Original subtitles

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED FOR CHRISTMAS

PARA DEUS

HOSPITAL DENVER MERCY

10! Nove!

Oito! Sete!

Seis! Cinco!

Quatro! Tr�s!

Dois! Um!

� isso a�, pessoal!

O 57� "projeto querido Papai Noel"

foi declarado oficialmente encerrado com sucesso!

Parab�ns a cada um de voc�s!

Voc� ajudou o Papai Noel a tornar o Natal

um pouco mais feliz

para muitas crian�as especiais este ano.

Obrigado.

Feliz Natal!

Feliz Natal!

Onde est� o Oliver?

Ele est� fazendo uma entrega de �ltima hora.

� a parte favorita dele todo ano.

A minha tamb�m.

Entreguei duas bonecas "tiny teena" falantes

para g�meas sapateadoras de 10 anos de Telluride

chamadas Tammy e Ruth.

Rita e eu entregamos juntas

um jogo de cozinha para uma garotinha de Park Hill

que quer ser uma chef famosa um dia.

E eu mandei v�rias fornadas de biscoitos de Natal.

S� para ela come�ar logo.

Todos eles?

At� os biscoitos de chocolate

com cobertura de gorgonzola e mostarda?

Sim!

Shane McInerney, certo?

Sim, isso mesmo.

Setor de Cartas Extraviadas?

Jordan Marley.

Prazer em conhecer voc�.

Essa � minha colega, Rita Haywith.

Haywith, com "I."

Ningu�m nunca acerta de primeira.

E voc� � o Norman Dorman.

Sou eu. Voc� � o cara que fez hist�ria esse ano.

Processamos 22% mais listas de Natal gra�as a ele.

� impressionante.

Fui enviado para resolver o problema da correria do Natal,

mas n�o houve problema.

Voc�s v�o ao baile de Natal hoje � noite?

Esse � o plano!

Isto �, se n�o tivermos mais trabalho.

Achei que tivessem acabado.

N�o se for da "Equipe O'Toole".

O famoso Oliver O'Toole.

� verdade que ele comanda

um tipo de for�a-tarefa SCE supersecreta?

Ele n�o diria exatamente "secreta",

mas temos uma extensa...

Licen�a para entregar.

E para Oliver � responsabilidade sagrada.

Ent�o, onde est� esse modelo de virtude postal?

Ele vai nos encontrar na festa.

Isso me lembra. N�o achei minha faixa de cintura.

Est� pendurado no urso, embaixo da minha tiara no SCE.

Tiaras e faixas e ursos...

Rita foi eleita "Miss Entrega Especial"

no ano passado e mantemos a coroa dela

em cima do urso empalhado que est� arejando o smoking de Norman.

O SCE � como uma segunda casa para n�s.

Voc�s fazem tudo juntos?

Ou terei a chance de dan�ar com voc� esta noite?

Ol�, voc�. Eu sou Oliver O'Toole.

Sou do Setor de Cartas Extraviadas do Sistema Postal dos EUA.

Gostei do novo uniforme.

Desculpe. Tenho um evento especial esta noite.

Voc� tem um filho chamado Darrell?

Ele est� com problemas?

N�o, de forma alguma. Ele s� escreveu uma carta

para o Papai Noel e, �s vezes, requerem um "tratamento especial".

Ent�o, o Papai Noel tem duendes trabalhando nos correios?*****

Sim. Alguns s�o volunt�rios, alguns s�o funcion�rios como...

Como voc�?

Darrell!

Eu amo o Natal.

Faz tudo parecer poss�vel,

sabe?

Quando eu era pequeno, costumava passar o Natal

em um lar adotivo diferente a cada ano.

Tinha oito anos quando ganhei uma meia de Natal

que n�o tinha o nome de outra pessoa.

Mas o Papai Noel sempre te encontrou, n�o �?

Sim.

Certo.

Certo!

20.000 crian�as na �rea metropolitana de Denver

tiveram sua f� no Papai Noel restaurada,

ent�o agora � hora de festejar.

Oliver...

Reunindo as tropas, Srta. McInerney?

Olhe s� para voc�.

Achei que �amos te encontrar no baile.

S� uma inspe��o de �ltima hora antes das festividades.

Srta. McInerney, este � seu primeiro Natal conosco.

Talvez voc� n�o conhe�a nossa regra de ouro. Norman?

"Nenhuma carta ao Papai Noel fica sem resposta."

"Presentes e respostas devem ser entregues at� a v�spera."

Rita? Atualiza��o, por favor.

Por hoje, estamos encerrados.

At� agora, mas amanh� tudo pode acontecer.

Sim! � exatamente por isso

que devemos comer, beber e nos divertir esta noite.

Srta. McInerney,

voc� � a �nica pessoa que conhe�o

capaz de combinar o fatalismo com o esp�rito natalino.

N�o � esp�rito natalino, Sr. O'Toole.

� assim que se parece o desespero

depois de processar 20.000 cartas extraviadas em 25 dias.

N�o, eu n�o comemoro mais o Natal,

mas comemoro mesmo sair mais cedo do trabalho

para ir viajar.

Voc� n�o comemora?

Rita! S� temos 15 minutos para chegar ao sal�o.

Norman? O que s�o esses?

Discos de h�quei?

Ca�ram de uma remessa de equipamentos esportivos?

Rita cozinhou de novo.

Tudo bem, rapazes! Nos vemos mais tarde.

E n�o comam todos os meus brownies,

ou v�o estragar o apetite.

Eu prometo!

Certo. Adeus!

O que ir� vestir esta noite?

Eu uso a mesma coisa todos os anos.

� verde, vermelho e dourado

e... verde.

Esse ano n�o.

H� um vestido na vitrine ao lado

que enrolaria a faixa de Norman.

Por que eu iria querer fazer isso?

