Man with a Plan

Okay, here's the deal...

if we plug these in and they light up,

we got to spend the afternoon untangling them.

If they don't, we can chuck 'em and watch the game.

Yeah. I know what I'm rooting for.

Yeah.

- Aw... - Aw...

- Hey...! - Hey...!

- Yeah! - Yeah!

- Aw... - Aw...

- Hey...! - Hey...!

I think we celebrate that with a Christmas beer.

Hey, remember when we used to help Dad untangle the Christmas lights?

Yeah. That's where I learned all my swear words.

He'd start with a couple a couple frickin' frackin's, and then he'd

move on to the good stuff.

Hey.

Hey, honey.

Oh, look at the lights.

It's exciting!

It's the time to deck the halls and jingle some bells.

- Don, you remember Christmas Andi. - Yeah.

She's just like regular Andi, except if someone

popped off her head and stuffed her

full of snowflakes and speed.

I can't help it... it's my favorite time of year.

Oh, which reminds me. For our Christmas pictures this year,

we're all gonna wear matching sweaters

for maximum cuteness.

I smell a trip to Sweater Barn.

Oh, Sweater Barn!

Great idea, Don. Thanks!

Yeah, thanks, Don.

- Well, at least it's not Candle House. - Oh!

Candle House! Thank you for reminding me.

- You did that one to yourself. - Yeah.

Okay, honey,

you know I love Christmas Andi, okay,

but I don't want you making yourself crazy, all right?

Christmas is still three weeks away,

and you're already at level eight.

That's okay, I can go all the way to a hundred.

Okay. Well, I'm off to the craft store.

I can't believe I let our glitter supply get this low.

Look, hey, hey, hey, before you go, just think about this, okay?

You're back to work now, we both have a lot on our plates...

maybe we should just dial it back a little this year.

- Dial it back? - Mm-hmm.

Oh, no, we have to amp it up

because I'm back at work.

Look, I... I want the kids to know that

I may have a job now, but my heart is still at home,

covered with tinsel.

So that's a no on dialing it back?

Look, I know it's a lot,

but... look, on Christmas morning

when those kids come running down those stairs

to open their presents, it's-it's magical.

It's my magical moment,

and it makes all the hard work worth it.

Hey, if you really want to amp up Christmas,

I suggest a trip to Decoration Station.

Oh, I love that place!

5,000 square feet

of things to hang on a tree.

The choices will bring Adam to his knees.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to send you to some more boring stores,

'cause I think it's funny.

- Aw... - Aw...

You guys better untangle those.

Andi's on

a holiday roll, man.

You got some tough weeks ahead of you.

Yeah, but she loves it.

Happy wife, happy life.

Happy husband...

It's so unimportant nobody even tried to rhyme it.

You know,

there is a way out of this... outsource it. Fix it so that

you guys spend Christmas with one of the grandparents.

Let them do all the work.

Well, we can't go to our folks.

Things are weird between Mom and Andi

since she caught Andi staring at her chin whisker.

You could strum a guitar with that thing.

But you know what?

Andi's parents could work. Yeah, I mean,

they're both active, they're both clean-shaven...

and they're both

as crazy about Christmas as she is.

You know, they'd do all the prep.

It'd take a lot of pressure off Andi.

And less work for you.

Yeah, don't think I didn't notice that.

Mm, I don't know, though, you know.

If I suggest it, she's gonna know I have an angle.

She's smart, Don... it's her only bad quality.

You don't suggest it to Andi.

Call her parents, say the grandkids miss them,

sit back, let it happen.

It's like taking candy

from... a really old baby.

I love this idea.

I'm gonna call them right now.

I'm right here if anything goes wrong.

You haven't moved all day.

True.

Frank. It's Adam.

How's things in Virginia Beach?

You guys getting ready for Christmas?

Yeah, the kids sure would love to see you this year.

Huh? Spend Christmas at your place?

I'm in. But run it by Andi.

Yeah, but say it came from you; don't tell her it was my idea.

Why? U-Uh...

Hold on a sec.

Why?

Just hang up.

Uh, because I want you guys to get credit for this great idea.

Yeah.

Okay. Oh.

Ho-ho-ho to you, too.

Hey, um, my folks just called.

They want us to go to Virginia Beach for Christmas.

What?

That's out of the blue.

Yeah, but we should just stay here, right?

Definitely, yeah.

On the other hand...

you know, now that I'm thinking about it for the first time...

it might make your life easier.

You know, you said you wanted an amped-up Christmas

and you know your parents go Christmas crazy.

It's genetic.

Yeah, I mean, they did sound pretty excited.

And I guess it would be less work for us.

Would it be?

I don't know, let's just do it and see.

Yeah, I mean, I suppose we could do

all our Christmas Eve traditions down there, right?

I mean, like, buying the tree,

and wrapping the presents,

and bandaging your paper cuts

from wrapping the presents.

Three generations,

celebrating the holiday together.

You know, now that I'm over the surprise of it,

I got to say, that sounds pretty good.

I'll call it "Christmas Through the Generations."

You know, we've never

taken a picture with my parents

all in the same sweater.

You are knocking me out, lady.

And I'll still get my magic moment Christmas morning.

I love it.

I'm gonna go check flights to Virginia.

That's a great idea. Yeah.

You know, I got to say, I feel a little silly

that I didn't think of this one myself.

Well, you got to admit,

all this free time

has been pretty relaxing, right?

Yeah.

Weird, but relaxing.

Oh, I talked to my parents

and they are taking care of everything.

They even had our traditional

pre-Christmas fight for us.

Oh, and we're all set on the kids' gifts.

I ordered everything online,

I had it sent directly to Virginia.

It was amazing.

I'd pick one thing

and the Internet would say,

"If you like this,

you might also like this."

And I did, every time.

Mommy, I finished

my letter to Santa.

Oh, good job, sweetie.

Just in case he didn't get your first 17.

I'm not taking any chances.

So, how'd you do?

I got everything,

except the baby sister.

Mom,

did you tell Dad about who stopped by earlier?

Oh, yeah, Carol Robertson from next door.

Yeah, she dropped off

her keys so we could

watch their place while they're away,

but really,

it was really just an excuse to brag

about their two-week vacation to Hawaii.

Well, did you tell her that we'd be spending

the next three days in Virginia Beach,

the Hawaii of Virginia?

Yeah, she said we had the shortest vacation

of anyone she knew.