Ed's visiting parents show their disapproval of his new life in Stuckeyville; Ed defends two men being sued for pulling a prank involving a lottery ticket; Carol becomes coach for the school's losing junior varsity basketball team; Shirley and Kenny stake out a vandal at Stuckeybowl.

Ed becomes the anti-Claus after a wealthy client gives Stuckeyville a Christmas gift he really can't afford, forcing the bowling-alley bunch to host a frenzied fund-raiser. Meanwhile, Mike fears that he and Nancy are a bad influence on their own daughter; and Carol gets a peek at the other woman in Dennis's life.