As described by The O.C.‘s ever-sardonic Seth Cohen (Adam Brody), “Chrismukkah” is “the greatest super holiday known to mankind, drawing the best of what Christianity and Judaism have to offer.” Regardless of viewers’ religious statuses, The O.C.‘s Season 1, Episode 13 is such an iconic staple that it should be number one on Christmas TV episodes must-watch lists everywhere. Seth’s reasoning concerning why he loves Chrismukkah is less wholesome and analytical and much more based on excitement over materialism. However, this doesn’t make the episode, twenty years after its inception, anything short of the best. The episode is chock-full of presents and pretty lights, but under its surface, it’s teeming with messages of inclusivity and acceptance that the world can always be reminded of.
The O.C.‘s first holiday episode, “The Best Chrismukkah Ever,” was written by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage and aired on December 3, 2003. As its name would suggest, ‘Chrismukkah’ is a combination of Christmas and Hanukkah, the name conjured up for a holiday mashup created by Seth Cohen when he was little. Seth’s mother, Kirsten (Kelly Rowan), is Christian, and his father, Sandy (Peter Gallagher), is Jewish. The two didn’t feel a need to make Seth choose one religious holiday tradition over the other; thus, the inception of ‘Chrismukkah.’ TV’s most popular and re-watched holiday episodes have long centered around Christmas and Christmas alone. There are only a handful of non-Christmas-related episodes on network television that are relatively well-known: The Office‘s “Diwali;” The Nanny‘s “The Hanukkah Story;” and The Proud Family‘s “Seven Days of Kwanzaa” come to mind. This is what made the early aughts’ best teen drama, The O.C., so groundbreaking with a seemingly simple episode in its first season that aired come Christmastime in 2003.
Why Is ‘The O.C.’s Chrismukkah Episode So Important?
As noted in The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Schwartz cited his inspiration for the seminal episode from wondering what it would look like for a Jewish teenager living in Orange County to celebrate the holiday season: “How do you celebrate your heritage while taking advantage of all the gifts you can get by combining both holidays?” It’s a humorous concept, but one that holds more weight to it once one pulls back the red curtain. Seth may get double the presents, but he also gets double the exposure to traditions. Through the power of convenient exposition, Seth introduces Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie) to the Chrismukkah tradition during Ryan’s first year of officially living in the Cohen household, and viewers are given the storied history of how Seth grew up navigating the holidays. He didn’t have to choose between a menorah or a candy cane, because with Chrismukkah, he could have both and still honor the beliefs of both of his parents. It showed viewers potentially struggling with a similar problem (regardless of whether they were the parent or the child) that a child could coexist within a “divided” household. This rang true whether the issue was religion or anything else.
The O.C.’s Chrismukkah is lighthearted and not preachy, introducing a plethora of traditions for people to draw from. Seth spends his holiday break with double the holiday decorations to cozy up his parents’ McMansion, providing viewers with plenty of decor inspiration to go around. His mom doesn’t have to labor over a lengthy Christmas dinner in the kitchen and miss out on family time, opting for the stereotypical but infallible Chinese takeout. Despite the fun, Seth Cohen was not the only person to celebrate Chrismukkah, however, and it wasn’t always a simple decision like his allegedly was. According to statistics reported in the aforementioned Hollywood Reporter article, roughly one-third of Jewish Americans are married to non-Jews, meaning arguments over Christmas trees and whether to serve kosher food at dinner are not unexpected.
