Abstract
The scene is set during the week preceding Christmas. Indeed, Hale is placing the Christmas tree helped by his sons, Reese, Malcolm and Dewy. Hale is wearing a jumper where is printed a snowman and the house is nicely decorating with lightings which really shows the Christmas spirit. Also, Malcolm is putting a sparkly gold star on the top of the tree. However, it seems that the boys are not excited like they should be. The theme of the episode is quickly set up within the first minute.
Meanwhile, Lois is talking on the phone with her older son, Francis, while wrapping Christmas presents. She asks him to stay a couple of days with his grandma but he doesn't want to because he says that his grandma is evil and that she hates him but he still has to visiting her. He has no choice because this is the first Christmas for Hilda, Lois' mother, since her husband's death. It's really kind from Lois because she's thinking about her mother but on the other hand, it's really selfish too because she don't want either to see her in her house for the holidays.
