Modern Family: 5 Christmas specials to binge-watch this holiday season from the hit sitcom

Christmas in Modern Family is never calm, never subtle, and absolutely never on schedule. Someone is always overplanning, someone is spiraling emotionally, and someone is already on their way with even more chaos. That is exactly why Modern Family's Christmas episodes hit so hard: They turn holiday stress into comedy gold, mixing heartfelt moments with peak chaos, questionable decisions, and the kind of family arguments that feel rooted in our own homes.

From ruined traditions to last minute meltdowns and unexpectedly tender endings, these episodes capture the messy magic of the holidays perfectly. Whether you are watching for the laughs, the Christmas feels, or the comforting reminder that no family has it together, these are the best Modern Family Christmas episodes to queue up when you want festive vibes with maximum dysfunction.

The Best Christmas episodes in Modern Family

Express Christmas- Season 3, Episode 10

Express Christmas is the second Christmas episode of Modern Family, and honestly, it is elite holiday television. When the entire family realizes they will not be together on December 25 because of clashing travel plans, Phil does what Phil does best and launches a wildly optimistic solution: Celebrate Christmas early on December 16 in one single afternoon.

The family splits into teams to recreate a full Christmas experience. Mitchell and Alex hunt for a tree. Gloria and Luke search for Dede's angel topper. Claire and Haley tackle last minute gift shopping. Cam and Jay wrap presents. Phil and Manny handle the groceries. Every single mission crashes and burns in spectacular fashion, from a tree getting obliterated in traffic to a rare baseball card being destroyed by a stun gun mishap. By the time everyone regroups, nothing has gone according to plan, and spirits are very low.

What makes Express Christmas so great is how perfectly it balances mess and meaning. The fast paced structure keeps the jokes coming, while the ending reminds you why this family works even when everything goes wrong. It is funny, heartfelt, and deeply comforting, which is exactly why it stands out as one of Modern Family’s best holiday episodes.

Stuck in a Moment- Season 10, Episode 10

Stuck in a Moment is a late season Christmas gem, and like always, it leans into a chaotic premise than leads to one of the biggest moments on Modern Family. The episode revolves around Haley and Dylan struggling to tell the family about their pregnancy, something that becomes all the more difficult as chaos ensues. On the other hand Alex, who has been forced to keep the secret literally has her hair turning gray, out of stress for keeping the secret.

Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria’s Christmas is derailed when a package from Colombia brings along a highly venomous banana spider that takes refuge in their Christmas tree, forcing the entire household to evacuate. The celebration shifts to the Dunphy home, where Phil complicates things further by temporarily stealing their tree and presents to stage a house showing. Cam and Mitchell add to the madness with yet another ill fated run in with a mall Santa while trying to make Christmas special for their nephew.

The best thing about this episode is its emotional payoff. The episode builds toward Haley’s pregnancy reveal, which lands with a mix of shock, fear, and genuine warmth. It may not be the liveliest Christmas episode, but it stands out for its heart and for marking a major turning point in the series as it heads toward the end.

Undeck the Halls- Season 1, Episode 10

Undeck the Halls is the very first Christmas episode of Modern Family, and it immediately sets the template for how great the show’s holiday episodes would become. Instead of forcing everyone into one storyline, the episode smartly splits the family into their own homes, letting each dynamic shine against a festive backdrop.

At the Dunphy house, Christmas grinds to a halt when Claire discovers a cigarette burns on the couch and none of the kids will confess. Phil responds by doing the unthinkable and actually canceling Christmas, following through on every dramatic threat he has ever made as a parent. Over at Cam and Mitchell’s, they try to give Lily her first Santa experience, only to accidentally get a mall Santa fired and invite him home out of guilt, which spirals into pure sitcom chaos. Meanwhile, Jay struggles to balance his traditional American Christmas with Gloria and Manny’s Colombian customs, including the endlessly annoying “Inocente!” Pranks.

White Christmas- Season 7, Episode 9

White Christmas brings the entire family together in one location, leaning into Modern Family's trademark mix of chaos, heart, and perfectly timed comedy. To celebrate her first Christmas as an American citizen, Gloria rents a mountain cabin, dreaming of a snowy holiday. Unfortunately, she wildly miscalculates the weather, and the so called white Christmas turns out to be uncomfortably warm.

Things get messier when the family discovers that a strange woman named Fig is already living in the cabin. Cam, feeling generous because it is Christmas, insists she stay. Meanwhile, Haley tries to keep her relationship with Andy a secret, Jay announces his retirement, and Luke and Manny’s attempt to scare Lily backfires spectacularly. It is one of Modern Family's best episodes, without a doubt, and for all theright reasons.

The Last Christmas- Season 11, Episode 9

The last Christmas episode of Modern Family is all things funny, emotional and chaotic. Mitchell and Cameron host Christmas dinner, but Mitchell quickly senses something is off when Cam seems unusually eager to stay home instead of visiting Missouri.

The truth finally comes out when Mitchell discovers Cam is being considered for a head coaching job in Missouri and feels guilty that his success could pull the family apart. What follows is one of the episode’s strongest moments, as nearly everyone confesses they too have been considering futures that might take them elsewhere.

It's an episode that will bring out the waterworks for some as it captures that bittersweet feeling of holiday gatherings when change is inevitable but love still anchors everyone together. The final family photo perfectly reflects Modern Family’s legacy: Messy, loud, emotional, and deeply connected.