Original subtitles

♪ with a ho! And a ha! And a hee-hee! ♪

♪ oh...

♪ I'm the happiest christmas tree ♪

♪ ho-ho-ho!

♪ hee-hee-hee!

♪ someone came and they found me ♪

♪ and took me home with them

♪ oh, I'm the happiest christmas tree ♪

♪ ho-ho-ho!

♪ hee-hee-hee!

♪ look how pretty they dressed me ♪

♪ oh, lucky, lucky me

♪ I got shiny bells that jingle ♪

♪ and tiny lights that tingle ♪

♪ whenever anyone passes by

♪ I blink my lights and I wink my eye ♪

♪ oh, I'm the happiest christmas tree ♪

♪ christmas day wait and see ♪

♪ I'll be laughing happily

♪ with a ho-ho-ho hee-hee ♪

♪ with a hey! And a hee! And a ho-ho! ♪

♪ with a hee! And a ho! And a ha-hah! ♪

♪ with a hey! And a hee! And a ho-ho! ♪

I'll get the papers over to you right away.

Merry almost christmas, shelby.

Same to you, vanessa.

You're here early.

Yeah, you know,

I just had a few things I wanted to take care of.

Hmm...

I wonder who it's from?

But this little girl can't wait till the first of the year.

I've seen you work your magic around red tape before.

Come on, let's get her this family by christmas.

You're the best.

Thank you so much, susan.

Yeah, have a great holiday.

[woman] hi, vanessa.

Hello!

And what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you all this morning?

We do have a bit of a problem.

Oh, is everything okay?

Everything is beyond perfect.

The problem is

you've done so much for us and the kids

that we will never be able to repay you.

Seeing your smiling faces is the only payment that I need.

You went above and beyond your job for us,

and the kids wanted to share how grateful we all are.

[gasps] is this for me?

[gasps]

thank you!

[woman] there's more.

Are you ready, kids?

♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪

♪ we wish you a merry christmas... ♪

♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪

♪ and a happy new year!

[applause]

that was so wonderful

and the best christmas present ever!

If you don't have any plans,

we'd love to have you over for christmas.

That is so sweet, thank you,

but you guys should celebrate christmas together

as your new family.

[♪♪♪]

one, two, three!

Big smiles!

Merry christmas!

Merry christmas.

[♪♪♪]

merry christmas.

[♪♪♪]

hey, buddy!

How are you?

Did you miss me, huh?

Did you miss me? Want to get some food?

Okay, you can have one present.

Do you want this one?

Do you want this one? Yeah?

Yeah.

Oh, what's that? What's that?

[toy squeaking] yeah, yeah, yeah.

[knocking on door]

deedee!

Thank you!

Girl, it's 8:30 p.M.

And I know you don't have to work tomorrow.

Pajamas already?

Well, dee, as you can clearly see,

these are not pjs,

these are workout clothes.

Ah. Let me guess,

you are about to binge christmas movies

with mickey?

[barks happily]

what's wrong with that?

Nothing,

if mickey had opposable thumbs and walked on two legs.

Oh, no offense, mickey.

Yeah.

Hi...

You have to get back out there.

As in dating?

Who has time for that these days?

If you have time

to binge 30 christmas movies with mickey,

you have time for a boyfriend.

It'll happen when it's supposed to.

-Wine? -Mm.

So was there a reason that you stopped by,

or did you just want to give me a hard time?

Because there's room on my couch

with your name on it.

Right!

First,

did you get your results back yet?

Results for?

From the family branch dna tests that we did.

Check your email. I got mine today.

Anything juicy?

It turns out

that I'm a little less south asian than I thought,

but I am 4% brazilian.

I mean, that-- that explains a lot.

So...

Go get your computer!

Ancestry breakdown--

british and irish, 27%.

Spanish, 16%.

5.5% french.

And 1.5% west african.

That's kinda cool.

That is very cool.

"view family history."

it says I have a paternal match?

As in a biological father?

Oh, my word!

Okay, well, this is what you were hoping for, right?

Yeah, but, um...

Click on it!

I can't do it. I can't do it.

You do it.

-Yeah? -Mm-hmm.

Okay. Okay, okay.

Richard hendricks.

54 years old.

Barrington, connecticut, usa.

Barrington?

That's, like, an hour away.

That's a good thing, right?

I didn't--

I didn't think I'd actually find him.

Okay, let's see...

Wait, what are you doing?

Checking to see if he has social media...

I found him!

He has a family.

Which means you now have a family.

Hey...

You okay?

30 seconds ago, I didn't have a father...

Or siblings.

You remember what you told me?

It's gonna happen when it's supposed to happen.

I was talking about a boyfriend,

not a family.

It still applies.

I think you should message him.

No way.

I'm sure he did this dna test

thinking he'd find, like,

a third cousin in sweden or something.

No, you don't know that.

What if he's looking for you, too?

I highly doubt that.

Okay, well, I think that you should send him a message

before you have a chance to overthink it.

-Okay. -Okay!

Okay, what do I say?

Uh, okay, well, um...

I don't think that you should beat around the bush.

I think you should say...

"hi, I'm your daughter."

what if he doesn't respond?

If he doesn't respond, that's on him.

Not you.

You're right. You're right.

Okay...

Um...

"dear mr. Hendricks,

happy holidays.

My name is vanessa hall.

And I live in new york city.

[message alert chiming]

I recently took a dna test and discovered a paternal match.

I know this may come as a surprise,

but it looks like you are my father."

[crash!]

[richard] did the kids take off for school okay?

[wife] yes.

So did you get your santa all fixed out there?

Yep.

He's mostly duct tape now.

[wife] maybe it's time to retire him this year?

I can't do that.

He's practically part of the family.

Speaking of family.

I actually don't know how to say this.

I just know that I love you

and that this doesn't change anything between us.

Okay... Now you're scaring me.

Do you remember that dna test that we took last year?

Yeah?

Just...

Your daughter?

Wow.

Is this for real?

Yeah, well, it must be.

It's on my account, too.

It says I'm a paternal match.

I mean, obviously, this was, like, 31 years ago.

It's long before I met you.

Trust me, I've already done that math.

Where were you 32 years ago?

It was before my second tour of duty.

So I remember I was seeing a woman named trish.

And...

And then after being over there two years in the middle east,

I couldn't find her when I got back.

So what are we going to do?

We?

Yes, we.

Richard, this concerns all of us.

[exhales]

yeah. Yeah, you're right.

I think you should call her.

[line ringing]

[phone ringing]

hello, this is vanessa.

Hi, vanessa.

This is richard hendricks.

Um, well...

