Tree Treasures No. 28: Friends, Family and Comfort TV Before Streaming

I’ve been a huge Friends fan for decades and so is my daughter. 💙

Before streaming was even a thing, we owned the entire series on DVD. Boxed set. Swapped discs. Played again and again. No skipping ahead. No autoplay.

Summers were our favorite time to rewatch it as a family. Back when TV seasons went on break and there was “nothing to watch,” we’d start at episode one and work our way through all ten seasons. Over and over. It became part of our rhythm. Familiar voices. Familiar jokes. Comfort TV before we even had a name for it.

When we did the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, sitting on the Friends set felt oddly emotional, like stepping into a living room that had been part of our family for years. That visit inspired me to start adding these ornaments to our tree about five years ago.

I still need to track down Ross, Joey, and Chandler, but I’m working on it. 😉

These ornaments aren’t just about a TV show. They’re about shared laughs, summer evenings and sitting together on the couch when life felt slower and simpler.

Could I be any more nostalgic?

Were you a Friends family… and who was your favorite character?

If you enjoy nostalgic holiday stories, I’m also sharing my Christmas memories in a new series called Christmas Stories Throughout the Years.