Rita!

Olha, posso n�o ser f� do Natal,

mas tem suas vantagens...

Como festas de Natal,

b�nus de Natal e...

Visco de Natal.

Quer dizer... beijar o Norman?

Sim! Quis dizer beijar o Norman!

Qual �.

N�o me diga que nunca pensou nisso.

N�o d� para apressar isso, sabe?

Nunca tivemos um encontro de verdade.

Mas � isso que estou dizendo!

Precisa dar o pontap� inicial no relacionamento.

Se conhecem h� quanto tempo?

Tr�s anos, 11 meses e 30 dias.

Est�vamos trabalhando no turno da noite do feriado,

e eu derrubei uma caixa inteira

de cat�logos de cestas de frutas de Natal extraviadas...

Bem, Norman veio me ajudar a peg�-los

e n�o faz ideia, quando nos levantamos juntos...

Nossas cabe�as bateram, e...

Bang.

"Bang"?

Bang.

Ent�o est� dizendo que houve algum contato f�sico?

Sim.

Claro.

Todos os anos, � o mesmo entretenimento.

Mark o m�gico,

que faz desaparecer a Sra. Woollard das cartas certificadas.

E ent�o vem o cara do transporte internacional

que faz imita��es.

� verdade,

nossas tradi��es do Baile de Natal raramente variam.

E agora...

Acrescentaram uma banda.

E as pessoas est�o dan�ando.

E eles est�o

dan�ando um com o outro.

E eu n�o fa�o isso.

Voc� deveria tentar, Norman.

Afinal, � chamado de baile.

Parece apropriado.

Sem contar que tamb�m faz muito bem ao seu...

Cora��o.

Acredito que nossas...

colegas chegaram.

Acho que vejo uma faixa na cintura enrolando.

E se ele me convidar para dan�ar?

E se ela me convidar para dan�ar?

Rita, voc� certamente

ampliou seu guarda-roupa este ano.

Muito... muito festivo.

Onde est� o vermelho, verde e dourado

que voc� sempre usa?

Shane achou que eu deveria diversificar um pouco,

j� que agora eu sou a Miss Entrega Especial.

Excelente conselho. Onde est� a Srta. McInerney?

Ela estava bem aqui.

L� est� ela.

Algu�m gostaria de...

um pouco de ponche?

Ouvi dizer que o ponche est� muito bom este ano.

Vamos pegar um pouco de ponche.

Ouvi dizer que ser� surf-and-turf no jantar.

"Turf." essa � uma palavra t�o engra�ada!

Turf? "Turf."

Turf-turf!

"Turf."

Uma antiga palavra inglesa derivada do antigo sax�o,

de ou pertencente a uma �rea considerada territ�rio de outro.

Como algu�m pode n�o gostar do Natal?

Natal � para crian�as.

E as pessoas que querem se sentir crian�as de novo

por um tempo...

Tudo esperan�oso e m�gico... Paz na terra.

Sabe,

tem uma fonte de champanhe ali,

se precisar de algo mais forte.

Nunca se consome �lcool quando se dan�a rumba.

Mas voc� n�o est� dan�ando.

Ainda n�o.

Ningu�m desiste do Natal,

mas, �s vezes, ele � tirado deles,

e s� precisam de uma ajudinha para recuper�-lo.

Que seja. N�o � nada demais.

Que pena.

De onde eu venho, o Natal � muito importante.

E onde fica isso?

Posso interromper?

Oliver.

Jordan, este � meu chefe, Oliver O'Toole.

Jordan Marley. Muito prazer.

Como vai?

Por favor, dancem.

Ele � o cara que eles trouxeram

para solucionar o projeto do querido Papai Noel.

Voc� me surpreende.

O qu�? Qual o problema?

Voc� estava dan�ando a dan�a.

"A danca?" Do que est� falando?

Se lembra, Srta. McInerney,

no ver�o passado, ganhei aulas de dan�a

e, temporariamente, exigiam um parceiro,

eu as compartilhei com voc�,

ent�o, tecnicamente, voc� est� usando meus passos

para dan�ar com algu�m

que n�o ganhou o direito de dan�ar...

com os passos.

Bem, isso faz todo o sentido do mundo.

Ensinar a uma pessoa os passos

aprendidos sob ausp�cios de outra,

equivale a roubo.

S� ensinei alguns passos para o cara.

N�o estava vendendo segredos de Estado.

Mergulhe.

Eu amo essa parte com a fruta!

Norman.

Voc� vai dan�ar hoje � noite?

Sim, estive pensando nisso...

�timo!

N�o acho que seja uma boa ideia.

Vou voltar ao buf�.

Mais algu�m gostaria de mais... turf?

N�o. Obrigado, Rita.

Norman, n�o acha que deveria...

N�o.

N�o, n�o, n�o!

Meu colar. Sumiu!

Se estiver aqui, vamos encontr�-lo.

I can't believe this!

Did you lose something?

Yes.

Ms. Mcinerney misplaced her necklace.

It's a small gold disk

with a purple crystal bead.

Yeah.

When did you last see it?

I wear it all the time. It means the world to me.

I'll check the dance floor.

I'm sure we'll find it, Ms. Mcinerney.

Norman, will you and Rita please check the buffet?

I believe

we need to search in small concentric circles.

I have to find it. I can't replace it.

I know.

That was the last gift my parents gave me before...

Found it!

Thank goodness!

"To c. With love. Mom and dad."

To "c"? Not "s"?

It was the family joke.

When we still were a family.

Thank you.

Did you find it?

Jordan did!

Would you like to join us?

I'd love to.

You know, Oliver was saying

something really interesting

about the word, um, "turf."

What was that again?

Just that it's an old English word

derived from the early Saxon.

That's right.

But, oddly enough,

the word "turf" can be traced to the Latin

through a corresponding translation

of old frisian and norse.

