Original subtitles

Hi, this is Michaela Evans returning your call.

Yeah, I went over all of your baked goods,

and everything sounds delicious.

It's exactly what I was looking for

as treats for our office Christmas party.

Yeah, there were just a few cookies I'd love to try

before placing the order?

Great!

Yeah, let's make a plan to meet this weekend,

and we can go over our tasting and final details.

Okay, sure.

Leslie...

That'll get you extra homework.

Unless I get you back first

Okay.

Yeah, 4 o'clock it is, I'll add it to my calendar.

See you then.

Oh, my gosh, um...

- Yes! - I-I am so sorry, uh...

- It's okay, I got it, I'm good. - I can use my scarf...

I got it!

- Good morning, Frank. - Good morning!

Just the usual.

What's the usual?

Sorry?

I'm sort of new here,

so I just wanna make sure I'm not missing out on anything.

Oh, yeah, it's, uh, nothing exciting,

just a coffee with cream, no sugar.

And for you, teach?

I think I'm going to get my, uh... new usual.

Hot chocolate with whipped cream.

For you, Ms. Numbers.

Thank you!

You know, let's make that a double whipped.

Alright.

Double whipped coming up.

Ooh-wee!

- Thank you. - Enjoy.

Yeah.

Baked goods. Check.

Venue...

Uh... Oh, geez.

I-I'm sorry, can I, uh

can I get you a napkin or something for this?

No, it's-it's okay.

- Are you sure? - I got it.

I feel like I've just messed up

- the start of your day, I can... - It's fine.

Enjoy your new usual.

Wesley!

Hey, Michaela!

We can't believe the office Christmas party's almost here!

I know. So fun, right?

Hmm.

So fun.

Maybe we could even add a little pop of colour

- or a fun picture to the notice? - Oh, yeah.

- Maybe, like, a cat picture? - Ooh.

Meow!

We'd even love to help you plan it,

you don't need to do it yourself every year.

Oh, thank you! But I'm good!

I love Christmas.

The prep, the planning...

- See? I've got my list. - Oh, she's got a list!

- Oh. - Oof.

It had a little whipped cream accident.

I mean, who has hot cocoa for breakfast?

- I mean, I have cocoa cereal. - Yeah.

- It's great. - Ooh!

We could even spice up the party a little bit,

I know we're accountants, but it doesn't mean

- we can't get a bit wild. - Oh!

- What about karaoke? - Ooh!

- Jingle Bell dance off! - Mistletoe!

These ideas all sound really great.

So, why don't you forward them to me and I will organize it.

- Uh... - You're sure we can't help?

Don't worry! I've got it.

But I promise I will make it fun for you all. Okay?

I have to get to my last meeting before I pick up my nephew.

So, thank you for the ideas.

You two are the best. Merry merry!

Merry merry!

Hm. Maybe I'll have hot cocoa for breakfast.

Ooh. I'm gonna have soup.

Hey, Josh, quick question.

I put kaiser buns on my list,

but do you think Danny would prefer white bread?

Kaisers are fine,

but do you think you could pick something up for dinner?

Maybe frozen lasagne or...

Don't worry.

Ellie asked me to help out while she's away on duty.

So I've made a meal plan for you and Danny.

And tonight I'm making spaghetti.

Sounds like you're trying to keep me out of the kitchen.

Josh, Mom restricted you to the microwave

and you still managed to blow up a bunch of eggs in there.

I get it.

But redemption is coming.

I'm on Christmas dinner.

No arguments, alright?

Okay...

I gotta head back into a meeting,

but thank you for picking up Danny from school.

Oh, it's literally around the corner from work, so...

No biggie!

Alright, see you both for dinner.

Alright, remember kids,

we have our beautiful Christmas calendar here.

So today is here.

Christmas is here.

We have our Christmas party here.

Remember, Christmas projects are due just in time

for our Christmas party, okay?

Alright.

Ah. Ms. Numbers.

Oh, hey!

You must be the teach.

Substituting for the real deal

until she's back from maternity leave.

Ah.

So, uh, one of these ruffians yours?

Uh, my brother's, yes.

And here he comes, full speed ahead!

- Aunt 'Calla! - My favourite nephew!

Only nephew.

Exactly. The one and only.

Alright, you go get me your backpack

and put your boots on.

So, any homework tonight, teach?

They do have a new assignment.

But I'll let Danny here fill you in.

Okay. Ooh, this is a lot of stuff,

you've been busy.

Snow boots, snow boots.

What's this one...

- Oh, whoa! - Oh, here. Let me help you.

It's okay, I've got it. Oh!

- Oh, I'm so sorry. - Yep, it's...

- I'm sorry... - It's fine.

Ugh, you must think I'm a bit of a disaster, huh?

It's fine. Really.

See you tomorrow, Mr. Taylor!

See you, buddy!

Oh, Danny! Your boots!

So, Michaela,

Danny tells me you and his teacher were

a bit silly today.

Oh, he did, did he?

Aunt 'Calla and Mr. Taylor bonked heads.

Really?

Yeah, well, it turns out,

Danny's teacher thinks he's helping

when he's actually

un-helping.

Ah, I see.

He didn't get the memo that you're good?

You've got it?

I wish Mr. Taylor wasn't a substitute.

He's fun.

He even gave us a scrapbook project

that I get to fill with pictures

and stuff from doing Christmassy things,

like skating, getting a Christmas tree, seeing Santa!

Wow, that sounds like a big project.

When's it due?

The last day of school at the class Christmas party.

We get to give it to someone as a gift.

I'm giving mine to Mom when she's back after Christmas.

When she sees all the pages explode with stuff,

she'll feel like she was there.

That sounds like the perfect gift.

Here's your tea.

So that scrapbook project seems like a lot.

You're telling me.

Danny's up there right now,

thinking of all the things he wants to do, and.

I just wish I had more time to help him with it.

But I have this deadline for a pitch I need to land,

- and with Ellie deployed now... - I get it.

And I know you'd rather be the one doing it...

Yeah.

But work is slowing down for me over the holidays, so...

I could help.

And there she is!

My sister the contradiction.

So helpful, yet always has to do things on her own.

Her own way, of course.

Not always!

Remember Mom's birthday? I let other people help then.

And what was supposed to be a really special birthday

didn't happen.

So... Why change?

When I know I'll get things done?

Okay, but Michaela, did you hear what Danny said?

