Three years after her husband died, Emily Spengler, a 2nd grade teacher in the small Washington town of South Woodbourne, is preparing for the arrival of her daughter, Heather, who is attending school at Boston College. When Emily finds out that her daughter wishes to do other things for Christmas, she calls her friend, Faith Kerrigan, for advice. Faith is a divorced event planner based in San Francisco. Meanwhile in Boston, Charles Johnson, an English professor and writer, is working on the finishing draft for his latest novel. He is struggling to finish his book after missing several deadlines, and so his brother, Ray Johnson, the owner of a software security company, suggests he get away and find some place to concentrate on his writing. Meanwhile in Washington, Emily decides to surprise her daughter in Boston, although she is unaware that her daughter has already made plans to go with her boyfriend, Jason, to Phoenix, Arizona, and stay at the home of his grandparents.