The Plight Before Christmas

So I happened to catch the latest episode of Bob's Burgers yesterday -- a rare feat -- and it just might be my favorite "new" Christmas episode in a very long time.

It's one of their shorter episodes, but it packs a simple punch akin to "A Charlie Brown Christmas," in that it quietnly supports a simplified holiday season focusing on family togetherness.

The story concentrates on Bob and Linda having to juggle their presence at three separate Christmas-themed performances:

Gene performing with others in the fourth grade in a xylophone concert at Wagstaff Elementary.

Tina performing with her Thunder Girls troop at the City Hall Plaza.

Louise reading what they suspect is a jokey poem at the city library.

All events occur at 6 pm on the same day, bringing on this exchange between parents:

Bob and Linda [responding to the news that Louise's performance is the same night as the other two]: That's TONIGHT?

Linda: I thought it was tomorrow!

Bob: I only know what she knows!

I feel ya, Bobby. Been there many times.

Mrs. Merkin planned on just winging her students through the performance, but has to have an emergency appendectomy that night. The school brings in a substitute -- the only one who answered the phone -- to help, but she knows nothing about music and has no idea what Mrs. Merkins' plan was in the first place.

Gene has the idea to remove most of the bars from the xylophones, giving the players fewer choices (a simplified holiday season) and they turn in a stellar performance. Tina sacrifices her role as the Christmas Star to race to the library in time to hear Louise deliver a non-jokey poem, with Linda hot on her tail:

What's Around the Tree, by Louise Belcher

I can't see what's around the tree

when I'm pawing through the presents.

But when I sit back and get my present unwrapped,

I look up and I see my parents.

I see and smell my brother,

and that's clearly where the gas is.

And I see my sister with something

that looks like gingerbread on her glasses.

And we don't have gingerbread.

So this is odd.

We made funny ornaments for the tree this year,

And we make funny ornaments sitting here,

Around the tree. So jolly.

Didn't expect to feel this way.

I was focusing on Santa.

But the best presents are sitting here,

and they aren't even wrapped up.

And that is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.