Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for Hanukkah! From Friends to The Goldbergs, there are plenty of Hanukkah-themed TV episodes to watch this season, whether you’re Jewish or not.
The Festival of Lights often gets overlooked in between viewings of Seinfeld’s “The Strike” episode, which celebrates the made-up holiday of Festivus (for the rest of us!) and Christmas movie classics, like Home Alone and Love Actually.
Us Weekly rounded up the eight best TV episodes that pay tribute to the holiday — that happen to coordinate with the eight nights of Hanukkah — including moments from The O.C. and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
If you want to see a more comical spin on Hanukkah, start by streaming Friends’ “The One With the Holiday Armadillo.” During the show, Ross (David Schwimmer) dresses up as an armadillo after his attempt to get a Santa suit does not work out. He dons the silly costume to try and teach his son Ben about his Jewish heritage.
“I’m the holiday armadillo. I’m a friend of Santa’s,” Ross tells Ben, before telling him the importance of the Jewish holiday. “He sent me here to wish you a merry Christmas.”
He adds: “I’m Santa’s representative for all the southern states and … Mexico!”
The O.C., on the other hand, combined both Christmas and Hanukkah to create Chrismukkah in all four seasons of the series. Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) looked forward to the joint holiday every year — as did many fans of the drama — but season 1’s “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” is the best episode of all.
Saturday Night Live recruited Adam Sandler to create the iconic “Hanukkah Song” in 1994, which can be used to set the scene for any Hanukkah celebration. Plus, Rugrats explained the traditional tale of the season through the eyes of the babies, showing a humorous side to the timeless traditions of the holiday.
Of course, no Hanukkah night is complete without lighting the menorah, which is front and center during Brothers & Sisters season 1 episode, “Light the Lights.”
Schitt’s Creek also got into the festive spirit with its season 4 holiday special, titled “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose.” In the episode, Eugene Levy’s patriarch aimed to recreate his interfaith brood’s holiday cheer with an intimate Christmas and Hanukkah celebration in their hotel room.
“I don’t think we did break during that scene. I think there was something that came over us that was very, like, the spirit of the holiday,” Emily Hampshire, who played motel clerk Stevie, exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2021 of the festive episode. “We all really got into that and got into watching Mr. Rose freak out but seeing how kind of sensitive it was for him. I think we actually kept it together then.”
Scroll down for a list of Hanukkah-approved TV episodes that the whole family will enjoy.
Put on your yarmulke, it’s time for Hanukkah! From Friends to The Goldbergs, there are plenty of Hanukkah-themed TV episodes to watch this season, whether you’re Jewish or not.
The Festival of Lights often gets overlooked in between viewings of Seinfeld’s “The Strike” episode, which celebrates the made-up holiday of Festivus (for the rest of us!) and Christmas movie classics, like Home Alone and Love Actually.
Us Weekly rounded up the eight best TV episodes that pay tribute to the holiday — that happen to coordinate with the eight nights of Hanukkah — including moments from The O.C. and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
If you want to see a more comical spin on Hanukkah, start by streaming Friends’ “The One With the Holiday Armadillo.” During the show, Ross (David Schwimmer) dresses up as an armadillo after his attempt to get a Santa suit does not work out. He dons the silly costume to try and teach his son Ben about his Jewish heritage.
“I’m the holiday armadillo. I’m a friend of Santa’s,” Ross tells Ben, before telling him the importance of the Jewish holiday. “He sent me here to wish you a merry Christmas.”
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He adds: “I’m Santa’s representative for all the southern states and … Mexico!”
The O.C., on the other hand, combined both Christmas and Hanukkah to create Chrismukkah in all four seasons of the series. Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) looked forward to the joint holiday every year — as did many fans of the drama — but season 1’s “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” is the best episode of all.
Saturday Night Live recruited Adam Sandler to create the iconic “Hanukkah Song” in 1994, which can be used to set the scene for any Hanukkah celebration. Plus, Rugrats explained the traditional tale of the season through the eyes of the babies, showing a humorous side to the timeless traditions of the holiday.
Of course, no Hanukkah night is complete without lighting the menorah, which is front and center during Brothers & Sisters season 1 episode, “Light the Lights.”
Schitt’s Creek also got into the festive spirit with its season 4 holiday special, titled “Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose.” In the episode, Eugene Levy’s patriarch aimed to recreate his interfaith brood’s holiday cheer with an intimate Christmas and Hanukkah celebration in their hotel room.
“I don’t think we did break during that scene. I think there was something that came over us that was very, like, the spirit of the holiday,” Emily Hampshire, who played motel clerk Stevie, exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2021 of the festive episode. “We all really got into that and got into watching Mr. Rose freak out but seeing how kind of sensitive it was for him. I think we actually kept it together then.”
