Original subtitles

♪ Like a child on Christmas Day ♪

♪ Every bit of light shines through ♪

♪ And it may be a hopeless dream ♪

♪ But I dream of Christmas ♪

♪ With you ♪

♪ Walking through the village green ♪

♪ Feeling so blue and all alone ♪

♪ Stars above I wish upon ♪

♪ Please bring my baby back home ♪

♪ Like a child on Christmas day ♪

♪ Every bit of light shines through ♪

♪ And it may be a hopeless dream ♪

♪ But I dream of Christmas with you ♪

Okay. There you go.

There's a bench right over there you can put them on.

Please, let me know if you need any help.

Have fun.

Yeah...

Can you get up?

Can you wait just one minute?

I'll be right back.

Oh, May I?

It's okay. I used to fall down a lot!

Let me help you up.

Ooh, got it.

What's your name?

Grace.

Grace, I'm Courtney it's nice to meet you.

You're doing great.

Have you ever skated before?

A couple times.

I learned to skate right here on this rink

Hey, you're doing great.

Now just push to the side and glide.

That's it. That's it.

Awesome.

Now I'm going to let you do it on your own, okay?

Okay.

You're doing it!

My Ompa works in there.

Oh, wow, he works for the city?

Uh‐huh.

Nice.

‐Whoa! ‐Oh, whoops. I got you.

Now you try.

‐Thank you. ‐Of course.

We have class on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon

for kids her age if she'd like to join.

And we do a show at the Christmas Carnival.

‐Merry Christmas! ‐Merry Christmas!

See you tomorrow, Trevor.

You betcha. Have a great night.

You, too.

Hello?

Oh, hi, Mr. Greenwood.

Sure, tomorrow at 9:00AM, no problem.

Okay, see you then. Bye.

Hey, Trev.

Can you cover for me tomorrow morning?

I have an early meeting.

Only if you introduce me to your roommate.

Seriously?

I wasn't scheduled to come in until noon.

Okay, fine.

But I already told you. You're not her type.

How would she know if she hasn't met me?

You're impossible.

Not impossible, just persistent.

Hey!

‐Hey, it's Sheila Sugarplum. ‐In the flesh.

That costume is so cute.

Thanks. Whatcha making?

Mmm, mm‐hmm.

So, I got a weird call from your boss just as I was leaving.

Which one?

Santa or the Mayor?

I wish it was Santa.

Mmm. I was afraid of that.

Do you know what it's about?

I know he was in a long budget meeting

with the city council today.

I only hear from him when it's bad news,

so I thought I'd make him some cupcakes.

Buttering up the mayor is always a good idea.

Sorry, though. I wish I knew more.

Okay, well, I shouldn't be too late.

Hey, don't worry.

It's gonna be okay.

Are you sure?

Yeah, it's Christmas!

Oh, by the way, Trevor wants to meet you.

Who?

Trevor. The Zamboni driver at the rink.

Oh, why?

Why not?

Mmm‐mm. No. He's not my type.

Well, how do you know if you haven't met him yet?

Oh, I know.

Please? I owe him one.

Fine.

Good.

I hope you don't have too many criers.

Yeah, me too.

You know, you should publish a book

of crying babies with Santa pictures.

You might be on to something.

That could really sell!

All right, see you later.

Bye.

Hey, Mom.

Hello, sweetheart, how are you?

I'm good. How's Santa Barbara?

Oh, it's just lovely out here.

Sunny and in the 70s today.

What I want to know is, how do you get in

the Christmas spirit on the beach?

You know how your father and I hate the cold.

Cold?

Are you serious?

How many days did you and Dad spend with me at the rink

when I was little?

Oh, I know. We miss you, honey.

Is there any chance you could come out here

for the holidays this year?

It's my busiest time of year.

I'll try to get out there after New Years.

Well, we love you, sweetheart.

Whenever you can come, we'd love to see you.

I love you too, Mom.

Okay, bye, sweetheart.

Bye.

I don't have all day.

Should just be a few minutes.

Hey!

Come here.

You know who's in there?

‐Who? ‐Noah Tremblay.

Who?

The hockey player.

He played for the Maple Leafs.

So?

So he's kind of a big deal.

I don't care if he's Patrice Bergeron.

I've got stuff to do.

‐Thank you, Mr. Mayor. ‐Thank you.

Oh... excuse me.

I'm sorry.

No, I'm sorry. Here, let me help you.

No, no, I got it. Here.

Thanks.

Courtney.

I see you already met Noah Tremblay.

Ah... yes. Hello.

Hi.

Courtney runs the Skating Oval in the park.

Oh, yes, nice to meet you.

You two have a lot in common.

Really?

Mm‐hmm, Noah just built

the new indoor ice complex in the canal district.

They're going to have their grand opening in a couple weeks.

‐Right, Noah? ‐Yeah, that's right.

Hmm.

Well, you wanted to see me Mr. Mayor?

Yeah, come on in.

‐Thank you. ‐Take care.

I hope I bump into you again, Courtney.

‐Beth, would take care of that for me? ‐Sure.

If you can find a place to work on that desk.

I was impressed to hear about your skating career in college.

Thank you.

State champion is quite an accomplishment.

Such a shame you got injured.

It happens.

I'm just glad I can share the joy of skating

with the kids now.

Yes, well about that.

We've been going over the budget and the city

is just not going to be able to subsidize the cost

of running the Skating Oval any longer.

What?

But, rentals are up this year

and I've been recruiting more and more kids

for the after school skating program every day.

That's nice, but the Skating Oval is a luxury

that the city just can't afford.

But, Mr. Greenwood,

the skating means so much to the kids

and it's Christmas!

Well, Noah's new indoor ice complex

is going to have all kinds of programs for the kids.

Have you seen it? It's really very impressive.

But that's not free.

What about the kids who can't afford it?

