It's a funny episode, drags on a bit tho and definitely not a christmas classic.
Cute episode.
[When Lisa comes back home]
Marge: You came back!
Lisa: Yeah, I wanted to spend Christmas with you guys.
Homer: So you're back on the winning team?
Lisa: No, I'm still Buddhist, but I can worship with my family, too.
Marge: So you're just going to pay lip service to our church?
Lisa: Uh-huh.
Homer: That's all I ever asked.
Shout by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2019-08-01T20:40:26Z
[7.9/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] This is showrunner Al Jean's first episode back in charge of the show after four years of Mike Scully, and it shows. The jokes are funnier, the characters feel truer to themselves, and the conflicts stem from the characters rather than random nonsense. You still have some pretty nutty pacing, a few dumb gags, and a pointless guest appearance from a celebrity playing themselves, but rest assured, this is a big step up from the company it keeps.
The first act model rocket throat-clearing barely connects with the rest of the episode, but it's roundly funny thoughout, so it gets a pass. The middle section about Burns helping to fund (and tart up) the church has some nice humor and social commentary baked in. And the third act about Lisa finding her own spiritual path through Buddhism, and naturally clashing with Marge over it, is a nice miniature character story for Lisa, that also finds a lot of nice moments for Marge to shine.
Overall, a great episode that portended great things for the second Al Jean era, promises that the show couldn't always keep over the next two decades.