Original subtitles

Yes, I will meet you at three.

Okay, where... Wait, where did I put the...

Aha!

Okay.

Good morning, sleepyhead. Are you ready?

Do I have to go to day camp?

Okay, look.

I know we didn't plan for this, but Becca had to go home for the holidays,

don't have anybody that can watch you on short notice. I can watch myself.

Well, that wouldn't make me a very responsible mother, now would it?

Besides, it's not just any day camp.

It's Christmas day camp. Okay, there's going to be all kinds of fun activities,

lots of kids to play with. Who knows, you might even make a new friend.

Okay, get your backpack. We don't want to be late for your first day.

Okay, show me that smile.

Okay, we'll work on it.

Let's go.

Good morning.

Oh, good morning.

It's a beautiful day.

Gorgeous.

Have a good day.

You too.

Oh, I think that was our new neighbor.

What's her name?

I'm not sure. I haven't actually introduced myself.

Why not?

Well, I've just been busy getting us settled.

Look, honey, I know that it's been hectic with the move and Mommy running

business. But I promise, as of tonight, all of that is going to change.

How? Well, from now until Christmas, you and I are going to do all our favorite

traditions. Miracle on 34th Street.

Dating at Bellevue.

Flooding at White Path.

Everything we always did with Dad.

Sound good?

Welcome to Christmas Day Camp.

Okay, we're here.

Look, honey, I know you're nervous.

It's natural. All you have to do is get through until 5 o 'clock, and then we'll

get our tree, and we'll decorate all night, and drink hot chocolate, eat

marshmallows until our stomachs explode.

Okay?

All right.

Let's get you checked in.

Here you go.

Good morning.

Irene, you're back again so soon.

You're a saint.

I'm just doing my part.

See you tomorrow.

Looking forward to it.

Irene, what do we owe the pleasure today?

I just thought I'd see if I could interest anyone in a little homemade

fruitcake. Happy holidays.

Hi. Good morning, Irene.

What have we got today?

Well, I have a couple of Christmas cards and a batch of those sugar cookies you

said you liked so much. Thank you. I appreciate it.

I've got something in here for you.

Looks like it took quite the journey to get here.

It's from my grandson, Miles.

Look how handsome.

You've got those good genes.

Happy holidays to the best grandmother in the whole wide world.

Exclamation point. Can't wait to be home for Christmas.

Love, Miles.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Hey,

how was your weekend?

Nothing too exciting. Still unpacking. We did manage to get some lights up in

the yard, though.

That's exciting.

That's familiar, at least.

How'd it go at the camp?

Oh, heartbreaking.

You should have seen his face.

Poor guy.

Yeah. I knew this first Christmas with just the two of us wasn't going to be

easy, but I just... I really hoped that the holidays would lift his spirits a

little bit. Well, it's still early, and who knows? He might actually have a good

time. I hope so.

You know, I was thinking, I know how busy you've been with Gavin and running

everything on your own. It's a lot for anybody.

Yeah, sure is.

And I mean, believe me, I'm happy to just be an employee, but if you ever

some help with some of the operations or networking for new clients, maybe even

organizing some of his paperwork, yeah.

Well, firstly, you are definitely more than just an employee.

I mean, you helped Andrew and I build this company from the ground up. You are

practically family at this point. I appreciate that.

But as a part of the family, I just want to make sure that you have all the

support that you need.

Well, thank you.

You know, at this point, I really want to prove that I can handle it all on my

own. And I know that it seems that I'm a little unorganized, but trust me, I

have got everything under control.

In fact, I have a meeting today with our newest clients to close the deal. The

software company? Yes. Two floors of office space that we will redesign all

our own.

Well, that's great.

I know, right?

Okay, everyone. Thanks for gathering in.

Today we are going to be playing a lot of fun games.

And first we're going to start off with a scavenger hunt.

Okay, I need everyone to find a partner, okay?

What's your name?

Gavin. Hey, do you want to be my partner for the scavenger hunt?

I don't really feel like it right now.

Okay, maybe later?

Maybe. Okay.

Now,

I want you all to decide what

we're going to deck the holes with, okay?

Here we go.

The halls with boughs of... Candy?

Candy! Boughs of candy.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Tis the season to be... Candy?

Candy! Christmas on the beach.

I love that.

All right.

Tis the season to be sandy.

And all together now.

Fa la la la la.

La la la la.

Oh, my goodness. That was fantastic.

Why don't we give ourselves a round of applause?

Who might want to join me for a little crafting?

Me. Oh, good.

Get up. Let's head to the craft room.

Will you all help me?

Okay. All right, everyone, follow me.

All right, everyone, let's go.

Everyone, we have so many supplies, and everything looks so beautiful, but you

can use as much as you want.

Well, this handsome face certainly looks familiar.

Don't tell me. That's it.

I was watching you in a movie last night.

No. No old thing on this.

You're the lovely man who was helping me with my bags at the grocery store.

I'm not old enough to work.

Are you sure?

Because you look awfully grown up to me.

You're our neighbor. Oh, no. That's not it.

I saw you in the driveway.

Let me get a better look here.

Put on my glasses and really check this out.

Oh, my goodness.

You're the young man who just moved in next door.

That's what I said.

Well? I suppose it's time that we officially meet.

I'm Irene.

And what's your name?

Gavin.

Well, it's not official unless we shake hands.

Wait. What is this?

What did you do?

I don't know. Are you a magician?

No. Are you sure?

I don't know.

This is for you.

This is Julie.

Hi, Julie. This is Sam from Total Software. Sam, of course. I'm just on my

to your office right now.

About that, sorry to do this so last minute, but something has come up on our

end. Oh, well, if it's just a scheduling issue, I am sure I can work something

out. It's a little bit more than that.

Your plans are great, but unfortunately...

We just got hit with some pretty heavy budget cuts over here. Oh, well, if

estimates are never cut in stone, if you're just as happy as I am, I'm sure

can work around all of that. If it were up to me, I would have gutting this

place tomorrow.

