As the festive season is once again upon us, I thought it would be nice to ask what everybody's favourite Christmas sitcom specials are? Personally, I like:
The Vicar Of Dibley (The nativity one, '99 I think)
The Royle Family ('99 one where Denise gives birth)
...And the one and only Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special-A classic!
Would love to know everybody else's favourites.
Merry Christmas everyone! 
The Vicar Of Dibley ones are a great, cosy, comforting watch.
The Royle Family has never struck me as particularly Christmas-friendly, but I've enjoyed some of the specials.
Porridge and Dad's Army have some bloody good episodes too - and who could forget Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em? I have a feeling I've heard somewhere that that was the first sitcom to have a whole special episode dedicated to it rather than a short insert, but have never checked. Anyone know different?
Wasn't One Foot in the Algarve shown initially at Christmas? I think that was my most memorable.
It was, yep. Boxing Day 1993.
The Royle Family one with Denise giving birth at the end is probably my number one. Vicar of Dibley episode with Geraldine eating the three Christmas dinners is also very funny.
Gavin and Stacey was also a very good festive episode and it helps to keep it special as they have only done one Christmas episode (so far at least).
Which reminds me the G+S special is on iPlayer, so will watch that soon to get into the festive spirit.
I remember finding Blackadder's Christmas Carol hilarious when it was first broadcast... The days when the Beeb put a lot more money into getting Christmas right.
Being a bit of a saddo I watch loads of Christmas specials on DVD at Christmas (plus there's f**k all on TV anymore at Christmas).
I'll be watching (for the millionth time):
Bottom
Operation Good Guys (Kenny the dwarf!!)
The Likey Lads
Steptoe
Only Fools And Horses
One Foot In The Grave
Only When I Laugh
Mr Bean
The Detectives
Mork & Mindy
Ideal
Taxi
To name a few.
On G.O.L.D is 'Sitcom Does Christmas'. It's very Royle Family centric (as it's hosted by Ricky Tomlinson, and Ralf Little is talking to him about stuff on it), but showing bits from other shows of course. Apparently it takes them til up to about 20th November to write a special (days before filming), guess it was a little TOO late this year.
Only Fools and Horses 'Christmas Crackers' and 'Thicker Than Water' are fantastic, though most of their 80s episodes were good, IMO.
Royle Family - 1999 and 2000 were great. Thought last year's one was a return to form though.
The Office Christmas Specials - More so episode 2. Warm and brilliant, and really spoke to me at the time as a) It was my first Christmas in full time employment in and office, and it amused me greatly how accurate it could be and b) I'd literally got with a girl I'd like for ages (like Tim did, though mine wasn't a work colleague). And a re-watch last year confirmed that they're still awesome. Showing the department store from Father Ted too, with the guest priests saying bits about the episode.
Gavin And Stacey - A fun and sort of realistic Essex Christmas. One of the best G&S episodes. Also, as Dennis Pennis said they've only done one, so it makes it a bit more special than others.
Plan on seeing Father Ted's special and the four dinners and Nativity specials of Vicar of Dibley this year as they always get overplayed and I have avoided them these last couple of years.
Going to watch Blackadder's Christmas Carol (a yearly must), Men Behaving Badly (the actual Christmassy one) too. Will try to see Dad's Army and Porridge when they're on TV.
Away from sitcom, I might watch a couple of Doctor Who specials if I have the time. Particularly last year's Christmas Carol, and Tennant's first episode.
Favourite Christmas specials?
2point4 Children - when they get stuck on a boat, also Babes in the Wood when Bill, Ben and Rona end up stuck in a live minefield AND Porkys when they end up with a live pig intended for Christmas dinner.
Goodnight Sweetheart had a 'nice' Christmas special, sort of got lost into the regular series though.
Keeping Up Appearances. Pure class.
Birds of a Feather had some funny Christmas moments, the George Hamilton episode being a particular highlight.
The Vicar of Dibley, Christmas isn't the same anymore.......
My Family - They used to be great at the Christmas episodes, the last few apart from the Julian Clary one were bloody abysmal though, especially the one set in the future - W.T.F were they thinking????
Men Behaving Badly's Christmas ep was pretty good.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! So good they're giving us more!
Quote: Feeoree @ December 5 2011, 10:21 PM GMTOn G.O.L.D is 'Sitcom Does Christmas'. It's very Royle Family centric (as it's hosted by Ricky Tomlinson, and Ralf Little is talking to him about stuff on it), but showing bits from other shows of course. Apparently it takes them til up to about 20th November to write a special (days before filming), guess it was a little TOO late this year.
I don't think we should take that quoted date as exactly definitive like that. The point Little was making was that they'd be writing and re-writing literally the night before recording.
Ricky Tomlinsons spotty nose puts me off my cranberry sauce
I think Father Ted has the best Christmas special, just ahead of the Office and OFAH's 'Time on our Hands' (think that's the right title...)
The Vicar of Dibley one with all the Christmas dinners is on GOLD on Thursday night. (Yay!)
My favourites...
Only Fools & Horses - Time on our Hands & The Jolly Boys' Outing
Birds of a Feather - We'll Always Have Majorca & Sailing
The Royle Family - Series 2 & 3 specials (didn't see last year's one)
Men Behaving Badly - Jingle B***s!
I didn't like...
Only Fools & Horses - Modern Men & Miami Twice
Birds of a Feather - Christmas in Dreamland
The Royle Family - The New Sofa & The Golden Egg Cup
I don't remember any Christmas specials in the last 20 years I really liked but I still remember 70s classics like The Goodies panto special, Some Mothers Nativity one, Steptoe's, Rising Damp's, WHTT Likely Lads', Are You Being Served's and Porridge's. We just don't make them like that anymore, do we!
Pretty sure The Good Life had a good one too, with the Goods turning down an invitation to the Leadbetters and pretending they're enjoying themselves when everything goes wrong. Always thought it a shame that Fawlty Towers didn't make one, as it very probably would have been the best ever.