That's why we're going to keep the Skating Oval open

through the holidays and then shut it down

right after the new year.

What about the Christmas Carnival on Christmas Eve?

That is exactly the kind of event

that makes the Skating Oval unsustainable.

You're cancelling the Christmas Carnival?

The kids will be heart broken.

Running a city means making tough choices, Ms. Bennett.

With all due respect, I think you're making a mistake.

The kids aside, the Skating Oval represents

a commitment to revitalize downtown,

to make the city more accessible and family friendly.

If it closes that would be a major step backward.

The city council is dead set on this.

The numbers are the numbers.

But you could convince them otherwise.

What would it take?

Money.

Make the Skating Oval a revenue source for the city

instead of a negative line item that it is right now.

So, how do we make that happen?

A Christmas miracle.

Okay, then I'll get to work on a Christmas miracle.

Merry Christmas, Mr. Greenwood.

Merry Christmas.

I can't believe he's closing the Oval

and cancelling the Christmas Carnival.

The kids look forward to this all year long!

It's not just the kids.

This is the biggest event for Santa and me every year.

Did you know about this?

Did somebody call to cancel you yet?

No, I just assumed we were on.

We've been doing the Christmas Carnival for years.

What am I going to do?

You're going to figure it out.

But how?

Come on,

you've got to get those competitive juices flowing.

Fight for what you believe in.

Is Santa looking for another elf?

Because I'm gonna be out of a job next Christmas.

Look. He told you what you have to do.

You need to find a way to fund the rink

and the carnival and take the cost off his ledger.

That's easier said than done.

I didn't say it was going to be easy.

Hey.

Oh, hi, Trevor.

Beth this is Trevor. Trevor, my roommate Beth.

‐Hi. ‐Hi.

I gotta go.

I'll just leave you two to get to know each other.

Have fun.

What are you doing to me?

So...

That's her, Daddy.

Hi, Grace! You came back!

Hi, Courtney. This is my Dad.

I'm Courtney Bennett.

Oh, it's you!

‐Yeah, we've met. ‐Yeah, we did.

How could I forget.

You skate beautifully.

Thank you.

I actually had the pleasure of skating with Grace yesterday.

So she said.

Well, if she's interested,

we have a beginner's class that starts in about ten minutes.

Really sweet group of girls just her age.

We meet twice a week.

How much does it cost?

Nothing, actually. It's free.

‐It's free? ‐Yeah.

Can I Dad? Can I?

So the city subsidizes it?

Yeah. Well, for now.

Huh.

Are you sure you want to take skating lessons with Courtney?

Yeah!

Okay, great.

Well, we'd love to have you join our class.

‐And I see you already have skates. ‐Yup.

Why don't you go put them on?

'Kay, but I need help tying them.

Sure, I'll be right there.

Thank you.

I've got a sign up sheet in the shack.

All right, so everyone's in the circle.

Perfect, make your circle.

And... yep, perfect.

And then heels together.

Great, and then arms.

Start. You go up, and out.

And then swizzle in.

And then left arm.

And then grab each other's hands.

Okay, you just undo the hooks like this.

Oh, okay.

‐Then it's like a regular shoe. ‐Oh.

Courtney, thank you.

Grace really had fun, I could tell.

She's a great kid.

With real skating potential, too.

Yeah, I mean she just never really showed

much interest in skating with me.

You were a hockey player, right?

That's right, yeah.

I learned to skate before I could walk.

Maybe she's just not interested in hockey.

Maybe not.

Well, Grace is doing really well.

She's a natural.

Takes after her old man.

Guess so.

Well, I...

guess we'll see you on Thursday.

Sounds good. Have a great evening.

‐You, too. ‐Bye.

Oh, Courtney, wait.

I really had fun at class, thank you.

You're so welcome. I'll see you next time!

‐Yup! Bye. ‐Bye.

‐Hi. ‐Hi.

How was Trevor?

You owe me big time!

Oh, no, sorry.

Eh, he's not actually as bad as I expected.

But, forget about Trevor.

What was that all about?

What, Noah?

His daughter joined my class today.

Oh, so we're on a first name basis already?

So...

So, he's gorgeous, rich...

And oh, right, single.

And a typical jock, full of himself.

Okay... and that's a problem?

Wonder what happened to Grace's mom.

So you are interested.

Please.

He's only the most eligible bachelor in Worcester.

And, he owns the indoor ice complex.

He's the main reason why the Oval is going to be closed down.

Your boss was drooling over that facility the other day.

Ooh, hadn't thought of that.

I'll introduce you next time he comes by.

Nah, I, uh...

I'm going out to dinner with Trevor tomorrow night.

Oh, you are?

I figured I'd give him a chance.

So, I owe you why?

Okay, see ya! I gotta go make some kids cry.

Okay.

Oh, hi.

What a nice surprise.

Hi.

Um...

I can't believe I haven't been in here before.

It's incredible.

Well, thank you, yeah.

I thought you weren't open yet.

Oh, a couple of local skaters and teams needed some ice time,

so I gave them a little soft opening

before the big unveiling in a few weeks.

Hmm.

How can I compete with this?

Excuse me?

How can I compete with this?

Hey, hey, hold up.

Hold on. What are you talking about?

You're not even open yet and this place is bustling with activity.

There's athletes, their families, their coaches.

Restaurants, a coffee shop!

You don't have to compete with this.

Apparently I do!

The Mayor wants to close us down.

‐He said that? ‐Yes.

"The Skating Oval is a luxury the city can't afford."

Huh.

It's the centerpiece of the Worcester's recreational offerings

and it's right downtown.

Have you ever skated out there?

No, actually I haven't.

Nothing beats skating outdoors, especially at Christmastime!

I've certainly done my fair share of outdoor skating.

Then you know.

Yeah, I do.

Well, I hope I wasn't intruding by stopping by.

Not at all. Come by anytime.

