This video was released in December 2020, during the peak of the pandemic. It stuck to the theme it launched in 2018 of depicting Blackstone as a version of the NBC sitcom "The Office," but executives wore face masks and pandemic jokes featured prominently. In an early scene, one Blackstone executive struggles to recognize a colleague with unmanageably long hair. (Remember when all the barber shops were closed?)

While it was a bleak time, the video ends on an upbeat note, with Blackstone employees cutting loose to "I'm Walking on Sunshine," kicking off a tradition of holiday video songs that has featured prominently since. Still, it's somewhat stuck in the pandemic era, hence its placement at No. 7.

The conceit of this holiday season is a fake news station, "BX TV News," prompting Jon Gray to search for Blackstone's secret sauce. (It was a roundabout way for the firm to tout its plan to hit $1 trillion assets under management, which it has since achieved.)

Schwarzman returns to a role he often plays in these videos, that of the sincere elder statesman, to explain that the firm's true secret sauce is its employees. However, he notes that a secret is hidden in the basement, setting two executives on an Indiana Jones-style quest to find the scroll containing the firm's secret. This weird twist is the highlight of the video.

The video effectively makes several self-deprecating jokes about Blackstone's love of acronyms (BCRED, anyone?) and Wall Street's notorious work hours. By 2022, however, the company had been going with "The Office" theme for four years, hence its ranking.

The budget for the holiday video clearly increased this year, with a storyline about the birth of BX TV, the firm's weekly video call that Gray is incredibly enthusiastic about (and employees, less so). There are animals, special effects, and a Reese Witherspoon cameo.

The key joke is a fake award ceremony where Gray receives "Best Weekly Internal Zoom Call at an Alternative Asset Management firm." The hope is that it will convince the firm's president and chief operating officer that it's time to move on with John Finley, chief legal officer, saying, "I make one call to the FCC, and they'll cancel this clown car."

Employees chant "end it" and celebrate, thinking Gray has decided to cancel the show after winning the award. It quickly becomes clear that the 2022 BX TV season is already being planned, and the internal video call remains a weekly requirement at the firm.

Scranton, Pennsylvania, is a long way from Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, and Dunder Mifflin would be among its smallest portfolio companies, yet Blackstone successfully riffed off the NBC sitcom "The Office" for its first annual holiday video. The video begins with the theme music from the television show, and like "The Office," there is hand-held camera work and plenty of "candid" interviews with executives. There's also a Michael Scott look-alike. As with all the holiday videos that follow, this one starts with Jon Gray calling his executive assistant, Laurie Carlson.

This video started it all and set the tone for Blackstone's trademark style of mixing the firm's reality with jokes. The premise of the video is that Blackstone canceled its holiday party and replaced it with a video, which actually happened. And Jon Gray really does, sometimes, act a bit like Michael Scott in his enthusiasm for wild ideas, according to people who know him. There are fewer visual gags and no Hollywood cameos, but it's a classic.

2023's holiday video marked the first time Blackstone moved away from being a parallel version of "The Office" (only the title card remains). Instead, it's an homage to Taylor Swift and the Eras tour, with Blackstone trying to replicate her success with its own song about alternative investments.

This is the video that broke into the wider world, spawning mocking tabloid headlines. But for a video series whose main goal is to help the firm laugh at itself, that's a measure of success. Add that this immortal line: "Just this once, I do hope people confuse us with BlackRock." Also, you get to see Steve Schwarzman dancing while wearing a glittery fringe top.

This year, Blackstone turned 40 years old, so it was only right that the firm lived out its midlife crisis in front of all of us. The birthday celebration begins with a Ken Burns documentary about the firm's origins, before Jon Gray asks for Burns to be fired in favor of some "pizzaz."

Blackstone's execs are all dealing with their age in different ways: wearing nose rings and buying sports teams or Ferrari (the company). Steve Schwarzman's ambition to become a DJ leads to a cameo by actual DJ and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon.

Another cameo from Jersey Mike's spokesperson Danny DeVito is a highlight, with his contract apparently requiring him to take on the challenging job of advertising "non-listed, semi-liquid, institutional-quality perpetual products."

The video ends with a musical number, this time an age-appropriate 80s theme, alongside a dizzying array of 80s references and an executive pulling off the iconic Dirty Dancing lift. After a challenging year for the firm's employees, this year the firm leaned into embarrassing itself and having fun.

The 2019 holiday video revolves around Blackstone's absurd search for a company mascot, which turns out to be Mr. Stone, a mascot that looks like a cross of Hulk and Jon Gray. The international offices of Blackstone get cameos in this one, as does a plug for Steve Schwarzman's book, "What It Takes: Lessons in the Pursuit of Excellence."

Gray told BI that this was his favorite in the series because of the mascot. The firm not only hired a company to build the mascot suit, but also made dozens of bobbleheads, which still show up in holiday videos and on some people's desks. We agree that the mascot joke is a highlight.

This video also ends with one of the best Steve Schwarzman gags of the series, when it's revealed that Schwarzman has been the mysterious person inside Mr. Stone the whole time.

