Original subtitles

So this is Christmas.

You know the one, the most wonderful,

holly, jolly, merry and bright, magical time of the year.

To you, it might look like this.

Whatever the season means to you,

there's no question that Christmas

is one of the very best holidays.

My dad and I have always done Christmas

a little differently.

That's us.

I'm Isla, my dad's Jim.

As long as I can remember,

it's always just been the two of us.

My Dad's a retired baseball player.

Now he's an on-camera host.

Since he works every Christmas Eve,

we came up with our own tradition.

We call it "All I want for Christmas."

The concept is simple.

We take turns every year

choosing what we wanna do for Christmas.

Sometimes we do something,

and sometimes we do nothing.

There.

That's where I wanna go.

I wanna go to Nokatomi Plaza.

Dad, Nakatomi Plaza isn't a real place.

We've managed to spend some incredible Christmases together,

but there's one place

I've always wanted to visit since I was a kid.

And this year, it's my turn to pick.

I have just gotten you the very best Christmas present

an agent could ever get for their favorite client.

Well, it's gonna be a little tough for you

to top last year's gift, a portable golf ball cleaner.

I have outdone myself this year.

- I'm listening. - You are going to be hosting

the network's live annual Christmas Eve.

Jingle Bell Countdown in Times Square.

Stella.

I literally co-host the Jingle Bell Countdown every year.

Did I say co-host?

I said host, singular, solo.

The network wants you alone.

You do know what a gig like this could lead to, don't you?

Well, yeah, I mean, it could lead to my own show.

This is the big time, Jimmy.

On Christmas Eve,

you gotta be on like you've never been on before.

I need you to write a speech that is funny and inspiring.

I want tears, laughter,

I wanna give the people what they want.

Yeah, okay I'll call you later.

Dad.

- Congrats. - Oh, thanks.

This is the job you've always wanted.

- Yeah. - I'm so happy for you.

Yeah.

Well, happy for both of us,

because the TV studio's actually just a few blocks away

from the Columbia campus, so we could take the train

in the morning together.

Mm, I don't think you've ever taken

the train in your entire life.

No, I have not, but I hear really good things.

It's gonna be such a special Christmas.

Hey, speaking of Christmas.

- Yep. - You ready?

- Ready for what? - We're making

our "All I want for Christmas" plans today.

- Oh, yes. - Why do you think

I made these cookies?

I know.

Great.

- Okay. - Come on, let's go.

Let's take all these guys.

Hmm.

Since it's my year, I was thinking staycation.

We stay home, and we cook dinners,

and we see our favorite movies,

and we could even catch "The Nutcracker" at Lincoln Center.

You love that.

I was just thinking because of the big gig,

I should stay close to home, so I can be ready.

And that doesn't mean

I'm gonna be working the whole time, I promise you that,

and I know I say that every single year,

but I really mean it this year.

Why are you making that face?

I'm not making a face.

This is just my face.

I know your face.

You're making it do something different.

You're my daughter, okay?

I know that face.

That face means you don't like my plan.

No, it's a fine plan.

It's just too bad it's not your year.

It's totally my year.

Really?

Think back to what we did last year.

It's not my year.

It is your year.

All right, well...

Huh, what do you wanna do?

Staycation?

No.

I wanna do this.

Honey, I don't think we're both gonna fit in there,

and you know how claustrophobic I get.

Must you with the dad jokes?

I must.

- I'm your dad. - I wanna go to the Arctic.

Don't you remember how much I hate the cold?

Would you do that to your dear old dad, really?

And plus I just said that I got to stay close

to home for this new job.

- Rules are rules, dad. - Yeah, but honey, the Arctic?

Don't make me get him.

One, you don't need to get him,

and you don't need to bring him into this re.

Okay.

She's gone.

The reason I've always

wanted to go to the Arctic is because of this guy.

When I was four-years-old, my dad got me him for Christmas.

Hi, PB.

Don't insult the Arctic, dad.

It's PB's home.

Pretty sure he was made in Taiwan.

Before you freak out, hear me out.

I know how you get with the elements,

so I think I've come up with the perfect solution.

An Arctic cruise.

I do like a cruise.

I can work with a cruise.

I would like to negotiate the Arctic part,

like maybe the Caribbean, or the Mediterranean,

or any of the "eans."

Don't push your luck.

I found this liner.

It does a one week trip through the Northwest Passage.

One week on a ship?

Look.

We might as well join the Navy.

This is all I want for Christmas, but,

I don't want it if you don't want it.

Don't do that, with the sad eyes.

You know those sad eyes are my kryptonite.

I'm not sad, dad.

I'm just disappointed.

Really?

You're gonna do that?

Wow.

Do you promise me that I'm gonna make it back

by Christmas Eve?

- Yes. - You sure?

- Mm-hmm. - And you know this means

I'm gonna have to dedicate some time

to working on this trip, right?

What else is new?

How do you know how to play me so well?

I'm your daughter, it's my job.

All jokes aside, we don't have to go

if it's gonna stress you out.

Book it.

Thank you.

What are you looking at?

Okay.

Okay.

Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome to the 15th annual

Christmas Eve Jingle Bell Countdown,

I am your host, the man, the myth, the legend...

No, I'm not gonna say that.

That's ridiculous.

Welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.

Jingle Bell Countdown.

I would like to start this evening by telling you

what Christmas means to me.

Uh...

I actually have no idea what Christmas means to me.

Okay, well, I'll do that later.

That's fine.

Come on in.

- Dad. - Hi.

This is so cool.

Have you been up on deck?

No, not yet.

No, I've just been organizing.

I see that, Marie Kondo.

Why can't you just live out of a suitcase,

like a normal person?

- Like a normal person? - Mm.

I've seen how you keep your bedroom.

Check this out.

- Lot of water. - Dad,

you have to see the sights.

I will.

I will, I promise.

Speaking of sights,

our first excursion is in a couple hours.