I guess I'm your father.

I mean, biological.

I assume you have someone else you call father.

Yes.

No. I don't have any other fathers

as far as I know.

I mean, I definitely don't have any other fathers.

Thank you for calling.

How are you?

I'm good, great, yeah. How are you?

Yeah, great, thanks.

So...

Where have you been all my life?

[chuckles]

that was a-- that was a joke.

I make bad jokes when I don't know what to say.

That's okay. Me too.

That's even more evidence that I'm your father.

That sounds like some solid evidence there.

Yeah.

If you had to make a list

of the most awkward conversations

you could have in life,

I think our situation is right up there.

It's probably a conversation

that we shouldn't have over the phone.

I mean, if you're comfortable,

would you--

would you be open to a meeting maybe,

um, in person?

I mean, I'm coming in to the city

on Thursday, I think.

I have to pick something up,

and if you're free afterwards,

maybe we could meet up?

Thursday?

Yeah, that-- that sounds great.

Um, I have a little park by my house

that's doing some holiday stuff.

If you want to meet there,

we could meet by the big christmas tree?

Great.

That sounds great.

Say 2:00 p.M.?

Wonderful.

I can text you the address.

Okay, good.

Vanessa, looking forward to meeting you.

Okay. Thank you. Bye-bye.

Thank you. Bye.

[exhales]

♪ good king wenceslas looked out ♪

♪ on the feast of stephen

[sings along] ♪ when the snow lay round about ♪

♪ deep and crisp and even

♪ brightly shone the moon that night ♪

♪ though the frost was cruel

♪ when a poor man came in sight ♪

♪ gathering winter fuel

hi.

Hi. You must be--

vanessa.

Yeah, I figured.

Richard, nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you!

I've gotta say, I'm impressed

that you know all the lyrics to "good king wenceslas".

My family--

they're big carolers,

so it's engrained in the ol' noggin.

Can I interest you in a hot cocoa?

Yeah. I would love that.

Does your mother know that you...

Um, she actually...

Um, she died a while ago.

I didn't realize that.

I remember trish being very sweet...

And funny.

Trish?

Oh! You mean patty.

Yeah, from what I can remember,

she had a really good sense of humor.

She could make

even the scroogiest scrooge crack a smile.

How old were you when she passed?

I was nine when she died.

And the only other family I had was my grandmother,

but she was in an assisted living facility,

so this wonderful older couple

fostered me until I left for college.

Did your mother ever mention me?

From what I remember asking,

she always would say,

"you father was a really good man."

I'd like to think that...

She would have told me more about you

when I got a little bit older,

but her death was pretty sudden.

I'm so sorry.

I had no idea.

It's okay. There's no need to apologize.

My past made me who I am today,

and now I work at a non-profit

placing kids in foster families.

That sounds very rewarding.

So do you have any plans for christmas?

Just a dinner with some friends,

but that's about it.

I was wondering, if you don't mind,

if I could ask you

about what happened between you and my mom.

Well...

I was in the army then.

And I met your mother

shortly before I shipped out to the middle east.

It was a...

Bit of a whirlwind,

and we really liked each other,

but then I shipped out.

And, um...

I was over there for a long time.

Did she ever write you

to tell you she was having a baby?

If she did, I never got it.

Did you try looking for her when you got back?

I did,

but it was two years later.

And that was before cell phones and social media,

so it was easier to lose track of people.

But, uh...

I looked.

And then I ended up meeting pauline,

my current wife,

and here we are.

So you have a family. What are they like?

You know what?

Why don't you find out for yourself?

How about you come and spend the christmas holidays with us?

Oh! No. You don't have to do that.

No, I think it's the perfect time to meet up

when the whole extended family is going to be there.

If you came up on the Saturday,

you could spend a few days getting to know the kids,

and then...

The whole family will arrive christmas eve.

I don't have a car and I can't leave my dog alone.

That's okay.

We have a friend, kristopher, a family friend,

he's driving up.

You can catch a ride with him.

And just bring the dog.

Are you... Are you really sure?

Yes, I'm sure.

I think I would like the opportunity

to get to know you more

when my toes aren't so numb.

Yeah. Yeah.

Let's... Let's do it!

Okay. Okay.

I'll contact kristopher

and I'll get the details and I'll send them to you.

Great.

I will see you Saturday.

Saturday. Yes.

Bye.

[♪♪♪]

I think I have committed to spending too much time there.

Richard is nice,

but what if the rest of the family

isn't as accepting?

You will be fine.

You just have to get out of your own head

and be yourself.

[text message chimes]

that's him.

-Okay. -Okay.

-Yeah. -All right.

Okay. Let's go.

Hi.

Do one of you ladies happen to be vanessa?

Uh, that's me.

Nice to meet you. I'm kristopher.

You can call me kris.

Hi.

This is my best friend, deedee.

Hi, deedee. Nice to meet you.

-And this is mickey. -Hey, mickey.

[barks happily]

I can grab that for you.

Oh, thank you!

Wow, what do you have in here, gold?

Yeah, along with some frankincense and myrrh.

[kris laughs]

[deedee] is he a relative of yours?

I don't think so.

[deedee] good!

Because he is cute.

You know, I used to ask my mom

why the wise men

used to bring frankenstein to the baby jesus.

It just seemed like an odd gift.

Frankenstein would have made the nativity

a lot more interesting.

Right?

-Mm-hmm. -Yeah.

Deedee, are you coming with us?

No. I'm staying here.

My parents are visiting.

Okay, cool, well, happy holidays,

and I guess we can take off.

Call me later.

-Merry christmas. -Merry christmas.

Okay, come on, mickey.

You know, I feel like

I've met all of richard and pauline's friends.

Why haven't I ever heard of you?

Richard didn't tell you?

No, no, he didn't.

He just said that we'd have something to talk about

on the car ride.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, we will.

Okay.

[kris] I can't believe it.

So richard's had a daughter living in new york city

for 31 years he's never known about?

This is crazy.

Imagine how I feel.

How do you feel?

I don't even know.

I mean, the whole thing is so surreal.

I literally just found out that I have a father

and now, here I am.

I wonder what pauline and the kids think about this.

I have no idea.

I mean, I've never even met them.

It could make for a very interesting christmas.

Don't make me any more nervous than I already am.

No. No, no.

Look, they're good kids.

And they get

a cool older sister for christmas,

I'm sure they're gonna be just fine with it

I hope so.

[kris] and this is why I come here all the time.

It's great, right?

[vanessa] it's really cute, yeah.

Great little family spot.

All right, two peppermint eggnogs.

Enjoy.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

-Wow. -Wow.

