Original subtitles

♪ It's that time of year again ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Presents by the tree ♪

♪ My heart full of glee ♪

♪ I'll go to Santa for one thing ♪

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa ♪

♪ Under the mistletoe ♪

♪ That's where I long to go ♪

♪ Oh the snow is falling down around me ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ There's magic in the air ♪

♪ I can't wait to see my boy this Christmas ♪

♪ Like I did the year before ♪

♪ Oh ♪

♪ He's been gone away since last December ♪

♪ But it's just made me want him more ♪

Thank you so much for staying with us and Happy Holidays.

Thank you for calling Crabtree Hotel.

This is Nadia speaking.

Hi, I'd like to make a reservation.

I can absolutely help you with that.

Thank you.

Hey, Nadia, I need you.

Three nights, two adults,

one child.

Do you have a room with two beds?

Actually, I might need to place you on a brief hold.

I can take care of that for you.

Here you go.

All right, Merry Christmas.

Oh, you must be the Walshes.

We are so happy to have you staying here with us.

And hello, you.

Charlie, would you mind showing our young guest

the train set under the Christmas tree?

He knows the trick to make steam come out of the smokestack.

It's really cool, have fun.

Let's get you checked in.

Marco, I will send Nadia as soon as she's available.

Okay, let's see where we have you staying.

A premium suite with an adjoining room, enjoy your stay.

The window displays on Michigan Ave are incredible,

but you really don't wanna miss the Christkindlmarket.

Just as seasonal, but with a quirky specificity

that is tailor-made for Instagram stories.

Oh, I think that's your taxi now.

- Thanks. - Bye.

Merry Christmas.

How are you feeling?

Better now that you're here.

You were doing great.

Sometimes everything just stacks up at once.

I don't want you to worry about a thing while you're away.

I have your lists and your instructions.

And you have my cell.

You call me if anything.

I will, but I won't have to.

Are you ready to go home?

I am.

It feels weird to be leaving in the middle of everything,

but I haven't been home for Christmas in years.

I miss it.

Promise me you won't call every five minutes.

Like, you've made this place into a well-oiled machine.

Promise.

I promise.

I'll just text you every five minutes instead.

Text me all you want as your friend,

but no shop talk unless it's absolutely necessary, okay?

Tough but fair.

Bye.

♪ The trees and the grass are frosting up ♪

♪ There's something in the air ♪

♪ Yes, everyone wants to make the most ♪

♪ Of this magic time of year ♪

♪ The Christmas bells are ringing ♪

♪ The Christmas bells are ringing ♪

♪ The Christmas bells are ringing once again ♪

No reindeer?

No sleigh?

Guess Dad's knee surgery really did take it out of--

Oh.

- Mrs. Bramm? - Josie.

Oh my word, I'm so sorry.

Did you just throw a snowball at me?

I never would have.

I have this thing with the DoorDash guys.

They've been here a lot since your father's surgery.

The DoorDash guys made you a snowball sniper?

It's just a fun little...

Look at you.

Aren't you so lovely?

It's good to see you, Mrs. Bramm.

May I request a truce while I get my suitcase?

'Tis the season of peace after all.

It sure is. Goodnight.

Oh, Santas.

Oh, Graham, she's here! She's home!

- Hi. - Oh, you're home.

Oh, gosh, oh.

- Oh. - The place looks great.

Oh, hey, every year we find a new ornament

for the collection.

Maybe it's too much.

No, I think it's wonderful.

And how many years ago did you take

Santa's hand in marriage?

Isn't it perfect?

Your dad and I like to dress up sometimes

for milk and cookie hours during Christmas week.

- Aww. - Joey.

Dad.

Oh, how's the knee?

Ho, ho, horrible?

Ho, ho, ho'kay.

I'm finally part man and part machine.

- So that's a bonus. - Oh, okay,

I don't know if your mom mentioned--

Yeah, milk and cookie hour.

I love that you two are still doing that.

- Yeah. - Is it still

in the family room?

Well...

What?

Oh, no Christmas tree?

Oh, well, we're a little behind on decorating.

There's a few things I haven't been able to manage

since the knee replacement.

It's a good thing I got here just in time, huh?

You already work all the time.

You're home now, you don't have to worry about any of that.

Dad, this is what I do.

Accommodations management, attention to detail,

part-time elf for Santas in need.

I will get the milk and cookies ready.

How about you start the fire?

I'm just glad you're home.

Oh, me too, Dad, me too.

I can't wait to see what you did with my room.

Oh, speaking of which, we got a last minute reservation,

so we're all booked up through Christmas.

- And it's funny-- - That's totally fine.

I have no problem sleeping

on the very comfy couch.

Oh, I can take the couch.

You can bunk with Mom.

Oh yeah, I'm sure your knee would love that.

I am taking the couch.

And besides, it wouldn't feel like coming home

without surrendering my room to a guest.

And about those guests--

Oh, the tolling of the clock announces

the arrival of a bedtime snack.

And I can hear the ghosts of Christmas present,

or shall I say the guests of Christmas present,

- drawing nigh. - Oh.

Hon'?

We should have warned her.

I kept trying, but you heard her.

She's an unstoppable talking machine

of positivity and light.

- Just like her mom. - Oh, stop it.

Okay,

and...

this one.

Oh, hello.

Who are you?

I'm Josie, and who are you?

I'm Trudy. Do you need any help?

Nice to meet you, Trudy.

You know what?

I would actually love some help.

Do you know anything about Christmas cookie presentation?

So the way I like to do it is

I take the pretty cookies and I put them up front

and then I hide any imperfections

by stacking them like this. See?

Hey, Trudy Fruity, did you remember to... Josie.

- Miles. - Hi.

Hi.

Wow, does this adorable little Christmas angel

belong to you?

Women are not property.

Good looking out, kiddo.

But she did come to live at my house

shortly after my wife gave birth to her, so...

And she's been there ever since?

That's where she gets her mail, yeah.

I didn't know you were getting in tonight.

Yeah, look at you all grown up.

Yeah, both of us.

Of course, you haven't aged a day.

And I look like the Grinch who stole Christmas.

You know, pre-heart thing.

Are you two getting in the way here?

No, actually quite the opposite.

Trudy here is taking the reins on milk and cookie hour.

This is Josie.

Oh, hi, so nice to meet you.

- You too. - I understand I have

you to thank for this man being single when I met him.

I'm pretty sure you broke up with me.

Who can remember?

- Cookies are served. - Oh!

Beautiful.

Look what I found in the kitchen.

Well, we tried to tell you,

but you were just being too helpful.

No, it's a wonderful surprise.

I just, you didn't wanna stay with your parents?

They moved to Arizona.

Yeah, we've been doing Christmases with them,

but they had other plans this year

so I thought I'd come back to the place that feels

the most like Christmas to me.

And crash with your high school girlfriend's parents.

I wanted to stay at the best B&B in Mill Creek,

right on the Christmas Crawl route.

The best hospitality in the biz.

- Oh. - Hear, hear.

Oh, and there's one other thing that I wanted to mention.

- Ellis. - Is what I wanted to mention.

Hi, it's so good to see you.

Yeah, you too.

Hey.

- Miles. - Hey, man.

You staying here too?

- I am. - Nice.

