Snowy Stars Hollow: A Complete Guide to Every Wintry Gilmore Girls Episode
We smell snow!
In the Gilmore Girls fandom, it is well known that the Gilmore Girls season is autumn. Nothing seems to be better than pumpkin flavored drinks, leaves crunching under your feet, endless amounts of flannel, and a closet full of scarves to choose from. We made a complete list of autumn episodes of Gilmore Girls but at rmrk*st, we believe that Lorelai and Rory, as well as the town of Stars Hollow, continue to shine well into the winter. After all, one of Lorelai’s most memorable lines is “I smell snow.” And the show showed us lots of it. Snow Business, the company responsible for the magical white stuff, took their job very seriously.
We have compiled a complete list of the 18 winter episodes, and they’re not all Christmas episodes. Once all 7 trees are dried out and Santa’s clothes are packed away, the snow sticks around. So grab a blanket and a hot beverage, and curl up on the couch to watch all the winter episodes in your favorite fictional town. Bring on the snow, hot chocolate, and wool coats! Everything is truly magical when it snows.
Season 1
Episode 8, “Love & War & Snow”
This is one of the most iconic episodes of the show, and the one that the fandom references the most. Not only is it the first time Lorelai says the famous line “I smell snow,” we are also introduced to the Revolutionary Reenactors that will keep showing up throughout the series.
Fun Fact: Did you know that “I smell snow” is only said in two episodes of the regular series? Lorelai won’t say it again until Season 5. It definitely feels like it should be more considering how obsessed with snow she is.
Episode 9, “Rory’s Dance”
Nestled in between, it only makes sense to watch “Rory’s Dance” too. Rory asks Dean to the winter formal at Chilton, and wears the beautiful blue dress made by Lorelai herself. The episode ends with drama when Rory and Dean fall asleep reading at Miss Patty’s dance studio and don’t wake up until morning.
Episode 10, “Forgiveness & Stuff”
This is as close to a Christmas episode as we get. Emily & Richard are having their annual Christmas party, complete with the famous apple tarts, but Lorelai is uninvited due to the argument she had with Emily in the previous episode. The party is stopped short due to Richard having to be admitted to the hospital. Stars Hollow is prepping for the Christmas pageant–will they ever find the missing arm on the baby Jesus? But maybe the most iconic part of this episode is the Santa Burger that Luke makes for Lorelai. It’s a sweet gesture but we recommend that this is probably only for show.
These are the ingredients that you would need to make your own Santa Burger:
2 white burger buns
a hamburger patty
¼ cup of ketchup
¾ of a cup of mayonnaise
2 sliced green olives for the eyes
a half of a cherry tomato for the nose
1 red pepper slice for the mouth
Let us know if you are brave enough to try it! Follow the recipe here from Larissa at Eating Gilmore!
Season 2
Episode 10, “The Bracebridge Dinner”
Season 2 is lacking in winter episodes but what it is lacking in quantity, it certainly makes up for it in quality. “The Bracebridge Dinner” is a fandom favorite, and is one of the ultimate town celebrations. It is definitely the party that we would like to attend. How can we deny period costumes, delicious food made by Sookie, a snowman/woman building contest, and a horse drawn sleigh ride through Stars Hollow.
Season 3
Episode 10, “That’ll Do Pig”
We get our first glimpse of the Winter Carnival. This episode takes place after winter break because Paris is relaying her first time Christmas experiences at Jamie’s to Rory at school. Rory and Jess are in the beginning stages of their relationship, and Jess gets very insecure that Rory has decided to be friends with Dean again. Not a great look for Jess in this episode. Other happenings in the episode–Trix surprises everyone for Richard’s birthday, and Emily stands her ground with her mother-in-law, probably completing a world record of how long it takes to eat one green bean.
Episode 11, “I Solemnly Swear”
Snow is merely the backdrop in this episode but how can we deny the tension that Francie starts between Rory and Paris, ending in a fencing match. 🤺 Lorelai and Sookie attend a class on running their own inn–or was it a sales pitch?– but Sookie runs into her friend Joe (Joe Fria), and Lorelai meets Alex (Billy Burke). Any guy who is opening his own coffee shop is a keeper in our book… at least for 3 episodes.
Episode 12, “Lorelai Out of Water”
There is more drama happening at Chilton when Paris attempts to impeach her vice president, Rory, while Lorelai tells Alex she loves to fish. Don’t try and learn fishing from books. Find a Luke to teach you, but don’t name all the trout in the kiddie pool.
