Podcast Summary: "My Favorite Husband – The Christmas Present Switch"

Harold's Old Time Radio
Original Airdate of Episode: December 16, 1949
Rebroadcast Date: December 16, 2025
Featuring: Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper), Richard Denning (George Cooper)

Episode Overview

This vintage radio episode centers on domestic hilarity and mix-ups in preparations for Christmas gifts in the Cooper household. Liz tries desperately to match and outdo the efforts of her mother-in-law in knitting a Christmas sweater for her husband, George, just as present confusion and comic rivalry unravel. The humor is derived from misunderstandings, competitive knitwear, and a farcical run-around involving Christmas presents and mistaken exchanges.

Key Discussion Points & Comic Highlights

1. The Gift Guessing Game

[01:14–04:04]

• Liz (Lucille Ball) tries cunning ways to discover what George is getting her for Christmas.
• George teases Liz with impossible, silly hints.
  • "It’s big. And it’s small. It has long shaggy hair and three wheels. Takes out ink spots and runs eight days without winding." — George, [03:26]
• George warns Liz not to look in the hall closet, piquing her curiosity.

2. Liz’s Knitting Calamities

[04:34–08:10]

• Undeterred, Liz snoops and finds only a note in the closet:
  • "I thought I told you to stay out of here, nosy." — [05:43]
• Liz’s attempt at knitting a sweater becomes a disaster—with socks and extra head holes attached.
  • "The directions said purl three inches then knit a foot." — Liz, [07:02]
• Katie, the maid, plays off Liz’s mistakes with gentle sarcasm.

3. The Epic Mother-In-Law Drop-In

[09:04–13:10]

• George’s mother pays a visit, critiquing Liz’s housework and knitting skills.
• She delivers a morale-killing blow:
  • "You have other talents. You must have. I mean, some wives can...and some wives can cook, and some are beautiful, and some are intelligent. And you’re... you’re..." — Mrs. Cooper, [11:20]
• The rivalry intensifies when she reveals she has also knitted George a cashmere sweater.

4. Liz’s Sleepless Knitting and Three-Armed Sweater

[15:07–16:09]

• Liz stays up all night trying to outdo her mother-in-law, losing ground with each attempt.
  • "Liz the Ripper. I’m losing ground, Katie. By Christmas, I’ll owe the sweater three balls of yarn." — Liz, [16:09]

5. The Present Switch-Up Escalates

[18:09–23:00]

• Liz finds a dress in the closet, assumes it's hers, and rushes to exchange it for another color.
• Store clerks deliver deadpan jokes about her frequent exchanges and color preferences.
  • "You’ve got it knitted into your sweater." — Shop Clerk, [20:23]
• A frantic series of exchanges ensue when Liz realizes the present was for her mother-in-law, not herself.

6. The Final Gift Reveal and Sweater Fiasco

[23:08–25:28]

• The chaos leads to a slapstick finale—yarn from the not-quite-finished sweater runs all the way from the house to the cab carrying George’s mother.
  • "It’s a piece of yarn...it goes all the way down the stairs and along the walk and into the cab with mother!" — George, [24:37]
• George finally realizes Liz really has been knitting him a sweater—albeit just “two inches finished already.”

Memorable Quotes

• Liz: “Only a man could think of a mean thing like that.” (on George hiding her present in the closet and forbidding her to look) [04:34]
• George: “If I bought you a mink, it would have to be sol.” [03:08]
• Katie: “Are you having trouble, Mrs. Cooper?”
  Liz: “Oh, I’m having an awful time with this sweater I’m knitting for George.” [06:35]
• Mother-in-law: “I don’t want you to suffer through any comparisons. I knitted George a beautiful cashmere sweater.” [12:24]
• Liz: “I haven’t been able to see for two hours. It feels all right.” (on her all-night knitting) [15:31]
• Clerk: “Why don’t you take a black one and give it a henna rinse?” [20:01]
• Liz: “By Christmas, I’ll owe the sweater three balls of yarn.” [16:09]
• George: “Liz, you are knitting me a sweater! And isn’t it wonderful? You’ve got two inches finished already?” [25:00]

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• [01:14–04:04]: Liz’s comic attempt to worm Christmas hints out of George.
• [06:48–08:10]: Liz’s knitting confusion peaks with extra holes in the sweater.
• [09:04–13:10]: Mother-in-law’s cutting visit and competitive reveal.
• [15:07–16:09]: Three-armed sweater and Liz’s knitting meltdown.
• [18:09–23:00]: The great Christmas present exchange fiasco.
• [24:37]: Yarn trailing out the door—culmination of sweater subplot.
• [25:00]: George’s realization and the episode’s warm(ish) resolution.

Tone & Style

The episode is lighthearted, fast-paced, and brimming with marital banter and the kind of old-fashioned, physical comedy that made radio sit-coms so beloved. Lucille Ball’s delivery as Liz Cooper brings warmth and exasperated wit, with a script full of puns and visual gags that translate surprisingly well to audio.

Conclusion

This classic "My Favorite Husband" episode showcases Lucille Ball's signature comedic timing, turning holiday gift-giving anxieties into domestic slapstick and holiday cheer. From bumbling knitting to mistaken present switches, the episode is a breezy, relatable snapshot of the misadventures awaiting every family during Christmas.