Trama

Lois, Debra's mom, plans a surprise party for Debra's birthday.

Debra's mother, Lois, suggests to Raymond that she will throw a surprise birthday party for her daughter and Ray won't have to lift a finger. Debra senses something is afoot and Ray spills the beans, but Debra wants a Chinese banquet instead. Ray tries to convince his mother-in-law to change the theme of the party, never disclosing to her or to anyone that it's no surprise - Debra knows all about it. Inevitably, all is revealed when Debra arrives home to a houseful of guests and embarrasses herself, her husband and disappoints her mother, who wanted, more than anything, to surprise her daughter.—gaelicguy

Debra's mother Lois (Katherine Helmond) suggests throwing Debra an "old-fashioned English tea party" for her birthday with Ray's help. Lois says that Debra would love it as they used to go for tea parties together when Debra was little. Ray resists Debra when she suggests her own plan for her birthday (as he knew about Lois's plan). Debra wants to go to Montauk, have brunch and ride bikes to an old lighthouse. Ray says that riding a bike after having a big meal can be dangerous. When Debra discovers that Ray has some plan (which he won't tell Debra about, to maintain Lois's secret), she insists on a Chinese banquet instead (which Chinese lanterns and Paper dragons). Debra guesses that Ray is throwing her a surprise birthday party. Debra says that Lois would love the Chinese banquet and asks Ray to invite Lois to the surprise party.

Ray meets Lois for lunch and tries to pressure her into hosting a Chinese themed party for Debra. Lois thinks Ray doesn't like her. Lois says that Ray cannot wait to get away from her and cannot even speak 2 words to her. So, maybe he doesn't like her, and doesn't like her ideas. Ray lies to Lois (He says that he feels Lois doesn't like him since she dismissed his Chinese themed party idea out of hand. He claims that Lois rushed in, took over the entire planning and didn't let Ray have any say in his own wife's special day) and gets her to plan a Chinese party. Lois apologizes to Ray for hurting his feelings.

The party is organized at Ray's house. Amy has taken Debra out to a museum, so when she comes back, it will be a complete surprise for her. During the party Lois wants Frank and Robert to be the dancing dragons. Frank and Robert are angry and tell Ray that Debra will never like a Chinese theme party. Frank is also offended since the Chinese army attacked him in Korea. Marie finds the theme unusual. Robert calls the theme stupid. Ray blurts out that Debra knows about the surprise and that the Chinese themed dinner was her idea. Robert yells it out for everyone, and everyone is angry that Ray made them come a half hour early and park 2 blocks away. Ray insists that everybody still has to yell surprise when Debra walks into the door.

When Debra walks in and acts surprised. She makes a fool of herself as she claims that she had no idea about the birthday party and loves the Chinese banquet theme of the decor. She even makes a big show about thanking Amy for distracting her by taking her to the museum on her birthday. She wants Ray to say how did he know that Debra loves Chinese. This is when Ray tells her everyone at the party knows the truth. Debra is embarrassed and admits to everyone that the Chinese theme was her idea. She thanks Ray for all the effort. But then Lois is upset and tells Debra that she was the one who made all the efforts.