But I'm sorry, it's just not in the cards right now. I'll keep your number,

though, and maybe we can talk again in a few months.

That'd be great.

Okay. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Bon appétit.

Happy holidays.

Can I interest you in something to drink to get you started? Oh, well, I would

love something stronger.

But given the time of day, I would like to have a vanilla latte with an extra

shot of espresso, please.

Oh, one of those days, huh?

That obvious?

Well, you work in the restaurant business long enough, you're pretty much

certified therapist.

I'm Peter, by the way.

Julie. Julie, nice to meet you.

I'll get that latte for you.

Thank you.

So how have you enjoyed your first day at camp?

It's okay.

I wanted to stay home with my babysitter, but she's in Ohio and my

working. You know what I think?

Nothing would make your mom happier after a hard day's work than a special

from her son.

Like what?

Well, let's ask Randy Reindeer here.

Hello, Debbie.

So, do you want to make an ornament for your Christmas tree?

No. Oh, I know. A macaroni necklace.

Your mom can show to all of her friends.

Go on.

Here we are. Vanilla latte, extra shot of espresso, and I think I found you

something a little stronger.

A slice of our world -famous chocolate lava cake.

I'm out.

Oh, that's not necessary.

Hey, we all need a little kindness from strangers, especially this time of year.

Are you sure you're not going to get in trouble?

Oh, between me and you, that's one of the advantages of owning your own

restaurant. You can't get in trouble anymore.

So you're the owner.

I am. One of our servers had a family emergency, and I figured after years of

waiting on tables, I could hack it for a few more hours.

Well, that's very noble of you.

I don't know about noble.

To be honest, I'd much rather be out here on the floor instead of...

Back room crunching numbers. It's not nearly as riveting as it sounds.

Believe me, I know.

I lost my partner. I lost my business partner a year ago.

He used to take care of all the finances, and now I'm dealing with all

expenses and the issues, and I was supposed to have this meeting with this

client, and she just called, and, well, she canceled everything completely out

of the blue.

You are very much like a therapist.

And I come with cake.

Which is incredible, by the way. Right?

Yeah.

So what kind of clients are we talking about, if you don't mind my asking?

I do architectural design.

So mainly private residences, retail offices.

Restaurants?

Yeah, some.

Have you ever been to parlors on 8th Avenue?

Love parlors.

We did that.

Huh.

What?

How would you feel about helping me give this place a little makeover?

Really? Yeah, it's been in my family forever, and I've been thinking about

making some changes of my own, and then you walk in the front door desperately

seeking a new client. Did I say desperate?

Not with words.

Fair enough.

But January is our slow season, and I bet if we got started right away, we

get the plans in order in time.

I could meet as early as tomorrow.

Are you serious?

You didn't even ask me what I charge.

You work in this business long enough, you see a lot of faces.

I can tell who's going to be fair.

Okay.

Sounds like I'll be seeing you tomorrow.

I look forward to it.

Hope you had a great day today, Lauren.

See you tomorrow. Bye.

Hey.

You're sure in a good mood.

I made a new friend.

You did?

See, I told you it would be better than you thought.

She helped me make this for you.

You made this for me?

Uh -huh.

Well, this is exactly what I needed. Thank you. Irene said you like it.

Irene, is that your new friend? You know her.

I do.

She lives next door.

She's the woman we met this morning? She works here at the camp?

Yeah, she's really cool.

She is, huh?

Yeah. She plays piano and sings funny songs.

Oh, and she made a candy cane come out of my hand.

Wow. Well, it sounds like you and I both had pretty good days.

And it's about to get better.

We're going to go shopping for our Christmas tree, remember?

Oh, yeah.

Look, I know that you miss your dad. I miss him, too.

But we still have each other.

We can make the best of it, all right?

Tell you what, I'll make you a deal.

This year, you are officially in charge.

of picking the greenest, the most beautiful Christmas tree on the lot.

Are you ready for that kind of responsibility?

Yeah. You don't sound so sure.

I'm sure.

Well, that's good enough for me.

Hello again.

I got to pick out a treat. And it looks like you did an excellent job.

Hi, I'm Julie. And I'm Irene. It's nice to finally meet you. You too.

I'm sorry it's taken so long. It's just been a little chaotic. No need to

apologize.

I see you got your highly fashionable Christmas present.

I did. Thank you.

How long have you volunteered at the camp?

Oh, a few years.

A lot of years.

ever since my grandson moved out on his own. But, I mean, the holidays are not

the same without children around.

Mom? Hmm? Can Irene help us decorate the tree?

Oh. Honey, I'm sure that Irene has plans of her own.

Yes, absolutely. You know, I have so much decorating to do inside. You all

each other, and I'm sure we'll find a time to get together.

That would be great. But we're going to have a lot of chocolate with lots of

marshmallows.

Mom, please.

You know, there will be a lot of marshmallows. Probably more than we can

on our own. You're welcome to join us.

Oh.

That would be lovely.

Well,

I can see we have ourselves quite the experienced decorator.

You know what was always his favorite part? He would stay up all night if we

didn't stop him.

So, where was home before you joined our little neighborhood?

It was just across town. But our last home became too much for us to handle.

So, how long have you lived here?

I have lived here so long that in the beginning, I was the neighborhood.

You see, my husband and I bought the first house on the block.

There was not another soul for a mile.

That must have been so nice.

It was.

But you know, Julie, the older I get, the more I appreciate a little

People willing to lend a helping hand every now and then.

Well, that's why I'm glad we finally had a proper introduction.

Me too.

Hey, honey.

Do you remember this one?

You decorated it with Dad at preschool.

I don't remember.

You know what I think we should do?

Maybe we could put it in the center of the tree, and that way we can see it

every time we go by. Yes, exactly.

Great.

That's perfect.

Mom, can I have some more hot chocolate?

You need to be getting ready for bed.

