High school freshman Simon desperately looks for a new image, but clothes nor hairstyle do the trick, so he ends up with an earring. Matt is puzzled when a girl he approaches in the library calls her brother's help against him as 'stalker' after hearing he once dated Heather. Mary breaks every rule and promise when babysitting for Hank by taking in Frances's baby so her 'friend' can spy on Johnny, but the Camden parents' pool night just there makes the real, for all concerned unpleasant difference when Eric blindly assumes Johnny to be an abusive adulterer, while Frankie rather trapped him.

A few days before what Eric thinks might be his last Christmas with the whole Camden clan, he wakes up in heaven, which looks rather like Glenoak, and is welcomed by his loving mother-in-law and deceased people who appreciate what he did for them and their loved ones and worry about the mortals still on earth, including the Camden family who are preparing for Christmas--even Lucy and Kevin are back early from San Francisco. While in heaven Eric is offered miraculous Christmas gifts for his family, all things he generously gave his parishioners, such as time for Matt and Mary to spend on their families and erasers for memories which poison relationships. His family decides to extend their annual Charity Day to 3 days: 1 because it feels good, 1 as Eric's favorite present, and 1 for the infant Jesus. The best might be his own gift: everybody has a bunch of guardian angels, and the experienced one in charge of his paperwork is processing an application from colleague Stanley to grant his suggested wish for more time alive on earth.