The X-Files (TV Series) How the Ghosts Stole Christmas (1998) User Reviews

A must see even for everybody

[anzaldua · 9/10 · 11 December 2006]

For the first five years the X-files didn't have a Holiday episode. This is one of the best Holiday episodes that I've seen. I'm not going to write about the plot that I can say is marvelous. Let me tell you the the acting that is great, the music really wraps you in the mood for the episode, the lightning is very good, and yes: The plot is more than good. Wonderful performances by Edward Asner and Lily Tomlin spice the episode. Just four characters in a mix that really made a Merry Merry Christmas.

Mulder and Scully find themselves in a situation where they need to thrust themselves and maybe they have to find out about how much they care about each other and maybe how much they love each other. Of course the plot wouldn't have worked without previous knowledge about how Mulder and Scully think. Maybe if you see this episode as your first X files episode it wouldn't make sense, but if you are connected to the characters you will love this one, one of the best of season 6 an one of the best of the whole series.

Not Your Typical Christmas Episode

[Muldernscully · 8/10 · 24 January 2007]

Continuing with the X-files-lite theme of season six, How The Ghosts Stole Christmas takes a funny look into the personalities of Mulder and Scully and their relationship with each other. This is a story more appropriate for Halloween, but told as a Christmas tale. Mark Snow's use of the organ and harpsichord are perfect for this episode, giving it a nice, unique feel. This episode has the smallest cast in the history of the X-Files, with only two guest stars, Ed Asner and Lily Tomlin as the ghosts. The two do a great job as the star-crossed lovers who attempt to get Mulder and Scully to commit a double murder. It is funny to hear all of Mulder and Scully's shortcomings revealed by the ghosts. The set of the haunted house is very cool-looking and perfect. This is definitely not an episode to show to a newcomer to the X-Files. It deals with all the quirky aspects of our favorite agents that we've come to learn and love over the years. A newcomer would just be lost. But, for the long-time x-phile, this is a fun episode that delves more into the relationship between Mulder and Scully. If you're not into that, and just want to see scary monsters and freaks, this is not the episode for you. I enjoyed the episode a lot for those reasons. However, because of the less than x-files feel to it, I don't give it full marks. Still, How The Ghosts Stole Christmas is a good Halloween story for Christmas time.

A Great Holiday Treat!

[mwboswell · 9/10 · 25 December 2012]

My wife and I dated while watching the Xfiles every Sunday evening during it's original airings. We LOVED it. This Christmas themed episode is one of our favorites especially the Mulder "left cheek sneak" line! We also just found out that it's original air date 12/13/98 was just the DAY AFTER we got married! We watch this episode most every Christmas! Just the right balance of light-hearted comedy, paranormal and plenty of Mulder- isms and Scully-isms. Love it!

I do like the actual screen writing in this episode. The ghosts bring out a great character summary of each of the main players (M&S). I also think this story fits nicely into the over-arching storyline that develops M&S relationship over the years.

Would really like to know what those gifts they got each other at the end are?

Watched this episode every Christmas Eve for 18 years

[medo-66312 · 10/10 · 19 June 2021]

This episode started my X-Files obsession 18 years ago when I was 12 years old. It still stands out as one of the best episodes in the series and one of the best Christmas themed tv show episodes in television history.

Best Christmas TV episode since Steptoe and Son.

[sub_mish · 10/10 · 28 December 2006]

I disagree with both the above posters. I think this episode would be very accessible to non-X-files fans. And, in the world of the X-Files, all the paranormal things are real, so the ghosts are real.

Being ghosts, they can read people's minds, and so they accurately diagnose Mulder as a narcissist and Scully as his co-dependant. The psychology is accurate; pairings of this sort are quite common, and the parapsychology milieu seems like ideal place for such people to hang out in.

