When the snow is falling and sizzling chocolate is piping, few actions are extra refreshing and enjoyable than plopping down on the sofa and turning on the tv. Some will watch stay Christmas occasions from Rockefeller Heart, whereas others will tune right into a bowl recreation. However in the event you’re of a sure age, you clearly keep in mind the thrill when Nickelodeon started to roll out its litany of timeless Christmas specials.
From Kenan & Kel within the Nineteen Nineties to Danny Phantom within the late 2000s, Nickelodeon has entered the pantheon of networks which have persistently rolled out traditional vacation specials. Whereas Nickelodeon’s legacy is cemented, the rating of its greatest vacation season episodes is and can at all times be hotly contested. To not begin a debate on the vacation dinner desk, however listed below are the ten greatest traditional Nickelodeon vacation specials.
10. “Merry Christmas, Kenan” (1996)
Present: Keenan & Kel
Air Date: December 14, 1996
Kel (Kel Mitchell) loves orange soda and Kenan (Kenan Thompson) loves Christmas. He spends the whole yr saving cash to purchase a brand new bike and takes an additional job as Santa on the mall to assist get the previous few {dollars} he wants. Nevertheless, his plans are derailed when he comes throughout a brother and sister who dream of an awesome Christmas crammed with presents that their mom can’t afford. In a selfless temper, Kenan makes use of the cash he makes as Santa to shock the children and their mother with presents. Kenan’s upset that he didn’t get the bike he wished, however he is aware of he did the correct factor and Santa rewards him with a motorbike of his personal. As with many Nickelodeon vacation specials, Kenan’s act of giving underscores the significance of household, mates, neighborhood, and giving all through the vacation season.
9. “The Most Horrible X-Mas Ever” (2002)
Present: Invader Zim
Air Date: December 10, 2002
Title two extra idiotically entertaining rivals than Zim (Richard Steven Horvitz) and Dib (Andy Berman). I’ll wait. Whereas I wait, additionally work out why Dib’s dad, Professor Membrane (Rodger Bumpass), named him Dib. Anyway, Zim and Dib’s rivalry takes heart stage when Zim learns concerning the lure of Santa, kidnaps a person dressed up in a Santa go well with and drains his mind. Regular vacation festivities, proper? As soon as Zim drains the person’s mind and learns extra concerning the lure of Santa, he devises a plan to construct a Santa go well with and persuade all of humankind that he’s worthy of following and giving their timeless devotion too. For probably the most half, it really works and Zim is near bringing all of human type to the Tallest with a view to prolong his rule. Nevertheless, Dib intervenes and garners the help of his sister, Gaz (Melissa Fahn), and his father, Professor Membrane, and stops Zim earlier than he’s capable of absolutely takeover. General, it’s a fairly bizarre storyline for a child’s present throughout the vacation season, however Invader Zim is at its greatest when it’s bizarre.
8. “Rocko’s Fashionable Christmas” (1994)
Present: Rocko’s Fashionable Life
Air Date: December 1, 1994
Rocko (Carlos Alazraqui) is a greater particular person than most as a result of his grace all through this Christmas particular is unmatched. For almost the whole episode, Rocko works to place collectively lovely vacation decorations and host a beautiful vacation get together. As a substitute, his mates deal with him poorly, different characters bully him, and nobody besides a magic elf reveals as much as his get together. The elf works his magic and creates a memorable snowfall round Rocko’s home and Rocko’s home solely. When the blizzard leaves an ideal quantity of snow and vacation cheer round his home, Rocko’s mates present up at his entrance door to apologize and take advantage of the vacation get together. Rocko, being the type soul he’s, lets them in and thanks them for coming.
Present: iCarly
Air Date: December 13, 2008
Timmy Turner (Tara Sturdy) isn’t the one character within the Nickelodeon multiverse to have their goals come true throughout the vacation season. When Carly’s brother, Spencer (Jerry Trainor), builds an electromagnet Christmas tree that units hearth to vacation items, Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) needs that her brother was a bit extra regular. Nevertheless, issues aren’t as nice as Carly hoped they’d be. Spencer turns into a “regular” lawyer relationship Ms. Benson (Mary Scheer) whereas Freddie (Nathan Kress) not has a crush on Carly, and Sam (Jennette McCurdy) is in a juvenile detention heart. Most shockingly, Carly, Spencer, and Freddie have been by no means mates on this alternate universe and by no means launched a webcast. The weirdness of the episode pays off in the long run as a result of Carly realizes what we’ve at all times recognized: her life is fairly nice as is.
