An iconic animated series and one of the most renowned brands in comedy entertainment across the 21st century, Family Guy has become a hit sensation with its relentless lampooning of modern American culture as it focuses on the dysfunctional Rhode Island family, the Griffins. Throughout the family’s many hilarious misadventures, a great source of gags for the series has been to take aim at social traditions, with Christmas proving to be a popular and prolific target for the showrunners.
Whether it’s Brian and Stewie trying to save Santa or Lois finally being driven to the brink of insanity when none of her festive plans go right, these Family Guy Christmas episodes are effective at both embracing the festive season and poking fun at it. True to the series’ social commentary, these episodes are also imbued with sharp satire and a defining eagerness and excellence when it comes to parodying many classic Christmas movies. As such, the series’ best Christmas specials are quintessential viewing for all who want to celebrate Christmas while laughing out loud.
Family Guy
Release Date January 31, 1999
Rating TV-MA
Seasons 23
Studio Fox
Creator Seth MacFarlane, David Zuckerman
Watch on Hulu
“The First No L” (2020)
Season 19, Episode 9
Image via Fox
Christmas is viewed by many to be a time to unwind and relax, but there is no doubt that the festive season can bring with it its own stresses and pressures which can take its toll, especially when the hard work some people put into the celebrations goes unappreciated. This was the basic idea of “The First No L”, which followed Lois as she grows tired of planning everything without any help from the rest of the family. In a fit of rage, she leaves the rest of the Griffins to decorate the house and buy presents themselves as she watches on, hatching a sinister scheme.
The season 19 episode is rife with references to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, with Family Guy parodying a number of sequences from the film as Lois breaks into the house and steals all the decorations and presents while compulsively seeing to several household chores as well. While the family is disappointed when they wake up on Christmas morning, their elation when Lois returns from her supposed holiday gives the Family Guy episode a heartfelt touch which gets at the core of Christmas cheer. Of course, Lois is then hospitalized as her heart grows three times in size and the theft of the Griffin’s property is blamed on a Muslim neighbor who is then deported.
“Christmas Guy” (2013)
Season 12, Episode 8
Image via Fox
Season 12 of Family Guy saw the series produce one of its most shockingly dramatic moments when, in the sixth episode “Life of Brian,” the Griffins’ anthropomorphic talking dog Brian is killed when he is run over by a speeding car in the street. “Christmas Guy,” the eighth episode of the season, follows Stewie as he visits the local mall Santa and asks for him to revive his best friend, a wish which sends Stewie on a journey back in time to save Brian before he is killed.
The episode packs a lot of fun into its wild, adventurous plot – which also sees Peter venturing to some extreme and grotesque lengths to help Carter find his festive spirit after he cancels the Christmas carnival – but “Christmas Guy” is ultimately defined by its surprisingly wholesome story of Stewie doing whatever is necessary to be reunited with his beloved pet and dear friend. It is sweet, funny, and full of the brand of love which defines the holiday season. Additionally, it also serves as a farewell to Tony Sirico’s mafioso dog Vinnie who, despite never being able to replace Brian, does everything he can to make Stewie happy.
“How the Griffin Stole Christmas” (2016)
Season 15, Episode 9
Image via Fox
Another Family Guy Christmas special that has two main plots, one focused on Peter while the other follows Stewie and Brian, “How the Griffin Stole Christmas” is one of the series’ most consistently funny Christmas episodes thus far. With the Griffins going to Quahog mall to buy a new sled, Peter winds up taking the place of the mall’s Santa and becomes hooked on the authority and power the position grants him, while Stewie and Brian break into office Christmas parties in search of all kinds of mischief, with Stewie getting people fired when he becomes a bit too engrossed in one company.
With Stewie and Peter both at their dastardly best, the episode has got a mean-spirited edge to it which is defining of its comedic punch, but it does still manage to serve as a wonderful Christmas story as Stewie atones for his actions while Peter is visited by the real Santa Claus who engages in a prank war with Peter which, while hostile, comes to a pleasant conclusion. While it’s not the best celebration of Christmas Family Guy has produced, it is an episode that has a great deal of fun at the holiday’s expense. Not to mention, its opening sledding sequence is a golden Family Guy moment in and of itself.