He wants the scrapbook pages to explode with stuff.

Now, I get that your way is to organize,

which is great when planning a party,

but not when making a scrapbook.

Uh, I just made the notice for my office Christmas party,

and let me tell you, it was fun.

I even used exclamation points!

Wow.

Okay, all I'm saying is

just let Danny run with it.

I promise I will be hands off.

Even if he colours outside the lines?

Even if he does that.

Though I'll have an extra eraser handy just in case.

Look at you all ready to go!

You even got your boots on.

Hi!

Here, let me take your backpack.

By the way, look what I got you.

My scrapbook!

Exactly the one you wanted.

Here's all the stuff I wanna do to put in it.

Oh. Okay.

Wow. This is a lot.

But, you know, it's a good thing

that I drew out some borders for you in there,

so you can keep everything organized.

Stories separate from art,

separate from all the things you wanna write!

Do you wanna go grab your ruler and bring it home?

I guess.

Oh, hey there.

I see you have Danny's scrapbook list.

Yeah. It's a lot.

Yeah.

You know, I don't think we've formally met.

Unless your name is Ms. Numbers?

Ah, no. Michaela Evans.

Bryan Taylor.

Nice to meet you, Ms. Evans.

And I also see that you got Danny's scrapbook there.

Yeah! I grabbed it on my lunch break.

His mom's deployed until the end of January,

so I'm just helping out.

Well, it looks good.

Got lots of pages, which is real nice, um...

The lines... Were they already there?

No, I drew those.

You know, to keep everything organized.

- Oh! - What?

No, it's just... it's great, it's just, um...

You know, scrapbooks aren't really supposed to be organized.

It's more of, um... Freeform. Alive.

You know, like a book with, uh,

memories scattered throughout the pages.

I want what Mr. Taylor said.

I want my book to be alive.

For my mom.

Could you help, Mr. Taylor?

Oh, I don't think we need your teacher to help us.

Yeah, Danny, I'm sure your aunt has it all covered.

- Yeah. - Please, Mr. Taylor?

Uh...

You know, my dad was in the military,

and I get that this time of the year is

sometimes hard to manage?

I don't mind helping out a bit.

I appreciate it. I do, but...

I mean, Danny and I can handle this one on our own.

- Right, Danny? - I guess.

Alright! Team scrapbook?

Okay, well, let's go home!

Plan out the pages?

Yeah?

Bye.

Okay.

How to scrapbook.

Scrapbooking is such a wonderful

and creative way to preserve your memories.

And really, there's no right wy to do it.

Let your imaginations run wild!

Create pages that evoke emotion

and capture the spirit of your most cherished moments!

Here's an example.

Whoa.

A total feast for the senses.

Feast for the senses.

Now let's get scrapbooking!

Whew!

Alright, merry Christmas.

The usual.

Thanks, Frank.

Let me guess, your usual?

Of course. And what about you?

Hot chocolate with double whipped cream?

Today I'm thinking about throwing caution to the wind

and trying something different.

Let's go with the white chocolate with peppermint.

Ooh, great choice, teach!

Thanks, Frank.

Enjoy your sugar rush.

See you later, Ms. Numbers.

- Alright. - Oh, thanks, Frank.

So, how's the scrapbook coming along?

Oh, we're getting sorted.

I'm doing some research, making some lists...

Mm, good...

Good.

Mm-hmm.

You know, when my dad was deployed,

my mom and I actually came up with a bunch of goofy ways

to make him feel like he was a part of Christmas.

Really? Like-like what?

Well...

There was this one year where we made a... what was it,

gingerbread cookies.

And we went ahead, we cut out photos of ourselves

and we stuck them onto the cookies using the icing.

Then there was this other year where we bought these, uh,

these goofy Christmas sweaters and we recorded ourselves

singing these carols like we were part

of some Christmas rock band.

My dad, he still watches those videos to this day.

You know, I should probably get going

before the bell rings, but, uh...

In case you're wondering, this hot cocoa here is a winner.

You know...

I-I could use a little bit of help?

Danny really wants the scrapbook

to make his mom feel like she's sharing Christmas with him,

and it's important to me that I make that happen, so...

If you're still offering...

It never left the table.

Great.

Thanks.

So how does tomorrow morning sound?

At the school?

You know, it's Saturday, so it'll be quieter.

Perfect.

Yeah, the three of us can, uh, go over Danny's wishes

for the scrapbook and figure out how to make it happen.

Alright, looking forward to it, team scrapbook.

- Oh. - Sorry.

Hazards of the double whipped and, uh,

peppermint makes it extra sticky.

Yeah. It's okay. I've got it.

Well, I'll see you tomorrow!

With wet wipes.

Yeah.

Alright, so I took the liberty of transcribing Danny's list

into a more cohesive one that we can use

- to check things off. - What's cohesive?

Ah, it's just a fancy word for not messy.

According to the classroom calendar,

we have 13 days from now until the scrapbook is due.

And we wanna make sure we get everything done,

but there is a lot.

There is an 8-foot Christmas tree,

skating, Christmas cards,

- cookies... - Seeing Santa,

because I have a super special wish to tell him.

Okay, then, how about today we start with Christmas tree

and then Santa?

He bops around, but the town website says

he'll be at Abel's Toy Shop until three.

And that would give me plenty of time to make a meeting

I've got with the bakery.

Good. Oh, but before we do,

how about you and me go raid the art corner over there?

- Yes! - See if we can find

some cool stuff to decorate your scrapbook with.

Alright, then.

What are we thinking?

Stickers?

Lots of stickers!

And coloured paper!

Ah. Oh! And we also need glue.

And stamps. And some ribbons.

And glitter!

Oh no, we don't need glitter.

Do we?

Well, it's just, it gets everywhere,

and then you try to get it out and it doesn't...

But it's a Christmas scrapbook! It needs to sparkle.

Right. Right.

Glitter, check!

Okay, we're ready!

Oh, and uh, wet wipes.

You're gonna need them.

Right.

Thanks for volunteering your car.

I don't think an eight-foot tree would've fit in mine.

Yeah, of course.

I don't mind taking on a little bit of sap

and pin needles for the team.

Oh, no!

Look, they're out of eight-foot trees!

Yeah, but they still have seven-footers.

Seven feet's pretty big.

- Right, Danny? - I guess.

Except Mom always gets an eight-foot tree.

He's right, she does.

