Memorable holiday episodes of your favorite TV shows!

[Steelmaker]

OK, I grew up watching a lot of TV shows and some of my most favorite episodes were the holiday ones! Here is my top 5 all time favorite TV Show holiday episodes. Which ones are yours?

1.) "The Christmas Story" (The Andy Griffith Show)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyakyh57t6E

On Christmas Eve, department store owner Ben Weaver insists Andy jail moonshiner Jim Muggins. Weaver has brought along a jug of moonshine as evidence of Jim's wrongdoing. Andy complies with Weaver's request but feels it's only fair that Jim's wife Bess and his two young children be incarcerated as well, since they all had knowledge of Jim's moonshining. With the Muggins family in jail, Andy, Barney, Aunt Bee, Ellie, and Opie prepare a feast with all the trimmings for the family and decorate a Christmas tree. Peeping at the window, Ben Weaver is touched with the Christmas spirit and tries to get himself arrested in order to join the fun. Andy only arrests Weaver, however, after he dumps a garbage can in the alley. Together, the men appear at the door of the jail with a suitcase full of gaily wrapped gifts from Ben's store. Ben is welcomed and regaled with food and drink. Weaver falls asleep in one of the jail cells after finishing the jug of Jim's moonshine.

2.) "The Draft Dodger" (All In The Family)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0moT5eYrec

It's Christmas again and the Bunker's are preparing for their holiday meal with Archie's buddy Pinky. Mike's old friend David Brewster drops by unexpectedly and Mike is concerned because he is a draft dodger who has been living in Canada and is wanted by the FBI. Pinky comes by and Archie warns the family not to let him move the conversation toward his son Steven since Pinky is still in shock over his tragic death in Vietnam. During dinner Archie won't stop quizzing him about why he lives in Canada. David is so put out that he admits that he is a draft dodger, which insights a furious rage from Archie. He assumes that since Pinky, the "gold star father", has lost his son in Vietnam that he will join him in his outrage, but to Archie's shock, Pinky sides with David and wishes him a Merry Christmas.

3.) "First Christmas" (Little House on the Prairie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj25Q-UJzSI

In this episode, Laura decides to purchase her mother a stove for Christmas from Mr. Olsen by trading her horse. Coincidentally, Charles Ingals seeks to purchase the same stove from Mr. Olsen only to find out he's already promised it to "someone else".

4.) "Guess Who's Coming To Christmas" (Happy Days)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35_LZfhd2Mw

Howard Cunningham is adamant about having a "family Christmas" but Richie discovers that Fonzie is going to be all alone for the holidays. Fonzie claims he'll be having a bell-ringing Christmas with his own family---but it doesn't ring true.

5.) "A Christmas They Never Forgot" (Little House on the Prairie)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkayfFa5iSs

Snowbound on the Ingalls homestead on Christmas eve, Caroline, Laura and Hester Sue share memories of Christmases past.

[spanky87]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Season 3 "Amends"

As the Christmas holiday approaches, Angel is tormented by evil apparitions who want him to eliminate Buffy.



SMG kills me every time in the last few scenes.

[stvn1974]

my favorite holiday episode is Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Pangs from season four. There are a great many one-liners plus Xander get's syphilis.

[EricJ]

Ahem...WHERE on the list is Twilight Zone: "Night of the Meek"?

Original Twilight Zone series Christmas episode 1/2 - YouTube

(Seriously: If you don't melt at 4:00 just before Rod's intro, the constant little celeste bars of "First Noel" on the soundtrack will finish the job.)

A few mentions also of Dick Van Dyke Show, "The Alan Brady Show Presents".
Although you can be excused for fast-forwarding over Richie singing "Little Drummer Boy".

[mrrant_33]

'Twas The Night Before Christmas-The Honeymooners - YouTube

Best part is at the end when the leads break character and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

[djgeneral]

It is fairly recent, but I love the Big Bang Theory Christmas with Sheldon and Penny buying gifts for eachother. For fans of the show, it leads to one of the biggest moments (at least until that point) of the series.

[i007spectre]

EUReKA Warehouse 13 Christmas - YouTube

And this 2011 Christmas episode of Eureka was great as well.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2034296/

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by mrrant_33

'Twas The Night Before Christmas-The Honeymooners - YouTube

Best part is at the end when the leads break character and wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

That's a GREAT one and was just outside of my top 5!

Another one of my all time favorites was the old Burt Reynolds TV show "Evening Shade." There was a Christmas episode where Burt Reynold's kids were being extremely selfish and spoiled about the holidays so he took all their presents and donated them to needy kids! Great episode with a great message!

[Thomas Veil]

I'll chip in with:

Santa '85 from Amazing Stories...gets me every time

and while I'm at it what the heck with not putting out the second and last season on DVD.