Not to mention

the parallel translation from the high German "surf,"

also deriving from...

-Indo-European... -Sanskrit.

Wow.

Two word-nerds sitting at the same table

at the postal ball.

It's a Christmas miracle.

Thought you didn't believe in Christmas miracles,

Ms. Mcinerney?

Or Valentine's day miracles, labor day miracles...

Guess you could say I'm just your basic bah-humbug.

Well, that's a shame.

I was told that if anyone could pull off a Christmas miracle,

it would be you

and Oliver O'Toole's dead letter team.

We actually call ourselves "the postables."

I do, anyways.

Was there something that you needed us to do?

Another letter entered the system tonight

as I was leaving.

It was mailed this morning from a young girl in Wyoming.

Last-minute letter to Santa claus?

No.

This one is a letter to god.

Five "dark of night" awards?

Yes. One of them was my grandfather's,

the other four we earned

on an particularly difficult assignment.

Happy ending, I assume.

Very happy.

Would it bother anyone if I took my cummerbund off?

Make yourself comfortable, Norman.

We may be here awhile.

A Christmas Carol by Charles dickens.

Nice leather-bound edition, too.

Haven't read it since high school.

Every year, I promise myself I'll read it again,

but I never do.

Looks like I'll have time this Christmas.

Anybody hungry?

What's this? Did you make these?

Maybe Oliver should take a look at that letter now.

According to the letter, she is from Wyoming,

but it was postmarked here in Denver.

Entered the system this morning.

Now, technically,

it doesn't qualify for the "dear Santa" program, but...

But it still deserves an answer.

She didn't leave much to go on.

Well, Oliver O'Toole can deliver a letter to anybody, anywhere.

Atypical envelope, not business size.

Double-weight linen, color is ecru.

The paper inside, I'm guessing,

is three-hole, wide-rule school-grade.

Norman?

Handwriting confirms the writer is a young female,

approximately eight.

Instrument used is crayon.

That's not your typical Christmas stamp.

Yeah, it comes from

an industrial-sized stamp roll,

like a bank or a large company

might use.

Or hospitals and clinics?

This is a stamp honoring American nurses.

I think you're right.

You'll see when you read it.

There's a drawing in this one.

Very nice use of color.

"Dear god, my mommy is really sick.

"The doctor doesn't know what's wrong,

"so we have to drive to Denver, Colorado,

"and take her to a big hospital.

"Daddy says there's a hotel next door

"with a swimming pool inside.

"But he says if mommy doesn't get well,

"we won't be home for Christmas.

"Please make my mommy get well

"so she can see me be a Shepherd.

"I promised her I'd be one,

"and I can't break my promise to my mommy.

"Love, Hannah from Wyoming.

"P.s. Merry Christmas,

and say happy birthday to Jesus."

My goodness.

Postmark is today, from Denver.

Mr. Marley, I believe you're right.

This was mailed from a local hospital.

"Please make my mommy get well

so she can see me be a Shepherd."

I bet she was gonna be in a Christmas pageant

in Wyoming.

There are a lot of sheep in Wyoming.

I hope her mom is okay.

See? This is my problem with Christmas miracles.

Little kids ask for them

and we can't make them happen.

Hannah's not asking us

to perform a miracle, she's asking god to.

Well, then maybe we should let god

answer the letter.

Well, I believe he did, by entrusting the letter to us.

And we are probably the only people

in the United States postal system

that could help find Hannah.

And...

What about when we do?

What difference will it make?

Well, perhaps

if we identify the hospital,

we can go there and find out.

That will take all night.

Rita has a bus to catch in the morning.

That's okay.

Buses leave to Albuquerque all the time.

I can take a later one. My folks would understand.

Where are you going for Christmas?

I'm not going "for Christmas,"

I'm just going to a spa in Arizona,

to be warm for five days.

Ms. Mcinerney, I believe we have plenty of help

if you feel you need to leave.

Right. Like I'm gonna let any of you touch my computer.

I'll run a check on hospital admissions

for women from Wyoming in the last 24 hours.

Okay, and I will check

all hotels with indoor swimming pools

next to a hospital.

And I will start...

Calling ambulance companies in Wyoming.

I will pick up a new phone.

What can I do to help?

Do you have an indoor swimming pool?

Oliver.

How are you coming?

Well, I...

I accessed the admissions records

of three out of the four major Denver hospitals,

but there's no record of a woman being brought in from Wyoming.

What about Denver mercy?

I don't know.

I can't get into their system.

I have tried everything,

but they have a firewall like I've never seen.

Maybe it's a sign.

That we should give up?

I thought you knew me better than that.

Then again, I thought I knew you better than...

Do que?

S� dizendo.

S� estou um pouco surpreso.

Voc� tem trabalhado sem reclamar

por seis semanas, dia e noite,

respondendo milhares de cartas de crian�as

para o Papai Noel,

ent�o por que est� perturbada com uma carta para Deus?

Porque sim.

Quando uma carta para Papai Noel � respondida,

� embalada com algo real...

Uma boneca, uma bicicleta,

um cachorrinho.

Mas com Deus,

quem sabe qual � a resposta?

N�o h� nada para ser embalado,

nada para segurar,

nada para ver.

Assumindo que que ele se incomode em respond�-lo.

Ol�! Sim, estou ligando

do Setor de Cartas Extraviadas, sobre uma carta de uma garotinha.

Sim, claro, eu espero.

�timo, muito obrigado.

Feliz Natal.

Acho que temos algo!

Uma transfer�ncia hospitalar do Colorado n�o deu um nome,

mas fizeram a transfer�ncia de uma paciente

De Denver Mercy para Silver Bow, Wyoming,

nas �ltimas 24 horas.

�timo! Muito obrigada!

A pousada Cherry Creek

tem uma piscina

e fica perto do hospital Denver Mercy.

