"Frasier, look at this!" Martin called gleefully as his son walked into the apartment.
The older man held up a robot dinosaur.
"Dad, aren't you a little old to be playing with that?"
Martin waved his hand dismissively and picked up his screwdriver to open the battery compartment, "It's for Freddie."
"Ah, of course," Frasier replied, pouring himself an after work sherry.
"Well, I remembered he was really into dinosaurs the last time he was here," Martin explained. "Remember, he was pretending Eddie was a velocadaptor, and he was a dinosaur trainer. And it's a robot because robots are just neat."
"Firstly, it's a velociraptor, not a velocadaptor, and secondly, I hate to disappoint you but Freddie won't be coming for Christmas this year," Frasier sat at the table with his father.
"What do you mean he's not coming? You've been looking forward to this since last Christmas!"
"Lilith's outdone us both for this year, dad," Frasier took a sip of his drink. "She's taking him on an archaeological tour, with real dinosaurs."
Martin put the toy down with disappointment, "How can she take him away for Christmas?"
"It's not her fault dad," Frasier replied. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Freddie, and he really wanted it."
"I'm going to call her and give her a piece of my mind," Martin said decisively, heading to the phone.
It rang twice before it was picked up.
"Lilith, it's Martin. How can you take Freddie away over Christmas time?"
He paused while he listened to her response.
"But it's Christmas, Lilith, and I know you're raising the boy under your own faith, but he's never missed Christmas with his father even once and-"
Martin's face softened.
"Hiya Freddie! Listen, your mum was just telling me you can't come for Christmas…"
He listened to his grandson for a minute, his face brightening, then bid his goodbyes and hung up the phone.
"Freddie said it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and that he really wanted to go," Martin explained.
Frasier raised an eyebrow, "I know. I told you that."
Martin shrugged, "And, good news, Lilith is letting him spend New Year's Eve here with us.
Frasier's face lit up.
Season Six, Episode 10
Frasier: Oh no, Frederick won't be joining me this year. He's spending his vacation on an archaeological tour with Lilith.
Roz: He's spending Christmas with dried-up old bones?
Frasier: I thought I told you, she's taking him on an archaeological tour.