It's this town called Winslow.

What do you mean excursion?

When the ship stops at different ports,

and we can go out and explore?

Wait, isn't the point of taking a cruise

to stay on the ship?

We paid for the ship.

Why would we get off the ship?

It's got a gym, it's got a movie theater, mini golf, spa.

We can explore those things.

We didn't come all the way to the Arctic

not to experience it.

Speak for yourself.

Oh, come on.

Apparently this Winslow town has polar bears.

- Like in a zoo? - No, like just around.

You're not doing a great job selling this place.

Come on, this trip is about spending time together.

And I'm all for that.

Just as long as we stay on the ship.

I mean, Christmas karaoke's at 5:00 PM.

Christmas karaoke.

- No? - No.

Okay.

Fine, but as long as we just don't stay too long, okay?

- Yeah. - Okay.

Mm.

- Seriously, polar bears? - Yeah.

They're just roaming around.

So cute.

Hope I can get a good cup of coffee in town.

You brought four steamer trunks of clothes

and not one winter jacket.

It's a wool peacoat.

Whew, Winslow.

Should be Windy.

Oh, come on, we have to.

Okay, alright.

Let's do it.

Quick, quick, quick.

- Here, I got it. - You take it.

- You take it. - I got it.

All right.

Ha-ha.

Oh, wow.

Caribou sticks.

I wonder what the macros are on those.

Hey, anything I can help you with?

Yes.

Actually, do you have any idea

where we can get a cup of coffee?

You could try the coffee shop.

Okay.

Well, I guess that's a good place to start, right?

So, excuse me.

Oh, I gotta take this.

- I'll be right back. - Okay.

Hey, Stella.

Hello.

So, just let me know if you need anything.

Okay.

You're breaking up, Stella.

How is the prep for the Christmas Eve show coming?

- Can you hear me now? - Barely.

Stella?

You sound like a robot.

How about now?

Stella, can you hear me?

- What are you saying? - Ah.

- How about now? - Yes, finally.

Where are you?

Uh...

I'm in a town called Winslow.

It's in the Arctic.

Why are you in the Arctic?

Isla and I are on a Christmas cruise.

Jimmy, did you somehow forget

that you have to be in Times Square in less than a week?

I didn't forget, Stella.

I promise you that I will make it back in time.

I get you one of the biggest jobs

of your broadcasting career,

and you decide to go to one of the most remote places

on the planet.

I mean, why don't you go to the Moon while you're at it?

Stella?

- I gotta go. - Don't hang up.

- Can I help you? - Can you let me in?

Please...

I just heard a bear, like right over there, so...

I'm not gonna let you in. I don't even know you.

Oh, uh...

I'm here on vacation with my daughter, and

she's pretty attached to me staying alive, so please.

Please.

Okay.

Apparently, there are bears just roaming around.

I don't think I'd be worried about the bears.

I think your coat is more the threat.

Excuse me?

Your coat.

It's like you're taking a fall stroll through Manhattan.

This?

This is a very expensive wool peacoat.

Oh.

You're from the cruise ship, aren't you?

- That obvious, huh? - Mmm.

We get them all the time.

They come off that boat,

and their heads are buried in their phone,

they walk right by the signs,

and then bam, they get eaten by a polar bear.

Are you serious?

No.

I mean, I was serious about your coat.

You know, I could...

I could take you somewhere to get something warmer

- if you want. - I can't tell

if you're joking or not.

No, I'm not joking.

I will help you on one condition.

- What? - You gotta tell me your name.

I'm Jim.

All right then, Jim.

I'm Jane.

Welcome to the Arctic.

Oh, pricey.

They're actually handmade.

Yeah.

It takes a lot of work to make each

and every one of those by hand,

we should be charging more if you ask me.

I'm so sorry.

I had no idea.

But you're so right,

I can totally see the craftsmanship,

I mean, it really is a beautiful piece.

I'm messing with you.

We get them from Amazon,

and my uncle just likes to mark up the prices

for the cruise ship tourists.

We didn't get to officially meet earlier.

- I'm Connor. - Isla.

Nice to meet you.

So are you just in town for the day?

Yeah, just a shore excursion.

Ah.

Well, that's too bad.

I still can't believe that nobody can walk around

this town without risking being eaten by a polar bear.

That is not what I said.

- That is. - I simply stated

that it's not advisable to go walking around alone

in a deserted area.

That's sort of the same thing.

You know, oh, a little fun fact about Winslow,

is that there are actually more polar bears

than there are people here.

It's gonna have one less person

when I make it back to the ship, I'll tell you that.

Hey, is... Hi.

Is that your daughter?

Hey, honey.

- Dad, where'd you go? - He was going to get eaten

by a polar bear, but I saved his life.

You're welcome, by the way.

Hi, my name's Jane.

Isla.

She did not save my life,

I just got a little bit lost.

Hey, do you work for that agency?

Oh, yeah.

I'm a conservationist.

I've been a member since I was a kid.

I mean, it's the whole reason

why I'm studying environmental science.

Girl after my own heart.

Hey, Isla.

Hey.

Ah...

This one's on the house.

Thanks.

It's really nice meeting you.

Well, you certainly made a friend pretty quickly.

So did you.

Thank you again, really, for...

- Saving your life. - Oh, you didn't save my life.

But I kind of did.

I mean, you have to...

Hey, dad, I mean, we still got time.

Didn't you say you wanted to get coffee?

Can we take you out for a cup of coffee?

I mean, it's the least we can do for saving my dad's life.

You good with that?

Yeah.

No, we'd love to.

Okay.

Yeah, sure.

I know a place. Hop in.

Doesn't mean you saved my life, though.

I've always wanted to come to the Arctic

ever since I was a little kid.

When Isla was 10, there was a polar bear documentary

called "To the Arctic."

Oh, I know it.

Yeah, it's so good, I loved it.

Well, it was playing on the IMAX,

and she made me take her to see it like six times.

