A Plot: Oscar lets it slip that Emma is buying Christmas gifts way early, so Karen and Davis bribe him into telling them what gifts Emma is buying them. When they find out, they drop hints to Emma in an attempt to get better stuff.
B Plot: After an awkward introduction with Wanda's cousin, Lacey thinks that Wanda does not consider her a friend. Lacey finds less-than-subtle ways to get Wanda to admit they're friends, but when Wanda catches on Lacey assumes she's overcompensating.
C Plot: Confusion ensues when Hank resets his watch in order to be on Daylight Saving Time in Saskatchewan.
Tropes referenced:
- Brick Joke: At the beginning, Oscar says he doesn't know why Emma puts so much effort into Christmas shopping when "last year, all you got people were crappy socks", to which she responds that it was only because she left her Christmas shopping too late. At the end of the episode, we see a Flash Forward to Christmas where Emma once again gave everybody crappy socks, this time as revenge for the events of the episode's A Plot.Emma: [smugly] Are you surprised?
- Butt-Monkey: Lacey gets the treatment pretty hard in this episode, with Wanda seemingly avoiding calling her "friend" and others questioning the friends she's made since moving to town.
- Call-Back:
- To Cable Excess, as Lacey mentioned back then how fond she was of watching the recording of the burning log every Christmas, and is indeed watching it again in this episode's Flash Forward.
- Also a call back to Hair Comes the Judge, as Oscar once again refers to the cops as "coppers". This time Karen tries to get him to stop.
- Christmas Creep: Emma is really bad about this when it comes to doing her Christmas shopping.Oscar: Christmas?! It's July, woman!
Emma: Well, I wanted to get a jump on it! Remember last year?
[Flashback to last year]
Emma: It's the 24th and I haven't started shopping!
Oscar: It's the 24th of September, woman!
Emma: Yeah, but I wanted to get a jump on it! Remember last year?
[Flashback to the year before that]
Emma: It's Christmas Day and I haven't bought a thing!
Brent: [confused] We just opened our gifts.
Emma: No, I mean for next year.
Oscar: At least wait until September, woman! - Cloudcuckoolander: Most of Hank's plot is highly confusing to the other characters, with him thinking he's actually in the future. Only Brent can put him back on track by convincing him to go a full day ahead, putting him back on the same time clock-wise as everyone else.
- Comedic Sociopathy:Karen: I'm sure it's nothing. She probably didn't feel the need to spell it out. That's all.
Lacey: [relieved] Yeah, you're probably right. Wanda and I are friends.
Davis: Yeah. It's either that or she really doesn't like you and now you're embarrassed because you've been lying to yourself about the friends you've made here.
[Lacey looks incredibly hurt.]
Davis: ...But it's probably Karen's thing. - Comically Missing the Point:Hank: Oh right. I forgot I'm three hours ahead.
Lacey: If you're on Daylight Savings Time you're only one hour ahead.
Hank: Yeah I know, but this morning I woke up at 7 and I couldn't get back to sleep so I moved my watch ahead two hours and got up at 9. And you know, I tell you it felt good to sleep in.
Lacey: You know Hank, I try and stick up for you but you make it so hard.
Hank: I appreciate the effort. - Entertainingly Wrong: Karen and Davis both have a moment in a conversation after Wanda introduces her cousin Nora:Lacey: That was weird.
Davis: Yeah. Who names their kid "Nora"?
Lacey: No! She introduced Davis as a friend and [pointing to Karen] you as a friend and me just as "Lacey".
Karen: That is weird. Davis and Wanda aren't friends. - Hint Dropping:
- Lacey hints pretty hard at wanting Wanda to say they're friends, but Wanda is mostly Oblivious to Hints at first.
- Karen and Davis also drop big hints to Emma that they don't need the gifts she bought them.
- My New Gift Is Lame: The crappy socks Emma gave everyone for Christmas two years running.
- Only Sane Man: Lacey has a conversation with Hank and Davis where she is in disbelief that they can't wrap their heads around the "Spring Forward, Fall Back" aspect of Daylight Saving Time. They both assume she is the one who doesn't get it.
- Out-Gambitted: After Emma figures out Oscar is telling everyone what she's getting them for Christmas, she intentionally confuses him with circular wording so he can't keep the gifts straight.
- Playing Drunk: Lacey resorts to this to try and get Wanda to drive her home, proving they're friends. Wanda doesn't bite, having seen Lacey drink apple juice all night.Fitzy: [very drunk] APPLE JUICE?! But I was going drink for drink with you! ...I think I need a lift home.
Wanda: Aww... I'll give ya a lift, buddy.
Lacey: [offended] Unbelievable! - Pun-Based Title: "No time like the present".
- Seinfeldian Conversation: Hank, Brent and Wanda have a chat about whether or not Wanda is a robot, and if robots will replace humans or enslave them.
- Somebody Doesn't Love Raymond: Despite the fact that Lacey gets along just fine with everyone, she can't stand even the possibility that Wanda might not consider her a friend. Even after Wanda says she's a friend, Lacey still won't let it go, assuming Wanda is now just lying to protect her feelings.