And I thought high school reunions

just took place in hotel ballrooms.

And I thought milk and cookie hour was

supposed to be a pajama affair.

Oh, it's not mandatory, but it's fun.

- Sure is. - Didn't you guys used

to date too?

- Yep. - Mm-hmm.

I get it, I'm single.

This is not a setup.

- I'm not single. - See?

Great.

Two of my high school exes are here.

Well, if that's not hometown vibes, I don't know what is.

Oh no, not here in town,

no, no, here at the B&B.

That is very local.

But how do they look?

They look great.

Where are you right now, am I interrupting something?

I was supposed to meet someone for dinner,

but so far it's just me romancing this cheese.

Wait, is this the one from the app?

You started with a romantic dinner?

Yeah, well, now that I am solo fonduing,

it does seem kind of sus.

- Nadia? - Marco.

- Hey. - Hey.

What are you doing here?

Wait, Marco, our Marco, chef Marco?

Full disclosure, Josie is also here.

Oh! Hey Josie.

Aren't you supposed to be on vacation?

I am.

This is a personal call, not business, okay?

Two of her exes are staying at the same B&B as her.

Whoa.

Yeah.

What are you doing here?

I know the chef here.

He asked me to come and give an opinion

on some stuff he's testing.

Would you wanna join me?

Oh wait, are you on a date?

Pretty sure I'm not on a date.

Yeah, taste test sounds fun.

Josie, it seems like the universe is

serving you up some tasty exes

like sashimi at a rotating sushi bar.

You've been working too much to have a social life.

So pick an ex, any ex.

Oh, no, no.

None of them are single.

It's just me.

Just me.

Are you sure you're all right waiting up

for our late check-in?

I don't know, I still got one high school ex

you haven't booked to stay here yet.

It's not him, is it?

It's some corporate account.

I, we really didn't mean to spring this on you.

I'm just kidding.

You go get some sleep, I'll be okay.

I'm so glad you're home.

Me too.

- Night. - Night.

Sam?

Hi.

Of course.

I didn't know you were gonna be here.

Same.

The reservation said QuantumCipher Core something.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

They always book me under the corporate account.

- Ah. - They try to find me

nice alternatives to hotels.

I didn't know it was gonna be your house

until I got in the rental car.

Cool.

You run the place?

No, I manage a hotel in the city.

I just got in tonight.

Oh.

I'm glad.

Me too.

Is it just you?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's just me.

Is it just you too?

Oh.

Sorry.

No, it's okay.

My parents are here.

But if you're asking if I'm single?

I never learned subtlety.

They didn't offer that course

in any of your fancy computer schools?

Shocking, right?

Clearly, some of us could have used it.

Yeah, it is just me.

I should get you checked in, right up here.

Oh, thanks.

Your room.

You remembered.

Of course.

Taking down your Josh Hartnett poster

and replacing it with a landscape photo,

doesn't fool me.

Ah, the joys of shared history.

Do I still need to keep the door open a ruler's length?

That rule only applies if we're both in here

and are 17.

I think since you're a paying customer,

my parents will be okay if you close the door.

I'll be downstairs if you need anything.

- Thanks. - Okay.

Wow.

Yo.

All three of my high school exes are here.

Ooh, Merry Exmas, baby.

How's this one look?

Incredible.

Is he single?

Seems like it.

The best Christmas presents are the ones you least expect.

You have a pimple patch on your head.

Cool.

Goodnight, babes.

Goodnight, babes.

And Christmas tree pancakes for Trudy

with a side of sprinkles.

Anyone else care to partake?

I am very much used to doing the serving myself.

Well, I figured I'd make myself useful.

Sam!

Were you our late check-in?

I promise I didn't know.

It's okay, Mom.

Mr. And Mrs. Fletcher, hi.

Hey.

Wow, the whole gang is here.

- Hey, man. - Sam.

Hey.

So you were our corporate reservation?

Yeah, that was me.

How lovely.

I heard you sold your company.

Wow, word travels fast.

Oh, when someone from town makes a sale that big,

word's gonna get around.

What's the company?

QuantumCipher, it's data encryption solutions.

- Oh, congrats, man. - Yeah.

How long are you in town for?

Just Christmas.

My sister's house was full of family,

so I thought I'd grab a room.

So did you date Josie too?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Okay.

Oh, that's weird, right?

After me, before you.

- Mm, after me. - Senior year

and some college, long distance.

This is a complete coincidence.

I think it's great.

So, what are everyone's plans?

Well, we still have a lot to do

to get ready for the Christmas Crawl.

Oh, action items, great, I can take care of that.

What's a Christmas Crawl?

Well, it's actually a big part of the reason

why we're here, kiddo.

Every Christmas Eve, a bunch of the businesses in town

put up Christmas stations

and everybody goes from place to place

getting treats and doing crafts.

We're the cocoa house.

One of three.

The best cocoa house.

So what are everyone else's plans?

I think I'm gonna head over to my sister's

and check in with everyone.

Yeah, we're gonna take Trudy around town.

Mm, you're gonna take her by the community center

and show her the Battle of the Bands photo?

What are you doing?

Have you seen your dad's mohawk era?

Excuse me?

- Good memory. - They won

two years in a row.

I wanted to book them for the homecoming dance,

but administration thought they were too punk.

Punk, you say?

Okay, your dad was cool, all right?

What about you?

Swim team and student council, right?

Did you end up in politics?

- Teacher. - Nice.

Can we talk about our relationship?

Sure, what about it?

It was good, right?

It was great.

So why did we break up?

We were 16.

- Who needs reasons? - I do.

I'm not trying to re-litigate the past,

but it's become increasingly clear

that there is a pattern to my relationships

and it was already in place when we dated in high school.

Oh, okay.

How can I help?

Do you like true crime podcasts?

I know of them.

Think of this as a crime in progress

that can only be avoided by solving a cold case.

We are that cold case.

Can you help?

- I will try. - Thank you.

Can we maybe defrost this cold case

over coffee later today?

Yes, of course.

Great.

Okay, yard display, Christmas tree, cocoa, cocoa stand.

- Yeah. - Okay, no problem.

Oh, Dad, I actually wanted to talk to you about the cocoa.

We always do cocoa.

We're the cocoa house.

I know, and I don't wanna get rid

of any of the traditional elements,

but I do have an idea for how we could plus it up this year.

Really?

Yes.

So at the hotel, we had an artisanal bakery demonstration

and a big part of it was

making these trays of handmade marshmallows.

So I was thinking

we could do a marshmallow roasting station

right here at our fireplace.

- That's fantastic. - Right?

It adds an activity element to our spot on the crawl.

And everybody loves a complimentary offering,

but they always remember an activity even more fondly.

You've really been honing your customer service out there.

Well, I learned from the best.

Only three more days until Christmas Eve.

So, leave the list to me.

All right.

Set up yard display.

- Reindeer. - Hey Josie,

you got a minute?

Yeah.

Great.

So, I'm in a bit of a pickle.

See, Christmas Eve is Clare and my anniversary.

Oh, a Christmas Eve wedding.

Yeah, 15 years.

- Adorable, congratulations. - Thank you.

It's a big one and I'm a notoriously bad gift giver.

I just, I really don't wanna disappoint her this year.

