His and Her Christmas 2005

Rivalry between the Sun and the Voice

The film introduces the rivalry between the San Francisco Sun and the Marin County Voice and their two lead writers, Tom Lane and Liz Madison. Both writers are single, and their friends and families constantly try to set them up with someone. The Bay Area setting is established as the battleground for their careers.

Tom Lane is the Sun's star columnist

Tom Lane is introduced as the star columnist for the Sun, a newspaper owned by a media conglomerate. The owner group is looking to boost his exposure by developing a television show around him. The combination of fame and corporate pressure shapes his early choices.

Liz Madison at the Voice

Liz Madison writes the advice column for the Voice, a small community newspaper in Marin County. The Voice is a throwback to gentler times but is struggling with circulation. Her position anchors the human interest side of the story as the newsroom faces layoffs.

November 2, Sun buys Voice

On November 2, the staff at the Voice learns that the Sun ownership has bought their newspaper, with the likely goal of folding it into Sun operations. The news raises the fear of job losses and the end of the Voice as an independent paper. The stakes are elevated for Liz and her colleagues.

Liz shifts to an editorial about Christmas

Liz decides to change her column to an editorial focused on the meaning of Christmas for the community. Her feisty, entertaining stance draws attention and quickly increases reader engagement. The shift demonstrates how a single voice can mobilize a local audience.

Voice circulation surges

The Voice experiences a surge in circulation as the Christmas editorial resonates with readers. The boost also makes the Sun owners rethink their plan to fold the paper. Liz's strategy shows the power of community connection and timely commentary.

Sun reconsiders folding the Voice

The Sun ownership starts to doubt the idea of folding the Voice after the unexpected lift in its readership. They worry about losing a platform that could compete with Tom's TV ambitions. The corporate calculus shifts as public reaction strengthens the Voice.

Tom fights back with a counterpoint

To safeguard his television project, Tom writes a counterpoint column that tempers Liz's Christmas message with practical concerns. The exchange turns their professional rivalry into a personal sparring match. The newsroom becomes the stage for a back and forth that fans follow.

The columns become a personal battle

The competing columns take on a life of their own and become a personal feud between Tom and Liz. Friends on both sides try to steer the pair toward a more humane outcome, even setting them up on blind dates. The public fight becomes a mirror for their own hearts.

Friends push them toward romance

The cast of friends insists there is a fine line between love and hate and nudges Tom and Liz to explore whether there is attraction beneath the friction. The tension deepens as professional pressure remains high. Their interactions hint at something more than rivalry.

Stakes rise for careers and community

Tom fears that his TV show could suffer if the rivalry spills into the public sphere, while Liz worries about the Voice losing its voice amid a corporate shakeup. The tension blends professional ambition with personal chemistry in a volatile mix. The outcome depends on how they navigate the growing feelings and the newsroom politics.