And I wanna keep it up

until she gets home and surprise her.

Oh! You know what? I got an idea.

How about we all just pile into my car,

we can drive to one of those tree farms.

I'm sure they have a ton of eight-footers there.

Yeah?

Yeah, except I have a tasting for my office Christmas party.

And we have to see Santa!

So, I don't know, maybe we should just

keep looking in town?

Or... We can deviate from the plan a little bit.

Just have a little bit of fun?

And I promise we'll make it back in time for all of that.

Yeah?

How did you know about this place?

Found it online. It's got some great reviews.

But you didn't actually know where we were going?

Hey! I'm from these parts, remember?

Right.

Whoa!

Look at the tractor!

So, where are you from, exactly?

Well, let's see...

Before this, I was filling in for a teacher librarian

out in Ohio.

And before that it was a fifth-grade class in Memphis.

And then there was Minneapolis.

Wow, you really get around, Mr. Taylor.

Yeah, I guess I do.

But I'm sorta used to it.

Whoa, now that camera has nostalgia written all over it.

- It's pretty cool, right? - Yeah.

Yeah, I used to use it to send photos to my dad.

I figured I'd bring it so Danny could use it.

You know, so you could change up the photos.

That's...

That's very thoughtful.

Great idea.

I'm gonna show him how it works.

Huh.

Right, uh...

Thank you.

Alright, you just gotta flip that up,

press that, and aim it, okay?

Nice.

Nice!

Alright.

Oh, geez!

Sorry!

The bumps threw me off.

You've got a little hay on your...

Yeah, I got it.

Got it, thanks.

Whoa!

There's a bunch of trees here!

Over here!

These ones look really tall!

Yeah, they do!

What about this one?

Let's see...

Yep. That's an eight-footer.

Now the final test is to see if you can reach

to put the star on top.

I can reach!

- This is the one! - Awesome.

Hey, Danny, why don't you stand next to the tree

and I'll take your photo?

There you go.

Here we go.

Eight-foot tree, done and dusted.

Alright, we should probably head back

so they can prep this beast for us.

Wait!

Here, let's do that.

Now they'll know for sure it's mine.

You bet.

Can we get some cider?

Alright.

- Here you go. - Alright, so I think

there's still time to make Santa.

So which photos are gonna make the cut?

All of them!

Are you sure about that? I mean, I don't think

they're all going to fit on the page!

They will. You know,

if you just layer them like this.

Right.

Oh, Danny, you're getting glue all over the page.

That's okay because I'm going to sprinkle pine needles on it,

so my mom can smell the tree.

That's a great idea, but what if we put the needles

in an envelope, uh... Okay.

Oh wow, now that is starting to look like a real scrapbook page.

What are you gonna call it?

The Christmas Tree Adventure.

Smell!

Mm.

Perfect.

Okay, let's head out.

Just going to let the bakery know I'll be right on time.

Uh, why are we stopped?

Bryan?

What's going on?

Uh, nothing, just GPS isn't working.

But it was working on the way here.

Yeah, you know, it's just these back country roads.

The signal kind of jumps in and out.

Does that mean you don't know where we're going?

No, I'm pretty sure it's right.

You know, how about we ask these folks for help?

No, it's okay.

It's left.

Left?

You sure?

Yes. We definitely passed that farm down there.

Alright.

Left it is.

Well, maybe it wasn't right.

Maybe we should've mapped our route on the way here.

Wow!

Now that's a tree.

Josh! Teacher Bryan, Bryan, my brother Josh.

Sorry I don't have time to help you get this into the house

'cause I'm late for my tasting.

Aunt 'Calla.

Yeah?

I thought we were going to get to see Santa.

I know.

I'm so sorry, it looks like we missed him today.

But don't worry, I promise we'll get to see Santa

as soon as possible. Okay?

Okay. Mm. I love you.

Josh, car keys?

- Yeah. - You know, if you just wait

- until we get it in the house... - Sorry, no time!

I'm here! I'm here. So sorry.

I went with the sugar cookies over the ginger snaps.

Jules! What are you doing here?

Where are the bakers?

I sent them a message that I was on my way.

They couldn't wait anymore. And I'm here catching up

on some work, so I stepped in.

I-I hope you don't mind.

Of course not. And thank you.

I will be sure to stay on top of it from here on in.

Actually, Susan was here,

and she saw that you missed the tasting, so to help out,

she told me to form an Office Christmas Party Committee.

Oh!

That's so not necessary.

Today was just... just a hiccup.

- I've got it. - Yeah, I know,

but she insisted, and she is the boss.

But it'll be so much fun!

Think about it, me, you, and Val planning it all together.

Woo-hoo.

- So fun. - Yeah.

Uh, by the way, I think you have hay in your hair.

Of course I do.

Last of the blue sprinkles, Teach.

Thanks, Frank.

Check.

Activities...

I can't let the committee handle that. No way.

Good morning!

Morning.

Thank you, by the way.

Josh said you stayed to help put the tree into the stand.

Well, it is a two-person job.

Although, I have a feeling you might beg to differ.

So, uh, how'd the tasting go?

Did you make in time?

Actually, I did not.

So now I have to work with a committee

to plan my office Christmas party.

What?

Whew. That's awful.

Okay, in all seriousness, it's not...

It's really not that bad.

I mean, it might even be fun.

Sure. Until things go sideways.

Okay, isn't that a bit of negative snowballing?

Not really.

Seeing as the one time I did agree to a party committee,

my mom's celebration did not at all turn out how she wanted.

I mean, sure, it was fun.

But...

It was her first birthday after she and my dad split.

So it should've been really special.

And all she wished for was a party by the water

so she could watch the sunset.

Because seeing the horizon made her feel

like the possibilities were endless.

And somehow the committee overlooked her wishes.

So it felt like I let her down.

Um, I-I understand.

And just so you know,

I promise to honour all of your scrapbooking wishes.

Danny's wishes.

Of course, Danny's wishes.

And for what it's worth, I think you're doing an amazing job.

You wrote him a list, you're checking it twice.

You even let Danny throw down his first scrapbooking page

- however he wanted. - I did.

Although, I still think those pine needles

could've gone in an envelope.

Um...

Okay, yeah, it's fine, it's fine.

Speaking of that list...

Ice skating is next. Which is good,

because Santa tends to show up at the rink.

Maybe we could manage that one on our own.

I mean, I'm sure you could, but...

