25 best Christmas TV episodes to watch this holiday season

Gilmore Girls – “Forgiveness and Stuff”

If you have ever watched Gilmore Girls, you might notice that it always seems to be winter or autumn in the town of Stars Hollow, but there are actually very few episodes that are exclusively about Christmas, even if they take place at Christmastime. On the season 1 episode “Forgiveness and Stuff,” we get to see a classic Gilmore family Christmas, meaning Emily and Lorelai are at each other’s throats.

Lorelai is fighting with her mother after getting in an argument over their parenting differences when Rory accidentally falls asleep at Miss Patty’s with Dean after a dance. Emily degrades her daughter’s parenting skills and insinuates Rory will end up pregnant at 16 the way Lorelai did. With the two at war, Lorelai gets disinvited from their annual Christmas party even though it’s the one holiday tradition she actually enjoys. Rory, on the other hand, still has to attend by herself.

Lorelai is stuck home alone, ordering pizza to eat on the couch. When the pizza doesn’t come, she makes her way to Luke’s — because when doesn’t she — and he makes her a special Santa burger to make her feel better. Meanwhile at the party, Emily is telling her guests that Lorelai is home sick, because no WASP could ever reveal their family drama at a party! Richard keeps talking work and is visibly stressed out about business stuff the entire night.

Apparently the stress is too much for Richard, and he keels over from an apparent heart attack during the party. Rory tries to call her mother to let her know they’re going to the hospital, but Lorelai doesn’t pick up. When she finally gets the message at Luke’s, she freaks out and Luke shuts the diner down early to drive her up to Hartford. Emily is frantic at the hospital, and bosses everyone in the ER around trying to get some answers about her husband. When Lorelai swoops in and helps defuse the situation in their time of crisis, Emily is impressed.

Richard didn’t suffer from a full-on heart attack, just angina, but it’s still scary for everyone. Emily appreciates having her girls there, and at least in that moment, the drama takes a backseat. But it wouldn’t be a true Gilmore holiday if there wasn’t a little bit of drama!