Ep 10. Last Christmas Standing

Last Man Standing season 1 episode 10, Last Christmas Standing, follows Mike and Vanessa Baxter’s attempts to have a quiet Christmas celebration at home but things do not go as planned when their daughters come to visit. Vanessa is excited as her three daughters plan to visit for Christmas however Mike is stern once he finds out that her father is also coming, whom he does not get along with. Mike does not appreciate the constant judgment he feels from him, who is a devoted Christian, and thinks he is undermining him in front of his granddaughters.

Furthermore, Mike is determined to make it known that he is in charge of Christmas and plans to impart his family traditions on everyone, including his son-in-law. Meanwhile, Vanessa tries to convince her husband to donate some old home items, and comes up with an idea to surprise him by getting rid of the portrait of his big game hunt, the focus of the mantelpiece. This attempts to bring her two favorite things in the world together, holiday cheer and that picture off the wall.

Amidst all the chaos, Mike also has to deal with the basement’s Christmas lights switch, which he does not understand and he blames his daughters for not getting it right. But, he soon realizes that the real reason the lights are malfunctioning is because of something that he overlooked and has to fix it as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Mandy, one of the daughters, has a new boyfriend in tow, who Mike deems unsuitable. He thinks he’s a “hippie snowboarder” who wears over-sized beanies, but Vanessa tries to convince her husband that he needs to give him a chance. Mike has a faceoff with Mandy’s boyfriend and his parent’s lifestyle, which only abets the tension between the couple. Gregg, the other son-in-law, on the other hand, is on Mike’s side because he doesn’t want to upset his father-in-law but learns it’s not always that easy living with in-laws.

As Mike tries to keep his family together during Christmas and keep everyone in line, he also learns how important it is to not forget the true meaning of Christmas, which is love and sharing. At the end of the episode, Mike realizes that he has been too hard on everyone and finally gives in and adds his daughter’s contemporary Christmas songs to the playlist, and they all enjoy the music together.

Overall, Last Man Standing season 1 episode 10, Last Christmas Standing, is a comical take on the struggles of family during the most wonderful time of the year. Despite all the chaos and tense moments, the episode ends on a heartwarming note, showcasing the importance of family and togetherness during the holiday season.