Yeah.

All the other kids were going to see "Frozen,"

but my favorite movie was "To the Arctic,"

though "Frozen" is pretty cool too.

Yeah. So you're a nature girly, huh?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

How are you two related?

- Hey, Calamity Jane. - Hi.

You ready for your Tundra Bus tour tomorrow?

I am, I am.

Hey, Tony, I want you to meet my two new friends.

This is Jim and his daughter, Isla.

This is Tony, he owns the restaurant.

- Pleasure to meet you. - What can I get for you?

What kind of coffee do you have?

The kind made with beans.

Okay.

Well, I'll have one of those.

I'll grab a hot chocolate, please.

The usual.

Thanks, Tony.

He's chipper.

Well, he's a chef.

And by the way, he's a good one.

He does this sweet little Christmas Eve dinner

for the whole community every year.

It's nice.

What's a Tundra Bus?

Oh, the Tundra Bus.

It's so cool.

So it's this ATV that we take out on the tundra,

and it's kind of like a cross between

like a school bus and a monster truck.

Yeah, it's awesome.

The tires are like six feet tall.

- What? - Yeah.

So you can drive over the snow?

Well, yeah, for that,

and so the bears don't climb in.

Yeah.

I feel like there's so much more to see.

I wish we could stay.

It sort of looks like we've seen

everything there is to see.

Oh...

Well, looks can be deceiving.

There we go.

- The regular. - Ah, thank you so much.

Yeah.

Thank you.

What is that?

Well, this is a peppermint cortado.

You got a cortado here?

Told you, looks can be deceiving.

What time does your ship leave?

2:00.

We got about an hour.

Okay.

Is that ship time or port time?

Uh...

Is this your first cruise?

- Mm-hmm. - Yeah.

Oh, okay.

All right, well, let me explain something to you.

So there's something called "ship time,"

which is the time that the ships go by,

because they don't go by local time.

So if we're looking at that,

then your ship is leaving right now.

We gotta go!

Hey, call me.

Put it on my tab, okay?

Thank you.

Tourists.

Where's the ship?

- Yeah. - Huh.

Looks like that ship has sailed.

I can't believe they left without us.

Should we call them? Should we call them,

have them turn the boat around, come back and pick us up?

They don't do that.

Why wouldn't they do that?

Well... Why...

Like what...

What are we gonna do?

Dad, let's just take a second here.

Maybe we could take a train to the next port.

Hm?

We could take a train. That's a great idea, honey.

There's gotta be a train that comes here, right?

We do have a train.

It's just not very reliable.

Oh, okay.

Well, can you at least can you just take us

to the train station?

Yeah.

Yeah, of course.

Great.

The train normally runs every two days,

unless the weather's bad, and the tracks freeze over,

then it can be four days or even longer.

And isn't the weather normally bad this time of year?

Oh, yeah.

Pretty normal.

- Merry Christmas. - Ah, Merry Christmas.

- No trains. - Yeah, sorry.

I told you the trains are a bit unreliable around here.

Yeah.

Well, I mean...

Don't these ships have helicopter pads on them?

- What? - They do.

All these ships have helicopter pads,

so we'll just, we'll find a place that rents a helicopter,

and the helicopter takes us to the ship,

and we can just land there on the boat

once we catch up to it.

Yeah, but maybe we could just rent a car.

Yeah, yeah.

I mean, that sounds like a good idea,

except for we don't have any car rental places here.

Wait...

Wait, you don't have a car rental place?

What if somebody wants to drive to the next town,

or, I don't know, take a road trip?

Well, I mean, there's no roads that lead here,

so that would be kind of impossible.

No

roads?

No.

Like...

Like literally no roads that lead to Winslow?

Nope.

Look, I think it's safe to say

that you guys are gonna have to spend

the night here, right?

So I did take the liberty of calling the three hotels

that we have in town, and unfortunately,

two of them are booked for Christmas.

Well, what about the third one?

Well, the third one has some vacancy.

Yeah.

I'm just not sure that you're gonna like it.

- How bad is it? - It's not bad.

It's just different.

Well, it's not like we have any choice.

What's the issue with the place?

Oh...

I'll just...

I'll just show you.

Merry Christmas.

Thanks.

- Season's greetings. - There's snow place

like the Christmas Inn,

where it's Christmas 365 days of the year.

365 days.

That's a lot.

Well, how about tonight?

Do you have a couple rooms available?

Let me check my list.

In fact, I'll check it twice.

Oh.

I honestly don't think I can do this.

And when will you be checking out?

As soon as humanly possible.

We'll only be staying one night.

- You are all set. - Now, don't hesitate

to ask if you need anything at all.

We want you to be comfortable from head to mistletoe.

- I'm Chris. - Oh, and I'm Missy.

Chris.

- Missy. - Christmasy.

Got it.

We hope Yule enjoy your stay.

That's spelled Y-U... We got it.

- Thanks. - They got it.

Yeah, upstairs.

- Okay. - Just to the right.

- After you. - You'll find it.

- Okay. Thank you. - No problem.

Is Christmas claustrophobia an actual medical condition,

because I believe I'm experiencing symptoms right now.

Yeah, it definitely puts the Claus in claustrophobia.

Now I'm making the dad jokes.

You settle in, I'll check in later.

Sounds good.

Ho-ho-ho.

Ho-ho-ho...

Ho-ho-ho...

Ho-ho-ho...

Ho-ho-ho...

Ho-ho-ho...

Ho-ho...

Christmas party at Cozy Cliffside,

so they just blew it up and...

And if all else fails

Okay.

- Hey. - Hey.

How's the Rudolph room?

Very red.

Yeah.

Wait till you see this.

Come on.

It's like I'm in the middle

of Santa's workshop or something,

I might as well be an elf.

You're way too tall to be an elf.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Ready?

Yep.

- I agree. - And...

Okay, this... Every single channel

is a Christmas movie.

