Ep 10. Merry Little Christmas

In House season 3 episode 10, titled "Merry Little Christmas," the episode takes place on Christmas Eve. House is visited by a 16-year-old patient, Jack, who is experiencing strange symptoms and has nowhere else to turn. Jack's symptoms include vomiting, high temperature, and an unnaturally fast heart rate. As House tries to diagnose Jack's illness, one of his team members, Foreman, is also feeling unwell. However, House is convinced that Foreman is only faking his illness so he can avoid working on Christmas.

Meanwhile, House's boss, Dr. Cuddy, has arranged a Secret Santa gift exchange for the hospital staff. House, ever the Grinch, is annoyed by this and tries to avoid participating. However, when he is assigned to buy a gift for Cameron, one of his fellow doctors, he starts to put some thought into the present.

As House continues to work on Jack's case, he realizes that the key to the boy's illness may lie in his home life. Jack's parents seem to be hiding something, and House sends his team to investigate. In the meantime, House and Wilson, his best friend, spend Christmas Eve together in the hospital cafeteria. They reminisce about their past Christmases and talk about their current situations.

As the night wears on, House's team discovers that Jack's parents are deaf and have been using sign language to communicate. This is why Jack's symptoms seemed so random and confused. Once they figure this out, House is able to diagnose Jack and start him on treatment.

Throughout the episode, there are other Christmas-themed moments. The hospital staff sings carols in the lobby, House's team drinks eggnog, and Wilson gives House a small Christmas tree. However, it's clear that House is struggling with the holiday spirit. He has a tough time connecting with the patients and their families during this time of year, and he even makes cynical comments about the true meaning of Christmas.

In the end, though, House does find a way to show a little Christmas spirit. After Jack has been diagnosed and treated, House brings him down to the lobby to see the carolers. Jack's parents join him and they all sign along with the songs. It's a small moment, but it shows that even a grumpy genius like House can appreciate the magic of the holiday season.

Overall, "Merry Little Christmas" is a heartwarming episode of House that showcases the struggles and joys of the holiday season. Despite the medical mystery at the center of the episode, it's really the personal interactions between the characters that make this episode memorable. Fans of the show will appreciate seeing House and his team take on a Christmas-themed case, and the episode's message about the importance of connection and compassion is a great reminder for the holiday season.