Christmas is the time for a lot of things…..

I usually make it a practice to take the day off on the usual religious holidays…doesn’t matter what religion; I just like to kick back and enjoy my creation without having to worry about everything.

Now don’t worry. I don’t leave you all alone on occasions like this…I have backup plans. One of my main stand-ins is the practice of gift-giving. It was my idea to have people give each other things so that they could be reminded of my love and presence even when I’m lounging by the pool.

Case in point…the Dunder Mifflin Christmas party this year. Even though I wasn’t technically THERE, in a way I was. I was there in the small items and kindnesses the employees bestowed on one another.

Let me explain.

Andy gave Michael the gift of lunch out of the office.

I know what you are thinking:  this gift wasn’t given selflessly. It was given to suck up to the boss. But that doesn’t matter. Andy’s self-serving plan got Michael out of his office (and bathrobe) and out of the pit of despair he had created. It let him forget (even momentarily) that he was alone…again.

Andy gave Michael the gift of Forgetfulness.

Pam gave Jim the gift of a red folder full of Dwight’s secrets and the promise of more fun and games.

As with many intangible gifts, this one was full of so much more than what was actually in that folder. Each piece of paper had a message for Jim and said so much more than, “…my boss was at magic camp.”. They said….

     I miss you.

     Each time I send Dwight one of these,  I think of you.

     I hope you’ll be back someday to see these.

     I know you’ll be back.

     I want you to know that I remember how things used to be before I ruined them.

     I want that again.

Pam gave Jim the gift of Remembrance.

Pam gave Karen the gift of the Committee to Plan Parties

 She didn’t have to. By all rights, she shouldn’t have. Karen wouldn’t even have Jim if it weren’t for her, right? But despite all of that, Pam couldn’t just let Karen feel ostracized by Angela’s weird control issues (I need to speak to Angela again about what exactly ‘doing my will’ means).  Pam extended her hand (and brightly colored flyer and vodka bottle) in camaraderie to Karen and ended up getting something back for herself…a friend in the office.

Pam gave Karen the gift of Acceptance

Roy gave Pam the gift of some art supplies.

He had never been really good at giving gifts. A sweater, an air pressure gauge, really good sex…these were the things that he typically gave her (unless he had his mother or sister do the shopping for him). He had gotten this for her himself, though. He wanted to give her something that mattered, something that showed her that he understood who she was and what was important to her. He wanted to show her that he could be someone different and that she had cast him aside too soon. He wanted her to know that there could be a future with him…with the new and improved him. He wanted her to know that he still loved her.

Roy gave Pam the gift of Potential

Pam and Karen gave Angela the gift of a Nutcracker Christmas

They hadn’t created their alternate party to be cruel, but only as a way to let Angela know that if you don’t listen to others’ opinions and compromise, that you’ll lose control of the very situation you want to be in charge of. Angela liked being in charge so much despite the fact that nobody ever thanked her and that nobody ever realized how much hard work went into planning the numerous parties and events that their branch manager insisted they had.  What I know, and what Karen and Pam didn’t, was that Angela worked so hard because she wanted someone to be proud of her, someone to realize how much effort she put into things. That’s part of her attraction to Dwight. He could see the contribution she made to the office. He knew she was invaluable. All she had wanted was for people to enjoy her baked goods and listen to the music she had loved as a child and Karen and Pam gave that back to her (even though they were the ones that had taken it in the first place!) When the former Committee to Plan Parties saw Angela belting out “Little Drummer Boy” with Dwight on his knees before her, they knew they had made the right decision.

Pam and Karen gave Angela the gift of Recognition.

Jim gave Michael the gift of a shoulder to lean on.

Jim really did feel sorry for Michael despite the fact that he knew that Michael was responsible for all of his own problems. His boss had no filter to know when he had been too creepy, too inappropriate…too Michael.  But rather than dwell on that and turn this into a lesson in how not to totally freak-out a girlfriend, Jim decided to help Michael move on by talking to him like a guy. That’s all Michael wanted…a little male bonding. Remember when Michael starting drinking grape soda and shagging out his hair after Jim shared his secret with him? Jim knew that Michael was lacking in buddies. So he talked with Michael…about girls and relationships and whatever else Michael wanted to bond over.

Jim gave Michael the gift of Friendship.

Michael gave Jim a gift without even knowing it.

He had just been trying to lean on Jim….Man to Man. Bro to Bro. Dude to Dude.  And without knowing it, he helped Jim wrap his head around an important idea.

“A rebound…can be a really fun distraction, but, when it’s over, you’re left thinking about the girl you really like, the one that broke your heart.”

Karen was a rebound. She was a replacement for Pam. Despite everything that Jim had told himself about moving on and Karen being awesome because she wasn’t afraid to show her feelings…Pam was still the girl that he really liked even if she had broken his heart. He needed to deal with these feelings. He either needed to REALLY get over them, or do something about them. I could help him with that if he’d just ask and that night…..he did. We had a nice, long talk (even though I was supposed to be on vacation).

Michael gave Jim the gift of Realization.

Jim gave Pam the gift of a mutual prank.

He could tell how disappointed she was that “new Jim” couldn’t even get a little excited about Project Shrute. He knew how much work she had put into it. He had tried to not revert to his old ways and reinvent himself as “Assistant Regional Manager”  and “Karen’s boyfriend” but Pam…she was supposed to be his friend…his best friend. He knew he had been keeping his distance with her….punishing her for rejecting him six months ago. He didn’t want to be that guy. He didn’t want to hurt her any more. So, he suggested a rendezvous at Quantico, complete with a helicopter. When she laughed, Jim knew he had received everything he wanted for Christmas.

Jim gave Pam the gift of Forgiveness.

Jan gave Michael the gift of…..

Well, you all know what she gave him and that’s all I’ll say about that.

I’ll see you all at the pool.