Blogmas Day 18: Ranking the Christmas Episodes of Friends

Last year, I ranked the Christmas episodes of The Office. This year, I’m ranking Friends’. This show is more known for it’s Thanksgiving episodes, but it’s got some pretty great Christmas episodes too.

#11 The One With Christmas in Tulsa

Season 9, episode 10

This episode features Rachel’s date, Danny, who is a little too touchy when it comes to his sister. The highlight of the episode comes from Phoebe collecting donations. But this is an episode that has a ton of flashbacks, which got excessive in the later seasons. But, that meant that the new storyline wasn’t as strong as it could have been.

#10 The One With The Inappropriate Sister

Season 5, episode 10

Rachel goes on a date with a neighbor, Danny, and discovers that his relationship with his sister is a bit… much. The most ‘holiday’ part of the episode is Phoebe collecting donations outside of Macy’s, and then getting more aggressive when she finds that the donation bucket is more like a trash can. Overall, it’s not a great episode. Not terrible, but it’s not what you’d watch to enjoy something Christmas-y.

#9 The One With The Monkey

Season 1, episode 10

Considering this is only the 10th episode of the show, it’s surprising how well the cast seems to work together. They haven’t quite gotten into their groove yet, but it’s starting. This is the episode where Ross first adopts Marcel, a capuchin monkey, and when the group makes a pact to not get dates for New Year’s Eve. Which of course, no one keeps.

#8 The One With The Creepy Holiday Card

Season 8, episode 11

This episode is also named “The One With The Ross’s Step Forward,” but no matter what you call it, it’s pretty cringeworthy. The Rachel storyline is awkward, and combining that with the Ross and Mona situation… it’s just awful. And isn’t this similar to what Michael did in The Office when he put himself on a card featuring Carol and her kids?

#7 The One With Pheobe’s Dad

Season 2, episode 9

This episode is a mix of sadness and holiday spirit. When Phoebe learns that ‘the guy in the frame’ isn’t her Dad, she drags Chandler and Joey upstate to find her father. But, she ultimately decides against confronting him.

#6 The One With The Girl From Poughkeepsie

Season 4, episode 10

This episode’s saving grace is Phoebe’s song. If you know the song, you’re probably now humming it to yourself. Sorry about that.

Other than that, the episode has Chandler setting Rachel up on a blind date and hinting that she’s ‘easy’ to her date, Ross struggling to choose between 2 girls (so tragic, I know), and Monica continuing to be harassed at her new job.

#5 The One Where Rachel Quits

Season 3, episode 10

Considering how often Rachel is referred to as a waitress, it’s sometimes easy to forget that she quit in season 3. This is also the episode where Ross helps a ‘Brown Bird’ scout sell her cookies to earn money to go to space camp, and when Joey works at a Christmas tree farm and helps Phoebe save all the unwanted trees.

#4 The One With All The Candy

Season 7, Episode 9

When Monica decides to make free candy for the neighbors, they become addicted and demand more. And more. And more. But the highlight of the episode is Ross buying Phoebe her first bike and trying to teach her to ride! How cute was that?! And then at the end adding the training wheels back on!

#3 The One With All The Resolutions

Season 5, episode 11

This episode is hilarious. From Ross’ leather pants and teeth whitening incident, to Chandler’s ban on making fun of people, this episode proves why New Year’s resolutions are a load of crap. (Read more about my thoughts on resolutions here)

#2 The One With The Routine

Season 6, episode 10

Friends seems to have better New Year’s related episodes than Christmas ones. In this episode, Monica and Ross join Joey and Janine at a taping for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve show as some of the party people. In order to get more time on camera, they recreate a talent show dance routine from their middle school days.

#1 The One With The Holiday Armadillo

Season 7, Episode 10

Is this technically a Christmas episode? I’m not sure it is, but it’s definitely a holiday one. In this episode, Ross wants to teach his Santa-obsessed son, Ben, all about Hanukkah, since they are part Jewish. To capture Ben’s attention, Ross decided to dress up like Santa while teaching Ben, but a shortage of Santa suits brought us the Holiday Armadillo. Little did he know, Chandler was able to borrow a Santa outfit from a coworker, and shows up just as Ross gets Ben’s attention. Of course, we can’t forget about Superman’s appearance thanks to Joey’s attempt to help.

The episode is hilarious and sweet, and Rachel was right – the gathering at the apartment does look like the Easter Bunny’s funeral.

How do you rank the Christmas episodes of Friends? Leave your own rankings in the comments!