. My favourite episode is ‘The Best Christmas Ever’ from season one, set around the Foreman’s Christmas party. However, the difficulty with this show is how very hard it is to find on streaming services here in the UK… 

While Brooklyn 99 is famous for its Halloween Heist episodes, the series also delivers a nostalgic winter in New York feel with its Christmas-themed airings. In my opinion, the show’s most iconic Christmas episode is ‘Yippie Kayak,’ the third episode of Season 10. Given Jake Peralta’s obsession with the film Die Hard, this episode perfectly delivers by placing him in a life-or-death hostage situation on Christmas Eve while he’s gift shopping. Charles ultimately saves the day, although he butchers John McClane’s famous line, instead declaring, “Yippie kayak other buckets.”

Completing our list of American comedies is The Big Bang Theory, my favourite show of all time. I’ve never been able to pin-point exactly why this is my comfort show, but for over a decade those scientists have dominated my TV screen. Although the Christmas episodes aren’t particularly my favourites, ‘The Maternal Congruence’ from season 3 stands out as the best festive episode. Is there anything better at Christmas than an intoxicated Christine Baranski? 

Honourable Mentions

New York City, arguably the location with the strongest Christmas ‘vibes’ in the world, serves as the setting for two distinct shows: Gossip Girl and Dash & Lily. 

The Gossip Girl episode “Roman Holiday,” from Season One, is a prime example of the show’s influence, which has instilled an attitude problem in a generation of young girls and, yes, the call is coming from inside the house. While the show is better known for its Thanksgiving-themed installments, its two Christmas episodes are nevertheless quite good.

The eight episodes of Dash & Lily are a completely Christmas-themed story centered on a budding teen romance. The two protagonists communicate by exchanging a notebook at iconic New York City locations, all leading up to Christmas. If I was to recommend just one thing you have to watch this Christmas season, it would have to be Dash & Lily. 

I’m certain there are hundreds more episodes I’ll be adding to this list in the years to come. But for now, you should grab a blanket, get all cozy, and have your TV remote ready to jump between those pesky streaming services. 

Merry Christmas, and enjoy! 

Favourites from British Television Shows: 

Only Fools & Horses: ‘Christmas Crackers’ S01 E07 (ITVX Premium) 

Only Fools & Horses: ‘Diamonds are for Heather’ S02 E08 (ITVX Premium) 

Only Fools & Horses: ‘Thicker Than Water’ S03 E08 (ITVX Premium) 

Motherland: ‘Christmas Special’ S03 E01 (Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer) 

Motherland: ‘Last Christmas’ 2022 Special (Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer)

Benidorm: ‘Christmas Special’ S04 E01 (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video) 

Gavin and Stacey: ‘Christmas Special’ S02 E08 (BBC iPlayer) 

Gavin and Stacey: ‘Christmas Special 2019’ (BBC iPlayer)

Gavin and Stacey: ‘The Finale’ (BBC iPlayer)

Favourites from Disney Channel and Nickelodeon: 

Suit Life of Zack and Cody: ‘Christmas at the Tipton’ S01 E21 (Disney+)

Girl Meets World: ‘Girl Meets Home for the Holidays’ S01 E16 (Disney+) 

Girl Meets World: ‘Girl Meets New Year’ S02 E25 (Disney+) 

Girl Meets World: ‘Girl Meets a Christmas Maya’ S03 E18 (Disney+)
Sonny With a Chance: ‘A So Random Holiday Special’ S02 E22 (Disney+) 

Phineas and Ferb: ‘Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!’ S02 E22 (Disney+)

Austin & Ally: ‘Santas & Surprises’ S04 E18 (Disney+) 

Jessie: ‘A Christmas Story’ S01 E08 (Disney+)

Liv and Maddie: ‘Fa La La La-A-Rooney’ S01 E10 (Disney+)

Liv and Maddie: ‘Joy to-A-Rooney’ S03 E09 (Disney+)

Liv and Maddie: ‘Cali Christmas-A-Rooney’ S04 E06 (Disney+)

Victorious: ‘A Christmas Tori’ S02 E13 (Netflix) 

iCarly: ‘iChristmas’ S02 E06 (Netflix)

Gilmore Girl Episodes: 

Season 1, Episode 10: “Forgiveness and Stuff”

Season 2, Episode 10: “The Bracebridge Dinner”

Season 3, Episode 10: “That’ll Do, Pig”

Season 4, Episode 11: “In the Clamor and Clangor”

Season 5, Episode 11: “Women of Questionable Morals”

Season 6, Episode 12: “Just Like Gwen and Gavin”

Season 7, Episode 11: “Santa’s Secret Stuff”

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Season 1, Episode 1: “Winter” 

Modern Family Episodes: 

Season 1, Episode 10: “Undeck the Halls” 

Season 3, Episode 10: “Express Christmas”

Season 5, Episode 10: “The Old Man And The Tree”

Season 7, Episode 9: “White Christmas”

Season 10, Episode 10: “Stuck In A Moment”

Season 11, Episode 9: “The Last Christmas” 

That ‘70s Show Episodes: 

Season 1, Episode 12: “The Best Christmas Ever” 

Season 3, Episode 9: “Hyde’s Christmas Rager”

Season 4, Episode 12: “An Eric Forman Christmas”

Season 6, Episode 7: “Christmas”

Season 7, Episode 11: “Winter” 

B-99 Episodes: Netflix

Season 1, Episode 11: “Christmas”

Season 2, Episode 10: “The Pontiac Bandit Returns” 

Season 3, Episode 10: “Yippie Kayak”

Season 4, Episode 10: “Captain Latvia”

Big Bang Theory Episodes: Netflix (leaving 30th December), Disney +, Prime and Channel 4. 

Season 2, Episode 11: “The Bath Gift Item Hypothesis”

Season 3, Episode 11: “The Maternal Congruence” 

Season 6, Episode 11: “The Santa Simulation”

Season 7, Episode 11: “The Cooper Extraction”

Season 8, Episode 11: “The Clean Room Infiltration”

Season 10, Episode 12: “The Holiday Summation”

Gossip Girl Episodes:

Season 1, Episode 11: “Roman Holiday”

Season 2, Episode 12: “It’s a Wonderful Life” 

Dash & Lily Episodes:

Found on Netflix