I do like a little ice-skating myself, so I mean...

Maybe you could work with me here?

Team scrapbook?

Hmm?

Sure.

Yeah?

- Yeah. - Alright, okay.

- Meet after school? - It's a playdate.

I'll get my skates sharpened.

Shh-shh-shh-shh.

I'll see you there! Shh-shh-shh...

What about a Rudolph Race?

With the red pom-poms? I love that!

- Who doesn't? - Oh and Christmas trivia.

Ooh, a cookie decorating table.

Secret Sock!

What's Secret Sock? It's so much fun.

Everybody takes secrets and they put them in socks.

I have socks and secrets!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey!

- Yeah. - I love all these ideas.

I really do.

They're really great, but I really think

we should start with booking the venue.

So I'm just gonna go ahead,

and uh, book the building's conference room like I always do.

Well, Jules and I were thinking that maybe

we could do it somewhere else.

Oh. But...

We always have it here.

And if I don't book it,

then we might end up with no venue.

And that would be, well, no fun.

How about this?

You two keep brainstorming ideas...

And I'll just take it from here.

We could do a cider tasting.

Christmas charades!

Ah, I love Christmas and charades!

Oh, they're so much fun! And I'm good at them!

You are good at them!

I do it by myself.

Hi, yes, I would love to make a booking.

Mm-hmm.

Alright, kids.

See you tomorrow.

I hope you're working hard on those scrapbooks!

Sorry, I'm late. I'm here.

Client meeting ran late.

Whew. Okay, so.

I have warmers for hands and feet.

My skates are sharpened,

and I have change for the hot cocoa machine at the rink.

So I think we're all set!

Yeah, except for one minor glitch.

No.

Really?

- Yeah. - So I guess that means.

Santa's not going to be showing up at the rink either.

Why is nothing going to plan?

Well, maybe 'cause it's not supposed to?

No, no, no, don't give me that "it's meant to be" stuff.

Thanks to yesterday, my Christmas Party Committee,

they're tossing out ideas

like they're throwing spaghetti at the wall?

I mean, who doesn't like spaghetti?

Oh, okay, sorry, I get it, not helping.

Um... Okay, any ideas on how we should pivot?

No, Danny really wants to go ice skating.

And the only other rink in town is reserved for hockey.

Oh!

Wait, I... I think I have an idea.

And I promise Danny will get to skate.

It's just a short walk from here.

Do we need to map it?

Just saying.

♪ Are you ready? ♪

♪ Are you ready? ♪

♪ We've got the good-time feeling ♪

♪ There's something in the air ♪

♪ And everybody's singing Merry Christmas ♪

♪ We're hanging up our stockings ♪

♪ A brandy by the fire ♪

♪ Around the tree we're rockin' Merry Christmas ♪

Whoa.

Yep. Pretty awesome, huh?

I've passed this place about a million times

since I've been here, and I've been dying to check it out.

I don't know, Danny's never roller-skated before, and...

Woo-hoo! Come on, guys!

You were saying?

Need a hand?

Oh, no, that's right.

You got this.

Mm-hmm.

Come on, Michaela. It's not what you expected,

but you can just roll with it.

Mm-hmm.

Roll with it. Okay.

♪ Merry Christmas ♪♪

Whoa. Okay.

- Whoa, whoa! - Easy, easy!

I'm sorry!

So you don't need a hand?

I'm fine!

I'm fine.

I just need to figure out how to stop. Okay.

Right.

Okay.

Oh... oh no... Oh no, sorry, sorry, excuse me!

My bad!

Hey, whoa, whoa, easy there Madam.

- Okay. - Hey, look, just hold my hand.

At least until you figure out those brakes.

See? Not so bad.

Ah, not so fast!

See, that wasn't so bad after all?

Yeah.

If I lived here,

I'd be rocking and rolling every weekend.

How many more weekends do you get to enjoy this place?

As many as there are from now until the new year.

Then I'm off to wherever my next contract takes me.

I just hope they have one of those cocoa stands like Frank's.

I'm starting to get attached to those.

Wait, is that Santa?

Santa!

Santa!

Ah, sorry.

Nice hat!

Strike two on Santa.

Yeah, well, guess what? You did it!

You figured out how to stop!

I did! I did! I did.

I'm going to get you.

I know how to skate now.

Oh!

So, how's it looking?

Like you've been struck by a blizzard.

Isn't that how we met?

Aunt 'Calla, it's your turn.

Okay.

But only a small holiday design.

How about a candy cane?

Yeah, that sounds perfect.

How's it looking?

Like a candy cane.

You need something fun.

I know!

What? What is it?

No, no, no, not glitter. Please not glitter.

Now it's Christmassy.

Well, if it's Christmassy.

Do you mind taking a photo of the three of us?

Swoop!

Alright.

Everyone say "scrapbook".

Scrapbook!

And there was snowflake lights that spun around.

And you could skate all day, and your feet never get cold.

And then Mr. Taylor said yes when I asked

if you could decorate the tree.

I don't really think I had much of a choice.

Sounds like a win all around.

I have to admit,

roller-skating was a pretty good pivot.

I bet Mom will love it.

Yeah.

And how many days now till she's back?

This many!

And tomorrow I get to take another link off

and then this many!

I wonder if maybe roller-skating should be

a new Christmas tradition?

Yeah.

Well, in that case, Danny,

I think you should make your Aunt 'Calla

get her face painted like a big glittering star.

Oh, really?

Well, maybe you should get one with a little bit of tinsel.

Okay, you just started something.

Okay. Okay...

Ah...

You're lucky, saved by the bell.

Oh, actually, I need to take this. Excuse me.

Hello? Bryan Taylor.

So...

You and the substitute, huh?

What do you mean?

Oh, nothing, just...

I haven't seen you having this much fun

with anybody other than Danny since...

Well, not ever.

Okay, first of all, Bryan is not my type.

And what type is that exactly?

He's just so...

Spontaneous and playful.

Well, he is a kids' teacher,

I think it's part of the requirements.

Maybe.

But...

This is for Danny, okay?

Alright.

But still.

I'm glad you're having so much fun doing it.

Grade two?

Oh, wow, no, that... that's great.

Um, where exactly is the school located?

Iowa.

No, that's just a couple states from where I am right now,

so, yeah, that works.

Okay. Um, I'll keep my eye open for the contract.

Thanks.

You really don't need to walk me home.

