#i hope the spirit of bob ross is proud of me

[stellastra-scribbles]

"The Nerevarine and the Good Beast"

A late holiday gift for my friend, callistron, featuring their Altmeri Nerevarine lad, Kirch~

[zcorners120]

Arthur leclerc grumpy reader and sunshine Arthur!! pls

such a good concept, i love the trope <33

synopsis; prema's golden retriever boy had fallen for the black cat girl at trident. MASTER LIST

warnings; swearing,

Black cat, kills with your striking looks, yet your personality is what sticks out most. Blunt, sarcastic and hopelessly pessimistic. Your own personal antonym was none other Arthur Leclerc. Melts girls with his handsome and boyish looks, and his personality is what shines through most. Immature, playful and hopelessly optimistic.

And he is deeply, deeply, in love with his opposite. Making it abundantly clear to you, you toy around with it for fun.

"Opposites attract y'know, L/N." He sing-songed, slinging his arms across your shoulders, following behind you.

"My opposite would be Bob Ross. He's too pure for this world." You stated, feeling his body slow you down from behind.

"So you and Bob Ross are attracted to each other?" He asked, confused as you turned around to face him, his arms still on your shoulders.

"No. I'm attracted to weird blonde boys who love life a little too much." You retorted, watching his face go red.

Ollie Bearman was secretly taking a picture of you two face to face, lurking in a corner like a twisted stalker feeding the Arthur and Y/N fanbase.

Watching his face go beetroot red, you plucked his hands off your shoulders, and walked away smiling slightly. Leaving him agape, Ollie walks up to him laughing, pulling his arm back to the garage.

You were out by a few seconds in the 2nd lap of quali, angry and frustrated you walk to the paddock for some fresh air, watching as the rest of the drivers battle out for a good place.

You noticed your team waiting on Stanek, who was currently in second. Joining them out near the track, you watched as the cars whizzed past. With your classic death stare, you noticed the Prema car in which the driver was enthusiastically waving through the gap in the halo to you, with huge number 4's on the car. Looking down to conceal your smile, you felt your own cheeks tinge a new rosy colour.

"And Arthur Leclerc takes the win for quali today!" The announcement rings out, as Arthur jumps out from the car, hugging his team.

He clips off his helmet, trying to spot you within the crowd but you had disappeared.

"Cherie, where were you? I was waiting for my winning hug." He bursts into your garage, smiling at you.

"Fact one; not your Cherie. Fact two; I've seen a cat turn into a dog more times than I've ever hugged you in my lifetime." You reply dryly, giving him a straight lined smile.

"Admit it, you're crazy for me." He smiles smugly, leaning down to where you were sitting.

"In your dreams Leclerc." You pat his shoulder, swaying your hips slightly as you walk away.

The black cat's heart had slowly defrosted, as your feelings for Arthur had developed further than you'd imagined, as you no longer resist to his silly ways of giving you attention.

Winning second to Arthur who got first, he pulled you in for a massive hug as both of your cars stopped in front of your mechanics.

"I'm so proud of you Cherie. We've both done amazing." He exclaimed, picking you up and spinning you around as you start laughing.

He jumped up and down in joy, little bursts of energy spewing out in each jump.

"Does this dual victory allow me to buy you a drink?" He throws his arm around your shoulder, swaying from side to side.

"I thought I'd wait for the apocalypse to occur and use you as my last resort for entertainment, but I think I've changed my mind." You look up at him, slightly snuggling into his embrace.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He kissed the top of your head.

"Of course you will." Rolling your eyes playfully as he perfectly fit into the stereotype of his happy-go-lucky spirit.

A/N; hope i did well, wasn't sure what plot i was going to go for at first but i thinkkk i've nailed it

[pathetic-at-the-disco]

What Really Happened in Myrtle Beach...

It was late June in 2006. Panic! at the Disco were on their first headlining tour, which was quickly becoming even more of a success than anyone had expected. Brent Wilson was finally out of the band and had been replaced with the actually talented Jon Walker, and everything was going great.