Acho que temos nosso pr�ximo passo.

-Vou pegar meu casaco! -Pegarei meus equipamentos.

Dando uma chance a Deus, sra.Mcinerney?

Estou dando-lhe suporte t�cnico, sr. O' Toole.

Se voc� n�o est� na lista de visitantes,

n�o lhe deixar�o subir.

Sem exce��o.

Pode ser dif�cil.

N�s n�o estamos na lista de visita de ningu�m.

Podemos estar na lista de bem vestidos.

Sr.Marley, voc� � bom em resolver problemas?

N�o � um t�tulo oficial.

Norman, voc� tem algo a� que brilhe, ou que ilumine?

Est� brincando comigo? � Natal.

Essa belezinha est� cheia.

Desculpe-me, srta.Hodges?

Nome e quarto que est� visitando, por favor.

N�o estou visitando.

Procuro os cantores de Natal.

Que cantores de Natal?

A� est� voc�, Mr.Marley.

A� est�o eles!

Estamos aqui! Estamos aqui!

Desculpe-nos o atraso.

N�s...

nos deparamos com muitas luzes.

Ele est� bem?

Ele ama m�sica.

H� uma mo�a aqui de Wyoming?

Ela tem uma garotinha?

N�o nesse andar,

mas outras pacientes do hospital

est� tendo beb�s.

Talvez ela esteja na maternidade.

Am�m!

� tudo o que eu precisava.

Meu Deus. Voc� �...

O cara do correio!

Olhe para voc�! Voc� est� reluzente.

Na verdade, estamos tentando

entregar nossa �ltima carta de Natal.

H� uma garotinha aqui, Hannah, de Wyoming.

Achamos que a m�e foi admitida hoje.

Elas est�o aqui.

A ambul�ncia as trouxe na �ltima noite.

Aquela coisinha fofa me pediu um selo.

Um selo comemorativo?

Assim que a carta chegou at� n�s.

Coitadinha, escrevendo para Papai Noel, pedindo ajuda, aposto.

Na verdade, uma carta para Deus.

Bom, ent�o ela teve sua resposta.

O que quer dizer?

Ele mandou todos voc�s, n�o foi?

Oi mam�e.

Sr. Casey?

Tem umas pessoas. Acho que voc� deveria conhecer.

Acabamos de enviar isso ontem � noite.

Bem, cartas como esta tendem a ser agilizados,

especialmente perto do Natal.

Se importa se perguntamos algo � sua filha?

� apenas uma formalidade.

N�o.

Claro.

Ol�, Hanna. Meu nome � Rita.

Eu trabalho nos correios.

Eu s� queria ter certeza

que voc� � o �nica que enviou esta carta.

Sim.

Voc� tem uma coruja na bolsa.

Sim.

Isso � porque eu amo corujas. Voc� quer ver?

Sim.

Vamos.

Sr. Casey, n�s sentimos muito em ouvir

que sua esposa estava doente.

Achamos que era gripe,

e ent�o ela acabou de cada vez pior,

e ningu�m conseguia descobrir.

Nosso m�dico finalmente disse

� melhor trazer Amy aqui

para hospital de cidade grande.

Voc� se importa se eu perguntar sobre o beb�?

� um menino.

Ele n�o � devido por um m�s.

N�o querem entregar antes se eles n�o precisarem,

porque eles...

Sr. Casey, voc� tem alguma fam�lia aqui em Denver?

Trabalho para uma empresa mineral no Texas

e foi transferido para Wyoming m�s passado.

Primeira coisa que fizemos foi procurar uma igreja.

� uma boa maneira de conhecer pessoas.

Encontramos uma com um desfile de natal

na v�spera de Natal...

E Hannah iria ser o pastor.

Isso � tudo que ela sempre quis para o natal.

Bem, deve haver um desfile nas proximidades

que ficaria feliz em inclu�-la.

Eu posso procurar um.

Obrigada,

mas do jeito que as coisas v�o,

provavelmente, dever�amos ficar perto.

Eu quero ter certeza

que Hannah passe o m�ximo tempo

poss�vel com a m�e.

No caso de.

Claro.

Deve haver uma maneira

para fazer as duas coisas.

Uma vez que uma crian�a perde a esperan�a no Natal,

� dif�cil recuper�-la.

E se...

E se trouxermos o concurso de Natal para Hannah?

Ent�o a coruja voou bem sobre minha cabe�a

e disse: "quem? Quem?"

E eu disse "eu! Esse quem!"

E todas crian�as na escola

ficaram chocadas,

porque eu sempre fui muito quieta na escola,

mas l� estava eu conversando com uma coruja,

e ela estava falando comigo.

E ent�o meu professor disse

que, as corujas s�o t�o s�bias,

que s� falam

com pessoas interessantes que usam �culos.

Voc� fez dela animal de estima��o?

N�o n�o.

Ela precisava voar para longe e continuar sendo uma coruja.

E nunca mais vi outra coruja.

Isso � ruim.

Sim.

Sim.

Mas...

� por isso que eu sempre carrego algo para me lembrar

que mesmo que voc� n�o saiba,

h� sempre algu�m l� fora voando por a�

que pensa que voc� � especial.

Onde vamos conseguir gado e camelos

na v�spera de Natal?

N�o precisamos de camelos.

Precisamos do b�sico.

Voc� sabe, Maria, Jos�,

anjos, s�bios, etc.

Posso ser Jos�?

Sempre quis ser Jos�.

Sugiro ir para casa dormir.

Nos vemos de manha na grade,

e planejamos.

Que tal 11:00?

Achei que tivesse um voo �s 12.

O que aconteceu com "ah, farsa"? *

Bem...

Hannah escreveu para Deus

e sei quem n�o vai responder,

ent�o, depende de n�s.

