For a show with over 700 episodes and counting, it's only natural 'The Simpsons' would rack up a few good Christmas-themed episodes along the way.
The very first episode of the show that aired all the way back in 1989 was a Christmas-themed episode where the family adopts the faithful family dog Santa's Little Helper.
Since then, the show has tackled the Christmas season in its typical style, and we're here to list the best Christmas episodes of the legendary show.
Marge Be Not Proud (Season 7, Episode 11)
When writers Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein took over the show for seasons 7 and 8, they strove to produce more episodes that explored the dynamics of the Simpsons family.
One of the most underrated dynamics in the show is the relationship between Bart and Marge, and this classic episode captures that dynamic beautifully.
The main thrust of the episode is Bart is caught shoplifting a video game, and after embarrassing her in front of a crowd, Bart endeavours to make it up to her.
'Marge Be Not Proud' has some classic Simpsons-tinged Christmas moments such as Lisa feeling dizzy from spraying the Christmas tree with fake spray, the family making immaculate snow figures of themselves, and Bart putting marshmallows in his hot chocolate but he just can't get it right.
The resolution of the episode is one of the most heart-warming moments in the series, and the episode ends with one of the all-time great 'Simpsons' jokes.
'Miracle On Evergreen Terrace' (Season 9, Episode 10)
Still within the realms of 'Classic Simpsons', this Season 9 episode is chock-full of great Christmas-tinged jokes and situations.
The main hook of the episode is Bart wanting to get a headstart on opening Christmas presents, so he sneaks down early to beat the rush.
Bart discovers a fire truck, and while playing with it sets the Christmas tree on fire.
Bart buries the tree in the snow and leads the family - and town - to believe their tree was stolen by a burglar.
All the hallmarks of a great Christmas-themed episode of TV are there - trying to beat the last-minute shopping rush, the excitement of shaking presents under the tree, not being able to sleep the night before - but the episode takes an ironic twist late on.
The townsfolk turning on the Simpsons family after Bart's plot is revealed is one of the darker moments in the show, and the Frank Capra style sense of optimism and hope the episode establishes evaporates into a mean-spirited, sardonic Christmas episode.
The ending of the episode is rather dark by Simpsons standards as the townsfolk decide to ransack the Simpsons household to take their revenge for being swindled, but the episode ends on a bittersweet note.
A mere dishcloth is all that remains in the house and the family playfully fights over who owns it as the credits roll.
'Miracle On Evergreen Terrace' is an example of what prime 'Simpsons' got so right - it was a beautiful mix of sweet and sour.
'Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire' (Season 1, Episode 1)
Debuting a mere 2 weeks before the 1990's began, the pilot episode of 'The Simpsons' is a classic Christmas episode of television.
As a pilot episode, it does a good job of establishing the core dynamics and beats that we all became familiar with over the years and as a Christmas-themed episode, it's first-rate.
The episode sets up long-running plot arcs in the series; Bart is rebellious, Lisa is too precocious for her own good, the family is struggling to make ends meet financially - and tells this story in the confines of a Christmas setting.
Not merely just a great pilot episode, the episode also works as a great Christmas-themed episode of television.
It has all the elements of a Christmas episode, such as the dad being disinterested at the Christmas play, the kids asking for outlandish presents, and the family shopping outing going awry, but with a 'Simpsons' twist.
The ending of the episode, where Santa's Little Helper is brought home from the greyhound track, is one of the all-time great heartwarming moments in television.
The economic realities of living day-to-day still remain, but for that one moment in time, the Simpson family forget all about their problems and celebrate the joy of Christmas.
'Holidays Of Future Passed' (Season 23, Episode 9)
You could count the amount of truly great HD-era 'Simpsons' episodes on one hand, and this episode is decidedly one of them,
'The Simpsons' has shown us glimpses of the family in the future before - most notably Season 6's 'Lisa's Wedding' - and this episode goes that one step further by ostensibly uprooting the established 'Simpsons' canon.
The episode takes place 30 years into the future and shows Bart and Lisa as parents.
Lisa ends up married to Millhouse and has become the successful adult she was always destined to be, while Bart is a struggling father of two who lives in a rundown apartment.
We get glimpses of what Springfield could look like in the 2040's, such as the school being converted into apartments or school bully Kearney working as a taxi driver.
Far and away the best scene in the episode is the pair sitting in their old treehouse, enjoying some wine, and discussing how tough parenting is.
The plot revolves around Christmas, and it's fun seeing Bart and Lisa in the Homer and Marge roles as struggling parents at Christmas, and is one of the last truly capital G Great episodes of the show.
'Skinner's Sense Of Snow' (Season 12, Episode 8)
The last day of school before Christmas break is a memory familiar to us all; some of us were looking forward to having the chance to watch a movie with some friends, while others saw it as a necessary evil before 2 weeks of freedom.
This episode captures that specific Christmas scenario as Principal Skinner makes children come into school for the last day of term despite a massive snowstorm blanketing Springfield.
By the time the low-quality black-and-white Christmas movie is over, Skinner and the students find themselves snowed in.
The premise of being snowed in school allows us to explore the dynamic between Bart and Skinner in some fun ways, and also lets us dig into Homer and Ned Flanders' love-hate relationship.
The episode captures the "lazy half-day before Christmas" sensation well, and adds in the classic "snowed in at Christmas" trope for good measure.
