'Full House' Understands The True Meaning of Xmas

Oh, Full House. You are a gift. A nostalgic, cheesy — at times over the top — gift. And today, I'd like to celebrate you. In particular, your holiday episodes. Because there's nothing that you and the Tanner family do better (besides giving and receiving hugs), than doling out life lessons, and providing holiday merriment. Let me restate that in a different fashion: you, Full House, have the greatest holiday episodes of '90s entertainment, because you, Full House, always uncovered the true meaning of Christmas.

Here's a sad statistic: Full House ran for eight long, beautiful seasons, but only had a total of three holiday episodes. This would be upsetting if it weren't for the fact that every single Full House holiday special packs a holiday punch, so to speak, exploring things like family, giving back, capitalism, Mickey Rooney, and, well, the list goes on... In fact, each Full House holiday episode proved to be a Full House tour de force of thinly veiled PSAs about being a good person during the holidays. It's as if the creators took everything we loved about Full House, added holiday cheer, and compressed it into three both instructive and entertaining episodes.

What I'm trying to tell you (if you haven't read between the lines already) is that you need to be revisiting these episodes. On Christmas day, Christmas Eve, the day after Christmas, in the middle of June (I don't know how you live your life), whenever. But it needs to be done. Here are the episodes, and why, oh why, you need to re-watch them, lest you ever forget what this holiday is all about.

1. Season 2, Episode 9 "Our Very First Christmas Show"

Reasons To Watch:

Because everyone's stuck together in an airport terminal, and that's always fun to observe. Basically, the Tanner fam is on their way to Colorado when a blizzard hits and their flight gets cancelled. The true meaning of Christmas is found somewhere in the midst of this mess, as the family concludes that it's not about where you spend the holiday, but about whom you spend the holiday with.

Episode Highlight:

This quote from Jesse: “Christmas isn't about presents or Santa Clause or cows, it's about a feeling. It's about people. It's about us forgetting about our problems and reaching out to help other people. Christmas doesn't have to happen in one certain place, it happens in our hearts.”

*Cue the awwww audience track.*

2. Season 6, Episode 12: "A Very Tanner Christmas"

Reasons To Watch:

For the three surprise Santa Clauses, or for the adorable, #goals moment between Jesse and Rebecca (Full House’s official OTP), or for the sweet sentiment wherein Michelle, Stephanie, and Jesse visit a homeless shelter and remember, yes, the true meaning of Christmas. Or maybe for the intense and riveting drama between DJ and Steve, as Steve prepares to go off to college. So. many. reasons.

Episode Highlight:

When Jesse, Stephanie, and Michelle discuss how good it feels to give back during the holidays.

Jesse: "He [my father] took me down to the Salvation Army, and I’ll tell you something: it made me feel so good to see your guys’s faces today, because that’s exactly how I felt. And I never forgot that feeling. And I never want you guys to forget that feeling, OK? Merry Christmas, girls."

Michelle: "Thanks for our Christmas present, Uncle Jesse."

*BRB cleaning up my melted heart*

3. Season 8, Episode 11 "Arrest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

Reasons to watch:

Mostly for the party tie that doubles as a cup holder, because it’s awesome, and I want it, and now I am imploring all of you reach out to me with more info on where I can buy one for myself and all of my family members. Or maybe you should watch it for Mickey Rooney’s character, who shadily locks Michelle and Jesse inside of his store on Christmas Eve. (I know, I know. You can say it: HOW RUDE!) Turns out, Mickey Rooney was just lonely and not a criminal, so the Tanners end up inviting him over for Christmas festivities, and you guessed it, the true meaning of Christmas is revealed.

Episode Highlight:

When we all find out that Michelle makes her Christmas presents using cereal, because honestly, that's not a bad idea.

Michelle: "Will you take me back to the store? I got to exchange it."

Jesse: "Out there? On Christmas Eve? Again? No, no, no, no, Michelle. Listen, can't just make your dad something? I mean, there's plenty of cereal in the kitchen. And I know he’s been hinting for a Froot Loop sombrero."

Michelle: "I made him that two years ago."

Thank you, Full House. For always reminding me about the true meaning of Christmas, and for all the gifts you have afforded me over the years. (Even though I feel robbed for having never seen that Froot Loop sombrero.)

Images: Warner Bros. Television (2)