Frasier’s Christmas spirit is dampened when he learns that his longawaited son Frederick won’t be joining him for the holidays. To keep himself busy, Frasier volunteers to take Bulldog’s shift on Christmas Day.

The strategy backfires when Frasier and Roz find themselves at the mercy of a seemingly endless parade of depressing callers. Listening to their sad tales only makes Frasier feel even more miserable.

After work, a melancholy Frasier decides to dine solo at a neighborhood diner. Just when he caps off his “blue day” by forgetting his wallet, a group of impoverished patrons volunteer to pick up his dinner tab, showing him the true meaning of Christmas. Arriving home, Frasier discovers that his family has made an early return from a holiday trip, and that his Christmas wasn’t so bad after all.