The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time
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There are many traditions we hold dear during the holiday season – decorations, parties, presents and more, many of which are deeply personal to us and our families. However, one thing almost all of us love to do is gather ‘round the TV (or other device) and watch a Christmas special of the TV shows we love. Extremely popular in America and the UK, a special holiday episode is a must for any popular series hoping to work its way into your holiday plans, and some become all-time classics. Here’s some of the greatest from recent years, with a few dark tones and classic notes thrown in!

By Victoria Luxford

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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The Office Christmas Specials (UK, 2003) – The British version of The Office went out with a bang, delivering everything fans wanted in one heart-warming final scene where Tim and Dawn (Martin Freeman and Lucy Davis) finally became an item, and perennial figure of fun David Brent (Ricky Gervais) became the life and soul of the party that he had always dreamed of being. It’s not all happy endings, and indeed the final monologues in the documentary talk about life going on, but it does send the show off with a smile and is as close to sentimentality that the often uncomfortably funny show gets.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas (Community, 2010) – In this Season 2 episode of the hit American comedy, Muslim character Abed (Danny Pudi) celebrates his fondness for Christmas in a stop-motion animated episode filled with song, combining animated magic with a story about how the meaning of Christmas is very different for each of us. The episode was a stand-out for many of the show’s devoted following, and earned the series its only Emmy award in 2011 for Outstanding Animation. Even for newcomers to the show, it’s an interesting look at the modern interpretation of the holiday season.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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A Very Murray Christmas (2015) – Bill Murray is one of those stars everyone seems to adore, so focusing a whole programme around his sardonic musings seems like a no-brainer! This one-off special harks back to the old TV Christmas variety shows of yore (more on that later), bringing in an eye-watering number of celebrity guests, from George Clooney to Miley Cyrus, as Murray struggles to put together a TV special in the midst of a blackout and cancelled guest appearances. Led by the unmistakable charm of the Ghostbusters star, it’s an adorable modern variety spectacular with comedy routines, showstopping tunes and a heart-warming message.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special (2020) – Of course, no guide would be complete without the new Queen of Christmas! Mariah Carey’s hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has been a musical starting pistol for festive cheer ever since its release in 1994, only growing with popularity over the years. Carey herself has fully embraced the association, and teamed up with Apple for a 2020 variety special. Joined by Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg and more, the musical diva comes to the rescue of a beleaguered Santa Claus as he turns to Carey to save the day. A campy classic.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Shrek the Halls (2007) – In the computer animation boom of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, it would be commonplace for the characters from hit animated movies to show up in a Christmas-themed episode. Woody and Buzz from Toy Story did it, the Incredibles did it, and so too did Shrek (Mike Myers) and Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in arguably one of the most fun-filled attempts to date. Who better to learn about the spirit of the season than grumpy ogre Shrek, who gets a crash course in holiday cheer when he promises Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and their children a Christmas to remember. Featuring the original cast and a number of popular songs, it has become a modern tradition for families ever since.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Happy Holidays With Bing & Frank (1957) – We take it back to the earliest of Christmas specials with two legendary crooners who team up to sing songs and spread cheer. Crosby himself was synonymous with the season, having released the immortal song “White Christmas” and appeared in a number of holiday specials, including this one with Frank Sinatra. If you prefer a retro feel this December, let Bing and Ol’ Blue Eyes whisk you away with classics such as “Jingle Bells” and, of course, “The Christmas Song”.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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The Christmas Invasion (Doctor Who, 2005) – The first full-length appearance of David Tennant as The Doctor came in the modern show’s first Christmas Special. The series has a habit of bringing darker themes into its Yuletide stories, and this certainly set the tone as the newly regenerated Doctor and Rose (Billie Piper) fight off an invading alien race. Action and a touch of politics are sprinkled into the British extravaganza, which established the character of Tennant in the role and delivered many memorable moments.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Noel (The West Wing, 2000) – More politics, this time in the Oval Office for a wonderfully written episode of Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing. Mental health might not be the cheeriest subject for this kind of episode, but a beautiful main plot involving advisor Josh (Bradley Whitford) suffering from PTSD is capped with this speech about friendship, and not being afraid to ask for help. Delicately acted, it is a feel-good moment derived from the normally hard-hitting award winner.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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The One with the Holiday Armadillo (Friends, 2000) – The realities of mixed-faith families are hilariously portrayed in iconic sitcom Friends, such as this heart-warming episode where Ross (David Schwimmer) tries to get his son Ben excited for the season by dressing as the Holiday Armadillo (Santa costumes were unavailable!). Declared one of the greatest TV episodes ever by many, the Holiday Armadillo has become a tradition for many fans of the show, reminding them of the cast’s ability to combine comedy and sentimentality in a uniquely entertaining way.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Christmas in the Car (Bob’s Burgers, 2013) – Family life going from bad to worse, then somehow working out for the best, is part of the charm of cult animation Bob’s Burgers. Here, the Belcher family’s Christmas is sent literally off course when they are pursued by a candy cane-shaped truck and get their car stuck in the snow. While some specials are all about the magic of the holidays, some depict how Christmas can be special even when everything falls apart. It also has one of the funniest threats ever from guest star Bobcat Goldthwait, playing the truck’s driver.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Carol of the Bells (Ted Lasso, 2021) – A more recent special from a series that has taken the world by storm: Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), the American manager of a British football team, is roped into helping the less fortunate, while the club’s Director of Communications Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift) opens up his home to the many international players who aren’t able to travel for the holidays. A little bit cliché in places, it nonetheless highlights the necessity of family at this time of year – be it the family you’re born into, or the one you create along the way.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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A Very Glee Christmas (Glee, 2010) – Music plays a huge part in the festive season, and who better to serenade you with the classics than the lovable misfits of Glee? As saccharine as you would expect from the squeaky-clean series, it somehow is more charming at Christmastime, given the number of beautifully performed holiday songs (including a couple from How the Grinch Stole Christmas). Its highlight? A delightful and modern take on the holiday standard “Baby It’s Cold Outside” between students Kurt (Chris Colfer) and his friend/crush Blaine (Darren Criss).

