The Waltons

It is 1933, during the Depression, and being Christmas Eve, the Walton family are in the midst of their Christmas preparations and hoping to celebrate it together. The problem is that there are many events which seem to prevent John Walton from arriving home to share this Christmas with his family.

The first eight seasons of the Walton are being relived through flashbacks.

Erin Walton is considering marrying her boyfriend Paul but her old boyfriend Ashley would like to get her back, Paul is not going to give her up so easily. Also Mary Ellen's boyfriend Jonesy is a veterinarian trying to establish a practice but nobody thinks he is competent.

When a young girl is left on the doorstep of the Walton's home, they take her in. Not Before learning she is deaf after taking her to the doctor. One night while the Walton family listen to the radio John boy takes matters into his own hands when Holly (the deaf girl) runs up to her room crying. He teaches her sign language...or really Sign spelling! This new skill comes in handy when the youngest of the Walton family gets locked by accident in a box in the Haunted House, which later turns out to be the house of which Holly lives!

A Carnival troupe comes to Walton's Mountain. When the manager absconds with the money, four members are stranded at the Walton house. They thank the Waltons with a private performance.

The Family cow, Chance gives birth to a healthy calf but John announces that it must be sold to make ends meet. Elizabeth and Jim Bob hide the Calf to save it. John relents and the family keeps the calf.

Maggie McKenzie would like to see the ocean once more. John-Boy takes her but must miss an important dance. Grandpa helps the children save an injured bird. Earl Hamner makes his only appearance in the series as Maggie's husband. The director of this episode, Harry Harris, who would eventually direct almost 50 episodes, was nominated for an Emmy award.

John-Boy heads for a mountain retreat and finds an old school mate who is expecting.The baby arrives with John-Boy's help. The mule, Blue makes his first appearance in this episode.

The family struggles with financial crisis and the electricity is turned off. Grandpa sets out to raise some money but tells no one about his plans. Grandma becomes angry and Grandpa moves out. The bill is paid and the angry grandparents make-up at a barn dance.

Aunt Martha Corinnie Walton's home is in danger by the right-of-way for The Blue Ridge Parkway. All of the Walton clan comes to her aid and try and stop the contractor. During a skirmish with the contractor and deputies, John-Boy gets shot.

During John-Boy's 1st day at Boatwright he encounters a variety of new challenges. Back at the Walton home, Jason feels the need to be the oldest and excel at school like John-Boy. All of the other children object to Jason's attitude

John-Boy enters Blue the family mule in the annual cross-country race & tries to win Selena Linville's affections.Grandpa had won that race years before

Reverend Fordwick asks John-Boy to deliver the Sunday sermon, and Miss Hunter asks Olivia to act as the substitute teacher. It proves to be an interesting experience for both as Reverend Fordwick and Miss Hunter plan their wedding and honeymoon

John-Boy's Dean asks him to take care of a 16 year old genius college student for the weekend. It seems that Lyle is wonderful with science and math, but woefully lacking when it comes to dealing with people.

Young prize fighter James Travis Clark from Richmond arrives on Walton's Mountain looking for work. He lives in the Walton's barn while training for his next fight. Grandma and Olivia are upset with the whole idea until they find out that James is a minister.

The first edition of The Blue Ridge Chronicle is published by John-Boy. He publishes a story about Ben and it makes his mother mad.

Mary Ellen, aspring nurse, makes a diagnosis about Grandma's illness which almost costs Grandma her life.

Jason gets news that his scholarship has been cancelled. Jason begins to hang out at the Dew Drop Inn. He is trying to interest Red Turner, a musician, into making a come back since his son's death.

A young minister comes and causes some uneasiness within the congregation

Strange foorprints & a stringer of catfish lead the Waltons to find 12 year old Josh a runaway in the barn hiding.He attaches himself to John immediately

Jason and Fern Lockwood,a recluse who shares his love of music but she is timid and finds life threatening . Ben goes to Norfolk and looks for work and comes back home to help an overworked father

Everybody mourns the death of Grandpa Zeb and Flossie Brimmer. John struggles hard to fill a huge lumber contract and Mary Ellen & Erin move to Charlottesville and they get an apartment.

Jim-Bob meets the Baldwin's cousin, a young girl who is in a convent preparing to become a nun. Ben hires a mill hand who turns out to be an alcoholic.

Boone Walton comes back to Walton's mountain and gets in trouble with the law. Boone gets released in Jason's custody. Daisy Garner also comes back to Walton's Mountain to visit.

John serves on the local draft board. A young soldier he drafted has been killed and the boy's Dad threatens John & Jim-Bob. The family receives word that John-Boy is missing in action.

Rose arrives for a visit which is extended with Serena and Jeffery, her grandchildren. Jim-Bob and Ike Godsey build an air raid siren big enough for Richmond.

Mary Ellen subs as the county nurse. John tries to prove to the army that he really did graduate from high school. John can not find his diploma so he takes another test.

John is thrown to jail after he tries to defend a black neighbour, who is accused to murdering a white man.

John is given 24 hours to talk his black neighbour, who was accused of murder, into turning himself in.

Mary Ellen feels inadequate as a nurse to help Mountain folk. Against the Dean's advice, Mary Ellen applies for medical school.