Holyrood doesn't go drink-free for January.

Or ever, for that matter.

Folk need to cope with being politicians somehow.

So there was no evidence of a New Year detox at First Minister's Questions.

Instead there was something far more energising: a retox.

In her last few FMQs, Nicola Sturgeon appalled the press by donning her softest mittens to preach love, harmony and utter tedium to all by actually offering to work with her opponents.

Luckily Santa appears to have intervened over the recess and put all such nonsense to the sword.

It only took a few minutes today before she was merrily reaching for the boxing gloves again.

Her first target was Labour's Kezia Dugdale, who asked how Ms Sturgeon would describe Scotland's granny-strewn Accident & Emergency departments.

Facing "significant pressures," admitted the FM, but still absolutely awesome thanks to the SNP, and way better than under Dark Ages Labour.

Ms Dugdale had been anticipating that.

"Harking back to the Labour years might comfort SNP backbenchers but it will not comfort anyone who slept on a trolley last night," she retorted.

Not harking back, scowled the FM, just facts.

The number of A&E consultants had almost trebled, there were 1,700 more nurses, and the NHS budget was up £3bn since Labour last stalked the land.

"Yes, there are pressures. However those pressures would be considerably worse if Labour had continued in office," she roared.

"I think the people of Scotland will want this Government to move forwards and will not want to go backwards with the Labour Party."

Pale as a blood donor, Ms Dugdale looked like she could have used a blanket and a nice biscuit.

Tory Ruth Davidson copped it next.

With oil scraping $50 a barrel, did the FM agree with Alex Salmond's latest constitutional reverie of full fiscal autonomy for Scotland, because surely that would mean an £18.6bn black hole?

Ms Sturgeon's jaw dropped lower than Brent Crude.

"I'm just waiting for the holding of the front pages for Ruth Davidson's earth-shattering exclusive here: 'Alex Salmond backs independence'. Who knew that was the case?"

Boxing gloves well-oiled with opposition gore, Ms Sturgeon then floored Jackie Baillie for Labour's "breathtaking hypocrisy" on failing to save any oil income, playfully walloped a passing Tory - "MSPs may never hear me say it again, but Murdo Fraser makes a reasonable point" - before landing another haymaker on Labour for moaning about free school meals helping the middle classes.

In the "one of most absurd press releases ever" ex-leader No 5 Iain Gray had said "I am the person who will benefit most from free school meals. That must be because of all the secret weans I have who nobody knows about scattered around the country."

Opposing free meals was "absolutely disgraceful... That used to be the kind of stuff Labour believed in, argued for, championed and advocated - but that was before the days when it had just become a subsidiary of the Scottish Tory party!"

Nat MSPs smashed up their olive branches in glee, while Labour limped off to 24 hours in casualty.

It was clear which side had got what they wanted for Christmas.