Hey, Noah.

If you have this whole complex,

why do you bring Grace to the Oval for lessons?

Well, uh...

she chose it.

Really?

Yeah.

She chose it because of you.

Nice, girls.

Gracie!

Daddy, look! I can skate backwards.

That is wonderful sweetheart.

Hello, Noah.

Hi. Look at that,

she's skating backwards!

I know, she's making great progress.

Yeah, she sure is.

Hey, I had something I wanted to discuss with you.

Maybe you have time for a coffee, after you're done?

Oh, um, today?

Yeah, why not.

No time like the present, right?

Uh... yeah, okay.

Great.

All right, girls let's do the star.

Nice. Nice!

So, what do you do in the summers when there's no ice?

I run the kids sailing program down at the lake.

Do your parents ever ask you when you're getting a real job?

Excuse me?

I'm kidding...

That's a great compliment to what you do in the winter.

Thank you.

Meanwhile, I'm working on my Masters.

Really? In what?

Education.

That's perfect for you. You're a natural teacher.

So, what did you want to talk about?

Well, I was really impressed with the way

you interacted with the kids.

Wow, thanks.

And Grace has really taken to you.

I mean...

Haven't seen her light up like that...

about anything for... forever.

She's a great kid.

So I want to offer you a job.

Wait, what?

Yeah, I want you to teach skating for me.

Okay... I didn't see that coming.

Well? What do you think?

I see what you're doing.

You're trying to eliminate the competition.

No, that's not what I'm doing, really.

Here's the thing. I already have a job.

And I only have a couple weeks

to figure out a plan to save it.

Yeah, right, this is a year 'round position.

As long as you're not trying to sabotage me...

I'm not trying to sabotage you.

Maybe we could work together

to figure out a way to save the Oval.

Okay, what did you have in mind?

Either we raise a lot of money

or we convince the city that it's in their best interest

not to close it.

‐Or both. ‐Exactly.

I bet those are things you're pretty good at.

That's interesting.

Do you have a business plan or a proposal doc?

Not yet.

I only just heard of the mayor's plans.

The problem is we don't have much time.

‐Right, how much do you need to raise? ‐I'm working on the budget

and how much it costs to run the rink each year.

What do you think? Would you be willing to help?

Okay, way to ask for the order.

I should have offered you a job in group sales!

This is important to me.

I can see that.

Okay, um...

Let me take a look at the numbers.

Fair enough.

Let me do some homework and I'll get back to you.

Are you crying?

Yeah, so?

Oh, you're so sappy.

I can't help it.

I love Christmas movies.

What's up?

Well... Noah's not as bad as I thought.

Oh, you saw him again?

He invited me for coffee.

Ooh, coffee. Trouble.

I think I'm in over my head.

Wow, already?

Not with Noah. With the Oval.

Oh. How?

I need a business plan, stat.

Okay.

Do you know how to write a business plan?

As a matter of fact, I do.

‐Really. ‐Yeah.

How do you think Santa and I got our start up funding?

How'd you learn how to do that?

YouTube.

You can learn anything on YouTube.

No kidding?

Can YouTube help me find out how much it costs the city

to operate the Oval each year

including the Christmas Carnival?

No, probably not, but it's all public record.

So I can just dig it out tomorrow.

Piece of cake.

‐Thank you. ‐Mm‐hmm, sure.

Okay.

He offered me a job, you know.

Oh, that's nice.

You might need one.

Okay, now can I watch my movie?

Yeah, what's happened so far?

Ugh, I can't even tell you or I'll start to cry.

It's that sad.

So bad.

‐Do you want one? ‐No.

‐Pre‐emptive? ‐No.

Hi, returning?

All right. Have a good one, see you soon.

Hey.

So, with set up and breakdown costs in the Fall and Spring,

the off‐season storage of the boards and the Zamboni,

maintaining the ice, refrigeration, electricity,

your salary and Trevor's it looks like

the Skating Oval costs the city about $135,000 a year.

Wow.

And that doesn't even count the cost of the Christmas Carnival.

Nope.

The cost to decorate the Commons is $25,000.

Well, they have to do that anyway.

True.

Hello?

You there?

‐It's him. ‐Who?

It's Noah.

And he's carrying his skates.

Oh, really?

‐Talk later. ‐Okay, bye.

‐Hi. ‐Hi.

What are you doing here?

Well, I actually haven't skated outside since I was a kid

playing shinny hockey with my friends.

You're kidding, really!?

Yeah.

So you got me intrigued.

How much for a lunch break skate?

Without rentals? $5.00 for an hour.

Okay.

Great.

Would you, um... would you care to join me?

Um... okay, sure.

Great.

I'll see you out there.

Wow, this is great.

I can't believe I haven't done this before.

Isn't it great?

It's wonderful.

So did you think about my offer?

I thought I made it clear

I'm not really looking for a job right now.

Okay. No pressure.

You know, your passion is pretty contagious.

Where does that come from?

I was a pretty competitive skater when I was younger.

I heard.

Massachusetts state champ?

Yeah.

I almost made the US Team,

but then I blew out my knee.

So now I share my love of skating with the kids.

Yeah. How'd you wreck your knee?

Playing soccer.

‐Ooh. ‐Yeah.

My skating coach was really mad.

I rehabbed it like crazy, but as soon as I got back out on the ice,

it just wasn't the same.

It was 90% there, but I lost my trust in it.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I'm a member of the torn ACL club myself.

Is that why you quit playing hockey?

Yeah. Exactly.

I had the surgery,

and my knee just was never the same.

I think it was in my head.

I just, I lost my edge.

Literally and figuratively.

Ha!

Oh, look who's here.

She's really sweet, by the way...

Grace's baby‐sitter.

‐What's her name? ‐Yeah, she is. Margaret.

I couldn't do it without her.

Single parenting is pretty tough.

