5 most iconic Christmas and New Year episodes from Friends

When it comes to holiday episodes, Friends has a handful that fans return to every December and January. While not all seasons had a Christmas or New Year's episode, the ones that did were special and yearly traditions in fan culture. The question now is: which holiday episodes are the most iconic? The key is in a combination of funny gift-giving, cringeworthy romances, offbeat costumes, and tear-inducing storylines that captured the festive mood to the letter.

The one thing about Friends' holiday shows was that they never came off as forced. Christmas and New Year's were a setting for run-of-the-mill drama and comedy. From Ross's "Holiday Armadillo" to Joey and Chandler's slothful gas station presents, these are moments years from now.

Here's a closer look at the eight most memorable Christmas and New Year episodes from Friends, according to fan and critic consensus

1. "The One with the Monkey" (Season 1, Episode 10) – New Year's Eve

This was the first holiday-themed episode of Friends, and it was a New Year's Eve special. Everyone vowed to stay in on the evening without dates in an attempt to avoid romantic entanglements. Each member of the group broke the rule, however, one at a time, and the show was left embarrassed. Ross's monkey, Marcel, made his debut here and provided another element of chaos to the party.

Although Christmas-based, the setting for New Year's Eve gave it a holiday focus and was a portent of what holiday episodes were to follow.

2. "The One with Phoebe's Dad" (Season 2, Episode 9) – Christmas

This was the original Friends Christmas episode, mixing both comedy and moving stories. Phoebe discovered something about her father, which resulted in an emotional subplot when she attempted to find him. Joey and Chandler, on the other hand, forgot to buy nice presents and panic-shopped at a fuel station, which had very poor, comedic gifts to sell.

It's always highly praised by critics because it demonstrated the way Friends could utilize the festive atmosphere to provide both humor and pathos.

3. "The One Where Rachel Quits" (Season 3, Episode 10) – Christmas

Season 3 also had a Christmas show. Rachel left her job at Central Perk, Ross smashed up a little girl's leg while attempting to be festive and cheerful, and had to assist her in selling Christmas cookies. Joey's work plot as a Christmas tree salesman provided an unhappy glimpse, as Phoebe protested the felling of trees.

This one was especially key to the balance between comedy and sentimentally gorgeous holiday moments, and therefore one of the most-watched Christmas episodes.

4. "The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie" (Season 4, Episode 10) – Christmas

Although not a holiday special in the classical sense, this episode is set during the holidays. Ross began dating a Poughkeepsie girl, complete with long train commutes and humorous fatigue. Rachel battled dating employees of companies, and Monica wrestled with an unpleasant restaurant staff.

The holiday season was the setting, with Christmas decorations and office politics filling out the humor.

5. "The One with the Inappropriate Sister" (Season 5, Episode 10) – Christmas

The episode is remembered as having Danny date Rachel, who was so close to her brother. The cringe contribution added to the holiday vibe additionally and made it more humorous. Ross, however, attempted to get Joey into charity work, which resulted in hilarious blunders when Joey got mixed up about how fundraisers were conducted.

It's not as sentimental as some of the other holiday episodes, though, but it's a favorite among fans for its gentle mix of cringe and festive cheer.

Why are these episodes significant

Friends produced eight holiday episodes and two New Year's episodes throughout its 10-year span. Although not all seasons produced one, those that did are holiday television staples. From emotional plotlines such as Phoebe's quest to find her father to even more iconic comedy in the form of Joey's charity work and the Holiday Armadillo, these episodes merged holiday material with the show's type of humor.

They are so iconic because they were not simply Christmas or New Year's specials; they were character specials featuring the characters dealing with real issues, but with the holidays as the setting. That's why fans continue to watch these episodes during the holiday season, which makes them classic moments in Friends history.

Help Us Improve