I want you to go upstairs, brush your teeth. I'll be there in a couple

all right?

Okay. Okay, I love you.

Gavin, thank you so much for inviting me to join you.

Thank you for coming.

Oh, you're quite welcome.

Good night, Irene.

Good night.

I wanted to thank you for watching him today.

I don't know how you did it, but you certainly made an impression.

It was my pleasure.

Truth be told, I probably enjoyed it more than he did.

Well, I appreciate it.

He's been having a hard time relating to other kids lately.

We lost his father earlier this year, my husband.

Oh, I am so sorry.

I know how hard that can be.

I lost my Walter 20 years ago, and sometimes it still feels like yesterday.

It's just that we had so many memories, you know, especially around the

holidays. We both went all out, you know.

And I know that Gavin misses him so much.

But every time I try to talk to him, he just shuts down.

If I were you, I would not be hard on myself.

It's not easy for a kid that age to put these complicated feelings into

words.

I had something similar with my grandson, Miles.

You did? Yes.

My daughter and her husband were career military.

So Miles came to live with us, and then they went on tour, and he didn't come

back.

Miles became ours.

And then when he was about the age that Gavin is right now,

Walter passes.

And that little boy was the only family I had left. That must have been so hard.

Well, the first year was the hardest.

Because here I am. You know, I am really grieving for

myself.

And then I have this confused, beautiful little child.

expecting me to provide, to love.

And I really do know how scary this can be.

So what did you do?

Walter made sure that I was taken care of, but I wanted Miles to have every

opportunity. So I needed extra money. And I decided to go back to work. And

me tell you, that was no walk in the park for a stage actress in her 50s.

So you were an actress. I was in a touring company when I was younger, and

something was like a big hit on Broadway, then we would take it out on

I guess I should be asking for your autograph.

No.

Anyway, that's all part of the past. I had to figure out what I was going to do

and take advantage of any opportunity, any production or magic show.

I worked at the senior citizens' homes, and I worked at after -school programs.

And guess what?

It paid for his medical school.

That's amazing.

And as time went on, everything got easier for both of us.

With a little encouragement and patience, he went from being a little

hardly spoke a word to being the joy of my life.

Are you still close?

Of course.

I mean, it's close as we can be now that he's all grown up and out on his own.

You've never seen... I want to show you a photograph. Oh, okay.

I'm not showing off. I'm sorry. Where is this?

This is him at his high school graduation.

Oh, I know him.

And now he's a doctor in the military, and I never know where he's going to be

next. Right now, he's in South America.

How often do you see him?

Well, we talk all the time, and we FaceTime.

But he is home every Christmas.

doing my very best, but it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I miss you every

minute of every day.

I feel so alone.

I don't know how I'm going to do this without you.

Hey, bud.

All right.

Let me smell that breath.

Good job.

Mom? Mm -hmm?

I love you.

Oh, sweetie.

I love you, too.

Did you have fun tonight?

Good. Because I know this house isn't the same as the old one, but I think

starting to come together.

Maybe this house is better than our old one.

Really? Well, our old house didn't have an Irene.

And this one does.

You've got a point.

Maybe she can come over again tomorrow.

Yeah, well, I don't know, honey. We have a pretty busy schedule of our own.

But you will definitely see her tomorrow at camp, okay?

Okay. Now, into bed.

Let's go.

Sweet dreams, honey.

There she is.

Hey, someone's chipper this morning.

Okay, don't forget, we're going to watch Miracle on 34th Street tonight and all

the popcorn you can eat. I know. Okay, have fun. I will.

Bye.

Good morning.

Hey, how'd the meeting go yesterday?

It didn't.

They called on the last minute and canceled, but you'll never guess what

happened after that. I'm listening.

After the phone call, I was so stressed out that I walked into this random

restaurant. Met the owner. Turns out he's been looking to make some changes.

So, long story short, guess who will be redesigning it?

Wow. Now that is a Christmas miracle. I know, right?

And it's really cute.

It's been in his family for a long time, so it has history and charm.

He just needs a little bit of help bringing it into the 21st century.

Wait, is he kind of tall with dark curly hair?

Yeah. Why? I think he might be standing at a door.

Ah, yes, that's him.

Hmm.

Should we maybe open it?

Yep.

Yep, I think that's the most appropriate thing to do.

Morning! I thought we were meeting at the restaurant.

Yes, but then I looked up the office, and I saw that you were on the way, so I

thought I'd hop in and see if you wanted to walk over with me.

And I brought you one of these.

Vanilla latte with an extra shot of espresso, right? Good memory.

Thank you.

Yes, let me introduce you.

Peter, this is Nadine. Nadine, this is our newest client, Peter. Hi, nice to

meet you. Pleasure to meet you.

We're just going through a little transition with our filing system at the

moment. Of course.

You know, I think a early morning walk would actually be a

lovely thing to do.

You ready to head out? Ready when you are.

What are you going to do today?

Well, I thought today you could play with some of these kids that are close

your own age.

Why? Because it might be more fun than hanging out with a boring old lady every

day. You're not boring.

You're more fun than the kids at my school.

Well, I appreciate that, but I might not be able to be here every day, and it

might be nice to have some new friends, you know, a little backup.

Look at that.

They're about to race.

What do you think?

All right. You know, my grandson went to the very same camp when he was about

your age. He did?

Mm -hmm.

And for the first few days, he stayed to himself.

Too nervous to talk to anybody, afraid of what they might think of him. Really?

Mm -hmm.

What?

But he found a little secret.

Uh -huh.

Oh, no, this is not just any old hat.

This is a captain's hat.

And I think he'd want you to have it.

So come on, try it on.

Come on.

Wow.

Do you know what happens when you're a captain?

No. You don't ever have to be afraid of anything.

We need one more team captain.

Anybody see a captain?

Young man, you look like a captain.

Why don't you come on over and pick out your team?

I think they could really use you.

Now we're talking.

So, who do you pick?

