As we race towards the final stretch of Little House on the Prairie season 1, the show begins to jump ahead in time, with episode 6 opening on Christmas Eve. That’s right, winter has finally arrived on the prairie, and we get a holiday episode right out of the gate.
Laura is full of Christmas joy, singing a holiday tune as she hangs up the family stockings before the conversation shifts to plans for the holiday dinner. Caroline assures her that while Christmas on the prairie might look a little different, they’re all together, and that’s what counts.
In town, George heads into the General Store to find Emily and Caleb taking stock. He regrets to inform her that the weather might prevent them from heading out to the Ingalls’ Christmas dinner. When he offers to take a letter to them when heading out for a visit, Emily quickly points out that if the weather is too bad for her to ride out for the Christmas Eve dinner, it’s too bad for him to make the journey as well. She convinces him to stick around for some cookies and suggests they ride out together when the snow lets up.
Back at the Ingalls' home, Caroline confesses to Charles that she wishes he hadn’t laid it on so thick with talks of Santa coming given that all of the girls’ gifts will be handmade. He admits he wishes he had picked up some things from the store on credit, but she reminds him it’s likely for the better he did not, as money is tight. She suggests they let the girls know the truth, but he’s not prepared to let them know about those worries or lose their Christmas magic.
The weather isn’t the only thing that remains icy, as Laura and Mary’s relationship remains just as chilly between the pair. Charles breaks the tension by making some popcorn before the family settles in to tell stories around the fireplace. Laura reflects on a memory of a holiday spent with their family dancing and becomes a bit melancholy about spending the holiday with just the four of them. Caroline suggests they have their own dance as the girls dance away while Charles plays his fiddle.
As the night continues, Laura helps Caroline prepare some pies as Caroline and Mary approach Charles and ask him if they’re having money problems, as they want to help. He shuts down the line of questioning and asks what has been going on between Mary and Laura. Charles admits he doesn’t know what it’s like to be the oldest sibling, but it must be a burden being the oldest, as he reminds her that he trusts in her instincts as a big sister.
After dinner, Laura and Mary prepare dessert, and Laura encourages Mary to apologize to Caleb, and he’ll forgive her, just as Mary should finally forgive her for what happened that day. To Laura’s surprise, Mary admits it’s not about Caleb: it’s about her. Everything is always about Laura. No matter what Mary does, Laura is always the favorite. Caroline overhears the conversation and stands up to interject, but she quickly realizes she’s going into labor and the baby is coming.
We learn that the baby is coming early, as Caroline still has a month left in her pregnancy. She wants to send for George, but Charles refuses to leave her as he reminds her that while her sisters might not be here to help her through labor, she’s not alone in this.
As Charles sees to Caroline, Emily reassures Laura that ma and the baby will both be fine. Laura worries about the baby hating her like Mary does as Mary reminds her that she doesn’t hate Laura. She might get annoyed, but she could never hate her. She recalls one of her favorite Christmas memories and the fun she and Laura had that day as Laura rests her head on Mary’s side. Just then, the pair hears a baby crying, hinting their little brother or sister has arrived.
We cut to Charles handing the baby to Caroline before the girls enter, and Charles introduces them to their new baby sister. Caroline suggests they can name the baby Georgina, but Charles suggests they instead name her Caroline.
George and Emily grow close over Christmas Eve
At the General Store, Emily, George, and Caleb pass the time decorating gingerbread cookies as the snow continues to come down hard outside. As they chat, Emily invites George to stick around and spend Christmas with her and Caleb at the store, and we honestly could not love these two any more than we do!
As Emily and George prepare the table for dinner, Caleb refuses to come down, and George offers to talk with him. He heads upstairs to find Caleb passing time and wanting to finish his work. Caleb wishes she hadn’t gone all out, as Christmas is meant for families, not people stuck together because of snow.
George reflects on how he struggled to celebrate one Christmas when he knew how much others were suffering, so he left the party and volunteered at a hospital. He asks Caleb to put his feelings aside to make this a happy Christmas for Emily as they head downstairs for dinner.
Over dinner, Emily recalls how when she was little, they were always on the road as her parents used to sell goods out of a wagon before opening the store. That’s what made her fall in love with Christmas, as it felt like they were playing Santa in bringing joy to so many.
As Caleb looks for his present, George compliments her on the Christmas celebration she managed to throw together, which she notes is nothing like what she’ll pull together next year in Nicodemus. Emily casually admits she hopes George will be there before quickly clarifying that she meant in a friendly capacity. George recalls how his wife always loved Christmas, and Christmas Eve was when their marriage ended, as they wanted different things.
After getting over her surprise by the news of George previously being married, she jokes that it means he’ll be free next year for Christmas, but he notes she deserves more than he can give her. Emily reminds him that he deserves to be happy as well as the pair leans in and nearly kisses before Caleb returns to the room, having finally found his Christmas present. The moment having passed, George thanks Emily for a lovely time as he heads out to see Caroline before night falls.
Later, Emily apologizes to Caleb about pushing him to celebrate all day and thinking he didn’t want to go to the Ingalls because of some silly argument with Mary, but it’s clearly more than that. Caleb tells Emily about the rumor Mary told him as he admits she was right: his mother hated his father, and she never tried to stop him when he took him out West. One morning, he woke up, and his dad had just up and left.
Emily comforts him and apologizes for how things happened as she admits that him being out on the prairie has been a real gift to her.
Much to Emily’s surprise, George returns as the wind and snow got too bad. He admits he was foolish to run away as he embraces her and the pair share a passionate kiss.
Caroline hides a major secret from Charles as Christmas arrives
The following morning, Charles rocks baby Caroline to sleep by the fireside as Laura awakens for Christmas. She checks the stockings to find them empty, disappointingly noting that Santa must not have been able to find them this year. She turns to her pa and apologizes for him not getting the baby boy he wanted as points out that it’s been the privilege of his life to raise two kind and thoughtful girls.
Laura realizes that they don’t have any presents for baby Caroline as she steps away, determined to find something. Speaking of presents, Charles and the girls surprise Mary with a rocking chair they made before opening their gifts from their parents. That’s when Laura hands Charles the gift she has for baby Caroline, her beaded medallion she made with Good Eagle, which she thought baby Caroline might like because of its colors. Mary quickly chimes in that they can use her ribbons to hang it on the baby’s basket so she’ll always have something nice to look at.
From outside, they hear whistling, and John arrives with some sweet potatoes and the family’s mail. He tells the girls he would have gotten her sooner but he was helping Santa with some deliveries. He tells the girls about how before they parted ways, Santa asked if he could drop off two gifts to Laura and Mary as he hands over a package to each girl containing beautiful trinket boxes.
Caroline emerges to introduce their new little one to John before sitting down to check the mail. In it, she finds a letter from Eliza that contains money meant to be used for train fare to return home. When Charles sits beside her, Caroline tells him Eliza sent the money for the plow as she hides the true intentions behind the money sent by Eliza.
Soon after, Emily, George, and Caleb arrive, and the group joins John and the Ingalls for a Christmas celebration filled with laughter as the episode draws to a close.
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