Rita, quando sai o �ltimo avi�o

para Tucson na v�spera de Natal?

Arizona Airways,

saindo �s 9:55, com conex�o em Phoenix,

que chega �s 2AM.

Rita tem mem�ria fotogr�fica.

Oliver, se for voltar para o otorrino depois daqui.

h� algo que gostaria de discutir com voc�.

Em particular.

N�o tenho um desses em d�cadas.

Eu...

encontrei um certo conforto nas coisas do passado.

Coisas de qualidade.

Algo a ser dito sobre isso.

Quanto tempo ficou casado?

O casamento foi h� tr�s anos.

Estar casado � outra hist�ria.

Sempre �.

Est�vamos visitando

o museu postal nacional em Washington.

Ela sabia o quanto significava para mim...

Ent�o, ela me deixar ali, tinha

um certo...

planejamento.

Onde ela est� agora?

Paris.

Escrevi para ela um tempo atr�s...

Nunca recebi resposta.

Nada?

Parece que tem sua resposta.

Acho que sim.

Aquele primeiro

Natal foi dif�cil.

Mas este segundo Natal

torna tudo

real.

Ent�o, � s� voc� e Charles Dickens

no Natal deste ano?

Ao fantasma do Natal passado.

Falando nisso,

isso me lembra do que queria falar com voc�.

H� muito tempo que carrego esta carta.

� outra carta para Deus.

"Querido Deus,

sinto falta do meu pai.

Por favor, fa�a-o querer...

voltar para casa.

S� quero ter uma fam�lia feliz novamente."

Essas s�o as dif�ceis.

Mas anexei a resposta.

Acho que voc� deve entreg�-la.

H� um sete e um zero no endere�o do remetente,

e as �ltimas letras do nome da rua s�o

"O, M, A Place."

Talvez o computador da Sra. Mcinerney possa procurar...

N�o. N�o h� problema.

Certo, vejamos.

H� duas ruas na �rea de Arvada

com n�meros superiores a 7 mil

com as �ltimas letras "O, M, A..."

Tacoma e Acoma.

Mas um deles � um distrito comercial,

ent�o, deve ser Tacoma,

e Tacoma Place � um beco sem sa�da.

Ent�o provavelmente ter� apenas cerca

de 10 casas para tentar.

Viu? N�o foi t�o dif�cil.

A parte mais dif�cil ser� tocar a campainha

certa e ver a cara daquele menino ou menina

quando abrem a porta e percebem que sou s� eu.

Quer que vamos com voc�?

N�o. N�o. Posso, posso cuidar daqui.

Al�m disso, voc� tem um desfile de Natal para...

Norman, o que voc� fez com o fermento?

Bem, olhe.

Essa � a minha pose "�, venham todos voc�s fi�is".

E isto...

� meu...

"Longe,

em uma manjedoura."

Mostre sua "alegria para o mundo".

Isso � �timo!

Certo, o que, o que posso fazer?

Certo, ent�o Mary est� aqui, segurando o beb�,

bem, isso,

and I am here.

Manger'll be in the middle. Oliver...

You'll narrate from stable right.

The wise men are there,

the Shepherd is over there,

and Shane,

you will be over here

above the stable.

I'm sorry, I'm what?

You're the angel.

No. No.

No!

I'm-I'm helping Jordan design set.

I'm no angel.

A provocative thought,

Ms. Mcinerney, but we must all do our part.

What about him?

Sorry. Have big plans for Christmas Eve.

Then it falls on you to be

our heavenly messenger, Ms. Mcinerney,

unless, of course, you feel you may be

better suited to the role of...

The virgin Mary?

Okay. I'm an angel.

No halos!

Okay, so Norman and I will work on props and costumes,

and Jordan, you can help Shane build the stable.

Here are your scripts.

A pageant of Christmas,

by Oliver O'Toole?

It's the best I could do on short notice.

Okay, now all we need to do is,

everyone needs to learn their lines.

And Shane, you can rehearse with Hannah.

But she likes you and your-your owls.

Yeah, but it's just that Norman and I still have to find

stars, gold, frankincense, myrrh...

Okay.

It's 11:53 now.

We all meet back at the d.L.O. At 4:00.

Synchronize your watches for "operation: Bethlehem."

Um, um... here!

I have a last Christmas letter to deliver,

but I should be able to make it back in time.

No rest for the postal?

Alright, everyone... Let's deck the halls.

He is so good at this.

So I will be seeing you

and Ms. Mcinerney later, then?

I hope so.

I notice that you call Rita "Rita,"

but you call Shane "Ms. Mcinerney?"

Yes, well...

It started as an office formality,

but, it just continued.

Don't know exactly why I do that.

I think you do.

She's a very special lady.

Yes, she is.

Well, it's almost noon.

I have one last letter to deliver.

That's right.

No leftovers on Christmas Eve.

Jordan, are you coming?

What?

Merry Christmas.

And, well, since it is Christmas,

I am going to give you a choice.

You can either do the right thing...

Or you can try and get by me.

Ma'am, may I help you?

Thank you.

I'm looking for some sort of post office restaurant?

The mailbox grille. Yes, you've passed it.

It's just back there.

Oliver O'Toole?

-Is that you? -Yes.

For heaven's sakes.

It's me, your old Sunday school teacher.

Mrs. Genzinger?

My goodness!

Oliver, dear, you've grown!

Well, I got lost,

and they're gonna be here any minute,

and I have to arrange the table centerpiece.

"Reserved for St. Clarissa's auxiliary."

Well, we always have our Christmas party

every year at the church,

but this year,

Betty Jensen insisted on being fancy.

She insisted on helping with the decorations, too,

but where is she now?

I don't know.

Well, she's dead, actually.

Keeled over at Thanksgiving,

and we couldn't get the deposit back,

so here we are.

I have a few minutes.

