For nearly 20 years, American Dad! has broken away from the cynicism and formulas of its adult animation contemporaries to truly become its own show, rife with experimental writing, surreal humor, and characters quirkier than Daffy Duck. Such variety has not only allowed the series to remain fresh within the modern day but to give a fresh spin on some time honored tropes, including the beloved, holiday special.

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Not one to be generic, American Dad! is host to some of the most imaginative holiday specials around, ranging between surreal life-lessons to epic battles with holiday figures.

10 Kung Pao Turkey

Stan in his underwear

In any other year, Thanksgiving is beloved for a variety of reasons: good food, football, and a parade that people don't have to go outside to see. However, if there's one thing that's nearly universally despised about Thanksgiving, it's having to spend it with other people, particularly in-laws. In typical, television dad fashion, Stan Smith doesn't get along with Francine's parents.

When he decides to have a Thanksgiving near dedicated to watching football with Klaus, he feels attacked when they decide to visit. What ensues is a variety of wacky and culturally insensitive ways to try and get Francine's Chinese parents to leave as well as a fun side story where Mama tries to get Hayley a date.

9 Dreaming Of A White Porsche Christmas

Stan Crashes A Porsche

While Christmas is best known for a holiday spent at home, American Dad! sends its cast to the furthest thing from it, including other realities. Stan is no stranger to cosmic, Christmas-themed beings trying to teach him a lesson. It's only in "Dreaming of a White Porsche Christmas" that he'd learn that his entire life has been an entire Christmas-themed lesson.

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In what was initially a life switch spoof with Principal Lewis, Stan discovers that Francine, Hayley, and Steve were all part of some elaborate plot to teach him to value his actual, perfect family. Sadly though, he begins to miss the other Smiths and does everything he can to get back a family that, in all honesty, he didn't treat much better.

8 The Best Christmas Story Never Told

Stan and the Ghost of Christmas Past

While many today still enjoy Christmas, it's no secret that the holiday isn't the same as it was several decades ago. Is this because of increased commercialism, greater cultural divides, or the increase of divorced families? According to Stan Smith, it's none of these. It's because of Jane Fonda.

That's why when the Ghost of Christmas Past takes him to the past to show him his childhood, he immediately takes the initiative to try and assassinate Jane Fonda. In the process, the Soviet Union somehow takes over America, Taxi Driver becomes a John Wayne Western, and Stan himself has to try and assassinate Ronald Reagan.

7 Best Little Horror House In Langley Falls

Stan Looks At a Row of Serial Killers

It's no secret that Stan's arrogance and competitive nature has gotten his family in a little more trouble than he cares for. Said ego was challenged once again when Buckle, the woodsman and ex-Disney engineer, crafts a haunted house that easily put Stan's own to shame on Halloween.

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Feeling embarrassed in front of his own family, Stan attempts to spice up his haunted house by bringing in actual serial killers as attractions. When the killers are let loose, Stan finds that he'll get more than he bargained for. At a much safer distance, Steve starts his budding romance with Akiko while Toshi, in a protective rage, hunts them down.

6 Minstrel Krampus

Steven and The Krampus

Stan's father, Jack Smith, was a rambunctious criminal even as a child. As it turns out, the demonic opposite to Santa, the Krampus, once tried to punish him around Christmas time, only to fall under one of Jack's traps and be locked away forever. When Steve Smith starts acting up around Christmas, Stan is tempted by the pot keeping the Krampus and sets him free, allowing him to kidnap Steven to take to his lair.

Understandably, this upsets Steve quite a bit, until he learns to love Krampus and all that he's done to keep children from misbehaving. After learning this, he and the Smiths begin another battle against the real villain of the holidays, Santa Claus, as well as join in a few good musical numbers.

5 The Most Adequate Christmas Ever

The Most Adequate Christmas Ever

In an effort to preserve the good name of Christmas, Stan takes his family on a last minute, late night mission to get a new Christmas tree. Unfortunately, he's not exactly a great woodsman and ends up falling to his death. While in Limbo, he challenges the heavens for a second chance, only to learn that he might not even deserve one.

However, because he left his family in a cold, locked car, Stan does whatever it takes to get back to Earth to save his family. This includes raiding Jesus' birthday party and confronting God himself.

4 Season's Beatings

The Smiths Meet Nemo

Despite having been married for a while, Hayley and Jeff have yet to have any kids. Much of this is due to Hayley's own objections; but when Jeff unilaterally decides to adopt a kid, the entire family gets overwhelmed in loving emotions for him, including Hayley.

However, after a confrontation with Roger gets him excommunicated from the Catholic Church, Stan tries to find a way to get back in and soon learns that Jeff's adopted child isn't exactly normal. Upon closer inspection, he discovers that the boy is actually the Anti-Christ. Alongside Roger and Jeff, Stan begins a mission to assassinate the child, save the world, and, most importantly, get invited back to his church.

3 There Will Be Bad Blood

The Smiths Eating Breakfast

Every now and then, the series mentions that Stan has a half-brother (mostly to just let him drop heavy exposition), but it isn't until and only in "There Will Be Bad Blood" that Rusty would actually appear. For years, Stan has invited his half-Native American brother over for Thanksgiving as a means of rubbing his own extravagant wealth in his face.

However, in an attempt to teach his family how well off they are, he has Rusty host the next dinner, only to discover that Rusty and his family inherited incredible riches from their grandfather. Feeling that they deserve some (if not all) of that wealth, the Smiths do the only reasonable thing and take a Native American family's home as their own.

2 For Whom The Sleigh Bell Tolls

The Smiths Fighting Off an Army of Elves

The Smiths have a well-documented, strained history with Santa Claus. This feud first began when Stan tries to gift Steve a machine gun for Christmas, only to have him accidentally shoot a Mall Santa in a parking lot. However, what Steve shot wasn't actually a Mall Santa. It was the real deal, and he resurrected a little angry about the situation.

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Instead of spreading cheer and presents, St. Nick decides to spend the night hunting down and waging an entire war against the Smiths. With Jeff having just joined the Smiths but on the wrong side of Stan's hatred, where will the stoner's priorities lie?

1 Rapture's Delight

Stan in the American Dad episode rapture's delight

Stan's piousness has gotten him into trouble a few times, but it isn't until "Rapture's Delight" that he'd truly be battling for his soul and, to a lesser extent, his wife Francine. After he gets in a huff over being late for Christmas Mass, Francine decides to seduce him to ease his attention. However, while the two recede to the church's broom closet, the entire world gets caught up in the Rapture, a precursor to the battle between Heaven and Hell where all pure beings are ascended to heaven.

Believing that Francine cost him his chance to get to Heaven, Stan abandons her in an attempt to find salvation. As the Rapture gets into full force, the apocalypse ravages the world, Stan is left as a lone warrior, and Francine begins dating Jesus Christ himself.

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