Scroll down for a list of Hanukkah-approved TV episodes that the whole family will enjoy.
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Credit: YouTube
‘Dash & Lily’ — ‘Hanukkah’
On the Netflix series, inspired by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn’s fiction trilogy, Dash (Austin Abrams) and Lili (Midori Francis) exchange a series of holiday-centric dares to complete leading up to Christmas. One of Dash’s quests for Lily is to attend an underground Hanukkah rave to help her get out of comfort zone.
Credit: YouTube
‘Schitt’s Creek’ — ‘Merry Christmas, Johnny Rose’
In Schitt’s Creek’s holiday special, Johnny Rose (Eugene Levy) aims to give children David (Dan Levy) and Alexis (Annie Murphy) a holiday party just like their renowned bashs pre-bankruptcy. While the interfaith family of four were unable to deck the halls with the same pizazz as years past, Johnny added a Christmas wreath and a menorah to their motel room.
Credit: YouTube
‘Glee’ — ‘Glee, Actually’
Glee had several Christmas tributes throughout its series tenure, but the finally got into the Hanukkah spirit during season 4. Noah Puckerman (Mark Salling) was eager to get to know his half-brother Jake (Jacob Artist) over the Festival of Lights. The TV siblings wound up singing an acoustic rendition of “Oh Hanukkah” while getting matching Star of David tattoos.
Credit: J. Lubin/FOX
The O.C. — “The Best Chrismukkah Ever”
The O.C. first combined Christmas and Hanukkah with ease in season 1’s “The Best Chrismukkah Ever.” The show proceeded to celebrate the joint holiday throughout its four seasons, and no character loved Chrismukkah more than Seth Cohen. In season three, his family, which also included adopted brother and friend Ryan Atwood, threw a Bar Mitz-vakkah for Ryan. On the eventful day, Seth toasted the season saying, “Chrismukkah is unruinable!”
Credit: HBO Max
Friends — “The One With the Holiday Armadillo”
No Hanukkah season is complete without Friends’ “The One With the Holiday Armadillo” episode from season 7. In an attempt to teach his son Ben about Hanukkah, Ross plans to dress up as Santa, but has to settle with an armadillo costume to teach him about the holiday season. In the end, Santa-obsessed Ben learns about the Festival of Lights from his dad dressed as the “Holiday Armadillo” who is part Jewish. He is also greeted by Chandler dressed as Santa and Joey dressed as Superman.
Credit: Hulu
Rugrats — “Chanukah”
In 1996, Rugrats gifted TV fans with season 4’s “Chanukah.” Throughout the episode, the babies learn about Hanukkah thanks to Grandma Minka reading the story of the holiday as they take on the historic roles and play out the tale on screen. Tommy as Judah is both memorable and adorable.
Credit: NBC
Saturday Night Live — “The Hanukkah Song”
The sketch comedy series has brought to life many Hanukkah-themed skits over the years. None, however, have become so beloved as Adam Sandler’s performance of the “Hanukkah Song” from season 20. The original tune was sung during a “Weekend Update” sketch in 1994 and lists Jewish celebrities and the fun traditions of the holiday. It has since been added to and is now four parts.
Credit: ABC
Brothers & Sisters — “Light the Lights”
During the season 1 episode, the Walker family explores their Hebrew roots after Paige learns that both her mother, Sarah, and grandmother, Nora, are Jewish. When asked why they don’t celebrate Hanukkah, Nora says, “You can ethnically be Jewish, but at the same time, Santa is so much fun.” Later in the episode, Uncle Saul teaches Paige about Judaism and the family has a Hanukkah feast and candle lighting ceremony.
Credit: YouTube
Even Stevens — “Heck of a Hanukkah”
After Louis finds and opens all of his Hanukkah gifts, he goes on his own It’s a Wonderful Life-style journey in season 1 to find the true meaning of the holiday. With the help of Bubbe Rose, his own ghost of Hanukkah’s past, present and future, Louis is able to salvage the season and reconnect with his family.
Credit: ABC/Eric McCandless
The Goldbergs — “A Christmas Story”
Beverly Goldberg goes all out on every occasion, and Hanukkah is no exception. The season 3 episode highlights the family’s Jewish roots, as Beverly tries to create a “Super Hanukkah” celebration to get her family into the spirit amid all the Santa hype. She buys Erica a guitar, cooks up a storm and caps it all off with the Jewish-American tradition of eating Chinese food on Christmas.
Credit: Netflix
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — “My Mom, Greg’s Mom and Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves”
When Rebecca’s mom comes to town for Hanukkah, her stress levels hit an all-time high. Throughout the season 1 episode, she discovers that family is the real gift of the season … even if that means having to deal with an overbearing parent in your space for long periods of time.
