A Christmas Conundrum

As Christmas approaches, Connie's failing car stalls in traffic yet again. She has found a red Prelude at Honest Irwin's dealership but cannot afford it. Whit quietly decides to combine her year-end bonus with his Christmas gift and buy the car, then asks Eugene to discover which vehicle she wants without revealing the surprise.

Eugene clumsily questions Connie about the car's make, color, and location. His sudden interest makes Connie suspect that Eugene intends to buy it for her. When she learns the red Prelude has just been sold, suspicion becomes certainty.

Connie has already spent most of her gift budget on an expensive watch for Whit and purchased only a thrift-store vest for Eugene. Feeling guilty about accepting a car in exchange for such a small present, she cancels the watch and uses the money to buy the elaborate stereo system Eugene has admired.

Tom collects the stereo for Connie at the Electric Palace. Eugene sees him carrying it and hears Bart mention a gift receipt, so he assumes Tom has purchased the system for him. Now Eugene feels obligated to find Tom an equally expensive present.

Eugene asks Whit to discover what Tom wants. Uncomfortable with the request but owing Eugene a favor for identifying Connie's car, Whit visits the Timothy Center and carefully questions Tom. Tom mentions that an industrial vacuum would make cleaning the cabins much easier.

Tom recognizes that Whit's odd questions must mean someone plans to buy the vacuum for him. Believing Whit is the generous giver, Tom telephones Connie to learn about the costly watch she originally chose and buys it for Whit. Each person now spends beyond the original plan because of a gift someone else may not even be giving.

At Whit's End's Christmas exchange, the misunderstandings emerge one package at a time. Eugene gives Connie a scarf, while Connie gives Whit a discounted cheese basket instead of the canceled watch. Eugene presents Tom with the industrial vacuum, and Tom gives Whit the altimeter watch.

Tom's own gift to Eugene is a practical set of hubcaps, but Connie gives Eugene the expensive stereo. Finally, Whit gives Connie a key to the red Prelude parked outside. Connie is thrilled by the car and mortified by the clearance cheese basket she gave him.

Everyone begins tracing who bought what because of whom. Connie expected a car from Eugene, Eugene expected a stereo from Tom, and Tom expected a vacuum from Whit. Whit stops the anxious comparisons and reminds them that a gift is meant to express love, not create an equal debt.

No gift the wise men carried could have equaled what Jesus would give the world, yet their offerings still expressed worship. In the same way, the friends can receive one another's presents gratefully without balancing every price. Connie sincerely thanks Eugene for the scarf, and the group enjoys Tom's powerful new vacuum - until it appears to swallow Whit's unopened mustache trimmer.

After the party, Eugene meets Grady, who has tried to earn money for a CD-playing alarm clock for his mother. He could afford only a secondhand stopwatch. Grady explains that his mother once cut apart her own coat to make one that would keep him warm, and he wishes he could give as sacrificially as she does.

Eugene gives Grady the new stereo, which includes the alarm his mother needs. When Grady protests that he has given Eugene nothing and does not deserve it, Eugene recognizes the heart of Christmas at last. The gift is not payment in an exchange; it is freely given love.