I think this episode is a brilliant insight into the characters of Mulder and Scully. I mean, how surprised were you when Mulder shot Scully? Even if it did turn out to be the ghosts playing games; as in other episodes where evil Mulder dopplegangers attack Scully, (and where the real Mulder attacks Skinner) there's something in there that suggests that Mulder could indeed turn violent on his friends in the right circumstances. Narcissists become very nasty when crossed, and that's what makes that ghosts lay analysis of Mulder so good.

In summation; this is probably the best Christmas episode of any TV show since Steptoe and Son.

Merry Christmas

[koalablue_1993 · 10/10 · 10 August 2008]

This episode had excellent cinematography and really creepy ghost special effects. I love how it begins with Mulder narrating to Scully the ghost story. I like it how Scully finally comes to admit the house their in is really haunted. This episode revolves around Mulder and Scully's love for each other and how the ghosts are aware of that love. It is kind of like a metaphor. The last 5 minutes where really suspenseful and had me biting my nails even though this is more of a comedy episode. The ending is really cute with Scully and Mulder exchanging gifts on Christmas eve. A rather touching and extremely weird episode.

The Halloween and Christmas episode.

[staciarose20 · 8/10 · 12 December 2016]

This episode is one of my favorites because it's Halloween and Christmas rolled into one, and they pulled it off perfectly. There is the old house, a tale of a lover's pact long ago, Mulder being Mulder and searching for ghosts on Christmas Eve (of all days), and Scully dragged along when she really wanted to be somewhere else. I liked the addition of Lily Tomlin and Ed Asner as the ghosts. They weren't what you expected, and they weren't what Mulder expected, either. Scully: "You know what's weird? Mulder, she's wearing my outfit." Mulder: "How embarrassing." Scully: "Well, you know what? He's wearing yours." And then they're off in this huge house that's a tricky maze.

One of the best

[elmodaddysgirl · 10/10 · 4 October 2019]

One of the best non alien episodes yet. Ed Asner & Lily Tomlin where absolutely fantastic. Definitely without a doubt some the best guest star casting done on this show to date. On it's own it was good but Lily Tomlin & Ed Asner made this episode, in my opinion, one of the best episodes.

A metaphor

[aurrora_australis · 8/10 · 14 October 2006]

I think that this entire episode was a metaphor for how each agent fears the other thinks of him/her. The ghosts were in their minds of course. Maurice is Mulder's projection of how he believe Scully sees him, and Lyda is a personification of how Scully believes that Mulder sees her. When Mulder talks with Maurice he is actually arguing with his perception of how Scully sees him, and the same is true of when Scully speaks to Lyda. When Mulder interacts with Lyda he is really speaking to himself and when Scully interacts with Maurice, she is interacting with herself. I am not completely certain that this was the intention of the writers of this episode but it was something that dawned on me as I listened to what the ghosts and the agents were saying to each other. Examples: Maurice describes Mulder as narcissistic, over zealous, and a self-righteous egomaniac, things that Mulder probably suspects that Scully would label him as; Lyda tells Scully the only reason she followed Mulder to the house was because she gets a kick out of proving him wrong--something that Scully probably suspects that Mulder thinks of her reasons; then Maurice (Scully) produces her car keys, further emphasizing that she still suspected that Mulder took them from her to prevent her from leaving. Of course there are things that I can't explain, such as why Scully would believe that Mulder (notice it was Lyda) would shoot her, but maybe she thought he had gotten too involved with the legend of the murder/suicide,had gone off the deep end and was attempting to re-enact it. I am not sure why the two of them would both hallucinate in tandem after walking into that house, but perhaps it was actually a haunted house, even though the ghosts of Maurice and Lyda, in my opinion, were definitely figments of Mulder and Scully's imagination. Maybe the nature of the house itself caused them to concurrently imagine the things they did. I am sure the skeletons and the maze of the house itself were all imagined by Mulder and Scully, but in the world of the X Files, reality has to be suspended in order to not analyze every aspect of why things are. But their conversation in the end strengthened my belief that Lyda and Maurice were Mulder/Scully personifications because of the way Mulder and Scully picked up with each other where they left off in arguments that each had with Maurice and Lyda. Whether their perceptions of what the other thinks of him/her are true, they each seem worried of the other viewing him/her negatively, which reveals that they both want to be respected by the other. It is not the best episode, but it is definitely a departure from their normal conspiracy and monster of the week installments. I still enjoyed it because you can tell a lot of detail went into making it and I can appreciate it for that.

