![]() ![]() But either way, as we learn later in the episode, Ben being disappointed about not celebrating Christmas doesn’t mean he’s not interested in Hanukkah. ![]() ![]() Perhaps this is a result of Ross’s own complicated feelings about his family dynamics, or maybe it’s just the way to create tension in the plot. Unfortunately, the costume shop is all out of “anything Christmas-y.” But they have an armadillo costume, and so Ross becomes the “Holiday Armadillo.”įirst of all, why is Ross just beginning to introduce Ben to Hanukkah at age 6? Surely at some point Ross could have asked to see Ben for at least part of Hanukkah? Of course he’s not going to be excited about Hanukkah if his family has been making a big deal about Christmas every year and he has no idea what Hanukkah is. He’s so disappointed that Ross decides to try and find a Santa costume. He asks if Santa is coming and is disappointed when Ross says no. We then see the scene where he tries to teach Ben about Hanukkah, but Ben is really excited about Christmas (because that’s what he’s been celebrating with his mom his whole life). Ross, who is Jewish, says he wants to take this year to teach his son about Hanukkah. As I have grown wiser, I can acknowledge that “Friends” missed the mark in many ways in terms of representation, including their portrayal of Judaism, however I believe that “The One with the Holiday Armadillo,” perhaps unintentionally, provides a beautiful message of Jewish identity, one that we can all learn from.įor those less familiar with this episode, a quick recap: Ross announces he gets his son, Ben, who mostly lives with his mom, for the holiday season. I love it for the perfect arc of episodes, including one that stands out above the rest: “The One with the Holiday Armadillo.” It is, simply, the most unique holiday episode I have seen.įor me, returning to this episode after spending the last two years so deeply immersed in the online Jewish community has gotten me thinking about its deeper message - and what it says about an issue many Jewish institutions seem to get wrong about fostering enthusiasm for a Jewish identity. There is one disc in particular that falls into the “most watched” category: season seven, disc two. ![]()
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