IT was 'high-five' time at The Hawthorns as second-half goals from Diomansy Kamara and Jason Koumas secured a fifth successive home win.
A tepid first-half was in stark contrast to the free-scoring form which had seen Tony Mowbray's men score 13 goals in their last four fixtures on their own patch.
But normal service was resumed after the break when Kamara tapped home his 12th goal of the season in the 52nd minute after seeing his spot-kick saved by Ipswich keeper Lewis Price.
And Koumas wrapped up the Baggies' first back-to-back victories in over two months with a 25-yard beauty - his sixth goal in just nine games.
Albion's tenth Hawthorns win of the season stretched their unbeaten run to six games as the hosts signed off 2006 in style.
With Nathan Ellington, Albion's two-goal super-sub against Preston, ruled out altogether by a virus, Kamara joined Kevin Phillips up front to reunite the strikeforce which plundered five strikes between them at Portman Road in October.
Paul Robinson's suspension also paved the way for Neil Clement to make his first start since undergoing a major knee op in April.
Albion started the day in sixth place with the chance to close the gap on leaders Blues to ten points after City were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Luton on Friday night.
Fifteenth-placed Town arrived at The Hawthorns buoyed by their Boxing Day win at Coventry.
Both teams took their time getting accustomed to the treacherous conditions as this festive fixture was greeted by a steady downpour.
It wasn't until the seventh minute that either team managed any kind of effort on goal when Ipswich striker Jon Macken totally miscued a decent shooting opportunity ten yards out from Alex Bruce's pull-back.
As the Baggies struggled to get going, the most regular occurrence was players losing their footing all over the park.
Ipswich winger Gary Roberts fashioned a half chance for himself in the 11th minute when his neat footwork bamboozled both the recalled Zoltan Gera and Martin Albrechtsen.
Roberts charged into the box before shooting tamely at Russell Hoult from 15 yards.
The Albion defence was caught dozing again in the 15th minute when Roberts was allowed to advance onto a harmless punt upfield to tee-up Sylvain Legwinski.
Again, Town's finish failed to match their approach work as Hoult easily saved the former Fulham midfielder's weak 18-yard effort.
Albion finally mustered their first shot at goal in the 19th-minute when Koumas stroked a 30-yard free-kick just over the Ipswich bar, although Price seemed to have it covered.
But the hosts suddenly burst into life moments later when Darren Carter slipped Koumas through.
Price pulled off a wonderful reflex save to push the Welsh Wizard's fierce shot from a tight angle over his bar - although the referee's assistant bizarrely blew for a goal-kick!
Phillips created a shooting chance for himself in the 24th minute when he shrugged off Dan Harding to control Kamara's clearance from an Ipswich corner and charged at goal.
But, after skipping past Richard Naylor on the edge of the Town box, Phillips could only shoot tamely at Price.
This was more like it from Albion and they went much closer in the 32nd minute, although it was a visiting player who almost put them ahead.
Skipper Jason De Vos inadvertently headed Carter's corner towards his own goal and it took a wonderful save by Price low to his left to keep his team-mates level.
Ipswich hadn't ventured into the Albion half for a while but gave Mowbray's men a scare four minutes before the break when Macken turned swiftly in the box and fired just wide of Hoult's near post.
The first-half had been completely bereft of clear-cut chances - but Albion were presented with a gilt-edged opening just five minutes after the break.
Legwinski made a mess of a routine clearance to put Phillips clean through.
But the former Villa striker was second-guessed by Price as he attempted to take the ball around him, with the Ipswich keeper getting a vital hand to it.
The ball still broke for Kamara but the Senegal ace drove weakly into the side-netting.
But the Baggies were ahead in the 52nd minute.
After Kamara had jinked his way past Bruce, referee Clive Penton pointed to the spot when he harshly adjudged Legwinski to have handled the former Portsmouth winger's cross.
Kamara saw his weak spot-kick saved by Price but the jet-heeled forward was alert to tap home the rebound - his third goal against the Tractor Boys this term.
Ipswich regrouped and Gavin Williams wasn't far away with a 30-yard drive which Hoult appeared to have covered.
But Albion will now looking dangerous each time they poured forward.
And Phillips was only a whisker away from getting a goalscoring touch inside the six-yard box to Albrechtsen's low centre following the Dane's electric right-wing run.
Kamara then carved out a great chance for himself when he latched onto Koumas' slide-rule pass and beat FOUR Town defenders in and around the penalty area.
When the former Modena man finally made enough room to get his shot away, he fired straight at Price and the danger was cleared.
But Albion finally got the two-goal cushion their second-half play had deserved in the 67th-minute - and it was another Koumas cracker.
The former Tranmere ace collected Kamara's pass 25 yards out and leathered a right-foot rocket into the top left-hand corner of the Ipswich net, giving Price no chance.
Ipswich kept plugging away but De Vos was wayward with a downward header from Williams' hanging free-kick.
Lee was then presented with Ipswich's best chance of the half so far but blazed an acute drive wide of Hoult's near post.
Ipswich really should have pulled one back ten minutes from time following a spot of penalty-box pinball.
The grounded Lee managed to hook the ball across the six-yard box to the unmarked Danny Haynes who looked certain to score.
But the Town sub completely missed his kick and Albion cleared the danger.
That proved to be Town's last real chance as Albion comfortably ran down the clock.
ALBION (4-4-2): Hoult; Albrechtsen, C Davies, McShane, Clement; Gera (Chaplow 81), Greening, Carter, Koumas; Phillips, Kamara (Watson 90). Subs not used: Zuberbuhler (gk), Hartson, Quashie.
IPSWICH (4-4-2): Price; Bruce (Walton 63), Naylor, De Vos, Harding; Williams, Garvan, Legwinski, Roberts (Haynes 70); Lee, Macken (Clarke 70). Subs not used: Supple (gk), Richards.
GOALS: ALBION - Kamara (52), Koumas (67).
BOOKINGS: ALBION - McShane (foul 27), Greening (foul 87). IPSWICH - Naylor (dissent 83), Lee (foul 90+4).
REFEREE: C Penton (Sussex)
ATTENDANCE: 20,328.
ALBION STARMAN: Jason Koumas.
(PICS BY LAURIE RAMPLING)