Season 4
Episode 10, “The Nanny and The Professor”
The show skips right over the holidays again, and we get Rory returning to Yale early from winter break. She thinks that she’ll have the place all to herself. She is wrong. Paris is back, and is “hanging out” with Professor Fleming. We learn about all of Jason Stiles’ quirks in the episode, while Michel babysits and rolls Truman–err, Davey– under the bed. Just remember that Cyrus can only move a little to the left.
Episode 11, “In the Clamor and the Clangor”
We find out that it is the fourth snow of the season in this episode. The bells at the church in Stars Hollow are fully restored in memory of Stan. It doesn’t take long for the bells to drive all the residents crazy. We can thank Luke for saving our sanity when he breaks the bells again. Meanwhile, Lane sneaks out to play CBGBs because it’s CBGBs, and that is what you do for the holy mecca of rock n roll. Mrs. Kim panics, and then proceeds to kick Lane out of the house when she finally finds Lane’s music collection.
Season 5
Episode 11, “Women of Questionable Morals”
“I smell snow” is back in the cutest cold open where Lorelai wakes up Luke to stand outside in the falling snow. With the first snow, we also get the tradition of the Revolutionary Reenactors. Only with a twist this time. Christopher has some sad news about his dad, which makes Lorelai and Rory both reach out. This episode ends with one of the best scenes of Luke building Lorelai her very own ice rink. ⛸
Episode 12 “Come Home”
We know that this episode takes place in early February because is is the Korean Lunar New Year episode. Mrs. Kim invites Lane and the band over for the celebration. Is that a connection we see between Brian and Kyon? Also, Richard and Emily have reconciled! Hallelujah!
Season 6
Episode 11, “The Perfect Dress”
There is no snow at the beginning of the episode but it begins snowing just as Lorelai starts talking about signs. We are definitely with Lorelai that it’s fate. This is also when we get the reference to June 3rd for the first time, and the fandom turned this into Gilmore Girls day. It is the wedding date that almost was.
Episode 12. “Just Like Gwen and Gavin”
Another Winter Carnival episode! There may be trouble in Luke & Lorelai’s world when she finds out about April after 2 months(!) but we can’t deny the spotlight on Paul Anka, the Doggy Swami. Kirk is in charge this year because Taylor Doose is snowed in at his sister’s in Maine. Or is he?
Episode 13, “Friday Night’s Alright for Fighting”
Logan is busy trying to woo Rory back with the coffee cart (it’s not a bad idea) while Lorelai is dealing with the aftermath of finding out about April. Taylor has free samples of European hot chocolate but don’t even try to get more than one or Kirk will be tempted to use the candy thermometer. While it’s great to see Rory take charge at the paper to make sure it still goes out on time, the most iconic scene is the Friday night dinner fight scene that was inspired by the Woody Allen movie Husbands & Wives.
Season 7
Episode 10, “Merry Fisticuffs”
Season 7 is definitely not one to skip when it comes to holiday episodes. If you need to take some aggression out after tackling the retail stores, this episode is the one for you.
Episode 11, “Santa’s Secret Stuff”
Lorelai says it best, “Christmas spirit is not something that you can turn off like a faucet on December 26th.” This is the perfect episode to keep the festivities going well after Christmas Day. Splurge on yourself (or a loved one) with those post-Christmas, post-Pluto sales and then get a cup of your own candy cane coffee.
Episode 12, “To Whom It May Concern”
Rory is back from winter break, and gets a harsh dose of the last semester of college. Paris has multiple whiteboards of tasks to be completed before graduation. Meanwhile, two letters are delivered. One from Rory to Lucy, apologizing for the Marty situation, and the other written by Lorelai…excuse us–a character reference–for Luke and his custody battle for April.
Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, “Winter”
It’s very fitting that the Netflix revival in 2016 started with the winter season. The way that they were able to transform the WB backlot into a winter wonderland was something from fans’ dreams. We were craving to be in Stars Hollow again, and those first few minutes after pushing play was everything that we had hoped for. Lorelai and Rory sitting in gazebo with their coffee, Kirk and his latest business adventure, and the town troubadour serenading us. Of course, Lorelai taking a deep breath and uttering the most famous line was icing on the cake.
What’s your favorite wintry episode of Gilmore Girls? Let us know in the comments! And don’t hesitate to check out our autumn, spring and summer episode guides!
Want more? Head over to our Discord where you’ll find tons of other fans there chatting in our forums about the books, TV shows, movies, music, and games we all love! Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, tumblr, and Spotify for more fandom content—and hit that subscribe button so you never miss a thing at rmrk*st!