Pick me, pick me. I want to be on this team.

Ryan. Ryan, come and join your team.

Okay.

Hello.

Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Olsen.

So nice to see you, as usual. Hey there, Peter.

Did Tyler get those college admission letters in? He did.

Thank you for asking. Sure.

Well, with parents like you, any school would be lucky to have him. You're so

sweet. He's a real keeper.

Oh, no, we're just working together.

Julie's just helping us out with some renovations we'll be doing here in the

year.

Well, enjoy, and happy holidays.

Merry Christmas.

Sorry about that.

Oh, that's fine. I think it's really sweet that you have that kind of

relationship with the customers.

Oh, yeah, I've got a lot of regulars here.

Some of them I've known since I was a little kid, just from hanging around

my dad.

Is he still around?

Nope. Unfortunately, he passed away last year.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Yeah.

This restaurant has been in our family for 75 years.

Wow. Well, by the time we're done with it, it'll be ready for another 75.

Perfect.

So, I suggest we start with the overall layout.

And then we get into the details, the decor, the lighting.

Oh, excuse me for one second.

Hey, I got you. I got you. Here we go.

I'll take this.

Sorry about that. It's a never -ending job here.

Oh, no problem. It gave me a chance to take a look around.

My dad and I used to play with this every day after school.

I don't think anyone's touched it in years.

That doesn't necessarily mean you have to get rid of it.

No? No. This place is full of memories.

You have so much family history here. People are going to love that. They're

drawn to it.

You think so?

Definitely.

We don't have to get rid of it. We just have to find a way to incorporate it.

Honor it.

What's the story with the clock? Oh, my great -grandpa actually brought that

with him from Italy. My dad used to say every time it went off, it was a little

reminder that he was still watching over everything.

Now every time I see it, it kind of makes me think of him. Does it still

No. I've been meaning to get it fixed up, but something more urgent always

to get in the way.

Right.

So, the clock and the dartboard stay. What else?

I don't know.

I hope you like salmon.

Because this is the freshest salmon in the city. Peter, you didn't have to do

that. I did.

You haven't eaten all day.

Besides, how are you really going to capture the essence of the restaurant if

people try the food?

So this is part of the job.

Absolutely.

Okay.

Buon appetito.

Wow.

This might be the best salmon I've ever tasted.

What is on this?

Family recipe. I'm sworn to secrecy.

I'll respect that.

So I think it's pretty obvious how I got into my business.

How'd you get into yours?

Well, I've always loved building, and my father was a contractor, so when all

the other little girls were playing with their dollhouses, I was building a life

-size one in my backyard.

And I met my husband in college, and we built a business together and had a son.

Anyway, he passed away a year ago.

I'm so sorry.

My carefully constructed life just kind of fell apart, and I've been trying to

put it back together.

And you weren't kidding about the whole therapist thing.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. No, I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have.

And my point is that I have been doing this for a very long time, and we will

have no problem.

giving us the update it deserves.

Yeah, I have no doubt.

And speaking of business, I'm having a little holiday thing here on Friday.

just a little open house for local business owners.

It might be a great opportunity for you to make some connections.

Yeah, okay, maybe.

All right.

It's just that with the holidays and my son, it's hard to find time.

Of course. But maybe. Okay.

Oh. I should probably go get ready for the dinner rush.

Wait, what time is it?

Just after five.

No, no, no.

Is everything okay?

I'm supposed to be picking up my son right now.

Oh, right.

But this was a great start.

We will meet up first thing tomorrow morning.

Sounds good. Sounds good. Okay. Okay.

This is Irene.

Hi, Irene. This is Julie from next door.

Julie, of course.

You don't happen to still be at the day camp, do you? As a matter of fact, I am

sitting inside with a very charming young man as we speak.

It's your mom.

Hi, Mom.

Great, you're with him. I have a new client and I lost track of time. I've

been late to pick him up before.

Oh, well, no worries. We're managing to keep ourselves pretty entertained,

aren't we?

Yeah. Okay, well, thank you.

We were supposed to go to Miracle on 34th Street at the movies, but I have to

by and get some new samples and stop by the office.

I'll figure something out. You know, if it would be easier for you, I'm happy to

take him home with me for a few hours while you finish up. Oh, no, no, no. I

take him with me. Well, it's up to you, but I have a lot of things to do at

home, and I could use a little helper. Really?

You know what? If it wouldn't be too inconvenient, that would be wonderful.

Absolutely not.

Okay. Well, thank you.

Bye.

You did all that yourself?

I did, but we're just getting started.

We are?

Yes.

Miles is coming home in four days.

We've got to get the inside looking as festive as the outside.

What's that?

That's a Christmas train.

Cool. It is pretty cool, isn't it?

It was the first present I ever gave him, and I bring it out every year.

How come?

It's his tradition.

A reminder that no matter how far he travels or how old he gets when he comes

home, we always honor his childhood tradition.

Can I build it for him? I think that would be lovely.

some sweet moves.

Wow, you two have certainly been busy.

Mom, did you see the train?

I put it together all by myself.

So good, honey.

And Irene taught me how to make the snowflakes. Wow, those look good. In

this whole place.

Looks incredible.

I always go overboard when Miles is coming home. Well, he is definitely

love this.

Oh, thanks.

Okay, honey, go get your stuff. You can tell me about your night when we get

home. Okay. Okay.

I just wanted to thank you again for watching him.

You know what happened tonight that's never happened before. When you were

raising a kid by yourself, that's never happened before, becomes a regular

phrase in your world. Well, I just wanted everything to be perfect this

Take it from someone who knows.

Someone who's been there.

If you're worrying about being perfect all the time, well, you're going to miss

out on all the surprises.

Well, I think we've had enough surprises for this year.

Of course. Of course.

Okay. You ready, honey? Ready. Thanks again, young man.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay.

Okay. Well, thanks again.

Oh, any time, my dear. Any time.

Let's go, guys. Bye.