Well, lucky for you there is a system in place

for anniversary gifts.

We get plenty of desperate husbands at the hotel

so I have all the big ones memorized.

It's wood, paper, tin, crystal.

15 years is crystal.

Okay, great, crystal.

So, like

- witchcraft? - Oh wow.

Would you please help me find something in town?

Yes, okay.

You head into town and start getting some ideas.

I'm gonna meet up with Ellis for coffee

and I will check in with you after that.

You're a lifesaver, thank you.

Of course.

Witchcraft?

Okay, for the tree.

Don't you go anywhere, I'm coming back for you.

Where is the?

There you are.

All right, let's get you out to the yard.

Winston.

Need a hand?

Feel like decking the halls?

How was your sister's?

Chaos.

Between my sister's family

and aunts and uncles and cousins and their kids,

it's like 18 people in that house.

- Whoa. - Yeah, everybody's everywhere

running into each other.

It's a total systems nightmare.

I'd be over there trying to get the whole thing in order.

I don't even think Stevie sees it as overwhelming.

She's like totally zen about the whole thing,

just the liveliness of the holidays.

- Huh. - She could tell

that I was overstimulated though,

and told me to take off until dinner.

Just my luck.

Yeah, mine too.

So

you live in Chicago?

- Yeah, and you're in? - New York.

Ah, two pizzas both alike in dignity.

Oh, whoa, there is plenty, plenty, plenty of room

for all pizzas.

We'll see.

So do you like living in New York?

It's a beautiful place,

but it's always kind of felt,

well, a little like Stevie's house today.

Everybody is everywhere.

I don't know, I've always felt more at home

in a place like Mill Creek.

Do you miss it?

- Mill Creek? - Yeah.

No, I mean, I miss my parents obviously,

events like the Christmas Crawl,

adorable neighbors like Mrs. Bramm, hold please.

Oh, hey.

Whoa, what are you doing?

That one's for DoorDash, Mrs. Bramm.

You don't know what you're getting into, Josie Fletcher.

You started this.

When you least expect it, my dear.

What is going on?

When you least expect it.

She knows what she did.

I don't.

So why do you stay in New York

if it doesn't feel like home?

It's where I raised the startup capital for my company

and it just kept growing and growing from there.

But you're right, I guess I don't have

anything tying me there anymore.

So what are you gonna do now?

I have no idea.

Well, from the glisten in my father's eyes

when he was talking about the size of your sale,

sounds like you don't really have to do anything.

Oh yeah, well, I can't do nothing.

Hmm.

Well, if you're looking for something to do,

I'm sure you could help out anywhere.

I mean, 'tis the season for part-time employment.

There are help wanted signs in half the shops in town.

Hey, you know, I never did get one of those jobs

that everybody gets in high school.

I just started getting paid to help people with websites

and computers before I got the chance.

Could be fun.

Hmm.

Wow.

Well. how will I know it's Christmas

without the cozy lingering jitters

of a peppermint mocha?

What's going on, Ellis?

Can you tell me your version of what happened with us?

Oh, easy peasy.

After junior prom, you stopped liking me.

No, nope.

It lines up pretty cleanly.

You broke up with me.

Yeah, after weeks of you not talking to me.

I didn't stop liking you.

We stopped hanging out.

My Razr Sidekick went conspicuously silent.

You avoided all of our spots.

I finally had to break up with you over MySpace

because I couldn't find you.

Ah, see,

this is my issue.

And it keeps happening, it has not changed.

And I need it to change, Josie.

I need it to.

What happened at junior prom?

It was a great night, you looked amazing.

Everything was perfect.

- Until? - Dinner.

Dinner was amazing.

It was all of our friends, Catie and Joe, Christie and Leo.

It was five couples making plans,

trips with each other's families,

coordinating class schedules, applying to the same colleges.

And all of a sudden, I couldn't breathe.

Ah.

Are you all right?

See, this is how I react

when I remember other people's high school plans.

You should see what happens when someone talks

about moving in together.

- Oh? - I've even gone so far

as renting a room in a B&B in the same town I live in

so she can't find me at my place.

- Oh. - Yeah.

Her name's Darcy.

We've been together for a year and a half.

She's the best.

And you haven't spoken to Darcy in?

- Four days. - Ellis.

Right, it's nutso-cuckoo-sauce.

Is this some sort of afraid of commitment thing?

I don't wanna be with anyone else, I love her.

I can't explain it, we basically live together anyway.

Her place, my place, it doesn't matter.

But whenever I think about that next step, I just shut down.

I'm hoping you can get me back in the same room with her

before I blow Christmas.

- Oh boy. - I know,

you were just always the best communicator.

I'm hoping you can roadmap a conversation for me

where I tell her this isn't about her.

And I'm trying to work on it.

Okay, okay, that's a really clear action item.

We can role play.

I could be Darcy and you can be you.

Oh, okay.

Where have you been?

Whoa, I immediately hate this.

- Too angry? - I hope so.

You think she's gonna be that angry?

Well, I was trying to go for a

"I've been so worried about you" type of vibe.

- Mm-mm. - I might need

to think about this a little longer.

And I also have to get a Christmas tree for the B&B.

Can we reconvene after milk and cookie hour, try again?

Yeah, yeah, of course.

Thanks for trying to help.

Hey, we're gonna figure this out.

- Oh, I'm sorry. - Sorry.

- Sam? - Hey.

Are you tree shopping?

Tree selling, I got a job.

- Wow. - Doing trees.

That was fast.

But I guess your resume speaks for itself.

You know, they didn't even ask me for it.

My sister, she knows the lot owner,

and she told me they needed help.

Well, welcome to seasonal employment.

How's the tree lot life treating you?

Great, yeah.

I sold one whole tree, gave it a fresh cut,

tied it to the car and everything.

Yeah, you having fun?

Yeah.

Hey, did you know that there's

more than one type of Christmas tree?

I thought a Christmas tree was a Christmas tree.

But there's pines and balsams and firs,

and people have their opinions

and I can't tell the difference.

Oh, actually, I think I have a mnemonic device for that.

P is for pines and packets.

The needles come in packets?

Why on earth would you have

a mnemonic device for different types of trees?

Well, it's like you said, people have opinions.

The more I know, the more I can help.

Is there anything you don't know?

Oh, there's plenty.

But you'll never catch me copping to it.

You'll just have to find that out for yourself.

I look forward to it.

Right.

Well, I need to get a tree for the B&B.

Do you wanna use your newfound expertise

to help me find the perfect one?

Hey, I'm your man.

But first,

wanna get some shopping gelato?

What, now?

You can't take a break.

Didn't you just start like a half hour ago?

Come on, we'll be right back.

Sam.

Did your family always have a real Christmas tree?

Oh, absolutely.

I love that smell.

My family always had a fake one.

- Really? - Yeah,

but it was always an event.

Every year we would pop on a Christmas movie

and pull the tree outta storage,

pop the branches back into place.

Huh, and that always felt just as special?

Oh, for sure, yeah, yeah.

I always loved

that trip to the tree lot every year, though.

It's like its own special sub-tradition,

all the kids bundled up imagining their Christmas mornings.

The occasional handsome Christmas tree salesman.

Oh, goes without saying.

Okay, I think you're taking that one for granted.