Except for Ryan Ross, who recently broke up with Jac Vanek and was still feeling lonely and sad about how it all turned out. In true Ryan fashion, he tried to throw himself back into the game and rebound with someone he was “justfriends” with. (It’s unclear who, but there’s no more reason to believe it was Brendon than Jon, Spencer, Greta from the Hush Sound, one of the backup dancers, a fan, or literally anyone else on the planet.)

The band had a show in Lake Buena Vista, Florida (their third Florida show in as many nights) on June 23, 2006. And... things apparently got a little wild that evening after the concert.

After midnight, one of the backup dancers named Dream posted this on her Livejournal:

Sat, June 24th, 2006

It’s our last night in Florida and let me tell you… this finally turned into a crazy rock tour… lots of shenanigans happened tonight… but I’ll save this story for the memoirs! Every night I stand on stage and tell the crowd that Brendon is a virgin… let’s just put it this way… it ain’t true!!!! 

This information is unsurprising, since Brendon was already partying heavily after shows during this tour. This was to the exasperation of his other bandmates, who did not drink or otherwise involve themselves in the party scene. It’s likely that Ryan, Spencer, and Jon weren’t even privy to what inspired Dream’s post in the first place.

Ryan Ross, for example, was spending his evening with someone. And that night, Ryan, known as i_amclandestine on Livejournal, also wrote a post:

Sat, June 24th, 2006

I’m the ghost in the bed.you can touch because i can’t rest. and the lights are always off so I can mold you in the dark.i can shape and pretend.”i just want to have a good time, just like everybody else, but i don’t want to fall apart”

The quoted part is a reference to the lyrics of “Good Time” by Counting Crows, a morose song about wanting to be closer to a romantic partner.

Clearly, whoever Ryan was with that night was making him more upset than anything. He was trying to lose himself in someone, hoping to forget his problems, and realizing that it wasn’t working.

The tour went on, though. Everyone piled back onto the bus and drove to their next gig, which was scheduled for that night at the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (pictured below).

The show went off without a hitch, and everyone was in a fantastic mood. The band even signed some autographs and let the fans take pictures of them after the concert (note the House of Blues sign and the building’s distinctive facade in several of the photographs).

And shortly after this, the members of Panic! at the Disco and the Hush Sound, in addition to their dancers and crew members, were feeling so good that they decided to walk a mile to the beach and go swimming in the ocean, followed by more shenanigans.

This experience was immortalized in an interview with Greta from the Hush Sound:

Q: Tell us about your craziest touring experience. 

A: On the 2006 Panic Tour, we played the House of Blues in Myrtle Beach [JUNE 24TH]. After the show, most of the bands and crew walked a mile to the beach and, having not brought our swimsuits, decided to swim in underwear or totally nude. Bob and I opted to skinny dip and, at one point, he was trying to get back to the shore but the waves were crashing over him and he was gasping for breath. I yelled to him, 'Bob, are you going to live? As much as I want to help you, we are both naked so I can't.' (Would have been far too awkward). Thankfully, he survived in one glorious piece.

This sequence of events was also referenced in another Livejournal post from Dream:

Sun, June 25, 2006

Last night we played in Myrtle Beach, NC… I’ve always wanted to go to Myrtle Beach so it was fun to finally get there and to do it in such a special way. The girls we meet at the show were amazing. They were so spirited and friendly. They were fun.

After the show Greta and I, she’s the lead singer and from the The Hush Sound (the band we’re on tour with and in love with…!) well we decided we wanted to go for a midnight skinny dip in the ocean after the show and in the end more then 20 of us made the mile hike to the beach, stripped down and dove in! it was magical under the stars and moody clouds above. After about an hour splashing and riding the waves we all broke into the pool and hot tub of the condo up the beach to wash the salt away and laugh at our genius of managing to sneak so many crazies into this spa without being caught… just as the security arrived and we all scattered like geese! It was a fun night.

At around 4:30 in the morning, Ryan also made a Livejournal post (his last, in fact). It’s notorious in the fandom and everyone has read it, but here it is again:

Sun, June 25, 2006

The moon bred new Atlantic life tonight.the salt burned you right out of my eyes.and secrets we’re not proud of were taken with the tide. We were all newborns with blurred vision and no sense of direction.

