The 10 Best Hanukkah TV Episodes To Watch During The Festival Of Lights
When it comes to big holidays, Christmas gets the reindeer's share of the attention, but it's not the only festive occasion this time of year. Wintertime also heralds the Festival of Lights, aka Hanukkah. Lighting candles, eating greasy foods, and spending time with loved ones are all Hanukkah traditions, which makes it pretty much the perfect holiday for a cozy night in. And no cozy night is complete without some good TV episodes to marathon-watch. That's why this list of the best Hanukkah TV episodes is a must-have for all your celebrations.
ICYMI, Hanukkah is one long festival that lasts eight nights. That means you have eight nights in a row to fill with festive viewing. The picks on this list cover everything, from cartoon characters explaining the story of Hanukkah to newbies, to familiar sitcoms exploring new takes on Hanukkah traditions. Of course, a bunch of episodes also acknowledge how Christmas is more widely celebrated, but these episodes also give the Festival of Lights plenty of room to shine in its own right. So fry up some latkes, play a few rounds of dreidel with your family and friends, and then kick back with this perfect Hanukkah TV episode marathon.
01"The One With The Holiday Armadillo" ('Friends,' Season 7)
Ross creates a whole new mascot for Hanukkah when an armadillo costume is the only thing left for him to rent during the holidays. The episode actually ends up being a really sweet one, in which his son Ben learns to appreciate both Christmas and Hanukkah.
02"The Best Chrismukkah Ever" ('The OC,' Season 1)
A lot of people celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah, and The OC gave a name for that unique hybrid celebration: Chrismukkah. The episode has plenty of The OC's signature teen drama, but it also acts as a heartwarming reminder that the holidays are all about loved ones, no matter how you celebrate.
03"Chanukah" ('Rugrats,' Season 4)
If you're looking for a proper history lesson this Hanukkah, let the babies of the Rugrats be your teachers. Their retelling of the miraculous story of Hanukkah is probably the most entertaining one you'll find.
04"Heck Of A Hanukkah" ('Even Stevens,' Season 1)
This episode features the shenanigans fans know and love from this show, with a holiday-themed twist. Louis threatens to ruin Hanukkah and so he goes on his own It's a Wonderful Life-style journey to learn the true meaning of the holiday.
05"A Christmas Story" ('The Goldbergs,' Season 3)
If you want to see Hanukkah on overdrive, then Beverly Goldberg's holiday gathering is the one to check out. This episode also gets bonus points for featuring the Jewish-American tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas.
06"The Hanukkah Song" ('Saturday Night Live,' Season 20)
Adam Sandler gave Jewish kids everywhere the sweet reminder that there are lots of other Jewish people out in the world with the lyrics to "The Hanukkah Song." This is especially helpful becuase there are very few songs for the holiday besides "I Have a Little Dreidel."
07"The Hanukkah Story" ('The Nanny,' Season 6)
Hanukkah is all about miracles, and this sitcom's holiday episode is chock-full of them. Fran Fine is an iconic Jewish character, and she brings the story of Hanukkah to life with plenty of laughter.
08"My Mom, Greg's Mom And Josh's Sweet Dance Moves" ('Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,' Season 1)
Sometimes the holidays can be stressful, and this episode definitely highlights that. Rebecca tries to deal with her overbearing mother when she comes to visit, and her true gift comes when she realizes her mom really loves her, but just has a weird way of showing it.
09"Mr. Hankey, The Christmas Poo" ('SouthPark,' Season 1)
If irreverence is your style, then you're probably already a big fan of South Park. This holiday episode features a singing poo (yep, you read that right) and a heartwarming lesson about Hanukkah.
10"Light The Lights" ('Brothers and Sisters,' Season 1)
Before there were the Pearsons of This Is Us, there were the Walkers of Brothers and Sisters. In this episode, the tight-knit family celebrates Hanukkah with a big meal and a menorah-lighting, the classic holiday celebration.