Bye. Bye.

Hi, Irene.

Hi. You're looking awfully spry this morning.

You know, I am quite energized.

Well, it's always lovely to see you.

Happy holidays, dear. Merry Christmas, Irene.

Aw.

Well, this is a pleasant surprise.

Hey, Grandma.

I didn't expect to see this handsome face until tomorrow.

Are you all packed and ready to go?

Not exactly.

We had a last -minute surgery come in this morning.

Well, I hope everything went all right.

Everything went fine, but I'm going to have to keep an eye on him for the next

24 hours.

Well, he's very lucky to have you as a doctor. You can just take a later flight

and I'll be there the second you land.

Yeah, there's a bit of an issue with that.

What's the problem?

The last flight off the island before Christmas is tonight.

I see.

I tried to get someone to cover for me.

We're just spread really thin already.

I'm sorry. Well, I know you did your very, very best, so there's no need to

sorry.

I, um, I should head back. Maybe we can do a video call on Christmas Eve.

That would be lovely.

I'll talk to you later, Grandma.

I love you. Love you, too.

So, what do you think?

Honestly, I think it's incredible.

Really? I mean, it does everything you said it would do. The history, open

space, the modern feel. Well, for now, it's just a model.

Hey, if it looks half as good in real life, I will be one happy customer.

Great.

So, we are still pushing for the first week of January, right? Absolutely.

Okay, I better get busy making some orders.

Actually, um...

It's a little embarrassing for me to say, but I was wondering if you could

do me a little favor.

Oh, okay.

Well, I donate to this toy drive every year, but honestly, I always feel so

lost. I have no idea what the kids are into these days.

And I really don't want to be that guy giving out the lamest presents again.

Well, kids can definitely be a little bit tricky.

Well, I was thinking maybe you might want to join me. Give me a few pointers.

Sure. Really? Yeah, it's for a good cause. Why not? Yeah, it's for the kids.

It's for the kids. Yeah.

Hello, young man.

Where have you been?

I had a little extra business this morning.

Business? I got a call from a grandson.

The one with the train?

That's right.

He worked far, far away on a little tiny island.

And he's not going to be able to make it home for Christmas this year.

Are you sad?

I am sad, actually.

I get sad, too, sometimes.

You do?

My dad isn't going to be here for Christmas either.

You know, sometimes when we feel like this, the best thing to do is to say it

out loud.

We do?

Yep.

And I'm glad you're here to listen to me.

And I'm glad that I'm here to listen to you.

Everything.

been really different without him?

Different is hard.

My mom wants to do all the stuff we did with dad.

I know she misses him.

Sometimes it just makes me sadder.

That's a tough one.

Have you told her how you feel?

Why not?

I don't want to hurt her feelings.

Oh, I'm glad you told me.

But what I really want is to find her the perfect Christmas present.

Oh? That's how my dad always made her happy.

Maybe I can do it, too.

I am sure that your dad would be so proud of the thoughtful young man that

raised.

Will you help me?

I'm sure that if the two of us put our heads together, we're going to come up

with something really good.

But right now, the two of us need to have some fun. Because we have a score

settle with that snowman over there. What do you think?

Oh, he's so smart.

I know.

Let's do it.

I'm ready.

Here we go.

Oh, one thing about kids, you cannot go wrong with cars.

Isn't that a little old school?

No, trust me, it spans generations.

My son will play with this bus for hours.

See?

I would be completely lost without you.

I won't disagree with that.

Wait, so tell me about Gavin and his neighbor.

I don't know. It's nothing, actually. She's pretty great.

They were dancing the other night.

In fact, I don't remember when he's been so carefree.

Okay, so remind me what the problem is again?

Well, I just had this whole schedule of family traditions planned, and we were

going to bond over the holidays. It's just not really working out that way.

Okay, well, last time I checked, it wasn't Christmas yet.

That's true.

Oh.

That's good.

So why don't you guys go out and do something spontaneous today? Actually, I

would. It's just we have so much work to do if we're going to start those

renovations in January.

Sure, but this is definitely not part of it.

I mean, you're just out here helping me out of the kindness of your heart.

Or pity.

But either way, the least I can do is push a start date so you can go spend

quality time with your son at Christmas.

Are you sure you don't mind? Yeah, the restaurant's been there for ages.

It can wait an extra day.

Okay. Okay, I'll give you that. Really? Yeah, go get him.

Thank you. Have fun.

I think we can save the floors, but I want to use the same scan we used on the

Colonial. The chestnut. Right.

Putting it in right now.

Oh, and can you check the prices on those tables from Alonzo? Yeah, I

asked him. I got the list from your email.

I promise you the whole world won't fall apart if you take one afternoon off.

Okay, I appreciate it. I know. Now stop working.

Hi. Julie.

Is everything all right?

Yeah, everything's fine. I was going to pick Gavin up early.

Do you know where he is?

He and Ryan joined a little nature walk.

Oh. Who's Ryan?

It's one of his newest friends.

Oh, they are two peas in a pod.

That's sweet.

He was feeling a little down earlier.

But I think when he cleared his head about his dad, it was...

Good. He felt better. I'm sorry.

What do you mean?

Well, I know that you told me that he was having a hard time, you know,

about his father, sharing his feelings about him, and today he started to open

up to me a bit.

Did he? He shared with me that he understands that the old family

important to you, but they are very...

It's hard for him to handle him. He said that to you?

Oh.

I didn't mean to overstep.

Look, I know that you're trying to help, and you're coming from a good place,

and he's obviously comfortable talking to you, but he is still my son.

And when it comes to his father, that is something that I will handle on my own.

Hey, remember last year when your dad and I raced you around the rink and he

taking it very seriously and then you just zipped in between everybody?

That makes you the reigning champion and you know what that means.

I'm coming for that title today.

Okay, sweetie, you gotta talk to me. If you don't tell me how you feel, I can't

help you.

I'm in shows today.

What?

