Reviewed by MB

The show starts out with Marge yelling at Homer because he has waited to Christmas Eve to do his shopping. Homer parks at the local shopping center and parks in a handicap spot and starts to limp towards the mall. At the mall there are no more presents left so Homer opens a register for himself and takes all the gifts and makes excuses to the previous owner as to why he can't have it.

Back at the Simpson's house they are getting ready to decorate the tree and Marge says that this year they wont have the old aluminum tree, this year its plastic all the way. The kids are sitting on the windowsill and see Santa falling off the roof, they scream -then they see Homer falling and they laugh. The Simpson family is standing together outside when homer turn on the lights. Its "craptacular."

Marge says this year they will wait till 7 am Christmas morning to open the presents and takes everyone's alarm clocks. She wants to celebrate Christmas like a family should. Grampa Abe knocks on the windows screaming hello and Homer closes the blinds on him. Bart has a plan to wake up early: he drinks a lot of water so he will have to go to the bathroom, and will wake up early. Then he can open the presents before anyone else.

Bart goes to sleep and has a dream. He is falling down the drain and is in a canal on a raft - lots of water stuff. There are cheerleaders chanting "Gimee a 'P'." Bart wakes up and heads to the bathroom. We next see Bart coming out of the bathroom smiling. He looks at his watch and its 5:04. Bart goes downstairs and starts opening his presents. He first opens a card from Selma and finds money. He then opens his present from Santa and gets a toy tuck that shoots water. Bart accidentally shoots the outlet with the Christmas lights, and starts a fire, which burns down the tree and all presents. Bart takes the melted pile of wax outside and buries it in the snow.

The family comes downstairs and sees that there is no Christmas tree. Homer asks Lisa where Christmas is? Bart is about to tell the truth, but worries for his safety and lies: He says that a burglar broke in and took everything. Homer starts crying and asks Marge if he could skip church. The police come in and start asking questions. Wiggum asks Bart what the burglar looks like. Bart replies that he had a glass eye, a wooden leg, a dollar sign on his shirt, and hooks for arms.

Marge says that they shouldn't forget the true meaning of Christmas-birth of Santa. The Simpsons are in a pretty bad mood so Homer suggests that they go to visit Grampa Abe, old people always cheers Homer up.

On the way to the Old Folks Home, the Simpsons pass the flandereseseseses house; and the Ned's are all happy. So, the Simpsons decide to look like they got amazing presents for Christmas-cross country skis. So they "ski" past Ned's house. But, the Hibberts come, and circle the Simspons on their new snow mobiles. That can't be as fun as it looks. At the nursing home, all the old people are really happy. Jasper says that the pharmaceutical man came by and made them all happy. Homer than goes to... where else but Moes!

And Homer get's really drunk. Moe tells Homer that his house is on TV. Kent Brockman is interviewing Marge about the burglary. She says that Homer is at church, and that the family is absolutely devastated. At the end Kent hopes people choke a little bit on their food tonight. People then come from all over town to give the Simpsons stuff for the holiday. (this is a takeoff on "it's a wonderful life).

Marge says it's a miracle that people are giving things/money to them. Mr. Burns asks if anyone has change for a button. Ned gives Homer half of his tree. There are two homeless kids at the Simpson residence and one of them gives Bart 1 dollar that they have been saving. Moe gives all his tips to homer. All the cash that everyone in Springfield gave equals up to 15,000 dollars. Everyone tells the Simpsons to enjoy the present. They should go buy happiness.

Homer goes out and buys a car. At the dealership Bart is feeling guillty, and tries to talk Homer out of buying the car. The salesman pokes Bart to get him to shut up. On the way back to the house everyone is singing in the car, except for Bart. But, since it has been snowing the road is very wet, and the new car starts to skid. Everyone says to do something else. Homer says that everyone should speak one at a time. He asks Lisa to go - bail out! The car goes into the river and blows up. Well at least the burglar is having a merry Christmas.

Bart gets up early in the morning and confesses to everyone. Lisa starts choking him, Homer tells Lisa to stop-her hands are too weak; and Homer starts choking him. Everyone in the house tries to kill Bart. Kent Brockman arrives at the Simpsons for a follow up story, and asks if they have any words for the thief. Homer has strong words for the thief, and he would like to thank the town for their generosity. But just as Homer finishes the melted tree and presents are uncovered. Homer covers for Bart and said that Bart acted alone. And Bart only told them after they filed a false police report, and after they spent the money.

Everyone in town is now mad at them. After the cut Kent thanks them for the story. The Simpsons have scammed Springfield. When the Simpsons are back at their house tomato are thrown at them and then a pumpkin. Then a Pineapple is thrown in on a fishing rod and its taken back, but its thrown back in again. The Simpsons go to Krusty Burger to eat and two kids are spitting in their food. On of them notices that it's the family that everyone hates. At school Ms. Hoover tells Lisa to stop learning, she wants her money back. So Lisa is forced to turn her desk around. "Hi liar" says the ever-funny Ralph. Homer runs in to the lounge at work and tells everybody to evacuate, yeah right people reply. The Simpson family is getting hate mail. One letter is signed from Moe; great now we have to get him a card replies Homer.