You gotta get lucky for that one.

No, but the anticipation of walking through the trees,

it's like you have this idea

of what the perfect one is gonna look like

so you just hunt and hunt and hunt to find it.

Yeah, the hunt can be fun,

but I think there's something to be said

knowing that you've already found the perfect one

and it's waiting for you right at home.

You sell artificial trees over there, Sam?

Nope, sure don't, let's go hunt.

- Okay. - Okay.

So were you a white lights family

or a rainbow lights family?

Oh, rainbow lights all the way.

Hmm.

Big, old 1950s style bulbs or modern-day cuties?

Modern-day cuties.

Plus, had a lot of handmade ornaments.

Stevie always had a real knack for 'em.

I love that.

My hotel's all white lights, which is very elegant,

but we've always been a rainbow lights family.

There's just something so cozy about them.

And even though we've always been a B&B,

my parents always wanted to make sure

it still felt like a home.

Was it weird growing up in a place

where there was always random people popping in and out?

I didn't know any different.

But you get really good at figuring out

what people want from you right away.

Some people wanna tell you their problems.

Some people wanna chat.

And some people don't wanna engage at all.

But with all of them,

you can always tell immediately,

right when you look in their eyes.

Well, maybe you can,

but I definitely cannot.

I need people to tell me what they want.

I bet you're better at it than you think.

No, I'm not.

Hmm, okay.

Look at me.

What do I want?

You...

want...

a Christmas tree.

- Ah, look at you. - All right.

Context clues kind of gave that one away.

What do I want?

Hmm, okay.

You want...

to find what you've been missing.

Sharp spruce.

If the needles are sharp and stiff, it's a spruce,

fluffy and friendly, it's a fir.

Yes, great, and which mnemonic are

we in the mood for today?

Well, as a professional, what is your recommendation?

You sure you don't want me to take that back with me?

I'll bring it back when I'm done.

Okay, well, thanks for your help.

Well, thank you for being my second ever sale.

All right, I'll see you later.

- Bye. - Bye.

Well, I see your problem, Miles.

You're in a hardware store.

They have some other stuff.

Miles.

I told you I needed help.

Crystal, buddy, crystal.

They have a sign that says crystal.

Copper, bronze, crystal.

Those are fixtures, Miles.

The woman wants to feel loved.

She's not redoing her bathroom sink.

Of course, I mean it's obvious they mean fixtures

when someone with a functional brain points it out.

I don't know, it's this whole gift giving thing.

It's like I short circuit.

Well, maybe you should be in a jewelry store.

Seriously?

You wanna send a blind soldier

onto the biggest minefield of all time?

Okay.

It's easy.

Clare likes jewelry that is simple and elegant.

Like this morning at breakfast,

she was wearing these adorable silver danglies

and a delicate herringbone chain.

- She was? - Yes.

It's like I don't see that stuff.

When I look at Clare, I see the woman I love.

I see the possibility of us in her eyes

on the day we met,

her smiling at me as she walked down the aisle

on our wedding day,

her squeezing my hand the day Trudy was born.

I see an entire lifetime I can't imagine without her.

That's beautiful.

All this other stuff, it's just window dressing.

I see the hot dog, not the condiments.

Okay, that's less beautiful.

If you're gonna send me into a jewelry store,

I need you standing like right next to me

or else I'll end up, I don't know, redoing her sink.

Okay, well, we can't go now.

I have to get everything ready to decorate the tree.

Yeah, I promised Clare and Trudy I'd

meet them for dinner.

Okay.

- Hey, Josie? - Yeah.

Should I get the hot stuff oven mitt just in case?

No, absolutely not.

- You sure? - I am sure.

- It's so cool. - Put it down, Miles.

Fine.

You know, I haven't put a tree up in years.

Sam.

That's so sad.

I was living alone and it just always felt kind of lonely.

Hmm.

Well, I live alone

and I put up a tree every year.

This is more fun, though.

Are you single, Sam?

I'm, uh,

married to the job.

People say that,

but I think it represents a pretty dim view of marriage.

- No, no, I mean that-- - I know it communicates

that you're a busy person,

but jobs demand that

you meet them on their terms.

They boil you down to a very specific version of yourself.

Well, I kind of like that, though.

There's something nice about knowing what's expected.

It could be a very fulfilling part of life,

especially if you're good at it,

which you clearly both are,

but that's all it is,

a part of life.

A marriage is a life.

It doesn't ask for one little part of you.

- It wants the whole thing. - Mm-hmm.

It's two people bringing all of themselves

to one life every day.

Nothing feels better than that.

If you find the right person.

And I did.

But you two got to combine the two.

This B&B, it's such a reflection of your lives together.

- It is. - Well, have you ever thought

about streamlining any of your processes?

I see that all the guests still sign

themselves into a logbook.

Oh, well, it's all on the computer.

We just don't have it on public display.

- Oh? - Yeah.

B&B clientele want to step into an older stay experience.

You know, they wanna check in on an old leather book

and be handed physical keys.

I keep trying to convince them to get old doors

so we can give our guests the old skeleton keys.

That's a great idea.

Doesn't it seem kind of theatrical?

I would feel silly.

Well, you know what else is silly?

The phrase cha-ching.

♪ Felt like a long time but it's here ♪

♪ So let the good vibes roll in ♪

♪ When we're together ♪

♪ Together, it's Christmas time ♪

♪ There's nothing better ♪

♪ When everything just feels so right ♪

♪ This magic weather ♪

♪ We'll live and learn together at Christmas time ♪

♪ Together ♪

♪ Together at Christmas time ♪

Get and decorate Christmas tree, check.

It's perfect.

Oh, I miss putting up the tree with you.

Me too, Mom.

But this is exactly the kind of thing

that milk and cookie hour could use.

Just something new each night

to give everyone a reason to attend.

And it doesn't have to be as big as putting up a tree,

but, you know, a new snack or activity or game.

I'll think on it.

You know, you have a lot of great ideas for this place.

Well, hospitality is my game.

I mean, I definitely learned a lot running the hotel,

but growing up here really laid the groundwork.

I just love creating the perfect atmosphere,

turning people's experiences into something magical.

Sounds like it doesn't give you a lot of time

to focus on yourself.

It's worth it.

You ever feel like you're

missing out on something?

I love my dad's perspective,

but I don't think hospitality boils me down

into a tiny version of myself.

I mean, it's problem solving and attention to detail,

it's compassion and 1,000 points of human interaction.

It engages all of me.

Running QuantumCipher gave me the same thing.

As we grew, I had to split my time

between the system that we were building

and the people who were helping me get there.

I engaged with so many lives

and provided so many livelihoods

that it just became

crystal clear what I was missing out on.

What's that?

Why'd you stopped calling me our freshman year?

Did you find somebody else?

No.

Then why?

I wanted to see how long it would take you to call me.

But you were the one that always called.

Yeah.

It started to feel a little one-sided.

I would text you all the time.

That started to feel like passing notes,

bite-sized check-ins between things,

as opposed to spending real time on the phone

at the end of the night.

No, I loved those phone calls.

Those phone calls, they were the best hour of my day.

Three weeks.

Took you three weeks to call me.

Remember when I did you were

distant and

distracted.

