As movie lovers and TV watchers, one of our favorite parts of the holidays is sitting down to dig through the Christmas archives and queue up our favorite holiday movies and TV episodes. But if you’re looking for something that falls somewhere between a standard Christmas TV episode and a full feature-length film, we’ve rounded up our favorite Christmas specials. These are the ones we return to again and again when we really want to settle in and get into the holiday spirit.

What are the best Christmas TV specials?

There are Christmas movies, Christmas TV episodes, and then there are Christmas specials. Sometimes they’re standalone short films, sometimes they’re technically canon episodes of TV shows — but either way, they tend to punch above their runtime and stick with us for years.

Honorable mentions go to the Christmas episode of Black Mirror (we’ll watch Jon Hamm in just about anything, and this episode is a much darker, unsettling holiday fare) and the Bear’s season 2 holiday special “Fishes”. Both of these are a bit heavier in terms of Christmas experiences, but they’re fantastic and well worth a watch if you can’t handle any more vibrant Christmas cheer.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

If there’s one TV special that feels forever stitched into our childhood holiday memories, it’s A Charlie Brown Christmas. This is hands down one of the best Christmas TV specials and manages to say more about the season in 25 minutes than most feature-length holiday movies. Charlie Brown is struggling with the commercialization of Christmas and his growing sense that the holiday has lost its meaning. He’s tasked with directing the school Christmas play and immediately feels overwhelmed by all the hollow holiday spectacle. In a moment that’s become iconic, Charlie Brown chooses a sad little tree that no one else believes is worthy of Christmas. What saves the day isn’t all the glitz and glamor, but the simplest acts filled with heart.  This one doesn’t get old.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

Though some might argue that How the Grinch Stole Christmas doesn’t hold up quite as well as it used to, we’d beg to differ. Despite the many remakes and reimaginings over the years, nothing quite captures the magic like the original. With its classic animation style, unforgettable songs, and Boris Karloff’s perfectly grumbly narration (I’ve had more and more appreciation for this particular element over the years), this still feels like essential holiday viewing.

We’re not sure who needs a quick recap on plot, but the story follows the Grinch, who can’t stand the town’s over-the-top joy. Convinced that Christmas is all about presents and decorations, he hatches a plan to steal the holiday altogether. When Christmas morning arrives, and the Whos continue to sing and celebrate anyway, the Grinch ends up confronting what the holiday actually means.

Downton Abbey (2011)

For a slightly different take, the Downton Abbey Christmas special takes us back to 1919. Though Downton has given us a few Christmas specials over the years, the Season Two episode is our favorite. The household is busy preparing for all things Christmas, with staff and family alike caught up in the holiday hustle. But just as the festivities kick into full swing, the looming shadow of Mr. Bates’s murder trial hangs over the house. On top of that, Edith has a secret suitor, Matthew and Mary finally get engaged — (and they live happily ever after, right?!) — and there’s a surprise pregnancy revelation. There’s a lot going on both upstairs and downstairs, and it all carries us out of the post-war years and straight into the roaring twenties.

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)

We all know The Muppet Christmas Carol is peak holiday viewing, but the special that aired a few years before Michael Caine showed up as Scrooge is also great. In this one, Fozzie Bear invites the gang to his mother’s farm for a Christmas celebration. What he doesn’t know, though, is that Emily Bear is headed for warmer climates and has rented her farm out to Doc and Sprocket.

Of course, more and more Muppets continue to show up, plus a surprising appearance from the Sesame Street Muppets — which is a Henson crossover we love to see. This one is full of cheer, wit, hilarious renditions of holiday tunes, and general Muppet chaos. And as a bonus, you can watch this one right on YouTube.

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2009)

This show is one of those shows that fans love. Inevitably, if you’re ever asked, “You ever watch It’s Always Sunny?” and answer no, you’ll get some kind of loud verbal response. After getting that response one too many times, this writer finally started watching the series. It makes sense now. We’re nearly 18 seasons in, and it’s still really, really good.

The holiday special A Very Sunny Christmas is the star on top. In it, the gang reflects on their own versions of Christmas past, each one more unhinged than the last. They make their best attempts (keyword being attempts) to understand what went wrong in their lives. This standard holiday heads into darker territory. The runtime is 42 minutes, making it a double-length episode. Though it was produced for Season 5, it premiered during Season 6 as a standalone holiday special.

How we picked the best Christmas specials

We looked at the time-honored favorites alongside a few more modern takes that are consistently well-rated and deeply loved. If you’re looking for more things to add to your Christmas watchlist, check out our picks for the best-rated holiday films.