I mean, she is pretty good.

How do you miss a cruise ship?

I have been asking myself that all day.

Why did you get off the ship in the first place?

Can you just do your best to get us out of here, please?

Are you still trying to salvage this cruise?

I think at this point, I think it's best I just get home.

Oh, what a relief.

I'm glad you've come to your senses.

Can you get us on a plane, please?

There's gotta be an airline that flies into this place.

Well, let's see if I can perform a Christmas miracle.

Hello.

- Ho-ho-ho... - Santa...

Ho-ho-ho...

- Hey. - Hey.

Wanna sit down?

Okay.

So...

♪ Jingle bells ♪

All flights are canceled out of here

until further notice.

Do you know why? ♪ Jingle all the way ♪

Is this the weather bad?

Yep, you hit it right on the nose, Rudolph.

♪ In a one-horse ♪

♪ Open sleigh ♪ No planes, no trains,

♪ Hey ♪ no automobiles.

So you're saying we could be stuck in Winslow?

No, I'm not.

Actually, I'm saying that we are stuck in Winslow.

Huh.

♪ Oh what fun it is to ride ♪ Looks like we gotta get you

some proper winter clothing.

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪ When in Rome, right?

No, not when in Rome.

If we were in Rome, I'd be fine,

because there's roads that actually lead to Rome.

In fact, all roads lead to Rome.

No roads lead to Winslow.

♪ Dashing through the snow ♪

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪

I gotta get back to New York for Christmas Eve,

my career is literally riding on this.

That's six days away.

We're gonna figure this out.

Okay?

In the meantime, let's just try to enjoy ourselves.

As long as we're together, I don't care where we are.

You're right.

As long as we're together, nothing else matters.

Oh, Merry Christmas.

Hey.

How you doing?

How's the travel plans coming?

Looks like we're gonna be staying a little longer.

Oh, well, it's your lucky day.

I just happen to have two free tickets

for the Tundra bus tour if you wanna come.

- I'd love to. - I don't...

Okay.

Um...

It's safe though, right?

No polar bears climbing in?

No, I mean, that hasn't happened in weeks.

You're good.

Pick you up later. Bye.

- In weeks? - It'll be fun.

Mm-hmm.

Hey.

You know, you look just like this tourist girl

I met yesterday.

I was hoping she would stick around,

but she had to get back to her ship.

You probably meet a lot of tourists.

This girl must have really stood out.

I gave her a snow globe.

- Wow. - I know.

That's serious.

What is going on here?

- Oh this is my dad, Jim. - Hello, sir.

I'm Connor.

We missed our boat yesterday,

so we're gonna be staying a couple more days.

- Get to the bad part. - My dad obviously

didn't pack for the weather,

so do you sell any winter clothes?

Right this way.

♪ Deck the halls with holly ♪

♪ And if all go down the chimney ♪

- ♪ No, no, I'll get ♪ - We've got jackets,

boots, gloves, scarves, hats, sweaters,

long johns, and holding socks.

Mm.

Let me know if you need any assistance.

Mm-hmm.

Great, thank you.

Ready?

I'm not doing this.

- What? - You know what.

A fashion montage.

Oh, come on.

It'll be fun.

I promise it'll be the fastest one in history.

I don't have a choice, do I?

Nope.

♪ There's a mistletoe hung up by my toe ♪

♪ The whole street is painted white ♪

♪ 'Cause it's Christmas time ♪

♪ And now the bells are ringing ♪

♪ As the choir is singing ♪

♪ Throw your worries to the side ♪

♪ 'Cause it's Christmas time, yeah ♪

♪ Ooh, it's Christmas ♪

♪ Yeah, it's Christmas ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

Looks like you were doing some Christmas shopping today.

- What gave it away? - Oh,

because of all the bags.

If you're here tomorrow evening,

we're hosting our annual Christmas movie night

over at the Town Hall.

You guys are more than welcome to attend.

Oh, the movie is starring my favorite actress,

the Queen of Christmas.

Are you a fan?

I'm getting to be.

So wait a minute, the movie is playing outside?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

Huh.

Wow, okay.

- Well, we'll try. - Great.

We'll see you there.

- Mm-hmm. - I'll save you a seat.

♪ Decks the halls with boughs of holly ♪

- Two seats, coming up. - Two seats, coming up.

- Yeah, that's right. - Save those tickets.

They're going fast.

Ho-ho-ho...

- Ho-ho-ho... - Really?

Ho-ho-ho...

Hey guys, look at you.

You look like a local.

Huh...

Well, looks could be deceiving.

- You excited? - More excited

than I've ever been in my entire life.

All right.

That's what I like to hear.

So since this is the field that you wanna get into,

I brought some of my tools

that I used when I first started out.

There's a camera, there's lots of different things in there,

but there you go.

Did you bring anything for me?

Is this the field that you wanna get into?

I made a decision a long time ago

not to get into any field that involves bears.

All right, there she is.

Do you need a special license

to drive one of those things?

Nah, you don't even need a license.

Come on, let's go.

All right, good afternoon, everybody.

Welcome to the Tundra Bus Tour.

Christmas edition.

I am your tour guide, Jane Walsh,

and I have a partner here to drive this big old bus,

and yes, he does have a driver's license to do so.

Say hello, Gordon.

- Hello, Gordon. - Okay.

So for all of you city slickers out there,

you're probably wondering, what are we on?

What is this big old thing?

Well, let's see.

The best way to describe what it is is probably like

an Uber for the Arctic, except for we don't say Uber.

What do we say, Gordon?

- Ooh, bear. - Oh.

Ooh bear.

Okay, I only have three rules for you.

Just three, okay?

Number one, all arms and legs inside the vehicle.

I wouldn't want any of you

to become lunch for the polar bears.

Ugh.

Number two, buckle up.

And number three, just enjoy the ride,

- and Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

All right, Gordon, take your position.

You got it, boss.

