Bob’s Burgers is one of the best animated shows to watch over the holiday season, and that means it’s a great time to highlight some of the best Christmas episodes it has to offer! Bob’s Burgers really goes out for its holidays with special episodes based on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas nearly every season of the series. Each of these episodes not only highlights what makes each particular holiday special for the different generations of the Belcher family, but also makes sure to highlight the real emotional core of each of the celebrations with their stories as well.
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The Christmas episodes are some of the best in the entire series overall, so it can be tough to actually figure out which of them are actually the best. So with this list, since each of the episodes are so great, it’s more trying to figure out which are the best and which are the least best. It’s even tougher when you get to the episodes placed higher on this list as it’s really pulling hairs based on a few small differences in preference. Either way, you’re guaranteed a good holiday with Bob’s Burgers.
Read on for our picks of the best Bob’s Burgers Christmas episodes, with all of the episodes that have been released through to 2024!
#13 – God Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins
Season 3, Episode 9
Original Air Date: December 16th, 2012
Bob’s Burgers has some of the best Christmas episodes you’ll find in animated sitcoms, but this one is at the bottom of the list simply by default. Later seasons will expand on the kinds of stories and holiday spirit that would be explored for the Belcher family, and they ultimately do it better than the one you’ll find here. This one is also unfortunately one of the episodes that has not aged as well as the others, and a stunt guest star is something that future episodes didn’t really have to rely on for their specials. But it was a great way to start it all off.
#12 – Yachty or Nice
Season 11, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 13th, 2020
“Yachty or Nice” is also one of the pricklier Christmas specials, and that’s why it’s not as great as some of the others. It’s an episode that focuses on a character outside of the Belcher family, and making things even tougher is the fact it spends so much time having pity on Jimmy Pesto. Bob’s rivalry and sometimes uneasy friendship with Pesto is one of the tougher dynamics to watch on repeat visits, and it’s the case here. And the Belcher kids trying to trick Teddy to get some presents means it’s also one of the specials where their antics weren’t so jolly. Compared to the others, it just doesn’t hit as well.
#11 – Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas
Season 10, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 15th, 2019
“Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas” is likely the prickliest Christmas special on this list overall. It’s just tons of anxiety piled on other anxieties as while Linda might have a Christmas focused interest in trying to deliver a late mail package on her own, it means Bob and Tina are having a terrible time with the rest of her family. Linda’s family is also built to be “annoying” on purpose, on gathering them here over the “ottoman incident” is funny for a while but it really just further highlights how the Belcher family is separated during this episode for the most part. It just doesn’t hold up as well on rewatches like the others do.
#10 – Nice-Capades
Season 6, Episode 5
Original Air Date: November 15th, 2015
“Nice-Capades” is where this list starts to really get tough. This episode has some of the best Belcher kid shenanigans, and sees Louise learning the true meaning of what being “good” actually means outside of just Christmas context. We get a fun ice musical towards the end as well, and it’s always fun to see the Belcher kids pulling off a successful scheme of any sort. Taking it to this level for the holiday, it’s definitely a fun watch. The only weakness is that Bob and Linda don’t get much to do at the center of the story.
#9 – Dog Christmas Day After Afternoon
Season 15, Episode 9
Original Air Date: December 15th, 2024
Bob’s Burgers has never really been shy about highlighting how much Bob and Linda struggle because the kids themselves are usually happy with what they get for Christmas each year. But that was flipped on its head with “Dog Christmas Day After Afternoon” as when the Belcher kids don’t get the Nintendo Switch like “Game Whiz” that they have been asking for, there’s a palpable showing of disappointment that their parents instantly feel bad about.
It was a sour note for the special to open on, and unfortunately it continues through the episode as when they find a puppy in the street, Gene accidentally poisons it with chocolate and causes more stress. The way it all wraps up gives it a more heartwarming feel than not, but focusing on the most materialistic the kids have been yet doesn’t seem like a fit for Bob’s Burgers.
#8 – The Last Gingerbread House on the Left
Season 7, Episode 7
Original Air Date: November 27th, 2016
While “The Last Gingerbread House of the Left” separates the Belcher family for its run time, and focuses on Mr. Fischoeder for it’s A-plot, but it’s such a cute idea. And while Bob is focusing on the gingerbread house contest, the rest of the family gets paired with Teddy and it makes for a fantastic pairing. There’s even a bit of intensity towards the end with both stories as Bob gets involved in a standoff, and the rest of the family thinks they ended up at a murderer’s house. It’s also an episode that ended in a victory for everyone involved, and that’s just perfect for the holiday.