6. “Even Steven” (2001)
Present: As Advised by Ginger
Air Date: December 10, 2001
As Advised by Ginger is without doubt one of the most underrated sequence within the Nickelodeon catalog for numerous causes, together with its humor and talent to succeed in each younger and older audiences. Living proof, the present’s “Even Steven” vacation particular is immaculate. Within the tertiary plot, Ginger (Melissa Disney) discovers that her grandfather is Jewish and instantly pivots from celebrating Christmas to celebrating Hanukkah. Her shift from Christmas to Hanukkah occurs so rapidly that it causes a rift between her and Dodie (Aspen Miller) as a result of Ginger refuses to go to Dodie’s Christmas get together and hosts her personal as a substitute. Splitting the room down the center, half of Ginger’s get together is dedicated to celebrating Hanukkah, and the opposite half is adorned with Christmas decorations.
In the meantime, Hoodsie (Tress MacNeille) is writing letters to Santa, asking him to provide him rhythm for Christmas. Sure, you learn that appropriately. He genuinely requested Santa for rhythm, the power to bounce on beat. When Ginger’s brother, Carl (Jeannie Elias), finds Hoodsie begging Santa for rhythm, he not solely makes enjoyable of him, but additionally declares that Santa isn’t actual. Consequently, Carl spends the rest of the episode trying to show that Santa is actual. By means of this effort, he learns that Carl is just not a fan of the vacation season as a result of he routinely requested Santa to carry his father residence for Christmas as a child, and his dad hardly ever stopped by on the vacations. With this info, Hoodsie runs as much as a person dressed as Santa on the road and asks him to carry Hoodsie’s Dad residence for Christmas. Little does Hoodsie know, the person dressed up as Santa is Carl’s dad.
In the long run, Carl’s dad visits him for Christmas, and whereas they’re speaking within the driveway, a hearth begins inside as Ginger is internet hosting her vacation get together. Carl’s dad runs in, places out the fireplace, and saves the day, making Ginger notice that crucial a part of the vacations is being surrounded by household and mates. And no, Carl doesn’t get rhythm.
5. “Christmas Each Day” (2001)
Present: The Pretty OddParents
Air Date: December 12, 2001
Clichés could also be annoying, however they’ve stood the check of time for a purpose. Nevertheless, when an elder mentioned, “Watch out what you want for,” Timmy Turner clearly wasn’t listening. As a substitute, he needed to study the onerous method when he advised Wanda (Susanne Blakeslee) and Cosmo (Daran Norris) that he’d prefer it to be Christmas day-after-day. In his head, there’d by no means be faculty, and he’d get presents each time he wakened. Conversely, Wanda and Cosmo are magically depleted, his mother and father can’t work, and the opposite holidays turn out to be envious of Santa Claus. Consequently, Timmy should make a visit as much as the North Pole on their lonesome. Powerful luck for a child who can actually want for no matter he desires each different day of the yr already.
4. “Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh” (2008)
Present: Drake & Josh
Air Date: December 5, 2008
Give a little bit lady named Mary Alice the perfect Christmas ever, or return to jail. That’s primarily the plot of “Merry Christmas, Drake and Josh.” Drake (Drake Bell) desperately desires to host a celebration on the rooftop of Josh’s office, Premier Theater. To the shock of nearly everybody, Josh’s boss agrees to let Drake host the get together so long as he volunteers to decorate up as Santa for teenagers within the mall. Drake agrees, however issues go haywire when a lady tries to kiss him, and he runs away. Whereas hiding, he runs into a little bit lady named Mary Alice (Bailee Madison) and guarantees to provide her the perfect Christmas ever.
Drake finishes his shift as Santa and will get to host the get together in any case, however it’s lower brief when just a few uninvited company present up, and Josh (Josh Peck) calls the police. Nevertheless, there’s a mixup when the police arrive and Josh will get arrested. Being the nice stepbrother he’s, Drake tries to interrupt Josh out of jail. Sadly, Drake will get arrested, too. When Drake and Josh get to talk to a decide, they clarify that they should get out to satisfy Drake’s guarantees to Mary Alice. The decide releases them, however warns that they are going to be introduced again if they don’t give Mary Alice the perfect Christmas ever. No strain, proper?