I told you it's on the way, so we're good.

What you said at the farm.

How moving from job to job is what you're used to.

Is that because of your dad?

Yeah.

Yeah, he, um...

We got transferred a lot.

But my mom, she... she was amazing.

She taught me how to soak up every new experience

and I don't know, I just... learned to love it.

That's why I signed up for an agency

that positions teachers where they're needed the most.

Even if it's halfway across the country.

That way I get to soak up the experience

of every new class I get.

Hmm.

A fresh new classroom of ruffians.

Yep.

You know it.

Personally, I couldn't imagine moving.

Because I wouldn't get to see Danny grow up.

I get that.

Yeah, family's important.

So what about you?

Any plans of starting one of your own?

Or is that on a list somewhere?

Maybe it is.

And first on that list would be

finding someone I wanna share a family with.

Any luck with that?

Not yet.

You?

Does, uh, soaking up each experience include settling down?

Hasn't yet.

But maybe the right person will change that.

Well, I better go.

These are yours.

Thank you.

For helping to make Danny's day.

I mean, aside from the scrapbook, it's Christmas.

It should be special for him.

And it will, so don't worry.

'Cause sometimes a little bit of help

can produce some surprisingly magical things.

Good night, Michaela.

Good night.

Morning!

You have no idea how much I owe you

for coming here this morning. Thank you.

Don't worry about it.

My client meeting got cancelled.

And I still need to impress mine, so I'm off.

Be good.

I love you.

I'll see you both later.

Love you, bye.

Hmm, alright, well, while you finish breakfast,

let's look at the next item on your scrapbook list.

Christmas cards.

I wanna send one to my mom and keep one for the scrapbook.

That sounds like a good plan, yeah.

Except...

What about the other people on her squad?

What if they don't get a card?

Won't they feel sad?

That's very thoughtful of you, Danny.

Hmm.

You know what?

I think I have an idea how to make sure

everyone on your mom's squad gets a Christmas greeting.

Can I try some?

That's kind of good.

So, what do you think?

I know it's not part of the curriculum, but...

It's grade two. We can work around it.

Okay.

Alright, class.

Listen up, listen up.

So I'm not sure if you know this, but Danny's mom is in the army.

And because she and her squad won't be here for Christmas,

Danny and his Aunt Michaela came up with the brilliant idea

that we all should make cards for every member of the squad.

Sounds pretty good, huh?

Okay, okay!

I knew you all would love that.

So, Ms. Michaela, here, she's going to go ahead

and grab us some construction paper.

I want you all to really make them nice and Christmassy, okay?

So, we got markers, we got stickers, we got stamps.

Anything goes!

Just make sure to write neatly.

So that they can read them.

Right.

Alright, let's do this!

Wow.

I was just thinking neat handwritten messages, but these?

These are so much more!

Even if Christmas is spelt without a "t".

Oh.

More than once.

Yeah, send me all of your receipts,

and I'll have them included in your year-end report.

All right. Happy holidays.

What do you think? Fun, right?

So fun. Maybe we could even slap a sticker... here.

Oh, that's

that's great.

Maybe they'd let us decorate

the building's conference room this year.

I doubt it.

Hmm.

Well, I mean, we could do it somewhere else

if you think it would be more fun and festive.

Oh!

- Do you have any ideas? - Lots!

- We'll start brainstorming. - We can even book it.

- I'm gonna take your seat. - Yeah, take the seat.

Okay.

- Why not? - Okay, shake it out.

Here you go. All the cards for the squad.

And for your mom.

Merry Christmas, Mom.

I hope I get to tell my wish to Santa

so he can make it come true.

Did you hear that? I need to get him to see Santa.

Christmas cards, check!

What's next on my list, Aunt 'Calla?

Hmm, let's see. Okay, so we've got presents and cookie baking.

Presents? Follow me.

So is the rest of the family gonna be joining you

for Christmas this year?

Actually, no. My parents both found their person

and they are happily on opposite ends of the globe now.

What about you?

Who will you be spending Christmas dinner with?

This year? I'll be spending it with myself.

Yeah, my parents are on a long-awaited tour

of all the famous Christmas markets.

Strasbourg, Vienna, Prague.

Well, that does sound pretty magical.

It does. But, hey, it's pretty magical here, right?

Oh, which reminds me.

There is one last card that needs delivery.

It's for you.

And I made sure to sprinkle a little extra glitter on it.

Thank you.

Aunt 'Calla!

The elf said Santa will be here tomorrow.

Can we come after baking cookies?

That's a great idea. That's perfect!

Santa, check!

Santa, check!

Dear Michaela,

I wish for you a season filled with the kind of warmth

and magic you try and bring to everyone around you,

and that all your Christmas wishes on your list...

And I know you have one... will come true.

Because you truly deserve the best

of what this wonderful time of the year brings.

Happy Holidays and ho-ho-ho.

Your scrapbooking teammate, Bryan.

Perfect. That's exactly one-quarter cup.

You can pour that into the icing sugar.

And Bryan, maybe you can measure a tablespoon

of lemon juice into...

Ah. How do you know that was a tablespoon?

Like this.

Mm.

Dad always let's me taste test, too.

Oh, wow. They let you bake?

Uh, just these cookies.

It's the only recipe I have in my hip pocket I don't ruin.

That's not exactly true. Shall you tell the story?

Okay, fine. So, the original recipe was our grandma's.

And Michaela and I were in charge of making it one year...

And Josh proceeded to spill molasses

all over the recipe card.

We couldn't read the last half of the recipe, so we had to...

Duhn, duhn, duhn... improvise!

Oh, no, the horror!

Very funny, you two.

No, the funny part is, they actually turned out better.

Oh, really?

Yes, really.

And now they're mom's favourite.

Oh, well how about that?

A magical surprise.

Aunt 'Calla, what does the shortening look like?

It's in the blue container.

So we'll need half a cup of that.

Here, let me help you.

Oh, good scoop.

All right, now we just cream that all together.

This doesn't look like the right texture.

Here, let me try.

Hmm... It does have a little bit of a bite to it.

Uh...

I think I know why.

Not again.

Okay, so, do we start from scratch?

What do you think, Danny?

Let's bake them.

And maybe it'll be a new surprise cookie for mom.

Okay. But I am in charge of the baking time.

- Here. - Thank you.

Oh, these have a cake-like texture.

Mm. They do have a bit of a sweet tanginess to them.

