Sharon takes advantage of a daredevil opportunity when her braces kick-start her mother's car. But her older brother, Adam, unknowingly takes the blame when she ends up having an accident.

It's Christmas in Elkford! Sharon prepares to draw Alden's name from a gift exchange in homeroom, but her party is pooped when Nina's name is on Sharon's card. Sharon, at first, wants to get her something cheap, but she decides to get her a plastic angel. Sharon procrastinates, and at the exchange, Sharon has five dollars in pennies for Nina! Just as Sharon is giving Nina the bag, Nina says she does not want anything that year.

Sharon could not wait to get home and put the tofurkey in the oven,(Sharon is a vegan) decorate the tree, and sing carols. However, her plan backfires when Ellen has work, Josh celebrates Channukah, and Adam has to camp out in the freezing weather in the driveway with tthe family's pioneer-like uncle. Sharon gets so angry, she storms off telling her mother she is going somewhere a ""real Christmas"" is happening.

On her quest to find her ""real Christmas,"" Sharon stops at Connor's, but she leaves because relatives constantly argue. She then goes to Maria's where