With Christmas approaching everyone works hard to make the holidays special. While Mary begins working overtime for the town seamstress, Charles raises extra money by reconstructing some wagon wheels, but perhaps the biggest shock of the season comes from little Laura, whose personal sacrifice will reaffirm everyone's understanding of genuine family love.
Mr. and Mrs. Oleson get into a huge argument and decide to separate. The Ingalls and their friends try to intervene and convince them to settle their differences.
While studying for a history examination in the barn one night, Mary accidentally knocks over a reading lamp. After putting out the fire, a furious Caroline yells at her daughter. Later, Mary takes a job at the mercantile to pay for some items damaged in the fire, then makes a decision that could further aggravate her relationship with her mother.
Charles begins building a kitchen onto the back of the house, but a sudden business trip leaves him unable to complete the job. A charismatic handyman named Chris is hired to help finish while Charles is away. Chris bonds with Caroline and the girls. This causes several rumors to sweep around town, and nobody is more affected than Mary, who fears that Chris may be breaking their family apart.
Caroline decides to stay home while Charles takes the girls on a trip, but this rare alone time is aggravated when a minor scratch on her leg flares into a major infection. Caroline is close to death when Charles finally gets home to her, and in the wake of this terrifying event, the family realizes--more than ever--the invaluable role of this beloved wife and mother in their lives.
