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(Episode 13, first aired 12/3/2003)

Ask not if a girl wrote this list just because "The O.C." made the cut. Come on; when a series is able to coin a totally new buzz word for the holidays, doesn't that necessitate it being on a "best holiday episode" list...? Of course it does. Seriously.

In the first season of the series, then-newcomer Ryan (and the world) learned all the unique goings-on at the house of the Cohens. Upon Christmastime, we are introduced to Seth's hybrid spin on holiday cheer: "Christmukkah." It's the result of Seth having a Jewish father and a Christian mom, and the peaceful merger of their two religions for the holiday festivities. Seth sets out to make sure he, his family, and best buddy Ryan have the "best Chrismakkah ever." Sometimes, it's the simplest premises that make the coolest holiday episodes.

For Seth, "the best Chrismukkah" includes two girlfriends vying for his attentions. How do they do this? Well, by giving Seth, a diehard comic book fan, exactly what any comic book fanboy would want for the holidays. Anna gives him a comic book she drew herself, with Seth as the super hero; cool...! But Summer wins the gift giving process by dressing up as Wonder Woman and lassoing Seth into a passionate kiss. The kiss is interrupted when Anna walks in, and both ladies see not only that the other is in the same house, but they also see how hard they both worked on their gifts. They feel sorry for each other and walk out, leaving Seth in the lurch. D'oh!

While this doesn't exactly sound like the "best holiday episode ever," it wins the number 9 slot on our list for three reasons. One: if you're asking us, Summer in a wonder woman costume is perhaps the coolest sexy nerd-girl to come down the turnpike since Princess Leia's "gold bikini." Two: Anna is played by Samaire Armstrong, who was sadly written off the series but we're still keeping our fingers crossed she'll get another teen series soon. Three: we just had to put our favorite Thursday night show into the list, if just for bringing a totally hip and admirably politically correct term like "Chrismukkah" into the holidays forevermore.

On to Holiday Episode #8: Ayyyyy!