It's like, um...

It's like christmas in a cup.

That's exactly what richard would order.

I guess you really are his daughter.

So how do you know richard?

Richard and my dad, they were in the army together.

Basic training, two tours.

Richard says that my dad saved his life,

but I...

I don't think it was in the literal sense.

Sounds like they went through a lot together.

What--what are you doing?

I'm just trying to see

if there's a resemblance to richard.

Do you see one?

Not really.

You're much-- you're much prettier than him.

Don't tell him I said that, okay?

So, um,

what do you do for work?

I'm a corporate attorney.

And do you enjoy what you do?

It pays the bills.

You know, we should probably hit the road.

-Oh, yeah. -Okay?

Yeah, yeah.

[♪♪♪]

[vanessa] wow, this is the house?

[kris] yeah, we're here.

Hey, I don't know if you need to hear this,

but richard is one of the best people I know.

If he even knew for a second

he had a daughter out there somewhere,

he would have done

everything in his power to find you.

Okay, this family...

Your life is going to change for the better

knowing them.

Mine has.

Thank you.

That's actually really comforting to hear.

Okay.

Hey, welcome.

-Hello. -Hi.

I hope kris here didn't talk your ear off.

You know how those lawyers can be.

I had my headphones ready just in case.

Smart girl.

[laughs]

everyone's ready to meet you.

Ready?

Come on.

Here, emilia, put your coat on.

-Guys! Hey! -Kris!

Kris.

Good to see you all.

Hey, everyone,

this is vanessa,

my daughter...

Your sister.

Hi, everyone.

I'm pauline.

-Oh. -Hi.

-You're so beautiful! -Thank you.

You are, too.

I'm so excited to meet you.

That's my wife, and she's a hugger.

And then from oldest to youngest

is caitlin,

and this is aiden,

and emilia.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too, aiden.

And this would be mickey,

who would be your nephew.

[laughing and gushing]

hey. Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

I've always loved the name caitlin.

Cool.

How can you be our sister? You're a grown-up.

Oh, um,

before I met your mom,

I met vanessa's mom,

and then vanessa was born.

Then why are we just meeting her now?

Well, we didn't know before,

until a few days ago,

because of a dna test.

I don't get it.

Me neither.

Yeah. Great explanation, dad.

Guys, I've been at depositions

with warmer receptions than this, okay?

Vanessa is amazing.

She's awesome.

I've already vetted her.

She's super nice and very funny.

Just not as funny as me.

But, dad, why did kris take her to the vet?

To the vet? No.

I'm sorry.

Let's get you settled.

And I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch,

'cause this one's getting the guest room.

Oh, man.

I take back everything nice I said about her.

Your home is beautiful!

Thank you.

It even smells like christmas in here.

I know the decorations are a little much,

but that's mostly richard's doing.

[vanessa] this is absolutely gorgeous.

[pauline] thank you.

So that's where the christmas tree will go.

We'll be chopping that down tomorrow.

We usually wait for kris to get here.

And maybe you can join us.

Yeah, I would love that.

[richard] let me guess,

she told you that

she had nothing to do with the christmas decorations?

Did you?

Don't believe this one.

You know, one year,

we had a lights contest in our neighborhood,

and she went and she bought up

every christmas light in a 50-mile radius.

I'm a little competitive.

That's why I'm glad

that she's always on my side for life.

Hey, I'm sorry about emilia.

She just takes a little while to warm,

but once you've won her over, she'll be your best friend.

Oh!

All right, you guys are gonna wear me out for christmas.

Aiden, why don't you show mickey around the house?

Awesome. I love dogs.

Just be careful. He can be a little tricky.

Okay, there you go.

[pauline] emilia, do you want to go play with mickey?

I have to go practice my song.

Yes, emilia's singing a solo, "away in a manger,"

in our church's christmas pageant.

A solo...

Wow, that is very impressive.

It's no big deal.

Ooh!

Sorry. Normally, she's very sweet.

I get it. This is a lot for a kid.

What were you like as a kid?

Uh...

I was pretty shy.

Definitely not the kid

to take a solo in a christmas pageant.

What about you, kris?

Oh, kris was great,

but he had a lot of energy, he would never stop,

but he had a good heart--

and he was obsessed with baseball.

[kris] I still am.

Yeah, richard took me

to my first yankees game when I was six.

I'm a fan for life.

Except my dad didn't like it very much.

He was a mets fan.

I think I've got to side with your dad on this one.

No!

Mets and jets all the way.

You've got to root for the underdog.

Mets and jets!

I knew--

I knew I liked this girl.

Why don't you help me in the kitchen?

Okay. Yeah, sure.

[♪♪♪]

hey, can I show you to your room?

That would be lovely.

You have a beautiful family.

Thank you.

Yeah, we do a big family photo

in front of the christmas tree every year.

Well, you'll be in it--

I mean, if you want to be?

That would be nice.

Okay.

I'm really happy that you're here.

I think the timing's no coincidence--

the holidays are all about family.

I think we have a lot of catching up to do.

Yeah. Yeah, we do.

Okay, here's your room.

Oh, great.

Make yourself comfortable.

Okay, thanks.

Dee, you don't understand how amazing everything is here.

Like, too good to be true.

Really? I mean, how so?

Richard and his wife, pauline, are so lovely,

and, well, the kids are understandably shocked,

but they seem really sweet.

What about that guy that drove you there?

I mean, what's his deal?

Kristopher?

Yeah, he seems nice.

And cute.

You sure he's not your cousin or anything?

Yeah. No, he's definitely not in the family.

[knocking on door]

uh, look, I gotta go.

I love you!

Come in.

-Hey, how are you? -Yeah, good.

I'm supposed to tell you that dinner's ready.

Oh, okay. Thanks.

How are you feeling with everything?

You were right about the family.

They're wonderful.

And I really appreciate

you helping me break the ice with the kids,

although I'm not sure it's fully broken yet.

You'll get there.

Hope so.

-See you soon. -Okay.

"you'll get there."

"okay."

emilia, can I just tell you how much I love your hair?

Oh, that's not her real hair, didn't you know?

She's wearing a wig.

See?

I am not!

[kris] hey. Hey!

[richard] here we go.

Ooh, yeah.

[vanessa] wow, that's interesting.

This is-- it's pinnekjott.

This is basically smoked lamb ribs.

Really popular norwegian meal during the holidays.

So how often do you guys

all get together for dinner like this?

[pauline] we try to as much as possible

with the kids' schedules.

You know, when I was a kid,

we would have dinner for two hours every night,

because my mother was from norway,

would ask us

very detailed questions about our day,

and we thought that she was being strict,

and then we realized

she was just trying to practice her english.

