This hilarious Christmas story is the ultimate work-from-home nightmare

A man gets trapped—literally—in a video call in a holiday short from U.K. creative agency Wonderhood Studios. But there's a point to the horrifying scenario.

The story centers on a father, Gary, who's finishing up his last video call as his wife and kids prepare for Christmas. But when his wife goes to find him, he's somehow become stuck behind the screen.

After fruitless attempts to release him, we see them trying to get through the festive period with him trapped in his laptop. The family play charades, the couple have awkward virtual keyboard sex (eww) and gradually see their relationship flounder; the man has to watch as the wife flirts with another man at a Christmas party and goes out on her own. In the final, devastating scene around the Christmas dinner table, one of his kids "gives" him a present by closing the laptop with the gift on top and saying, "Bye Daddy!" The final message is: "Remember to switch off this Christmas."

The film stars actor Kerry Howard and actor and comedian Daniel Barker. It was directed by Joe and Tim of Odelay Films and written by Jack Croft and Stacey Bird of Wonderhood Studios. It's set to "Carol of the Bells," with vocals provided by the Bristol University Singers.

“We've uttered the words ‘I’m stuck on a call’ far too many times this year,” said Croft in a statement. “So, the thought of Christmas Day trapped in a box on a video call felt truly terrifying," added Bird. "The film is meant to make the average worker-from-homer shudder and encourage bosses to hang up the headset for the festive season.”