Every year, as the holidays arrive, it ushers in a familiar pull toward comfort — the glow of lights, the smell of something warm in the kitchen, and the easy joy found in familiar stories. Certain moments on screen seem to capture the spirit of the season perfectly, offering humour, warmth, and a little escape from the rush outside.

Sitcoms, especially, have a way of turning festive chaos into something charming and timeless. Their Christmas episodes blend laughter with heart in a way few other genres manage.

As the season settles in, here is a countdown of the 10 best sitcom Christmas episodes worth re-watching this holiday.

A Benihana Christmas is episodes ten and eleven of the beloved NBC sitcom’s third season. In the episodes, Michael is heartbroken after his girlfriend ends their relationship. To cheer himself up, he goes with Jim, Andy, and Dwight to a Benihana restaurant, where he and Andy meet two waitresses and bring them to the office Christmas party.

Back at work, Pam and Karen organise their own party after being pushed out by Angela’s committee. The two parties eventually merge, and chaos turns into fun, making this one of the show’s most memorable holiday episodes.

The One with the Holiday Armadillo is the tenth episode of the seventh season of Friends. In this, Ross intends to teach his son Ben about their Jewish heritage. He dresses up as the Holiday Armadillo, trying to combine Christmas and Hanukkah lessons in a hilarious way.

Meanwhile, Phoebe and Rachel get caught in a mini-holiday feud involving apartment space. The result is chaotic, funny, and heartwarming — a perfect Friends Christmas offering.

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The following sitcom's Christmas episode is credited with popularising a parody version of Christmas celebrated on December 23 every year.

Season nine, episode ten of Seinfeld popularised Festivus, Frank Costanza’s made-up holiday. The episode is also best remembered for George avoiding buying gifts for his co-workers by donating to a fake charity, and Kramer ending a 12-year strike at his employer, H&H Bagels.

Festivus, for those unversed, comes with a bare pole, airing of grievances, and feats of strength. It is a funny take on holiday stress.

Frasier meets an alluring Jewish woman, Helen Moskowitz, while shopping for Christmas gifts, and she invites him to take her daughter, Faye, on a blind date. This leads to a bond developing between the two characters. On New Year’s Eve, Helen makes a stop at Frasier’s house, unaware that he is not Jewish.

To avoid awkwardness, Frasier and his family pretend to be Jewish, leading to classic Frasier-style misunderstandings and comedy. This episode forms episode ten of the show’s sixth season.

In the ninth episode of season seven of Modern Family, Gloria rents a mountain cabin for the perfect family Christmas, but nothing goes as planned with unfavourable weather and eccentric guests already staying in the lodge. Meanwhile, the family is preoccupied with their own agendas. Despite the chaos, though, they find joy and togetherness.

Christmas Attack Zone is the tenth episode of season five of 30 Rock. Liz Lemon spends Christmas with her boss, Jack Donaghy, only to get caught in family drama when Jack’s mother and estranged father clash at dinner.

Full of awkward secrets and absurd situations, the episode turns the idea of a perfect Christmas on its head, delivering the sharp, satirical humour 30 Rock is known for.

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The next TV Christmas episode is a rightful callback to one of the best Christmas movies of all time — Die Hard.

Yippie Kayak is the tenth episode of the third season of the acclaimed police sitcom. Jake and the team go holiday shopping, but end up trapped in a store robbery, turning Christmas into a real-life action movie.

Amy, Holt, and Rosa join a polar plunge, while the precinct handles the crisis. The episode mixes suspense and comedy, making it a fan favorite for the holidays.

The last episode of the sixth season of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia features Christmas traditions being turned upside down with the gang’s chaotic, selfish behaviour and dysfunctional interactions.

Despite the absurdity, the episode still lands surprisingly hard-hitting points about family and reflection.

Episode seven of season two of Black Mirror tells three interwoven stories set during the holidays, exploring technology and human behaviour in thought-provoking ways. It is part Christmas story, part psychological thriller, and stays true to the bleak, suspenseful tone Black Mirror is famous for.

The Call the Midwife Christmas Specials are annual festive episodes of the British period drama series. These specials typically follow standalone storylines that take place during the holiday season, highlighting community challenges, medical cases, and the spirit of compassion that defines the series.  

So, as the holiday season settles and the slower moments finally arrive after a year-long wait, these sitcom episodes offer an easy way to slip back into laughter and cheer. Whether it is chaos, nostalgia, or simple comfort, each story brings its own spark to the season, inviting viewers to settle in, hit play, and let the festive favorites brighten the holidays once again.

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Do you have a favourite sitcom episode from the list? Let us know in the comments.