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Writer's picturePaul Francis
Dec 10, 20243 min read

Top 5 Friends Christmas Episodes

(and a Bonus of Thanksgiving Classics!)

Friends wasn’t just a TV show; it was a cultural phenomenon. First airing on Channel 4 in the UK during the 1990s, it quickly became a Friday-night staple, introducing us to the quirky, endearing lives of six friends navigating life in New York City. Over its ten-year run, it became a must-watch series, turning Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and the rest of the cast into household names.


The Friends Set

In secondary schools across the UK, Friends was a big deal. While we couldn’t chat about it the day after it aired (thanks to the weekend), it was a Monday topic of conversation. Groups of friends would gleefully debate which of them was "the Ross" or "the Phoebe" of their group, bonding over the hilarious and heartfelt antics of Monica, Chandler, Joey, Rachel, Ross, and Phoebe.


Even today, Friends remains a comfort watch for millions, with its festive episodes taking on a new life as part of many people's Christmas traditions.


Friends: What Was It All About?

For those who’ve somehow never seen an episode, Friends is a sitcom about six friends who spend more time in a coffee shop than seems humanly possible. Monica (Courteney Cox) is the slightly neurotic chef; Chandler (Matthew Perry) is her quick-witted husband; Joey (Matt LeBlanc) is the charming but dim-witted actor; Ross (David Schwimmer) is the geeky palaeontologist; Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) is the fashion-savvy "it girl"; and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is the delightfully weird musician.


Set in New York City, the show follows their friendships, relationships, and careers, blending humour and heart in a way that continues to resonate with audiences.


Top 5 Friends Christmas Episodes

Nothing says Christmas like gathering around the TV with some mince pies and revisiting Friends’ festive highlights. Before diving in, it’s worth noting that the show originally aired between 1994 and 2004. Some jokes and plotlines may feel outdated to modern audiences, so consider it a reflection of its era.

  1. "The One with the Monkey" (Season 1, Episode 10) The group’s first Christmas episode introduces us to Ross’s pet monkey, Marcel, and a whole lot of festive chaos. From awkward encounters at parties to Phoebe’s memorable Christmas songs, this episode captures the charm of the early seasons.

  2. "The One with the Inappropriate Sister" (Season 5, Episode 10) Rachel grows close to Danny, whose oddly affectionate relationship with his sister becomes a source of comedy and confusion. Meanwhile, Phoebe’s attempts at charity bell-ringing hilariously backfire.

  3. "The One with the Holiday Armadillo" (Season 7, Episode 10) Ross’s attempt to teach Ben about Hanukkah leads to the unforgettable introduction of the Holiday Armadillo. This quirky costume-filled episode blends the spirit of Christmas with a lesson on embracing different traditions.

  4. "The One with Christmas in Tulsa" (Season 9, Episode 10) When Chandler is stuck working in Tulsa over Christmas, the episode takes us on a journey through some of the show’s best festive flashbacks, leading to a heartwarming reunion with Monica.

  5. "The One Where Rachel Quits" (Season 3, Episode 10) Rachel’s decision to quit her job at Central Perk coincides with a sweet subplot involving Ross selling Christmas trees and making amends for breaking a Girl Scout’s leg.


Bonus: Top 5 Friends Thanksgiving Episodes

Although Thanksgiving has passed, some of Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes have a festive vibe that fits right into the Christmas season. Perfect for a cosy night in by the tree!

  1. "The One with All the Thanksgivings" (Season 5, Episode 8) is a flashback-heavy episode in which Monica does a turkey on her head and Chandler drops the infamous "I love you" line.

  2. "The One Where Ross Got High" (Season 6, Episode 9)Rachel’s disastrous attempt at making a trifle and everyone’s secrets spilling out around the dinner table make this a fan favourite.

  3. "The One with the Football" (Season 3, Episode 9)Nothing says "holiday spirit" like a competitive game of touch football and the Geller siblings’ hilarious antics.

  4. "The One with the Rumor" (Season 8, Episode 9)Featuring a guest appearance by Brad Pitt, this episode is as chaotic as it is entertaining, with a reveal about the "I Hate Rachel Green" Club.

  5. "The One with Chandler in a Box" (Season 4, Episode 8) is A mix of comedy and emotion as Chandler spends Thanksgiving in a literal box to atone for betraying Joey.


Why Friends is Still Perfect for Christmas

Whether it’s the Christmas episodes or the Thanksgiving ones with a festive twist, Friends Christmas Episodes offer laughter, nostalgia, and the warmth of the chosen family—making it perfect for the season. So grab a mulled wine, throw on your cosiest pyjamas, and settle in for a Friends marathon this Christmas time. Merry Christmas, and enjoy the laughs!

