[1][2][3] Three years after her husband died Emily Spengler, a 2nd grade teacher in the small Washington town of South Woodbourne, is preparing for the arrival of her daughter, Heather, who is a Boston College student.
When Emily finds out that Heather wishes to do other things for Christmas, she calls her friend Faith Kerrigan, for advice.
Struggling to finish his book after missing several deadlines, his brother Ray, the owner of a software security company, suggests he go someplace to concentrate on his writing.
Unfortunately, she is unaware that her daughter has already made plans to go with her boyfriend Jason, to Phoenix, Arizona, and stay at his grandparents' home.
Meanwhile in Boston, when Emily triggers the apartment alarm, Ray arrives with a police officer as Charles hadn't told him he had taken his advice.
Meanwhile in Arizona, Jason notices how homesick Heather is, so he buys plane tickets to Boston so she can spend Christmas with her mother.