♪ Merry Christmas I just thought you should know ♪

♪ I love you from your head to your toes ♪

♪ Merry Christmas what I'd do to be close ♪

♪ To the people who love you the most ♪

♪ You have made it so easy to see ♪

♪ There's no Christmas without family ♪

♪ Merry Christmas I can see how you're home ♪

♪ Next year it won't be over the phone ♪

- There you go. - Oh, thank you.

You're welcome.

So, quick polar bear check,

like we're good, right?

Like, we can see a polar bear coming from miles away.

- Yes. - Okay.

Yes, we are so good.

I mean, they can run really fast,

like 60 miles per hour.

Are you serious?

No.

And they're like, like 20.

'Cause that's, that's still pretty fast.

Like I gotta be able to make it back to the bus, right?

Even with the snow, 'cause sometimes the snow

will slow you down as you're running through,

you know, I just wanna say that.

Just breathe. Breathe.

What do you smell?

- Freezing. - Mm-mm.

Smell the cold.

No, you smell fresh air.

It's calming fresh air.

Oh yes, it is fresh.

I prefer warmer fresh air.

- Oh. - No, it's nice.

I give up.

Look at Isla.

She's having the time of her life.

She actually reminds me a lot of myself at that age.

She clearly gets her love of the outdoors from her mother,

but it has been just the two of us since she was five.

We're just so close.

We've been there for each other nonstop since then,

I'm just so lucky.

I don't know what I did

to deserve such an incredible daughter.

Well, I'm sure you did a lot.

What about you?

You born and raised Arctican?

No, I'm not an Arctican.

I am a...

Texican.

- Nice. - Born in Fort Worth.

My family then moved to Montana,

so spent a lot of time there,

and then when I was a young woman,

I started traveling around,

and I found this place and completely fell in love,

and made my home.

- Hey. - Hey.

Officially the coolest thing I've ever experienced.

Well, the only thing that could top this is

if I could see a polar bear up close.

I can see how it's hard to believe

that we are biologically related,

because that would literally be the opposite

of the coolest experience of my life.

What has been the coolest moment of your life?

Well, that's an easy one.

2006, I'm playing for Tucson, right?

I hit a walk-off home run against Toledo,

and the place goes crazy.

It wins us the whole series.

Ah, it was amazing.

Well, that and the birth of my daughter, obviously.

I mean, that goes without saying.

Nice save, dad.

Well, everybody, we're at the end of our day.

I had a really nice time.

I hope you did, too.

If you did have a good excursion today,

and you wanna make a little donation, you can do so

to the Arctic Animals Assistance and Conservation.

They also work in conjunction

with my own wildlife rehabilitation facility.

So on behalf of both of us, thank you so much.

It means a lot that you guys are here,

and also, Merry Christmas.

All right, I hope to see you again next year.

Bye.

Bye.

- Yeah. - What is this?

It's just a little passion project of mine.

I finally got off the ground.

Hey, you mentioned you wanna see a polar bear?

- Oh... - Yeah.

I think I can make that happen.

Come on.

Here it is.

Hey, do you have the...

Thank you so much.

Making it official, here you go,

here's your own pass,

- there you go. - Great. Thank you.

So what exactly do you do here?

Oh well, we do a lot,

but mainly we take in animals

if they need medical assistance,

we give them shelter until they can be safely relocated.

- You built this? - Well, I mean,

I didn't just build this, I had a lot of a help.

But it's my dream.

Yeah.

So polar bear.

- You wanna see him? - Yeah.

- Okay. - What?

Polar bear?

There he is.

Okay, so this is Barry White.

So I found Barry,

he was an abandoned cub, and he was out on the tundra,

he was limping, so I actually thought he had a broken leg.

Turns out, he just had a broken claw.

He was a bit of a baby.

Yeah.

Aw.

I can't thank you enough.

Oh, you are so welcome.

And hey, if you ever have any questions,

or you need any help, you just call me, okay?

That'd be nice.

It was an amazing day.

Are we still leaving in the morning?

I don't know.

I don't know. I gotta check my phone.

If I don't see you two,

it's very nice to meet both of you.

Likewise.

- Come here. - Oh.

One more hug.

Hey, good luck.

All right?

Thank you again.

Bye.

Dad...

I love you so much.

This is the best Christmas we've ever had.

- Goodnight. - Goodnight.

Okay, so you're not calling me back,

because you're obviously mad at me,

and trying to ruin my Christmas.

Here's what I've done for you.

I rented a private jet to come pick you up,

but they can only pick you up on the 23rd in the evening,

and that means you'll get home very late that night,

you won't get much sleep.

I hope you'll be camera ready for Christmas Eve,

and make sure your speech

on what Christmas means to you is top notch.

Until then, you're stuck there for the next five days

in the middle of a polar vortex.

You hear that, Santa?

I'm gonna be here for another five days.

What does Christmas mean to me?

What does Christmas mean to me?

I know this place is a lot of work,

but it's a labor of love, you know?

Unfortunately, I spend a lot of my time fundraising,

and ironically, that seems to take me away from the thing

that I love the most, which is working with animals.

But I understand,

it takes donations to run this place, so...

You're like the coolest person I've ever met.

Oh, I don't know about that.

I mean, your dad must have introduced you

to some pretty cool people.

True, but you're different.

How is it even possible that someone like you is single?

How are you assuming I'm single?

If you're single, I mean, I don't know if you are or not,

I'm just assuming you are.

Not that you seem like someone who's single,

I mean, if you're not, that makes sense,

if you are, that's crazy.

I mean, the world's an upside down place.

Many people who are single shouldn't be,

and vice versa.

- Take my dad, for example. - For the record, I am single.

Cool.

Single and ready to cringle.

We've been in that hotel too long.

Seriously, though.

How are you single?

Every free second I have,

I spend out there on that tundra, or with those animals.

I'm trying to see the downside of that.

Kind of like my dad.

He loves to work.

