The Simpsons - All 15 Christmas Episodes Ranked
2. Marge Be Not Proud
Somewhat dated but still a classic, Marge Be Not Proud from season 7 is probably that Simpsons episode you remember as "the one where Bart gets caught stealing."
It's sometimes forgotten that it's also a Christmas episode, not just the one where Marge won't buy Bart the video game Bonestorm so he steals it, then feels he has lost her love after getting caught.
What makes this a great Christmas episode? Like Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire, it has heart. As good as some of the later season Simpsons Christmas specials are, the very best had a moral story to tell (about stealing, and a mother's love in this case). They had heart.
There's plenty of that here, especially when Bart's present to his mother is revealed. Receipt attached.
Insanely, this was only the second Simpsons Christmas episode. Between Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire and the 7th season, the show never revisited the holiday.