[pauline] caitlin, no phones at the table.

You know that.

Vanessa, who do you eat dinner with?

Um, sometimes, friends,

but it's usually just me and mickey.

So that's why this is such a treat.

Where do you eat dinner, kris?

Where do I eat dinner?

At my desk, usually takeout.

Or I'll stop at julia's on the way home.

Oh, is julia your girlfriend?

[kris] no. No, no.

It's julia's kitchen, in chelsea.

Do you know that spot?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I know the place.

[kris] it's one of my favorite places.

Well, aside from pauline's kitchen, of course.

Good save.

Yeah, that's a good one.

Okay, let's--

can we say grace?

We would like to thank you for this beautiful meal

and for bringing us a very special gift this year.

Vanessa.

And for bringing people into her life

that have taken such good care of her.

And for guiding her to us this year

so that we can have a very special christmas.

In your name.

Amen.

[all] amen.

[group] five, four, three, two, one.

[cheering]

the lights look really nice.

-Oh, do you think so? -Yeah.

I don't know.

I think we've got to turn up the wattage.

You know, dim the rest of the neighborhood.

[vanessa] ah, good idea.

Take out the competition.

Yes.

[richard] is that--

no.

Oh, no!

Emilia, get the duct tape.

[kris] yeah. Duct tape, duct tape!

Hi.

Looks like you and mickey are really bonded.

Yeah, we get along really good.

So what grade are you in, aiden?

Sixth grade.

But I'm already on the 8th grade hockey team.

Wow, you must be really good.

Yeah.

-Can I tell you a secret? -Sure.

I've never actually been ice skating.

Really?

It's not that hard.

It requires some coordination, which I don't have very much of.

Can I tell you another secret?

Okay.

I've always wanted a brother.

I've always wanted a brother, too,

'cause I already have two sisters

and they can be annoying.

Right.

[♪♪♪]

it's not too bad, right?

It's, um...

It's pretty magical.

So, dad, where did you meet vanessa's mom?

Providence.

I didn't know she lived in rhode island?

That's where you guys met?

Yeah, she had an apartment downtown,

by the old majestic theatre.

She must have moved back to new york

before you came home.

That's probably why you couldn't find her.

That's true.

I only looked in providence.

[emilia] wait.

How can we be sisters if we have different moms?

She's our half-sister.

I actually don't like the term half-sister.

I think family is family,

and you're sisters, and that's it.

That was the perfect but chilly ending

to a beautiful night.

-Could you read me a story? -Yes.

[text alert chimes]

[♪♪♪]

everything okay?

Uh, yeah, yeah.

Just--I'm a bit tired.

I think I'm going to turn in.

Okay. Have a good sleep.

Yeah. You too. Good night.

Good night.

[line ringing]

[woman on answering machine] our office is currently closed.

Please call us back during regular business hours.

Happy holidays!

[♪♪♪]

-[knocking on door] -come in!

Hey. Morning.

Good morning!

Hi.

Um, pauline mentioned

that you might want to come get our christmas tree with us.

Oh, yeah! I would love to.

Yeah? Okay. Great.

Good.

Okay. Wear something warm.

Warm? Got it.

Okay...

I can't believe that the girls are missing this.

Yeah. Pauline took emilia to rehearsal

and caitlin's doing her own thing,

but they'll join us to decorate.

Okay, so what kind of tree are we looking for?

A christmas tree.

I mean, like a tall one,

or a fuller one,

or a skinny one?

I think we'll know it when we see it.

Okay, let's split up.

Aiden and I are gonna go off together.

Holler if you see something.

Whoa, dad, can we get that tree?

[♪♪♪]

so, I've gotta ask...

I know you're close to the family,

but I'm sure there's

a million other things you could be doing right now.

Why do you choose to spend your holiday break here?

Sometimes, it's just nice to get out of the city,

you know?

I'm sensing there is more to it than that.

My, um...

My parents passed away.

It was a car accident.

They were traveling to michigan to come visit me at law school.

I was 22.

The next couple of years,

I just couldn't face the holidays.

Richard finally talked me into coming to visit with the family,

and...

I've been coming back every year since.

Thank you for sharing that, kris.

And I'm sorry to hear about your parents.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

[♪♪♪]

what do you think?

I think it's perfect.

[cheering]

[richard] here we go! Here we go, guys!

There's more decorations in the garage,

in case these aren't enough.

[vanessa] where's emilia?

Is she still at rehearsal?

She's in the dining room

stringing together a popcorn garland.

Something happened at rehearsal today,

but she doesn't want to tell me.

Do you mind if I go and talk to her?

Please. Be my guest.

♪ away in a manger

♪ no crib for a bed

that sounds wonderful!

You know, I've never made popcorn garland before.

Do you...

Do you think you could show me how you do it?

Is there...

Is there any string left?

It's easy.

You just string it through the center of the popcorn,

and if you want, you can add these...

Whoa, cranberries.

That is--

that is taking it to a whole new level.

So, how did rehearsal go today?

I don't wanna do this solo anymore.

Well, how come? You have a beautiful voice.

I can sing at home just fine,

but when I'm at rehearsal,

in front of people,

my throat gets dry and I sound horrible.

Well, you know,

a lot of very famous singers have stage fright.

Adele, katy perry, rihanna...

They do?

Of course!

And I am no singer,

but back in college,

when I had to give a presentation,

I would get so nervous,

I could feel my voice shaking.

But then I learned how to work through it.

How?

Well, I'd take some deep breaths...

And think about

how nobody in the class wanted me to fail.

We were all in the same boat.

Same goes for the audience listening to you sing.

Just try and focus on how singing makes you feel,

then let it flow from your heart,

the same way you do when you sing at home.

Sometimes, being nervous, it just means you really care.

That makes sense.

How about we go decorate the tree now?

[emilia] dad!

Yeah?

Vanessa and I made this. Can you hang it on the tree?

Of course!

Fantastic.

There you go.

[richard] very nice.

Vanessa, how did you and your mother

celebrate christmas?

Well, it was always just the two of us,

so she tried to me make christmas extra special.

We would go into the city, to rockefeller plaza,

and see the big christmas tree,

and then we'd always go for a nice dinner after.

That sounds really nice.

We found it!

You guys need another house

to store all your christmas decorations.

No way.

Remember that?

Yeah, I remember when I made this.

It was forever ago.

Emilia's first christmas.

[kris] look at the cheeks!

-You were so cute! -I still am.

Yes, you are.

What does this say?

Oh. This--

I made this with my grandfather when I was a boy.