I can't imagine. What happened to Grace's mom?

We lost her five years ago.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

‐Hi‐ya. ‐Hi.

Hi, sweetheart. How was school?

Good... Hi, Courtney!

Hi Grace, you ready for class?

Yeah!

Why don't you put on your skates?

‐Okay. ‐Get out here.

Would you mind helping her?

Thank you.

She's pretty awesome.

I had no idea the city wanted to close down the Skating Oval.

That's a shame.

I know. Which is why I'm looking for sponsorships

to help underwrite the cost of operating the rink.

They're still going to have the Christmas Carnival, I hope.

I hope, but that's why we need to raise money.

Can I put you down for a pledge?

Of course.

I'd be more than happy to give $100 toward the cause.

$100?

Yes, absolutely. What do I get for that?

An ad in the program?

Uh, a quarter page ad.

Oh, great. That's great.

Well, thank you.

Great, thank you.

You have a nice day, all right?

‐You, too. ‐Bye‐bye.

♪ Just a little miracle is all I need ♪

♪ Won't someone follow my lead ♪

♪ Just a little miracle is all I need ♪

♪ To get by ♪

♪ Because we're hanging out here in outer space ♪

♪ I need someone to hold me a place ♪

♪ All I need is you ♪

♪ On Christmas ♪

♪ Just a little miracle ♪

♪ Will do ♪

Hey!

What do you think?

What was I thinking?

This is futile.

Even if I spent months to prepare,

there is no way I'm going to raise $135,000.

Well, you can't give up so easily.

Yes, I think I can.

How much did you raise?

$250... in pledges.

Ooh. That's not so good.

No! It's terrible.

I need a whole new plan.

We'll figure this out.

Why doesn't the city see the value in the Skating Oval?

I think it's like Mr. Greenwood said,

it's just a budget thing.

C'mon... in the scheme of things this is not a huge line item.

The city must spend lots of money on things

much more frivolous than the Skating Oval.

Yeah.

You know what?

I'm gonna get you a copy of the city's entire operating budget.

Ooh, could you? 'Cause that would be really helpful.

Yeah, sure.

It would give me some really good ammo.

We need to get your boss to fight for us.

‐What's his soft spot? ‐I don't think he has one.

Everyone has a soft spot. Especially at Christmas.

What's his?

I'll find it. I promise.

Well?

Well, I think you're right, it's ambitious.

I know.

Unless we find a true angel, we just don't have time.

See, I think that's the biggest challenge.

Because otherwise the proposal makes sense.

Well, I've already thought about how we could take a whole different tack.

Really?

I was wondering...

Since you seem to know the mayor pretty well,

would you mind talking to him on my behalf?

He needs to hear how much the community loves the Skating Oval

and he's being such a Scrooge.

Yes, I mean, I do know him pretty well.

He can be a grump,

but he's not a bad guy when you get to know him.

What would be the angle?

We appeal to his sense of charity

and giving at Christmastime.

Melt ol' Ebenezer's cold heart.

Yeah, something like that.

You could be my Jacob Marley and forewarn him

of the doom and gloom that will befall the city

if he doesn't keep the Skating Oval open.

Look, honestly, I don't think that's the right approach.

Why not?

Because Calvin looks at my facility

like a shining star in the revitalization of the city.

It's an economic engine

that provides jobs and adds to the tax base.

He's all about the money.

But it shouldn't just be about the money.

No, it shouldn't.

We have to show him how many people

in the city love the Oval!

But How?

I'm thinking a Christmas card campaign.

We spread the word and get as many people as possible

to write him a Christmas card

telling him how much the Skating Oval means to them.

See, now you're talking!

Let's bury his desk in Christmas cards!

Okay, I'll reach out to the community,

and mine will be the first.

I'll tell him how disappointed Grace will be.

Thank you, Noah.

I'm so grateful for your help.

You're welcome.

But now I have a favor to ask of you.

Okay...

Grace and I are going to get our Christmas tree this weekend.

And she specifically asked if you'd like to join us.

Really?

She hasn't really had a strong female presence

in her life so much

and she really likes you.

That's so sweet.

I told her Christmas was a family time,

and maybe you have other plans.

Well, my folks are in California.

They're not coming back this year.

Okay, so, maybe you would like to join us?

Is this Grace asking? Or you?

It's me.

I'd love to.

Oh, wonderful. Thank you, thank you.

Hey, before you leave, we're trying to save the Oval.

So send the mayor a Christmas car,

it could really make a difference.

Thanks, bye.

Oh, hey are you looking to rent skates?

Perfect. Well, until then, let me give you this.

I'm trying to save the Oval,

so send the mayor a Christmas card.

♪ Snow is falling everywhere ♪

♪ The city streets and the public squares ♪

♪ Are white ♪

‐♪ And green tonight ♪ ‐We need all the help we can get.

‐♪ All the trees in the park ♪ ‐Hey, guys.

♪ Love the fire works in the dark ♪

♪ A million stars shining bright ♪

Big smile!

Ho, ho, ho, ho!

‐♪ Everywhere you look ♪ ‐Icicle stare you're giving me, come on.

♪ It's a winter wonderland ♪

♪ So come on baby take my hand ♪

♪ It's Christmas and all the world is right ♪

♪ It's Christmas in the city tonight ♪

If you could talk it up with all your customers,

that would be a huge help.

I'd love to. I'll put it right here,

because the Oval is worth saving.

Yes, it is.

And my wife and I will send a card tonight!

Wow, thank you. That means a lot.

You're welcome, thank you.

♪ It's Christmas in the city tonight ♪

More than usual today.

That time of year I guess.

Just leave it there.

Don't forget, you've got a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce today.

Uh‐huh.

Who's this girl?

Hmmm?

This girl in the photo.

Is this your daughter?

Yep.

She's pretty.

I didn't know you had a daughter.

Okay.

Don't forget your appointment.

