Comedy Lessons from Holiday Traditions

This holiday season , as I approach my 1-year anniversary in the world of stand-up, I’m thinking about my faith, of course, but also comedy. Turns out, there are some interesting connections (in my mind at least) between comedy and holidays like Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. All of those days are filled with traditions, and of course, if you’re family is like most, each one’s got a little bit of chaos and absurdity baked into it. These special days are packed with lessons for anyone trying to write jokes or perform stand-up because holidays, like comedy, are all about timing, structure, and shared experiences.

Take Christmas Eve as an example. As every kid knows, it’s all about the build-up. The presents are wrapped, the stockings are hung, and the anticipation is almost unbearable. Parents kind of make tension the point. It’s the same with comedy—the setup creates that tension, the expectation, the feeling that something’s coming. Then Christmas morning (or the punchline) arrives, and the payoff happens. But if you rip open the gifts too fast—or, in comedy speak, if you rush your joke—it can turn into a disappointment. Christmas Eve is a reminder for the comedian to let the moment simmer just long enough.

Then there’s the sheer chaos of the holidays. Christmas morning is a frenzy: kids tearing through wrapping paper, coffee brewing just to keep you upright, and dad wondering why he thought assembling a toy at 2am was a good idea. New Year’s Eve has its own brand of chaos, with people simultaneously trying to party and reflect on their lives in the final seconds of the year. Comedy doesn’t cave to the chaos; it thrives on it, and the holidays prove that the messiest situations are often the funniest. The more absurd, the better—because deep down, everyone relates to feeling like things are spiraling out of control.

Holiday traditions also show us the power of nostalgia. We all have those rituals that seem ridiculous but still happen every year, like watching the same Christmas movie for the 50th time—Elf, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, etc.—or going out for dinner at the same place because it’s “tradition.” Comedy works the same way. The most personal, specific experiences often connect with an audience because they’re universal. Everyone knows what it’s like to put on a brave face at a holiday gathering or to fake enthusiasm for a gift that clearly came from the clearance aisle or the regifting closet. The holidays are great reminders that comedy doesn’t have to be revolutionary—it just has to tap into something familiar.

Even the timing of New Year’s resolutions feels like a joke. People spend all day January 1st pretending they’ll suddenly become a new person, only to quietly abandon their gym memberships, diets, and new routines by the end of the month. That gap between expectation and reality is often where the funny lives. Comedy is all about finding the humor in those little gaps, the moments where things don’t quite go as planned.

Holidays are a perfect reminder that life is a mix of joy, chaos, and tradition—and comedy isn’t all that different. So, as you navigate the holiday season, embrace the absurdities, the frustrations, and the little moments of shared humanity. And if you’re a comedian, be sure to write them down! But remember: those little moments are not just the stuff of great jokes—they’re what make life funny in the first place. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

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