If you’re looking for a bite-sized dose of holiday cheer — savoring a Christmas cookie, or a cup of hot cocoa by a cozy fire — TV episodes are a perfect way to enjoy the festive spirit from the comfort of your couch. They can be a distraction from the hustle and bustle of the season, or a way to fully immerse yourself while also enjoying the cooking, gift wrapping, and quality time with loved ones during this time of year.

Whether you want to celebrate Christmas with the fast-talking residents of a quirky small town, get creeped out in an upside-down world where nothing is ever as it seems, or catch a backstage pass to your favorite holiday movie, here are some short (and mostly sweet) options to spark a holiday glow.

Big Mouth

Season 5, Episode 8: “A Very Big Mouth Christmas” 

Who doesn’t want dirty versions of beloved classes this time of year? The funny and frequently raunchy Big Mouth dresses itself up in different animation styles to tell a panoply of holiday-themed stories, all hosted by puppet versions of hormone monsters Maury (voiced by Nick Kroll) and Connie (Maya Rudolph).

Big Mouth

8 Seasons   TV-MA   2017

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Black Mirror

Season 2, Episode 4: “White Christmas”

The days are not merry and bright in this episode, which starts with Joe Potter (Rafe Spall) and Matt Trent (Jon Hamm) stuck in a cabin together. Why are they there? And why, after having apparently been together for some time, haven’t they talked until now? It’s not why you think. It never is in this mind-bending anthology series.

Black Mirror

7 Seasons   TV-MA   2011

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BoJack Horseman Christmas Special: Sabrina's Christmas Wish

It’s Christmas, and, surprise surprise, BoJack (Will Arnett) wants nothing to do with it. Still, Todd (Aaron Paul) and BoJack revisit his Horsin’ Around days and watch a Christmas episode together titled, “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish.” In the episode, BoJack’s youngest adopted daughter, Sabrina (Kristen Schaal), makes a wish that Santa bring back her dead parents. Once they finish watching the episode — and Todd is sufficiently confused — BoJack suggests they watch the series’ eight other Christmas specials. 

BoJack Horseman Christmas Special: Sabrina's Christmas Wish

0h 25m   TV-MA   2014

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Season 3, Episode 10: “Yippie Kayak”

By now, we all know that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. This beloved sitcom took things a step further by making a parody of a Christmas movie for this Christmas episode. The action starts with a robbery at a convenience store, and while it’s not the same kind of setting as the Nakatomi Plaza, the robbers have still taken hostages, who of course need to be saved. At a pivotal moment, Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) yells out “yippie kayak, other buckets,” which is a network TV-friendly version of Bruce Willis’ famous catchphrase. (Feel free to file that one away for your next gift-wrapping meltdown.)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

4 Seasons   TV-14   2013

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Call the Midwife

Season 2, Episode 1: “Christmas Special”

When an abandoned baby shows up on the steps of their convent, the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House spring into action in this BBC series about life in London’s East End during the 1950s and ’60s. It’s a show about nuns, and a Christmas episode, so of course there are parallels with the story of Jesus’ birth –– told in Call the Midwife’s typical tearjerker (in a good way) fashion.

Call the Midwife

14 Seasons   TV-MA   2012

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Emily in Paris

Season 4, Episode 6: “Last Christmas”

This Christmas episode has it all: ugly sweaters, a burnt turkey, and even a perfectly timed snowfall. But this isn’t some saccharine holiday special — instead, it’s a bit of a curveball for the always high-glamor show. Emily (Lily Collins) expects to head from Paris to her hometown of Chicago, but those plans are derailed when her flight is canceled. So, for better and worse, she heads to the French Alps to stay with Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), Camille (Camille Razat), and her family. Things get messy — for Emily and the rest of the Agence Grateau crew — but at least it’s done with hot drinks, cozy knits, and, of course, in fabulous settings. 

Emily in Paris

5 Seasons   TV-MA   2020

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Gilmore Girls

Season 2, Episode 10: “The Bracebridge Dinner”

When a convention booked for the Independence Inn can’t go on because of snow, what’s Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) to do? Turn it into a local’s delight by inviting family members, friends, and other town residents to enjoy an over-the-top feast complete with period costumes and sleigh rides. It’s a classic Stars Hollow celebration, this time decked out with holiday cheer.

Gilmore Girls

7 Seasons   TV-14   2000

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Grey's Anatomy

Season 2, Episode 12: “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”

Can Santa bring a boy a new heart? In the case of this Grey’s Anatomy holiday episode, it’s a literal heart, and a boy who’s skeptical about receiving it. Despite the hijinks Grey’s usually gets up to, no grandparents were run over by reindeer. This time.

Grey's Anatomy

21 Seasons   TV-14   2005

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Heartstopper

Season 3, Episode 5: “Winter”

Charlie (Joe Locke) is miserable going into Christmas with his family, who ask inappropriate questions about his life. His parents won’t stop fussing over him and his only ally is his sister, Tori (Jenny Walser). Fed up, he flees to Nick’s (Kit Connor) house, where he finds cute puppies, a supportive family, and plenty of time to steal away with Nick for some kissing. But Tori isn’t thrilled about being left alone. After a disastrous Christmas, the friends all set out to make New Year’s Eve a perfect night.