‐It's already quarter of. ‐Yep.

♪ A smiling snowman ♪

♪ Or a candy cane ♪

♪ Red nosed Rudolph ♪

♪ Is pulling Santa's sleigh ♪

♪ One is a golden bell ♪

♪ And one is a dove ♪

♪ Inside every Christmas card ♪

♪ Are wishes and love ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ And a happy new year ♪

Hey, Sheila Sugarplum, my undercover elf.

Any scoops?

Yeah, so, he got about 20 Christmas cards today.

‐Not bad. ‐No, not at all.

He was definitely half puzzled, half intrigued.

Well, okay, that's good I guess.

We'll see.

Remember, even if you change his mind,

he still has to convince the City Council.

Okay, well, one step at a time.

And, um, there's a photo of a girl in his office.

I'll send it to you.

She's outside in the picture

and she's got skates over her shoulder.

Really? Who is she?

That could be his soft spot.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

He says it's his daughter.

I know he's divorced because his ex‐wife calls

once in a while and announces the fact

that she's his ex pretty definitively.

Well, that's great.

Let me know if you learn anything more.

Okay, will do.

Thanks, Sheila!

Over and out!

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a happy new year ♪

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ One and all ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Happy new year ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ One and all ♪

Okay, big smile.

Big smile!

Whoa, what an awesome Santaland.

My roommate Beth is working tonight.

I thought Grace might get a kick out of her.

The one who works for the Mayor?

One and the same.

Trevor?

Oh, hey!

Nice outfit. What're you doing?

‐Helping Beth. ‐I can see that.

Just picking up a few shifts here and there.

Don't worry, I'll be there for you.

I'm not worried, I'm just amused.

By the way, that suit is adorable.

Whoa, it's so cool!

Grace, this is my roommate Beth, er...

‐Sheila Sugarplum. ‐Hi, Grace.

You want a photo with Santa?

Sure. I already wrote him a letter, though.

So he knows what I want.

Smart.

And this is her Dad.

Very pleased to make your acquaintance, once again.

Nice to meet you, Sheila.

Courtney, come on, let's get a picture with Santa.

Okay.

Oh, you guys, so cute.

I love it! So good!

One more, perfect.

Thank you, Santa.

Grace, Courtney and I are going to see if we can find a tree.

Do you mind helping Sheila for a minute?

‐Yes. ‐Yes, great.

Okay, so we are going to help our next customers.

But you guys have a Merry Christmas

and, um, stay off the naughty list!

Hi, you ready?

Thank you.

All right, tell Santa what you want.

It's not been until this very moment

I felt like I could actually be in the Christmas spirit.

So you feel it now?

Yeah.

For the first time in a long time.

I feel it, too.

What was your Christmas tradition as a kid?

We had a heavy skating theme for our Christmas tree decorations.

Ours was hockey.

Not surprising.

What do you and Grace do?

Well, besides the giant blow‐up Santa on the front lawn?

You have a giant blow‐up Santa?

Yes, we do. Grace's choice.

How can I say no?

What do the neighbors say about that?

They're good sports.

But I mean asides from that, we're pretty traditional.

Grace likes gingerbread men.

Gingerbread people...

So we make cookie ornaments for the tree.

And we decorate them like her and I,

Oma, Ompa, aunts, and uncles.

And Mom?

Yeah, Mom too.

She's actually the angel on the top of our tree.

Oh, wow.

I'm sorry. That is so touching.

Don't apologize.

It gets me too.

It was Grace's idea.

It was?

Yeah.

How does she handle it? Not having her mom around.

She's a trouper.

I think she mostly remembers the memories I tell her

and the pictures I have.

That's how we keep her alive, in our hearts.

We don't have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable.

No, no.

No, it's good.

Honestly, I, um...

I haven't had anyone

I felt comfortable talking to.

Really?

Yeah, until now.

You guys, I found a perfect tree!

‐Oh, you did? ‐Yeah, come here.

C'mon!

‐♪ Dashing through the snow ♪ ‐You like our blow‐up Santa?

I love it.

♪ In a one horse open sleigh ♪

♪ O'er the fields we go ♪

♪ Laughing all the way ♪

♪ Bells on bob tails ring ♪

♪ Making spirits light ♪

Smells good.

They're gonna be so good.

So good.

So do you save the Christmas ornaments every year?

We tried that one year and a mouse ate them.

What? Must have been one happy mouse!

It was a big mess.

I'll bet!

We'll have to make you this year, Courtney.

Really?

I thought it was just family.

Family and special people.

Aw...

Well then, I'd be honored to be on your tree.

♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la ♪

♪ Tis the season to be jolly ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la ♪

♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪

♪ Fa la la la la la ♪

♪ Troll the ancient yuletide carol ♪

I'll put you right here in the front.

Oh, wow. A place of honor.

You deserve it.

And then I'll put me right next to you.

And Daddy on the other side.

Out of the mouths of babes.

‐What's that mean Daddy? ‐Nothing.

We're going to have a Merry Christmas this year.

I can feel it.

Me too, sweetheart.

Me too.

Oh, and we have Mom.

Our angel.

Our angel.

‐Let me. ‐Okay.

Three, two, one, blastoff!

There you go.

What's this?

Well, you've been getting so many Christmas cards

I thought I would display a few.

A few?

Yeah. There's a bunch more here.

Guess a lot of people just want to wish you

a Merry Christmas this year.

Take these down.

‐But sir... ‐Now!

Well, humbug to you too.

Hey. Here he comes.

Courtney!

Oh, Mr. Greenwood.

You're just the person I was looking to talk to.

Well, then this is fortuitous timing.

What's the meaning of this?

Excuse me, I'm not sure I understand?

I'm being flooded with Christmas cards.

How nice.

And all of them say "I want to save the Oval".

Who have you been talking to?

I may have mentioned to a few people

that the city wants to shut it down.

