'The Simpsons' Recap: ‘Holidays of Future Past’
The Simpsons family is seen finishing Thanksgiving dinner. Marge declares that with the dinner over, the family must pose for Christmas photos. The kids object but Marge makes them pose anyway. The photo comes out great and the photo begins to flash forward into the future of the family. Everyone progresses and moves on with their lives.
Bart is seen living out of his old elementary school and watching cartoons. Skinner comes in and tells Bart that he is late with the rent and needs to pay. Bart is upset and surprised by his kids being transported to his apartment. His two sons tell him that their mother is forcing them to spend the holidays with him. The kids are not excited to stay with their father.
Lisa is at home with Millhouse and he is sick. Their daughter comes in and is rude to her parents and then plugs a wire into her neck and goes online. Lisa thinks of asking her mom for parenting advice because she does not know how to get through to her daughter.
Maggie is seen in a foreign hotel getting a sonogram. She has become a famous singer and travels all over the world. The doctor tells her not to speak while she is pregnant. Maggie decides to go home for the holidays sense she cannot perform.
Marge and Homer are at home reading. Marge gets a message and is excited to find that the kids will be coming home for the holidays.
The next day, Homer is building a ship in a bottle and Lisa tells him how proud she is that he has stopped drinking and has taken up a healthy hobby. Bart’s kids are seen trying to decorate the tree. Bart’s kids make fun of his abilities to decorate a tree. When the kids compare him to their mother’s boyfriend, Bart becomes sad and asks Homer to take them outside.
Maggie is seen trying to board a teleporter but cannot board because she is pregnant and she must fly by plane.
Lisa is seen trying to connect with her daughter but has trouble and asks her mother for help. Marge tells her to stay out of her daughter's life and things will work themselves better.
Maggie is seen having a horrible time on the plane.
Homer plans to take the kids to downtown Springfield, which is now somewhat dangerous. While at the Quick-E-Mart, the three witness a robbery and flee. Homer takes them to break the windows but it doesn’t work.
Maggie is trying to go home in a cab but then goes into labor and the taxi she is in must race to the hospital.
Lisa and Bart are seen drinking and talking about their problems in the tree house. They try to console each other and decide to become better parents.
Lisa goes to apologize to Marge for not being a good enough daughter and appreciating her.
Bart tries to reconnect with his sons.
Maggie is in the hospital alone trying to give birth.
Marge tries to get Lisa and Bart into the spirit but cannot. Marge’s sisters come in with robot lovers who leave them both.
Marge goes to visit Apu and his wife. The pair are sad because they have dozens of grandchildren. Marge gets a message from Maggie that she has gone into labor and leaves in excitement.
Lisa is trying to leave her daughter alone but worries she spends too much time online. She decides to ignore her mother’s advice and go online to find her daughter.
Once online, she tries to debate if she can go through with forcing her daughter to be closer to her mother.
Bart goes looking for his sons. He goes to Moe’s to look for them and finds out that Homer took the kids to another location.
Marge is seen in the hospital with Maggie.
Lisa discovers that her daughter looks up to her and reads online. She is actually partying but Lisa is led to believe that she has nothing to worry about.
Homer takes the boys to see their frozen grandfather. He tells the boys that everyone thinks their dad is a jerk but when they get older they will see how much they love him. Bart comes in and apologizes for being a bad father and promises to change.
Everyone is at home decorating the tree and having a good time. Maggie comes in with her new baby. The family is happy and poses for another family photo.