10 Best ‘SNL’ Holiday Sketches, Ranked

You simply can’t discuss the holidays on SNL without mentioning Adam Sandler‘s “The Hanukkah Song.” It’s gone down in history as one of the show’s most iconic moments of all time, and we’ve got to give credit where it’s due. But since the episode aired in 1994, the show has brought us even funnier moments that top this one.

10. Rudolph’s Big Night

The original tale of the red-nosed reindeer somehow failed to mention Rudolph’s vendetta for revenge after years of relentlessly being bullied. If you ever wondered what that would look like, Pete Davidson‘s got it covered. Now that Rudolph’s getting the credit he deserves, he’s not holding back — even if that means getting another reindeer killed.

9. Children’s Clothing Ad

Christmas isn’t always perfect, even if you try (or force) your family to dress the part. Sure, putting your kids in Christmas-themed outfits is adorable and something to cherish while they’re young, but this skit shows that facade will come crashing down. It’s a hilarious reminder that what you see on Christmas cards doesn’t always paint a full picture.

8. Christmas Robe

We’ve all fallen victim to giving impersonal gifts, but seeing Kristen Wiig sing about it might cause us to do some self-reflecting. While mom gave hundreds of presents to her kids and husband, she only got one in return: a robe. Wiig shows the realistic side to the Christmas magic and reminds us that mothers deserve a good holiday, too. But at the end of the day, this skit is hilarious.

7. Visit With Santa Cold Open

There’s only so much Santa can make happen. When kids start making some uncomfortable requests about the economic and political state of the world, we start to see where Santa’s magic starts to draw the line. It’s hilariously out of pocket, and Kenan Thompson as Santa and Kate McKinnon as his efficient elf makes for a perfectly hilarious duo.

6. Steve Martin’s Holiday Wish

This sketch is one of the most iconic holiday moments to come from SNL — so much so that Steve Martin famously recreated it when he returned to host in 2013. Sometimes you’ve got to be a little selfish during the holidays, and this sketch is a great example of that. Maybe it’s a little on the extreme side, but that’s what makes it so great. And, hey, he did try the whole selfless thing.

5. Christmas Epiphany

Is he schizophrenic, or is he just doing some self-reflecting around the holidays? With this sketch, you get to see both options. Austin Butler enters an emotional monologue questioning his past and future on a picturesque snowy street, but he just so happens to stop right outside the window of a family eating Christmas dinner. Their fear for their safety is a hilarious spin on the classic Christmas movie cliche.

4. North Pole News Report

There’s been an accident at the North Pole, but the local news doesn’t seem to be conveying the severity of what’s going on. Enter Eddie Murphy. He comes in hot, screaming about the elf massacre he witnessed, and he’s got Santa to blame. Everything about this sketch is hilarious, but it’s really Murphy’s chaotic performance that tops it off. #SantaKnew

3. Home for the Holidays

If you’ve ever spent the holidays with your family, you get it. The accuracy of this sketch alone is enough to put it in the top three. Seeing the polar opposite of Eddie Murphy’s toast unfold behind the scenes feels hilariously real, and none of the contradictions seem exaggerated. It’s also a reminder that the holidays aren’t always as perfect as they’re made out to be.

2. Santa Baby

Meet some of Santa’s biggest fans. Ryan Gosling and Vanessa Bayer play a married couple with an overwhelmingly intense desire to meet the man with the bag. And I mean intense. When word gets out that Santa will be making an appearance at a neighborhood holiday party, the duo turns it into a borderline hostage situation. Gosling and Bayer don’t hold back, which makes it so hilarious. It’s easily one of SNL’s funniest sketches of all time.

1. Holiday Pageant

This sketch is not only hilarious, but it’s objectively the best transition into a musical guest’s performance that SNL has ever had. Martin Short and Paul McCartney are auditioning for a local holiday pageant, and it’s safe to say the two of them don’t have the greatest working relationship. It’s an unexpected duo, but it’s absolutely perfect. Our Christmas wish is to be able to watch this for the first time again!

Saturday Night Live, Saturdays, 11:30/10:30c, NBC