8 Disney Channel Holiday Episodes, Ranked By Heartwarming Lesson
As the holidays draw near, we're frantically trying to buy presents, book flights home and fit in time to rewatch our favorite Christmas movies and TV specials for the umpteenth time. Disney Channel produced some truly memorable holiday episodes, covering Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.
In true Disney fashion, each of these episodes mixed a holiday tale with a heartwarming lesson. We've decided to rank them based on how ~powerful~ their moral was, because it's the holidays and you're supposed to be extra nice to people and stuff. Santa says so.
The lowdown: Raven opens her Christmas gift early and wears the necklace to school, but it accidentally gets destroyed. Having to blow off Christmas traditions with her family, Raven enlists Eddie and Chelsea to help her buy a new necklace to replace the broken one.
The heartwarming lesson: Don't open your presents early, or else you'll ruin Christmas and make yourself sad.
The lowdown: Phil tells Keely about the first time he saw her, before the Diffys were stuck in the 21st century. After Pim accidentally destroys Keely's coveted Christmas star, Phil continues going back in time to prevent the star from being damaged. Oh, and the Diffys sang a futuristic jam titled "O Robo Tree" and it'll make you glad you won't live to see the 22nd Century.
The heartwarming lesson: If you screw up your future friend's Christmas experience, never give up on trying to make it right. Also, Raviv Ullman looks extra good in striped sweaters.
The lowdown: Wanting to give Kim the gift of a night off with her family, Ron decides he's going to fight Dr. Drakken by himself. But once Kim realizes Ron's in trouble, she and her family literally travel the world to rescue him.
The heartwarming lesson: Put your loved ones' happiness before your own. Oh, and give a better gift than Bueno Nacho Bueno Bucks.
The lowdown: When everyone gets snowed in at the Tipton, Cody thinks his parents are getting back together because of all the time they're spending with each other. Moreover, a pregnant woman goes into labor in a stuck elevator (naturally) with Zack and Cody by her side.
The heartwarming lesson: Even if your parents are divorced and aren't getting back together, you can still be a family. Moreover, if someone makes you a gift, simply say, "Thank you," even if it's a three-armed sweater with no neck hole.
The lowdown: After giving Oliver a hard time for being shallow with his love life, Miley turns around and does the same thing when she doesn't want to date a boy who is shorter than her. Meanwhile, Jackson does everything in his power to get a good letter of recommendation for college from his neighbor Mr. Dontzig.
The heartwarming lesson: Don't push a potential relationship away based on something the other person cannot fix. You might be giving up on something great before it even gets a chance to bloom.
The lowdown: Lizzie becomes frustrated with her family and Gordo when they ditch helping her make a Rock 'n Roll Christmas float after a man name Nobby's retirement home suffers severe plumbing issues. Later, Lizzie experiences a semi-trippy dream sequence when she learns the error of her ways.
The heartwarming lesson: Put your selfish needs aside when someone really needs your help. Also, Steven Tyler makes a weird Santa Claus.
The lowdown: After accidentally breaking all the Hanukkah gifts, Louis thinks his family would be happier if he had never been born. In an "It's a Wonderful Life" parody, Louis' Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandmother Bubbie Rose appears and shows him how boring and upset his family would be without him and his wacky antics in their lives.
The heartwarming lesson: Life would NOT be better without you in it. You are loved.
The lowdown: The Prouds meet a homeless family on Christmas Eve, inviting them over for Christmas dinner. When they keep visiting for the next seven days celebrating Kwanzaa, Penny and her family learn the true meaning of family unity. Also, Samuel L. Jackson, Vivica A. Fox and Raven-Symoné guest-star.
The heartwarming lesson: Always be grateful for what you have and never take your good fortune for granted. Someone, somewhere would kill to have what you have.
