It’s a family tradition for the Anderssons to spend the summer vacation in a trailer on Mosquito Island not far from their home in Sweden. Father Rudolph, a penny-pinching, hardworking tax accountant is perfectly happy with this cheap and uncomplicated tradition, but he is well aware that his wife and three children can’t bear the thought of going there again. When his boss offers him the chance to attend a conference in Greece this summer and allows him to take the whole family at the company’s expense, Rudolph makes a big scene announcing the change of holiday plans to his family who, for once, treat him like a hero.

Just as everyone starts to repack their suitcases and make last minute shopping plans, Rudolph receives a call from his boss who cancels the trip to Greece saying that he now plans to go there himself with his wife. As Rudolph doesn’t have the heart to face his family’s disappointment, he reluctantly digs deep into his own pockets to pay for a trip to Greece.