Christmas Specials Wiki
Advertisement
Christmas Specials Wiki

"A House is Not a Home" is the second Christmas episode of the NBC sitcom Cheers, produced and aired as the twenty-fifth episode of the show's fifth season.

Synopsis[]

This page about a Christmas special or an episode from a television series with a Christmas theme is in need of a longer synopsis. You can help the Christmas Special Wiki by expanding this synopsis.

Diane is haunted by the memories of the couple who lived a long and happy life together in the home she and Sam have purchased.

As Sam and Diane prepare for their (then-upcoming) wedding, they find their dream house, at first merely arguing over things such as Sam's like and Diane's disdain for the famous 'Dogs Playing Poker' painting. But as they start to finalize the purchase, the older couple now set to vacate the home remember the many happy times there, especially the holidays. Seeing their children and grandchildren also bemoaning no more Christmases in that house proves too much for Diane, who feels the house can never be theirs until this family is given one last Christmas in that home. An exasperated Sam relents, even dressing up as Santa for the kids, despite the unseasonably warm weather. Diane exults as the family enjoys all their usual holiday festivities. When one of the family members expresses regret that they won't see another Easter there, Diane immediately begins to suggest their next holiday there, at which point Sam draws the line. Refusing to wear a bunny suit and expressing some terms that thankfully go over the kids' heads, Sam asserts that the house is now theirs, and politely asks the family to go. Oddly, the family suddenly is more excited about the older couple's new condominium and runs off happy. Diane feels both liberated and aroused by Sam's assertion of dominion over their new home, even asking him to keep the Santa suit on as they make for their new bedroom. The moment is put off very briefly as a frustrated Diane removed the painting of the dogs playing poker from the bedroom.

Availability[]

The episode was made available on the Cheers: The Complete Fifth Season DVD set, released by CBS DVD through Paramount Home Entertainment on May 17, 2005. CBS Home Entertainment (through Paramount) re-released the episode on the Cheers: The Complete Series DVD set on May 5, 2015. It will make its high-definition debut on the Cheers: The Complete Series Blu-ray set, to be released on April 25, 2023.

Cast[]

Actor/actress Character
Ted Danson Sam Malone
Shelley Long Diane Chambers
Rhea Perlman Carla Tortelli
John Ratzenberger Cliff Clavin
Woody Harrelson Woody Boyd
Kelsey Grammer Dr. Frasier Crane
George Wendt Norm Peterson
Billie Bird Lillian Miller
Douglas Seale Bert Miller
Stephanie Walski Naomi
Marc Smollin David
Stefanie Mason Annie
Lou Bonacki Man
Penny Krompier Mom
Al Rosen (uncredited) Himself

See also[]

External links[]

Paramount
Movies
Remember the NightChristmas in JulyHoliday InnGoing My WayStalag 17White ChristmasWe're No AngelsTrading PlacesYoung Sherlock HolmesA Very Brady ChristmasWe're No Angels (1989) • The Kid Who Loved ChristmasAll I Want for ChristmasIn Search of Santa [International] • Office Christmas Party [N.A.] • Daddy's Home 2
Television episodes
Happy Days and related shows "Guess Who's Coming to Christmas" • "Richie Branches Out" • "Christmas Time" • "White Christmas" • "All I Want for Christmas" • "Oh Hear The Angels' Voices" • "O Come All Ye Bums" • "Christmas Show"
Cheers and Frasier "The Spy Who Came In for a Cold One" • "A House Is Not a Home" • "Christmas Cheers" • "Love Me, Love My Car" • "Miracle on Third or Fourth Street" • "Frasier Grinch" • "Perspectives on Christmas" • "Merry Christmas, Mrs. Moskowitz" • "The Fight Before Christmas" • "Mary Christmas" • "We Two Kings" • "High Holidays" • "Reindeer Games
Other shows "The Voice of Christmas" • "A Full House for Christmas" • "Get Me Through the Holidays" • "A Christmas Story" • "A Keaton Christmas Carol" • "Miracle in Columbus" • "A Christmas Story" • "A Terminal Christmas" • "The Customer's Usually Right" • "Happy Holidays" • "Insanity Claus" • "Twas the Heist Before Christmas" • "All About Christmas Eve" • "Christmas" • "Have Yourself a Married Little Christmas" • "Here Comes Santa Claus" • "A Class Act Christmas" • "X-Mas" • "Everybody Hates Christmas" • "Christmas!" • "Everybody Hates Kris" • "Santa Baby • "Everybody Loves Whom?" • "It's a Miserable Life" • "Mojo No Mo" • "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Venice?"
Advertisement