Remembering the best Chrismukkah on The O.C.

Seth Cohen introduced the world to Chrismukkah on an episode of The O.C. 18 years ago. Let’s take a look back at how this magical holiday came to be!

Almost two decades ago, Seth Cohen from the television show, The O.C., said, “You want your menorah or a candy cane? Christmas or Hanukkah? In this house you don’t have to choose. Allow me to introduce you to a little something that I like to call Chrismukkah.”

On Dec. 3, 2003, Seth introduced the world to a new holiday, which was a day that combined the best aspects of Christmas and Hanukkah to form one super holiday. The end result was Chrismukkah. If you have never seen The O.C., for starters, it’s a fun series worth-watching especially the first season, which is when Chrismukkah was first introduced to the world.

How they celebrated Chrismukkah in The O.C.

Here’s a little background to the episode. “The Best Chrismukkah Ever” was the 13th episode in the first season of The O.C.. At the beginning of the episode, Seth explains to his adopted brother, Ryan Atwood, the origins of Chrismukkah. Seth’s father, Sandy Cohen, is Jewish and Seth’s mother, Kirsten Cohen, is Catholic so Seth decided to combine Christmas with Hanukkah instead of celebrating them separately.

That means that the Cohen’s celebrate both the Jewish and Catholic traditions in their house so there are eight days of presents along with a one giant day of presents. Plus, key decorations are put throughout the house such as a Christmas tree and a menorah.

Besides celebrating the new holiday, the first Chrismukkah episode furthered ongoing storylines of season 1. Marissa Cooper’s life continued to take a downward spiral as she was arrested for shoplifting with Ryan and almost received a DUI. The end of the episode introduced the infamous Oliver Trask, who became one of the most hated characters in the show’s history.

However, one of the most memorable scenes of the episode involved the battle between Anna and Summer for Seth’s love, which culminates in Summer wearing a Wonder Woman costume.

“The Best Chrismukkah Ever” highlighted what worked so well during the first season of The O.C. Seth’s witty and humorous personality and Ryan’s tough-but-sensitive persona was a match made in heaven.

The relationship between Sandy and Kirsten made the audience believe in true love. Anna and Summer’s battle for Seth was a cute and charming way to make fans pick sides and root for their favorite. The episode was a fun and fresh take on a holiday episode and it worked to perfection.

18 years later, Chrismukkah and the spirt of The O.C. are still alive and well. Thanks to Hulu, you can stream all 92 episodes. So on this Chrismukkah, put on your ugliest sweater, light your menorahs, decorate your Christmas trees, and celebrate this joyous holiday because as Seth always pointed out, miracles can happen on Chrismukkah because it has the strength of two holidays.

Are you a fan of Chrismukkah? If so, share your favorite moments from the episode in the comments!

The O.C. is available to stream on Hulu.