Warning: This article mentions eating disorders.

There are plenty of TV show characters who prove themselves to be absolute Grinches, as in characters who don't like Christmas at all even if they technically observe it. The best Christmas episodes from great TV shows are typically full of joy and feature heartwarming storylines, but sometimes, there is a character who spoils all the fun for everybody else. These characters typically voice their hatred of the festive season at any given opportunity, but some simply demonstrate it through their actions and dialogue.

A lot of Christmas TV episodes that are surprisingly dark focus on why a character may struggle with the occasion, although this doesn’t always justify their behavior. Regardless of the characters' religious beliefs or upbringing, holiday episodes in TV shows usually see characters coming together for celebrations. However, some "Grinches" in TV shows simply don’t enjoy Christmas.

10 Sheldon Cooper

The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)

While The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper continues the habit of celebrating Christmas, this doesn’t mean that the genius cares for the holiday. The Big Bang Theory’s Christmas episodes demonstrate this in several ways. He is far more focused on the social obligations that the season presents him, and Sheldon sees the gift-giving process as more of a burden than a pleasure.

He is far more focused on the social obligations that the season presents him, and Sheldon sees the gift-giving process as more of a burden than a pleasure.

Even Penny gifting him Leonard Nimoy’s napkin isn’t enough to sway Sheldon, although he does appreciate Christmas a little more after this. His Christmas Dungeons and Dragons game also highlights Sheldon’s opinions on Santa. However, smaller details throughout the show explain that Sheldon’s dislike of the festive occasion is more than just materialistic.

He mentions that Santa had failed to bring his Pop Pop back for Christmas in his childhood, and as Young Sheldon audiences know, his grandfather was the only person in his family he could relate to for a long time. When Sheldon attends the birth of Missy’s son in The Big Bang Theory season 7 episode “The Cooper Extraction,” the comments that the gang make while decorating the tree also prove that Sheldon is an absolute tyrant around the holidays.

9 Frank Costanza

Seinfeld (1989-1998)

Frank’s best outbursts in Seinfeld.

Frank celebrates Festivus without any tinsel, which he finds distracting, and a random pole instead of a tree. Much to George’s dismay, Frank uses Festivus as an excuse to voice his resentments, and over Christmas dinner, he conducts “The Airing of Grievances.”

Festivus also involves “The Feats of Strength,” in which George often has to pin his own father to the ground. While this is a wild and wacky sitcom premise, it’s far from Christmassy. Frank’s issues with the festive season are purely selfish, although there is no doubt that his avoidance of the holiday is inventive, and it plays a significant part in his relationship with George.

8 Dr. Doofenshmirtz

Phineas And Ferb (2007-2024)

Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz’s approach to Christmas is initially quite indifferent, but the fact that he is so desperate to find a reason to hate the festive season proves that he dislikes it more than even he realizes. In season 2’s “Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!,” one of the best episodes of Phineas and Ferb, Doofenshmirtz becomes so unbelievably irritated that he is apathetic toward Christmas, he takes the opportunity to cancel the day with his Naughty-inator.

The “I Really Don't Hate Christmas” musical number is brilliantly funny, but it proves that Doofenshmirtz’s feelings about Christmas are becoming increasingly negative. This is purely because he is furious that he can’t bring himself to truly love or hate it. However, he does make a Christmas wish that he can hate the day, which is rather comical.

Doofenshmirtz hates most special occasions but says that there is no “scarring back-story” connected to his childhood Christmases. Doofenshmirtz’s past is a core part of his character, so it’s no surprise that his frustrating lack of concern over Christmas is a problem, as he is so used to having qualms with everything.

7 Donna Noble

Doctor Who (2005-)

Donna Noble’s introduction in “The Runaway Bride,” one of the best Doctor Who episodes by Russell T Davies, immediately establishes her issues with Christmas. Donna meets the Tenth Doctor on Christmas Eve 2006, her wedding day when she suddenly vanishes from the end of the aisle and reappears in the TARDIS. As the pair rush through a busy high street in the hopes of getting the bride back in time, Donna tells the Doctor that she hates Christmas.

Rather than spending the season full of holiday cheer, Donna would prefer to go on her honeymoon in Morocco for the sunshine. Of course, Donna lacks a lot of awareness in the earlier days of her character arc. She fails to notice the Robot Santas and the violent tree, at first, so it makes sense that she doesn’t pay enough attention to care enough about Christmas.

Donna’s relationship with her mother, Sylvia, isn’t great at this point either, so perhaps the magic and wonder of the occasion aren’t appealing to her. Even when the Doctor asks if she still hates Christmas, Donna says yes, regardless of the snow falling from the sky.

6 Dr. Cox

Scrubs (2001-2010)

Dr. Perry Cox in Scrubs is a miserable soul any day of the year, so it makes sense that he isn’t a fan of Christmas. J.D. sees his lack of Christmas spirit, and he even pictures Cox dressed up as the Grinch in the season 1 episode “My Personal Jesus.” Cox also uses the exact words “I hate Christmas” in season 4’s “My Best Moment,” and the way he begrudgingly pulls on a Santa hat is nothing short of hilarious.

Whenever the opportunity arises, Cox belittles and mocks the festive season, in general, and with his colleagues. While he never justifies exactly why, there are several details littered throughout Scrubs that explain why he could feel this way. For example, he mentions a problematic childhood with an alcoholic father.