That's norwegian for "merry christmas".

Oh.

"julekurvers"?

Julekurver, yeah, that's right.

That's another norwegian tradition.

You hang them on the tree and then you add candy and nuts.

Yeah, all these years,

and I still don't have one myself.

Right, guys?

What happened there?

Maybe I'll just take yours this year?

Is that-- is that okay?

[richard] oh, the star!

-Want to put it on? -Yes!

All right.

There we go.

-Is it on? -Yeah.

[cheering]

[♪♪♪]

-hey. -Hey.

[kris] so, what do you think?

I think I'm starting to understand

why you come back here every year.

It kind of feels like a gift.

Wait-- I didn't get presents for anyone.

It's okay.

Just get gift cards like I usually do.

I can't get them gift cards.

I need to get them presents-- like proper presents.

Well, I'd be happy to take you out tomorrow

if you want?

Not like out on a date,

you know, just out, shopping.

Shopping?

Yeah, yeah. I got that.

That would be great. Pretty clear.

-I'm going to go to bed. -Yeah, let's got to bed.

-Good night! -Good night.

You should be doing most of the work.

You didn't get your workout in today, did you?

Man, you've been handling

this vanessa situation really well.

She's making it easy.

But, uh...

What?

Nothing.

What is it?

Well, don't say that I said this to her, all right?

All right.

But vanessa didn't know

that her mother lived in providence.

That's the only place I knew her.

The woman I knew, everybody called her trish,

so why does her daughter only know her as patty?

People move, right?

People change-- change nicknames.

She said she doesn't know her mom.

Her mom passed away when she was young,

so she might not have known her.

Yeah, you're right.

You're right.

Also, I've seen the dna test and we're definitely a match.

-Come on. -Okay. All right, all right.

[♪♪♪]

[kris] so you don't think

I should get gift cards for everyone?

I don't have a problem with gift cards.

They just should have a personal touch.

Take emilia for instance, what is she into?

Oh, she's into, um,

theater, music, acting...

There you go.

A gift card for a movie theater.

Or, wait, I have a better idea!

If you want to go in on it with me.

-Yeah, sure. -Okay.

-I'll take care of it. -Okay.

What about aiden?

Aiden--winter sports.

Winter sports...

Okay, what about

a gift certificate for some lift tickets?

And then, obviously,

caitlin would be for a camera shop.

Wow, you're really good at this.

I've always wanted to have a big family to shop for.

Well, now you do.

What are you getting me for christmas?

I'm really torn

between a half a lump and a full lump of coal.

Hah!

[kris] well, maybe you need a break.

You know, help you make that decision.

Oh, I don't know...

So, how does a nice guy like you

end up in corporate law?

We're not all bad guys.

You hinted before

that you didn't really enjoy what you did.

I've always been someone who's...

Pretty good at things.

I was a pretty good student,

I'm a pretty good lawyer,

I was a pretty good athlete...

But there's only one thing that I'm truly great at...

Underwater basket weaving.

That's just thing.

You know, I'm not great at anything.

You're pretty great with the kids.

To be honest,

I've always had trouble imagining myself with kids.

Why?

Well, my life kind of took a detour

after my parents' accident.

I've just been so committed to work.

So no luck in a relationship, then?

Not even close.

I guess dating's the one thing I'm not good at.

Well, I hope you're good at ice skating.

[vanessa] whoa.

[kris] whoa, whoa, whoa. Yeah, yeah.

Okay, yeah, yeah.

Step, step.

-Okay. -Here we go.

-Step. -Step.

-Whoa! -Glide.

[♪♪♪]

so I've got everyone done, except for caitlin and richard,

but I found a place online that has a gift for richard,

if you don't mind making one last stop.

Yeah. Not at all.

[phone ringing]

everything okay?

Uh, yeah. Yeah.

I'll just deal with it later.

Okay.

What's going on, guys?

Hey.

Well, we have to say goodbye to a local icon.

No amount of duct tape can fix him.

Yeah, yeah. Could you grab it?

I'll grab it.

Richard, I wanted to wait until christmas

to give you this,

but it seems like the present

is the perfect time for your present.

Whoo-hoo!

Look who saved the day.

Whoo-hoo!

Yeah, I think it's a little smaller.

Yeah, yeah, definitely.

Time for gingerbread houses. Who wants to join?

-Oh, you want to? -Yeah, sure. You?

Yeah, yeah? You all ready?

Should I just sprinkle some on top?

[indistinct excited chatter]

you're using way too much icing?

What?

I figured if icing holds it together,

then a lot of icing

would really hold it together, right?

Did you do this type of stuff with your mom?

Uh, we would make...

Gingerbread houses our of graham crackers.

What about you?

No gingerbread houses for us.

My dad was a musician.

He played guitar.

The holidays were sort of his bread and butter.

That's when he played all of his gigs,

and my mom and I would go watch him.

We even went to the fancy private christmas parties.

Was your mom also a musician?

No, no.

She...

She was a teacher.

Taught third grade.

She was always the smartest person in the room,

but she never acted like it.

Well, remind me never to hire you guys

to do any construction.

Look at that.

That's fundamentally flawed.

It's not.

It is actually very strong.

[richard] until a puff of wind comes along.

I love all of these fun christmas activities.

[richard] okay, good, because there's a lot more.

We've got a christmas pageant tomorrow night.

Oh, and on christmas eve,

you're going to meet all the relatives.

We're going to do snowmen,

make cookies, go caroling.

It's really a blast.

I just can't wait

for you to meet the whole family, though.

Me too.

From all the stories I've heard

and all the fun family photos I've seen,

they seem like a good bunch.

Hey, do you have any old photos of your mom?

I have one photo

of her holding me when I was a baby

that's framed in my apartment,

but, um,

my foster parents had a flood in their basement,

so all of my other photos

and everything that my mom left me

got ruined.

Oh, that's a shame.

Yeah.

Did you guys drop yours, or is it meant to be like that?

Yeah, we took creative liberty,

and we feel like it's probably the most edible.

-[vanessa] yeah. -Okay.

Cool.

[richard] you are painters with candy.

[voicemail] you have one new message.

[woman on voicemail] hi, vanessa.

This is diana calling from family branch dna.Com.

We've tried to reach you a couple of times.

It seems there's been a mix-up with your results.

There were two vanessa halls in our system.

It was a rare glitch

and your test was switched with hers.

We're sorry for the inconvenience.

Please give us a call so we can sort this out.

We are currently assisting other clients.

Please leave a message

and we will get back to you shortly.

[phone ringing]

hey, girl, what's up?

I don't know what to do. I'm kind of freaking out.

What happened?