Today I saw cancer, cigarettes and shortness of breath.

this is why I walk to the ocean.swim with jellyfish.I may never get this chance again.

this is why if you want to kiss you should kiss.

If you want to cry you should cry, and

if you want to live you should live.

You don’t have to love me. You already did. At least enough to keep me smiling from South Carolina to Virginia.it’s for lovers (orjustfriends)

This is why I do it.

Clearly, Ryan was feeling better than he had the previous night. Whatever happened in Myrtle Beach was enough to make his outlook on life a little more optimistic, at least for a night.

It is imperative to point out again that there’s no reason to assume it was about Brendon (who also had an active Livejournal account at this time and didn’t post at all about Myrtle Beach or Florida. If it was about him and was apparently so special and romantic, don’t you think he would have said something?). We don’t know who Ryan wrote this about, but that doesn’t make his poem any less meaningful or beautiful.

Basically, the lesson to be learned here is that even though it theoretically could have been about Brendon or Jon or Dream or a fan or whomever (as none of these can be proven or disproven), at the end of the day it’s foolish to attach it to a specific person without proof. The world will probably never know who Ryan’s rebound was, and that’s fine!

Assuming that it automatically points to Ryden is confirmation bias, which is not actually a valid reason for believing something. (I know, shocking.) You may as well say that Ryan was definitely having an intense affair with Spencer. Or Brent. There’s as much evidence.

Thank you to @future4angelz for requesting this post! It’s a bit tricky to specifically disprove the Ryden conspiracies because so much is unknown here, but I hope I did well enough at convincing people not to read too much into things. (Also, most people think Dream’s post from the 24th is about Myrtle Beach, even though she says they’re in Florida. Use your critical thinking skills, everyone!) :)

~Mod C

P.S. We don’t ship Ryden. Just thought I’d clear that up one more time for the people in the back, haha.

[foursprout-blog]

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/the-15-best-holiday-themed-tv-episodes-to-binge-watch-this-december-ranked-2/

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

Youtube / The Office US

If you’re as obsessed with the holiday season as I am, you’re probably already streaming all the Christmas- and Hanukkah-themed episodes of your favorite shows. Trust me, I’m right there with you. That’s why I’ve decided to compile this definitive list of the best holiday TV specials to watch this December.

1. The Office, “Christmas Party“

The best thing about The Office is that it’s FULL of holiday episodes, but their first is by far the best. Dunder Mifflin’s “Secret Santa” party goes awry when Michael pulls a classic, well, Michael move and switches up the entire gift-giving process, leading the entire office into mayhem as they compete over an iPod. What’s best about this episode is that it has all the magic of the early Office seasons — Michael’s tone-deaf actions, Jim and Pam’s addictive will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and, of course, Dwight’s outrageous one-liners. This is definitely the episode I’ll be playing on repeat this year.

2. Bob’s Burgers, “God Rest Ye Marry Gentle-Mannequins“

I’m honestly obsessed with the holiday-themed Bob’s Burgers episodes, mostly because they really focus on the spirit of the season. In this episode, Bob finds a squatter named Chet in a storage unit he inherited and the Belchers decide to take him in for the holiday season. But there are two distinctly unique things about Chet: he’s great at creating window displays and he claims he used to be a store mannequin. As Chet becomes increasingly unstable, he threatens to ruin Christmas if the Belchers don’t reunite him with his past love. This episode is as weird as it sounds, but it manages to be quirky and sweet all at once.

3. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “A Very Sunny Christmas“

If you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny, this episode is classic. Mac and Charlie are gearing up for Christmas when they make some rather unpleasant realizations about their childhood holiday traditions, leading to a rather violent fallout as they attempt to confront the past. Dennis and Dee, on the other hand, try to get back at Frank for years of shitty Christmases with a plan a la A Christmas Carol, but that backfires when Frank realizes they still haven’t learned the lessons he’s been trying to teach them all along. The whole gang comes together at the end when Frank has a change of heart, but because this is It’s Always Sunny, it doesn’t have the heartwarming ending that you’d expect.

4. Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas“

Community’s first-ever Christmas episode is a huge nod to Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, considering the whole thing is in claymation. Abed is stoked for Christmas, but his friends start to get concerned when he tells he views the world is stop-motion animation. The gang decides to indulge in his fantasy in hopes of controlling it, attempting to turn the day into a much-needed therapy session, but Abed has other plans: he’s going to find the meaning of Christmas, whether his friends plan on helping him or not. It ends up being a sweet episode with a great meaning, and I, for one, can say that it definitely helped me get over my fear of terrible claymation.

5. Friends, “The One With The Holiday Armadillo“

When Ross’s son Ben stays with him for the holidays, Ross is bent on honoring their Jewish heritage and teaching him about Hanukkah. But instead of being excited, Ben is upset that Santa won’t be visiting him this year, prompting Ross to figure out how to mix both Christmas and Hanukkah into one succinct holiday. The whole debacle ends with Santa Claus, Superman, and “The Holiday Armadillo” all banding together to teach Ben the meaning of Hanukkah. Elsewhere, Phoebe tries to sabotage Rachel and Joey’s living situation when she worries Rachel doesn’t want to be roommates with her anymore.

6. Bojack Horseman, “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish“

It may not be part of the actual television series, but Bojack Horseman‘s Christmas special definitely could fit nearly anywhere in the storyline. Bojack doesn’t plan on celebrating Christmas, but Todd manages to convince him to watch the special holiday episode of Bojack’s old show Horsin’ Around. The entire episode is a show within a show as we watch the youngest daughter on Horsin’ Around discover Santa for the first time, but she has a big wish for him: she wants him to bring her dead parents back. Horsin’ Around brings us the normal Christmas sentiments we’re conditioned to look for in holiday specials while Bojack Horseman delivers the strained, somewhat sad satisfaction we’ve learned to expect from such a dark, funny show.

7. The OC, “The Best Christmukkah Ever“

The OC introduced me to the idea of “Christmukkah,” the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into one beautiful, festive holiday. At least, that’s what they celebrate in the Cohen household, where half the family is Jewish and the other half Christian. It’s Ryan’s first year with the Cohens, which means he’s along for the ride. But because this is the OC, there’s still plenty of drama between festivities: there’s a lavish party, Sandy and Caleb have a showdown, Marissa gets drunk (lol are we surprised?), and Anna and Summer compete for Seth’s confession. Let’s not forget Summer’s Wonder Woman surprise, which is definitely one of the best OC moments of all time.

8. SNL with Alec Baldwin in 1998

You wouldn’t expect SNL to be high up on the Christmas special list, but boy, did this one hit all the right notes. In his opening monologue, Alec Baldwin is visited by the ghost of Christmas present and future (John Goodman and Jimmy Fallon, respectively), though not past, who happened to drink just a little too much the night before. This episode also introduced us to “Schweddy Balls,” which is hands-down SNL’s best holiday-themed skit (and yes, it’s about almost exactly what you think. Almost.)

9. Modern Family, “Express Christmas“

When the family realizes they won’t be able to be together on Christmas day, they make a plan to celebrate early — only to realize that the only day they’d all be free to spend together before New Year’s is actually that very day. They decide to throw together a last-minute holiday get together, meaning they have only a few hours to get a tree, decorate the house, buy gifts and make a special Christmas dinner. The episode is full of all the gags and witty one-liners that you’d expect from Modern Family, as well as one parting Christmas message: even when everything goes wrong, you still have family.

10. New Girl, “Santa“

The gang decides to spend the holidays jumping from Christmas part to Christmas party, but they don’t expect the drama that comes with it. Jess is revisited by an ex who hopes to make things right, Schmidt must deal with Cece’s rejection, and Nick has to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend is a bit of a wild child – and that she definitely wants to have sex with him in public. It’s a cute episode that’s all about love and friendship, and I’m here for it if only because of Nick’s terrible attempt at a lap dance.

11. 30 Rock, “Ludachristmas“

It’s Christmas in New York and the TGS cast is getting ready for their annual Ludachristmas party, but the whole thing is ruined when Kenneth locks everyone in a room and forces them to focus on the true meaning of Christmas (with a little help from a reverend, of course). Elsewhere in the city, Liz’s family and Jack’s mother have all come up to visit. Liz’s seemingly perfect and oversupportive family gets to Jack, whose mother, Colleen, is as critical and bitter as ever. As both storylines head toward disaster, the show reminds us of two critical things: Christmas isn’t just about the gifts and every family is, at its core, dysfunctional.