Oh, that's very nice,

but it won't change the fact that we can't afford

to keep it running.

We'll see.

And what're you doing with all those kids out there this morning?

I already told you the Christmas Carnival is not happening.

I'm still counting on my Christmas miracle, Mr. Mayor.

Mr. Greenwood!

Rena Blackstone from the Telegram & Gazette.

Yes, of course, Rena, hi.

Is it true that you are thinking of pulling

the city's funding for the Skating Oval?

I'm not prepared to talk about the city's budget issues.

Right at the moment, that's a work in progress.

Well, we had a report that you've received

more than 1000 Christmas cards from citizens

who all want to save the Skating Oval.

Do you care to comment?

Well, I can't confirm the number

but we have received quite a lot of Christmas cards.

We do every Christmas.

But were they specifically supporting the Skating Oval?

As a matter of fact some of them are.

I was just discussing that with Ms. Bennett

who as I'm sure you know runs the Oval.

Are those some of the cards there?

This is a PR nightmare.

We're just trying to run the city

in a responsible way and now this!

You gotta admit, it's a pretty clever idea.

I don't care how clever it is.

Bottom line is we can't afford it.

Have you ever skated out there? It's pretty special.

No. And I don't intend to.

I'm not going to let some figure skater make me look bad.

Might be a bit late for that.

Well, that's why I need your help.

We got to save some face here,

we got to throw the Carnival.

Great, happy to help.

I want you to do it at your place.

No, no, wait a minute...

No, it's going to be great.

A huge celebration as part of your grand opening!

You can absorb the cost, right?

Aye, good man. Thank you.

Yeah, he's in there right now...

I'll let you know if I learn anything.

Yeah. Gotta go. Bye.

‐Bye, Noah. ‐Bye, Beth.

That was weird.

You ready, girls?

Yeah.

Has anybody seen Grace?

Well, let's get out there.

Have fun.

‐Hey! ‐Hi. What's this?

I took your advice.

I'm putting together a book.

‐Crying babies with Santa? ‐Mm‐hmm.

Remember my uncle who runs a publishing company?

Yeah, so I told him the idea and he loves it.

Oh my gosh, that's brilliant!

You're gonna sell millions of these.

I hope so!

And I want to donate half the proceeds to the Skating Oval.

Beth, that is ridiculously generous of you,

and absolutely not necessary.

Get your book published first.

We'll figure this out.

Here's one for you.

Oh, it's so cute. Thank you.

Yeah. Oh, so by the way.

I was looking at the city's budget today

and noticed something.

What?

The Skating Oval's funding falls under Parks and Recreation.

That makes sense.

And the Parks and Rec budget is pretty tight.

I can see why they're looking to cut.

Yeah.

But, there is a separate line item for memorials and statues.

Really...

And there's a surplus right now.

Guess we haven't been erecting any war memorials recently.

Huh. Good to know.

Mm‐hmm.

And then there's something else.

It's probably nothing, but

Noah was really cold when he left the Mayor's office today.

Cold?

Yeah, like he barely even acknowledged me.

That's strange.

I know. Like I said, it's probably nothing.

Grace wasn't at class today, either.

Really?

Yeah.

Hmm.

Hi, this is Noah, you know what to do after the beep.

Hi, it's me, Courtney.

Missed you and Grace at class today.

Just wanted to make sure everything is okay...

Okay, bye.

Hey.

Hey, so what's up with the Christmas Carnival?

You tell me.

I just got a call from somebody at Noah's Ice Center

about booking me and Santa there, not at the Oval.

What?!

Hey! Noah!

What the heck is this?

I've been meaning to talk to you about that, Courtney.

How could you?

I thought we were getting kind of close.

I thought maybe I meant something to you.

We were, you do.

Then why would you agree to hold

the Christmas Carnival at your place?

Because the Mayor asked me to.

You betrayed me.

No, Courtney.

Understand, I didn't betray you.

How could I possibly understand that?

You don't know the whole story.

And why is that Noah?

Because I haven't told it to you.

This job and that Skating Oval mean the world to me.

And it breaks my heart to think that kids

like Grace won't have a chance to enjoy it.

Courtney, listen...

‐Goodbye, Noah. ‐Please, Courtney.

Courtney?

Is that you?

Courtney... Hey!

Courtney!

Are you all right?

I'm fine. It's just my knee.

Ooh, um...

Here, let me help you up.

Oof.

Oh, that looks...

Yeah, here, get you arm around me.

‐Thank you. ‐Yeah.

‐How's it feel? ‐Oh! Not good.

Okay. I'll get you to a hospital.

No, no, no, just take me home.

‐Really? ‐Yeah. I'll be fine.

I can't deal with the hospital right now.

Okay.

Oh!

Hey, sunshine!

‐Hi. ‐How'd you sleep?

I'm not sure I did.

You did.

I got you an MRI appointment for later this afternoon.

Whoa. How'd you do that so fast? What time is it?

Well, it's almost noon and it helps

when you call from the Mayor's office.

Noon?

Oh, my goodness. I guess I did sleep.

Yeah. How's the knee feel?

Like a balloon.

Oh, honey. I'll get you some more ice.

Trevor was so sweet to bring me home last night.

Did I hear somebody say my name?

Oh, good morning Trevor.

It's the afternoon.

Right.

Oh.

Oh, you might not want to see that.

I've already read it.

I guess we know why he was ghosting you.

How could he do this?

He knows what this means to me.

My guess is that he didn't have a choice.

Of course he had a choice. You always have a choice.

‐Wait a sec? ‐What?

If Trevor is here, who is at the Oval?

I closed it for the day.

‐What!? ‐You were in no shape to go to work.

What should I have done?

That's exactly what they want! A closed rink.

Where do you think you are going?

To work.

Wait. Take your ice!

Thanks for the lift.

So what exactly did they say?

