11 Holiday Episodes From Latinx Shows to Stream this Season

The holiday season is in full swing and with it, so are all the holiday-themed games, music, movies and television. We all know the classics that we go to during this time of year but it is also important to highlight holiday episodes from TV shows that center Latinx characters and culture. Representation and visibility in mainstream media is important year-round. Why not during the holidays? This seasons is a great time to check out new television shows or revisit your favorites with holiday-themed episodes. Seeing our community experience joy in the culture and traditions that are beloved on screen is amazing to watch. From Gentefied toWith Love there are multiple Latinx shows on streaming platforms right now that can give us all the holiday feels while also celebrating our cultura and recognizing the struggles and stresses that we may experience during this time as well. These episodes—while showing all the whimsical and beautiful things that come with the holidays—embrace the cultural and familial ties within the Latinx community that makes the holiday season that much more significant. Here are 11 holiday episodes from Latinx shows that you can stream this holiday season!

Gentefied – “Sansgiving” (Season 2, Episode 6)

Gentefied’s “Sansgiving” episode is one for the books. Tension rises at the Morales dinner table as each character’s current conflicts come to a head. Marriage problems, patriarch Casimiro’s current fight against deportation, father-son rifts and more leaves us feeling the awkwardness as these problems reach surface over dinner. Intense fights and a flying turkey ultimately lead the Morales family come together and realize that what they really need is one another.

Gentefied is available to watch on Netflix.

With Love, “Nochebuena” (Season 1, Episode 1)

The pilot episode of the Amazon series With Love, takes us to Nochebuena at the Diaz family Christmas party. Fresh out of a relationship, Lily (played by Emeraude Toubia) is met with a lot of the typical comments and questions we hear as Latinas when we meet with la familia from asking about novios to giving unfiltered advice. We also see Lily’s brother Jorge (played by Mark Indelicato) bring his boyfriend home for the holidays for the first time—a big step with Latinx families. As we meet these characters, this episodes transports us to Nochebuena festivities, getting us ready for all the tamales and karaoke with our families.

With Love is available on Prime Video.

With Love, “Christmas Eve” (Season 2, Episode 1)

Starting us off on Christmas Eve once again, With Love’s season 2 premiere brings us back to the Diaz family Christmas party where among the tamales and chisme, love is in the air—and an engagement. The episode takes us on a journey of “guess who?” as we—as well as the many Diaz relatives—try to figure out who will be getting married soon. It is a good mix of romance and good ol’ nostalgia seeing this family celebrate the holidays, queer joy and love, and future of one of their own.

With Love is available on Prime Video.

Lopez vs. Lopez, “Lopez vs Christmas” (Season 1, Episode 6)

This episode of Lopez vs. Lopez has Mayan (Mayan Lopez) doing everything she can to force her parents—played by George Lopez and Selenis Leyva—celebrate Christmas together. Conflict rises as both her parents, especially George, are resistant to spending the holidays together. With a parody of the classic film Like Water for Chocolate while cooking up the tamales and a Burrito Sabanero family tradition, this special holiday episode takes from popular culture and known Mexican traditions to create a fun viewing experience. Viewers can also look forward to a nod to the iconic sitcom George Lopez with a special appearance by the show’s cast: Constance Marie, Luis Armand Garcia, Belita Moreno, and Valente Rodriguez.

Lopez vs Lopez is available on Netflix and Peacock

George Lopez, “Christmas Punch” (Season 3, Episode 12)

This episode of George Lopez follows George and Angie—played by George Lopez and Constance Marie—as they try to convince their son Max that Santa Claus is real. The sitcom’s signature humor and catchphrases meet with the Lopez’s desire for their son to believe in the whimsical Christmas figure. We see George stop at nothing to keep the Christmas spirit alive for his son while he still can. After many antics and bouts of physical comedy, we are reminded of the little things our own parents have done to keep the Christmas spirit alive when we were kids.

George Lopez is available on Peacock.

On My Block, “Chapter Eleven” (Season 2, Episode 1)

The season two premiere of On My Block takes us to New Year’s Eve, one month after the tragic events of the season one finale. Ruby, who is still recovering from being shot and coping with the loss of his friend and crush, Olivia, struggles with post traumatic stress from what he just experienced. As they await to ring in the New Year, the Santos’ call for a truce in their neighborhood and changes in family dynamics set the stage for the core four—Ruby, Monse, Jamal, and Cesar— to not only grieve their friend, but to have a moment of revelations.

On My Block is available on Netflix.

Freeridge, “Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 8)

The On My Block spinoff, Freeridge ends its first and only season—following its cancellation—with a Thanksgiving episode that brings about revelations, tears and forgiveness. Long-kept secrets are at the forefront with someone’s heartbreak on the line. After an intense Thanksgiving dinner, we see the ups and downs of teenagers navigating romantic, family and platonic relationships. It wouldn’t be a holiday dinner on television without suspense and someone storming out of the dinner, right? Heartbreak and reconciliation are in the air as the finale culminates in a sudden, unexpected death.

Freeridge is available on Netflix.

Cristela, “It’s Not About the Tamales” (Season 1, Episode 9)

The family traditions of cooking Christmas dinner are at the center of this episode of Cristela. Bringing together her mom and sister, Cristela (Cristela Alonzo) takes on the long, tedious process of making tamales as other characters, the men more specifically, do everything but the housework. The themes of quality time and family values—even with a co-worker crashing the family function— that Latinxs often hold close to them are so important in this Christmas-themed episode.

Cristela is available to purchase on Prime Video and to stream on Tubi.

Jane the Virgin, “Chapter Thirty” (Season 2, Episode 8)

Juggling graduate school and her complicated relationship with her child’s father, Rafael (Justin Baldoni), titular character Jane Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez) finds herself celebrating her son, Mateo’s first Christmas. The impending stress as abuela Alba (Ivonne Coll) awaits her green card, Rogelio’s (Jaime Camil) search for his next passion project, and Rafael’s unexpected reunion with his mother mesh the stress of the holidays with the melodrama that Jane the Virgin consistently gives us. This holiday episode leads to a wholesome and sentimental conclusion as the Christmas spirit and an Angel ornament that has been passed down for years, remind the Villanuevas (and the viewers) of what Christmas is truly about.

Jane the Virgin is available to watch on Netflix.

Ugly Betty, “Fake Plastic Snow” (Season 1, Episode 10)

The beloved comedy series starring America Ferrera as the titular character includes a holiday episode following Betty Suarez as she goes through the woes of relationships, work, and the office Christmas party. Throughout the episode, we see Betty’s signature, eccentric style decked out for the holiday season with decorative sweaters and scarfs. The Suarez family, in true Latinx fashion, goes all out with decorations filling the house to the brim and grandfather-grandson duo, Ignacio and Justin—played by Tony Plana and Mark Indelicato respectively—joining on the family fun adding glitter to anything and everything.

Ugly Betty is available to watch on Netflix and Hulu.

Gentefied – “No Human is Illegal” (Season 2, Episode 8)

The series finale of the Netflix comedy-drama series Gentefied sees the Morales family planning an early Christmas celebration as they await family patriarch Casimiro Morales’ case against deportation. The finale culminates after Casimiro aka Pop’s season-long struggle and fight against the United States immigration system. Through the pain and distress of the situation, the Morales family finds a way to bring the family together for Pop regardless of the outcome. While we see the struggles that are all too familiar for many of us and our community portrayed on screen, there is a semblance of hope that reminds us of our resilience and of the spirit of togetherness that the season brings out of us.