As Christmas draws near, Paolo, a successful professional, prepares to send his wife and son on a skiing vacation, so that he can spend quality time with Magda, his mistress. But a suicide attempt by his brother-in-law Felice, whose girlfriend has just let him, appears to ruin Paolo's plans. Ever the cynical opportunist, Paolo makes the most of his brother-in-law's pain, offering to go on vacation with him and help take his mind off his problems.