Newspaper columnist Dave Barry deals with everyday life in the suburbs.
Santa's loading a gun and checking it twice, then taking Pops and the boys hostage for not showing the right Christmas spirit. He's only a part-time, dress-up Santa, but the gun is for real.
Charlie decides to take Claudia with him to Mexico. Charlie meets a woman at the hotel lobby and Claudia gets mad at him, saying that he never loved Kristen in the first place. She meets a boy and they kiss. Julia and Justin can't stop having sex, and she gets confused when he is cold to her. Justin tells Julia that he doesn't want to go through the same thing again. Bailey joins Sarah at her grandma's party. While reading grandma's old letters to her, she finds out that she's adopted. She is very confused about herself and goes to Bailey for comfort. Charlie tells Claudia that he misses Kristen and they run into her in the house when they get back.
Things look ho-ho-hopeless for Drew when the store's employees--including Kate--go on strike during the holiday rush, and he's forced to hire scabs to replace them.
Matthew is upset when he realizes Mr. James gave everyone except him a new convertible for Christmas. Meanwhile Bill is stalked by a homicidal Santa Claus.
While Hayden's priority is the Breakers' first game of the season, Doris is concerned with re-signing a handsome washout (Wahlheim) so he can model a line of swimwear endorsed by the team -- and television commentators focus on the team's new sex symbol during a game.
Beavis and Butt-head spend Christmas watching music videos, reading letters from viewers and spoof popular Christmas movies into their own hilarious shorts, like: "Huh Huh Humbug" and "It's a Miserable Life".
Frasier's thrilled by the prospect of a Christmas visit from his son, but he's forced to brave the mall on Christmas Eve to find just the right gift.
Simone's old pal Ray turns informant, from jail, in order to get a reduced sentence, but things don't go to plan. A father takes deadly revenge to protect his bullied son. Medavoy has to placate 2 actors who come to blows on stage.
Nothing goes right at Helen's christmas party: Joe wants to hit the road to head for the slopes before they are snowed in; Antonio gives but does not receive; Roy misses his mother; Budd tries to be social; and Casey invites Carlton's annoying nephew Lewis.