12. Parks and Recreation, “Citizen Knope“

During her two-week suspension, Leslie decides to use her extra time to focus on her campaign and forms a citizens action committee to continue involvement in the local government. She also surprises her friends at the Parks and Rec department with incredibly thoughtful and meaningful gifts, which prompts her co-workers to build her a miniature version of City Hall made of gingerbread — and another present that’s far more meaningful.

13. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “my mom, Greg’s Mom, And Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves!“

When Rebecca’s critical mother Naomi visits West Covina for Hanukkah, Rebecca finds herself bending over backwards to please her — and even going so far as to lie about her life. Rebecca hopes that if Naomi is proud of her new life, she’ll finally give Rebecca a precious heirloom she’s been waiting her whole life to inherit. But when Naomi discovers the true reason she came to California, it threatens to ruin their entire relationship. Meanwhile, Greg visits his mother for Christmas, though he’s still bitter about how she left him as a child. To cope with the situation (and to finally have a witness to how horrible his mother is), he invites an unexpected guest along for the ride. If you haven’t seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend before, this episode might be lost on you — but if you have, it’s an absolute staple.

14. Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight“

The Bluth family is quite literally incapable of having a normal family gathering, and Christmas isn’t any different. Everyone’s getting read for the Bluth Company Christmas party, but naturally, there’s plenty of drama. When George Michael ditches the party for his girlfriend, Michael teams up with Maeby, who wants to get back at her parents. This prompts Lindsay and George Michael to unite after both feel abandoned. The writers rely on their usual hijinx, from ridiculous incest gags (watching Michael and Maeby accidentally perform “Afternoon Delight” together never gets less awkward) to Tobias, once again, being completely disregarded by the entire family, despite being hit my a car. It’s a pretty standard episode for the series, but hey, it’s still about Christmas. Who needs Santa Claus when you’ve got G.O.B. running around in a banana suit?

15. Black Mirror, “White Christmas“

Black Mirror is a strange show to be on this list, but they DO have a Christmas episode, and it’s actually a pretty interesting one. The episode revolves around two men who are stationed at a remote outpost who finally decide to open up about their lives while sharing breakfast on Christmas morning. The episode consists of three different storylines, but the most heartbreaking (and Christmas-themed) one is about how one of the men was “blocked” from seeing his ex-girlfriend and child, but how he visited him every Christmas regardless to leave his daughter gifts. Like most Black Mirror episodes, the whole thing has creepy (and quite frankly sad) undertones, but if you’re looking for something holiday-themed, this one still fits the bill.

[foursprouthappiness-blog]

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

New Post has been published on http://foursprout.com/happiness/the-15-best-holiday-themed-tv-episodes-to-binge-watch-this-december-ranked-2/

The 15 Best Holiday-Themed TV Episodes To Binge Watch This December, Ranked

Youtube / The Office US

If you’re as obsessed with the holiday season as I am, you’re probably already streaming all the Christmas- and Hanukkah-themed episodes of your favorite shows. Trust me, I’m right there with you. That’s why I’ve decided to compile this definitive list of the best holiday TV specials to watch this December.

1. The Office, “Christmas Party“

The best thing about The Office is that it’s FULL of holiday episodes, but their first is by far the best. Dunder Mifflin’s “Secret Santa” party goes awry when Michael pulls a classic, well, Michael move and switches up the entire gift-giving process, leading the entire office into mayhem as they compete over an iPod. What’s best about this episode is that it has all the magic of the early Office seasons — Michael’s tone-deaf actions, Jim and Pam’s addictive will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and, of course, Dwight’s outrageous one-liners. This is definitely the episode I’ll be playing on repeat this year.

