Episode 9 of CBS’s Ghosts opens on a paranoid Sam and Jay being extra cautious for the holiday season. They refuse to let another holiday possession ruin Christmas.
The ghosts are gathered around Mark as he installs a new electric Christmas Town display. They know that if he’s zapped, there’s a chance one of them could possess his body. Alberta yearns for a Sazerac, while Flower has had the munchies for about 50 years.
Later, Jay is looking for a last-minute gift for Sam when she walks in announcing good news from her publisher. The Todd Pod interview from the last episode went so well that a national TV show wants to do a segment highlighting Sam’s book as a great last-minute gift.
Isaac is elated that the book based on him could be a stocking stuffer. Jay, on the other hand, claims he’s baffled by how many people wait until the last minute to buy gifts.
In the living room, Sasappis and Alberta critique the new Christmas display. Thor enters, pondering a gift for Flower and seeking advice. As he approaches the display, it begins flickering frantically. Thor’s ghost power appears to be surging, and he even manages to shock Sass.
The group backs away from Christmas Town to discuss Thor’s problem. He explains that the only thing Flower has been talking about lately is her munchies. Alberta points out that the only way to satisfy that craving would be through possession.
This leads Thor to decide that his gift to Flower will be helping her possess a living.
During the ghosts’ TV time, Patience shows up. She expresses her dissatisfaction with the revelry surrounding Christmas.
Downstairs, Sam nervously cleans the Christmas Town display. Thor approaches, hoping to ask her about his gift idea for Flower. However, Sam is so preoccupied with the impending interview that she brushes him off. Isaac chimes in, suggesting Thor surprise the whole house with his gift.
Thor agrees and calls Flower into the room. He tells her to stand by Sam and begins making the display flicker. Sam, confused, asks what Thor is doing as sparks start flying from the tiny village.
Thor sends an electric shock toward Sam, causing her to hurl backward into Flower.
Flower successfully, though unintentionally, possesses Sam. While initially surprised, Flower loves the gift, prompting Isaac to point out that this is not a good turn of events.
Sam, who has been possessed before, suppresses Flower and reprimands Thor for nearly killing her. The usual method of exorcizing a ghost from a living is to move the host body across the ghost boundary, and Sam intends to do just that.
Thor pleads with Sam to let Flower eat just one thing while she can. Exasperated, Sam relents and agrees to give Flower one treat, though she’s clearly tired of being possessed every holiday season. Sam gives control back to Flower, who merrily eats a gingerbread cookie.
Basement ghost Nancy arrives, and Thor explains the situation. Isaac counters that Sam has an interview in an hour and Flower needs to vacate the vessel immediately.
Nancy, a previous occupant of Sam’s body, decides Flower should live that hour to the fullest instead. She gives Flower instructions on how to stay in control of the host body. While Thor, Nancy, and Isaac argue about the practicality of this plan, Flower wanders off.
In the kitchen, Patience broods over a Santa cookie jar when Trevor walks in. Trevor admits he can only handle so much Christmas hullabaloo, explaining that he’s Jewish and the holiday makes him feel out of place. The two share an unexpected bonding moment.
The TV crew arrives to begin setting up for the interview. Jay lets them in and goes to find Sam.
Flower, still in Sam’s body, is at the restaurant spreading hippie joy among the kitchen staff. Hetty, Pete, and Sass, who are haunting the restaurant, are surprised by Sam’s strange behavior. Sam even tries to score weed from Gabe, tipping off the ghosts that Flower has possessed her.
Gabe hands over a strain he calls mistletoe, which he claims is a very strong hallucinogen. Just as Flower takes it, Jay enters and ushers her back to the house to start the interview.
Back at the house, Patience and Trevor continue bonding. Their conversation shifts from Christmas disdain to an appreciation of each other’s cultures. Patience is fascinated by Judaism, while Trevor admits he was interested in Puritan villages as a kid.
They mime butter churning, and the suggestive motion ignites a spark in Trevor that Patience returns. As Patience continues the motion, Trevor slowly counts in Hebrew. The comedic sensuality culminates in an impassioned kiss.
Downstairs, Jay begins to fully acknowledge Sam’s odd behavior. Thor tells Flower her time is up and Sam needs to be present for the interview. A production assistant enters and tells “Sam” to head to the living room. Flower happily complies.
Just as Flower sits down, Sam briefly regains control and explains the situation to Jay. Jay is pulled from the set as Flower takes over again, and the interview goes live.
Chaos ensues as Flower can’t answer a single interview question. Things spiral further when she starts eating the gingerbread backdrop of Woodstone Manor. Realizing the interview is going nowhere, the host abruptly plugs Sam’s book to end the segment.
After the interview, Trevor confides in Sass about his kiss with Patience. He knows his actions were driven by lust and holiday loneliness, but he’s unsure whether Patience will see it the same way.
Patience soon arrives to discuss the encounter. After praying on the matter, she decides they are too different to pursue a relationship. Trevor is relieved but pretends to be disappointed. Sass takes this opportunity to point out the embarrassing fact that Trevor was just dumped by Patience.
Outside, Jay drives Sam’s body across the ghost boundary, releasing her.
Sam and Jay confront the ghosts, upset that none of them stepped in despite knowing how important the interview was. Alberta offers a generalized apology and asks if they can skip ahead to Sam forgiving them.
Sam explains the gravity of the situation. The interview was live, and it won’t go away. This affects everyone, and she can’t keep letting these incidents slide.
Storming off, Sam wishes she had never been able to see ghosts.
The following morning, Sam wakes up and goes downstairs. She assumes she’s being ignored until another version of herself walks into the room and seemingly can’t see the ghosts.
This was the first half of the two-part back-to-back holiday special. If you missed the CBS broadcast, both episodes are available to stream now on Paramount+.