How I Met Your Mother Fodder

How I Met Your Mother: How Lily Stole Christmas

The holidays are a time to spend with ones family. Ted found himself with three options for where to spend them and decided to spend them with none of the options and stayed in Manhattan. Marshall wanders around the apartment with his eyes closed because seeing the apartment decorated is his reward for a long day of work. Ted finds the old answering machine and Lily says they may as well plug it in because now that she is back they don't have to worry about her not calling. They play a couple of old messages and one of them features Ted leaving a message saying Marshall should just get over Lily because she is just a "grinch" - only he didn't actually say grinch. He reacts by saying "fudge" - only future Ted says that he didn't actually say fudge. If you haven't gotten the Christmas Story reference by now, half.com is in your future.

Ted tries to explain that it was Barney, or Marshall, and then says it was a long time ago. Lily wonders why he would call her that. He tries to explain that it happened a long time ago and Ted was wondering one bad thing about her. They go through a few possibilities and decide she was selfish. They find new bad things such as that she laughed at Weekend at Bernies II. Ted says it was his job as the best friend. Later, Ted wonders why it's a big deal and Barney dares him to say it again. He apparently didn't quite apologize. Ted decides that he should probably apologize as it is Christmas Eve. Barney is sick but won't acknowledge it.

Ted brings a beer up the stairs and says it was their thing - bringing a beer as an apology. This year however it would not help - suddenly the apartment was not decorated. Well, it helped Ted a little bit. Noone can believe she took the decorations and Ted really calls her a grinch this time. Ted tries to call Lily but calls Billy instead thanks to Voice Dial. Barney sneezes violently and Robin tells him to get in bed. Barney says he is using mind over body - he will talk himself well. Ted meanwhile gets hung up on by Lily twice and she calls him an ass face. Ted says he's going up to the Bronx. Marshall calls Ted and he tries to avoid describing the decorations. He just can't wait for the decorations and the cookies.

Ted's mother calls and asks how he could use the word. His mother's boyfriend gets on the phone and Ted hangs up after an attempt at a conversation.

Barney feels pathetic because he's not suited up. Robin offers him soup and ultimately spoon feeds it to him slowly.

Ted comes to Lily's place where he apologizes for using the word over the summer and that day. Lily accuses him of using a fake apology and Ted says that she owes him an apology for walking out on him as well. Ted decides that he will go to Staten Island to go to his family.

Marshall is quite pleased that the apartment is well decorated. He has quite the present in his arms. Aparently the present got lost and rerouted a few times and was en route to Poughkeepsie. Marshall took the logical route and ran after the truck. He caught up with it and the driver said he could look for the package so long as the truck keeps on moving. He finally finds it and the truck driver says it's a shame the rest of the packages won't get to their destination by the end of the day. Of course he helps him deliver the packages.

Lily opens the box - it's an e-z bake oven. She wonders how he knew about this. Apparently a month earlier Ted had told him how eight years earlier she wanted an e-z bake oven. She can't believe he remembered after all these years (and weed, apparently.) He wonders where Ted is.

Ted is with his super religious family. Ted feels awkward and then his dear friends come to the rescue. While they sing a carol, Lily apologizes. She asks if he is coming home. All is forgiven. She lets the word slip and soon all the kids in the super religious family are chanting it.

-- Gordon Davidescu