What was most important about the introduction of Chrismukkah to viewers of The O.C. was that their discussion of it didn’t fall victim to stereotypes. By nature, the character of Seth Cohen is largely unserious and often defaults to sarcasm in most settings, but he doesn’t necessarily use this opportunity to teach Ryan about the amalgamation to make fun of himself. Neither Seth nor his parents aggrandize one holiday over the other, thus leveling the playing field and making everything fair for watchers of all cultural backgrounds. A show like The O.C. bolstering Hanukkah, a lesser-known holiday in comparison to Christmas, had not been done too many times before. A show about wealthy teens and their dramatic daily lives (which naturally drew in viewers of the same age) also had a Jewish main character amidst a sea of blonde, WASP-y Christians (like his own mother). Seth’s character was thus able to casually introduce Jewish culture to its huge audience. Whether they decided to delve further into Judaism or didn’t give it any further thought, the introduction of other cultural traditions was essential to fostering open-mindedness nonetheless.
Teen audiences are in their prime to accumulate valuable knowledge and apply it to their developing adult lives. Thus, one of the most popular teen television shows of all time airing an episode that discussed a cultural tradition that didn’t solely revolve around Christmas was a bigger deal than it initially seemed. The mostly seamless fusion of the two holidays taught audiences about the importance of cultural fluidity, showcasing that situations such as the Cohens’ were normal and navigable.
Related
This Electric ‘O.C.’ Moment Perfectly Sums Up Why the Show Was So Iconic
It might not have gotten an ‘SNL’ sketch, but it’s still one of the show’s best moments.
It is even interesting to compare Seth’s openmindedness when embracing two disparate end-of-year celebrations tied to different faiths with Brody’s performance years later in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This. The actor’s recent small screen contribution has him playing a rabbi named Noah, who is torn between his calling to become the head rabbi at the synagogue he works at and pursuing a serious relationship with a non-Jewish woman named Joanne (played by Kirsten Bell). This rom-com series poses a similar question to the one at the center of The O.C.‘s first holiday episode; whether it is possible to be true to tradition while also embracing the non-traditional.
The impact that the latest Netflix show had in 2024 is a lot due to the breaking of stereotypes that preceded it through the early aughts teen drama with Brody’s name attached. Although Seth and Noah are very different people in their essence, with the latter being much more in touch with his faith than the sweet, comic book enthusiast from The O.C., audiences could resonate with both characters and their varying ways to navigate religion and their heritage. While Seth decides to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah in equal measure, Noah is still trying to figure out if it is possible to reach this train of thought without letting go of something he values as sacred: his belief system. As Nobody Wants This shows the struggle to balance both the traditional and the non-traditional, The CW hit already displayed what two religious traditions could look like if they were both acknowledged within a single household with parents that share different faiths.
‘The O.C.’ Talks About Religion Well Beyond Chrismukkah
In its first season alone, The O.C. was pulling an average of almost 10 million viewers per episode; its most-watched episode (Season 1, Episode 17) attracted nearly 13 million viewers to their living room screens. The promised popularity of The O.C. encouraged Schwartz and Savage to continue the overt discussion of Seth Cohen’s Judaism. Season 1’s post-Chrismukkah episode, “The Nana,” focused on Passover and what that entailed for Seth and his non-Jewish girlfriend, Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson). Given that Summer wasn’t aware of the importance of Passover in Jewish tradition, or let alone how to read in Hebrew, the character grows anxious about whether she will fall in the good graces of Seth’s grandmother, Sophie (played by Linda Lavin).
Throughout this episode, Summer becomes more knowledgeable about Judaism, not just to impress her boyfriend’s grandmother, who stopped by Newport Beach for an unexpected visit, but also out of her own willingness to show that she was more than just a pretty face. This is one of the few early glimpses of the character’s true self, proving her brilliance and determination despite others’ preconceived notions about her. Previously known for her good looks and not being very smart, Summer later shows everyone that she is more than capable of standing up for herself and others, sometimes outwitting Seth. Her draw to learn more about Judaism was just a sneak peek of her incredible trajectory in the series.
