The One With Christmas in Tulsa

Thursday, 12 December 2002

Chandler spends Christmas working in Tulsa, turns down a pass from his colleague Wendy, then quits his job and flies home to Monica with no idea what he will do next.

What happens

• Chandler tells the group he has to stay in Tulsa through Christmas and New Year's Eve to finish paperwork or lose his job, and Monica reluctantly accepts it.
• Chandler keeps his Tulsa team working on Christmas Eve, and Wendy comes back with a ham she has stolen from another company's party downstairs.
• The Christmas bonuses Chandler hands out turn out to be donations made in the staff's names to a ballet company, and he concedes to the room that the whole posting is miserable.
• Chandler changes his mind and sends the staff home to their families, but Wendy stays behind so that he is not alone.
• Monica calls, learns that Wendy is the only person still there with Chandler, and Joey tells her that Wendy was a runner-up for Miss Oklahoma.
• Wendy makes a pass at Chandler, who backs away and tells her his marriage is a happy one, and she asks why he is spending Christmas with her rather than his wife.
• In clips from earlier seasons, Chandler remembers the night he and Monica first slept together in London and the day they chose a marriage over an expensive wedding.
• Chandler turns up at the apartment on Christmas Day and tells Monica he missed her too much to stay away.
• Chandler reveals that he quit his job, admits he has not worked out what he wants to do instead, and Monica tells him she supports the decision.
• Chandler's presents to his friends are the same ballet donations, and with no income he settles into job hunting while Monica becomes the only earner.