For long-running shows, the annual holiday episode is always an audience favorite. Viewers get to watch their favorite characters take part in the same struggles and triumphs of the holiday season, just like everyone else.
Throughout the years, some holiday episodes have gone down as being some of the best and funniest in TV history. From holiday mischief to gift-giving gone awry, there's no shortage of laughs in the ten episodes listed below. Here are the 10 funniest holiday episodes from TV's greatest comedies.
Glee - A Very Glee Christmas
While the series Glee became known for its drama and controversies, the first few seasons were very well received and became a cultural phenomenon. And the second season's Christmas episode is considered one of the show's best.
The episode used many tropes from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, fittingly making Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) the episode's antagonist. The episode was also filled with covers of classic Christmas songs like "Last Christmas," "We Need a Little Christmas," "Baby, it's Cold Outside" and more.
Home Improvement - Twas the Blight Before Christmas
Sparks fly when Tim gets into a Christmas light competition with his neighbor. Little does Tim know that his son Randy has become infatuated with the neighbor's grandaughter and is leaking information to her.
The episode is so good because the two houses end up looking ridiculous, plus it's so relatable because every neighborhood has at least one house that goes overboard during the holidays.
New Girl - LAXmas
When the New Girl gang arrives at LAX to go their separate ways for Christmas, sudden delays keep them all trapped in the airport. The episode wasn't just funny, it was also heartwarming and showcases some of the closest and most intimate moments between the characters.
Better yet, the episode featured some hilarious guest performances from people like Barry Bostwick. LAXmas was so engaging because it wasn't just a wonderful Christmas episode, it also simultaneously made fun of overused holiday tropes.
Lizzie McGuire - Xtreme Xmas
In one of the most bonkers Christmas episodes ever, Steven Tyler from Aerosmith made a surprise cameo as Santa Claus...even though the 10-year-olds watching the show had absolutely no idea who Aerosmith was.
In the episode, Lizzie is trying to build a parade float but keeps being interrupted by an irritating "elf". In the spirit of the season, Lizzie helps the elf instead of finishing her float, only to discover that Christmas magic has finished the float for her...and then Steven Tyler sings "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."
South Park - Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo
Regardless of how gross and disturbing Mr. Hankey is, it can't be denied that he became one of South Park's most popular characters. Before long, they were even selling Mr. Hankey pillows, sweaters, keychains, and more. He entered the South Park universe during the 9th episode of the first season when the town of South Park has become obsessed with having a politically correct, nondenominational holiday.
The episode was shocking and hilarious and became a ratings hit. In fact, the episode was one of the most-watched cable shows of the entire year.
The Big Band Theory - The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis
After Sheldon receives a Christmas gift from Penny, he becomes lost in a logical battle...which gift should he give her? The episode focuses on Sheldon's desperate attempts to find the perfect gift that matches the value of the gift Penny gave him.
Sheldon enlists the help of Howard and Raj and pandemonium breaks out. The best part is that the shows that, despite how mechanical Sheldon can seem, deep down he's a caring person.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - A Very Sunny Christmas
For the Paddy's Gang, Christmas is always a time of backstabbing, despair, and disappointment. But this year, the group is determined to rekindle the joy, magic, and innocence of Christmas...However, it seems that this holiday, the gang is just going to repeat all their problems, and create new ones.
A Very Sunny Christmas is a fan-favorite, holds an astonishing 9.2 rating on IMDb, and is actually double the length of a normal episode.
Futurama - Xmas Story
Futurama was known for its clever ways of altering classic stories, and Xmas Story is no exception. In the episode, Santa is a robot that was accidentally programmed to judge almost everyone as naughty.
The phrase "Santa Claus is coming to town" is enough to send the entire world into a panic, and cities shut down before sunset on Christmas Eve. It's a hilarious episode filled with some of the best jokes of the entire series. Robot Santa would go on to make a return three more times during the series' run.
The Simpsons - Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire
Many don't know that the pilot of The Simpsons was actually a holiday special. The episode centered around the Simpson family in the days leading up to Christmas. At the end of the episode, Homer even rescues an emaciated dog from the racetrack, who would become the family's famous dog, Santa's Little Helper.
The pilot was viewed by more than 13 million households and was nominated for two Emmy awards. it also paved the way for a series that has since produced almost 700 episodes.
Seinfeld - The Strike
You know an episode is famous when it has its very own Wiki page... The Strike episode of Seinfeld follows the lives of the Seinfeld gang in the weeks leading up to Christmas. The episode also introduced the world to Festivus, a secular holiday made up by the Costanza family.
Festivus is a rejection of the commercialization and pomp of Christmas. Rather than a tree, Festivus is celebrated by a simple aluminum pole. Instead of sharing presents and yuletide greetings, observers share an airing of grievances and display feats of strength. And though Seinfeld may have ended, Festivus continues to live on.