The Office's first Christmas episode came during Season 2, and it coincidentally helped save the sitcom from cancellation due to unplanned product placement. "Christmas Party" aired in December 2005, serving as the sixteenth overall episode of the show focused on the everyday lives of those working at paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin. Due to the plot and quotable dialogue from actors like Steve Carell, the episode went on to become a fan-favorite among The Office's history of Christmas specials.
The particular episode focused on the annual Christmas party taking place at Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch. Rather than a typical Secret Santa gift exchange, manager Michael Scott (Carell) decided to spice up the game by transforming it into a Yankee Swap. Not only did Michael ruin the gift exchange, he also managed to ignore the price rules by incorporating a $400 video iPod into the mix. The various frustrations dampened the workplace's mood until Michael made amends with a case of vodka.
The iPod that Michael intended to give to Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak) was the hot object in "Christmas Party," and it also became a significant piece in saving The Office. Around the time of the episode's debut, Apple was heavily promoting its new device with video capability for the 2005 holiday season. Despite popular belief, the iPod's inclusion in the Yankee Swap game was not planned product placement. The show didn't receive any kind of compensation for the device's appearance. Instead, the writers picked an iPod because they thought it would make Michael feel like the "cool guy." In reality, it helped extend the show's life at NBC.
How An Apple iPod Helped Save The Office
The Office had almost faced cancellation following its shortened debut season. NBC, however, decided to greenlight a follow-up season after Carell's popularity surged after he starred in 2005's The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Even with a second chance, the show's ratings at the beginning of Season 2 still weren't stellar. It was very likely that The Office would have faced cancellation once again if not for Apple. A week after "Christmas Party" aired, Apple made the episode available to download for $1.99 on iTunes. In a stroke of perfect timing, the series became the top-watched show on the platform thanks in part to those who received the same iPod featured in the special Christmas episode.
Due to The Office's availability through Apple devices and iTunes, the series was brought to the attention of a new demographic. Young, affluent viewers took interest in the sitcom because of Apple before switching their attention to NBC. Ratings began to increase in the second half of Season 2 before climbing to the steady range it held for the rest of The Office's nine-season run. If Michael never bought an iPod for the show's first Christmas special, the show may have never made it past Season 2.