TikTok ban: An Act of Market Control, Not Freedom

TikTok ban: An Act of Market Control, Not Freedom

15 January 2025

Connor Banks

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The Supreme Court of the United States met on Friday the 10th of January to discuss the imminent TikTok ban in the United States, and it's looking like the Supreme Court is going to uphold the ban. This means that TikTok will have to be sold off to an American company or be banned from America.


Facebook and Tiktok fighting each other. Felt design

The United States has long prided itself on being a champion of innovation and free-market competition. Yet, the recent push to ban TikTok exposes a different reality. While the ban is often framed as a measure to protect American "freedoms," closer scrutiny reveals that the motivations behind it are less about safeguarding national security or personal liberty and more about protecting the dominance of American tech giants who have failed to create a competing product.


The National Security Argument: A Convenient Scapegoat

The primary justification for the TikTok ban centres on national security concerns. Critics argue that TikTok’s ownership by a Chinese company poses risks of data misuse or surveillance by the Chinese government. While these concerns warrant investigation, the evidence presented so far has been largely speculative. Moreover, TikTok has taken significant steps to address these concerns, such as pledging to store U.S. user data domestically and offering unprecedented transparency in its operations.


In contrast, American tech companies, including Facebook and Google, have faced numerous scandals over data breaches and misuse, yet these incidents rarely spark discussions of bans. This double standard suggests that the TikTok ban isn’t truly about protecting users’ data but about something far more self-serving: market control.


A Failure to Innovate: American Companies’ Struggle to Compete

Tiktok logo in a 3d blog with a pink background

TikTok’s meteoric rise exposed a glaring weakness in American tech innovation. Despite their immense resources and influence, companies like Meta (formerly Facebook), Google, and Snapchat have failed to develop a platform that resonates with younger audiences in the same way TikTok does. Meta’s Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, both designed to mimic TikTok’s short-form video format, have not captured the same cultural zeitgeist or user engagement.


Rather than innovating, these companies have leaned heavily on their lobbying power to stifle competition. The push to ban TikTok can be seen as an attempt to remove a superior competitor from the market, allowing American platforms to reclaim dominance without addressing their own shortcomings. This approach not only stifles competition but also sets a dangerous precedent for using regulatory measures to quash innovative foreign products rather than improving domestic ones.


The Hypocrisy of “Freedom”

American lawmakers have framed the TikTok ban as a measure to protect citizens' freedoms, yet the ban itself directly contradicts the principles of choice and access that underpin those freedoms. TikTok’s success is driven by millions of Americans who have chosen to use the app, finding value in its unique algorithm, diverse content, and engaging user experience. Restricting access to the platform undermines these users’ autonomy, suggesting that their freedoms are secondary to corporate interests.


Furthermore, the United States’ tech landscape is already dominated by monopolies. Companies like Meta, Google, and Amazon control vast swaths of the internet, often using their market power to squash smaller competitors. The TikTok ban does not address this monopolistic behaviour; instead, it reinforces it by eliminating a rare instance of genuine competition in the social media space.


A Global Perspective: The Irony of “Protection”

The ban also highlights a broader irony. For years, American tech companies have championed global free markets, often entering foreign countries and out-competing local businesses. Yet when faced with competition from a foreign company on their own turf, the response has been to cry foul rather than adapt.


This hypocrisy weakens America’s global standing as a proponent of innovation and fair competition. Instead of banning TikTok, the United States could use this moment to examine why its own companies failed to create a comparable product and what can be done to foster domestic innovation.


The Real Solution: Compete, Don’t Constrain

If the goal is to protect American freedoms and ensure data security, a TikTok ban is a shortsighted solution. Instead, lawmakers should focus on regulating data privacy across all platforms, domestic and foreign, to ensure robust protections for users. Simultaneously, the tech industry should be incentivised to innovate rather than rely on protectionist policies.


TikTok’s popularity is a testament to its ability to connect with users in ways that American platforms have failed to replicate. Banning the app does not solve this problem; it simply papers over it. To truly champion freedom, the United States must allow competition to flourish, even when it means facing uncomfortable truths about its own shortcomings.



The push to ban TikTok is less about protecting American freedoms and more about protecting American monopolies. Framed as a national security issue, the campaign against TikTok is ultimately an admission that American tech giants have failed to keep up with their global counterparts. If the U.S. truly values innovation and freedom, it must resist the urge to eliminate competition through regulation and instead focus on fostering a market where the best product, not the most powerful company, wins.

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