There’s nothing like a holiday with family, and when you’re on Walton’s Mountain the event is always filled with love, humor and often a lesson learned the hard way.

Excitement abounds on Walton’s Mountain as the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. The younger kids gather pumpkins, while Erin prepares to audition for the part of Pocahontas in the school’s Thanksgiving Day pageant. John and Zeb are hard at work trying to fill a large lumber order on time, though the saw belt is in need of repair.

John-Boy is especially happy at this time. Not only is his girlfriend, Jenny, returning for a visit after not having seen each other in a year, but he’s also thrilled to have been accepted at Boatwright University. Now he just has to pass the scholarship exam, otherwise he will not be able to afford to attend.

Meanwhile Jason, in an effort to earn some cash, starts working for the Baldwin sisters in a job he knows will surely incur his mother’s wrath. And Ben decides this is the Thanksgiving he should grow up and be a man, so he announces he will hunt for the turkey that will take center stage on the dinner table. Wise as ever Grandpa Zeb offers to go along on the turkey shoot.

Spirits are high, and in the midst of this flurry of activity, John-Boy goes to help his dad and Grandpa with the lumber order. He suggests they cut two pieces of wood at once to save time and effort. They agree, but the faulty saw belt malfunctions and John-Boy is hit in the face with a plank of wood. He seems fine, but later, when writing in his journal, he loses control of his hand. Then while talking to his father, his vision begins to blur. As exam day approaches, his symptoms seem to have subsided somewhat, but as he begins the test, his vision becomes increasingly worse, fading in and out, and he has no choice but to quit. He calls his parents and they take him to the hospital. Now he faces brain surgery to relieve inflammation that’s putting pressure on his optic nerve. Suddenly, his future is uncertain. If he survives the operation and recovers, will the university allow him to retake the scholarship exam?

John-Boy isn’t the only one with an uncertain future. Jason’s secret occupation has been revealed, and as expected his mother, Olivia, is horrified. But do not fear. The Baldwin sisters have the perfect plan: They want to adopt Jason!