It was just an MRI technician.

Yeah, and...

We won't know anything until my doctor

‐takes a look at it next week. ‐Ugh. Well, how's it feel?

Like I twisted it. It's going to be fine.

You athletes are so stubbornly stoic.

Your leg could be falling off and you'd be like...

Mm‐mm, put me in coach, I'm fine.

Yeah, so?

So are you sure you want to do this?

What? Go to Noah's house?

No.

But give Grace her present, yes.

Just wait here. I won't be long.

I'm not going anywhere.

‐Got it? ‐Yeah.

Oh, Courtney! Hi!

Hi, Grace. I've missed you at class.

Me, too!

What happened? Are you okay?

Oh, I'm fine, thanks.

Dad! Courtney's here.

Come on in.

I really just stopped by to give you this.

Thanks.

Should I open it now?

No. No, you should wait until Christmas day.

Hey, Courtney. What happened. You okay?

I'm fine.

I just stopped by to give Grace her Christmas present.

We really miss her at class.

Can I go back, Dad?

We're still rehearsing

even though it looks like there won't be

any Christmas Carnival at the Oval.

No Carnival?

No, the city moved it to your Dad's place.

We can't we do the show at the Oval?

I'm afraid not.

Not unless your Dad and I can

get the Mayor to reconsider.

Dad, I'll talk to him.

Unfortunately, it's a little late.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.

Please Dad, let me talk to him.

I want to do the show at the Oval.

I really tried.

I'm sorry.

Merry Christmas, Grace.

Merry Christmas, Courtney.

Hey. How'd it go?

Go.

You okay?

Just go, please.

Who is this girl?

That's the girl from Mayor Greenwood's office.

That's his daughter.

Exactly.

What's the same photo doing in Noah's house?

It is?

Yeah, right in the front hall.

I don't know how I never noticed it before.

‐That's weird. ‐Right?

And wait a second, Grace said she could talk to the Mayor.

She did?

And what does Ompa mean?

Ompa?

Yeah, I remember When I first met Grace

she said that her Ompa worked for the city.

I think it's a pet name for Grandpa.

Do a Google search of images of Noah.

See if anything comes up.

There are a bunch of him playing hockey...

Oh, wait a second. That must be his wife.

He doesn't have any pictures of his wife in their house?

He must, I just didn't look closely.

Figured it was private.

Plus a little awkward.

She looks kind of like the girl in the photo.

Yeah, she does...

Wait a sec.

Oh, my goodness. That's it.

What?

We were right.

What? Show me.

She was the Mayor's daughter.

Which makes Noah...

The mayor's son‐in‐law

and Grace is the Mayor's grand‐daughter.

Oh wow...

It all makes total sense.

It sure does.

She died of Melanoma.

Melanoma? Oh, that's awful.

So what do we do now?

Your daughter, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you.

Melanoma runs in my family, too.

Listen, I appreciate your concern

but what is this all about?

I can't believe I just figured it out...

why you didn't fight harder to save the Oval.

Why you're moving the Christmas Carnival to Noah's place.

I fought as hard as I could.

The bottom line is the bottom line.

We can't afford it.

I saw the same photo at Noah's house.

So, what, are you going to sic your reporter friend

from the Telegram on me again?

Call it rampant nepotism?

No, Mr. Mayor, no.

Losing Sarah was the hardest thing

I've ever had to face in my entire life.

I'm so sorry, Mr. Greenwood.

I really am.

She was an ice skater, wasn't she?

Yes, she was.

I taught her myself up at Comet pond.

Some of my happiest memories are of skating

with Sarah at the pond...

...at Christmas time.

I have an idea I'd like to propose.

And what might that be?

I'd like to name the Skating Oval after Sarah.

I'd like to make it the Sarah Tremblay memorial rink.

The Christmas Carnival could be a fundraiser for Melanoma.

Each year the extra proceeds

could be donated in her name to Melanoma research.

Mr. Mayor, I studied the city budget

and there might be a way to take the rink

off of parks and rec

and fund it with money appropriated

for statues and memorials,

which hasn't been tapped for a few years.

You've done your homework.

Yes, sir.

What do you think?

You'd need a citizen's petition.

I got over a thousand people to send Christmas Cards, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

I'll get the signatures.

But it's too late to change the venue for the carnival.

The vendors are already...

I think Noah can help me there.

I told you, Mr. Mayor, I believe in Christmas miracles.

You're starting to make me believe, too.

But, I can't take your proposal to the city council.

Why not?

Because it's in my daughter's name.

Oh, right, of course. That could be misconstrued.

But you could.

Me?

City council meeting is tomorrow.

I'll put you on the agenda.

Hey.

Hey.

How's the knee?

It's fine.

Nothing's torn, just a sprain.

You are tough, huh?

I spoke to your Father‐in‐law.

You did?

Why didn't you tell me?

Look, I didn't want you to think

I was getting special consideration.

And you didn't?

Look, I didn't come here to get mad at you again

and we don't have much time.

For what?

There's an alternate way to fund the rink.

Look, Courtney, I want to

save the Skating Oval as much as anyone.

Especially now that I know you.

And Calvin does, too, his hands are just tied.

Exactly.

Which is why I'm going before the city council tomorrow

with a proposal.

Really?

You have to be okay with this idea.

And, if it works I'm going to need your help.

Okay...

If we can work together, we can throw

the best Christmas Carnival ever.

Here's my plan...

As I told Mayor Greenwood, I believe in Christmas miracles.

And I believe in the Skating Oval...

its purpose as a gathering place for public recreation,

its goal as the center‐piece

of the downtown revitalization effort,

and its gift to underprivileged children.

To see it close would not only cost me my job,

but it would break my heart.

Which is why

I propose re‐dedicating the Skating Oval

as a memorial in the name of Sarah Tremblay

who tragically lost her life at far too young an age to cancer.

