Brian Baumgartner, known for his role as Kevin Malone in NBC’s “The Office”, came to the University of Scranton to promote his new book “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin” on Nov. 6.  

The book is available now at the university bookstore and stores nationwide. It is co-written by Ben Silverman and illustrated by Maël Gourmelen.  

Baumgartner said the inspiration for the book came from old family traditions, and from new ones of families getting together to binge-watch Christmas episodes of “The Office”.  

“Those episodes were really important for us. They were big episodes, generally the whole cast had something to do. Difficult to film, but ultimately rewarding,” Baumgartner said.  

The traditions that bring families together are what make the holiday theme of the book so valuable. Baumgartner said fans have written to the cast about how special the holiday episodes of the show are, and Baumgartner wanted a way to give back to the fans for their appreciation toward the show.  

“This is sort of our gift back to the fans. Something they can actually hold, something tangible, a holiday keepsake for those who are fans of not just ‘The Office’, but the Christmas episodes of the show,” Baumgartner said.  

Baumgartner’s new book is already a hit, sitting on the Amazon Best Seller list. Baumgartner said it is an awesome feeling, and he is tremendously proud of how it came out.  

He even gives homage to an old saying–he wants people to see the cover and know it is something special.  

“My joke has been, they tell you when you're a kid to not judge a book by its cover. But I think the cover is so beautiful, that I want people to judge the book by the cover.”

Baumgartner’s book is an illustrated one, and he had an incredible team who helped put all of it together.  

“The illustrations that Maël did inside in collaboration with Glenn Keane, who was an executive producer of an animated show that I had worked on, when we talked about doing an illustrated book, my first call was to him to try to get him involved. He does such tremendous work. The book turned out beautifully,” Baumgartner said.  

There is a lot that can be said about “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin”, and it is hard to narrow it down and describe it in just one word.  

Baumgartner said if he had to describe it in one it would be “Scranton.”  

That answer definitely shows appreciation for the city and the value it gained from “The Office”.  

Baumgartner and Silverman had a great time putting the book together. Baumgartner is really proud of what came out of it.  

“I said it before, but it’s meant to be a treasured holiday keepsake for fans of ‘The Office’,” Baumgartner said.  

Go get a copy of “The Night Before Christmas at Dunder Mifflin”. Continue holiday traditions with family and friends or start new ones this season. Let the book bring the people you love together and remember to hold holiday values and memories close to your heart.  

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