by Julia
Deck the halls with, uh … candy, turkeys, and massive bouquets of roses. Whether you’re putting up the Christmas tree the day after Halloween (I see you, Linda) or trying everything humanly possible to snag your One True Valentine (I see you, too, Tina), Bob’s Burgers has you covered. No matter the holiday, Bob’s Burgers always delivers fun episodes to get us in the spirit. Read on to find some of our favorite holiday-themed episodes from the show.
Halloween
“Full Bars” (Season 3, Episode 2)
Courtesy of FOX
This is the very first themed episode of the show, and a great one to kick things off. Tired of the mediocre Halloween treats from their neighborhood, Gene, Tina, and Louise decide to go to King’s Head Island, a wealthy area where residents hand out full-sized candy bars. Meanwhile, Bob and Linda attend Teddy’s Halloween party. However, the festivities take a turn when Teddy’s guinea pig mysteriously dies. And we can’t forget Tina’s iconic line: “There’s a lot of carrots in that stew.”
“The Hauntening” (Season 6, Episode 3)
Courtesy of FOX
When Louise admits to her family she’s never been scared before, they decide to take her to a haunted house to prove that even the seemingly toughest among us can fall prey to Halloween tricks. She doesn’t fall for it so easily, not batting an eye at everything Linda and Bob do to try to scare her. But soon, the night takes a turn for the family, and Louise may not be so immune to fear as she once thought. There are plenty of classic Belcher moments, some ridiculous and laugh-out-loud funny, and others that are a little spookier.
“The Wolf of Wharf Street” (Season 8, Episode 3)
Courtesy of FOX
On Halloween night, a wolf is allegedly terrorizing the town. Linda and the kids still try to celebrate, though, as Linda decides that the best way to spend the evening is by looking for the said wolf. Back at home, Teddy watches over an injured and heavily medicated Bob, who grows more delirious as the night progresses. Eventually, he decides that Teddy is a werewolf, and on Halloween, anything is possible.
Honorable Mention: “Nightmare on Ocean Avenue Street” (Season 9, Episode 4)
Halloween treats turn into tricks when a candy thief wreaks havoc. At the restaurant, Teddy and another handyman get into a heated decoration battle. Read our article about the episode here.
Thanksgiving
“Turkey in a Can” (Season 4, Episode 5)
Courtesy of FOX
Ah, Thanksgiving. Bob Belcher’s favorite day of the year. As usual, Bob plans to have the perfect Thanksgiving, and this year he decides to try a new brine for the turkey. Gayle, her cats, Teddy, and Mort all join the holiday fun. Things soon go horribly wrong, though, when Bob finds that someone has dumped his turkey in the toilet. It’s full chaos ahead as Bob desperately tries to uncover who could possibly want to sabotage this day.
“The Quirk-Ducers” (Season 7, Episode 6)
Courtesy of FOX
There’s no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than by watching a bizarre school play about a quirky turkey. And that’s exactly how the students of Wagstaff and their parents celebrate … kind of. After learning that Mr. Frond’s annual play threatens the bliss of a half-day, Louise and Gene find a way to sabotage the play to save the long weekend. However, the day takes quite a messy turn.
“I Bob Your Pardon” (Season 9, Episode 7)
Courtesy of FOX
To kick off the Thanksgiving festivities, the Belchers decide to attend the town’s turkey pardoning, but it soon turns into a rescue mission when the kids learn the turkey is scheduled to be slaughtered. The family goes on a wild turkey chase involving the mayor’s assistant, a reporter, and a familiar farmer. If there is one turkey that will truly be pardoned, it’s this one.
Honorable Mention: “Dawn of the Peck” (Season 5, Episode 4)
The world must be ending because Bob is boycotting Thanksgiving! But Linda and the kids still plan to celebrate at the Turk-tacular Turkey Town Festival. That is until all the turkeys run amok.
Christmas
“Bob Rest Ye Merry Gentle-Mannequins” (Season 3, Episode 9)
Courtesy of FOX
When Bob inherits a storage unit, the family imagines the wonders it may hold. Instead, they find a man named Chet living inside, who was formerly a mannequin at a department store. The family invites Chet to stay in their basement. Unable to give monetary repayment, Chet creates elaborate and clever holiday window displays in the restaurant, turning the restaurant into a beloved visual spectacle for the town.
“Bleakening,” Parts 1 and 2 (Season 8, Episodes 6 and 7)
Courtesy of FOX
A Christmas mystery is afoot! After Linda hosts a Christmas party at the restaurant, she discovers that her favorite ornaments have gone missing! She launches an investigation, questioning everyone who attended the party. Meanwhile, the kids take matters into their own hands, and they have their own suspect in mind: anti-Santa, also known as The Bleaken. The two investigations eventually lead the family to an answer that’s cheerier than they expect. Did I mention the episodes are also chock full of great musical numbers? (“Twinkly Lights” is perpetually stuck in my head.)
“Have Yourself a Maily Linda Christmas” (Season 10, Episode 10)
Courtesy of FOX
Determined to make a little extra money for the holidays, Linda works a temp job for the post office. But when a package is missed and goes undelivered, Linda decides she’ll hand deliver the package herself, not wanting anyone to miss out on the joy of Christmas. Gene and Louise join Linda on her quest, but only because they need to find the perfect gift for Tina. At home, Tina and Bob are left in the company of Linda’s family.
Honorable Mention: “Father of the Bob” (Season 5, Episode 6)
The Belchers go visit Bob’s father at his restaurant, where the two try to outdo each other. Linda attempts to keep things civil, the kids compete to make the best gift for Bob, and Gene has some fun with beans.
Valentine’s Day
“My Fuzzy Valentine” (Season 3, Episode 13)
Courtesy of FOX
Love is in the air, or in Bob and Linda’s case, in the pancake. Attempting to woo Linda on Valentine’s Day, Bob makes her a heart-shaped pancake that falls flat. In order to wow her, Bob lets the kids skip school to help him find the perfect gift. Only, the gift he has in mind isn’t how he remembered it. While they’re gone, Linda hosts a Valentine’s Day speed dating event at the restaurant that’s really a sight to behold and guaranteed to draw out some laughs.
“Bob Actually” (Season 7, Episode 9)
Courtesy of FOX
Bob is once again asking someone to help him give Linda just the right gift for Valentine’s Day. In this episode, he decides to go with a romantic gesture over a material gift, and honestly, he chose just the right one. (But if you don’t already know, I’m not going to tell you, because it’s so wholesome you need to watch it for yourself.) Jimmy Jr. invites Tina to a special surprise while she’s having a digestive system crisis, but she doesn’t even let that stop her (but only just). Meanwhile, Gene, Linda, and Louise all have sweet Valentine’s stories of their own.
“V for Valentine-detta” (Season 8, Episode 8)
Courtesy of FOX
Tina Belcher’s heart has pooped its pants, and “her puberty operating system is crashing.” After a rough break up, Tina is left distraught, so Linda and Louise take her out for a special girls’ night. They rent a limo where they meet Nat, the driver, who’s 100% on Tina’s team despite having just met. Bob and Gene have their own father-son night, embarking on a trapeze experience that brings them closer together (literally).
Honorable Mention: “The Gene and Courtney Show” (Season 6, Episode 7)
Gene and Courtney take over the morning announcements, but their relationship may get in the way. Tina heads the carnation fundraiser – with ulterior motives that don’t go quite as planned.
Stay tuned for more Bob’s Burgers articles as the show gears up to celebrate 10 years! Catch up now on Hulu and watch the new season every Sunday on FOX. What are some of your favorite themed Bob’s Burgers episodes? Let us know in the comments!