Sarah was a native of our city

who loved the sport of ice skating,

she was a young mother,

and she was the daughter of our beloved Mayor

who has served this city with distinction.

Thank you for considering this proposal.

Well?

That was quite an impassioned plea.

It came from the heart.

I could tell.

Did they vote?

Yes, they did.

You're killing me here, Mr. Mayor.

What did they say?

You have a lot of work to do.

They approved it.

They did?

Yes, they did.

Oh, thank you Mr. Greenwood.

No, thank you. Please... call me Calvin.

This means so much.

♪ It's Christmas Eve and ♪

♪ All your work is done ♪

♪ The gifts are wrapped ♪

♪ The stockings stuffed and hung ♪

♪ Another year has come another year has gone ♪

♪ You'll do it for the kids and all the people you love ♪

♪ What does Christmas mean ♪

♪ Much more than make‐believe ♪

♪ Christmas time means sleigh bells

♪ And reindeer and toys ♪

♪ A story of a king and a star ♪

♪ But the truth of Christmas... ♪

Look!

Hi, Ompa! You're doing great!

Thank you, sweetheart.

I can't believe I haven't ever skated out here before.

This wonderful.

Not bad, Huh?

Especially at Christmastime.

She's a keeper, Noah.

I know.

I want you to be happy.

Sarah will always be with us in our hearts.

But I want you to be happy.

You don't know how much that means to me.

This will be a wonderful way to remember her.

Yeah, it certainly will.

What do you think?

It's adorable!

You look beautiful, sweetheart.

I can't wait for the show tomorrow!

You're going to be so great!

Thank you.

Why are you thanking me?

You're the one that's making Grace's Christmas.

I've never seen her this happy.

She is so excited, and that costume is perfect.

But I wanted to thank you for sharing this all this with me.

It's our pleasure.

I mean, I have a gingerbread person on your tree.

Yeah. It kind of feels like you belong there...

Like you belong here.

Honestly, I do feel like I belong here.

I haven't been this happy in a long time.

I'm glad.

Hey!

Can I have another cup of hot chocolate?

Oh, yeah. Of course you can, honey.

I'll get it! I'll get it.

With marshmallows, please.

‐Got it. ‐Yes, please.

Thanks, Courtney.

Okay Mom, I miss you too.

Give my love to Dad,

and tell him I'll call Christmas morning...

Okay. Love you, too, bye.

Tough being away from home for Christmas isn't it?

Yeah. Christmas is family time.

‐I really miss them. ‐Me, too.

But hey, we're like family, right?

Yeah, we are.

Thank you so much.

I couldn't have done this without you.

Ah, no, it was nothing.

And hey, I got you a little something.

I got you a little something, too, but let's wait.

There's only two days 'til Christmas.

Nah, I want you to see this.

C'mon. Open it.

All right.

Oh my gosh, what?

How did you get it printed so fast!?

My uncle pulled some strings.

It's an advance copy.

Doesn't it look great?

It looks amazing.

Congratulations!

Thanks.

And I'm serious about donating the proceeds to the rink.

Beth, that is too sweet,

but let's wait and see what happens tonight.

Okay.

Three, two, one!

Merry Christmas!

I think I know you from somewhere.

I think it's the nose.

‐Rudolph. ‐Oh, yeah!

Oh my goodness.

♪

Weren't they beautiful?

I know, right?

So many people came together to make this evening possible.

First I'd like to thank

the hundreds of citizens who sent me Christmas Cards.

What an outpouring of support. Thank you.

And to our vendors and sponsors,

a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you.

And to the city council who had the wisdom

to make this...

this magical Skating Oval a memorial...

thank you.

But most of all, I want to thank a woman

whose boundless energy and enthusiasm,

whose tireless work and dedication

and whose...

whose valuable and thoughtful advice

made this whole thing possible...

Courtney Bennett.

Before I ask Courtney to come out here,

I'd want to introduce you to somebody

that most of you probably already know.

Former Toronto Maple Leaf's star

and my son‐in‐law, Noah Tremblay!

Come on out here, Noah.

Noah Tremblay.

Thank you, Calvin.

What a a wonderful tribute for the mayor's daughter...

and my wife, Sarah,

who we tragically lost 5 years ago.

You know, Sarah, she loved the sport of ice skating

and for our family to know that this rink

will forever be known as the Sarah Tremblay Skating Oval

is a tribute and an honor beyond our wildest dreams.

Hey, Grace, you want to come out here?

When I heard that we were going to have this dedication

this Christmas,

I reached out to some of my NHL alumni

and we pieced together a little something.

Honey?

With this $100,000 donation,

I'd like to announce the formation

of the Courtney Bennett Scholarship fund

for the advancement of youth skating in the city.

And if today's show is any indication,

we are off to a great start!

Courtney is single‐handedly responsible

for saving this rink

and has given of her time and her talent

to help the youth of this city for many, many years.

And we hope that with this little kick start,

that she'll be able to do that for many, many more years to come.

Courtney, would you come out here and join us on the ice?

This is truly a Christmas miracle.

Thank you.

No, I should be thanking you.

Merry Christmas, Courtney.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

Wow.

Wow.

I'm going to put it right by my bed.

Thank you, Courtney.

I'm so glad you like it.

Can we roast some marshmallows now?

Of course! That's why we brought them!

Grab a stick.

This is the best Christmas ever.

You know, you're really great with her.

She's such a sweet girl it's not difficult.

This has also been my best Christmas in a long time.

Mine, too.

And it's because of you.

You know, there's something I wanted to do

with you out on that stage yesterday,

that wasn't appropriate in public.

Oh, yeah?

What was that?

This.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Let's do it.

‐Let's do it. ‐Let's do it.

How's the marshmallow?

Good. So good.

‐You want some? ‐Sure.

Really good.

You want a bite, Daddy?

Yes, please.

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