2. Bob’s Burgers, “God Rest Ye Marry Gentle-Mannequins“

I’m honestly obsessed with the holiday-themed Bob’s Burgers episodes, mostly because they really focus on the spirit of the season. In this episode, Bob finds a squatter named Chet in a storage unit he inherited and the Belchers decide to take him in for the holiday season. But there are two distinctly unique things about Chet: he’s great at creating window displays and he claims he used to be a store mannequin. As Chet becomes increasingly unstable, he threatens to ruin Christmas if the Belchers don’t reunite him with his past love. This episode is as weird as it sounds, but it manages to be quirky and sweet all at once.

3. It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, “A Very Sunny Christmas“

If you’re a fan of It’s Always Sunny, this episode is classic. Mac and Charlie are gearing up for Christmas when they make some rather unpleasant realizations about their childhood holiday traditions, leading to a rather violent fallout as they attempt to confront the past. Dennis and Dee, on the other hand, try to get back at Frank for years of shitty Christmases with a plan a la A Christmas Carol, but that backfires when Frank realizes they still haven’t learned the lessons he’s been trying to teach them all along. The whole gang comes together at the end when Frank has a change of heart, but because this is It’s Always Sunny, it doesn’t have the heartwarming ending that you’d expect.

4. Community, “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas“

Community’s first-ever Christmas episode is a huge nod to Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, considering the whole thing is in claymation. Abed is stoked for Christmas, but his friends start to get concerned when he tells he views the world is stop-motion animation. The gang decides to indulge in his fantasy in hopes of controlling it, attempting to turn the day into a much-needed therapy session, but Abed has other plans: he’s going to find the meaning of Christmas, whether his friends plan on helping him or not. It ends up being a sweet episode with a great meaning, and I, for one, can say that it definitely helped me get over my fear of terrible claymation.

5. Friends, “The One With The Holiday Armadillo“

When Ross’s son Ben stays with him for the holidays, Ross is bent on honoring their Jewish heritage and teaching him about Hanukkah. But instead of being excited, Ben is upset that Santa won’t be visiting him this year, prompting Ross to figure out how to mix both Christmas and Hanukkah into one succinct holiday. The whole debacle ends with Santa Claus, Superman, and “The Holiday Armadillo” all banding together to teach Ben the meaning of Hanukkah. Elsewhere, Phoebe tries to sabotage Rachel and Joey’s living situation when she worries Rachel doesn’t want to be roommates with her anymore.

6. Bojack Horseman, “Sabrina’s Christmas Wish“

It may not be part of the actual television series, but Bojack Horseman‘s Christmas special definitely could fit nearly anywhere in the storyline. Bojack doesn’t plan on celebrating Christmas, but Todd manages to convince him to watch the special holiday episode of Bojack’s old show Horsin’ Around. The entire episode is a show within a show as we watch the youngest daughter on Horsin’ Around discover Santa for the first time, but she has a big wish for him: she wants him to bring her dead parents back. Horsin’ Around brings us the normal Christmas sentiments we’re conditioned to look for in holiday specials while Bojack Horseman delivers the strained, somewhat sad satisfaction we’ve learned to expect from such a dark, funny show.

7. The OC, “The Best Christmukkah Ever“

The OC introduced me to the idea of “Christmukkah,” the merging of Christmas and Hanukkah into one beautiful, festive holiday. At least, that’s what they celebrate in the Cohen household, where half the family is Jewish and the other half Christian. It’s Ryan’s first year with the Cohens, which means he’s along for the ride. But because this is the OC, there’s still plenty of drama between festivities: there’s a lavish party, Sandy and Caleb have a showdown, Marissa gets drunk (lol are we surprised?), and Anna and Summer compete for Seth’s confession. Let’s not forget Summer’s Wonder Woman surprise, which is definitely one of the best OC moments of all time.

8. SNL with Alec Baldwin in 1998

You wouldn’t expect SNL to be high up on the Christmas special list, but boy, did this one hit all the right notes. In his opening monologue, Alec Baldwin is visited by the ghost of Christmas present and future (John Goodman and Jimmy Fallon, respectively), though not past, who happened to drink just a little too much the night before. This episode also introduced us to “Schweddy Balls,” which is hands-down SNL’s best holiday-themed skit (and yes, it’s about almost exactly what you think. Almost.)

