Thanksgiving is all about family dinners, sports and good television. It’s because of that we’ve decided to make a list with the best turkey day themed episodes from your favorite shows. Whether we’re laughing, cringing or rooting for our favorite characters, Thanksgiving always brings the worst and the best in all of them.

Friends

What would Thanksgiving be without some Friends episodes? And if there’s someone who knows how to celebrate this holiday it’s this bunch. Every season has a Thanksgiving episode and each one is better than the last. Throughout an entire decade, we saw Joey becoming the poster child for VD, a very funny football game, Chandler spending an entire episode in a box, the entire gang remembering their best memories about this holiday, Ross getting high, Brad Pitt being quite a rude guest and Christina Applegate as Rachel’s spoiled sister. However, none of these even measures to Chandler’s phobia for this holiday.

How I Met Your Mother

This funny sitcom put the term “slapsgiving” on the map, and ever since we can’t wait for another Thanksgiving themed episode. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, Marshall nicknamed this holiday after he won a bet with Barney, giving him the right to slap him five times, without notice. During the first Slapsgiving, in season 3, Marshall collected three of those slaps, to Barneys surprise and dismay. In an episode of season 5, also known as “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the slap”, Marshall gives Ted and Robin one of his slaps as a gift, leaving him with just one more. If last season the Thanksgiving episode was all about “the blitz”, this year we might see what will happen with that slap.

Gilmore Girls

The fast-talking mother-daughter duo sure knows how to make Thanksgiving a celebration to remember. In “A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving” Lorelai and Rory find themselves invited to four turkey dinners.  In season 5, the characters enjoy their first holiday dinner at the Dragonfly Inn, after their time apart. But, during the meal, everybody has their own issues to solve.

Gossip Girl

What would an Upper East Side holiday be without some intrigue, and Gossip Girl sure knows how to create it. The first three season of this show featured Thanksgiving themed episodes, and every time the family dinner was big, glamorous and filled with drama. If you think your family can be overbearing, just take a look at this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zWJdi7w2v0

Grey’s Anatomy

Our favorite dark and twisty resident, Meredith Grey, tried her hand at this holiday twice. In the first Thanksgiving themed episode, in season 2, she buries herself in work at the hospital, while everyone else prepares for the big day. However, in season 6, she gets to go through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years in just one action packed episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL-c_QMfeg0

That 70’s Show

The crazy kids from the 70’s have their own original way of celebrating turkey day. For three episodes they showed us how Thanksgiving was celebrated in the old days, when there was no Internet, social networks or smartphones. However, some things do stay the same.

These are the best turkey day themed episodes that you might want to re-watch in preparation for the big day. However, since this American holiday is so popular, there are many other episodes that we’d be remiss not to mention.

Honorable mentions: Two and a Half Men – “Merry Thanksgiving”, House – “Ignorance is Bliss”, The Big Bang Theory – “The Pirate Solution”, The Middle – “Thanksgiving”, Chuck – “Chuck Versus the Nemesis”, Parenthood – “Happy Thanksgiving”.

What do you think about our list? Can’t wait to read all about your favorites in the comments below!

Featured image from Friends’ Facebook page