I had had three weeks of feeling like you didn't care.

I guess I just wanted you to have

a taste of your own medicine.

And you stopped responding to my text messages so often

and then kind of stopped responding at all.

A textbook breakdown in communication.

I was very much 18 years old.

I missed you.

So much.

I missed you too.

I should have kissed him.

Ugh, definitely.

How's everything at the Crabtree?

Falling apart at the seams?

Nope, it's too well sewn.

French seams, even.

Couldn't fray if it wanted to.

And how's prep going for the Christmas Eve high tea?

Oh, it's going so good.

Marco was just running me through the final menu.

He made these gluten-free cupcakes

that are just nom, nom, nom, nom, nom.

Ooh, delicious.

Oh, and did someone double check

that we got everything we ordered from the rental place?

They're usually pretty good,

but every now and then they miss a piece.

Beep, beep.

You have exceeded your work question limit.

Beep, cannot compute.

No, no, I'm sorry, I just can't turn my brain off.

Mm-hmm.

This robot will talk to you again later. Beep.

Over and out.

Over and out.

Sorry, Mom, I got a little bit of a late start today.

Late night?

Just catching up on old times.

That's funny, I had a late night as well,

waiting for someone to workshop something with me.

Got a bit of a Christmas deadline looming.

Oh, shoot, Ellis, I am so sorry.

It completely slipped my mind.

Can we workshop after breakfast?

Wait, weren't we gonna go to...

Didn't you need my help in town?

You know, for the Christmas Crawl?

Yes, I do.

What about sledding?

You and Mom head straight for the hill

and I'll join you with some hot chocolate

after helping Josie in town.

And I will be back by 1:00 to help you work

towards your goal.

Well, if you need a hand in town,

I'm more than happy to pitch in.

Oh, perfect.

It's gotta be Miles.

- Oh? - Yes.

Because Miles used to work at the market in town,

and so he's gonna help me get a deal

on all of the things we need for the Christmas Crawl.

I didn't know you ever worked at a market.

Oh yeah, high school job.

Restocking shelves, running the register,

you know...

vegetables.

A mohawk and a market man.

I'm learning so much about you.

Josie, if there's too much to do on that list

to get it done by tomorrow,

your dad and I can take care of it.

Oh, no, it's not a problem.

I can do all the things, that's what I do.

And I can get them all at a better price point

thanks to Miles.

But I'll be quick and I'll be back by 1:00.

All right, what are your instincts?

Well, my first instinct is to head towards the exit.

Okay, don't do that.

Look, I know it's overwhelming

and there's a lot to choose from.

So let's just narrow it down, okay?

We can peruse.

Try again, trust your instinct.

That looks fancy.

It does, 'cause it is.

It's too fancy.

See, Clare feels like the kind of woman

who wants to wear her jewelry.

You keep that thing in a safe.

Just looks like the kind of thing women like.

Okay, no, forget about womenkind,

we are only shopping for Clare.

That's the key to gift giving, specificity.

It should communicate that you put time

into thinking about what she would enjoy.

Trust me, I've gotten plenty of generic gifts

that have communicated to me my boyfriend knew

how to Google "Top 10 lady gifts of the year."

Hey, we're not just shopping

for any old pack of hot dogs.

We're shopping for your special hot dog.

Right.

I've also gotten plenty of gifts

that have been way more about the giver,

ostensibly so we could spend more time together,

but really geared more towards their interests than mine.

Skis that came with lessons,

because I've never gone skiing before.

It's the gift that says,

hey, all this time we've been spending together has

really shown me how much I miss skiing.

Oh, I've done one of those.

Of course you have.

Yeah, I got her a wine of the month membership

to hopefully find out the one that she loves.

Let me guess, you love wine, she doesn't.

She thinks it's okay.

I just thought be a fun project to do together.

And a project is a great idea for a gift

as long as it's something you both enjoy doing together.

Or if it's something she enjoys more,

that's even better.

That's the gift that says,

"Hey, I know you like this more than me,

but I'm willing to devote my time

into experiencing it with you

because you're special to me."

Right.

Well, that's a lot to process.

So you need to get to the sledding hill

and I have to get to the market.

But I think we're making progress.

Yeah, me too.

Okay.

Josie.

Ellis, hi.

You want a hand with those groceries?

Oh, I was just coming to see you.

Thought I'd meet you, get some air.

- Gimme that. - Oh, thank you.

- You're crazy. - Well, you know,

someone's gotta do it.

Yeah, I guess so.

So how'd you and Darcy meet?

App.

Ah, the apps.

Yeah, I haven't had a lot of luck with those.

I hadn't either until I did.

It only takes one.

You recognize this?

Of course I do, it's your old house.

You spend your entire childhood in the house

and you think it's gonna feel like home forever,

but it doesn't.

My folks sold it 10 years ago.

Thought it'd be weird to pass by it all the time,

see another family living in there, but it's not.

That intimate feeling of connection is gone.

It's like seeing an ex.

Well, it seems like they're taking good care of it.

It looks great.

But now it's just a memory.

The one place I was sure would feel permanent.

You move out and you live in apartments for a while,

you know that's not permanent.

You finally buy a place

and you think that home feeling is gonna come back,

but it doesn't.

It's home, but it's not

home.

I think you only ever get one place that feels like that

and it's the place where you grew up.

That's what they mean when they say you can't go home again.

You might not have that problem, though,

if whoever your parents sell to keep it a B&B.

You'll always be able to go back home

as long as there's a vacancy.

Did they say something about selling it?

No, but you know, eventually.

Right.

You wanna see if they'll let you take a look around?

Nah, I'm just gonna remember it the way it was.

Looks great, though.

Love the decorations.

Coming.

All right, I'm gonna need to be

working on these marshmallows while we chat,

if that's all right.

Maybe the reason you ditched me is

because you're juggling too many things.

Okay, you're right and I'm sorry,

but the only way out is through.

You could ask for help.

It's all right, I got it.

Would you like me to help?

Yes, please.

So where were we?

You were terrifying me

with a hopefully inaccurate depiction of Darcy's anger.

Right.

Ellis, what's the goal?

You don't wanna break up with Darcy, right?

No! No, absolutely not, I love Darcy.

Okay, I'm gonna say something a little hard, all right?

The actions that you are taking right now is

you passively breaking up with Darcy.

You're ghosting, dude.

I know.

- I hate it. - Okay,

so you don't wanna break up,

but your actions are leading down that path.

The question is, are you willing to try the other path?

The one where your and Darcy's relationship goes

somewhere new.

I want to be able to.

Okay, well, there is someone far more qualified than me

to discuss your relationship.

I will find a therapist after the New Year.

I mean Darcy.

I think you need to be willing to try and ask her for help.

That's, like, really direct.

It's okay.

I will help you get all of your talking points in order,

but we know that you want one outcome more than the other.

So screw your courage to the sticking place

and we'll not fail.

Okay, period three English with Mrs. Staranowicz.

You got it.

Have you come to oversee assembly?

We've put that up together ever since you were

seven years old.

I may not be much help,

but I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Well, how about a little role reversal?

You can hold the corners and I'll screw 'em in.

Here we go.

Okay, that should do it.

Okay.

I can't believe you let me hand paint

all this stuff on the front.

