Michael hosts a Christmas party at the office, but somehow manages to decrease the holiday cheer when he changes the arranged secret Santa pairs to a game of "Yankee Swap", where everyone gives their pre-bought presents to a different, random worker. To boost morale, Michael introduces vodka shots while the others compete for an iPod, Jim hopes that his sentimental present, meant for Pam, doesn't end up with Dwight, and Angela becomes enraged about Michael's party changes.
WAR
48.6
Wins Above Replacement
“Christmas Party” ranks #31 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 84.8 — Elite. The episode packs 44 scored jokes at 2.2 per minute, averaging 7.3 on craft and 6.9 on impact, with Michael landing the most laughs. Every joke is ranked below with its individual craft and impact scores.
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Top Jokes
Jim: She put this on a hot dog a couple years ago because she thought it was catsup. And it was really funny, so I kept the other two.
Jim Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Michael: Well, happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party's so lame.
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael: So I guess some good came out of firing Devin after all. Maybe I should call him, tell him that.
Michael Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Creed: I got myself for Secret Santa. I was supposed to tell somebody, but I didn't.
Creed Absurdist Character Comedy Dwight: And sinus infections can be cured by making a tea from green tea leaf stems and pouring it directly into your nose like so.
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 44 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Multiple office workers · Dwight: The entire opening struggle to get the Christmas tree through the door - multiple people shouting contradictory instructions
Unknown · Dwight: Ah, I got a splinter. / Well, suck it up. We all have problems.
Michael: That's what she said.
Michael Setup/Punchline Running Gag Callback Michael: And B: I wanted it to be impressive. The biggest day of the year deserves the biggest tree of the year.
Michael: And we are going to sell that to charity. That's what Christmas is all about.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: Jim's entire talking head about the teapot gift with inside jokes for Pam
Jim Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Jim: She put this on a hot dog a couple years ago because she thought it was catsup. And it was really funny, so I kept the other two.
Jim Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Jim: This would take a little too long to explain. So I won't.
Jim Misdirection Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Phyllis · Angela: Do you think I should have gotten the big ones? / We'll see.
Phyllis: Which, to me, seems... excessive.
Phyllis Deadpan/Understatement Reaction Beat Michael: Ho ho ho! Pimp! I'm kidding!
Michael: Double everything. Double ice cream. Double napkins. Double it. On me.
Michael: So I guess some good came out of firing Devin after all. Maybe I should call him, tell him that.
Michael Dark/Subversive Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Michael: I want people making out in closets. I want people hanging from the ceilings, lampshades on the heads. I want it to be a Playboy Mansion party.
Michael: Like booze ever killed anybody.
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Dark/Subversive Jim · Dwight: Will you help me? / No! No way. It... no.
Jim: That makes sense, because he has elfish features.
Jim Deadpan/Understatement Character Comedy Stanley: I got Angela. She's into these posters of babies dressed as adults. I got her one of those. I felt kind of weird buying that.
Stanley Observational Cringe/Discomfort Creed: I got myself for Secret Santa. I was supposed to tell somebody, but I didn't.
Creed Absurdist Character Comedy Michael: Not great. Sorry, everybody. I think the tree looks nice.
Michael Deadpan/Understatement Awkward Silence Michael: Presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It is like this tangible thing that you can point to and say, 'Hey, man, I love you... this many dollars worth.'
Michael Observational Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim: He obviously forgot to get me something. And then he went into his closet and dug out this little number. And then threw it in a bag.
Jim Observational Deadpan/Understatement Roy: Yep, that's exactly what happened.
Roy Deadpan/Understatement Cringe/Discomfort Oscar · Angela · Michael: Wasn't there a $20 limit on the gifts? / This is 400 bucks. / You don't know that. / Yeah, you left the price on.
Michael: So Phyllis is basically saying, 'Hey, Michael, I know you did a lot to help the office this year. But I only care about you a homemade oven mitt's worth.' I gave Ryan an iPod.
Michael Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Michael · Various: We are going to turn Secret Santa into Yankee Swap! / What is Yankee Swap? / I thought that was called Nasty Christmas. / Yeah, we call it White Elephant.
Angela: Michael should have asked the party planning committee first. He's not just supposed to just spring things on us out of nowhere.
Angela Character Comedy Reaction Beat Jim · Oscar: That was meant for Kelly. / Yeah, I figured.
Jim Oscar Deadpan/Understatement Observational Jim: That's like the creepiest thing that I've ever seen.
Jim Reaction Beat Observational Michael: Everyone wants the iPod. It is a huge hit. It is almost a Christmas miracle.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Michael: See, I wanted somebody to take it. Boom. Reverse psychology. Reverse psychology is an awesome tool. I don't know if you guys know about it. But, basically, you make someone think the opposite of what you believe. And that tricks them into doing something stupid. Works like a charm.
Michael Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Dwight: Two paintball lessons with someone as experienced as I am, is worth, easily, like, two grand.
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist Kevin: Maybe I should have taken the iPod.
Kevin Deadpan/Understatement Observational Michael: Yankee Swap is like Machiavelli meets... Christmas.
Michael: Well, happy birthday, Jesus. Sorry your party's so lame.
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Michael · Liquor store clerk: 15 bottles of vodka? Yeah, that should do it.
Dwight: A real man makes his own luck. Billy Zane, Titanic.
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Dwight: And sinus infections can be cured by making a tea from green tea leaf stems and pouring it directly into your nose like so.
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Ryan: What line of work are you in, Bob?
Ryan Running Gag Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Michael: Kudos to Ryan, king of the party committee!
Michael Irony/Sarcasm Character Comedy Jim: Not bad... and if it couldn't go to Ryan, you are the guy I'd want it to go to.
Jim Character Comedy Callback Callback Michael: Lampshade on the head! It's happening!
Michael Callback Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Callback Michael: Christmas is awesome. First of all, you get to spend time with people you love. Secondly, you can get drunk and no one can say anything. Third, you give presents. What's better than giving presents? And fourth, getting presents. So four things. Not bad for one day. It's really the greatest day of all time.
Meredith: Ohhhhhhkay. (Meredith's drunken response)
⏩ The part you fast-forward
Our scorer flagged 16:50-17:30 as the stretch with the fewest or weakest comedic moments. Everything else lands harder.
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