Just it sucks I have to share him with his career.

Yeah, but you guys are so close, you know?

I don't know another young woman

who would wanna go on a Christmas cruise with their dad.

True.

We're really close.

He's the best.

And we spend Christmas together every year, kind of.

He always has to work on Christmas Eve.

Can I ask you a question, a personal question?

Where's your mom?

She...

She passed.

- Oh, I'm sorry. - All good.

My dad's great.

He fills in the blanks.

We actually came up with this Christmas thing,

where we trade off each year what we do for Christmas.

We call it the "All I want for Christmas" tradition.

The deal is you have to go along

with whatever the other person chooses.

Uh-huh.

And so I am guessing that the Arctic was your choice.

Obviously.

I love it.

Thing is, Christmas Eve is always off the table.

- Every Christmas Eve? - Yeah.

It's kind of lonely.

Guys.

Owl Pacino.

He's awake.

Okay.

Well, thank you, Gordon.

Owl Pacino is this snowy owl that we have who hurt his wing,

and apparently, it is time for him

to be released into the wild.

Owl Pacino, clever.

It is clever. I came up with that.

You wanna go say hello to our little friend?

- Yeah. - Okay, obviously.

Okay, come on.

What does Christmas mean to me?

What does Christmas mean to me?

What does Christmas mean to me?

What does Christmas mean to me?

Ooh.

Okay.

So, Christmas...

To me.

Oh...

Christmas...

Mean...

What does Christmas mean to me?

What does it mean?

Christmas does mean to me.

It means it's Christmas, so it means...

So their wingspan is around four to five feet on average.

- Really? - Yeah, they're pretty big.

Hey, you have visitors.

- Who? - It's the...

Get it?

Owl humor.

It went over my head,

but I'm sure owl get it later.

Oh, look at you.

Come on, Gordon, don't leave me hanging.

Come on.

You two are hoots, okay?

They're waiting for you in your office.

Who?

Finance team.

Oh.

Okay, I'm so sorry,

I wasn't expecting anybody today.

I'll be right back.

Okay?

♪ Snow fell down on our little town ♪

- It's Tony, right? - Yeah.

What can I get you?

I'll take one of those...

One of those fancy peppermint cortados, please.

- Sorry, we're out. - Isn't it

just espresso and steamed milk?

And peppermint.

We haven't got our weekly supplies in yet

'cause of the weather.

I will...

I'll just get whatever you got.

One black coffee coming right up.

Hey, hot chocolate and the usual.

- Make it a double. - Oh, one of those days huh?

- Okay. - How was your day, honey?

We had so much fun.

We did.

- We had a great day. - Isla.

- ♪ The magic of Christmas ♪ - I'll be right back.

♪ When it's ready to snow ♪

Hey.

- What's his name again? - Connor.

Yeah.

Let's get a table.

Oh.

Putting it down.

- Everything okay? - Yeah.

Yeah.

It's just work.

Okay, good.

So we finally got our ride out of here.

Good.

That's great.

I mean, we still got a couple days left before we go, so.

Um...

Okay, well, a couple days.

Let's see.

I mean, you guys definitely have to go see

the Northern Lights while you're here.

Yeah.

And I mean, I could take you, take both of you.

That would be great.

I would love that.

Okay.

All right.

We'll do that.

Oh, thank you.

And for the girl.

- Thank you. - Thank you, Tony.

Is that a cortado?

Yes, it's a peppermint cortado.

Because...

Hey, Jane has offered to take us

to go see the Northern Lights.

Oh, Connor actually just invited me

to go see a Christmas movie in the town square.

- Oh. - But you two

should definitely go see the Northern Lights.

- Connor? - Yeah.

Connor, the guy I met the other day.

You're gonna go out with a guy that you met the other day?

- I don't think so, no. - Why not?

Because you said it yourself.

You met him the other day.

So?

I mean, you guys met the other day and you're going out.

Well, that is...

It's very different because we're adults.

So am I.

Well, but like you're in your 20s.

We...

We're like, I'm more of an adult than you are.

Okay, you're being unreasonable.

You say unreasonable, I say responsible.

- Potato, potato. - Nobody says potato.

Sir, your concerns,

they're completely valid.

However, I can assure you,

your daughter will be completely safe in my company.

I do not drink, I do not smoke,

I have been gainfully employed for the past two years,

I volunteer at the community center in my spare time,

I am training for a triathlon, I also do martial arts.

Okay, do you do martial arts?

You look like you do martial arts,

but if not, I'm also part of a book club,

I read, and I can provide

character references upon request.

Huh.

You guys go out and have a good time.

- Thank you, father. - Mm-hmm.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

I will protect her with my life.

All right.

He is a good egg. Don't worry.

So I, hey, listen, you know, I know you

probably wanna go see the Lights with your daughter,

so don't worry about it.

No, I definitely wanna go see the Northern Lights.

Just you and me.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay, scientist.

So what exactly am I looking at here?

Oh, okay.

Well, do you want the complex answer or the simple answer?

I would like the simple answer, please.

I figured.

How did I know that?

Well, it's really solar winds interacting

with Earth's magnetic field.

Oh wait, I've heard a little bit about that.

Earth, wind, and fire,

and something about the 21st day of December

chasing away the clouds.

Did I get that right?

- ♪ Do you remember ♪ - No, no.

Please don't sing it.

And I believe the song cited "21st of September."

Oh.

I was speaking more in an astronomy sense, but.

Got it.

That was close though.

Very close.

You know, I have seen those lights probably 100 times,

and every single time I look at them, it's like the first.

They're that beautiful.

But I mean, you don't have to look up there

to find fascinating things.

It's happening all around us, really.

When I was little, every morning before school,

my dad would have to come and get me,

because I'd be in the garden,

and I'd have my nose on the ground, and I was studying bugs.

Oh, you were looking for bugs, like studying bugs?

- Mm-hmm. - Oh.

I still do that.

