'Tis the season to count down TV's most festive holiday moments, from "The Simpsons" and "Bob's Burgers" to "Community" and "Lost."

7. “Trophy Wife,” Season 1, Episode 10 – T’was the Night Before Christmas… Or T’was It?”

No list of holiday episodes would be complete without one massive catastrophe. A tantalizing tracking shot of all the main characters splayed out throughout the house on Christmas morning is a fascinating setup. Tracking the tick-tock of what led up to that big hangover is a glorious whodunit, peppered with the kind of jokes (like the various pronunciations of glögg) that made this show such a joyous watch over its all-too-brief run. Much like “Trophy Wife” itself, this is lightning in a bottle. Who knows whether or not later Christmas episodes of the series would have found ways to reach these height, but at least we got enough of Bert, a feral coyote, and Jackie’s tiny eyebrows when we got the chance.

6. “The O.C.,” Season 1, Episode 13 – “The Best Chrismukkah Ever”

The indecision of Sandy (Peter Gallagher) and Kirsten (Kelly Rowan) led to the birth of a magical holiday monster known as Chrismukkah, and its mad doctor is none other than Seth Cohen (Adam Brody). Because his Jewish father and Christian mother couldn’t choose whether to raise their one and only son in either faith, he merged them together for his benefit. Chrismukkah was born, and so many presents were exchanged, it’s a good thing Sandy got out of pro bono work.

But the episode itself is much more than a creation story. It features not one, but two “Marissa (Mischa Barton) is a trash person” storylines, Seth’s love triangle with Summer (Rachel Bilson) and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) reaches an unwanted climax, and Ryan’s woeful former Christmases threaten to derail his first holiday with the new family.

Never fear: Seth, shockingly, is right when he says the power of Jesus and Moses make Chrismukkah “unruinable.” “The O.C.” had yet to slip into its dark days (even if Marissa was full-blown depressed), and the holiday spirit wins out in the end.

5. “Community,” Season 2, Episode 11 – “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas”

“This is the most important Christmas in the history of the universe,” says Abed (Danny Pudi) at the opening of “Community’s” landmark 2010 episode “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas.” “I’m assuming that’s why we’re all stop-motion animated.”

Indeed, the ambitious episode, written by Dan Harmon and Dino Stamatopoulos, dives deep inside Abed’s brain as he struggles to find the meaning of Christmas. As Prof. Duncan (John Oliver) attempts to analyze what’s really bothering Abed, the gang goes on a journey through “outer Christmas space” to Planet Abed (where the atmosphere is 7 percent cinnamon), as the Cave of Frozen Memories might offer up some answers. It turns out the meaning of Christmas may be Season 1 of “Lost” on DVD (“it represents the lack of payoff”) — but, ultimately the study group realizes that Christmas can mean whatever you want.

The episode ultimately earned a Creative Arts Emmy for Individual Achievement in Animation (received by animator Drew Hodges). More importantly, in committing to the stop-motion format, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas” even includes some catchy tunes that should have become instant classics — including Abed’s “Sad Quick Christmas Song”:

Sad quick Christmas song

Sad quick Christmas snowman

Tragic day gone wrong

Sad quick Christmas song

4. “South Park,” Season 8, Episode 14 – “Woodland Critter Christmas”

“Woodland Critter Christmas” is so perfect that creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone stopped making holiday specials for 10 years. Now, the fourteenth episode of Season 8 may not be everyone’s cup of tea: Blood orgies, an abortion montage, and animal sacrifice don’t typically add up to holiday cheer. But someone had to expose the creepy animatronic, claymation, and puppet creatures that make up so many holiday specials for what they really are: creepy, untrustworthy little monsters. More importantly, the episode’s dark twist creates an unforgettable sequence of events that doesn’t demand an explanation, but certainly earns what’s given. No other holiday episode has left more of an impact on viewers.

3. “Black Mirror” – “White Christmas”

Contrary to what your local mall Santa might have you believe, the holidays aren’t great for everyone. Not everyone who’s alone at Christmas is isolated in a conspicuously secluded cabin or damned to near-eternity inside a “cookie,” but this feature-length “Black Mirror” episode is a pretty good approximation of what it’s like to not share the cheeriness of the season. For some, the holidays can be a point of reflection, of realizing all the things throughout the year that may need a second look. And for others, the snowfall can bring a personal and philosophical reckoning, as you’re forced to live with the consequences of what your year has brought about. “Black Mirror” has always been about wrestling with the things that most people assume to be good and happy developments. It’s fitting that, in this world, Christmas brings about some of the most horrifying things imaginable.

2. “Mad Men,” Season 5, Episode 10 – “Christmas Waltz”

Sometimes the best Christmas episodes feature a dose of melancholy, and “Christmas Waltz” offered plenty of that, with several characters finding themselves grasping for happiness as 1966 draws to a close. Joan (Christina Hendricks) is served with divorce papers, but Don (Jon Hamm) cheers her up by taking her out on the town — offering up one of the sweetest moments of the entire series. But Don’s absence continues to put a strain on his marriage with Megan (Jessica Pare). Thanks to Pete, Sterling Cooper is back in contention for the Jaguar account, but Don, as usual, is lukewarm on the idea, and Pete feels undervalued. Harry (Rich Sommer) attempts to rescue Paul (Michael Gladis) from an unhappy existence as a Hare Krishna. And then there’s poor Lane (Jared Harris), whose money troubles and unhappiness will soon lead to a tragic end. “One could argue the whole show is about people realizing that having something isn’t going to make them happy,” critic Todd VanDerWerff wrote about the episode. “That’s true, more or less, but ‘Christmas Waltz’ was damn direct about it at times.”

1. “Lost,” Season 4, Episode 5 – “The Constant”

Despite being a metaphysical race against time, “The Constant” is a simple story about the unity of hope. Unstuck in time, hurtling back and forth between memories, Desmond searches for something to latch onto in order to physically and mentally survive in an unfamiliar existence. After an episode-long struggle across multiple timelines, Desmond eventually finds refuge in a phone call to his lost love, Penny. After years of toiling on a strange island and in the midst of a massive group effort to return to safety, their conversation is a brief respite and a glimmer of happiness. Christmas really only enters the equation at the close of the episode, but that cheerful phone call between Desmond and Penny is as good a example of holiday magic as you’ll find anywhere on TV. And really, it’s an apt metaphor for the holiday season in general: a year of tumult and chaos and uncertainty, mitigated by the chance to connect with a loved one. Life usually doesn’t make sense, but this is the time of year where sharing that uncertainty with someone else and finding solace in each other is the best kind of celebration.

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