What do you mean, it's the best part.

Well, I could have used some stencils,

gotten these lines a little cleaner.

Oh, Joey, you were 10 when you painted these.

Every time I put up the arch,

I can see your determined little face,

trying to get every detail perfect.

- Trying to. - Ah, Joey,

you were 10.

I don't know if you remember it now,

but after you painted these,

all the families that came into this lobby would

ooh and ah over how pretty you made the arch

and you beamed.

It always made the event so much more special.

You started acting embarrassed

about it by the time you were 14.

But I could still see that 10-year-old pride peeking out.

I still can.

When everybody appreciated

what you and Sam did with the Christmas tree

the other night.

I saw my 10-year- old Joey again.

You've always had a knack for making things feel special.

Well, you and Mom always made me feel I could.

Eh, we just got outta your way.

You paved the way.

I grew up watching how much care

you and Mom put into this place,

the way you always wanted to make sure

every guest felt completely at home.

Well, looks like you made Sam feel pretty much at home.

- Dad. - Oh, speaking of.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

Promise me you will not say anything like that

- when he's here. - No promises.

Dad, I know you think it's funny,

but it's really not funny, okay?

I haven't seen you act like this

since you were a teenager.

Just no smoochie smoochie talk.

I will die, I will actually physically die.

- Hello. - Hey.

Hey, Sam, we were just talking about you.

- Oh really? - Yeah, yeah.

I'm not as much help as I usually am with the arch,

so I thought you'd make a good second set of hands.

My pleasure.

Well, it's actually pretty much assembled,

but you can stick around and help spruce it up if you want.

Spruce it up?

Yeah, you gotta get in on that cottagecore game, Dad.

Cottagecore?

You have to create a visual moment

that is so picturesque

that guests can't help but wanna post pictures

of themselves in there.

That's some of that social media stuff, huh?

Well, it's all about the socials, my man.

Advertising you don't have to pay for.

I don't know how to break this to you, Joey, but I'm old.

We're already doing it, Dad.

People are definitely gonna wanna take pictures

of their kids toasting their homemade marshmallows

in our fireplace.

Oh, you know what we should do?

Add some more twinkle lights

and whatever else we can find

so that people have no choice but to want a selfie here.

Whatever you say.

Okay, we've done the house, we've done the tree,

the front display is set.

So, anything we have left is fair game.

Got it.

Did you check in with the tree lot today?

Oh, Mr. Harrison said he had it covered.

Told him to call me if anybody needed a break the cold.

You know, I've never had

one of those kind of jobs before either.

I've always just worked here.

Yeah, it's my first time working directly with the public.

Ah, it's the best.

Really?

Even when they get mad at you for tying a tree

to their car a different way than they would?

Like, yeah, it's tough.

But even when they're upset,

if you just hold their eyes long enough,

they're forced to look at you as a person,

not just a functionary.

At the end of the day, people just wanna feel taken care of.

Who takes care of you?

I take care of myself.

Does that ever get lonely?

Twinkle lights.

See, it's already looking so much more festive.

Just a few more snowy pine bundles

and our selfie snare will be complete.

- What? - You've only been here

a few days and I've already seen you introduce

so many innovations to the B&B.

Just imagine what you could do

if you rolled your sleeves up.

Well, everything we've been doing is pretty simple.

Anyone could do it.

Yeah, but they didn't, you did.

You should stay.

See how far you can take it.

I have to get back to the hotel after Christmas.

You have to?

That's where my life is, Sam.

Just like yours is in New York.

Just one version of life.

Imagine pouring all of your passion and talents

into something with no chain of command

and no corporate guidelines,

into a company that you would actually own.

I don't own this place.

My parents do.

For now.

I can't imagine anyone

who could modernize the B&B experience

while still preserving the traditional charm.

You can make this place better than ever.

All that stuff takes money.

I have money.

Sam, what are you doing?

What?

I'm just really enjoying spending time with you.

I think

you're a little confused right now.

Selling that company was a big, big change for you,

and it's all just a huge adjustment.

No, I am not confused about you.

You haven't known me in years.

You're still the same Josie that I've always known.

You've got the same drive

- and charm and ambition. - Sam.

The only difference is

you're more beautiful now than ever.

- Sam. - What?

Are we talking about the B&B or us right now?

I'm talking about all of it.

Well, all of it is a lot.

Okay, yeah, no, you're right.

All of it, that's a lot.

All of it's a lot.

And, um, we...

should break it up into parts.

So, part one: Business.

When I see the opportunity to get into a new marketplace

with someone who is uniquely talented,

I get excited, okay?

That makes business sense to me.

Number two:

Us.

I haven't felt connected to anyone

the way that we felt in high school.

And I've been spending the last 20 years

chalking it up to some insane emotional teenage high.

But the second that I walked through that door

and I saw you, something lit up inside of me.

And that's not about youth.

It's about

realizing

where you belong.

And I feel like,

I feel like I'm coming home.

Are you not feeling what I'm feeling?

I have a whole life in the city.

It is a life that I am proud of,

that I've worked really hard on.

And everything that you just said, as beautiful as it is,

asks me to turn my back on things

I have been working on for decades.

No, no, no, no, no.

And the stall is not finished,

and I have to get back to the fireplace

and the marshmallows and processing

a beautiful confession of love is not on my to-do list, Sam.

So I'm just gonna need a minute.

Okay, can we add it to the list?

As soon as I find a pen.

Okay.

Hey, Josie, I think I got the perfect--

- Not now, Miles. - Understood.

- Sam, I. - Oh! Gah!

- Mom, sorry. - Cracking ice, Josie.

What are you doing in here?

I just needed some space from things.

What are you doing here?

I just came to get the marshmallow roasting rods,

get 'em washed up for tomorrow.

Oh, I can get that for you.

No, one less thing for you to have to worry about.

You're already juggling so much,

and that's not how we wanted you to spend your time at home.

Oh, Mom.

Oh, oh, honey.

What?

Oh, shh.

I just left him standing there

holding the Christmas lights.

I mean, what do you say to somebody who tells you all that?

Yeah, it's a lot to think about,

but I will also say

that it sounds like a nice thing to hear.

It's not like I haven't thought

about relationships.

I've had plenty of relationships.

Maybe Sam's right.

I haven't felt this way about anyone since him.

Since I hadn't felt anything close,

I guess I just started to think

it wasn't in the plan for me.

Oh, sweetie.

You could plan and plan all you want.

There's always gonna be something that pops up unexpectedly.

Sometimes it's rough, like a bum knee

that shows you it might be time to shift gears,

or it might be something really beautiful

like someone carrying you in their heart

for their whole life.

The question isn't whether or not

there are gonna be surprises.

It's whether or not you want to make room

in your plan for them.

Can you believe this whole thing about us

taking over the B&B,

as if you and Dad would ever give this place up.

- Well. - Mom?

We have started talking

about the possibility of selling.

- What? - Yeah.

- To who? - Well, no one in particular.

- Oh, good. - There are a few options.

- Mom. - Well,

your father's surgery popped up unexpectedly

to show us a few things.

And we're trying to rework our plan

around that new information.

But a B&B is like a retirement business model.

It's like the textbook definition

of a business for retired people.

It's a lot of upkeep and we've been doing it a long time.

