The Simpsons started, as far as the family you know and love is concerned, as a Christmas special. Back in 1989, the debut episode of Fox's The Simpsons, a thirty minute animated sitcom based on the Tracey Ullman short created by Matt Groening, was the classic Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire, which saw the Simpson family, led by hapless father figure Homer, get a greyhound for Christmas - the simple but loving Santa's Little Helper. The episode was a hit, connecting with audiences, and a franchise unlike any other on prime time television was born. Twenty-five years later, The Simpsons just aired yet another Christmas special in time for the holidays, so what better time is there to look back at just over a dozen of their best holiday-themed episodes? Really, over a dozen? While not as iconic as Halloweens Treehouse of Horror series, there have been more Christmas Simpson episodes than you think! Not every episode set in winter with a mention of Christmas really counts, either. There will be no Mr. Plow in the pages to come, in case you were wondering. Nor will there be Dude, Where's My Ranch - included in The Simpsons Christmas 2 collection on DVD, but with only a tenuous link to the holiday. While various sources will tell you there have been seventeen Simpsons Christmas episodes, those that only mention Christmas have been excluded. Instead, lets take a look at episodes actually focusing on Christmas that try to reach the heights of that original episode, and see if any came close - or surpassed it. So with no further adieu, here are the thirteen Simpsons Christmas episodes, ranked from "meh" to "best episode ever!"