I can help you, if you like?

God love you, Oliver.

You always were such a good little helper.

Help me off with my coat,

and we'll just get started with all this.

Okay. Sandals, sheets, scarves...

We can find all that

in unclaimed fabrics and materials.

Great!

We can get hay from the feed store.

I have an old pencil box that I can make into "gold."

Now all we need is frankincense and myrrh.

Wait. What's myrrh?

Wait! What's frankincense?

Found it.

Coffee, anyone?

Sure.

Well, I've called every church in town

and everybody's using

their own stables and mangers for their own pageants.

Well, we'll just have to improvise, then.

Oliver would know what to do.

I cannot believe

that he is off delivering another letter.

Well, it's not "just another letter."

The child that wrote it

wants their dad to come home for Christmas.

And somebody actually tried to answer a letter like that?

You sound angry.

Well, of course I am! Because I know how...

My...

Father left us

the Sunday night before Christmas.

My mom never saw it coming.

I remember sitting under the Christmas tree...

And looking at all the presents with his name on them

and realizing that...

They were never going to be opened.

So that's where the joy went?

Right out the door with my dad.

What is it about you?

How do you get me to talk about this stuff?

I didn't.

I think you were just...

Ready.

I've got to get to the hospital.

Are those what I think those are?

No.

Now stick the candle into the styrofoam,

like so, yeah,

and then we'll put some berries in there.

Very nice, Oliver!

You were always so good at following directions.

Thank you.

You were the cutest thing in Sunday school.

I remember how you loved being the narrator

for the Christmas pageant every year.

Well, some things never change.

But one year,

you were out of town at Christmas, weren't you?

When you were about six or seven?

Eight.

You went to Portland.

Seattle. An island nearby, actually.

And you were very upset about something.

I was afraid

that there would be no Christmas trees

in Washington.

But, you came back, all bubbly and happy,

in January,

and announced to the class

that not only were there Christmas trees,

but there were angels, too.

We'd gone up to say goodbye to my grandfather.

It was going to be his last Christmas.

On, Christmas Eve,

everyone started crying,

and I was so scared,

I just ran out of the cottage

and down to the beach,

and there was a very nice man there,

decorating a little twisted...

Evergreen growing out of a rock, somehow,

right there by the shore.

He saw I was crying...

So he let me help him decorate the tree.

We decorated it with leaves and shells,

anything we could find.

I remember thinking

what a beautiful little twisted tree that was.

And you thought he was an angel.

He certainly seemed like one that day.

Of course, anything seems miraculous when you're eight.

A Christmas tree growing out of a rock...

That sounds miraculous to me,

and I'm 78.

Funny. I think about that tree from time to time.

Just out there...

Alone in the wind.

Holding on to that rock, just...

Trying to survive.

Or maybe the rock was holding on to it.

Hey, Oliver.

What're you doing here?

Well, I got a bit of a late start.

Has there been

a sea change in the story of Christmas?

No, um, we just realized

we were a little short on wise men.

So we thought it was prudent

to have a backup wise... thing.

Guess what his name is?

Wouldn't know where to begin, Norman.

Well, there's, melchior, caspar...

Yes.

This is "bearthazar."

I didn't see that coming.

So how are things with the pageant?

Jordan is working on the stable,

and, Shane is rehearsing with Hannah.

You know what? I might even have time

to whip up another batch of cookies for refreshments!

Yay...

So everything's under control?

A-Ab-absolutely.

Carry on, I guess.

See you at 4:00!

Now, when it's your turn,

I will nod, and you will say...

I can't remember.

That's okay.

"Come, let us go unto Bethlehem."

Come! Let us go unto Bethlehem.

"And see that of which the angel has told us."

And see which of the angel...

What?

You just say it your way.

Let's go see the baby!

That's great.

And then you will walk down the aisle

and you'll stand next to Mary and Joseph.

That's when you look down and you see the baby,

and then you kneel.

Like this?

Just like that.

Look, mommy. I'm a Shepherd.

And then,

then they'll sing, and you can sing, too,

but you stay down on the groun...

Hannah, sweetheart, why don't you go outside with Shane?

Mommy! What's happening?

Code blue. Maternity.

-Mommy! -Code blue.

Merry Christmas.

-Excuse me. -Yes?

I know you.

I'm sorry. Have we met?

You delivered a letter to my house last month.

Mr. Shanahan!

Yes, I remember that letter.

Yeah, from my girlfriend.

Got lost in the mail, and you found it, like,

six months later, and...

Well, that's very good.

Well, not so good.

By the time her letter showed up,

I'd gotten married to somebody else,

and my wife was not so happy.

Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

Or congratulations?

Hey, forget about it!

If it would've come any earlier,

I could be married to the wrong woman right now.

-Yes! -So, thanks.

You're quite welcome.

Hey, could you do me a favor?

Actually, I was just on my way to...

It'll just take a second.

I gotta stand here for another couple hours,

and the store that has

the earrings she wants for Christmas

closes in a few minutes.

Could you just...

Um, the thing is, I really...

It would really mean the world to her.

Of course. Happy to help.

Thank you. Merry Christmas.

Thank you so much.

; Dr. Nichols, oncology.

Dr. Nichols, report to oncology.

Can I sit on your lap?

Sure.

You have very pretty hair.

So do you.

I like your necklace.

Thank you.

It's my favorite thing in the whole world.

What's your favorite thing?

My mommy and daddy.

Hello?

Hello?

Ms. Mcinerney,

I'm in the d.L.O.

Oliver, they've taken Amy to surgery.

She's losing the baby,

and they're losing her.

Oliver, please, just...

Just come.

I'm on my way.

It's called h.E.L.L.P. Syndrome.

Something about elevated livers

and low platelets,

and they didn't catch it at first,

because her blood pressure should've been up, too,

but it wasn't.

