Michael gets upset when Jim promises Phyllis that she can be the office Santa, but the office Christmas party may be overshadowed by some bad news from David Wallace.
WAR
56.7
Wins Above Replacement
“Secret Santa” ranks #46 of 183 The Office episodes on the Humor Index, scoring 82.1 — Elite. The episode packs 54 scored jokes at 2.2 per minute, averaging 7.1 on craft and 7.0 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
Dwight: I'm suspicious of this, Because I had the exact same idea For catching osama bin laden. I would simply send him a different piece each day. He would assemble it To find himself... In jail!
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Andy: Twelve drummers drumming.
Andy Escalation Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Kevin · Michael: Can you give me some choices? 'cause I really don't wanna mess up on this list. - [quietly] damn it, kevin. Come on. - What about if I tell you the things I don't want?
Michael: Earlier today, this office needed a santa. And then it needed a second santa. And then it needed a jesus. Now, it needs a michael. And that's one suit phyllis cannot fit into.
Michael Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Creed · Jim: What if you've been really, really bad? More 'evil' than strictly 'wrong.' - Hey, creed, we covered it. Lump of coal.
Creed Jim Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch All Jokes — 54 analyzed
Show all ↓ Hide ↑ Jim · Pam: Too loud. - Too too loud, too loud. - But effective. Look.
Jim: My diabolical plot is on hold for christmas.
Jim Character Comedy Observational ★ Rewatch Angela: My heart just melts with the sound of children singing. [snickers] Not really. I'm just tired. The days are short. I don't know. Maybe I'm depressed.
Angela Misdirection Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Jim · Pam · Ryan: Hey, rockefeller center. - Yeah. - Uh, I've actually been to rock center, And this is nothing like that.
Jim Pam Ryan Setup/Punchline Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Kevin · Angela: Why would you start so high? - 27... - 3, 2, 1... - 26...
Ryan · Kevin · Pam: Why would you wrap it in a sheet If you're not covering anything up? - Is--is it fake? - Pam. - Yes! We are unveiling an artificial tree.
Pam · Jim: That will never die... - Yes. - Like the spirit of christmas.
Ryan: And we're supposed to applaud you For you taking a giant diaper off a fake tree?
Ryan Setup/Punchline Irony/Sarcasm ★ Rewatch Erin: I can't take it anymore. My cat killed a turtledove. The french hens have started pulling out my hair To make a nest. Please stop.
Erin Escalation Absurdist ★ Rewatch Kelly: What psycho would send that as a gift?
Kelly Irony/Sarcasm Reaction Beat Andy: Is it my fault that the first eight days There's basically 30 birds?
Andy Character Comedy Deadpan/Understatement ★ Rewatch Phyllis: I slipped a note to jim 11 weeks ago, And he said I could do it. [giggles] [tearfully] oh...It's been a long journey... But...[sniffles] I'm santa claus!
Phyllis Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Creed · Jim: What if you've been really, really bad? More 'evil' than strictly 'wrong.' - Hey, creed, we covered it. Lump of coal.
Creed Jim Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Dwight: I'm suspicious of this, Because I had the exact same idea For catching osama bin laden. I would simply send him a different piece each day. He would assemble it To find himself... In jail!
Dwight Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Angela · Oscar: You know, oscar, every time I make this lasagna, People ask me if it's a family recipe. But really...I just get the recipe from the box. - That's funny. - Is it funny? I thought it was more... Interesting than funny.
Pam · Kelly · Kevin: I think my water just broke. - That's too funny. - Oscar and the warehouse guy. - Go, oscar! Go, gay warehouse guy!
Michael: Hey, little girl, what would you like for christmas? Ooh! You have been a very naughty girl, I see.
Michael Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Michael: It's insane! A woman santa? Where does it stop? No!
Michael: I have a bunch of letters cut out of magazines in my desk. You can use those.
Michael Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Michael: If this were russia, yeah. Sure, everybody would go to one santa. And there would be a line around the block, And once you sat on her lap And she asked you what you wanted, You would say, probably, 'freedom'... At which point the kgb would arrest you And send you to siberia. It's a good thing russia doesn't exist anymore.
Michael Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Michael: Why pay more to sit next to old tranny claus over there When you can sit on my lap? Phyllis is only pretending to be a man. I'm the real thing! Sit down on my lap, and there will be no doubt!
Michael Cringe/Discomfort Character Comedy Michael: No, it's not, like, penis-wise.
Kevin · Michael: Phyllis says I'm too big for her lap. - Oh, I am so sorry that phyllis hates you And hates your body.
Kevin · Michael: Nobody's ever let me sit on their lap before. - [wheezily] all right, just say some toys, please.
