25 best Christmas TV episodes to watch this holiday season

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – “Twas the Night Before Christening”

Christmas is a time for family and for looking back on everything you have to be thankful for, and that’s what the Banks family did on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s 1993 Christmas episode, “Twas The Night Before Christening,” when we’re transported five years into the future.

Baby Nicky’s christening is coming up on Christmas Eve — a weird time to have a christening but whatever — and Will is surprised by the expensive gifts the rest of the Banks family bought for the baby.  After seeing the way Nicky dances to the music of Boyz II Men, Will gets a crazy idea. To try and compete with his family, he foolishly promises to get the R&B group to perform live at the christening, even though he has no idea how it’s going to happen.

Uncle Phil is recounting the story of his christening to a toddler-aged Nicky in 1998 as a bedtime story to explain the origins of his four middle names. First, Will tries to sneak into a radio station where the band is appearing, but he’s thrown out when they find out Will stole Nathan Morris’ girlfriend back in Philly. He tries to sneak into the studio again, this time in Carlton’s Santa Claus costume. He almost convinces them, until his beard falls off and they realize it’s Will.

At the christening, Vivian chooses their beloved butler Geoffrey to be Nicky’s godfather over her sisters, who can’t stop bickering. Will finally has to do what he’s been dreading and tell everyone that he failed to land Boyz II Men. Just as he’s about to tell everyone the truth, Boyz II Men come out, in matching blue and black suits and white turtlenecks, singing a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night.” You already know what we’re going to say: it’s a Christmas miracle!

Flash forward to 1998, and Uncle Phil explains to Nicky why he has four middle names. It’s because he’s named after all four members of Boyz II Men: Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, Nathan Morris, and Wanyá Morris.