Friends is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman that ran from 1994-2004, for ten seasons. The main cast includes Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer. The show is about six friends in their 20s and early 30s, their daily struggles, love life, friendship, and the chaos around them.
Friends is well known for its hilarious and heartwarming Christmas episodes. They are as follows:
Season 2, Episode 9 - The One with Phoebe's Dad
This is the first Christmas episode ever to be released and it is now considered to be one of the best. In this early Christmas episode, Phoebe is on the lookout for her estranged biological father, while Monica and Ross are struggling to decorate their apartment after their holiday traditions are deranged. Joey and Chandler go with Phoebe which means that they’re unable to do their Christmas shopping, leading to more than a few laughs.
Season 3, Episode 10 - The One Where Rachel Quits
Feeling undervalued at Central Perk, Rachel impulsively decides to quit her job on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Joey tries to cheer up a lonely Rachel, and Chandler wrestles with his commitment issues. At the same time, Joey is selling Christmas trees until Phoebe learns that the older ones are thrown away or shredded in a chipper which leads to an interesting ending.
Season 4, Episode 10 - The One With The Girl from Poughkeepsie
Rachel feels left out during the holidays while everyone else is coupled up. Ross meets a captivating woman on a train, but their connection is complicated by distance. Monica and Chandler attempt to recreate a childhood Christmas dance routine, leading to hilarious consequences. This episode isn’t the typical Christmas episode but it does include a memorable Christmas song by Phoebe.
Season 5, Episode 10 - The One with the Inappropriate Sister
Another not-a-typical-Christmas episode sees Rachel’s new beau Danny in a rather weird relationship with his sister, and that takes up the large part of the night. Beyond that, the episode also touches on Joey, Chandler and Ross who are living together while Ross is on sabtical. But arguably the best part of the episode is Phoebe’s attempt to collect money for the Salvation Army in front of Macy’s.
Season 6, Episode 10 - The One with the Routine
A Christmas and New Year’s Eve episode smashed together, this sees Monica and Ross reignite their childhood rivalry when they compete to recreate their impressive Las Vegas dance routine for their friends. Joey gets cast in a cheesy Christmas play, and Chandler struggles to keep a secret from Monica. The group also tries to find gifts that Monica has hidden across the apartment.
Season 7, Episode 10 - The One with the Holiday Armadillo
A Hanukkah and Christmas episode mix, this one turns into a mixed bag rather quickly. When Monica and Chandler discover they're hosting a party for Ben's classmates, they scramble to create a festive atmosphere. Enter the Holiday Armadillo, a hilarious (and slightly offensive) alternative to Santa Claus, courtesy of a reluctant Chandler. Phoebe also tries to get Rachel to come back and live with her since the repairs on their place were done, which leads to her giving Joey more than a few annoying gifts.
Season 8, Episode 11 - The One with the Creepy Holiday Card
Ross grapples with Mona’s decision to send a Christmas card with both of them on it while Rachel deals with her hormones and being pregnant with Ross’ baby. Chandler, on the other hand, tries to avoid his boss, who has divorced his wife and was doing his best to help Chandler “forget” Monica.
Season 9, Episode 10 - The One with Christmas in Tulsa
The episode starts on a sad note as Chandler, who works on and off in Tulsa, has to stay there to complete some work before Christmas day. Thus as a result, he can’t make it back to New York in time to spend Christmas with the gang. Things become even more dicey after the introduction of Wendy, who tries to make a pass at Chandler but the episode ends on a happy(ish) note in the end.
FAQs on American television sitcom "Friends"
A. Friends ran from 1994 to 2004, for a total of 10 seasons.
A. The show follows the lives of six best friends living in New York City: Monica Geller, Rachel Green, Phoebe Buffay, Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing, and Ross Geller.
A. The show is full of running gags, like Joey's love of food, Chandler's sarcastic humor, and Monica's competitive nature.
A. Friends lasted a decade which means that Rachel, Monica, Joey, Ross, Chandler, and Phoebe would have been in their mid-thirties, around 34-36, when the series ended.
A. When season 1 began, Monica was 25 years old.