#7 – Better Off Sled
Season 9, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 9th, 2018
“Better Off Sled” also features one of the best Christmas related Belcher kid adventures. It’s not exactly fully holiday inspired all the way through, but it’s rare to see Louise getting a victory over Logan in such a notable way. It’s a snow day type episode where Louise eventually gets a scheme to succeed, and ultimately wins at the end of it all. It’s a light adventure (including a very fun moment for Teddy), and even features a hilarious Bob and Linda side plot that showcases more of the Belcher kids’ wacky personalities when it comes to an end. It’s honestly only at this place on the list because it’s not more focused on the holiday.
#6 – The Nightmare 2 Days Before Christmas
Season 14, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 17th, 2023
“The Nightmare 2 Days Before Christmas” might be one of the more recent Christmas episode, but it’s one of the most compelling. Taking the Belchers out of the comfort of their home and restaurant can sometimes end up in nothing but anxiety, and that’s sort of the case here. But what makes this really hit home is that it’s such an adventurous new environment as they are forced to stay in Mr. Fischoeder’s winter lodge. It’s got some imagery that hasn’t been seen in any other episode, and has some truly perilous Bob and Linda moments that make for such an interesting watch. It’s yet to be revealed if this will hold up in future years, but as of now it’s made its impact.
#5 – Gene’s Christmas Break
Season 12, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 19th, 2021
“Gene’s Christmas Break” is the only explicitly Gene focused Christmas episode we’ve gotten in the series, and like the Thanksgiving episode where he’s the central character, this one is absolutely gold. Introducing a tradition that fans have never gotten to see where Gene constantly plays an obscure and very annoying record, the episode then sees Gene break the record and lose the music forever. But it all comes to a very satisfying ending as the rest of the Belcher family come together to try and reproduce that record. It’s an episode where Gene gets to be a bratty kid for a bit, and has some fun visuals before it all comes to an end.
#4 – Father of the Bob
Season 5, Episode 6
Original Air Date: December 7th, 2014
It’s so rare that we get a look into Bob’s side of the family, but each time we do get to see them it’s special. “Father of the Bob” was the first episode where we got to see Bob’s father, and a look into how he eventually became the person we see in the series. While it tackles some prickly subjects and isn’t really focused on the Christmas holiday itself, it does really highlight the awkward reunions between family members that can happen around the time. It also has a sweet ending where the two come to a new understanding and finally communicate. Also Gene bathes in beans and that’s just such a fun visual.
#3 – Christmas in the Car
Season 4, Episode 8
Original Air Date: December 15th, 2013
“Christmas in the Car” was the first truly adventures Christmas episodes in the series overall as it hilariously saw the Belchers needing to get a new tree after Linda got two trees far too early. Not only does it keep the entire Belcher family together for the duration of the episode itself (and thus allows the entire plot to just play out in full with a few side glances at Teddy here and there), but it adds levels of tension and intrigue with the mysterious candy cane truck they have a run in with over the course of the evening. With the ultimate reveal then being the Bobcat Goldthwait voiced Gary, you get a hilarious way to bring it all to an end with both a win and loss.
#2 – The Plight Before Christmas
Season 13, Episode 10
Original Air Date: December 11th, 2022
“The Plight Before Christmas” is sort of the opposite of “Christmas in the Car” as it purposefully separates the Belcher family throughout the episode, but where it succeeds even more is it hammers home the most emotional beat in all of the specials overall. Those final minutes where Tina and Linda see Louise reading her very open poem about how much she loves her family (after struggling to get there in the first place) is one of the best endings in the series period. All the while, Gene is able to help save his school recital and shows more of his talent while Bob gets to be proud of his son. It’s just such a heart warming episode that fans should really make sure to watch every year.
#1 – The Bleakening, Parts 1 and 2
Season 8, Episodes 6 and 7
Original Air Date: December 10th, 2017
While this might not be the most emotional, “The Bleakening” takes the top spot because of how expansive, experimental, and just how grandiose of a Christmas experience it is. A full musical, two-part episode for the holiday, each of the members of the Belcher family gets an intriguing story to play out over the course of the episode. Linda wants to have the Christmas of her dreams and gets her heart broken as a result, Bob wants to support her, and Teddy sends the kids on a wild hunt for the Bleaken. It’s just such a complete experience through and through that’s perfect for the holiday.