In 2024, the firm leaned into the cringe with a metaverse-like exploration of Blackstone executives as reality television stars, culminating in a country song-and-dance routine.

It features appearances from famous friends. Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, which was originally part of Blackstone before spinning out in the 1990s, makes a joke about how the two firms are often confused for each other.

Gray last year told Business Insider that the turn to country was inspired by Beyonce's own embrace of the genre on "Cowboy Carter."And just like Beyonce, some of the firm's best work comes when they don't let the critics stop them.

Jeffrey Cane contributed to previous year's rankings.

Let's start with the positive — this sweet potato gnocchi came in a pleasant butter and sage sauce, which was herby and had a great flavor.

Although the sauce was good, the gnocchi was very mushy and didn't really have any chew or bite to it. The lack of texture is truly why it was my least favorite of the bunch.

The sweet potato had a good flavor, but the gummy texture of the gnocchi was enough to stop me from buying it again.

I've never tried frozen ravioli from Trader Joe's before, but I thought the ricotta-and-spinach-filled version looked tasty. Once it was cooked, however, I wasn't as impressed.

The spinach ravioli came in a rather bland tomato sauce that left me disappointed.

The ricotta-and-spinach filling had potential, but the ravioli tasted super dry. I also wish the tomato sauce had a thicker consistency.

I picked up Trader Joe's spaghetti with meat sauce in hopes that it would be a simple, hearty meal. The instructions said to microwave the dish for about six minutes, so that's what I did.

After I heated this up, I noticed the sauce had plenty of small pieces of ground beef. It was also flavorful and filling without being too heavy.

The spaghetti was a little on the softer side, but if you're after a freezer-friendly dinner that packs 27 grams of protein per serving, this is a good option to keep on hand. I'd definitely buy this one again.

I was really excited when I saw Trader Joe's had an eggplant and cheese pasta, since I'm a huge fan of the vegetable.

Although I could've cooked this in the microwave, I decided to bake it instead.

When I took the pasta out of the oven, I didn't think it looked particularly appetizing. And once I tasted it, every bite felt uneven. Some pieces of eggplant were mushy, while others had more of a bite.

The pasta tasted a bit overcooked, too, even though I cooked it according to the directions on the package. Overall, I probably wouldn't buy this again.

I'm usually a fan of spicy arrabbiata sauces, so I was excited to try this version from Trader Joe's.

The penne held its shape after cooking, and I thought the portion was generous.

The sauce — although a bit watery — had a lovely kick of red pepper flakes, adding a hint of heat without making it too spicy.

Overall, it wasn't restaurant-level arrabbiata, but it had a nice amount of flavor and was satisfying enough in a pinch.

Trader Joe's spaghetti carbonara is made with uncured pancetta and two different kinds of cheese.

Overall, this was a decent plate of spaghetti, and the pasta itself held up nicely.

However, the sauce didn't feel like carbonara to me. It was fine, but not super flavorful. It also didn't seem as eggy as other versions I've tried.

I also thought the meat was strange — in my opinion, it tasted more like the pork you'd get in Chinese food than pancetta. Overall, I wouldn't buy this again.

I was drawn to this dish because I thought the fiocchetti shape looked appealing. However, once I took a bite, I felt like something was missing in terms of the flavor.

Unfortunately, the cheese filling in the fiocchetti seemed a bit dry. I also thought the thin pink sauce would've benefited from some herbs or acidity.

Overall, the flavor felt a bit flat, like it could've used some red pepper flakes, Parmesan cheese, or basil. The sauce was also pretty thin, which I didn't love.

I was excited to try Trader Joe's garlicky pasta, which was advertised as coming in a "creamy, umami, garlic sauce."

If you love garlic, you'll likely consider this meal a crown jewel of the Trader Joe's pasta selection. The glossy sauce was packed with garlic flavor and coated the pasta perfectly.

It was a little oily, but the unique umami flavor was very prominent and made me want to keep coming back for more. This has definitely earned a permanent spot in my freezer.

Trader Joe's rigatoni alla contadina comes packed with vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, and peas. It's also topped with a creamy sauce.

For a veggie-loaded frozen pasta, I thought this was pretty good. The creamy sauce was mild, but it did a good job of tying everything together.

The rigatoni was cooked well, and the green vegetables added a nice texture, pop of color, and bite. A squeeze of lemon, Parmesan, or black pepper could take it even further, but as is, it's a good meal.

I'll be honest, I didn't have high hopes for a frozen risotto. However, once prepared, I was shocked by how creamy and delicious it looked.

I thought the mushroom flavor came through nicely, even though the pieces were fairly small. The meal was a little on the salty side, but I didn't think that was a bad thing.

I really liked how it wasn't too thick or heavy but still rich enough to feel indulgent. With the addition of a chicken cutlet, I could easily pass this off as a nice date-night meal.

I was excited to try Trader Joe's take on cacio e pepe — a pasta dish made with a creamy cheese and black-pepper sauce.

This meal is a freezer MVP. The sauce was creamy, cheesy, and peppery, and the spaghetti had a satisfying chew.