Danny, what do you think?

I think mom and Santa will approve.

Speaking of Santa, we have to get to the market.

'Cause that elf said that Santa's only around until four.

Mm.

Dad, could you come?

I wish I could, Danny,

but I have a Zoom meeting I needa hop in, in about, uh...

Oh, jeez! Ten minutes. But that gives me just enough time

to help you write the recipe into the new scrapbook.

I'm gonna call the page...

"The Cookie Mistake that Worked!"

And sprinkle cookie crumbs on it.

Or you could put them in an envelope.

Or not.

All right, let's get going.

Okay, this bus leaves in five.

Danny really is a great kid.

Yeah, he is.

You know, he wishes you were his teacher full-time.

Wow. Well, that's quite the compliment.

Does it ever bother you that you don't

stick around long enough to watch the kids

you teach grow up?

You know, I never really thought about that, but

spending time with Danny and you...

It has got me thinking.

That might be too hot for the scrapbook.

What do you mean, these?

Not hot at all. See? Not hot.

Okay, let's go see Santa. Let's go to the market.

And don't worry, I'll take care of icing these.

You guys go ahead. Have fun.

You know, what you and Josh have is pretty special.

Yeah, it is. I mean, don't get me wrong,

when we were younger, I would've passed him off, but,

after my parents divorced, he kind of became my anchor.

I don't know what I'd do without him, actually.

- Hmm. - What's going on here?

I think what we have here is a game of freeze tag.

Ah.

Hey Danny! Mr. Taylor, come play!

Can we?

I don't know.

You're it!

Aunt 'Calla, run!

All right, you got five seconds.

- Five, four... - Seriously?

- Three, two... - Run!

One!

Gotcha!

What now?

Um, you're frozen.

Hey, Mr. Taylor! Try to get me.

I'm coming.

- You're unfrozen! - Oh, thank you!

Isn't this fun?

This is fun.

Got you!

Hey. Where do you think you're going?

He's coming. Run!

- I'm gonna get you! - Okay.

Hey! Where's Santa?

Uh... Oh, sorry.

Santa had to leave a wee bit early because of a

sleigh situation.

But I have a very important wish I need to tell him.

Oh, hey, I get it, kid.

But Santa's got a lot going on at Christmas, which is...

Oh, gosh. Five days away.

Okay. Well, I'd better go

- find Rudolph. - Oh, wait,

can you at least tell us where Santa's gonna be next?

If I knew, I would, but I don't.

I was only in charge of this stop,

so I don't have his itinerary, so...

But, hey, I'm sure you'll catch the big guy somewhere, huh?

Merry ho-ho! Excuse me, sorry. Thank you. Excuse me.

Danny, I'm so sorry, I should've kept us on point.

No, Danny, it's my fault.

I should never have let Wesley tag me in.

Look, it doesn't matter whose fault it is, okay?

Because your aunt 'Calla knows how important

this is to you, and I won't let you down.

I will figure out where Santa is next

so you can tell him your wish. Okay? I promise.

Okay, Michaela, you're gonna tackle this like you always do,

on your own. No, it's fine.

Santa, we'll check him off the list.

Oh, hey there committee.

Are you excited to have the party at

what was the name of that pub again?

The Cat and Custard.

Mm. Love that name.

Well, here, I just need to finish finding Santa

- for my nephew, and then we can... - We don't have it. The venue.

What do you mean?

The pub's pipe burst and they cancelled all their bookings.

And now the party's tomorrow and we don't know what to do.

We're so sorry Michaela. We just wanted to help.

And now we need your help.

Okay.

All right, just the way you like it.

Thank you, Frank.

You are wonderful.

Thank you.

Second cup kind of day?

Yeah. It sure is.

Not only do I no longer have a venue

for my office Christmas party that's tomorrow night,

but I can't find Santa anywhere.

Even the town website doesn't list any more appearances.

Yeah, I checked the site too.

Look, I'm, I'm sorry.

It's not your fault. Seriously.

Well, I appreciate the vote of confidence.

But I'm actually heading to the market for my lunch break.

Drop this care package off.

I was thinking maybe you'd want to join?

Can try to track down another elf?

Yeah. That's a good idea.

Oh, what about the rink for your party?

I already checked.

Ice rink and roller rink are both fully booked.

Hmm. Well, let me drop this package off,

and we can brainstorm.

This is great. How did you know about this?

My dad passed his membership to me.

I found out they were doing a volunteer event here.

They always have amazing opportunities to help

the military community and their members.

- Hi. - Thank you.

Oh my gosh! He's here! Santa's gonna be here in the market.

Oh, okay, that's great.

Guess that means that one problem is solved for the day.

All you need to do now is find a place to party.

Wait... wait, this is it.

This could solve my party problems.

I have so much to do! Okay, I gotta go.

Well, good luck and uh, let Santa know I said hi.

Wait, you're not gonna be there?

Well, I figured, you know,

you didn't want to get sidetracked again.

Right.

Except this is for Danny too,

and I'm sure he'd want you to be there. If you wanted to.

You know, I guess I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity

to get my name off the naughty list. I'll be there.

I mean, here. I'll be, I'll be here.

Okay. I'll see you here.

For Danny.

Of course. For Danny.

Josh, do you think you could bring Danny by the market

tomorrow night?

Perfect! I'll meet you there at seven.

Ladies...

We have a venue.

Did you get the conference room?

Nope. This is way better

and everything you'd ever hope for and more.

But I'll need your help. You in?

Of course.

All right. Let's do this.

Let's do it!

All right, enjoy the Christmas party.

Hi! All right, so these passes will get you eggnogs

and ciders and a turn

at any of the market's best games and activities.

Okay, enjoy!

Wow. Nice party venue.

I think so. I mean, people can donate care packages,

or check out the market.

Sounds to me like a great pivot.

Thank you.

But I didn't do it by myself,

so I can't take all the credit.

I had a little help.

And now the party is surprisingly better.

Ah.

Mr. Taylor and Aunt 'Calla!

Is this a Christmas party?

It sure is. And guess what? There is a very special guest.

Ho-ho-ho-ho!

- Is that? - Santa!

The one and only. And you must be Danny.

Well, someone told me you had a very important wish

you needed me to hear.

Very important.

Hmm. Come on over to my Santa seat. I'm all ears.

- Are you getting this? - You bet.

Wow, Sis. Looks like you've done it.

