The Best Sitcom Christmas Episodes Of All Time

Sitcoms are the things that make us laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions in between. Still, if there’s one thing they are almost guaranteed to always do right, it’s a Christmas special. After all, it’s meant to be one of the most joyous times of the year. What can go wrong when it comes to bringing the holiday to life for the small screen?

Sometimes, a lot, but that just adds to the joy that is our favorite sitcoms. When it comes to the best sitcom Christmas episodes of all time, they really have something special that makes them stand out above the rest.

Classy Christmas sees The Office perfectly blend emotional moments with office hijinks

Let’s face it; most episodes of ‘The Office’ were always bound to get people laughing, but there was something so hilarious yet so heartbreaking about ‘Classy Christmas.’ After all, Michael Scott (played by Steve Carell) finally found his love in the form of Holly Flax (played by Amy Ryan), but they were at a crossroads in their relationship. While Holly wanted commitment, Michael was yet to get down on one knee, and Holly was quick to give him an ultimatum: he had to propose before the end of the year, or she was gone. With not long left to bring his plans to life, ‘Classy Christmas’ perfectly ties together the absurdness that is working in this office with the emotional depth that we came to know from the show.

Christmas Eve Eve takes New Girl fans on an emotional roller coaster from start to finish

It takes a show like ‘New Girl’ to take something as simple as Secret Santa and turn it into what it became in ‘Christmas Eve Eve.’ This time, we get to see Jess (played by Zooey Deschanel) get fully into the Christmas spirit by starting a Secret Santa. However, when she finds out that she didn’t even have one, her festive spirit starts to fade. The emotional roller coaster of this episode has us wondering if there will be a happy ending after all, but thankfully, things turn around when Robby (played by Nelson Franklin) and the rest of the gang team up to get Jess the best gift yet. The surprise? A carol sung by Darlene Love.

I’m Scheming of a White Christmas was the first time Home Improvement showed off its Christmas skills

By the time the second season of ‘Home Improvement’ came around, it was clear that ABC was onto a winner. After all, with Tim Allen at the wheel, it was hard to go wrong. That’s where the first of the Christmas episodes came along, firstly offering ‘I’m Scheming of a White Christmas.’ Here, we get to see Randy (played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Brad (played by Zachery Ty Bryan) as they collect money for charity - only to keep it all. When their parents find out about the grand scheme, there’s a host of consequences, bringing the cheesiness that was ‘90s sitcoms back to life. While it might seem a little dated now, it really was an important message at the time - and one that still stands today.

The One With the Holiday Armadillo is one of the most iconic episodes to ever come from Friends

Of course, we can’t talk about the best sitcom Christmas episodes of all time without talking about ‘Friends,’ specifically ‘The One With the Holiday Armadillo.’ The episode graced our screens in season seven and saw Ross (played by David Schwimmer) determined to show his son the best Christmas of all time. The problem? They’re all out of Santa costumes. Ross is also determined to teach Ben about his Jewish roots, but things take another turn when Chandler (played by Matthew Perry) arrives in a Santa suit as a surprise. Add in Joey (played by Matt LeBlanc) trying to help by dressing up as Superman, and this episode has instant classic written all over it.

The best sitcom Christmas episodes of all time might take us on quite the journey, but one thing’s for sure: you’ll always be left feeling on top of the world by the end of it all. After all, if there’s one thing sitcoms can do, it’s turn that frown upside down, especially during the festive season.