- You still do it? - Hey, I am very proud

of the fact that I love bugs.

It's very sweet.

- It's very sweet. - No, I just mean that

ever since the moment I opened my eyes,

I've seen the beauty of this place, you know?

I see all of the little miracles.

It's not lost on me.

And is that why you wanted to start your facility?

Yeah, I guess so.

I mean, I've wanted to do this

ever since I was five years old.

I just didn't know how much work it would be,

or how much money it would take.

- Hmm. - It's a part of the job.

But let me tell you this,

something exciting happened last week.

A lady called the facility,

and she wants to make a very, very large donation.

Jane.

That's incredible.

I'm really happy for you.

That's gotta be such a...

Such a huge weight lifted off your shoulders.

It is, yeah.

I mean, it lets me focus on the important things.

Like the beauty of it all.

Yeah, like...

Yeah.

Yeah.

It could've been worse. ♪ Home for the holidays ♪

♪ Home's always been the place ♪

♪ To find some comfort and some cheer ♪

♪ The love is warm and the fire's bright ♪

♪ Yea nothing feels quite like ♪

♪ Coming home for Christmas... ♪

Oh, uh, I gotta go.

Jane...

What happened?

Are you all right?

Yeah.

You know what? No.

No, no.

I'm actually not all right.

I am not all right because, you know,

I try so hard, you know?

I give my time, and my energy,

and I try to raise money for my facility,

and then...

I'm...

I don't even wanna say this out loud to you.

There's something I didn't tell you the other night.

I am...

I'm out of money.

Wait, but you said you got that donation?

I did.

I thought I did.

And I'll spare you the details, but I don't.

I don't.

And so now I'm back to doing what I always do, you know?

I'm going door to door,

and I'm begging for money again,

and I'm just...

I'm just exhausted.

I'm exhausted and I feel like I've failed myself,

and I feel like I failed these animals, and I am...

I'm embarrassed.

Hey, Jane.

You're not a failure.

You are amazing.

You are one of the most passionate people

that I have ever met that...

There has to be a way to fix this.

It's gonna, it's gonna work out.

Is it?

Will it?

Because you know what, Jim?

I don't...

I don't understand your world.

I don't know how things

just magically fix themselves, you know?

No one sends a jet for me when I mess up.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'm just upset.

I know.

It's okay.

No.

No, it's not.

It's not.

You know, you didn't...

You didn't ask to be a part of this.

You know, you didn't do anything wrong.

You're just

you're just a guy that missed his boat.

I'll be fine.

I'll figure it out, you know?

But I...

I do hope that you get home for your Christmas Eve gig.

I know it's important to you.

Hey, Jane.

I'm really sorry that I gotta leave.

Can I...

Can I give you a little piece of advice?

I don't think you need to be apologizing to me.

You're a good egg, Jim.

Merry Christmas.

Hey, come on in.

You okay?

Yeah...

I don't know.

I...

I feel so terrible for Jane,

I just wish there was something that I could do.

I think she just needs some space to cool off.

Can I...

Can I ask you something?

Yeah.

Was I a good dad?

You are the greatest dad.

Present tense.

After your mom passed, I...

I just...

I was...

I was just so lost.

I didn't...

I didn't know what to do, and I just tried my best.

Dad, you did so well.

Look at me.

I am who I am because of you.

I know it couldn't have been easy raising me

all on your own.

And we had good Christmases, right?

Like, with the "All I want for Christmas" thing.

Dad, you gave me everything.

But...

If I'm being honest,

all I ever really wanted for Christmas was you.

You always had me.

You did.

I'm so sorry if I ever seem distracted.

You have nothing to be sorry about.

I know you did what you thought was best for both of us.

I know you would move mountains for me,

but I didn't always need you to move those mountains.

In fact, I didn't wanna be

on the other side of the mountain,

I just wanted to be on this side, with you.

You know, out of all the beautiful Christmases we've had,

this one's my favorite.

You wanna know why?

Why?

'Cause even though you may have thought

we were stuck here,

this is the most free I've felt in my entire life.

No one gets everything they want for Christmas,

but these past couple of days with you,

I've been pretty close.

I didn't feel stuck.

Being with you even makes being in a town like this...

Bearable.

- Really? - I'm your dad, okay?

It's my...

It's my job.

I love you.

I love you too.

Come here.

I love you so much.

- One coffee, please. - One black coffee

coming right up.

Did I do something to offend you?

You've been standoffish

since the moment I met you,

and is it something I did?

Yep.

Would you please fill me in on

what it is for the life of me?

I am completely stunned.

In 2006

you hit a walk off home run against Toledo.

I was in the stands that night.

You knocked my team out of the playoffs.

So had I struck out that night,

you would've made me the cortado?

Probably.

I hear you're leaving today.

You mind if I give you some advice?

I look like I need it, huh?

It'd be less obvious if you put it in sky writing.

- Be my guest. - I used to travel around

all over the world, opening up restaurant after restaurant,

obsessed with my career.

I just thought I was going after what I wanted.

You know what the worst thing

about getting what you want is?

Realizing it's not truly what you want.

I used to be you,

but I hope for your sake, you don't end up like me.

Hey.

Why haven't you packed?

I'm gonna stay a couple more days.

Jane needs my help.

I checked the weather and it clears up after tonight,

so flights will be running again.

I'm not just leaving you here.

I'll be fine. And you're working anyway.

You won't miss me.

I'll see you in a few days, I promise.

Go do the thing you need to do.

Well, I wanna thank you both.

How was your experience at the Christmas Inn?

My stay here is...

Well, it's gonna be one that I never forget.

Well, there will always be a room for you here.

The Santa Suite, I hope.

- Of course. - Mm-hmm.

Well, fingers crossed, we'll see you next Christmas,

or any time of year, for that matter, because...

It's always Christmas

at the Christmas Inn.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thanks again.

Come here.

Take care.

