Nora try to decorate the house and coordinate a party with only twelve hours before their daughter and future son-in-law arrive. While Nora scrambles to find food, Luther goes to buy a tree, but is unable to get anything but a small, dried-up tree. Luther attempts to borrow the indoor tree of neighbor Wes Trogdon, who is going away for a week, with the warning that he is not to damage it. Luther enlists Spike's help to transport the tree across the street, but the neighbors spot him and, assuming he is stealing it, call the police. Spike shows that Luther has Trogdon's keys, and thus was given permission to borrow the tree. Nora comes home, having only been able to obtain smoked trout, and tells Luther to put up Frosty on their roof, which fails when he and Frosty fall off. Once it is established why Luther is trying frantically to decorate his home, the neighbors, led by Vic, come out in full force to help them ready it for Blair. She calls to say they landed from Miami, and the neighbors send the police to pick her up and stall long enough to let everyone finish setting up, during which they apprehend a burglar. The party starts off strong, with Blair having no idea of the earlier drama. Enrique thanks everyone for the warm welcome, and Nora thanks her neighbors for being a strong community. Luther, to everyone's disappointment, offers only a half-hearted toast. When Nora confronts her husband, he tries to convince her to still go on the cruise, but Nora refuses, disgusted that he is not happy that Blair is home. Having a change of heart, Luther slips out of the house, going across the street to the Scheel's. Bev's cancer, once in remission, has returned and, knowing this may be their last holiday together, Luther insists they take the cruise instead, even offering to catsit Muffles, to allow them to go. At first Walt and Bev decline, but ultimately decide to accept his generosity. Meanwhile, the burglar tricks Spike into releasing him so he can rob the Krank's house, but he gets stopped by Marty and arrested again. Luther, whose holiday spirit has been renewed, finally admits that skipping Christmas was not a good idea, with Nora suggesting they should do it next year. Cast Production Development Joe Roth knew about John Grisham's Skipping Christmas