Kevin · Michael: Can you give me some choices? 'cause I really don't wanna mess up on this list. - [quietly] damn it, kevin. Come on. - What about if I tell you the things I don't want?
Michael: You get a thousand helium balloons attached to you So santa doesn't have to go through this again.
Michael Dark/Subversive Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Phyllis · Jim: Don't make me get bob involved. - What would bob do? - Never mind. I shouldn't have said that.
Phyllis Jim Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Ryan · Kelly: [laughs] yeah! [both chuckling] Totally. I admit it. It's me. - Oh. Seriously? - Seriously? [chuckling] are you serious? - Is--what--you-- - Yeah. Totally serious. I'm your secret santa. Busted!
Darryl · delivery guy: Matt's a pretty good-lookin' dude, don't you think? - I'll just leave it here with ya.
Jim: You can't yell out, 'I need this, I need this,' As you pin down an employee on your lap.
Jim Character Comedy Setup/Punchline ★ Rewatch Michael · Kevin: After you almost killed me? - Michael, I had you. I just wanna try phyllis.
Dwight · Jim: How do you know it's a gun? - What else does it look like? - Not a gun. - Well, I don't have all the pieces yet. - Well, unless the missing pieces is a gun, You don't have a gun. [thud] Not a gun.
Dwight Jim Deadpan/Understatement Absurdist ★ Rewatch Michael: I don't ask for much from christmas. I really don't. It's not like I am begging people to... Buy me diamonds and... Brooch pendants. Oh, buy me something expensive, Or I'm gonna kill myself.
Michael Character Comedy Misdirection ★ Rewatch Michael: Behold... Jesus christ. And I bring to you... Glad christmas tidings.
Michael Escalation Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Michael · Toby: Oh...The antichrist. - Okay, you can't-- - sss! - Ow!
Michael Toby Character Comedy Running Gag ★ Rewatch Callback Phyllis · Andy: All right, sweetie, I'll just tell her it's michael. - Okay.
Pam: How come the good ones are never straight, right?
Pam Character Comedy Observational Oscar · Pam: Okay, pam. - Okay. Yes. They're the only two gay guys I know. But they should be together.
Oscar Pam Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort ★ Rewatch Dwight: We don't have a north pole branch. Idiot!
Dwight Character Comedy Reaction Beat Ryan: Oh, yes. It's space garbage. Dwight's gonna be able to build himself a friend.
Ryan Character Comedy Setup/Punchline Michael: Yeah, except for cheating on your wife. Adultery's a sin. Look it up in the bible, people. A lotta fire where you're going. Better get used to it. You're going to h-e-l-l, double hockey sticks. Goin' to hell, stanley.
Michael Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Michael · Kelly · Andy · Jim: That's fantastic! You can make another dress that goes past your feet. - Andy, was this you? - It's a secret. - No, andy had...Erin. - That-- - michael! - You-- - What, was I not supposed to say?
Michael · David: I will give you a hint. His last name is christ. He has the power of flight. He can heal leopards. - Michael-- - I am jesus, david.
Michael: Because phyllis, a woman, Has 'uslurped' my role as santa.
Michael Wordplay/Pun Character Comedy Michael: Earlier today, this office needed a santa. And then it needed a second santa. And then it needed a jesus. Now, it needs a michael. And that's one suit phyllis cannot fit into.
Michael Character Comedy Escalation ★ Rewatch Dwight · Michael: What's your pin number? - I...Don't want to say. But it's fun to stay at the... ⪠it's fun to stay at the ⪠- Where? Holiday inn. I don't--
Andy: I suppose a gentleman might throw in the towel At this point. Guess what. Not gonna happen.
Andy Character Comedy Misdirection Michael: Ryan, you are my son, And... Pam, you're my wife, and jim... And angela and phyllis, you are my...Grandmas. And stanley, you're...Our mailman.
Michael Character Comedy Absurdist ★ Rewatch Michael: He told me where his kids go to school. I call the school. I tell them I'm the pediatrician. They patch me through to his secretary. I use my little girl voice. Badda-bing, badda-boom.
Michael Character Comedy Dark/Subversive ★ Rewatch Meredith: By the way, your wife is a very lucky woman.
Meredith Character Comedy Cringe/Discomfort Dwight: I can use this for so many nuts--macadamias, Brazil nuts, pecans, almonds. Clams. Snails.
Dwight Escalation Character Comedy ★ Rewatch Phyllis: An xbox it is, Because I've decided you're a good boy.
Phyllis Character Comedy Irony/Sarcasm Bob · Michael · Phyllis: What in the hell is going on here? - No, no, no. - You called bob? Phyllis! - I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. It's was earlier today.
Andy: Twelve drummers drumming.
Andy Escalation Callback ★ Rewatch Callback Top Episodes — The Office