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The episode kicks off with some narration, setting up the magic of the holiday season and how we’re all hoping for the perfect Christmas… but it never quite works out that way.

We meet Chuck, who hires a bucket lifter to get his Christmas decorations as high as possible. He doesn’t care what his neighbors think—especially his next-door neighbor, Manny, who seems to have some beef with Chuck, despite their kids dating.

Then there’s Jennifer, who is stressed because her mom, Linda, is dating a younger man and bringing him home for the holidays. Jennifer’s dad, Robert, is coming too, but Linda hasn’t told him about her new boyfriend.

Josh Hill comes home for Christmas before his move to Sydney. He buys his parents tech gadgets, but they don’t use them.

Ted and Marcus arrive to celebrate their engagement with Ted’s family this Christmas, and Ted’s mom is PUMPED.

We also meet two teenagers, Max and Annie. They’re best friends working on a gift drive, but when cool girl Stephanie shows up, Max is clearly smitten, which bums Annie out. She talks to her mom, Lucy, about it, who just offers her a candy cane. Lucy runs a bakery, and a hunk named Cole comes in to do some handiwork. Sparks are flying. Lucy’s sister, Sylvie, is also coming to spend Christmas with her for the first time in years, and Sylvie is a lot.

Josh gets pulled over by Detective Nora Jacobs, whom he recognizes from school. It’s clear they never really got along. She gives him a ticket, much to his surprise.

Meanwhile, Manny and his wife are so excited that their daughter, Gaby, is home for Christmas! She has big news—she may be getting her own cooking show! But the joy doesn’t last long when she finds out her brother, Kevin, is dating their next-door neighbor, Katie, who used to torment Gaby as a kid.

Josh complains about the ticket, but his parents tell him that Nora is actually pretty awesome. Her husband passed away, and now she’s raising their kid on her own. Josh starts to feel a little bad.

Ted and Marcus are talking wedding plans when Ted brings up his grandma as a potential problem. Everyone skirts around the issue until Ted admits: his grandma doesn’t know he’s gay. Marcus is shocked and doesn’t understand why Ted hasn’t told her. They’re even more surprised to find out she’s coming for Christmas, despite planning a spa trip to Florida. When she meets Marcus, Ted introduces him as “his friend.”

Clark and his wife, Rebecca, show up at his family’s house. Clark’s dad is Chuck, the Christmas light guy. Their large family immediately gives them grief for deciding to go vegan this year.

Josh goes to pay his ticket and meets Nora’s kid, who teaches him how to properly structure his Legos.

Gaby and her family head to their annual karaoke festival, which she loves. She’s upset when Katie shows up, and things get worse when they both choose the same song to perform. Everyone knows what that means… DUET! They crush it—until Katie accidentally hits Gaby in the face, causing her to fall off the stage. To top it all off, Gaby learns her parents are giving Katie her room because she’s too tall for the couch.

Later, Josh is in a rush to sign some papers and forgets to put his car in park. It rolls into a fire hydrant. Of course, Nora shows up and tells him this is pretty serious, and he’ll have to go to court. Josh pleads, saying he’s moving to Australia, so she gives him community service instead.

Gaby is looking for a blanket when she finds an engagement ring in Kevin’s pocket. She is not happy.

Ted’s grandma finds the wedding planning album and assumes Marcus is engaged… to Ella, Ted’s sister. Now she’s staying.

Meanwhile, Chuck’s wife, Connie, is tired of the family fighting, so she makes everyone sign a no-fighting agreement. Chuck agrees but insists they turn on the Christmas lights first. Predictably, it doesn’t go well.