Marge has a plan to earn back everyone's money: she goes on Jeopardy. But, she ends up being down $5200. Alex wants his money back. Back at the house, all of springfield waits in the the yard, everyone is smilling. The simpsons think they are forgiven, but they are only forgiven because everyone is taking their stuff to pay back the money. Leny takes a log, the comic book guy takes the silverware, and Krusty says not to bother checking the cabinet upstairs. The simpsons have repaid their debt - and then some.

It's an empty house now, but Marge says they should try to make the best of a bad situation- at least they have each other. But they had each other before. Homer finds a wash cloth that was forgotten, and everyone fights over the wash cloth all around the house. Marge appears to stop them, but only to "yoink" it away for herself. The episode ends with OFF chasing marge for the washcloth.

Reveiws

Simpson Crazies Newsletter for December 7 by UP

This weeks episode begins with Homer laying on the couch drinking beer. Homer is relaxed, as he knows it is Saturday, and there is no work. Unfortunatly, Homer is wrong, Marge: "it's Wednesday!". "ahh, work!".

We then see Homer on the couch again, this time eating popcorn with his tongue, one piece at a time. Homer chokes on each one, but still goes back for more. Homer is happy that it now really is Saturday, not like that fake saturday that almost got him fired. Marge complains that she wants to get out of the house. Homer tells her to get all dressed up, and takes her to... The police aution for seized property.

While Snake and his cellmate look on from the jail, Homer buys snake's car. Snake vows revenge as Homer drives off with Marge, and is happily speeding through Springfield when Marge tells himto be careful. Homer is very careful as he hops a curb and drives on two wheels. Marge insists she won't drive with him until he is safe, so Homer lets her off to walk home, and drives off.

Marge starts walking ,and on the way sees Lionel Hutz putting up a for sale sign with his name on it. Marge becomes interested in being a real estate agent, and has bart and lisa dress up as a married couple to practice on them. At dinner, Homer tries to convince Marge not to try, as "trying is the first step toward failure"! Homer proves this by "trying" to cut his food, but it all spills off his plate. D'oh! Marge decides to try anyway, and the nextday she takes her exam. She passes, and now goes to work at the same agency as lionel hutz.

On her first day, she meets all the other agents and is given a red blazer declaring her a real estate agent. Meanwhile, Homer stops off at Moes, who is surprised to learn that he is into cars. Moe looks under the engine and confrims that the car has a certain engine, etc. Homer agrees to each part. After the last one, Moe points out that he made that one up. "oh, yeah".

Homer continues on, and happens to pass the jail, where Snake hears how his car is starting to stutter and stall. Snake realizes he must help, so he walks out the gate that has a sign that says "no escaping, please". Snake:"screw the honor system". Snake smells the air, and recognizes regular gas, he yells after Homer to use "premium, dude". Finally, Snake decides that he is going to get his car back.

Back to Marge, who is trying to sell houses but can't because she is too honest. Hutz sits her down and explains that "there's the truuuth, (shakes head no) and the TRUTH (shakes head yes)". He also tells her that she must sell a house in the first week, or she's fired. Marge is now looking for a house for the Flanders. They see the perfect house, but they don't know that a murder occured there a while ago. Marge "neglects" to tell them, and they put down a deposit on it. The night before the Flanders move, Homer and OFF are saying goodbye, and Homer offers to help if Ned needs anyting. Ned: "well I could..." Homer: "it was just a figure of speech". The next day, Marge is feeling guilty, and tells Ned the truth, and offers back the deposit. However, Ned and family are happy to be part of Springfield's history, and want to stay.

Snake, meanwhile, is tying wire from two trees across the road. His theory: Homer loses his head, his car rolls to a gentle stop and he reclaims it-"everybody wins". Homer is speeding along, but ducks under the wire to pick up a gum ball. Mr. Van Houten isn't so lucky and loses his arm. Snake then jumps off of a bridge into the passenger seat, and starts fighting with Homer for the car. Both go to the fender to fight, and one their shoes flies off and happens toland on the gas peddle. As they are fighting, they drive by a sleeping chief Wiggum. He wakes up, and calls in a code 318-waking a police officer. He then follows Snake and Homer.

Snake's car drives into Flander's new home, starting to knock down the structure, and Wiggum's car follows, knocking down the house. Ned asks marge for the deposit check, then tears it up. The next day, Marge is talking to hutz, who complains about the bill (police car, house, snake's car) and that she (even worse) returned the deposit. Hutz gives her a red blazer, saying no one deserves it more than her-it says FIRED on the front.

In the car, Marge feels bad that she never got a paycheck, so Homer drives her to the unemployment office-she collects a check for $300, then questions how she can get that much money for nothing. George Bush had just got his check, and says "this gets easier every week".

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