Could it GET Anymore Christmas?!: A "Friends" Ranking

Growing up in the 90s on Long Island, you find yourself relegated to one of two groups: Seinfeld or Friends. Even those who dabbled in enjoyment of both shows would ultimately, at times, be forced to pick a side. As much as I can enjoy Jerry Seinfeld, "the one with the friends" will always sit upon my list of top sitcoms. Laugh like Chandler, love like Ross, eat like Joey was always my motto growing up (not really, I just made that up, but I did, and still do, eat like Joey). One of the few shows I've rewatched from beginning to end, Friends was considered the "less intelligent" of the two shows. If that's the case, then I will happily be a dumbass because I continue to love this show to the point that every Thanksgiving and Christmas, I binge the respective holiday episodes. Thus, the best of best when spending Christmas with your friends...

8. The One with Ross's Step Forward / S8.E11

Ross' girlfriend, Mona, suggests sending out Christmas cards, throwing Ross into a worried frenzy that she's moving much faster than he is. Pregnancy hormones have Rachel itching for every guy she sees and Chandler gets a glimpse of what his single life might be like if he wasn't with Monica. "You hung up on the pizza place?...I don't hang up on your friends" 🤣

7. The One with Phoebe's Dad / S2.E9

Family is an essential part of the holidays, except when you've been lied to all your life. A Christmas party turns up the heat when the radiator breaks and Monica is chastised for tipping the Superintendent with cookies. When Joey and Chandler run out of time to get everyone gifts, the gas station becomes a one-stop shop. It felt like a lot of entertaining filler.

6. The One with with the Inappropriate Sister / S5.E10

Do you know how much crap the bell ringer's that take donations go through during the holidays? Well, Phoebe is here to teach you what NOT to do. Rachel's date takes an unexpecting turn when she finds that him and his sister are uncomfortably close with each other. Joey tries to write a play with Ross' guidance. You up for a game of Fireball?

5. The One Where Rachel Quits / S3.E10

The spirit of this episode is carried by Phoebe's mission to get the old, tossed-aside Christmas trees a home for the holidays. Monica revisits her cookie addicition after Ross goes on a cookie selling mission after an unfortunate accident. Oh yeah, and Rachel quit her job.

No surprise here, but I watched all of these episodes in order and for most of my experience, they just got better with each season. Of course, there had to be one black sheep, that's right, looking at you Season 8. I also found it interesting that neither the first nor last season had a Christmas episode. I can understand not thinking about it in the first season, but once you go on a run of 8 straight, why stop for the last one? It is a shorter season, so I could imagine a Christmas episode hitting the cutting room floor in favor of driving the final season plot (I wouldn't agree with it, but I could understand). Yeah, yeah, I know, Season 1 has a dedicated New Year's episode, "The One with the Monkey," that generally ends up on the Christmas episode lists, but, alas, I am not all of those other forgiving people. It is not a Christmas episode so it doesn't make the cut, short and simple.

4. The One with the Girl from Poughkeepsie / S4.E10

Even though it's the title, Ross' struggles with a long-distance relationship take the backseat to Phoebe's writing of her famed Christmas song and Joey "Dragon" Tribbiani's plan to help get Monica's coworkers to respect her. Also, Chandler is a little too open with his coworkers while setting them up with Rachel.

3. The One with the Routine / S6.E10

No, this is not a New Year's episode, it's more of a half/half. Ross and Monica unleash the sickest dance routine for Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking Eve while Phoebe/Rachel/Chandler all go on the hunt for Monica's Christmas gifts for them. Would you be excited for a water purifier?

2. The One with the Holiday Armadillo / S7.E10

The epitome of Friends cookiness, with Santa, Superman, and the holiday Armadillo all attending the Easter Bunny's funeral? As Ross struggles to share Hanuukah with Ben, Phoebe tries to coax Rachel out of Joey's apartment with a few schemes. An absolute classic, complete with Monica's Santa fetish.

1. The One with Christmas in Tulsa / S9.E10

This episode may have stole the title of #1 with it's cheap use of flashbacks of past Friends Christmas highlights and the tearjerker reliving of the healthiest relationship in Friends, but damn does it steal it with heart. Could Chandler resist the flirts from Runner-Up Miss Oklahoma or will being away from Monica leave him too lonely? What's more important than spending Christmas with your.....friends 😏?

(On a strange side note, Selma Blair's Wendy may have been one of the first characters to make me realize that I am greatly attracted to girls with short hair.)