Classy Christmas

I never truly abandoned The Office. Sure, that sixth season was tough to swallow. Probably because it became the Jim and Pam show, but I made it through that painful endeavor.
Unfortunately, I fear a lot of Office fans weren't as resilient as me. Some stopped watching the show regularly or just resented the half an hour block of time they wasted each week.
I remained a loyal viewer, if not a punctual one. Maybe I watched Parks and Rec or Community first when catching up online, but I always kept tabs on my Dunder Mifflin friends.
For my patience I was rewarded with the two-part classic known simply as, Classy Christmas. Was it good? Let me put it this way, "It [was] like a party for limousine drivers."
This is a great Christmas episode. These episodes, which have become a tradition of THE OFFICE to mixed success, are always when the writers commit themselves to taking a big swing at the plate.
This episode, directed by Dwight and written by Kelly, strikes the perfect balance of drama, the ridiculous and provided each employee a chance to shine.

Let me first touch on the breakout star, Erin (Ellie Kemper), who was hilarious with her antagonistic feelings toward Holly. For some reason, she's just not impressed with Holly. Maybe it's because Michael is like a substitute dad, and no one is good enough for her dad, but the dynamic is amazing.
My favorite quote was when Erin mused, "Maybe Holly's not in any position to be shooing guys away."
The most surprising aspect of the show was how Dwight turned the tables on Jim, as he pulled the ultimate prank by obliterating him in a no-limits snowball fight. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, though, since Dwight obviously views the situation as a war, which he even wages with psychological terror.
Ultimately, the episode is about wooing the affection of H.R. superstar Holly.
Her return to Scranton is precipitated on Toby's role as a juror (on a case that may or may not involve the Scranton Strangler), and she seems to return without missing a beat. She and Mike are in the throes of a skit before she can put her stuff down.
When she does put down her gear, which includes an "Woody" doll from the Toy Story Movies, Holly reveals that A.J. gave her the doll and that they're still together.
This is a crushing blow to Michael, who delivers a series of defeatist quotes that I immediately posted on Sean Kirkpatrick's wall when I heard them.
Michael obviously engages in some childish antics akin to a temper tantrum upon realizing things won't work out as he planned, but it doesn't devolve to the point where viewers begin hating him.
Instead he remains a lovable loser, who we can keep rooting for, and with reason, because Holly is thinking about ending things with her BF if he doesn't take things to the next level. (For my money, the fact that Holly doesn't automatically realize she should be with Mike when she comes back to Scranton is a demerit. Does Michael want to be the second choice, even if it is the right one?)
Anyway, this episode is sweet, without being Jim and Pam season 6 sappy, but also hits like a roid rager, with surprise lines and sight gags that are second to none.
The flip side is that whenever THE OFFICE reminds us of its greatness, it is setting up a bar that it hasn't consistently met since seasons 2 and 3.
Did I mention Dwight shows a variety of disguises he has for various Dunder Mifflin employees...