Every Seinfeld Holiday Episode Ranked—From Worst to Best
The best Seinfeld Christmas episodes combine hilarious catchphrases, timeless observations and just the right amount of dysfunction. Take a look back at the legendary sitcom's funniest holiday moments.
The Best Seinfeld Christmas Episodes, Ranked
8. “The Gum” (Season seven, episode 10)
For many, Christmas is all about spending much-needed time with loved ones and making people happy. George Costanza, however, is not most people—a fact that’s again made clear to viewers when George spends much of “The Gum” avoiding his parents and celebrating the misfortunes of his nemesis, Lloyd Braun. Unfortunately, the episode’s subplots—Kramer renovates an old movie theatre while Jerry must wear glasses to maintain a trivial excuse—are thoroughly unfunny, making “The Gum” one of the creative low points of an otherwise strong seventh season. (At least we get to see George dressed up as another symbol of madness, Henry VIII.)
7. “The Andrea Doria” (Season eight, episode 10)
Despite the visible Christmas decorations around New York City and the episode’s December 19, 1996 airdate, there’s not one mention of Christmas in all of “The Andrea Doria.” What the episode lacks in festive cheer, however, it more than makes up for with wall-to-wall laughs. Every storyline is absolute gold: George battles it out with a shipwreck survivor for a hot property, Jerry helps Newman deliver mail, Elaine dates a “bad breaker-upper” and, in one of Seinfeld’s funniest bits of surrealism, Kramer takes dog medicine to treat a nasty cough…and starts to behave just like a dog.
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6. “The Millennium” (Season eight, episode 20)
As perhaps the defining television series of its time, it’s impossible to rewatch Seinfeld without feeling nostalgic for the 1990s. In “The Millennium,” Kramer and Newman make plans to host their own Y2K party, but Newman makes one exception: Jerry must not be invited. While the episode’s holiday spirit is in short supply, “The Millennium” is noteworthy in depicting the depth of the gang’s unfailing friendship. (Kramer clutching his framed photo of Jerry after waking from a nightmare will always have a special place in our hearts.)
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5. “The Label Maker” (Season six, episode 12)
This standout episode revolves around Dr. Tim Whatley (Bryan Cranston) and the act of recycling bad Christmas presents. When Whatley gives Jerry a “Label Baby Junior” as a thank-you for Super Bowl tickets, Jerry and Elaine learn that Whatley “re-gifted” Elaine’s Christmas gift. “The Label Maker” is chock full of hilarious holiday observations and features one particularly underrated exchange: when George suggests “de-gifting” the Super Bowl tickets because of a customary “grace period,” Jerry asks him point blank, “Are you even vaguely familiar with the concept of giving?”
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4.“The Race” (Season six, episode 10)
Superman superfan Jerry is ecstatic to be dating a woman named Lois, but what’s a superhero without a villain? Enter Duncan Meyer: Lois’s boss and Jerry’s old foe. Back in high school, Jerry beat Duncan in a much-talked-about race—in reality, Jerry had a false start. “The Race” really ramps up its Christmas hijinks with its B-plot, as Kramer and Mickey (Danny Woodburn) take on seasonal jobs as a department store Santa and one of his elves, respectively. The episode’s ending, which depicts the titular race rematch, is joyous without devolving into sentimentality.
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3. “The Red Dot” (Season three, episode 12)
While this episode’s feel-good ending—Elaine’s alcoholic boyfriend, Dick, gets back on the wagon—is antithetical to Seinfeld’s “no hugging, no learning” rule, “The Red Dot” is nevertheless a supreme showcase for the madness of George. First, he buys Elaine a cashmere sweater that’s been marked down thanks to the titular stain. Then, he’s fired from his new job at Pendant Publishing for—this one’s a doozy—having sex with the cleaning lady on his desk. “The Red Dot” is one of those Seinfeld Christmas episodes that just pops into your mind while you’re on a last-minute holiday shopping run or suffering through the office Christmas party.
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2. “The Pick” (Season four, episode 13)
Elaine Benes is no stranger to public humiliations, but “The Pick” might be her lowest (read: funniest) moment. After sending a Christmas card to hundreds of colleagues and relatives, Elaine realizes the photo of her on the card contains an unfortunate nip-slip. Meanwhile, Jerry must face a public embarrassment of his own: after his supermodel girlfriend breaks up with him for seemingly picking his nose, he confronts her to defend himself, cribbing from The Merchant of Venice and The Elephant Man in the process. As “The Pick” attests, Christmas is the absolute worst time of the year to draw negative attention to yourself.
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1. “The Strike” (Season nine, episode 10)
“The Strike” is not only the best Seinfeld Christmas episode, but one of the best Seinfeld episodes, period. Of course, this late-period gem is famous for introducing the world to Festivus: the Costanza family’s alternative to Christmas that includes a metal pole and offbeat traditions like the “airing of grievances.” It’s amazing how many gags are packed into 22 minutes: George’s faux charity (“The Human Fund…money, for people”), Kramer returning to work at H&H Bagels after a 12-year strike, Jerry’s “two-face” new girlfriend, Elaine’s fake phone number games and the episode ending with the Festivus “feats of strength.” There’s no better ode to holiday dysfunction.
After you’ve rewatched the best Seinfeld Christmas episodes, check out the best Christmas movies on Netflix.