Heartstopper

3 Seasons   TV-14   2022

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Jack Whitehall: Christmas with My Father

In this special edition of Travels with My Father, comedian Jack Whitehall puts on a holiday variety show that stars himself and his father, of course, but also (most of) the cast of Queer Eye and Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming a merry tune by the end.

Jack Whitehall: Christmas with My Father

1h 4m   TV-MA   2019

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Lost

Season 4, Episode 5: “The Constant”

It’s hard to talk about Lost to people who haven’t seen it yet. But if you’re a longtime fan? Well, this one needs no explanation. “The Constant” is one of those episodes that changes the course and understanding of this puzzle box of a show, with a key moment involving Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and a pivotal phone call taking place at Christmas. Without giving too much away, having a scene like that unfold during a holiday that’s supposed to be all about family, friends, and savoring and making memories, makes it that much more meaningful. It’s often listed as one of the best, if not the best, episodes of this groundbreaking series.

Lost

TV-14   2004

Remind Me

The Movies That Made Us

Season 1, Episode 2: “Home Alone”; Season 1, Episode 4: “Die Hard”; Season 3, Episode 8: “Elf”; Season 3, Episode 7: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

You’ve probably seen these classic movies many times over — along with debating whether Die Hard is a Christmas flick and reciting every Elf line from memory. But how did these films get made? And how did they become staples to watch and rewatch at this time of year? The Movies That Made Us looks behind the scenes at the making of these holiday films and shows how they each became a cultural phenomenon.

The Movies That Made Us

3 Seasons   TV-MA   2019

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Seinfeld

Season 9, Episode 10: “The Strike”

For a show about nothing, this episode has a lot in it: a fake phone number, a potentially free sandwich, a fake charity, a bagel shop, and a woman (Karen Fineman) that Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) starts dating but of course finds something wrong with. It’s also the episode that gifted the world the holiday of Festivus — so if you’ve got some grievances to air this season, this is the place for you.

Seinfeld

9 Seasons   TV-PG   1989

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The Umbrella Academy

Season 4, Episode 2: “Jean and Gene”

While the entire fourth season of The Umbrella Academy is set during Christmastime, Episode 2 gets a shout-out here because of what it involves: a full-on, guns-blazing fight — including Santa — at a Christmas fair. Not only do the Brellies get their superpowers back in this episode, but they find out they have new ones. What a holiday gift! A supercharged battle isn’t your traditional Christmas episode fare, but depending on how your holidays are going, there might be something cathartic in watching Santa go rogue. Plus, real-life couple Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally are there too, as the Gene and Jean of the episode title (and then dance to Cher in the next episode).

The Umbrella Academy

4 Seasons   TV-MA   2019

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Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Season 2, Episode 8: “Kimmy Goes to a Hotel”

To make up for 15 years of no Christmas, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper) declares a random Thursday to be Fake Christmas, but the festive day turns chaotic when Sonja (Suzan Perry) shows up and tells Kimmy to stay away from Dong (Ki Hong Lee), Sonja’s husband. Realizing Dong still has feelings for her, Kimmy devises a plan to sneak away for a night together. They land at an abandoned hotel in the Poconos and make the most of having the place all to themselves. Meanwhile, Titus (Tituss Burgess) has an epiphany after living out his own version of “A Christmas Carol.”

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

4 Seasons   TV-14   2015

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Virgin River

Season 5, Episodes 11 and 12: “The More the Merrier” and “Father Christmas”

It’s Christmas time in Virgin River! And as is customary in the town, there will be plenty of scandal, but first and foremost, a Christmas tree light competition that is very competitive. The grand prize? “A Yule log and a year of bragging rights,” Doc (Tim Matheson) says in the teaser. Soon, Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge) learns more about her biological father; Lizzie (Sarah Dugdale) discovers whether she’s pregnant or not; and after five seasons of waiting, Charmaine’s (Lauren Hammersley) babies will finally arrive. You won’t want to miss these festive episodes. As Martin Henderson, who plays Jack, told Tudum, “It’s just your typical Virgin River Christmas!” (For even more holiday cheer, also check out the mobile game Netflix Stories: A Virgin River Christmas.)

Virgin River

7 Seasons   TV-14   2019

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Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery

Saeed Adyani/Netflix

A little holiday mayhem is par for the course this time of year (’tis the season, as they say), but in the world of Murderville, that means Santa is dead and there’s a killer on the loose. Detective Terry Seattle (Will Arnett) sets out to crack the case, with a pair of famous friends by his side — and in classic Murderville fashion, the special guests don’t have any scripted dialogue and must improvise their way through solving the mystery. For this festive edition, Arnett is joined by none other than Jason Bateman and Maya Rudolph. Their comedic talents speak for themselves, but are their detective skills up to the task? Solve that mystery for yourself by watching the episode.

Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery

0h 52m   TV-MA   2022

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Younger

Season 5, Episode 7: “A Christmas Miracle”

What’s better than Christmas in New York? Christmas in New York with drama and romance, that’s what. This episode features Liza (Sutton Foster) performing “The Lonely Goatherd” with her daughter at a holiday party, Kelsey (Hilary Duff) juggling two relationships, and Diana (Miriam Shor) showing rare Christmas spirit. Fans of the show may also recognize this as the episode that ushers in the start of one of Liza’s most influential relationships.

Younger

7 Seasons   TV-14   2015

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Additional reporting by Ananda Dillon.