The 10 Best Christmas Specials
Every year, I spend a cold December day watching Christmas specials of my favourite TV shows. It’s become one of those very mundane traditions that makes Christmas feel festive. One of the annoying things, though, is trying to find the right episode among all the others. So, here’s my list of the best Christmas specials – ideal for chucking on when you’ve already watched Love Actually ten times.
Brooklyn 99 – “Yippie Kayak” (season 3, episode 10)
I absolutely love Brooklyn 99, and this Die Hard parody episode never fails to make me laugh. On Christmas eve, Jake, Charles and Gina get locked inside a department store while it’s being robbed. Jake, of course, wants to live his Bruce Willis fantasy and save the day – but it ends up being Charles who gets the big moment. After taking down the baddies, he ends with his own family friendly version of a well known catchphrase: “yippie kayack other buckets!”
Gavin and Stacey – (season 2, episode 8)
I can’t think of Christmas without thinking of old school Gavin and Stacey. In this episode, the gang all take to Essex to eat Michael’s best turkey yet (“it’s so good, it tastes like salmon!” – OK, Stacey) and there’s all the daft, banal and alcohol-induced chat most of us expect on Christmas day. Gavin and Stacey never fails to charm by showing life in all its mundane and predictable glory.
Community – “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” (season 2, episode 11)
Occurring in stop-motion, this Community Christmas special tends to divide viewers. The episode follows Abed struggling with his mental health and puts the gang in a weird Christmas wonderland where they each turn into a strange Christmas toy. Some find the episode a bit dark and creepy, but I love the way it represents friendship and the family difficulties so many of us face around the festive season.
Home for Christmas (every episode)
That’s right folks, a Christmas series instead of just a Christmas special! I discovered this Norwegian series a few years ago, and have been obsessed with it ever since. The series follows Johanne, a perpetually single nurse, as she explores her romantic options in time for Christmas day. It’s both charming and witty while being profoundly feminist and tackling a lot irritating gender stereotypes.
Ted Lasso – “Carol of the Bells” (season 2, episode 4)
Most of the Christmas specials I enjoy give me some nostalgia, so the new season of Ted Lasso has done well to make it to the list. The episode follows all the gang on Christmas day, with the highlight being Keeley and Roy trying to find a dentist to cure Roy’s niece’s horrible bad breath. Sure, it’s quite a schmaltzy one, but they’ve done it well. And who can resist London at Christmas?
The Great British Bake Off: Festive Special – Derry Girls
Sometimes, I just want to watch people baking things badly at Christmas. If you feel the same, look no further than the Derry Girls Christmas special, which is total festive carnage. The cast are all super high energy and are clearly having the best time, which is exactly the joy anyone needs at Christmas.
Peep Show – “Seasonal Beatings” (season 7, episode 5)
If you prefer your Christmas specials to be dark, cringe-worthy and slightly cruel, look no further than Peep Show. The Christmas episode features the infamous scene where Jez jokes that he forgot to buy the turkey and Mark flies off the handle, throwing savage insults left, right and centre. This is a Christmas episode with harsh British humour at its finest, and there isn’t a sentimental message to be found. It wouldn’t be Christmas without a little misery, would it?
The US Office – “Christmas party” (season 2, episode 10)
The US Office does Christmas specials well. This one is probably my favourite, as it features the most adorable secret Santa gift from Jim to Pam (God love them). Plus, we get to watch Dwight and Michael trying to squeeze a huge Christmas tree through a door. What’s not to like?!
Gilmore Girls – “The Bracebridge Dinner” (season 2, episode 10)
Nearly every episode of Gilmore Girls features a kind of autumnal/wintery vibe that makes me feel cosy and festive. Lorelai being obsessed with snow is very relatable stuff. However, this is my favourite Gilmore Girls Christmas episode because it’s just so weird. Featuring an old-school Christmas banquet, horse-drawn carriage rides and a snowman competition, I dare you not to feel excited about Christmas.
Friends – The One Where Rachel Quits (season 3, episode 10)
“What about the holiday armadillo?” I hear you shout. Well, sorry, but this is the ultimate Christmas Friends episode. It might seem like an unusual choice because the title centres around Rachel, but this is the episode where Phoebe learns that unsold Christmas trees get put in the chopper. Monica and Joey cheer her up by saving all the old trees and putting them in the apartment, proving that Christmas is all about friendship, kindness and… pine needles all over the floor.
