8 Great Holiday TV Episodes Worth Watching to Get You in the Spirit
Image: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
If you’re like me, you spend so much time preserving the celebration of the holidays for just the right moment that you inevitably end up letting them whip by. I mean, I’m the idiot who went shopping for a Halloween costume this year at 7 p.m. on the 31st. I don’t have any gifts purchased, let alone wrapped, and my best friend just text me to remind me of our drunken gift exchange in about four hours. I’ve decided that I’m all for starting too early. Let’s celebrate the holidays as soon as we’re done shopping for school supplies. Hell, let’s actually start having Christmas in July!
Well, enough of that. I think a lot of our time during the holiday season is spent looking ahead. Where will we be next year? How can we be better? That’s important, but I think it’s also a good thing to reflect on the past. Here are eight awesome holiday TV episodes in no particular order that are worth revisiting for the sake of nostalgia. Let television serve as the Ghost of Christmas Past this year, Scrooges! Feel free to share your favorite holiday TV episodes to watch each season below!
1. Gilligan’s Island – “Birds Gotta Fly, Fish Gotta Talk” – Season 1 Episode 12
The castaways get homesick and reminisce about their early days on the island. It’s Christmas Eve, and a smorgasbord of flashbacks end with one moment of gratefulness on a show that was typically nothing more than goofy fun.2. Glee – “A Very Glee Christmas” – Season 2 Episode Episode 10
With Sue Sylvester acting as the Grinch of Lima, the kids of McKinley High learn that sharing their true gifts with the local community is more important than keeping their material presents for themselves. In the end, their talent earns the respect of the club’s greatest opponent, and Sue repairs the damage dealt by capping off the episode with some Christmas cheer. Perhaps the most iconic Christmas cover to come out of Glee, Kurt and Blaine’s cover of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” debuted during this episode.3. South Park – “Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo” – Season 1 Episode 9
When Kyle, a Jew, is given the role of Saint Joseph in the school nativity play, his enraged mother demands that all religious elements be stripped from the production. Kyle suggests that the town turn its attention to Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, in hopes of uniting the civilians of South Park for the holidays. In the end, Chef helps the town see that Mr. Hankey is, indeed, real, and the people of South Park celebrate Christmas for the good that it stands for rather than the bad.
Download this episode of South Park on iTunes
4. Orange is the New Black – “Can’t Fix Crazy” – Season 1 Episode 13
The finale of Netflix’s first season of its hit comedic drama finds Piper Chapman dropping her entitled ways in one final moment of desperate lashing out. When Pennsatucky attempts to maim Chapman with a crucifix doubling as a shiv following the prison Christmas play, Piper unleashes all hell on her assailant in a moment that left the white snow stained blood red.
Watch Orange is the New Black on Netflix
5. New Girl – "Santa" - Season 2 Episode 11
Nick, Jess, and the rest of the gang attempt to juggle several holiday parties and unfortunate Christmas-themed debacles over the course of one thirty-minute block. Winston suffers the agony of a cranberry lodged in his ear.6. SpongeBob SquarePants - "Patchy the Pirate Presents the SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas Special!" - Season 2 Episode 6
Patchy the Pirate recalls the tale of Bikini Bottom's first ever Christmas. Sandy introduces SpongeBob and his friend to the traditions of the surface world, and Squidward wonders why anyone would celebrate a holiday praising a scary old man who breaks into your home via chimney.
Download this episode of SpongeBob SquarePants on iTunes
7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - "Amends" - Season 3 Episode 10
With the holidays upon them, Buffy and her friends watch as Angel unravels. Plagued by visions of the countless people he murdered over the centuries, Angel decides to take his own life in one final moment of redemption. Buffy reaches him just as the sun begins to rise, but a holiday miracle in the form of a Sunnydale snowfall blocks the rays from killing Angel.8. Seinfeld - "The Strike" - Season 9 Episode 10
"A Festivus for the rest of us!" George's father creates a new holiday to rid them of the commercial and religious aspects of Christmas. George "donates" $20,000 to a fake charity in order to skip out on actually participating in the office gift exchange. When his donation is questioned, he desperately (and hilariously) clings to Festivus as an excuse, feigning the fear of persecution for his beliefs.Do you have any favorite holiday TV episodes you enjoy watching again and again? Be safe this holiday season, folks!