These two episodes dovetail nicely with the beginning bloomings of Seth and Summer’s relationship, sandwiched perfectly within Season 1. Seth weaponizes sarcasm to protect himself and affect an unserious demeanor, but it’s in “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” that Summer realizes how important Seth’s dual identity is to him (and therefore, realizes there is more to Seth Cohen under the surface than initially meets the eye). He invites Summer to Chrismukkah despite their brand-new relationship, and it’s through Seth’s interaction with his family that he inadvertently ingratiates himself with her. They don’t get their happily ever after just yet, but this episode is arguably the true start to their relationship arc thereafter.
When “The Nana” comes along, the two are already together, but Seth still has a lot to uncover about Summer’s identity. Her draw to get to know more about his family and their heritage gives him newfound insight into who she truly is and her drive. Much like how Summer gets to see more of who Seth is in his essence during the Chrismukkah episode, “The Nana” presents a new side to the popular girl that the protagonist had a crush on for forever. By having her learn more about Judaism, not only could viewers tell that there was much more to her that they had yet to find out about, but it also presented another Jewish holiday that most people were unacquainted with.
Related
‘The O.C’s Chrismukkah Episode Is Just Good Holiday TV, Period
Finally, “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” is also just a good, old-fashioned holiday episode. Despite the decidedly non-traditional Christmassy locale of Southern California, that sense of winterly holiday spirit is not remiss. Season 1, Episode 13 shows viewers who live in un-Christmaslike weather (i.e., California, Florida, or Australia) how they can still get into the mood! Gaudy holiday sweaters are worn proudly, and there’s a cheesy yet heartwarming montage of Ryan and his girlfriend, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton) shopping for gifts in the mall, surrounded by Christmas music, trees, and shiny baubles galore. Seth’s excitement for the holidays is also resonant with how people typically feel at this time of the year, which is packed with family gatherings (whether they’re with people that share your blood or friends who are like family).
What type of show would The O.C. be without its overly-wrought dramatic situations? Holidays are not without familial spats or the awkward first holiday celebrations with one’s significant other (or others, if you’re Seth Cohen in this episode). Ryan loathes celebrating the holidays when he’s never really celebrated with his absent family in the past, but Seth is so good at coercion that Ryan ends up enjoying it, anyway. Most episodes of The O.C. don’t end on a light note, but this one ends with a real smile on Ryan Atwood’s face if nothing else. This episode also marks the beginning of Ryan Atwood’s integration into the Cohen family. The close-up shot of the stockings hanging above the fireplace, with one meant for Ryan resting alongside the others, displays the bond that “the boy from Chino” fostered with the Cohens. They took him under their wing and made him feel like he belonged in their home and in their lives.
Seth Cohen may have started his own Chrismukkah tradition on the grounds of childlike materialism, but not even a bounty of presents was enough to make him enjoy the holiday before he could be sure Ryan was happy, too. Their brotherhood is at a high here and only continues to strengthen over the rest of the show. “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” isn’t afraid to shy away from showing strong, platonic relationships between two boys who aren’t related, which was refreshing amidst the onslaught of early ’00s toxic masculinity.
Holidays are crucial times for bonding and spending uninterrupted quality time with family. The Cohens accept Ryan without a second thought – because that’s what the holiday season is all about. It doesn’t much matter whether someone chooses to decorate a Christmas tree, light a menorah, or put up a kinara for Kwanzaa; the heart of any holiday season is the people that holiday is spent with, regardless of whether or not they’re blood-related. Furthermore, Schwartz and Fedak were finally able to give a name to a holiday that many Jewish people celebrated but never had a name for. The common phrase “cultural reset” seems fitting when referencing this episode because it introduced a holiday fusion that continues to reverberate years after the show aired on TV. People felt seen then and continue to feel seen now, especially families with parents who don’t share the same faith or cultural background. It showed that Chrismas and Hanukkah can be much sweeter if combined!
The O.C. is currently streaming on Max in the U.S.
The O.C.
A troubled youth becomes embroiled in the lives of a close-knit group of people in the wealthy, upper-class neighborhood of Newport Beach, Orange County, California.
- Release Date
-
August 5, 2003
- Seasons
-
4
