Original subtitles

♪ Are you ready to fall in love this Christmas ♪

♪ Under the mistletoe ♪

♪ Is a kiss on the top of your wish list ♪

♪ Well, I know a girl you should know ♪

♪ If you're ready to fall in love this Christmas ♪

So, we will see Kona back in two weeks

- for a teeth cleaning, okay? - Okay.

Thank you so much and Merry Christmas.

Thank you, you too.

Scarlet, Scarlet!

Mrs. Hoffman had to leave for a very important meeting,

but she asked me to tell you

that Hamlet's cough hasn't gotten any better.

She'd like to refer him for a CT scan.

Do you need a CT scan, Hamlet? I don't think so either.

Has she been giving him his antibiotic?

The night nurse decided it wasn't working.

The night nurse?

Mrs. Hoffman's job is very demanding.

She needs her sleep.

Did she mentioned if she was giving him anything else?

He's looking very colorful.

Uh, yeah, that's from the turmeric.

Okay, we need to remind Mrs. Hoffman

that if Hamlet doesn't get over his kennel cough

he's not gonna be able to go to

Switzerland with her for Christmas.

I'll let Fabiana know right now.

Oh, Mrs. Hoffman also wanted to know

if she could do something, anything

that could get his muzzle back to normal.

Give her a bottle of that oatmeal shampoo.

If it doesn't work, just tell her to lean into it.

Buy Hamlet a turmeric yellow jacket and booties.

Everyone in St. Moritz will be dying to know

who does his highlights.

You, my dear, are a genius.

A genius whose train leaves in 90 minutes.

Justin, can you take over please?

Wait a minute.

Uptown Animal Clinic, David speaking.

Oui? Oui!

Oui. Doc!

Mr. Lefarge is on the phone.

Can you take a message?

It's an emergency,

but from what I can understand, they're

about to take off for Paris and Mr. Lefarge

forgot to bring Bardot's health certificate.

I failed ninth grade French, so we're at kind of an impasse.

I'll take that.

Uptown Animal Clinic. Oh, hi Virginia.

Doc, Milo's angel of an after school teacher is on the line.

Virginia, I'm so sorry. I'm on my way, okay?

- Bye! - She's on her way.

Merry Christmas.

Hi, Riley.

Hi pretty girl. Merry Christmas.

And that's your gift, a week of vacation.

I didn't think you had it in you.

I feel like since you've opened the practice

you've taken off, what, four days in a row?

Three. But the vet that worked with my dad just retired

and she always covered Christmas,

so we're doing it in Vermont this year.

I thought Christmas in New York was kind of

your family's thing. Well, who knows?

Maybe you'll find your dream guy nestled in a snow drift.

Well, the whole point of this trip is

to spend time with my dad, not troll for babes.

You've always been good at multitasking,

but maybe not at that particular task.

The only man in my life is 10 years old,

and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

So call me if you need me literally any time.

Hang on. I forgot the most important thing,

a Christmas hug.

- Be good, stay safe. - Okay, take care.

Bye.

Okay, let's get back to business.

- Oh... - Hello.

It's really coming down out there.

Hi, my name is Scarlet Miller. I'm here to pick up an order.

Sure, let me get that right for you.

Oh, my goodness, I cannot believe

you have manchego back in stock.

- Yeah, just got them back. - Can I get a quarter pound?

And one of these Brie, this goat cheese.

We have a very long train ride ahead of us.

No judgment.

- These are so beautiful. - Yay, I'm glad you like them.

Thank you so much.

Nothing like a New York Christmas, right?

Thanks for coming. Merry Christmas.

Thank you, Merry Christmas.

Down the road ran the gingerbread man

with the horse and the cow.

- Ran and ran until he came to... - I'm here.

- I'm so sorry I'm late. - No, it's okay.

Milo was telling me you have big Christmas plans.

Do we have to go to Vermont?

Can't grandpa just come here?

Yes, we do. And no, he can't.

But all my friends are in New York.

It's gonna be great, unless we miss our train,

which leaves in a few minutes, so we gotta go, buddy. Oh.

This is for you.

Thank you so much for putting up with

Milo's punctuality challenged mother.

Oh, it's fine. Have a great Christmas.

Thank you. We don't deserve you. Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas. - Come on, buddy.

Let's see how fast those shoes can go.

- Okay. - No, no, this way!

You excited, buddy?

- Yes. - There he is.

Hey. My two favorite people.

- Hi, buddy. - Hi, grandpa.

- How you doing? - Hi, dad.

- Hi sweetheart. - Oh, I missed you so much.

I was afraid you weren't gonna make it.

Finally caught the last train out, so.