Therefore, it is assumed that Cox’s upbringing is so bleak that he doesn’t form an attachment to the typically joyful holiday. There is a lack of Christmas episodes of the show, unfortunately, but perhaps this is something that the Scrubs revival can expand on.

5 Adrian Monk

Monk (2002-2009)

Monk’s titular character has a traumatic connection to Christmas, which is hinted at several times in the show. However, the episode “Mr. Monk and the Man Who Shot Santa Claus” provides audiences with more context on why this is. When Adrian Monk discusses past Christmasses with his therapist, he reveals that he doesn’t have fond memories of the holiday as a child.

As an example, he talks about Christmas 1964: Ambrose locks himself away, their mother is sick, and their father gives Adrian a single walkie-talkie and claims that he doesn’t need a second because he has no friends. Based on just that year alone, it’s no surprise that Adrian doesn’t like Christmas.

While he re Christmas with Trudy happily, losing her alters his perspective again. Even the mystery of who killed Trudy Monk is connected to Christmas, as Adrian solves his wife’s murder when he finally opens the present she leaves him on the day of her death. All of Monk’s Christmas episodes see the titular character get wrapped up in some sort of chaos, ranging from shooting accusations to becoming an undercover Santa.

4 Britta Perry

Community (2009-2015)

Community’s Britta Perry is another character who doesn’t specifically state a hatred of Christmas, but it’s apparent from some of her actions that the occasion is far from her favorite. Britta is vocal about religion from the start of the show, and while Christmas can be celebrated without a religious association, Shirley’s constant remarks about Jesus don’t exactly encourage her.

In the second of Community’s Christmas episodes, “Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas” Britta argues that Christmas is fake and that Jesus’ birthday is actually in April. She also refuses to sing Christmas songs, and while she s in at the end of the episode, this is only because she is a fictional Britta from inside Abed’s head.

Shirley offers Britta a W.W.B.J.D bracelet in “Comparative Religion,” but she offers a sarcastic response instead of appreciating the gift. Unfortunately, even when Britta tries to get involved with Christmas cheer, it goes badly for her. Her performance in one of Community’s best episodes, “Regional Holiday Music” is mocked because she’s a terrible singer, and she is cast as a tree.

3 Frank Reynolds

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2005-)

Frank Reynolds is an absolute tyrant during the festive season, as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Christmas episode proves. Through clips of the past and moments from the present day, audiences learn that Dee and Dennis’ Christmases are always horrible. Frank buys them the best gifts in the world, then keeps them for himself and laughs at their heartbroken reactions.

Hopefully, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 will have another Christmas episode, and viewers can get a better understanding of why Frank is this way.

It seems Frank likes Christmas because he thrives on his kids’ pain, but he also never seems to engage in any of the festivities himself either, and Christmas is purely a materialistic day for him. Even when he is faced with his own Ghost of Christmas past, Frank shows no remorse for his actions, nor does he seem to care that he has bad karma.

Although he later makes up for his terrible behavior, by decorating the bar and filling it with gifts for the gang, he only does this because of a strange vision where an elf threatens him after he crashes his car. Hopefully, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia season 17 will have another Christmas episode, and viewers can get a better understanding of why Frank is this way.

2 Sue Sylvester

Glee (2009-2015)

Sue Sylvester’s approach to Christmas in Glee is often quite contradictory. At different points throughout the show, Sue decorates Marley’s house after her bulimia diagnosis and even feeds the homeless at a local shelter. However, she is also a massive Grinch at times, and she literally dresses up as the character in the season 2 episode “A Very Glee Christmas,” one of the funniest holiday episodes of a TV show.

Sue is hell-bent on destroying not only the New Directions’ Christmas in this episode but also her co-workers’ holiday. For example, Sue rigs Secret Santa so that all of the employees pick out her name. Even though she doesn’t like the festivities, she does love presents.

She later steals back the gifts after her colleagues figure her plan out, and she also ruins the Glee club’s tree, two of the worst things Sue Sylvester does in Glee. Even though she softens by the end of the episode, Sue still hates Christmas, and she ensures everyone knows this. It’s not clear why Sue dislikes Christmas so much, but the character’s hatred for things doesn’t make sense most of the time.

1 Ida Welker

Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)

Lois’ mother, Ida, is one of the most miserable characters in Malcolm in the Middle, especially at Christmas. Ida’s dislike of Christmas can be attributed to several things. She often speaks about her difficult upbringing, and she implies that she grew up with very little, so Christmas probably isn’t as exciting for her.

As a child, Francis calls Ida “Poopy” after she gives him a Christmas gift, which she takes offense to. Nobody wants to visit Ida at Christmas, especially as she often withholds presents for petty reasons. When Francis is forced to spend the day with his grandmother in “Christmas,” one of the best episodes of Malcolm in the Middle, he feels her hatred for the occasion in full force.

Ida hates the musical Christmas card, and instead of enjoying the tune of “Jingle Bells,” she stabs Francis in the leg with a knitting needle. Even though it is revealed that Ida’s issues with Christmas are heightened by her family’s rejection, it still doesn’t excuse her poor behavior and general attitude toward Christmas, and she deserves it when Francis leaves behind the card just to torture her.