Can check off the last thing on Danny's list.

A visit with Santa.

So, I guess this is it then. Scrapbook's finished.

Right.

Yeah, I guess we've finished everything on Danny's list,

so the scrapbook is basically done.

But it can't be, I still have three more pages left to fill.

Right. And we can't have that, can we?

And as your teacher, I'd have to agree.

Well, I'm sure the two of you

can help Danny come up with something.

But for now we'd better get going so he can finish

the Santa page in his scrapbook.

And maybe write down your wish, too?

No way. If I say it or write it, it might not come true.

But I could tell you my other wish.

That I don't burn the gravy for Christmas dinner?

No, Dad, it's that I wish Mr. Taylor could stay

at my school for the rest of the year and forever.

Well, I think that's a wish that someone else might have.

Good night, you two.

Good night.

I think he's just talking about the other kids in your class.

Yeah. Of course.

Come on, Michaela. And

whoever this tall drink of water is.

You two need to get in on the fun. Let's go!

♪ Now the bell's all ringing out but I'm here alone ♪

Yeah! I did it!

♪ I didn't ask for much I don't care about the snow ♪

♪ There's one thing that I need ♪

♪ Oh Santa help me please ♪

♪ 'Cause I just want to fall in love ♪

♪ Yeah I just want to fall in love ♪

♪ I just want to fall in love this Christmas ♪♪

Well, goodbye Michaela.

And thanks again. Really saved the day.

Well, all with help from the committee.

Maybe we could do this again next year.

Or maybe we could have like a toy drive

at like, the mall.

We could rent out the mall restaurant.

- The old sweet shop! - Yes!

We could have a chocolate-making party!

Oh, I love chocolate.

Well, it looks like you pulled it off.

Danny got to meet Santa.

Had an amazing staff party.

And I think that deserves a sugar rush.

So, let me introduce to you

a chocolate-covered marshmallow Christmas tree with sprinkles.

On a stick.

This looks like it should be illegal.

Yeah. Very dangerous.

Cheers.

Okay.

Hmm. This is...

- Crazy delicious. - Hmm.

So, tell me.

What kind of things did you wish for from Santa

when you were little?

Hmm. Let's see.

- Books, of course. - Mm.

Dolls. A puppy.

Really?

Yeah. Josh never listened to me.

So I always liked the idea of something that would sit,

and stay, and cuddle, of course.

The closest I got to my wish was a hamster.

Poor cinnamon. I almost smothered her.

So wait, you're telling me

if I ever need a class-hamster cuddler, you're my girl?

Yes. I most definitely am.

What were your childhood wishes?

Well, it was pretty much the same thing every year.

For my dad to be home for Christmas.

And some years my wish would come true.

And then, other years, it just wouldn't work out.

It's kind of like your puppy.

But hey, you know, it's never too late.

Can always wish for one.

Unless there's something else on your wish list?

Actually, there is something...

A type of glitter that doesn't stick to everything.

What about you?

Well, I haven't really figured out my wish list,

but, um...

I have some ideas.

You know, Danny's been really lucky to have you this holiday.

And wherever you go next,

those kids will be just as lucky, too.

In fact, I'm probably whatever

you need to do to get ready to go.

No, you're not keeping me at all.

I pack light.

Right.

I should probably go.

But, thank you for the sugar rush.

Good night, Bryan.

Night, Michaela.

"Pack light."

Wow.

- This everything? - That's it.

So, you and Bryan stay and have fun

at the Christmas market?

Well, I kind of had to stay,

it was my office Christmas party, so...

It's okay to admit you like him, you know.

Okay, I like him!

But it doesn't matter, because he's just a substitute,

- remember? Besides, I'm good. - "I'm good."

All right, look, I get it.

Sometimes, you need to tackle things on your own.

Like this Christmas dinner.

But other times, a little bit of help can go a long way.

And, as your brother,

it's my job to help you see that you and the teacher

have something.

And that flying solo all the time isn't so great.

I mean, before I met Ellie,

I had no idea how much I was missing from my own life.

And with Danny, now, trust me. I'm better than good.

Hey, there's my favourite nephew.

What's going on?

I know what I want to do

for the last page of my scrapbook.

But I can't think of ideas for the other two pages I have left.

Okay, well how about this?

Why don't you and I brainstorm some ideas?

We'll just throw spaghetti on the wall and see what sticks.

For real?

No. No. It's just a figure of speech.

Could we get Mr. Taylor to help?

- I... - Of course.

He's part of team scrapbook, right? And you can't break up

the team so close to the finish line.

Right.

I know! How about a hot chocolate page?

That's a great idea. Let's go to Frank's.

Okay, we got sprinkles, chocolate sprinkles,

cinnamon, marshmallow, oh, of course, whipped cream.

And over here is the liquid gold.

You mean chocolate?

That too. Yeah.

Okay, you ready to serve some up? Let's do it.

Here we go. Oh, we got a customer.

Oh, hi.

You're on whip.

Nice!

Happy holidays.

What are you doing?

What? Just making sure they're fresh.

Mm-hmm.

I think this can was a little empty.

Yeah, let's check.

Seriously?

Ugh, that's disgusting.

Wait, no!

Oh, yeah!

Woo. This keeps me going all day.

- Want a hit? - Absolutely not.

Come on. Have you tried it?

Uh, I don't need to try it,

because whipped cream is meant as topping.

- Says who? - Everybody.

Oh, come on, it can be a nice little, you know, fun memory.

Hmm? Hmm?

- Fine. - Mmm.

Wait!

- I should just get... - I am so sorry.

A napkin. I can't believe you...

Are you kidding me?!

Ah! Get back here!

Kids.

So we were singing Jingle Bell Rock.

I was playing guitar and my mom was playing the tambourine.

Wait, you play the guitar?

Absolutely not.

But air guitar? I'm a rockstar at that.

- Oh. - Mm-hmm.

Well, not to toot my own horn,

but I play some pretty mean air drums.

- Ah, do you? Okay, okay. - Ba-dum-tss.

I'd love to see that video that you sent your dad some time.

Oh, my... no, no, no. Okay, you know what?

Only if you swear not to show Danny.

He'll never look at his teacher the same way again.

I swear.

Speaking of Danny, I hope you've given his wish

some thought about staying on at the school.

Because I... the kids...

They adore you.

Goodnight, Bryan.

Goodnight.

Yeah, of course I can grab him and take him to school.