We love this place with all our hearts,

but we always knew that eventually it would go

to somebody else.

But you weren't counting on me

to be the one to come and run it?

Oh, Josie, no.

No, we knew you were staying in the city.

Every time we visit you,

it's clear what a wonderful home you've made there.

But this is home.

This has always been home.

Do you think Sam would still be interested in buying

the place even if you weren't the one to run it?

Mom!

Well...

You okay?

I am getting unbelievable information overload tonight.

It turns out that things that I thought were

just in the past are very much a part of the present.

And things that I thought of as permanent are

not only temporary,

but already in a state of transition.

I need time to process.

Now, where are those roasting rods?

You're late.

I've almost made it to the last batch.

You kept going.

Yeah, it's not like I was trying to busy work

my way through an emotional crisis.

I could use a little bit of that myself right now.

Grab an apron.

♪ I light a candle, put the presents 'round the tree ♪

♪ The sound of carols fills the air ♪

♪ Outside, the snow is falling ♪

♪ I hear the children calling ♪

♪ The way it always used to be ♪

♪ I still remember how we loved this time of year ♪

♪ We kissed beneath the mistletoe ♪

♪ And as I hung the ivy ♪

♪ I felt two arms around me ♪

♪ Wishing you were here for Christmas ♪

Mm, perfection.

Mm, I think it could use one more ingredient.

- Eh? - Ooh, yes please.

Not for the Christmas Crawl,

but just for a couple of grownups

who have had a very long day.

Okay.

Much better.

We'll try again.

A toast.

There are good ships and wood ships

and ships that sail the sea,

but the best ships be friendships.

May they always be.

Hear, hear.

- Mm. - Ooh.

- Uh-huh. - Mm-hmm.

- Yeah. - Yeah, I felt that.

You got a little.

Oh, really, okay?

And, ah.

Yeah, whatever, all right.

Laugh away.

- Eggnog? - Mm.

Josie's idea?

Something different every night.

Do you think she's gonna join us tonight?

She needs to finish making the marshmallows for tomorrow.

Oh, why don't I go help her?

Maybe not tonight.

She told you.

You gave her a lot to think about, Sam.

Josie processes things out loud.

You think she's gonna tell everyone?

I'm sure she just needs time for introspection now.

Yeah.

Do you want to be with Sam?

I'd love to try.

But how?

Drop everything and move here?

Dive headlong into a relationship

and a business partnership at the same time?

That sounds like a simple solution to modern living.

See, it's hard when out of the blue,

someone wants to redefine aspects of who you are.

- Yep. - And I've had a lot of time

to think about Darcy

while making huge, igloo block-sized bricks

of artisanal marshmallows.

Give it to me.

It's not that I don't wanna live together,

but right now we have something truly wonderful

that totally works.

Every subsequent change that we make is

an opportunity for her to find out something

she doesn't like about me.

Oh.

I want things to be this good forever.

So you're not afraid of commitment.

You're afraid of her finding out

she's afraid of commitment once you've already committed.

- Bingo bango. - Breakthrough.

You've done the work.

Now you gotta say all that to her.

- Can I text it? - No, you may not.

I'll call her tomorrow morning

and invite her to the Christmas Crawl.

Now this is what we call cocoa courage.

- What? - I know.

Too much, too fast.

I don't care how cute he is.

Thank you.

Is someone there with you?

Don't worry about it.

Am I interrupting something?

So Marco and I just got off work

and now we're hanging out.

And I've just been babbling, I am so sorry.

Hi, Marco.

Wait...

Is this a date?

- Yes. - No.

Yes.

Maybe.

Ooh.

Josie, I think this guy sounds really nice.

Yeah, of course he sounds nice.

That's not what we're talking about right now, Marco.

Okay, well why'd you break up in the first place?

I guess technically we didn't ever break up.

We just stopped talking.

So maybe this isn't coming out of nowhere.

Maybe we've just been

in this completely silent, non-monogamous relationship

for the past 20 years.

Like two computers set to sleep mode

and he finally decided to hit the space bar tonight.

Is that him?

Show me.

Okay, he is kind of cute.

So does everyone know?

Know what?

So, it's Christmas Eve.

I know we have the Christmas Crawl later,

but what's everyone's plans until then?

Well, there's still a lot of setup to do before the crawl,

so I will be busy doing that.

Ah, so I guess that means

Trudy and I will see you tonight.

What?

Well, I just assumed that today will be

like every other day.

- Clare. - This whole trip was

supposed to be about family time,

but you're choosing to spend it helping Josie

with whatever she needs.

I... Right, okay, look, I know I said that.

No, you're right.

I have been taking up way too much of Miles's time.

I'm sorry.

- You don't have to do that. - No, Josie,

this is not about you, you're so sweet.

This is about Miles and how he set the expectations

for this trip versus how he's choosing

to actually spend his time.

Hey, look, it's not really her fault.

It was her simply doing me a favor.

While she was doing you this favor

were you also elbows deep in marshmallow mix?

The only way I could get her to listen to me was

through hours of manual labor.

I didn't tell you to keep making the marshmallows.

I said I needed to make them while we talk

and then you just kept going.

Hey, Ellis, after she was listening to you,

did she go around and tell everyone exactly what you said?

What's all this?

The eggs are really good this morning, Dad.

Yeah, yeah, they're okay.

There seems to be something going on here

that I don't have access to.

Oh, there is someone that you didn't tell.

Tell me what?

It, nothing, it's not important.

Not important?

Oh, well, it was important to me.

No, I was just trying to move the conversation along

before I ended up telling somebody else,

which I'm already gathering is

something you're not a fan of,

but it sounds like you wanna tell him, so tell him.

- Let's tell him. - I'll tell him.

Mom!

It seems that Sam here has

taken a particular interest...

- Okay, Mom. - In our B&B.

- Oh. - He figured we were

starting to think about retiring

and expressed an interest in taking the property

to the next phase.

Why is everyone getting so upset?

I don't think that should be some sort of big secret.

Yeah, I think that's great, Sam.

Wait, that's what you told them?

I thought we were talking about

the whole confession of love thing.

- See? - No, okay, all right.

You know what?

The Christmas Crawl is in just a few hours so I need

everybody to keep it together so we can provide

these families with a magical Christmas experience.

- Think of the children. - Seriously.

♪ Are you ready, ready ♪

♪ Are you ready ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas ♪

♪ Are you decking the halls ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas ♪

♪ We'll be having a ball ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas ♪

♪ Are you having some fun ♪

♪ Are you ready for Christmas ♪

♪ It's only just begun ♪

♪ It's only just begun ♪

- Oh. - Oh, what?

Good shot, Mrs. Bramm.

Extra cups.

Oh, these turned out great.

- Hmm. - Those aren't for you.

Nothing for Santa?

Okay, Trudy, you're gonna be

what a con artist would call a shill,

but what we in the hospitality industry would prefer to call

a carrot.

Any kid who sees you toasting a marshmallow is

gonna have to do it too.

So just look like you're having fun.

I am having fun.

The perfect carrot.

Thanks for helping out.

Of course.

Miles is once again unaccounted for.

His heart's in the right place, you'll see.

I'm sorry I dragged you into it at breakfast.

Oh, no, it's okay.

