"Little Minnesota" is the 11^th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother. It originally aired on December 15, 2008.

Robin enters MacLaren's wearing an unseasonal t-shirt and explains to Ted that the cold weather doesn't affect her because she's from Canada. Marshall agrees and compares New York in winter to a spring day in Minnesota, except for all the taxis, sky scrapers and non-white people. Upon returning from the bar Ted explains that his sister Heather has arrived in New York and is planning to move there. He explains to the group that Heather is something of a screw up and expresses his doubt of her ever actually moving to New York, telling them of the time she sold his possessions to buy tickets and travel to a Nine Inch Nails concert in Spain. When Barney calls he ignores it and Lily explains that he has been keeping Heather and Barney apart for all the years she has been visitting him in New York.

Heather (Erin Cahill) arrives and the group discovers Barney waiting for them at Ted's apartment with a rented swivel chair he brought for the occasion and a glass of brandy. It is revealed that Lily told Barney of Heather's arrival because of her inability to keep secrets, she then goes on to tell Ted what Robin has got him for Christmas.

Barney is hurt that Ted tried to keep him away from Heather and explains that he never intended to act on all the inappropriate jokes he made. Ted explains that he does not trust Heather or Barney, though he relents and invites Barney to dinner with them on Sunday.

Robin is homesick and so Marshall takes her to a Minnesota themed bar that he goes to when he is feeling homesick. Unfortunately she likes it so much that she ends up pretending to be from Minnesota to win the friendship of the bar patrons, much to Marshall's frustration.

Heather and Ted discuss her decision to move to New York to work in finance and Heather asks Ted to co-sign the lease of the apartment she found. However his lack of faith in her proves an obstacle as they discuss it over dinner. Frustrated with Ted's lack of faith in them, Heather and Barney stage a fake sexual encounter after their interview at Goliath National Bank and ensure that Lily walks in on them, knowing that Lily won't be able to keep it a secret from Ted.

Heather and Barney persist in taunting Ted until he confronts them at Mclarens, claiming that Heather is still the same immature and irresponsible teenager she always was. Barney explains the plan to the surprised Ted and Lily, at the same time revealing that he kissed Ted's mother. Heather storms out to find a hotel, expressing her anger at Ted's refusal to accept that she has grown up.

Eventually Ted makes up with Heather and co-signs her lease, telling her he wants to get to know the new her. Marshall apologises to Robin for outing her as a Canadian, and reassures her that despite her lack of job or boyfriend she still belongs in New York with her friends. To help ease her Christmas homesickness he takes her to a Canadian themed bar.

• Three of the guys at Marshall's Minnesota-themed bar are wearing Vikings jerseys with the names "Bays", "Thomas" and "Smulders". This is a reference to the creators of How I Met Your Mother; Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, and Cobie Smulders.
• "Fryman" is also on another jersey referencing the director Pamela Fryman
• Numerous references are made to the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings, especially the 1999 NFC Title Game loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

• Marshall sings karaoke to "Let's Go to the Mall," Robin's Canadian pop hit revealed in Slap Bet.

• "Little Minnesota" at TV.com