Fit-again Michael Frey marked his first start since October with a goal to set rejuvenated QPR on their way to an impressive Championship win against play-off chasing Watford at Loftus Road.
The Swiss striker brought a physical presence and much-missed focal point during an influential 60 minutes, showing his quality by sweeping in Kieran Morgan's pull-back for a fifth-minute lead.
And towering defender Jimmy Dunne's simple far-post header doubled the advantage at the interval to edge Rangers closer to a fourth successive home league victory.
A below-par Watford rekindled hopes of earning just their third away league success this season when Kwadwo Baah's strike from the right took a huge deflection to beat goalkeeper Paul Nardi.
But QPR, who have now lost just one of their past 10 games, restored their two-goal cushion within two minutes, Sam Field nodding the ball in from close range after great work and a teasing cross from Paul Smyth.
Both sides had chances in a fiery finish, notably when the Hornets had a goal disallowed for pushing and the lively Baah crashed an injury-time strike against the bar, but the hosts held on.
QPR, who only won one of their opening 16 league games this season, are now eight points clear of the drop zone before the rest of Wednesday's fixtures.
Marti Cifuentes' side had not managed a shot on target in their previous two games as their resurgence hit a slight blip.
However, that changed as they made the perfect start to 2025 by taking an early lead thanks to some canny build-up play.
Kenneth Paal, whose corner led to the own goal that earned a point again Norwich City last time out, spotted a smart run by Morgan and played a quick pass, which the midfielder ran on to before teeing up Frey.
Watford, with Baah their most likely spark, went close through both Giorgi Chakvetadze and Baah.
But QPR were posing all sorts of problems, mainly through Ilias Chair and the effervescent Smyth, and Dunne made it 2-0 with a close-range header from a delicious floated cross by Chair - his fourth goal of the season and third in seven matches.
Watford, who now have just one away win in their past 10 league matches and remain outside the top six on goal difference, should have got back in the game only for Vakoun Bayo to head wide at the far post from an inviting Jeremy Ngakia cross
At the other end, QPR's Jonathan Varane was guilty of an equally poor miss when he blazed a shot over after a fortunate deflection presented him with a relatively straightforward finish.
A goal apiece in just over 90 seconds further warmed up an already noisy crowd on a miserable New Year's Day in west London but, surprisingly, that was the end to the scoring with Watford wasting several decent openings and Smyth going close with one of several good chances for the hosts.