“A Very Special Family Guy Freakin’ Christmas” (2001)
Season 3, Episode 16
Image via Fox
As the show’s very first Christmas special, “A Very Special Family Guy Freakin’ Christmas” was a true gem of Family Guy’s wonderful third season, even if it was still figuring out and refining its animation somewhat. Whatever the Family Guy episode lacked in polished visuals, it more than made up for with its comedic zest as it simply follows the Griffin family trying to have the best Christmas they possibly can. Lois is straining to have everything ready in time, Peter is out getting drunk to celebrate the end of the year, while Stewie becomes frightened by the idea that Santa is always watching.
The episode has many clever ideas embedded within it, especially with Stewie’s plot as it explores a child’s perspective on Christmas traditions under the illusion that Santa is not only real, but he may be evil rather than kind and jolly. There is even a fake special within the special where the band Kiss saves Santa from dinosaurs. However, the obvious highlight comes when Lois, at her wits end, goes on a rampage which sees her light Frosty the Snowman on fire and push It’s a Wonderful Life’s George Bailey off a bridge. Christmas was always harsh on Lois but she has never been pushed beyond her breaking point quite like she was in the show’s first Christmas celebration.
“Don’t Be a Dickens at Christmas” (2017)
Season 16, Episode 9
Image via Fox
Charles Dickens’ popular Christmas tale A Christmas Carol has been not only adapted but parodied on screen many times before, but it is no surprise that Family Guy’s efforts to skewer the famous festive story are among the best. “Don’t Be a Dickens at Christmas” sees Peter lose his Christmas spirit, resulting in the rest of the family going to Lois’ parents’ house without him. While watching a Patrick Swayze movie, Peter falls asleep and is visited by the ghost of Swayze who takes him on a journey through Peter’s Christmases of the past, present, and future.
When Peter sees that he is set to die in the near future, he realizes the importance of family, rediscovers his festive cheer, and hurries to the Pewterschmidts’ house to be with his family. The Family Guy episode has plenty of fun with its story structure and finds an effortless Christmas charm with its basis on Dickens’ classic novella, which is a hilarious rendition if not the most accurate.
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” (2012)
Season 11, Episode 8
Image via Fox
A Christmas origin story done Family Guy style, “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” goes back in time two thousand years as Peter tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ to his family. The episode sees many characters from the show re-cast as major biblical figures, with Peter as Joseph and Lois as Mary, with the couple making the trek to Bethlehem as Mary has been blessed with a child by God.
The episode pokes plenty of fun at the biblical story but also mocks the time period in which it takes place, commenting on the poor quality of life, the low average lifespans, and the overt misogyny that was simply commonplace in the era. The episode was met with mixed critical reviews, and there were many who thought its focus on the story of Jesus’ birth was a step too far and not handled well or respectfully. However, there are many more who appreciated Family Guy’s skewering of religious beliefs in a manner that was highly entertaining even if not the least bit educational.
“Road to the North Pole” (2010)
Season 9, Episode 7
Image via Fox
Universally viewed as being the greatest of Family Guy’s Christmas episodes, “Road to the North Pole” runs with a 44-minute runtime and excels at being both relentlessly funny and astutely aware of what Christmas has become in modern society. The episode sees Brian and Stewie venture to the North Pole only to discover that Santa Claus is leading a miserable life as he fails to keep up with everyone’s Christmas lists, while the elves and reindeer are beginning to mutate as they succumb to heinous living conditions.
While it does feature two musical numbers, and features the hilarity of Brian and Stewie trying to take over Santa’s responsibilities, the episode is by far the darkest Christmas special Family Guy has ever produced as it focuses on the commercialism and greed that has come to dominate the festive season for so many. However, it does still have a happy ending which strikes true to what Christmas is all about when the world realizes the strain they have placed on Santa through their wanting, and decide to only ask for one thing: that Santa is saved. The episode is funny, twisted, satirical, and ultimately heartwarming to be among the very best that Family Guy has ever released.
NEXT: Every ‘Family Guy’ Season, Ranked From Worst to Best