It was very heavy, but in the comforting way you actually want from pasta.

One thing to note is that the sauce thickened significantly when it cooled. So, it's best enjoyed hot.

With a little added Parmesan and grilled chicken, this would make a complete and satisfying meal.

The honey cruller had a different shape than the other Tim Hortons doughnuts I tried — a ring of puffy ridges coated in a sugary glaze. I hoped this might make for an interesting texture, but the doughnut was disappointingly squishy and airy inside.

The ratio of glaze to doughnut also felt too high to me, making it very sweet.

This doughnut's description on the Tim Hortons website advertises "delicious apples and cinnamon in every bite." However, I didn't taste the apple at all and thought the cinnamon had no spice to it.

To me, this tasted more like what I'd expect from something wrapped in plastic, like a Little Debbie snack cake.

Tim Hortons' Oreo variety is a cream-filled doughnut topped with vanilla frosting and Oreo crumbles.

I love Oreos and typically enjoy Oreo-themed desserts. However, I thought the vanilla frosting and the sugary cream in this one made it too sweet.

The topping was also crumbled so finely that it didn't add any crunch.

This was the only jelly-filled doughnut I found at Tim Hortons, and for that reason, it made for a nice change of pace. But again, the thick coating of vanilla frosting made the doughnut extremely sweet.

Though the jelly had a distinct strawberry flavor, the consistency was a little odd — it was more of a gel than a jelly.

My 7-year-old loves jelly doughnuts but called this one "too goopy."

Vanilla-frosted doughnuts make up most of the bottom of my list, as I found the thick, sugary coating to be a detriment.

However, the vanilla-dipped doughnut was our favorite of those with this frosting. Tim Hortons' doughnuts aren't as sweet as one might expect, so the balance of flavors was better on this one.

My 4-year-old, a passionate fan of rainbow sprinkles, called this one her favorite.

I don't love chocolate as much as many people do, but I typically enjoy chocolate-glazed doughnuts. Tim Hortons' version wasn't disappointing, but it wasn't very exciting either.

This doughnut had a very mellow chocolate flavor and a thin coat of glaze. The aftertaste was a bit like a chocolate-flavored lollipop, which turned my wife off. However, I liked the way it paired with coffee.

Confusingly, Tim Hortons' vanilla-cream doughnut is covered in chocolate frosting with a swirl of vanilla-cream filling on top.

I enjoy Tim Horton's fudgy-chocolate frosting, but wasn't a big fan of the vanilla-cream filling. I found it reminiscent of Twinkie filling, only with a strong, somewhat artificial-tasting vanilla flavoring.

Even if it's not the most exciting option in the display case, a plain cake doughnut can be great when served with a hot cup of coffee.

However, this doughnut didn't taste as fresh as some of the others I tried. It also lacked the crunchy outer crust you might find on other cake doughnuts.

However, it had a pleasant hint of nutmeg, giving it a more nuanced flavor than its equivalents from other doughnut chains.

I'm normally ambivalent about maple flavoring, and the unnatural-looking orange color of the frosting didn't inspire a lot of confidence.

However, I actually enjoyed it. The maple frosting had a warm, caramel-like richness, and although it was definitely sweet, it was also very tasty.

The honey dip is Tim Hortons' standard yeast doughnut in its most straightforward form: just glaze with no frosting.

Despite its name, however, nothing in the doughnut's flavor, texture, or online description suggested it involved actual honey.

The yeast doughnuts at Tim Hortons seemed a bit denser than those at Dunkin' (and far denser than those at Krispy Kreme), but this one was nice and soft.

My 4-year-old preferred it over any of the doughnuts that didn't have sprinkles.

I wasn't sure if I'd like the glazed version of Tim Hortons' old-fashioned doughnut better than the plain one. Often, I find that adding an extra layer of sweetness doesn't improve something that's already sweet.

But in this case, the old-fashioned doughnut wasn't overwhelmingly sweet on its own, and the glaze seemed to keep the doughnut a little more moist.

Of the three frosted ring doughnuts I tried, the chocolate-dipped version was the only one where the frosting proved an upgrade.

That's because Tim Hortons' chocolate frosting is delicious. It's got a thick, fudgy texture and is rich with chocolate flavor.

Tim Hortons' Canadian maple doughnut is identical to its Boston cream, except with maple frosting instead of chocolate. However, I liked this one more than I expected to.

The sweetness of the maple frosting was nicely balanced by the custard filling, which was surprisingly light and had a hint of tanginess. I wouldn't have guessed this one would land so close to the top of my list.

I've had Tim Horton's Boston cream doughnut before, but I wasn't sure how it would compare to the chain's other offerings.

I found that the density of Tim Hortons' doughnuts makes them well-suited for filling since they're strong enough to withstand the weight without falling apart. And the combination of the chocolate frosting and custard is a time-honored one for a reason.

Amazingly, this was the favorite for me, my wife, and our 7-year-old.

This story was originally published on November 8, 2024, and most recently updated on December 18, 2025.