Plot: The Robertsons live in Santa Cruz, California. Joy Robertson, who owns her own knitting store, is a domestic goddess who does everything around the house for her family, even more so at Christmastime. She wants this Christmas to be the most special ever as her and her English professor husband Stephen Robertson's two sons, Jeremy Robertson and Mark Robertson, are heading off to college next year, meaning that this Christmas could be their last as a collective. Under Joy's direction and to her exacting standards, the male members of the family have always seemed to enjoy the Christmas routine, like getting the tree and putting up decorations. However, they are all more preoccupied this year to put much effort into the work behind the holiday. Stephen is under a deadline to complete his novel. Jeremy is focusing on his sports - football and basketball - in hopes of getting a scholarship. And Mark's focus is on his new girlfriend and music. On top of all these issues, Stephen expects her to do all the work for a departmental party at their house on Christmas Eve which he throws at her nine days before the event, she is to help Mark prepare for a Christmas jamming session party with his band mates and friends at the house the day before that, and she has to make her famous secret recipe thumbprint cookies for a banquet for Jeremy's football team. She has to fit this all into her busier than usual schedule at the store with her major competitor having closed its doors since last Christmas. Any time Joy asks her family to handle a task to get ready for Christmas this year, they fall short of doing so in their own preoccupation and the expectation that Joy will eventually come through for them. Running ragged off her feet, Joy, taking a cue from a strike happening at the local supermarket, decides to go on strike with her family for Christmas until they meet her three demands associated with pitching in to get ready for the many events and for the big day. Stephen, Jeremy and Mark, who have few domestic skills, especially in the kitchen, do whatever they can not to meet her demands but to do enough to make Joy cave into stopping her strike. But the strike takes on a life of its own within Santa Cruz, with many other wives and mothers following her lead. Joy gets a different perspective on the matter from her mother, Erna, which may lead to Joy and her men coming to a new view of the strike and of Christmas this year.
Alternative Plot: Neighborhood women band together when their families take them for granted during the holidays.
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