While the gang prepares for their Christmas vacation, Angel is haunted by visions of his violent past. A mysterious force called the First Evil takes the form of Jenny Calendar and tries to convince him to lose his soul in Buffy and become evil again. Believing that he isn't strong enough to fight the demon within, Angel waits on the top of a hill for the sun to rise. Buffy finds him and tells him to fight back, that he can do real good in this world, but just as she is giving up it begins to snow, preventing Angel from being killed by the sunlight. Meanwhile, Willow goes to great seductive lengths to win Oz back.

As the New Year approaches, Dick is in despair because he feels he hasn't accomplished anything all year. Meanwhile, Don gives Sally a necklace, then earrings, for Christmas but she wants more. Dick, pondering the significance of New Year's Eve, fears that he's done nothing of consequence in 1998. When he mistakenly thinks it's midnight a few minutes early, he embraces Mary and dances with her in the snow - a perfect moment that he later realizes was not only his most meaningful act of 1998, but also a lovely way to start 1999. Harry hires Larry and Mrs. DeGuzman to work at Happy Doug's Bar with him, but they're both so dang lazy, he fires them both on New Year's Eve. Officer Don gets upset that Sally takes advantage of his nice-guy nature, and he lays down the law - her cutesy, little-girl cajoling will no longer work on him. Sally realizes that with her feminine appeal comes a great deal of responsibility for using it benevolently, and she vows to do better in the New Year. Tommy,

At Christmastime, Bill becomes even more depressed than usual, because it's the anniversary of when his wife Lenore left him. Bill tries to commit suicide, and when that doesn't work out, he dresses up in Lenore's old clothes and declares that he is Lenore.

Mac's "little sister" unexpectantly shows up at JAG headquarters, declaring that she's run away from her abusive stepfather. While she investigates whether Chloe has been abused, Mac has her hands full keeping her from turning the office upside down, then learns that her real father is still alive serving on a ship in the Navy. Despite the cost, Mac convinces the Admiral to allow the two to talk to each other via satellite video-conferencing.

After Grace defies Will's wishes and brings home a puppy, Will can't resist the pooch and begins to treat him like a newborn baby. Meanwhile, Jack and Karen worry about the dog's effect on Will and Grace and insist that the new parents go out for a night on the town.

Carter and Stuart plan to spend Christmas together. Mike must baby-sit a smart monkey that will be given to the city zoo as a gift from Ghana. The staff prepares the City Hall greeting card. Carter and Stuart meet two old men from their building who mirror themselves in 30 years.

Tonight, television reporter Deborah Norville.