The family branch dna company

left a voicemail

saying that they made a mistake

and they mixed my results up

with another vanessa hall.

Are you serious?

Yes.

So, richard isn't my actual father.

This isn't my actual family.

I don't know how to tell them.

Okay, well...

I would wait until after christmas.

I can't do that.

Somewhere out there,

richard has an actual daughter named vanessa hall.

And you've tried to call them back?

I can't get through.

It makes sense.

Richard mentioned

that he met my mother in providence.

I don't ever remember her saying she lived in rhode island.

Until you know for sure,

there's no point of you spoiling christmas.

[knocking on door]

look, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later.

Good morning!

I brought you coffee.

Oh, that is so sweet.

Thank you!

Breakfast is ready.

I'll be down in two seconds.

[sighs]

okay...

Oh!

You really pulled this off.

Hey. Pauline got called in

to cover a shift at the hospital,

and aiden has decided to take over.

Here you go.

-Oh, it looks delicious. -Thank you.

You good?

Uh, yeah.

I just didn't sleep really well.

Yeah?

Pillow issues?

Hey, dad,

there's this winter dance at school tonight,

and all my friends are going to be there,

and I was wondering if I could go.

But the pageant is tonight!

I could come and watch you sing

and then go to the dance afterwards.

I wouldn't miss your solo.

But this is vanessa's first year.

Forget it, I won't go.

No. You should go to the dance.

It sounds like a lot of fun.

You're going to be here all of christmas eve

and spend all christmas day with the family, right?

That's a very good point.

Well, if there are no other objections,

then it's fine with me.

No objections.

Okay, I have to leave.

You'll be able to help with my costume, right?

Yes, of course.

Don't stress. You're gonna be great.

Okay, I'll see you all later.

-Bye. Have a great day. -Good luck.

Bye.

Thank you for that.

I didn't think he'd ever say yes.

Although now I have no idea

what I'm going to wear for the dance.

Well, I haven't picked up your christmas gift yet.

Do you want to go shopping?

Yeah!

Cool.

This store has some really cute stuff.

Totally.

So, do you have a boyfriend?

No... Do you?

No...

But you like someone?

Maybe.

His name's eli,

but we're totally in the friend zone.

We've been best friends since we were kids

and, well, he'll be there tonight.

Starting as friends is a good foundation.

It's kind of confusing.

How do I know if he likes me?

Well, tonight,

when a slow song comes on,

you could ask him to dance,

and while the music's playing,

and you two lock eyes,

see if you feel a spark.

You'll know.

You mean like how kris looks at you?

[laughs]

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Um, it's pretty obvious.

I've known kris my whole life,

and he likes you.

And I think you like him, too.

And I think that it is time for you to try on this dress!

I like having a big sister.

Merry christmas.

[indistinct conversation]

-hi. -Hi.

Can you believe these lights?

Every other one of them is burnt out.

I know your family is coming here tomorrow,

but I was hoping that we could talk.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

I wanted to chat with you, too.

Even though I am a grown man,

I was very nervous about telling my mother about you.

What did she say?

Well...

She was understandably surprised at first,

but then I thought

she was more open-minded than I expected.

I mean, you kind of remind me of her.

You're both very strong, resilient women.

I think you're going to get along great.

Thank you.

And I'm looking forward to meeting her, but there's--

are these the lights you're looking for?

Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

That should work great.

Did you find something for caitlin to wear?

Yes. She has a great eye,

and the dress she chose is beautiful.

Hopefully not too beautiful.

I am not prepared

for young suitors to come knocking.

The fact that you still call them young suitors

definitely says you're not ready.

Well, I'm going to head inside.

Let me know if you need a hand.

-Done. -Good?

-I love it. -I love it, too.

Oh, wait, you've got a little...

Something.

[knocking on door]

hey.

You mind if I get a little help?

Emilia's having a bit of a meltdown.

What's wrong?

Pauline said

she was going to help her get ready after work,

and she's still not back yet.

Uh, yeah, I'll be right down.

Okay, thank you.

You look great.

Thank you again for everything.

Of course. Just remember to have fun.

Dad! I don't think that's how you do it!

-Hey. -Hi!

I hear it's got some wings.

I think they might just be...

Going on like a backpack.

One arm through there.

One arm through there...

Boom.

Okay, good. Okay, good.

Good, let's go.

Come on, we're going to meet your mother there.

One final little touch.

And this one.

Okay, let's tie this around here.

You are going to be great.

Just remember, try to take some deep breaths

and know that everybody in the audience--

especially me--

is cheering you on.

Voila!

Wow. That was fast!

Okay.

-Come on. -One angel ready to go.

I'll see you there!

[♪♪♪]

did emilia sing yet?

No, no. She's ready. It's okay.

You're just in time.

[clearing throat] do not be afraid.

I bring you good news

that will cause great joy for all the people.

Today in the town of david, a savior has been born.

You will find a baby wrapped in cloths

lying in a manger.

♪ away in a manger

♪ no crib for a bed

♪ the little lord jesus

♪ laid down his sweet head

♪ the stars in the bright sky

♪ looked down where he lay

♪ the little lord jesus

♪ asleep on the hay

[♪♪♪]

I mean, I think for me, she got her comfort on stage,

don't you think?

I helped her put her wings on.

You were seriously amazing today!

I mean, you're going to open on broadway one day,

I know it.

I thought about what you said,

and I wasn't as nervous.

Thank you!

You're welcome.

I'm going to the dance now.

Oh, yes! Okay. Have fun!

Have an amazing time.

Let me know how it goes.

Thank you.

Nice job.

Big sister coming through.

Thanks.

Are you free later?

Did you want the green or?

No, no.

I am literally the worst at this.

That's why I get gift cards.

I don't know,

I think that there's something kind of endearing

about interestingly-wrapped presents.

-Do you? -Mm-hmm.

Well, luckily, this one's going to you.

These are for aiden.

Oh, man, snowboard gear.

He needs this.

What did you get, an air fryer?

Well, pauline said she loved her easy bake oven as a kid,

so I figured

an air fryer is sort of a grown-up version of that.

That's really thoughtful.

You know, I can tell how much this family means to you.

Yeah, they...

They really mean a lot.

They just...

So openly embraced me,

and...

It's...

It's almost overwhelming.

Hey, trust me.

They...

They're so glad you're here.

If I'm being really honest about it...

I'm glad you're here, too.

I... I can't believe it's almost christmas eve.

You're gonna meet the whole family tomorrow.

Right, um...

Well, I'd better...

Better tuck these away,

and get some sleep.

Okay.

-Have a good night. -Yeah, you too.

