As the Thanksgiving season comes to an end and Christmas is upon us, we always hear the same holiday songs and watch the same holiday movies, but what about television sitcoms? Listed below are episodes in order from my favorite sitcom, Friends.
The filming of Friends lasted from 1994 to 2004 and was widely considered one of the biggest television shows of the 90s. 18 years later, the legendary sitcom remains one of the most-watched television shows in history. In the 10 years that Friends was on the air, a total of 236 episodes were made with only seven of them being Christmas episodes. Keep reading to find out what those episodes are!
To all of my other Friends lovers out there, I hope you can agree with me on this one. Ranking number one on this extremely well-thought-out list is “The One With the Routine” (Season 6, Episode 10). As Christmas slowly transitions into New Years’, Ross and Monica are asked to perform their hilarious, yet well-choreographed, dance number on live television. Joey’s roommate, Jenine, allows them to show off their moves at Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Even if you aren’t a fan of Friends (which frankly I will never understand), you are guaranteed a good laugh when binging this episode.
Next up, in “The One With the Holiday Armadillo” (Season 7, Episode 10). In a last-minute decision, Ross unexpectedly finds out that he gets to spend Christmas with his son, Ben. Ross wants to teach Ben what it means to be Jewish and celebrate both Hanukkah and Christmas. He comes to find that all of the Santa costumes have been rented out, so he improvises! This episode puts a cute and fun twist on the holiday season.
In Season 9, Episode 10, “The One With Christmas in Tulsa,” Chandler is stuck in Tulsa to meet a deadline. While Monica is overcome with the thought of Chandler having an affair, Chandler is figuring out ways to be with his wife and closest friends on Christmas morning. In the end, he catches a flight and his arrival back in New York was a success. This will always be one of my favorite episodes because of Chandler’s sincerity toward Monica.
Next, In Season 3, Episode 10 “The One Where Rachel Quits,” Rachel tries to find a new job outside of the local coffee house, Central Perk. Phoebe is now suddenly against the selling of Christmas trees because she believes that “all trees want to fulfill their Christmas destiny.”
Now, these next two wouldn’t particularly be my first choice but are still worth watching. “The One With the Inappropriate Sister” (Season 5, Episode 10), and “The One With Ross’s Step Forward” (Season 8, Episode 11) just don’t highlight Christmas in all of its glory. Despite this, they are still some of my favorites simply because of their constant humor. I’ll let you watch these for yourself.
Finally, we have “The One with Phoebe’s Dad” (Season 2, Episode 9). Now, Don’t get me wrong, If you put any episode in front of me, I guarantee I’ll watch it. This one will have to go in last place for the holiday episode listing simply because this one is the least focused on Christmas. Monica and Rachel throw a party in their apartment, but it all goes downhill because the radiator breaks. Meanwhile, Phoebe tries to get in contact with her biological father.
Well, that concludes this year’s ranking of holiday sitcoms. Friends is such an easy show to put on for any occasion or audience. Throw it on while you’re cooking or hosting a dinner party. Especially if it’s a Christmas party. Happy watching!