But did he say why he's insisting?

Nope. Just that it's a surprise.

Okay. Uh, well I'm on my way.

Morning! Morning, kiddos, come on in.

Don't forget to take a look at our calendar,

we're getting close.

And I'm excited to see those scrapbooks.

Morning, Danny. Michaela.

Morning.

I missed you at the coffee cart this morning.

I was running a bit behind today

'cause my favourite nephew here insisted that I take him

to school but he won't tell me why.

Mr. Taylor, did you bring your camera?

You know what? I did. I figure we could use it

to immortalize our class party.

Could I take a picture of you and Aunt 'Calla?

Please? It's important to the scrapbook.

You know what? In that case, we can. It's on my desk.

- Okay. - Okay.

You have to get closer!

Danny, have a good day at school. See you later.

All right.

Mr. Taylor, I need to ask something.

- Aunt 'Calla, wait! - What's up?

Can Mr. Taylor come for Christmas dinner?

Oh.

That's totally up to him.

- Danny, I'd love to. - Yes!

Okay, great. I'll let Josh know we have a plus-one.

Not my plus-one, I just mean

an extra place setting at the table.

I look forward to being Josh's guinea pig.

But I'll see you at the party before that?

Of course. Yeah. Wouldn't miss it.

Okay. See you at the party.

I'll see you at the party.

Hey, Sis. School drop-off go okay?

Yeah, but Bryan is coming for Christmas dinner.

Danny invited him.

Oh, wow. A guest. A special guest.

That adds a bit of pressure.

Yeah, I know.

I mean, what if this is the last time that I get to see him.

I was talking about my cooking.

Oh.

Josh, I need your help.

Christmas dinner can't be the last supper.

Okay, that's a bit dramatic,

but there is a solution.

Tell him you don't want him to leave.

Well, I already told him Danny wants him to stay.

Right, but the scrapbook thing, that's about Danny.

This is about you, Michaela, and how you feel. So tell him.

You know what? I'll pick up Danny from school

so that you can go and talk to him alone.

Because if you don't try,

you'll never know if this whole scrapbook thing was the start

of a whole new book of memories.

Say it, not a big deal, just say it.

Or not...

Hi, can I speak to the substitute recruiter, please?

Hi, this is, uh, Bryan Taylor.

Yes, you sent me a contract for my next job in Iowa.

Yes, I already signed it, and, and I sent it,

so it should be in...

Yeah, I can hold.

Oh, okay, you got it. Great.

I was too late.

He already accepted the contract.

Are you sure?

I heard him, Josh.

Well, who cares if he's teaching 500 miles away.

That doesn't mean it can't work.

Look at Ellie and I.

We find a way, because we love each other.

But how do I know he even feels the same way I do?

By telling him how you feel.

Aunt 'Calla, can I show you my surprise?

Of course, yeah.

Well, I'll leave you both to it

while I make sure someone's toothbrush has been used.

Come on up.

I finished the second last page on my scrapbook.

Tada!

Oh, Danny...

This is lovely.

But are you sure Mr. Taylor and I should have a whole page

of your scrapbook?

You have to!

You and Mr. Taylor made Christmas so fun.

And I want my mom to see that.

It was fun. And I loved every minute of it.

I love you, Aunt 'Calla.

I love you too, Danny.

I promise! I'll brush my teeth now.

Mm-hmm.

Contracts can be broken, you know.

Sounds like a party in there.

You okay?

Of course. Yeah, wouldn't miss it for the world.

All right, parents, kids, let's finish up

our candy canes and cookies. Presentations are gonna begin.

Hey.

- Hello, Mr. Taylor. - Ah, Mr. Taylor.

Keeping it professional in front of the other parents, I see.

I, uh, saved you a cranberry square, Ms. Numbers.

That's sweet of you. But, uh, I'm fine.

I can get you a seat, we're about to start the presentation.

Don't worry. I've got it.

Okay, class. Let's get started. All right.

Parents, students, families and friends. Welcome.

Today we have a very, very special Christmas treat

for you. So this holiday season,

I assigned the students with the project

of creating their very own scrapbook.

A book that is filled with all the memorable and fun activities

that they've shared and embraced over these

past couple of weeks.

And even though this book is gonna be gifted

to only one special person,

today each and every one of you will have the opportunity

to share the joy as class 2B shares their scrapbooks.

So, without further ado,

take it away, kids.

My favourite scrapbook page is called snowball fight.

There's even a big hot chocolate stain from when I got Mr. Taylor

at the coffee cart.

We made an ice cream snowman

for my little brother's birthday.

The candles melted his face, but it was delicious.

Oops.

My mom can't be here for Christmas,

so I made this scrapbook for her

to make her feel like she was there with me.

This is the day that we went on a search

to get an eight-foot tree,

because my mom always gets one that tall.

And then we started a new tradition

that I'm super excited to do with her.

Roller skating!

And when I wanted to make Christmas cards

for all my mom's squad, the whole class helped.

And when I messed up the cookie recipe, we made even better ones

- that I know she'll love. - You know it.

And then I got to see Santa!

To tell him my very important wish.

I even got to make hot cocoa at Frank's.

The best.

And I got to do all of this that I get to share with my mom

because of Aunt 'Calla and Mr. Taylor.

- Mom? - Danny.

Mom!

Danny!

Ellie?

You're home!

This is amazing.

I don't believe it.

- Here we go, Danny. - What's this?

My secret wish to Santa came true.

My scrapbook, I made it for you, Mom, for Christmas.

And 'Calla and Mr. Taylor helped.

They did, did they?

- Thank you so much. - Of course.

All right, buddy.

You're gonna have to show me everything you got.

Doesn't get more magical than that, does it?

Ah. No. No, it doesn't.

And you know what?

I want my wish to come true too.

And it's not glitter or a puppy.

It's you.

I wish for you.

Thank goodness.

'Cause I bowed out of the contract

and I asked to stay here.

And not just because I want to be around these kids

and watch these little elves grow.

It's because of you.

The best surprise that could come from this.

You trying to get me detention, Ms. Numbers?

I hope so.

I smell turkey.

Dad, you did it!

You sure did.

To Christmas, where wishes and miracles come true.

To Christmas.

Hang on, we need a photo!

Okay, look at the camera!

All right. Everyone ready?

Ready.

Say Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Taylor.

Merry Christmas, Ms. Numbers.

Difuze