- Ray is so shattered when he discovers that the autographed Mickey Mantle baseball his father gave him as a child is a fake, that he wants to tell Ally that there is no Santa Claus.
- It's Christmas time and Debra is giving away some old stuff to the needy. One of the items happens to be an old baseball with Mickey Mantle's autograph on it. Ray finds it and remembers when his father, Frank, gave it to him. When showing it to his father, Frank says that he forged Mickey Mantle's signature and then gave it to Ray. As a child, Ray had had his heart set on getting his autograph, but Frank was never able to get it. So he faked it and gave the ball to Ray. He lied to him and said it was actually Mickey Mantle's signature, when, in fact, it wasn't. Now, nearly 30 years later, Ray is disappointed that his father lied to him. So he vows to never lie to his own kids. Soon after, Ally walks in and has questions about Santa. Ray is then unsure of what to say. He knows that if he tells Ally the truth, she'll be crushed. After talking with Frank again, Ray realizes that his father only faked the autograph to make him happy. Ray suddenly has a change of heart. He forgave his father and thanked him for making him a happy kid. Ray then goes and tells Ally everything she wanted to hear about Santa, flying reindeer and all.
- Ray confronts Frank about a baseball signed by Mickey Mantle. Debra was having a garage sale for the church's fund-raising efforts and was about to sell the ball which Ray had for 25 years. Robert saw the ball and saved it. Ray shows the ball to his friend Andy (Andy Kindler). Ray's friend suggests that the signature might not be real. Andy says that 70% of such signed stuff is fake and that back then the trainers used to sign most of the balls. Ray says that Frank got the ball, and Frank said that Mickey signed the ball himself. Ray says that for one moment, the greatest player in the world was thinking about Ray. Debra is angry that Ray is so passionate about the ball. When Ray proposed to Debra, he said "So, how about it", and yet he has all these emotions about a ball.
This means a lot to Ray and this game ball is the reason why he became a sportswriter in the first place. Frank admits that it is a fake and that he signed it himself. Ray is very hurt and decides never to lie to his kids. Debra says that everybody lies to their kids sometimes.
His resolution is put to test when Ally asks about Santa Claus. Debra punches Ray when he tries to tell Ally the truth about Santa. Debra is livid with Ray about trying to "out" Santa. Marie comes over and advises Ray that families lie to each other to keep them together and there is nothing wrong about it. Ray was himself told the truth about Santa only when he was 14 years old. Frank wanted to cover sex and Santa all at once. Ray even questions Debra since they are both brunettes and the kids have blonde hair.
Robert dresses up as Santa and comes over to console Ally, but then so does Frank. Frank and Robert get into a fight about who is the real Santa. Ally recognizes both of them as Robert and Frank through their Santa costumes. Robert says that he is Santa and that he has assumed the body of a life form that Ally would accept. Debra tells Ally that Frank and Robert did this as they love her very much and that they both wanted her to have a great Christmas.
Ray starts to question his beliefs and talks to Frank about it. He confronts Frank about the signed Mickey Mantle ball. Frank explains that Ray wanted the signature when he was 10. Frank went to the stadium for 5 games and waited for Mickey to show up, but he never came. So, Frank signed the ball himself as he knew what the signature meant for Ray. Ray is moved and kisses Frank and leaves. Ray decides to keep Santa alive for Ally by dressing up as one and surprising her at night.
Note: Robert mentions that he got a ball signed by Art Shamsky. Its later mentioned that Robert had a dog Shamsky and he also names his new dog, Shamsky II. Patricia Heaton's pregnancy is prominently visible starting with this episode.
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