What's your show?

Okay. Honey, I know you like Irene, but she's a grown woman and she has her own

life and we have to give her some space every now and again.

But she doesn't have any family.

Yes, she does. She has a grandson and he'll be here in a couple of days.

He's not coming.

What? She told me at camp, right before you got there.

I'm sorry. I didn't know.

I wanted us to have a really fun day, just the two of us.

Why do we have to do everything we did with Dad?

Well, I don't know. I just thought that maybe if we could keep the tradition

alive, it would feel like he was still here.

Does that make it harder for you?

You know, honey, you never have to be afraid to tell me anything.

No matter what it is, I am always here for you.

Okay? Okay.

Wait. What are you doing? I think it's time that we started a new tradition.

We're going to Irene's show.

Thanks, Mom.

You're welcome, baby.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the grand finale.

Put your hands together and give a warm welcome for Irene the Great.

Come up here and have a magic moment with Irene the Great. Do I have a

in the house?

Yes, young man, please join me.

We are going to levitate this table.

Focus, ladies and gentlemen, and Gavin, let's do this.

Right?

A candy cane.

Wasn't he absolutely brilliant, ladies and gentlemen?

Thank you so much, Gavin. Thank you.

And now we're going to have our final magic moment, ladies and gentlemen.

But in order for it to happen, I'm going to need all of your Christmas spirit.

Abracadabra! Christmas is near!

Santa!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Well,

this is a pleasant surprise.

That was great.

Well, thank you, young man.

You were a great assistant.

Thank you.

I wasn't expecting to see you here.

Yeah. Well, we had a little opening in our schedule.

Honey, why don't you go get a snack?

Okay.

Gavin told me about Miles.

I'm sorry, I didn't know.

Oh, that's all right.

I was just happy to see a couple of familiar faces in the crowd.

Irene, I owe you an apology.

Oh, no.

No. It's not necessary.

It is.

You were just trying to help, and I completely overreacted. No, you were

I had no right to interfere, but I'm so glad that you did.

I was so worried that he wasn't going to express himself, and then when he

finally did, I... I think it was just hard for me to accept that it wasn't to

me. And no one would blame you for that.

You know, when Andrew got sick, my parents weren't there, and we had

but to be honest, I just felt alone.

Mm -hmm.

I know, and that's hard.

And then it was just Gavin and me, and, uh...

I felt as though the world was just resting on my shoulders. And I felt like

I didn't do everything all by myself, then I wasn't good enough. And I

know how that feels.

You do? It was the same way with Miles and me.

When someone wanted to help, give me advice about my grandson, oh boy, did

regret it.

But the more I had to work, the more I had to juggle things, I realized how

impossible that is.

So what did you do?

Eventually I had to trust the people around me.

The ones who really care.

Right. Miles will always be my grandson.

And I'm very proud of who he's become.

But that took a whole village.

I could never have done that on my own.

I think I'm still trying to figure that out.

You're doing fine.

Mom?

Hey.

Can our ring go ice skating with us tomorrow?

Oh, I'd love to join you, but I actually have a little event tomorrow.

What kind of event?

It's this little group I'm a part of. Every year we get together and we put

together baskets for children whose parents are serving overseas.

Wow. Like presents?

Exactly.

Can we come?

Mom's really good at presents.

Oh, you should go skating and enjoy all the Christmas festivities.

We'd love to come, wouldn't we?

If you'll have it, of course.

What's next?

Ten -year -old girl, father in the airport.

I don't know what ten -year -old girls like.

Um, the rainbow unicorn.

She'll love that.

Really? Listen, I'm warning you, if you don't slow down, they're going to ask

you back next year.

Well, I may just take them up on that.

Mom. Yes.

Keep them coming. Okay, okay. Stuffed animal, preferably something exotic.

The monkey, good idea.

Physical. Yes, it is. Good job.

Excuse me.

Hello there. Hi, I'm Julie. I don't think we've met. I'm Irene's friend.

of course. Well, we appreciate your help. It's no problem.

I know this sounds a little odd, but I was wondering if you could help me find

some information.

Hey, Peter.

Hey.

Happy meeting you here.

Yeah, it is certainly unexpected.

Honey, this is Peter.

He's one of my clients at work. Peter, this is my son, Gavin.

You're the famous Gavin.

It's an honor to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

Wait a minute. Is this the toy drive we were shopping for? Yeah.

My brother's in the Air Force, so this is just my little way of giving back

every year.

Do you have family in the military?

No, my neighbor does.

The one I was telling you about, we just sort of tagged along.

of the hour.

Irene, it is lovely to see you as always.

I'm sorry, you two know each other?

Oh yeah, Irene's been coming by the restaurant since I was younger than him.

knew my dad. Yeah? The best pork chops in town.

And the kindest owner.

Oh, well I certainly try.

And Julie has been helping us with the renovations of the restaurant.

You're kidding.

Well, I can't wait to see how that turns out.

Yeah, she has been pretty great.

I should hit the road. I've got to get ready for the big open house tonight.

Great. And the invitation still stands.

I appreciate it, but I think I'll have my hands full with this guy tonight. All

right.

Thank you for everything you do.

Okay, bye.

Bye.

You know... After all this hard work, it wouldn't be unreasonable for someone to

want to take the night off, perhaps to join a certain someone or a certain

party.

It's just a client.

But you all seem to get along, and there's nothing wrong with going out and

having a nice little night out with other grown -ups.

I don't know. I haven't been out with other grown -ups in a really long time.

Well, take it from someone who has, they're just children in fancier

When I first lost my husband, I didn't want to talk to or see another person

months. But having Miles in my life taught me a lesson that I will never

Nothing? What?

That if I wanted to show him how to have a happy, full life, the first thing I

had to do was learn for myself.

So go out and remember what it feels like to enjoy yourself, and we will be

there when you get back.

And how things, uh... Oh, would you excuse me just for a second?

Thanks. Hey. Hi.

