Friends: 5 Characters To Invite Over For The Holidays (& 5 Who Would Be Terrible Guests)
With nine episodes about Christmas, the gang on Friends definitely knows that this time of year can be both exciting and tricky. Fans can be inspired by the sitcom's holiday activities as there are many ways that the main characters celebrate.
There's only one person who seems like she can host a big holiday bash — that would be Monica, of course — but the others have probably gotten some invites over the years. While some of the characters would love to attend a holiday party and make the entire evening a lot of fun, others would bring the opposite of cheer and joy and might create a disaster.
10 Invite Over: Rachel Green
Rachel is a sweet and relatable character and that makes her a perfect guest to invite over for the holidays.
While Rachel isn't domestic and doesn't cook, she would show up in a merry mood and she would get along with everyone, sharing jokes and stories. If Rachel was there with the rest of the gang, she would have an even better time, but even if she was hanging out with another group of friends or acquaintances, she would still be awesome company. Rachel is more of a social butterfly than the others, that's for sure.
9 Terrible Guest: Monica Geller
Monica is known as the chef and clean freak in the Friends universe, and even though she has goals and ambition and enjoys her life, she does face some hard times.
While Monica finds cooking a big meal and serving it to her friends to be totally enjoyable, that doesn't mean that she would be an amazing party guest. There's a good chance that she would be so upset that she wasn't throwing the gathering herself that she would be sad the whole time. She also wouldn't be able to suppress her perfectionist tendencies, and she would try to "save" the whole meal by putting in her own two cents. The host would be flustered and upset.
8 Invite Over: Chandler Bing
Chandler grows up and becomes a husband and father by the end of the sitcom. He's also a hilarious and smart guy who brings his good vibes to any situation that he's in.
If someone was hosting a holiday party, Chandler would be a great guest to include in the festivities. He loves to crack jokes and has a good-natured personality, so he wouldn't ruin the night if he didn't like some of the food that was offered or if he was annoyed about something.
7 Terrible Guest: Ross Geller
Of all the main characters on Friends, Ross is the one who seems the most melancholy. He has a tendency to complain and mope, and it takes a lot for him to be in a happy mood.
Ross isn't a great person to invite over for the holidays and seems like he would be a boring guest. He might go on too long about his sorrows and that's not what anyone wants to hear at Christmastime. He's also not quite as likable as the others and might not get along well with strangers at the party. Some people find this time of year to be tough as they think about lost loved ones or how things haven't changed enough since the previous year, so Ross would just bring them down even more.
6 Invite Over: Joey Tribbiani
Joey just might be the happiest character on this '90s sitcom. While the others have occasional moments of pure joy, he really does enjoy the little things in life, as he loves hanging out at home with his best bud Chandler.
Although Joey doesn't like to share his food, he would still be a fun guy to have a holiday party. He would chat with the others attending the bash and would make sure that everyone was having a grand time. If anyone was upset or sad, he would walk over to them and try to cheer them up, as he's an incredibly kind and friendly person.
5 Terrible Guest: Emily Waltham
When Ross marries Emily, he's still in love with Rachel, so no one really thought that this union was a good idea.
Emily is pretty pretentious and stuck-up, and she wouldn't be jolly company at a holiday party, so no one should invite her over. She would also spend the whole time worrying if Ross and Rachel were there, which would cause too much drama. She might even become hysterical and cause a big scene. When someone is hosting a party at this time of year, they want cheese plates and mulled wine and pretty lights on the tree, not arguments.
4 Invite Over: Phoebe Buffay
Everyone loves Phoebe as it's hard not to be taken in by her kind soul and quirky mannerisms. While someone might call her weird, she's so loveable and she cares so much about others that she ends up seeming cool.
Sure, Phoebe has moments of telling other people off but only when the situation merits it. At a Christmas party, she would be in a good mood and would want to spread cheer around. She might even perform a song or two (and while she's not the most musically gifted person, she would still keep things merry).
3 Terrible Guest: Janice Litman
Janice is famous for her irritating voice and "oh my god" catchphrase, two things that don't really make for a happy holiday.
It's easy to see Janice annoying the others at the party, and she tends to get too invested in other people and she doesn't realize that she's coming on too strongly. Since she's not one of the most beloved characters on the show, it's hard to imagine others thinking that she's a perfect party guest to invite over, as she's definitely more of an acquired taste thanks to her distinct personality.
2 Invite Over: Mike Hannigan
Phoebe could have married David or Mike and she ends up with the latter. Mike is generally a very likable guy and there's really nothing about him that could rub people the wrong way.
Since he is from a wealthy family, he might be used to fancy holiday parties, but he is also cool with more casual fare. Mike seems like he would do well as a guest at any type of holiday gathering and he wouldn't cause any drama or fights.
1 Terrible Guest: Gunther
Gunther doesn't really hang out with the others so for that reason alone, he seems like he would be a horrible guest.
He mopes and feels sorry for himself, and that's not the vibe that should be at a Christmas party. Gunther might also spend the whole party pining after Rachel and hoping that she would talk to him or even glance his way, and that would be weird and awkward.