Do you have 8 dozen cookies to cut out, bake, and decorate? Or 37 cards to stamp and address? Or perhaps a million pom poms to make and string into garland? If you're finding yourself faced with cozy but repetitive and endless holiday tasks, you're going to need some festive television to keep your spirits bright..
I love the holiday episodes of my favorite shows — somehow they seem to capture everything I love about the show and characters, while being completely different and magical. Kind of like the holidays themselves, I guess. Plus, it is often snowing in holiday episodes, and I can't get enough snow. Especially snow I don't actually have to deal with. Here are my current favorites, all ready to watch right now:
Parks & Recreation
"Citizen Knope" (Season 4 Episode 10, shown above) moved me to tears. And also made me determined to host a gingerbread house — or office — building party.
"Christmas Scandal" (Season 2 Episode 12) is hilarious, and features a soft-hearted Ron Swanson wearing earmuffs. It doesn't get any better.
Both available on Netflix streaming
"Ron and Diane" (Season 5 Episode 9), in which Chris Traeger CONSUMES FAT. Also: "Jingle bells, jingle yay, jingle good for you!"
Available on Hulu
Seinfeld
"The Strike" (Season 9 Episode 10) Sure, Kramer's on strike and Elaine's determined to get a free sub, but what's truly important is the introduction of Festivus. Feats of Strength, the Festivus pole, the Airing Of Grievances, all for the rest of us!
Available free on Crackle
Arrested Development
"In God We Trust" (Season 1 Episode 7) In which George Michael learns what "frontspiece" means.
"Afternoon Delight" (Season 2 Episode 6) Gob goes on and on about how expensive his suits are, Lindsay can't get hit on to save her life, and Michael karaokes inappropriately. Twice.
Both available on Netflix streaming
Newsradio
"X-Mas Story" (Season 2 Episode 10) has an allegedly murderous Santa, a six-pack of sports cars, and the lesson that "nothin', nothin' fits better than a dead man's shirt".
Available on Hulu
The Colbert Report
Unfortunately, at this moment I can't find the entire "A Colbert Christmas" available for free right now, but all of the clips can be watched, one at a time. Jon Stewart drops by and is predictably adorable..
Available on Comedy Central, but my favorite, "Nutmeg", is on Eat Me Daily
30 Rock
There's no way I can do all of them justice, but I'll try..
"Ludachristmas" (Season 2 Episode 9) features Dirty Santa and Jack in a Christmas sweater.
"Christmas Special" (Season 3 Episode 6) Mrs. Claus finally gets proper credit!
"Secret Santa" (Season 4 Episode 8) has Liz attempting to give Jack a series of terrible $0 presents: a song, a drawing of a frog…
"Christmas Attack Zone" (Season 5 Episode 10) gave us the phrase "Christmas attack zone!", as well as a surprisingly moving ending.
All available on Netflix streaming
"My Whole Life Is Thunder" (Season 7 Episode 8) has some Christmas-iness, but the most important part is that Jack establishes, once & for all, the only three acceptable subjects for a painting.
Available on Hulu
Please add your favorites — especially the ones available instantly and for free — to the list!
Coming to Terms with a Knockoff: Original vs. Reproduction Furniture Design
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Ercol Bar Stool
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
I'm going to miss 30 Rock so much.
Every christmas episode of the office EVER.
There is also the Seinfeld episode where Kramer takes a photo of Elaine for her holiday cards---"Stop calling me Nip!"
I second The Office Christmas episodes, even as the show has hit some low points in the last few years, each year their Christmas episodes entertain. Its the only thing I regret about doing away with netflix streaming.
I also have a soft spot for Northern Exposure this time of year, I remember watching it with my parents as a kid. The Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes are my favorite.
We had a gingerbread house building party at work last week -- lots of fun. The annual holiday party budget was spent on assorted candy, royal icing, and ingredients for the gingerbread which someone on staff who does this annually for charities, baked ahead of time. (We each got a front "cookie" with a door cut out, a matching back, two sides and 2 roof panels. The houses are maybe 6x8 inches and about 7 inches tall, or thereabouts. Our "instructor" made up the royal icing and provided pastry bags and tips for using it, and we all went to town. It was very entertaining as we stole ideas from each other. A few of us brought in extra stuff to use -- I got Necco wafers since my only childhood memories of gingerbread houses (made of cardboard but frosted and candied with the real stuff) included Neccos as roofing tiles. Definitely worth giving this a try!
(I know, not on topic, but thought the party idea worth endorsing!)
I love the Frasier Christmas episodes, those are classic!
The West Wing has great holiday episodes, as does Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Gilmore Girls, Leverage, Psych, and Bones. My partner and I have started watching all of these hols episodes this year to get us in the mood for decorating!
Ha, funny you should mention it, I do have to bake exactly 8 dozen cookies tomorrow. Thanks for the tips!
good ideas and smart mind, good craft skills.
New Girl - Schmidt as Sexy Santa and Candy Cane Street!!
You picked all of my favorite shows - especially P&R! Agreed that we need an Office Xmas marathon as well!
Not sure if they are available on Netflix (probably not, as it's an old British show), but the Christmas Specials of One Foot in the Grave are hilarious. It ran from 1990-2000, and there are at least 6 (if not more) Christmas eps --
1990: Victor's wrong-number entry in a catalogue's order column results in the accidental delivery of 263 3-foot-tall garden gnomes. The Meldrews become acquainted with a vicar who thinks he has lost his faith, and Victor learns more about a video-store worker with whom he had a conflict.
1991: As Victor's feud with Patrick—now an expectant father—continues, they communicate via post-it notes. Victor learns that the horse manure he bought for his allotment is radioactive. Pregnant Pippa attends an office party.
Well, you get the idea... Classic British humour.
Friends! Holiday Armadillo? Candy Lady? Now I know what we're watching this weekend. :)
I love the third season Christmas episode of Community. The study group has to fill in for the Glee Club, which is much more sinister than it sounds. I especially love the parody of the whole "women are like sexy children" meme.
Seconding the British humor--Father Ted's "A Christmassy Ted"! Not sure if it is on Netflix or not. Also, Doctor Who Christmas Specials.
Actually, *any* of the Community Christmas episodes are amazing. I'm partial to the claymation one, myself, but the Glee spoof one you mention was genius.
Just ordered the Dr. Who Christmas episodes we are missing... But that is more of a Christmas Day sort of thing; you really need to focus on it, not just glance up from your cookies. Ah, nothing feels as good as a belly full of roast goose and a Dr. Who Christmas episode on the telly...
Agreed.
Easy. Boy Meets World, A Very Topango Christmas! Topanga spends Christmas with the Mathews, Cory falls asleep and Mr. Feeney narrates his dream as Charles Dickens in A Christmas Carol. :)
The Big Bang Theory Christmas episode where Penny gives Sheldon the napkin autographed by Leonard Nimoy. Sheldon does have a heart, after all.
@possum- I can't believe I forgot to include that one! It ("The Pick") is up on Crackle, as is the one where George buys Elaine a cashmere sweater for Christmas ("The Red Dot"): http://www.crackle.com/c/seinfeld. Thanks!
@SherryBinNH, In my world, gingerbread houses are ALWAYS on topic. That sounds like a fantastic party!
Doctor Who and Castle have excellent Christmas episodes every year!