So they are trying to stabilize her

and then they'll deliver the baby.

It's the only way to save them now.

Even then, there's no guarantee that both of them will make it.

Mr. Casey...

I am so sorry.

Perhaps it's best

if we postpone the pageant until...

No.

It's more important than ever now.

Hannah's gonna need something happy

to remember about today.

Then we will make it unforgettable.

Any news?

Still in surgery.

Funny, isn't it?

You never know what the day will bring.

"Funny?"

I had to do something that really mattered today,

and I couldn't get a block past the mailbox grille.

You know the legend of the fourth wise man?

No.

Well, the story goes

there were originally four, not three,

wise men from the east,

but the fourth guy got a late start

because he stopped to help a lost traveler

on the road to Bethlehem.

And, when he got there,

Mary and Joseph had taken the baby to Egypt

to flee king herod.

So the fourth wise man headed for Egypt,

but he stopped to help another man on the road

and didn't get there

until the family had left for nazareth.

Seemed he was always one step behind

this Messiah he was trying to meet

because he kept stopping to help someone else.

Did he ever catch up?

In Jerusalem.

At the cross.

Only to realize that he had already met the master

in the faces of all the people

that he had helped along the way.

"If you have done it for the least of these..."

"You have done it for me."

You'll deliver it when it's time.

But not before Christmas Eve.

You are so kind to everyone else, Oliver,

but you are awfully hard on yourself.

So, you've had a tough Christmas this year,

but you're not gonna get through it

by delivering every letter in the bin before midnight.

That letter will get where it needs to go.

And in the meantime,

stop and smell the poinsettias,

why don't you?

Poinsettias have no fragrance.

But...

Please, go on.

You may feel alone again this year, Oliver,

but you know you're not.

You never are,

no matter what you've lost.

Christmas is

an opportunity to remember

that love came down to find you right here,

where you are,

with or without a perfect delivery record,

or a perfect marriage,

and it happens year after year.

In a hospital lobby,

or a post office,

in the woods, or on a mountaintop...

Or on a rock by a tree at the beach.

You're not from the post office.

I never said I was.

Pageant starts in 15 minutes,

we've only got two wise people

and Shane still won't wear her halo.

Christmas is a gift, Oliver,

but it's your choice to accept it.

But I have to go now.

They're expecting me home for Christmas.

You take good care of that little letter-writer.

Okay, now just remember what we practiced.

I think I'm scared.

Why, sweetheart?

We're gonna have such a good time.

I've never been in a show without mommy before.

Hannah...

I know how hard it is

to do something all by yourself for the first time,

but you're not alone.

Maybe your mommy

won't be out there in the audience today, but...

I promise you,

she'll be right where you need her to be.

Right... here.

Right where she always is.

Okay!

I found a Shepherd's crook!

I borrowed it from the rehab center.

It's perfect!

It is, isn't it?

Now, where's the sheep?

Um...

Sorry!

Ooh...

Where you going, angel?

Nowhere. I have a favor to ask you.

I need to borrow your sheepskin for about an hour.

Look, if you wanna buy it, you can buy it,

but I can't wait around for an hour,

waiting to get it back when I could be out on a fare.

How much?

50 bucks.

Aww! Come on!

236, you out there for a d.I.A. Run from u-hills?

Now, that's a $60 fare. Price just went up.

236?

Okay. I'll get my purse.

Hey, no, no, no. No. I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, it's now or never. I gotta go.

Okay, okay.

How about a trade?

Ms. Mcinerney.

We were worried about you.

I just had a last-minute wardrobe challenge.

Yes. Well, you... you look very...

Celestial.

But, um...

Did you lose your necklace again?

No. No, I know exactly where it is,

and I have about five minutes to get a sheep...

What's that?

This is the letter I tried to deliver today.

You didn't?

But you... you always do.

Yes. Well...

Not this time.

What's most important right now is that,

somewhere out there tonight,

there is a fatherless child waiting for an answer to this,

who's thinking that maybe god doesn't care

or that maybe god doesn't exist at all.

But...

I have the answer right here in my hand.

I just...

Ran out of time.

I'm sorry, Oliver.

It just breaks my heart.

What happens to the spirit of a child

who's been hurt like that?

Well, I'll tell you.

She cries for... about six months.

And then, after about a year,

she stops looking out the window every time a car pulls up.

Then her heart kind of freezes,

and if she's not careful...

She turns into kind of a scrooge

and rejects god and Christmas and...

Goes around

saying "bah, humbug"?

Yeah.

Ms. Mcinerney,

when you were a little girl,

where did you live?

Alexandria, Virginia. Why?

And your address?

707 terracoma place. Look...

I have a sheep that I have to...

And the inscription on your necklace.

It reads, "to c. With love, mom & dad."

It doesn't say "to s."

Yes, because my folks always called me "crackers"

because I loved to eat saltines.

What is this about?

I-I've got to get...

"Dear god..."

"I miss my daddy.

Please make him want to come..."

"Back home.

I just..."

"I just want to have a happy family again."

"Love, crackers."

Where did you get that?

It was lost in the mail for years, apparently.

Jordan has been trying to deliver it for awhile.

This is some kind of joke.

No.

I think this is some kind of miracle.

Don't.

That's why you don't celebrate Christmas anymore, isn't it?

You wrote a letter to god...

And you never got an answer.

An answer?

And you think that if it hadn't been lost in the mail,

that I would've gotten a letter back from heaven,

explaining why my family had been ripped apart,

and making everything okay?

Do you think any letter

you would've received from anyone back then

could have made everything okay?

Ms. Mcinerney...

The answer in here has found you.

And maybe

now you're ready to read it.

Maybe I'm the one who was supposed to deliver it.

To make sure you do.

It's too late.

I should've written to Santa and asked for a puppy.

No, no, no, no, wait.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

Forget it.

