Usually, December in Chicago means brutal cliffhangers, tragic deaths, or Hank Voight looking sad in the snow. Chicago PD basically refuses to acknowledge joy

We went back through the archives to find the episodes that actually feel like Christmas, ranked by how much they make you miss the “good old days.”

 

 

 

Aired in 2012, this episode hits different in 2025. You have the original squad—Shay, Otis, Mills—all alive and happy. The plot balances the darkness (Cruz trying to save his brother Leon from a gang) with the light (Casey and Dawson at a fancy holiday party).

It captures the exact “found family” energy that made us fall in love with Firehouse 51 in the first place. Watching Shay and Severide banter in their prime is enough to make any long-time fan emotional. It is the undisputed king of One Chicago holidays.

You get the perfect mix of medical drama (patients injured by holiday decorations) and genuine character moments. The Secret Santa storyline provided some rare levity, and seeing the staff actually gather for a Christmas party felt like a reward for sticking through the darker seasons. It proves that Gaffney can be a fun place when it wants to be, minus the ending of the episode that is. Can’t always get a happy ending, you know.

Gallo, Violet, and Ritter (the “chaotic trio”) debuting their microbrewery business at Winterfest is exactly the kind of low-stakes subplot fans crave amidst the fires. It was light, it was funny, and it gave us the heartwarming visual of the Firehouse 51 family celebrating together.

This episode blends Christmas miracles with the show’s signature cynicism. The subplot involving Dr. Charles learning a disturbing truth about the man who shot him adds a layer of psychological thriller to the holiday proceedings. It’s not “jolly,” but it is fantastic television that uses the season to highlight the loneliness and complexity of the characters.

A Note on Chicago PD: If you are looking for a Chicago PD Christmas special, the Intelligence Unit apparently doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, just justice, cold weather, and brooding. And honestly? We wouldn’t have it any other way.

(it is the undisputed Grinch of the franchise), but Fire and Med have occasionally paused the trauma long enough to give us some holiday spirit.