Surviving Christmas is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Mike Mitchell, written by Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan, Jennifer Ventimilia, and Joshua Sternin, based on a story by Elfont and Kaplan, and starring Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate, and Catherine O'Hara. Initially slated for a Christmas 2003 release, the film was pushed back to avoid competition with Affleck's 2003 sci-fi thriller Paycheck. The film received negative reviews from film critics. It grossed $15.1 million worldwide from a $45 million budget, making it a box office bomb. At the Golden Raspberry Awards, the film received nominations for Worst Picture, Worst Actor and Worst Screenplay, winning neither. Plot Just before Christmas, wealthy advertising executive Drew Latham surprises his girlfriend Missy with first-class tickets to Fiji, but she is horrified that he would want to spend Christmas away from his family. Citing the fact that Drew has never even introduced her to his family, she concludes that he will never get serious about their relationship and dumps him. Drew has his assistant send her a Cartier bracelet to apologize. Desperate not to spend Christmas alone, Drew calls all his contacts to find a place to stay on Christmas, but he is not close enough to anyone to be invited. Drew tracks down Missy's therapist Dr. Freeman at the airport, hoping for a therapy session. The hurried doctor tells him to list all of his grievances and then burn them at his childhood home, which is now occupied by the Valcos. As Drew is acting suspiciously, when he sets his grievances on fire, Tom Valco sneaks up behind him and knocks him out with a shovel. When he comes to, they let him to look around. He is thrilled to see his old room, so Drew impetuously offers Tom $250,000 to let him spend Christmas with them. He accepts, and Drew's lawyer draws up a contract that requires the Valcos to pose as his family. The next day, Drew forces the family to go out and buy a tree together, requiring Tom to wear a Santa cap in public. While they are trimming the tree, their eldest child, Alicia, arrives for the holidays and is stunned by Drew's presence. He suggests that she could portray the maid since she is an unexpected addition to the scenario. Drew writes a script for the family to read at the table at dinner. He hires