What's your favorite Christmas episode of a classic TV series?

[HardyGirl]

Roots: The Gift.

Yes, it is a mini-series, but Sharry didn't say they weren't allowed!

Of course I love Roots: The Gift! Shaun Cassidy plays Edmund Parker, Jr. , son of a slave owner who is an abolitionist! And actually, it was a 2-hr. movie unto itself, but was included in the Roots saga video set.

[LadyZod]

Here's a handful of eps I'll watch any time of year...

South Park "Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo"
Three's Company: "Three's Christmas"
Eight Is Enough: "Yes, Nicholas, There Is a Santa Claus"
Magnum PI "Operation Silent Night"
Wonder Woman "Deadly Toys"
Moonlighting: "Twas the Episode Before Christmas "
Lois & Clark "Twas the Night Before Mxymas "
Mork and Mindy: "Mork's First Christmas"

All the Picket Fences xmas shows (I love me some Picket Fences)

pretty much all the West Wing Xmas episodes, in particular:
"In Excelsis Deo", the one with Toby and the Korean Vet. (And though it's a really a Thanksgiving episode, I find "Shibboleth" very christmasy in the whole spirit of giving.)''

[The Toyroom]

Three's Company: "Three's Christmas"

Add that to my list too!

[EMCE Hammer]

I have about 18 hrs. worth of Christmas episodes on VHS....My MUST-SEES every year are:

The Brady Bunch
Happy Days
WKRP in Cincinnati (The office Christmas Party one....)
All in the Family (The Draft Dodger)
The Twilight Zone

and... Titus!

I totally forgot Titus - great call.

[The Toyroom]

I totally forgot Titus - great call.

That's a classic Christmas episode in my book

[BENDY]

Andy Griffith Christmas
Waltons First Christmas
Happy Days

[UnderdogDJLSW]

I have this Jack Benny episode on DVD and I usually watch it each year. Mel Blanc makes me giggle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miAlz1lCgZ4

[jwyblejr]

Married...With Children. The one with Sam Kinison(I know I'm spelling that wrong) is great. A close second is the episode with Santa falling out of the helicopter.

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

I have a new one! On the "Holiday Hell" episode of "Life After People" they did a segment on how long fruitcake will last. Answer: at least 130 years.

Don C.

[david_b]

Thanks much for all the reminders, everyone.. Now I have to download MORE from youtube to my iPod for Christmas watching..

My favs..:

- Happy Days (with Fonzie out in the cold, mentioned a few times already..)

- Frasier, where him and Niles run all over to buy Frederick a science toy (when ALL he really wanted was a 'Robo-Commando' toy or something..), and when it was discovered they were all sold out, Martin surprising Frasier with the toy late on Christmas Eve to give to Frederick..

- 70s Show when youth paster Dave is tied up and everyone teases Kelso for not being able to watch 'Rudolph' (great retro-animation used in Kelso's dream).

- Monkees Christmas, the episode was so-so, but the ending with the guys huddled singing 'Rio Chui' accapella by candle light, then inviting all the stage crew to come on camera and wave to everyone at home.

- All in the Family, when the draft dodger comes to have Christmas dinner at the Bunkers. As a war veteran and a lover of socio-political history and media, I still have to drop everything to watch that episode. Excellent message... Watch at approximately 3:53..: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVHtL7kWs4w

- MASH, when Winchester provides all the treats/presents for the children, and instead is shocked/relieved that it was sold on the black market in order to provide them proper norishment.. Great poignant scene with Max and Charles at the end.

Those are my favs..!

david_b

[megoapesnut]

Magnum PI "Operation Silent Night"

Oh yeah, almost forgot that one. Best show in the 80's! And that was a great episode.

[DocDrako]

Little House on the Prairie - The Christmas They Never Forgot

[Wee67]

I've been scanning the DVR schedule, picking off classic holiday episodes. I don't know if the simplicity I assign these shows or just nostalgia, but these shows just seems to really capture the pure optimism I associate with the holidays. I can't believe I can get choked up over an episode of Happy Days

[YoungOnce]

I too like the Andy Griffith Show episode. Barney in the Santa suit is great... Ben Weaver plays the Scrooge character that finally comes around.

[MeerkatMego]

Thanks much for all the reminders, everyone.. Now I have to download MORE from youtube to my iPod for Christmas watching..

My favs..:

- Happy Days (with Fonzie out in the cold, mentioned a few times already..)

- Frasier, where him and Niles run all over to buy Frederick a science toy (when ALL he really wanted was a 'Robo-Commando' toy or something..), and when it was discovered they were all sold out, Martin surprising Frasier with the toy late on Christmas Eve to give to Frederick..

- All in the Family, when the draft dodger comes to have Christmas dinner at the Bunkers. As a war veteran and a lover of socio-political history and media, I still have to drop everything to watch that episode. Excellent message... Watch at approximately 3:53..: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVHtL7kWs4w

- MASH, when Winchester provides all the treats/presents for the children, and instead is shocked/relieved that it was sold on the black market in order to provide them proper norishment.. Great poignant scene with Max and Charles at the end.

Those are my favs..!

david_b

I love that Fraiser episode and the All in the Family one. Earlier someone mentioned the All in the Family were Bev is killed, that is such a tear jerker. So is the episode of MASH where Hawkeye, BJ and Hotlips try to keep a wounded soldier alive pass midnight so his family won't have to mourn his death on Christmas day.

I enjoy the old shows Christmas specials, but I think the claymation one Community did this year is one I'll have to add to my list.