In the Evans kitchen the next day, Mrs. Evans reads an article in the newspaper about the father’s having saved the life of his daughter, but Max says nothing. Isabel comes in, dragging the tree behind her. "Max. This is, by far, the most pathetic Christmas tree I have ever seen. Did you even refer to my diagram?" Max mumbles an excuse as Isabel goes on to the subject of burnt-out Christmas lights. Max looks up, and sees the ghost of the heroic father sitting on the washer in their laundry room, and walks slowly toward him. The ghost asks Max why he let him die, sending Max into a tailspin of guilt.

Meanwhile, Michael can’t decide what to get Maria for Christmas, and Maria is not cutting him a break...she wants a present, and she wants it before Christmas. The Valenti men, on the other hand, have done nothing to celebrate the holiday, since they only care about watching football, so Tess takes it upon herself to bring the Christmas spirit to them. Maria can’t figure out what’s wrong when she takes Brody his lunch and finds him in an unusually quiet, withdrawn mood.

Isabel and Michael are in the pharmacy, where Michael shows Isabel an electric toothbrush, saying that’s what he’s giving Maria for Christmas. Isabel responds by saying that there will be hell to pay if he gives Maria a dental appliance, and that he’d be better off getting her nothing at all. When Michael admits that he tried that last year, Isabel is horrified, saying it was the all-important first year of their relationship – how could he give her nothing? She tells him to go home, think of all he and Maria have shared, and come up with a present that’s personal, thoughtful, and something someone would never get herself. Consulting her personal organizer for her next round of scheduled holiday volunteering, Isabel turns to leave. Michael murmurs, "All hail the Christmas Nazi." She stops, turns around, and says, "What was that?" Michael clams up, and Isabel smiles tightly before she’s off again.

Maria, meanwhile, is with a group of carolers, going door-to-door and singing for those less fortunate. They have one house left – a five-year-old girl with cancer. As they begin to sing, the door opens, and there is Brody with his daughter. Maria is shocked, and now realizes why Brody has been so quiet lately. Max has been observing the carolers from a distance, when the ghost appears again. The ghost berates Max for having let him die when he could have used his powers to save him, and he blames Max for his children having to grow up without a father. Still upset, Max goes to see Liz and tells her what happened, but he sees the ghost yet again. The ghost now tells him that he needs to restore the balance, which Max repeats to Liz.

Isabel shows up at Michael’s apartment with an armful of presents. Michael shows her the new present he’s chosen just for Maria – a bumper for her Jetta. Isabel decides he needs help, and pencils him into her organizer. Frustrated and stressed out, she screams, "Is it too much to ask that one day a year I can be a normal human being with a normal life and have a merry Christmas?" Michael replies, "No, mein Führer." Isabel again narrows her eyes at him, asking, "What?" To which Michael replies, "What?" But then she calms down and asks if she can leave some presents there.