Left cheek sneak

[Sanpaco13 · 7/10 · 9 July 2007]

Yet again we have an episode where it seems that the crew of the x-files needed an excuse to show off their new access to special effects. All in all however the effects were pretty cool. And the story wasn't that bad although this is still not one of my favorite episodes to watch. It makes me feel like I am in the haunted mansion which has classic spooky elements but looses some of the classic darkness that this show usually brings to these types of stories. It was good that the writer and director recognized this fact and kept the episode pretty light-hearted with some of the dark humor and I also liked that we got to see things from the ghosts point of view also. I also have to admit that the first time I watched this I really thought that Mulder and Scully and shot each other so the twist was well done. I give this episode 7/10.

"I just gave myself chills."

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 25 July 2017]

Soul prospectors Maurice (Ed Asner) and Lydia (Lily Tomlin) are patiently awaiting new victims, and wouldn't you know it, Mulder has his eye on their haunted house, abandoned for decades but reputed to be the location of various murder/suicides over the years. It's not the kind of premise you'd expect for a Christmas story, but this is The X-Files, so just like Scully, you have to give in to your curiosity and imagination and make the best of it.

You know what just struck me? I kept thinking about those brick walls that Mulder kept running into and then it hit me. That was a perfect metaphor for Mulder's frustration in pursuing his ET's and UFO's across the country, only to be confounded by government conspiracies and a preponderance of conflicting evidence along the way. I don't know if that was intentional on the part of the writers, but either way, it was a brilliant idea.

Also brilliant was the way Maurice sized up Mulder as a narcissistic, overzealous, single minded, obsessive compulsive workaholic, while Lydia pinned Scully down as his codependent, even while trying to prove he was wrong most of the time relative to his theories on the paranormal. Maurice in particular managed to push all of Mulder's buttons, with the one about his being afraid of loneliness striking a chord. You could see the wheels of Mulder's mind turning as he took it all in.

What I didn't quite get was the manner in which Scully and Mulder turned on each other at the behest of their haunted house hosts. It was all imaginary of course, so no harm done, but it just seemed so out of character for both of them. But things ended on a feel good note with the exchange of Christmas presents between the two agents. Didn't they look just like two little kids who couldn't wait to unwrap their gifts? Sure would like to know what they gave each other.

If you love Mulder and Scully, don't watch this episode

[camille_bourg-1 · 6/10 · 27 September 2010]

Let's be clear: this episode is NOT bad, actually it is even one of the best, but I really don't like it. I think that people who occasionally watch X-files and love Mulder and Scully characters shouldn't watch this episode, as what disturbs me most in it is that it completely ridicules them. Story is clever, acting is excellent, directing, picture and visual effects are impressive, but I hate the image of the series it shows. It is too wordy, demonstrative, exaggerated, off-board, out-of-character, light-hearted, without an investigation, without suspense, without darkness, without thrills: not X-files. I can't believe in ghosts shown and given for real, these ghosts are very unpleasant to me, I don't like the way they torment Mulder and Scully and the harm they say and do to them, and I don't like the way Mulder and Scully behave and react. So, it's clear, this episode that is not an X-files episode and in which Mulder and Scully are not Mulder and Scully could not suit me.

Am I the only one that doesn't get it?