9. Modern Family, “Express Christmas“

When the family realizes they won’t be able to be together on Christmas day, they make a plan to celebrate early — only to realize that the only day they’d all be free to spend together before New Year’s is actually that very day. They decide to throw together a last-minute holiday get together, meaning they have only a few hours to get a tree, decorate the house, buy gifts and make a special Christmas dinner. The episode is full of all the gags and witty one-liners that you’d expect from Modern Family, as well as one parting Christmas message: even when everything goes wrong, you still have family.

10. New Girl, “Santa“

The gang decides to spend the holidays jumping from Christmas part to Christmas party, but they don’t expect the drama that comes with it. Jess is revisited by an ex who hopes to make things right, Schmidt must deal with Cece’s rejection, and Nick has to come to terms with the fact that his girlfriend is a bit of a wild child – and that she definitely wants to have sex with him in public. It’s a cute episode that’s all about love and friendship, and I’m here for it if only because of Nick’s terrible attempt at a lap dance.

11. 30 Rock, “Ludachristmas“

It’s Christmas in New York and the TGS cast is getting ready for their annual Ludachristmas party, but the whole thing is ruined when Kenneth locks everyone in a room and forces them to focus on the true meaning of Christmas (with a little help from a reverend, of course). Elsewhere in the city, Liz’s family and Jack’s mother have all come up to visit. Liz’s seemingly perfect and oversupportive family gets to Jack, whose mother, Colleen, is as critical and bitter as ever. As both storylines head toward disaster, the show reminds us of two critical things: Christmas isn’t just about the gifts and every family is, at its core, dysfunctional.

12. Parks and Recreation, “Citizen Knope“

During her two-week suspension, Leslie decides to use her extra time to focus on her campaign and forms a citizens action committee to continue involvement in the local government. She also surprises her friends at the Parks and Rec department with incredibly thoughtful and meaningful gifts, which prompts her co-workers to build her a miniature version of City Hall made of gingerbread — and another present that’s far more meaningful.

13. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, “my mom, Greg’s Mom, And Josh’s Sweet Dance Moves!“

When Rebecca’s critical mother Naomi visits West Covina for Hanukkah, Rebecca finds herself bending over backwards to please her — and even going so far as to lie about her life. Rebecca hopes that if Naomi is proud of her new life, she’ll finally give Rebecca a precious heirloom she’s been waiting her whole life to inherit. But when Naomi discovers the true reason she came to California, it threatens to ruin their entire relationship. Meanwhile, Greg visits his mother for Christmas, though he’s still bitter about how she left him as a child. To cope with the situation (and to finally have a witness to how horrible his mother is), he invites an unexpected guest along for the ride. If you haven’t seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend before, this episode might be lost on you — but if you have, it’s an absolute staple.

14. Arrested Development, “Afternoon Delight“

The Bluth family is quite literally incapable of having a normal family gathering, and Christmas isn’t any different. Everyone’s getting read for the Bluth Company Christmas party, but naturally, there’s plenty of drama. When George Michael ditches the party for his girlfriend, Michael teams up with Maeby, who wants to get back at her parents. This prompts Lindsay and George Michael to unite after both feel abandoned. The writers rely on their usual hijinx, from ridiculous incest gags (watching Michael and Maeby accidentally perform “Afternoon Delight” together never gets less awkward) to Tobias, once again, being completely disregarded by the entire family, despite being hit my a car. It’s a pretty standard episode for the series, but hey, it’s still about Christmas. Who needs Santa Claus when you’ve got G.O.B. running around in a banana suit?

15. Black Mirror, “White Christmas“

Black Mirror is a strange show to be on this list, but they DO have a Christmas episode, and it’s actually a pretty interesting one. The episode revolves around two men who are stationed at a remote outpost who finally decide to open up about their lives while sharing breakfast on Christmas morning. The episode consists of three different storylines, but the most heartbreaking (and Christmas-themed) one is about how one of the men was “blocked” from seeing his ex-girlfriend and child, but how he visited him every Christmas regardless to leave his daughter gifts. Like most Black Mirror episodes, the whole thing has creepy (and quite frankly sad) undertones, but if you’re looking for something holiday-themed, this one still fits the bill.