Shane!

What did you just call me?

Made you stop, didn't it?

Listen to me.

We have all lost something or someone

that we love in this world.

And someone else's happy Christmas...

Can make it hurt all over again

if we don't let Christmas do what it was meant to do.

You asked god for a happy family?

You have one! Embrace it.

You have a sweet friend for a sister,

who loves owls

and-and makes the worst cookies this side of heaven.

And you have a dear, shy little guy for a brother,

who thinks this world is amazing

and would walk across hot coals

to find something new and beautiful in it,

if you asked him to do it.

And then there's me...

This odd fellow who loves words and books

and things from the past,

and has spent his life

trying to find a future

with someone in it to share it with.

I haven't been very successful at that yet.

I'm not perfect,

but through it all,

I have learned

how to hold firm in a storm,

not by holding on to whatever I can find

for as long as I can,

but by trusting

that the one thing that matters in this world

will never let go of me.

And, Shane...

That's what perfect love is.

Perfect love casts out all that pain,

all that fear,

and replaces it with hope.

And hope is what you were asking for in that letter.

And every Christmas since,

hope is what you have been given.

Don't you see it?

It's right here for you.

Think you're...

Ready to be an angel now?

I have to wear that stupid halo now, I guess.

Do you want to read the letter?

Toss it.

I already got my answer.

Fresh cookies! Right from the oven.

Good.

With cheese and...

Spinach.

Norman?

Norman, there's something I want you to do.

Maybe after another cookie?

Over here.

Wait! Norman.

I-I want you to, um...

I want you to tell me the truth.

You don't really like my cookies, do you?

Well, um...

Not the eating part.

Thank you.

Thank you for... For just being honest with me.

I would rather you never ate another cookie again

than felt you had to lie to me.

Ever!

Good.

I was running out of ways not to lie.

Well, I feel better. Don't you?

Yeah.

Well, I guess we should get ready.

-Yeah. -Okay.

I couldn't find any frankincense,

but the gift shop had some very nice bath salts.

So nice of you,

stepping in like this at the last minute.

I am thrilled.

Feels so good to be in a Christmas pageant

with you again.

Okay! Everybody? Are we ready?

Yeah, ready!

-Where's Shane? -I'm here!

Okay. Um... innkeeper?

Here!

Shepherd?

Here.

Sheep? Yeah.

So I know that we all had to do

a little bit of improvising today, but,

I think the most important thing...

Is...

I'm sorry, I...

Keep feeling like we're forgetting something.

My goodness!

What?

My goodness.

We were so busy, we forgot!

We forgot the most important thing.

Good news!

I've got good news!

Really?

Well, I think we're ready now.

The Christmas pageant will begin in the main lobby

in five minutes.

Come! Let us go unto Bethlehem.

And an angel of the lord suddenly stood before them

and the glory of the lord shone around them,

and they were terribly afraid.

Fear not.

Fear not!

For I bring you tidings of great joy!

For unto you this day is born in the city of David

a savior,

and his name shall be called Jesus,

and you will find the baby in a stable,

wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel

a multitude of the heavenly hosts,

praising god and singing.

Glory to god in the highest!

And on earth,

peace and good will toward men.

And women.

And children.

And everyone!

Come! Let us go to Bethlehem

and see baby Jesus!

And don't forget, stay in the middle Lane,

and don't leave your brights on,

or you'll get pulled over between here and Santa fe.

There's plenty of gas,

and you should be home for Christmas dinner.

Thank you, Oliver.

I promise you, I'll be so careful!

You sure you'll be all right?

Fine.

I will make my way home,

or get a ride with someone after I clean up.

The bear may have to stay a day or two, though.

Just make sure he gets home before new year's.

He's a party animal.

That was a terrible joke.

I know.

I would hate to lose him, though.

He's family.

It was a...

Wonderful day...

Oliver.

Thank you.

It was my pleasure.

I hope you enjoy your spa...

Ms. Mcinerney.

I will see you next week...

Mr. O'Toole.

Better pack my halo.

Rita! Look.

What?

An owl!

Where?

It's, um...

Right there.

My gosh!

I see it!

It's so beautiful.

You're right.

It is pretty special.

My gosh!

Ooh...

Do you realize what just happened, Norman?

Yeah. We bumped heads.

Yeah. Just like that day four years ago t...

Today.

You remember?

I had a bruise on my forehead for days.

Me too!

Right here.

I never wanted it to go away.

Are you okay?

I should, um...

Finish packing up the car.

What was that?

"Bang."

"Bang?"

"Bang?"

And it was so much better than mistletoe.

Merry Christmas, Oliver.

Merry Christmas, Norman, Rita.

Ms. Mcinerney.

Did you miss the plane?

We missed you.

I can't wait to hear this story.

First things first, Ms. Mcinerney.

Rita?

Just follow me, please.

Norman?

Put that yoo-hoo down and obey me.

Okay.

Hand.

Put your hand here.

You're gonna lead with this foot.

One... two... three...

Very nice, Rita.

-Nice posture. -Thank you.

Don't look down. Look right at me,

and let the music tell you where to go.

I'd like to tell the music where to go.

Relax, Norman.

You're gonna like this.

There you go!

You're doing it!

And...

Whoa!

Hello.

Hello.

No, don't stop. You're doing great.

Tsk.

I finally have my very own.

Thank you.

I didn't do that, Norman.

Well, and I know Shane didn't.

Well, whoever it was,

I guess...

I guess they wanted it to seem like a real family lived here.

A family does.

Merry Christmas.

Merry, merry Christmas, Norman.

I have to say,

I never expected to be spending Christmas Eve like this.

Well, it's a Christmas miracle.

Ho. I know you're just saying that.

You don't believe in them yet, do you?

No. No. Not yet.

Is that...

How did you...

I took a taxi home.