Hey, what's up?

Whatcha doing?

I thought that I had

an old photo of vanessa's mom.

I thought I'd surprise her with it,

but I can't find it.

Uh...

Do you think it's--

it's weird if...

If I like vanessa?

You are asking me

to be a young suitor to my daughter?

Yeah. I think I am.

Well, nothing would make me happier than that.

-That's good! -All right.

[richard] how does she feel?

Oh, mickey, what am I going to do?

Oh, um, excuse me. Pardon me.

Oh! She's awake!

Hey, everyone! Excuse me. Everyone!

This is my daughter, vanessa.

This is my family-- our family.

Let's do this properly.

This is your uncle dave.

-Hello. -Hi.

This is my sister, your aunt sandra.

-It's nice to meet you. -It's nice to meet you.

They have two kids, sherry and mike, over there.

-Say hi, sherry. -Hi!

This is sharon and peggy,

they're my cousins, your second cousins.

Oh, and this is your uncle terry.

-So great to meet you. -Oh, nice to meet you.

And this is your aunt judy.

So lovely to meet you! Welcome to the family.

They have two kids, alisha and adam,

but they're not here today.

And then this is your aunt candy.

Hi.

-Your aunt carol. -Hello.

This is judy number two and uncle ron.

Judy. Ron. Nice to meet you.

And then that's paul and kimmy,

my cousins.

And, um...

Last but not least,

this is my mother, helene.

Let me see you, darling.

Aren't you just the most beautiful young woman!

Thank you.

Let's get you some breakfast, dear.

-Oh, look at that. -Thank you.

Hot food is served in the kitchen

whenever you're ready.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, sweetheart, thanks.

That's so lovely.

Have you ever had lefse before?

No. I've never even heard of it.

[helene] lefse is norwegian bread

made from potatoes.

My lefse isn't as good as my mother's was,

but it's not bad.

It's really good.

Have you ever been to norway, dear?

No, I haven't.

It's beautiful.

Unique food, too.

If I had my way,

I would serve us ludafisk for christmas dinner,

but richie won't let me.

Why won't he let you serve it?

'cause it makes the whole house

smell like a fish market.

Oh...

You come to my house one day and I will make you ludafisk.

[kris] god jul, helene. Hello!

Your norwegian accent is getting better!

God jul, handsome.

God jul.

I've been practicing just for you.

I thought so.

So nice to see you.

Hey, how was the dance?

[caitlin] so good!

I danced with eli three times!

Wow. Nice!

Okay, guys.

Time to make snowmen!

Dad, they're called snow-people now.

Called "snow-people".

All right, time to make snow-persons!

Let's go.

Everyone, it will just take five minutes, don't worry.

What do you think? Looks just like richard, huh?

I would say there is no denying it.

You've got better dad jokes than your own dad.

[laughs]

[aiden] snowball fight!

Hey, you get back here!

[♪♪♪]

you know you can have some fun, huh?

[tv playing] ♪ for auld lang syne

♪ we'll take a cup of kindness yet ♪

♪ for the sake of auld lang syne ♪

"it's a wonderful life" is my favorite.

It's my favorite, too.

[vanessa] this has been the best christmas,

and I love your family.

Well, everybody loves you.

So, how did the two of you meet?

I was his nurse.

She had me in stitches the first time I met her--

literally--

I had a gash above my eye from a hockey game

and she stitched me up.

I thought he played hockey and got hit with a puck.

Turns out that kris's dad

accidentally elbowed him

while they were watching a hockey game.

So kris's dad is the reason that the two of you met?

-Mm-hmm. -Yeah.

[vanessa] that's so sweet.

Well, every good romance has a good story.

Oh, yes. So true.

[vanessa] I just wanted to say

thank you for being so gracious and open

to having me here.

When you have what richard and I have,

it's easy.

Besides, what's his is mine,

and that includes you.

I am going to take these cookies in.

-[richard] here. -Thank you.

Still warm.

Richard, I wanted to talk to you about something.

How did you meet my mom?

I know you said you were in providence?

Yeah.

Um...

I remember it was a windy day,

and my hat blew off and she picked it up.

And then she made fun of my army buzz cut.

And thanks to that gust of wind,

you're here today.

And because we both did those dna tests by chance.

No, nothing's by chance.

You're meant to be here.

Actually...

Emilia spilled her hot chocolate.

Agh!

, who needs one?

Oh, you need one right here?

Okay. Remember, you're the best singer.

[kris warming up his vocal cords]

-kris. -I know all the lyrics.

You know them all!

Okay, come on, here we go.

You been caroling before?

Um, not in a really long time.

Are you an alto or a soprano?

What's the really high one?

Soprano.

Then I am definitely an alto.

Listen, there's something I need to tell you.

Yeah? What is it that you need to tell me?

That, um...

I'm a really bad singer.

You're a-- [laughs]

you know what, there are no bad singers,

there's only bad voices,

and you know what, it doesn't matter,

because we're just here to have fun.

Great.

♪ angels we have heard on high ♪

♪ sweetly sng through♪

♪ and the mountains in reply... ♪

lucky we have these cheat sheets.

I sing these lyrics, every single year

and I always forget them.

♪ gloria...

♪ in excelsis deo

do you think that

it's better not to have a good thing

if...

You're gonna lose the good thing,

because once you have the good thing,

you realize how good the thing actually is?

Whoa. I think I actually followed you there.

I think what you're saying

is you're worried

that you'll never have a christmas this good again?

How can it be?

You know, I felt the same way,

but this family has made me realize

that there's other ways of celebrating,

of finding happiness.

You know, I know it's just been a few days,

but...

You being here has just given me

a whole new perspective on what it means to be a family.

I know how you feel.

Do you want to go on a real date after christmas?

I don't know, maybe even spend new year's together?

I mean, I want to say--

say yes. Say yes. Say yes.

Okay? Just don't even think about it.

Yes.

Yes, I would-- I would love that.

Okay.

I'm sorry, that was very lawyer of me.

[richard] just before we sing this next one,

I just want to say...

My family was blessed with a very special gift

this year.

I found my daughter after so many years.

And just to have her be...

Such a--

such a wonderful person.

She's the missing part of our family

that we didn't even realize was missing.

And as I--as I stand

in front of this beautiful christmas tree,

I can't help but think

that the most important tree in all of our lives

is our family tree.

So...

Thank you, vanessa.

And everyone else, merry christmas!

Merry christmas!

♪ o christmas tree o christmas tree ♪

♪ how lovely are thy branches! ♪

♪ o christmas tree o christmas tree ♪

♪ how lovely are thy branches! ♪

♪ your boughs so green in summertime ♪

♪ stay bravely green in wintertime ♪

[♪♪♪]

♪ angels we have heard on high... ♪

okay, okay, guys.