Me too.

I don't really think

you tricked me into making marshmallows.

I'm just nervous about seeing Darcy.

I know you're juggling more than you expected.

Thanks.

Has anyone seen Sam?

Not since breakfast.

Ho, ho, ho.

Merry Christmas, Laurie.

Here they come, look alive.

Mommy, Mommy, look at my marshmallow.

I'm doing it.

Such a pro.

There you go, enjoy.

This is perfect, Josie.

You took our favorite thing, you made it even better.

It's my favorite thing too, here you go, happy roasting.

Good to see you, Merry Christmas.

About last night, I didn't mean that you don't belong here.

I mean, look at this.

You're better at running this place than we are.

No, that's not true, I could never.

You went and did your own thing

and we couldn't be prouder of the life you've made

for yourself,

and we didn't want you to end up back here

out of some sense of obligation.

It just never occurred to me

that there would ever come a day

that you and Dad would stop running the B&B.

I think I took for granted

that I could always come running home

and cozy up in your warm, little Christmas world

you've created.

I just thought it would last forever.

It doesn't have to be forever to be special.

I love you, Mom.

Oh, Josie, I love you always.

- Family hug. - Oh.

I love you, Dad.

I love you, Joey.

Aww.

Merry Christmas.

Don't forget a stick.

Hi, Merry Christmas, come on in.

Oh, this here, enjoy.

Yeah, take those, you're gonna need 'em.

Hey guys.

- Oh, hello there. - Taste this.

Mm, that's perfect, did you make that?

- Yep. - It's amazing.

Hey, can I borrow Mom for a minute?

I'm so sorry I kept disappearing.

I have spent the entire week obsessing

over what would make you feel special,

and it's had the complete opposite result.

We just want to spend time with you.

See, I love that, I do.

I just wanted to get you something that shows

you how special you are to me.

Happy anniversary.

Oh.

Oh.

That was the day that you changed my life,

the day we started building our own traditions year by year.

And we could see it in every Christmas tree

we put up together.

The ornaments from our childhoods,

hanging next to the ones we found together,

and all the ones that Trudy made when she was little.

It gets more beautiful and meaningful

every year we spend together.

Dad, come toast a marshmallow.

I'd love to.

Ellis.

Hey.

What are you doing here?

Well, aren't you in witness protection or something?

Well, this can't possibly be safe.

You'll blow your cover.

I'm really sorry

I've been avoiding you.

Hold on, if you are in fact not in witness protection,

you must be breaking up with me.

No, I'm not.

You said we should move in together

and I couldn't.

It's okay, Ellis, we don't have to.

No, no. I want...

I haven't been able to talk about this

and I need to

'cause I...

I love you.

- Okay. - The times I'm happiest are

when I'm with you.

But what if we move in together

and suddenly you realize that you can't stand

the sound of me eating?

What if you immediately wanna break up with me

and we just signed a lease?

I already know what you sound like

when you're eating, Ellis.

I know that you are a heavy night breather.

I know what you look like when you have a cold

and you have that tissue perma-lodged in your nose.

And I asked you to move in together

already knowing all of that.

But I get it, it's big.

And from my perspective, it's worth the risk.

And I like our odds.

The question is whether you trust me enough

to take the risk with me.

Because I trust you.

I'm coming home.

You freaked me out.

You wanna toast some marshmallows?

- Sure. - I made them.

What?

Yeah, I've been staying here

with my high school ex-girlfriend's parents

and I learned to make gourmet homemade marshmallows.

Ah, I think maybe you need to start from the beginning.

Okay, so...

So cute.

Oh.

- Hi. - Hi.

You remember my sister?

Oh, of course. Hi, Stevie.

Hi, Josie, welcome home.

I hope it hasn't been too stressful.

No.

Oh, you got a whole group here, huh?

- Yeah. - Do you guys wanna

toast some marshmallows?

They're homemade.

Do you have a second to talk?

Yes, she does.

Mom, I can speak for myself.

I just meant that we could handle this.

Yes, I do.

So I spoke to my sister and I get it now.

Yeah?

Yeah, it's good to speak to someone

outside of our situation to get some perspective.

I didn't mean to embarrass you.

I am so sorry.

I know the perspective I got is that I'm bad at this.

- No. - No, I am,

I'm very bad at this.

I think about things like I'm an entrepreneur

and when you get a gut feeling about something,

you're supposed to pursue it right away.

And the truth is, with the B&B and you running it,

it seems like a really great investment.

And I bundled all that up with my feelings towards you

into some all-or- nothing package

because I'm bad at this.

So forget the B&B.

I'm interested in you.

And I don't need to live in New York,

I don't need live in Mill Creek,

I would just...

I would like

to be close to you.

Well, I am also bad at this.

And the reason that I walked away last night is because

I do feel the same things as you.

But that meant I had a lot to think about.

I should have just talked to you instead of running away.

Well, if you have any interest

in seeing if we still work as a couple,

I could get a place in Chicago.

Well, I actually know

of a pretty nice hotel with extended stay options.

Yeah?

And you're sure management would be okay

with me staying there?

In a highly unusual move,

I think management would like to kiss you.

- Oh yeah. - Way to go.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

Hey, where are you?

Oh, same old, same old.

It's just me and the Crabtree, baby.

Speaking of that,

how would you feel about training a takeover for me?

No, Josie.

Whatever you have, we'll find a cure, I promise.

I appreciate the sentiment.

But I think it's time

and I think you're ready.

How did it go with Marco?

It was great.

We have like a date date on Monday.

Nadia, that is so great.

I'm so happy for you.

I never saw it coming.

Well, you're not the only one, babes.

Oh, Merry Christmas.

I have one more present, actually.

It's for both of you.

Oh.

What is this?

It's my letter of resignation from the hotel.

- What? - In a year.

If you can wait one year to retire,

I'd love to come home and take over.

I've found a wonderful business partner

who I understand can make you a very attractive offer.

And I think I have all of the things that I--

Josie,

your whole life's in the city.

This place can't not be here.

And I don't want someone to come

and change everything you've built beyond recognition.

This is what I do.

And I wanna preserve what you've created

and make sure we always have a place here.

This is my home.

And if I want it to stay that way,

I have to take responsibility for it.

And what better place for me to do

what I do best

than with the people who first taught me how to do it?

♪ Nothing says the holidays quite like this ♪

♪ Ringing the Yuletide season in with exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ Decking all the halls and doing our thang ♪

♪ Taking a stroll down memory lane with exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ This is gonna be one December ♪

♪ No doubt I'll always remember ♪

♪ As the chaos and the romance come to pass ♪

♪ So crank the joy on up to 10 ♪

♪ Looks like it's gonna be time well spent with exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ Christmas Crawl is coming up soon ♪

♪ Gotta pull it off and make it through ♪

♪ With exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ I've heard it said that three's a crowd ♪

♪ I finally understand what that means now ♪

♪ This is gonna be one December ♪

♪ No doubt I'll always remember ♪

♪ As the chaos and the romance come to pass ♪

♪ So crank the joy on up to 10 ♪

♪ Look like it's gonna be time well spent ♪

♪ With exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ Yeah, here's to exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪

♪ Here's to exes ♪

♪ of Christmas past ♪