You came.

I did?

I almost didn't recognize you.

I'm not sure how to take that.

Oh, sorry.

That did not come out right.

You look great.

Thank you.

Uh, come on.

I'll introduce you to some people.

Okay.

Hi.

Maybe we could make some popcorn and pop in a Christmas movie.

What's that?

Oh, that's something that I took out for Miles.

Is there treasure inside?

Sort of.

Go ahead.

What is this stuff?

Those are memories.

Memories? Mm -hmm.

I made that for Miles when he was about your age.

He was having a hard time without his mom.

And we decided that we needed a very, very special place to keep all their

memories together.

Whoa.

What is this thing?

We'll talk about that another day.

But right now, you see that cupboard?

Yeah. The bottom drawer?

Any movie is fair game.

Interesting. Yeah.

Ma 'am, I need you to meet someone.

This is Julie, the designer I was telling you about. Pleasure to meet you.

Hello. I hear you two have some pretty exciting plans for our favorite little

restaurant here.

Oh, I didn't know about that.

Oh, she's just being modest.

I run a little day spa a few blocks over, and we've been talking about a

remodel for a while now. It's just hard to pull the trigger.

Yeah, well, change is never easy, but in my experience, it's usually worth it in

the long run.

Do you have a card?

Yes, I do.

Here, I'll give you mine.

Oh, great.

Everything okay?

Yeah, I was just getting a little air.

I think I met more people tonight than I have in the last ten years.

And I don't remember the last time I've danced.

Well, you're a fantastic dancer.

I'm glad you came.

I can't believe the neighbor you were telling me about is Irene.

I know, small world, right?

Very.

Yeah, that whole thing was a little silly.

I think it was just... It's hard for me to see Gavin getting close to someone

other than me.

It's understandable.

Maybe.

But I was making it about myself.

The truth is, he's much happier since he met her, and that's all that matters to

me. She's a very special woman.

She is.

And you know, I feel so terrible for her. She's been waiting to see her

for a year.

Mile. Yeah. He's a great guy. He talks about him all the time.

And right now, he is on an island 2 ,000 miles away, and she's trying to act

like it's all okay, but I can see how heartbroken she is. We just need to find

way to bring him home.

I'm sorry.

I haven't been to a party in a year. Going on and on about Gavin and Irene.

I'm pretty sure there's somebody more interesting you could be talking to.

No, I think it's kind of sweet.

Besides, I wonder what I love about the restaurant business.

You never know when a total stranger is going to walk through your door and

completely change your life for good.

Yeah, well, she has certainly done that. And I just hope that we can make her

Christmas as special as she's made ours.

Something tells me you'll find a way.

Well, it's getting late.

Yep. We have a big day tomorrow.

We're going to pick out the wallpaper for the dining room. Definitely.

Let me walk you to your car.

Oh, no. That's fine if it's across the street.

But hey, thank you for tonight.

It was nice.

It was nice.

I'm glad you had a good time.

Good night, Ben.

Good night.

He said it was his favorite.

Well, I should probably get him home.

Oh, no.

Let him sleep.

You have a party to tell me about.

Well... How did it really go?

Well, other than the shooting pain in my feet, it was actually pretty fun.

Oh. And I... I think that Peter may have introduced me to the entire west side

of town.

Well, I'm not surprised.

I can blab on to him for hours, and he just stands there and listens. And none

of that phony kind of, you know, I just want your business kind of a way. No.

Now, I know that you probably are not thinking about this at all, but I've got

to tell you, a man like that does not come into your life very often. I know.

And I like him.

I really do.

I think that he's kind and generous and that he truly cares about how people are

doing.

I just honestly don't know if I'm ready yet.

Andrew and I had a lot of memories.

And I know I'm supposed to be working for a future and make new memories.

I don't want the other ones to break.

Hi. No, they already transferred me to that department.

I know there aren't any other flights until after Christmas.

I was just... There's got to be another way that we could... Uh -huh.

Uh -huh.

No, I understand.

Thanks for helping.

Bye.

You're perfect.

All right, I'll have her call you as soon as she gets in.

Morning. Hey, how's it going?

Oh, good. Just, you know, getting the day started. Is there anything...

Oh, wow.

I know you said you wanted to take care of it, but with everything that's going

on with Gavin and the holidays, I thought I'd give you a head start.

Is this everything?

No, it's just the stuff that I thought that you should look at.

Okay. You might find this particularly interesting.

What? Five thousand dollars?

Yeah, that's the final payment on the colonial job. It's just been sitting

Oh, well, this is definitely going to your Christmas bonus this year.

Oh, and I have a message from Diane Hargrove. She said she has a day spa and

wants to talk about renovations in the new year.

Oh.

Well, look, I know you're already pretty busy with the restaurant, but I thought

maybe between you and me, we could make it work.

Yeah, I think that's a good idea.

You do?

In fact, why don't you take the lead on this one?

Wait, are you sure?

I'm positive.

I'm sorry it's taken me so long. I think I was so focused on the partner that I

lost, but it's hard to see the partner sitting right across from me.

From now on, it's you and me together, okay?

Okay.

Um, except for with the accounting. That's going to be all you.

Okay. Yes, ma 'am. Mm -hmm.

Thank you.

Gavin?

Do you remember when you asked me to help you find a present for your mom?

Uh -huh. Well, I think I've come up with an idea.

What is it? Do you remember Miles' memory chest?

Yeah.

So?

that you could make one of those for your mom. Great idea.

I think that's perfect.

So, now that we've finished the planning phase, what are your plans for

Christmas? Well, on Christmas Eve, I'm having a little dinner with some old

school friends.

Sounds nice.

We do it every year just to keep in touch.

How about you?

Gavin and I are going to Irene's for Christmas Eve dinner.

That sounds like it'll be fun.

Yeah, it'll be good for him.

Well, for both of us.

Still trying to get Miles home for Christmas?

Trying is the key word.

Not going so well?