3. “The Santa Expertise” (1992)
Present: Rugrats
Air Date: December 6, 1992
It might not look like it, however there may be not a lot of a distinction between The Boondocks‘ Huey Freeman (Regina King) and the youngsters of Rugrats. Huey chases Santa across the mall with a BB gun, screaming, “You gon’ pay what you owe.” In the meantime, Tommy (Elizabeth Day by day), Chuckie (Christine Cavanaugh), and the crew are setting harmful traps for Santa, so they will query him about his character.
“The Santa Expertise” kicks off on the mall the place Angelica (Cheryl Chase) bum rushes the road to see Santa and tells Mr. Claus how a lot she wants a dream dollhouse for Cynthia. Whereas Mr. Claus pushed her away, mall workers gave her a field of free toys to apologize for Santa rightfully pushing her away. Even with the free presents, Angelica is ungrateful and doesn’t need them. In the meantime, Tommy and Chuckie are debating whether or not or not Santa is an effective particular person. , typical child stuff, proper? Tommy is satisfied Santa is a superb man, whereas Chuckie is, in fact, petrified of Saint Nick and thinks he’s a nasty man. Within the kitchen, the mother and father are having a relatable dialog about their challenges and struggles, making an attempt to make sure every of their youngsters has a superb vacation season. Later, the children and oldsters head north to rejoice Christmas in a cabin. There, Chuckie and Tommy arrange a booby lure to catch Santa. A lot to their disappointment, the lure solely manages to catch Stu (Jack Riley). In the end, every part seems for the perfect as Santa simply rings the entrance doorbell and delivers the presents face-to-face. Angelica will get her doll home, Chuckie determines Santa is an effective particular person in any case, and the Rugrats get the right Christmas.
2. “Christmas Who?” (2000)
Present: SpongeBob SquarePants
Air Date: December 6, 2000
When you ask most followers of SpongeBob SquarePants about Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), most would say he’s nearer to being the Grinch than Santa Claus. Nevertheless, “Christmas Who?” proves in any other case.
Spongebob (Tom Kenny) visits Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence) and finds the proud Texan organising Christmas decorations round her home. As a substitute of serving to her, Spongebob freaks out as a result of he thinks the lights and decorations have began a hearth. It could be almost unimaginable to start out a hearth that far underwater, however I digress. Anyway, Sandy stops him and explains to Spongebob who Santa Claus is and what occurs on Christmas. Excited and enchanted, Spongebob shares the story of Christmas and Santa Claus with almost everybody in Bikini Backside. Consequently, everybody however Squidward sends letters to Santa and spends all night time caroling. When Santa doesn’t present up, everybody calls Spongebob a fraud and mocks him, together with Squidward. Nevertheless, Spongebob turns Squidward’s coronary heart from coal to gold when he provides him a handcrafted clarinet for Christmas in order that he received’t go and not using a present. In return, Squidward attire up as Santa and surprises Spongebob, who’s delighted, and needs him a merry Christmas. Squidward didn’t account for the entire different residents of Bikini Backside recognizing him and asking for items. As a substitute of ruining the charade, Squidward finally ends up giving freely almost every part in his residence away as a present. Fortunately, Squidward is rewarded when the actual Santa Claus sends a letter thanking Squidward for serving to hold the spirit of Christmas alive.
1. “Arnold’s Christmas” (1996)
Present: Hey Arnold!
Air Date: December 11, 1996
“Arnold’s Christmas” is just not solely the perfect Nickelodeon late-year vacation particular, however it’s arguably among the best episodes of the whole sequence. The sequence revolves round Arnold (Toran Caudell) trying to tug off a Christmas miracle for his neighbor, Mr. Hyunh (Baoan Coleman). By means of this endeavor, a lot of Mr. Hyunh’s backstory is revealed, together with the heartbreaking story of how he and his daughter, Mai (Hiep Thi Le), have been separated for greater than 20 years. Whereas Arnold and his greatest buddy, Gerald (Jamil Walker Smith), fall brief of their quest to seek out Mai and reconnect her with Mr. Hyunh, Helga (Francesca Marie Smith) unexpectedly saves the day and will get Mai in contact along with her father. Helga by no means will get the credit score for creating this touching reunion, however she is going to at all times be remembered for being the driving drive behind probably the most touching moments in Nickelodeon historical past.
