20 Christmas TV Episodes that Deserve a Holiday Rewatch

13. “Citizen Knope” – Parks and Recreation, Season 4

Leslie Knope is easily one of the most optimistic characters ever to grace our TV sets. Combine Leslie and Christmastime and you know you can’t go wrong. In this Season 4 episode, she’s still on paid leave, but Ms. Knope always has time to spread a little holiday cheer to her employees.

We’re treated to a nice sequence of everyone recapping what gifts Leslie bought them, and it looks like she outdid herself. Her kind, personalized gifts to everyone are enough to make Ron Swanson tear up (he now has remote-controlled doors to keep out the riff-raff). They’re so grateful, they decide to make a giant gingerbread house replica of the agency just for her. They also give her another amazing gift that keeps right in tune with the good-hearted nature of this show, and fills us with warm, holiday cheer.

After her city council campaign team quits, since Leslie is polling at 1% after the kissing incident with Ben, she thinks that all hope is lost. It’s never fun seeing Leslie down in the dumps, but her work crew is able to turn that around in no time. They offer to become her new campaign staff right after revealing the beautiful gingerbread office they all pitched in to make. It’s a tale of redemption and finding one’s self even though things seem bleak, which is a nice fire to rekindle even in the darkest winters. Knope 2012 forever.