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Christmas at Downton Abbey (Downton Abbey, 2011) – Before the new movie hits cinemas next year, now’s a great time to head back to Downton Abbey for their finest Christmas special back in 2011. Set in 1919, the holiday preparations are overshadowed by a dark cloud as one of the senior staff members (Brendan Coyle) gets in trouble with the law. The tension of Downton is always a little muted compared to most TV dramas, but the English aesthetic and familiar characters will lull you into a cosy world where most things are sorted out over a cup of tea and a knowing glance.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Undeck the Halls (Modern Family, 2009) – Stress can take its toll on everyone in the family during the holidays, and no episode captures this more succinctly than this special from the wildly successful American sitcom. The main plot revolves around patriarch Phil (Ty Burrell) threatening to take away Christmas after accusing one of his children of smoking, and couple Cameron and Mitchell (Eric Stonestreet and Jesse Tyler Ferguson) getting their first Santa picture with their daughter. Trivial moments blown up into a saga is part of life, especially in a sitcom, and this episode is a fine example of what the series did so well.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time.
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Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire (The Simpsons, 1989) – We end with the episode that started an institution. Interestingly enough, The Simpsons’ first full-length episode was a holiday special, where Homer takes on a job as a shopping mall Santa to afford Christmas presents when an unexpected expense arises. Through a series of typically Simpson-like mishaps, he ends up penniless – but with a new pet dog, Santa’s Little Helper. A story that not only introduces a family favourite, but also delivers the message that the holidays are all about who you have with you, not what’s under the tree.

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The 15 Greatest Holiday TV Specials Of All Time

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