Don't get too comfortable!

We have to take our family photo.

All right.

It's our first year with vanessa!

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[knocking on door]

hey.

Could you touch up my hair for the picture?

Of course, emilia.

[emilia] I'm sorry for being rude to you

when you first got here.

I think I was jealous of you.

It's okay.

I think, in a lot of ways, I'm actually jealous of you.

You have a lot to be grateful for here.

What do you think?

I love it.

I think it's super-cute.

Come on, you two. Everybody's ready--

even mickey is ready.

No, I don't think I can do this, pauline.

Don't be silly. You look gorgeous.

[richard] oh, here we go. Here we go.

Okay, everyone's here.

Vanessa, there beside mom.

Beside grandma.

Don't be shy, darling.

[richard] okay, good.

Okay, it's on a 10-second timer.

Everyone ready?

Okay, here we go!

And merry christmas!

Merry christmas!

Okay, hold on. Hold on.

Don't move, don't move.

We're going to do one--

everybody do silly faces, except kris, obviously.

Pretend to be yourself.

Really good. That's really good. I can see that.

Now we're going to do silly faces, all right?

Silly.

Wait, wait, wait.

I can't be in this photo.

I'm...

I'm sorry, I need to tell you all something.

I'm not richard's daughter.

What are you talking about? Of course you are.

No, actually, I'm...

I'm not.

Maybe this is a great time for some hot cocoa.

Anyone care to join me?

Okay.

Look.

The dna testing company called,

and they said they mixed up my test results.

Richard, you do have a daughter named vanessa hall,

but she's not me.

Wait, this--

this doesn't sound right.

[vanessa] it's true.

Are you sure about this?

Yes. I mean...

That explains

why I didn't know about my mom living in providence,

because the woman that you knew--

she wasn't my mom.

You have an amazing family.

And whoever the other vanessa is,

she's...

The luckiest girl in the world.

I'm...

I'm really sorry.

Vanessa, wait.

Vanessa, wait.

Why didn't you say something?

I wanted to say something to them...

And to you.

I just--

I couldn't get the words out.

I was...

I was so happy here. I didn't want it to believe it.

You don't have to go.

They've accepted you in their family.

No.

They've accepted you as their family.

I don't belong here.

[doorbell rings]

let me guess, you're the real daughter?

Um, no.

I'm...

I'm the not-real daughter's friend.

I'm going to miss you guys.

Thank you all so much for your hospitality.

-Vanessa, wait... -No, I...

I should go.

But I... I hope you have a merry christmas.

So she's not my sister now?

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[richard] hey, I know it's been a really strange day,

but the fact of the matter is,

is that I do have a daughter named vanessa out there.

It's just not the one that we thought it was.

So, if you could all keep an open mind,

that would be great.

[aiden] but, dad,

I don't want a different vanessa.

I don't even care that she's not my sister.

Can't we still hang out with her?

It's christmas

and she has no family.

She's welcome here,

but that would be for her to decide.

You know what, I think it's time for dinner.

A little food always makes us feel better.

Come help me.

[♪♪♪]

[kris] I can't believe this.

You know it's not her fault.

She wanted us to be a part of her family

as much as we wanted her to be a part of our family.

What should I do, richard?

This doesn't change anything between you.

I mean, we all saw the connection you guys had.

She had a connection with everybody.

She bought the whole family gifts.

She bought me a gift.

Open it.

Open it.

[♪♪♪]

[laughing]

what? What is it? What?

Frankenstein and myrrh.

[laughing]

see that?

She's making you laugh and she's not even here.

That's saying something.

I think it's saying that I...

I care about her.

Well, what are you doing here?

Go tell her.

I don't think she feels the same way about me.

What are you talking about?

Of course, she does.

I mean, she was put in an awkward situation here.

That's not the real her.

Go!

And tell her

that even though she's not related to us,

she's always welcome here.

Thanks, richard.

Okay, there you go.

What are you going to do now?

I guess I'm...

Back to binge-watching christmas films.

Are you sure you don't want to come over?

My parents are here and they would love to see you.

Thank you, but...

I think I'm just going to decompress.

That's understandable.

The funny thing is, you know,

I actually--

I started seeing parts of myself

in richard and the kids.

Goes to show you see what you want to see, right?

What about kristopher?

Maybe he's the silver lining in all of this.

I think that that ship has sailed.

-Oh, I love you. -I love you.

Okay.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

hey, hey, hey, everyone. Come here. Come here.

Come here!

Vanessa said

that her mother's name was patty.

But her real name was patricia.

Patricia hall.

And... And look...

She looks just like vanessa.

Our vanessa.

She is my daughter.

I knew it!

What are we going to do?

Well, who wants to go to the big apple?

-Yes! -Yes!

I do!

Yeah!

[carolers] ♪ silent night

♪ holy night

♪ all is calm

♪ all is bright

♪ round yon virgin

♪ mother and child

♪ holy infant so tender and mild ♪

♪ sleep in heavenly peace...

♪ sleep in heavenly peace

[vanessa] what are you guys doing here?

Excuse me.

I think...

...That she has your eyes.

That's my mom.

Merry christmas.

[richard] get in here!

[♪♪♪]

come in, come in, come in!

♪ ...Laughing all the way

♪ ho-ho-ho-ho!

-[vanessa] come in. Welcome. -Thank you.

Where's kris?

I thought he might have been here already.

Do you think he's okay?

Yeah. I'm sure he's fine.

[knocking on door]

hey!

I got you a little something.

Come in, come in! Here...

Yeah.

Here. Let's put it by the fireplace.

-Okay. -You got it?

[kris] hey, guys. You beat me here.

-Merry christmas. -Merry christmas!

[vanessa] okay.

Kris, I know I should have said something sooner.

No, no.

I understand why you didn't say anything right away.

It's just...

I was falling in love with the family.

You're not the only one that was falling in love.

You know you can't get rid of me that easily.

We've tried for years. It's true.

Wait.

When you said that I wasn't the only one falling in love,

you didn't happen to be referring to yourself,

were you?

Oh, no.

No, I was...

I was referring to another vanessa hall.

That's, um...

That's too bad.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

-oh, my gosh. -[richard] what's this now?

A coupon for a special day in new york city

with kris and vanessa

that includes a trip to the salon,

tickets to a broadway show

and a sleepover!

Oh, I can't wait.

-Oh, for me? -Yeah.

[♪♪♪]

my family.

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]

[♪♪♪]