The Office White Elephant Episode Tells You Exactly What Not to Do Over the Holidays

The Office isn't a beacon of good advice, but if you watch closely, you'll learn exactly what not to do in any given situation. This certainly holds true for Season 2 episode "Christmas Party," in which the office throws a holiday party and plays Secret Santa. Things are going well until Michael (Steve Carell) gives Ryan (B.J. Novak) an iPod — a gift that far exceeds the $20 limit — and receives a hand-knit oven mitt in return from Phyllis (Phyllis Smith), and as a result, he forces everyone to play "Yankee Swap" (AKA White Elephant) in hopes of getting a better gift. The drama that follows serves as a primer for those looking to avoid holiday party tension: don't exceed the spending limit, don't include a personal note that someone else might find, and definitely don't throw a fit over your gift.

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Claire Spellberg Lustig is the Senior Editor at Primetimer and a scholar of The View. Follow her on Twitter at @c_spellberg.