Get an Early Look at Community’s Christmas-Episode Stop-motion Alter Egos

So far this season, Community has served up episodes featuring a fake KFC-branded space capsule, a mischievous pen-stealing monkey, a magical trampoline, zombie-making taco meat, and the Taj Mahal of blanket forts. So what’s left? How about December 9’s stop-motion-style musical Christmas episode featuring all your favorite Greendale-ians looking like they’ve just come back from a party with Frosty, Rudolph, and the Heat Miser? Community creator Dan Harmon teases the plot: “Abed wants to know what the meaning of Christmas is for a very specific reason, and the characters have to help him find out or Abed may be kicked out of Greendale.” The writer calls the half-hour “an unflinching look at Abed’s imagination,” in which the main characters are visualized in a way that reflects how Abed really views them. Vulture can now give you an early glimpse into the mind of Abed with this advanced look at the cast’s Rankin-Bass incarnations. (Starting Tuesday, you can go to NBC.com to download special Twitter- and Facebook-size versions, just in case you’re finally ready to dump Harry Potter for a cooler avatar.)

Striving to find the true meaning of Christmas, he’s a Charlie Brown for today’s generation. And since he can’t feel emotions, he can’t get depressed.

Harmon says the head in a box is meant to reflect Jeff Winger’s monstrous ego.

While Annie may think her ballerina avatar is “because she’s graceful and thin, it may be because [Abed sees here as] frail and tightly wound,” says Harmon.

“Abed sees some softness or some outdated adorability in him,” Harmon explains.

“Abed looks at her as a damaged piece of equipment,” Harmon says.

Harmon says this is Abed’s interpretation of Shirley’s “infantile tendencies,” especially when it comes to Christmas.

The picture says it all.

“He’s just the Dean,” Harmon says. We were kinda hoping for Furry Dean, but we won’t complain.

He puts the study group under hypnosis to figure out Abed’s holiday behavior.

“He’s a Snow Chang,” Harmon reveals. “An obnoxious little snowman. He make a brief appearance that everybody finds quite disturbing.”