We Said No Gifts
The gang agrees not to buy each other gifts for Christmas, but at least one of them buys them anyway. This usually leads to the others scrambling to scrounge up makeshift gifts at the last minute.
Murphy Brown
Appearances
- The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Season 1, episode 14, "Christmas and the Hard-Luck Kid II" (1970). When Mary finds a gift on her desk on Christmas Eve, she chides Murray because they agreed not to exchange gifts. Then she reveals that she got him one too.
- Barney Miller: Season 3, episode 10, "Christmas Story" (1976). It's Christmas Eve, and the detectives of the 12th precinct decided they wouldn't buy each other gifts this year, but Wojo went out and bought some for everyone anyway. Fish is so offended by the gesture that he runs out and buys gifts too just to spite him.
- WKRP in Cincinnati: Season 2, episode 11, "Jennifer's Home for Christmas" (1979). Jennifer announces that she bought Christmas gifts for everyone in the office after they agreed they wouldn't buy each other gifts this year, so the rest of the gang runs out to buy whatever they can find.
- Murphy Brown: Season 3, episode 11, "Jingle Hell, Jingle Hell, Jingle All the Way" (1990). The gang at FYI makes a pact not to get each other gifts for Christmas and donate all the money they would have spent on gifts, but of course, Murphy breaks the rule by buying gifts for everyone else in the office, and Frank breaks it by buying a gift for Murphy, and when Jim, Corky, and Miles find out, the whole gang has to run out and buy gifts for everyone.
- Frasier: Season 1, episode 12, "Miracle on Third or Fourth Street" (1993). Frasier and Roz agreed not to exchange Christmas gifts, so Frasier bought Roz a cheap gag gift, but unbeknownst to him, Roz bought him a very nice leather briefcase.
- Just Shoot Me!: Season 2, episode 9, "Jesus, It's Christmas" (1997). Instead of getting each other gifts for Christmas, the gang decides to pool their money and give it to Jesus, the night janitor, so he can fulfill his dream of owning his own smoothie bar called "Jesus's Juices." But Jack gets everyone thoughtful gifts anyway, sending all of them scrambling to scrape up last minute gifts for Jack. Elliot gives him back the same Cuban cigars Jack gave him, Nina gives him a lighter shaped like a gun from her purse, and Finch gives him a bag of loose tea leaves from the kitchenette ("From China. Very rare.").
- Community: Season 4, episode 10, "Intro to Knots" (2012). The gang has a swanky Christmas party at Jeff's apartment, and they all agreed not to get each other gifts, but everyone arrives with their arms full of gifts, and Jeff is the only one who followed the rule.