[ileas · 3/10 · 4 May 2023]

The star crossed lovers were young, the ghosts were old. Who would let ghost haunt people so horrifically only once a year? What was their motive? Someone who gets it, seriously, help! And since when does Mulder deny having witnessed an unexplained phenomenon? It makes no sense. I mean, give me something; aliens, another dimension, ghosts that are the same age as when they died, characters that act like themselves, something that is making them hallucinate...something. If you just want to get spooked, then watch this; but if you're looking for something that makes sense and is true to canon, skip it.

My Favourite Episode Of The Entire Series

[darryl-jason · 10/10 · 10 February 2022]

Just brilliant! I could rave from the rooftops on how great this episode is. I just love it!

"How The Ghosts Stole Christmas" is a Halloween-Christmas episode rolled into one & is known to be the lowest budget episode of Season Six, and has the smallest cast (up until season 11's episode "Rm9sbG93ZXJz".

I agree with pretty much every other reviewer on this episode. It's just simply the best. Definitely one I watch every Christmas without fail. It's also an episode that is so easy to remember because of the story it tells and because it's a stand-alone episode that doesn't follow on from the previous one. As soon as the episode starts, it just takes me right to where Mulder & Scully are. I can only imagine David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson must have had a blast making this episode.

A 10/10 episode for sure that never gets me tired of watching. The story, the music, the chemistry between the characters (especially between Mulder & Scully), the feel-good christmassy feeling it gives. You're sure to feel exacly the same.

An episode I could watch all year round, and not just at Christmas!

X-Files X-Mas.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 28 December 2018]

When I first watched The X-Files with my late mother, seasons 3 and 6 were the ones that always stood out to us. Being in the mood to watch some X-Files after viewing William Friedkin's magnificent film Bug (2006), I decided to join Mulder and Scully in finding the truth at Christmas.

View on the ep:

The episode with the lowest budget of season 6 and the smallest cast list of any X-Files episode made up to now, writer/director Chris Carter uses this unusual minimal set-up to his advantage by brewing a ghost stories for Christmas atmosphere in lighting the house with festive red lighting and coiled camera moves from the corners of rooms capturing the confined state Mulder and Scully are in. Backed by a chiming score from Mark Snow, Carter slants the ghostly CGI wounds (which has actually aged well) with comedic Hijinks of disappearing doors and sitting back in chairs chats with ghosts. One of the more comedic eps of the season, the script by Carter shines black comedy merriment on the house, in the odd couple exchanges between the agents and ghosts Maurice and Lydia, whilst the limited time the haunting is allowed to take place, gives the ghost a slithering unpredictability. Joining the excellent Duchovny and Anderson, Lily Tomlin and Ed Asner give utterly splendid turns as the ghosts, whose funny, off the cuff one-liners is thrown with a screw-ball slickness by Asner and Tomlin, along with an excitement of being the ghosts who stole Christmas.

A Ghost story for...... Halloween??? Classic.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 14 September 2022]

Mulder and Scully investigate strange goings on at a Ghostly House on Christmas Eve.

I can see this becoming part of my Christmas routine, I can see myself wrapping presents, having a glass of wine, with this Christmas cracker on the telly.

It's gloriously fun, it's wonderfully atmospheric, it's fair to say it really is one of the most bizarre episodes ever made, but I feel like they captured something quite wonderful here, they got the tone spot on.

Great acting, Anderson and Duchovny truly shine from start to finish, the format allows a deep, and lighter exploration of their respective characters, Scully finally getting to hear that she seems to function only to prove Mulder wrong.

When this was conceived, I can't help but wonder if Chris Carter hadn't watched an episode or two of the wonderful M. R. James series, A Ghost story for Christmas.

It's slightly more Halloween than Christmas, but it's wonderful, a real treat, 9/10.

Only A Show At Its Creative Peak Could Produce An Episode Like This

[zkonedog · 10/10 · 16 December 2021]

After five seasons, The X-Files had established itself as TV's top sci-fi drama--almost unquestionably. As such, series creator/showrunner Chris Carter was given a much longer creative leash in Season Six--a decision that produced wonderfully oddball (but endearing) episodes like this holiday classic.