♪ Merry Christmas I just thought you should know ♪

♪ I love you from your head to your toes ♪

♪ Merry Christmas what I'd do to be close ♪

♪ To the people who love you the most ♪

♪ You have made it so easy to see ♪

♪ There's no Christmas without family ♪

♪ Merry Christmas I can see how you're home ♪

♪ Next year it won't be over the phone ♪

Thank you.

- Hey. - Oh, hey.

What are you doing?

Trying to save this place.

It's Christmas Eve.

I know that, so I'm thinking

people might become more generous.

You should go to dinner.

I'm not going to dinner.

And this whole place is depending on me.

I'm not gonna let it fall apart.

No.

No, it won't.

And there's nothing that you can do tonight.

Go to dinner.

- Oh, you look beautiful. - Thanks.

How are you feeling?

Uh...

I've had better days, but you know what?

I'll be fine.

You didn't have to stay, you know.

I wanted to.

Felt like the right thing to do.

And you know I love this place.

I know you love this place.

Well, thank you.

So have you talked to your dad since he's been back?

No.

I haven't heard from him yet.

It's weird though he hasn't called me.

His broadcast should be starting in a couple minutes.

Oh, this is him.

Dad, I've been trying to reach you.

Have you made it back okay?

No.

What do you mean?

Do you remember you told me to do the thing

that I need to do?

Well...

I decided to take your advice.

What? Dad.

Look, I gotta go, but just make sure you watch

the live stream, okay?

Enjoy the show.

Is everything okay?

Ho-ho-ho.

I've got it all queued up for you right here.

Merry Christmas, you two.

What is going on?

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

and welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.

Jingle Bell Countdown.

I'm your host, Jim Carrington.

Now, I'm sure you were expecting us

to come to you live from Times Square.

Well, we're doing things

just a little bit differently this Christmas.

We're coming live from a very, very special place,

way up North, the frozen tundra on Christmas Eve, no less.

Now, you might be wondering what I'm doing in the Arctic,

and up to a couple days ago, I was wondering the same thing,

but in a very short time being here, I have become enchanted

with its beauty, and I really wanted to share that beauty

with all of you at home, as well.

Now, I have to admit, when I first got here,

I looked around a little bit,

and I didn't really think there was that much to see,

until somebody very special to me made me realize

that looks can be deceiving.

This is Winslow, an incredible town,

nestled at the foot of the Arctic, and like I said,

in a very short time, a couple of days,

I have fallen in love with this place,

and I wanted to share that

splendor with all of you at home, so,

so stay tuned for a very special Christmas Eve celebration.

We'll be right back.

- You two better get going. - What?

What?

Gordon.

Come on.

Now, I've been tasked with answering the question,

"What does Christmas mean to me?"

I gotta be honest,

I've been struggling with that question a little bit.

I know it seems like a pretty simple one, right?

I mean, we all know why Christmas exists.

We know the reason for the season,

but I think somewhere along the way,

many of us have forgotten

that giving is a main pillar of Christmas.

And I'm not just talking about giving presents, of course,

I'm talking about being present, being there for the people

that we love, being there in their time of need,

and as soon as I figured that out, well,

answering that question became a whole lot easier.

Here in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,

they don't have the funding they desperately need

to continue doing the great work that you've all been doing.

So if you're looking for a good cause this Christmas,

to be generous to, well, look no further.

And I have to say,

this experience has taught me so much.

It's allowed me to discover

what Christmas truly means to me, and that is

spending time with the people that I love.

So as much as I've enjoyed spending the evening

with all of you, I'm gonna go and do just that,

and my Christmas wish for you is that you're lucky enough

to be able to do the same.

Well, goodnight, everybody.

God bless, and of course, Merry Christmas.

Thank you, guys.

Thank you, thank you.

You're all amazing.

- You got me. - Gordon,

I couldn't have done it without you,

especially pulling this all together

so last minute like that, you're amazing.

I need to call my mom right now

and wish her Merry Christmas.

Hi.

♪ The snow is falling down ♪

I'm so proud of you.

♪ The windows and the trees ♪

I want you to know,

every Christmas Eve from now on is 100% yours.

♪ Christmas ♪

Oh, it doesn't entirely have to be mine,

if you found someone that you'd like to share it with,

I'd be down for that.

By someone, you wouldn't be talking about Jane

by any chance, would you?

- She's a good egg. - Mm.

Don't let this one get away.

Hey.

♪ And get together once more at home ♪

So you think you're gonna come back

to visit in the summer?

I think that'd be nice.

Stella?

Stella, can you hear me?

No, I can't.

If you can't hear me,

then why are you answering me?

- Hmm. - Are you mad at me?

Yes, but since you're my best client,

I'll be over it by Monday.

So has the network replaced me yet?

No, it turns out you're irreplaceable.

It was a bold move, and they loved your authenticity.

Well, that's amazing.

But I think we gotta continue this conversation

after the holidays, because I gotta go see about a girl.

Hopefully you have a particular girl in mind.

I do.

Well, then why are you wasting your time

talking to me?

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Stella.

Gotcha.

Okay, I wasn't scared.

You were scared.

You were scared, just a little bit you were scared.

It's not even real.

Hey, thank you.

It was nothing.

I hope it helps.

No, it was something.

No one's ever done anything like that for me before.

Jim, you saved me.

No.

Jane, you saved me.

You made me realize that the life that I was so

afraid to slow down for,

was the only life worth holding onto.

And the truth is,

I don't wanna run from you.

I wanna stay here, and I wanna stick around, and help you.

- Are you serious? - And I also have

some selfish reasons I'd like to stick around for.

But I thought you didn't like the cold.

Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving.

Are you gonna kiss me now?

I'm gonna kiss you.

I'm actually really freezing.

Can we go inside?

We can go inside.

So that was Christmas.

You know the one, the most wonderful holly, jolly,

merry and bright, magical time of the year.

And my family, it now looks like this.