We Ranked The Grey’s Anatomy Christmas Episodes & Beware: Some Aren’t So Jolly

Although Grey's Anatomy does occasionally address topical subjects (the healthcare system is a big part of the most recent season), the show functions in sort of a vacuum most of the time. As such, even the Christmas episodes of Grey's Anatomy aren't very Christmassy.

The holiday is more of a backdrop to the usual goings on in the hospital. It's all the same drama, but with a Christmas tree in the background of a scene. If anything, the holiday is used to occasionally show the passage of time, but in 16 seasons there have only been seven episodes decided to the holiday. (Dedicated is a strong word considering that some episodes have given less than 10 minutes of screen time to the event.)

Christmas isn't the only holiday that Grey's Anatomy has covered over the years. The show has done everything from Halloween to the Day of the Dead. But Christmas has been one of the most featured of the mainstream holidays on the show — even if just via a passing mention.

There are some Grey's Christmas episodes that are more happy than others and that feature the holiday more prominently. If you're trying to decide which of the episodes you should watch this holiday season, here are all of your options ranked from least cheerful to most.