For a very basic overview, "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" sees Mulder & Scully on a Christmas Eve stakeout (Mulder giddily; Scully reluctantly) at a supposedly haunted house. Upon heading inside, the duo discover there is no "supposedly" about it when two apparitions (played by Ed Asner & Lily Tomlin) appear and deconstruct--both physically & emotionally--each agent's holiday experience.

"Ghosts" represents what I consider to be The X-Files at perhaps its creative peak. Having just moved production from dull-and-dreary Vancouver (perfect for the first five campaigns) to sunny Los Angeles, the episodes in S6 followed suit, containing much more levity and experimentation. Yet, this being 90s episodic TV, the show didn't stray too far from its "skeptic vs believer" premise. In other words, the perfect formula for creative success!

All of this is on display here. The Mulder-Scully banter is top shelf, Carter's signature monologues are delivered perfectly, and the "holiday hijinks" is fun and something new for the show. Asner & Tomlin (two film/TV vets) are perfect for their comical--but philosophically deep--roles. Also notable are the very beginnings of Mulder/Scully romantic hints that would pick up steam as further episodes progressed. Not bad for a "bottle episode"--made on essentially one set with just four cast members to save a little money before the winter hiatus.

Now, I'm not sure that "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" will hold up as every-December viewing if you are not an "X-Phile". It takes understanding the basic natures and shared experiences of the Mulder & Scully characters to truly appreciate the jokes, one-liners, and general atmosphere of the piece. But I will also say this: just by sheer happenstance, this was one of the first X-Files episodes I ever saw as I was first getting into the show. In that sense, "Ghosts" actually provides a really great template for what the show is all about. It hits all the key beats of what made the show so beloved.

As an X-Files fanatic, this is a slam-dunk watch for me every December. For a show often known by its long-arc mythology of aliens and conspiracies, "stand alone" episodes like this one are often what provide the best re-watch value. That's certainly the case with "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas".

favorite

[getting2me · 10/10 · 8 July 2022]

I didn't realize it when I saw it first run but now that I'm binging the series, I was laughing so hard. This has to be one of my favorites if not the favorite of the series.

Tell me you're not afraid

[padresteve · 10/10 · 6 December 2023]

My goodness. This has always been one of my favorite episodes of the X-Files. The casting, the writing, and the story are perfect for Christmas. I love how Scully gripes about how she needs to wrap presents and spread joy instead of being out with Mulder chasing ghosts.the casting of Ed Asnrr and Lilly Tomlin as the ghosts could not have been better. The exchanges between Scully and Mulder show how well Anderson and Duchovny's characters matured during the series, they can be serious and funny at the same time and play so well off of each other. The discovery of the bodies under the floor in their clothes and Mulder's comment to Scully about it being embarrassing until she pointed out that the male was wearing his clothes was hysterical. Of course there are the exchanges between them and the ghosts. The episode has such a great and unexpected ending gave it an added twist, but not Oliver.

But... Scully's already seen ghosts.

[dave-48711 · 3/10 · 27 November 2020]

Specifically in season 4's "Elegy" (which was a significantly better episode than this). Not only that, it was one of the very few times where Scully 100% could not deny what she saw. She was even disturbed enough by it to discuss it with her therapist.

This is all forgotten in this episode. It'd be one thing if Scully repressed the events of that episode and Mulder reminded her of it, but instead you get the sense that the writers can't be bothered with keeping up with the continuity of the show. "How the Ghosts Stole Christmas" was written by the showrunner, which is even more damning.

As for the rest of the episode, it's rather lackluster. It obviously didn't have much of a budget considering we only get to see one room of the mansion and a few hallways. And on top of that, there are those annoying psychobabble-spouting ghosts. Meh.