Think about the holiday season and you’ll likely imagine scenes ripped straight from a TV show.
Snowflakes were falling gently outside and everyone was gathered around a perfectly decorated tree.
A table groans under the weight of a perfect feast, family drama magically resolves before the pie comes out, and those charming holiday mishaps that somehow end with a heartfelt toast.
It’s pure magic – or so television would have us believe.
In real life, the gravy is cold, the turkey is dry, and someone is crying in the bathroom because Uncle Jim brought up politics.
However, thanks to television, we all secretly want to have the perfect vacation.
Where did it all begin? Let’s unpack the gift that keeps giving—TV’s impact on our holiday expectations.
Cue the Snow Machine: A TV-Picture-Perfect Vacation
Back in the golden age of television, holiday episodes were simple.
They serve as filler episodes—the backdrop for sitcom hijinks or moral lessons—designed to strike a sentimental tone without trying too hard.
But then came “The Brady Bunch,” which was filled with sparkling, idealized family moments where every decoration hung perfectly and no one dared show up with store-bought cookies.
By the 1980s and 1990s, holiday episodes became full-scale productions.
Full House transforms every room into a Christmas wonderland, Family Matters brings a heartwarming scene of neighborhood carols, and Cheers ensures even the lonely pub-goer can feel a little festive cheer.
These episodes not only celebrate the season; They actually redefined it. It’s not just situation comedies jumping on the holiday trend.
Shows like Little House on the Prairie were early adopters of tear-jerking holiday specials, giving us scenes of families struggling to make Christmas.
These moments tug at the heartstrings and cement the idea that no matter how bad things get, the holidays always bring redemption and joy.
Even supernatural shows find ways to incorporate holiday themes.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 3 Episode 10 “Amends” brings a unique twist to the season.
Buffy and Angel grapple with their doomed love story, while a true evil threatens to ruin Christmas. Because, seriously, what’s the holidays without an apocalyptic twist?
Friendships, festivals and feasts: TV’s festive mood
If “The Brady Bunch” gave us the family vacation of our dreams, “Friends” gave us an even more irresistible option – “Friendship Night.”
Who needs relatives when Monica is perfecting the turkey, Joey is testing his elastic pants, and Chandler is making wisecracks with a bird on his head?
Friends not only make Thanksgiving fun, they make it an iconic holiday.
Now, Friendsgiving is actually a cultural institution. But let’s be honest: The real-life version doesn’t have wacky holiday armadillos or neat storylines.
They’re more likely to involve someone burning a roll, a drunken debate about whose filling is better, and at least a last-minute trip to the grocery store.
Still, thanks to television, we all want our friend giveaways to feel like a mix of situation comedy mayhem and heartfelt toasts.
Even shows like The Office have turned holiday mishaps into must-see entertainment.
Who can forget the infamous “Yankee Swap” episode where Michael Scott turned a harmless gift exchange into a brutal nightmare?
Yet as dysfunctional as these scenes are, they still somehow capture the spirit of togetherness — proving that even chaos has a place in the holidays.
Meanwhile, cult classics like Community are shaking up the holiday mold, with episodes like Community Season 2 Episode 11 “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas,” a claymation search for meaning this season Fever dream.
It’s a reminder that the holidays don’t have to look traditional to feel magical.
Holiday miracle or Hollywood magic?
Renovation stress is another story entirely.
Shows like “Gilmore Girls” turn small-town charm into an Olympic sport, and “Stars Hollow” has a Christmas show that rivals anything you’ll see in a holiday movie.
Then there’s Home Improvement’s Tim “Tool Man” Taylor, who takes Christmas lights to another level, convincing viewers that if your house can’t be seen from space, you’re not doing it right.
Shows like “This Is Us” and “Grey’s Anatomy” have embraced the holiday format and upped the ante.
These shows introduce us to exciting moments, surprise reunions, and last-minute miracles that have us crying in our eggnog.
Who doesn’t want long-lost relatives to show up when the snow starts to fall, or estranged siblings to finally forgive and forget under the glow of the Christmas tree? Unfortunately, real life rarely ties things up with a bow.
Television even sets unrealistic expectations for romance during the holidays.
From mistletoe kisses to snow-covered proposals, shows like “Lady” and “The OC” put love in the air as the first snowflakes fall.
These perfect moments have even spread to social media, with carefully staged photos and matching pajamas trying to recreate the TV magic.
But let’s face it: for most of us, romance during the holidays is more about passing the drinks than the big gestures.
At the end of the day, television sets an impossible holiday standard for us.
We’re left chasing the perfect family dinners, hilariously wacky friend gifts, and romantic snow-covered proposals—all while dealing with the chaos of real life.
But maybe it doesn’t matter. The real holidays, despite all their chaos and unpredictability, have their own unique beauty.
When the tree crooks, the dog eats the stuffing, and someone accidentally lights the pie on fire, these are the moments you’ll remember.
They may not look like Hallmark cards, but they’re real – and that’s what makes them special.
Maybe it’s time to stop chasing Hollywood’s idea of the “perfect vacation” and embrace our own beautifully imperfect vacations.
After all, even the most carefully planned TV vacations are just scripted. Real life may not have laughs or neat bows, but it’s ours, quirks and all.
What do you think?
Does television get the holiday completely wrong, or does it capture the holiday spirit better than we thought? Let us know in the comments!