I've called the hospital. I've called the airlines.

Hey, you don't happen to be super wealthy and own your own private jet, do

Ooh, I did this morning. Oh.

Fortunately, I had to pawn it off because someone convinced me to buy this

expensive imported Italian wallpaper.

Well, you definitely made the right decision, but still not super helpful.

Maybe there's another way.

What do you mean?

Seems to be calling the airlines and all these people outside the country,

but... Maybe we have to think more locally.

I've called pretty much everyone I could think of.

What about the party?

What about it?

That was a party with some of the most influential business leaders in our

community. And I saw you get at least 20 business cards.

I know, but those people are practically strangers to me. Maybe it's a long

shot, but...

Miles and Irene have been a part of the community forever.

If anybody at that party could help us out, I'm sure they'd be more than happy

to.

Wait, did you just say us?

Well, unless you want to make all those calls on your own. No, help me, please.

Okay, you lead the way. All right. All right.

No, no, I realize it's unlikely that a deli would have those kind of

connections. We're just calling everyone that we can.

I will definitely stop by and try that prosciutto.

Okay, thank you. Bye -bye.

No luck.

Just a discount on deli meats, you?

I'm still on hold.

Keep trying.

Yes, I'm still here.

Okay, it's a cargo company.

Kidding.

Do they take passengers?

Uh, well, it's a military hospital.

No, uh, that would be amazing. Please do.

Okay, I will call you right back. Thank you.

What was that?

You're not going to believe this. My customer, Sandy, runs a cargo company.

They have a ship that makes runs down to South America.

It is loading up on Miles' island as we speak.

You're kidding me. All he has to do is make it to the ship by 5 p .m., and he

could be on the main line before midnight.

Wait, what main line?

Um, Santa.

Call Miles. I'm looking for a ticket.

On it.

What are you looking at? That is private information. What's in the backpack?

It's also private information.

Gavin?

Just some stuff I want to show Irene.

Okay. Well, don't you two get into too much trouble while I'm gone, okay? Wait.

Where are you going? I'm headed to the market to pick up a few things for

Christmas Eve dinner.

Let's go.

is clear.

Great. Let's see what you got.

I got some cool stuff.

Yeah, uh -huh.

Wait, how can there be a weather delay when the flight's almost here?

Yeah, no, I understand. Could you just tell me where they're landing?

Where?

Okay. Thank you.

Buon appetito.

Hey, what the word?

Peter, hi.

We have a little bit of a hiccup. What's going on?

Well, apparently there's a lightning storm and the plane got rerouted to

airport. Oh.

Well, could have been worse. I know. I just really wanted to get him here

dinner and I still have all this grocery shopping to do. And they're landing

like two hours away, so... I'll go.

Really?

Absolutely. But don't you still love that dinner with all your friends?

They'll understand.

Besides, this is way more important.

Are you sure?

Positive. Just text me where I'm going and I'll be there.

Okay. Oh, and Peter.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Happy to help.

All right. Bye.

Irene, it smells fantastic in here.

Turkey's in the oven.

Did you find everything okay?

Well, it was a bit of a madhouse out there, but I think we are good.

Thank you.

It's the least I could do.

No, I mean thank you for being here.

For being a part of my life.

You know, without Miles here, this Christmas was going to be really lonely

me. But you and Gavin and... I know we're not family.

But I am so blessed to get to know you all.

I'm just helping Nadine with some work, Daddy. Oh.

How can I help you?

Well, I have everything covered here.

But if you want to set the table before we change, all the Christmas china's

there. You can do that.

On it.

Hello, you've reached Peter.

I can't take your call right now. Leave a message.

Mom. Yeah.

What do you have there?

It's for you.

Really? Should we put it under the tree?

Open it.

Maybe we should wait until tomorrow, and then we can open all our presents

together. I don't think one little present on Christmas Eve is going to

anybody.

Okay. Let's see what we have here.

Wow.

Honey.

It's a memory chest.

Did you make this all by yourself?

Irene, help me a little.

That's from when we went camping on the beach.

And this is from when we went to the zoo.

And then that is from our old backyard.

said when you have a memory chest you can keep memories forever that way

always safe and you never have to worry about losing them

You didn't like it?

Oh, honey, I love it.

It is the most thoughtful present I have ever gotten in my life.

I love you.

I love you, too.

Who's that?

I have no idea.

Excuse me, sir. May I help you?

Miles!

Merry Christmas, Grandma.

Oh, sweetie.

You're here.

I don't understand. I don't believe this. To tell you the truth, I can

believe it myself.

But I don't understand. You told me that you were...

I was brokenhearted. You told me you couldn't come. Why did you do this?

Well, I couldn't have done it without my new friends.

You

did this?

Well, I can't take all the credit. I had a really good partner.

Food is getting cold. Okay, I'm going to add two plates. Oh, I can't believe it.

You look so handsome.

My goodness.

And now guess.

This is fun and wild.

Hey.

Hey. I'll be right back.

Oh. Um.

Okay.

What is this?

I wanted to give you an early Christmas present for being so helpful.

But it didn't get you anything.

It's okay.

Should I open it? Yeah.

Open it.

Merry Christmas. Oh, wow.

I hope you like it. Did you...

I

can't believe you did this for me.

It's perfect.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

So, do you think you're going to make it to your dinner? Well, I told them not

to wait for me, so I'll just pop in and say hi. You can always stay here.

Oh, I wouldn't want to intrude.

You just drove four hours to make this dinner happen.

I mean, the least we can do is ask you to join us.

Besides, I think Irene would be very disappointed if I let you go.

Oh, so this is for Irene.

I think it's a mutual decision.

Tell me a story about Daddy.

Kobe was a hero.

My entire heart is with you.

I feel like something's holding me back.

Will you marry me?

But the truth is, none of us know what tomorrow will bring.

Christmas Bedtime Story.

All new next Saturday at 10. Only on Hallmark Movies and Mystery.