- Big case? - A very difficult cat client.

They were shocked and appalled

that their sphynx kitten had wrinkles.

They wanted to take him for anti-aging treatment.

Oh, boy. I wouldn't last a week with an owner like that.

Oh, yeah, your clients just treat their dog's fleas

with sheep dip and think that corralling barn cats

for their vaccines is part of your job description.

Try to remember, you loved being my barn cat whisperer.

- But I'm glad you're here. - Me too. Oh.

All right, who's hungry?

Starving. Could we get sushi delivered?

Well, there's really no delivery around here,

and no sushi, but there is spaghetti and meatballs at home.

Mom tried to make meatballs once.

They came out burnt and raw at the same time.

Yeah, pretty much sums it up.

I cannot believe you made meatballs.

I am so happy right now.

Well, I still know the way to my little girl's heart.

Why don't we stop at the store on the way home

and get some decorations?

And that way after dinner,

you guys can help me deck the halls.

What happened to all your Christmas stuff?

This is the first time we've had Christmas in Vermont

in a while, so I thought maybe we should get

some new bobbles and bangles, and a tree.

Well, you know we're here till the day after Christmas,

so that leaves us plenty of time for celebrating.

I wanna get the biggest tree there is!

Grandpa, they ran out of Christmas decorations.

We sold out of Christmas decorations weeks ago.

I'm sorry, buddy. I should've been more on top of this.

Dad, don't worry about it, we're just happy to be here.

Okay? Milo, did I tell you about grandpa's meatballs?

They're legendary.

People actually tell tales about them?

Well, if they don't, they should.

I bet I can eat six.

Probably. Mom is always hungry.

Don't I know it.

I was the one responsible for feeding her

for the first 18 years.

So, let's get you home to dinner

and me home to dinner before I take a bite out of your arm.

Come on, let's go.

- Thanks, see you. - Bye.

Don't get it on your school uniform,

'cause it'll be hard to get out.

Oh, scientists make potions? Okay.

Are you on Christmas vacation too, grandpa?

Well, since Dr. Ross retired,

I'm really the only vet for around 50 miles,

so I don't really get to take a vacation.

But at least we're lucky tonight

we haven't had any emergency phone calls.

- Mm-hmm. - Mm.

Ah. Well, I guess I spoke too soon.

Dr. Miller.

Yeah. Okay, uh...

Yeah, don't worry, I'll be there in about a half an hour.

- This is my favorite meal. - Yeah.

All right, I gotta run.

Why don't you guys get unpacked, get settled,

I'll be back before you know it.

Where are you going?

Well, the Jacksons have a heifer

that's in labor up at the farm,

so I've gotta go help out.

Are you going too, mom?

Your mom could have done this when she was 12 years old,

but she's probably a little out of practice by now.

Probably doesn't even know which end of the cow

the calf comes out of.

I wouldn't go that far.

Oh, when was the last time you touched a cow?

It might've been vet school,

but I was great with them.

It's like I'm part Holstein.

Oh, well then, you're telling me

you could get this calf delivered?

- Sure. - Good.

That'll give me time with the big guy here

and we can break out some Christmas cookies.

And mom can have some when she comes back.

Right.

Wait, what?

Right behind you is the mudroom

and there's a pair of coveralls in there.

You should go try them on.

Okay.

Good. This is gonna be really good for your mom.

She'll get back in the swing of things.

- They're a little roomy. - It's okays, sweetheart.

We can take you to the store tomorrow

and get you suited up.

Meantime, I'll go take care of this.

- It's probably for the best. - No, no, no. I'm gonna go.

I'm sure I brought something with me that'll make do.

Okay, I can do this.

I can do this. Right?

Nope, I haven't done this since vet school.

Nope.

I should Google this. Uh...

Okay. No, I remember it.

This is easy. This is easy.

Okay, okay.

Ropes.

You have faith in me, right?

I can do this.

I can do this.

There, oh, yeah.

Can I do this?

All right, here we go.

Hey, dad.

Oh, he was the cutest little bull calf.

I wish you could have seen him.

Of course I tried the ropes.

I was so nervous at first, but it was so much fun.

Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna stop at the store

and then I'll be home, okay?

All right, bye.

I know, I know, you close in 10 minutes,

but I really have to find something

to make my dad's house a little bit more festive.

Just don't spread that mess around my nice clean shop.

Never.

- Oh! Sorry. - Whoa there, cowgirl.

I'm just trying to make it home

without a side trip to the ER.

It's just been one of those days.

I actually kind of want these too

because does it look like I've had an easy day?

I guess it's relative. I started mine at 6:30.

- Six o'clock. - Yeah.

But I've been going nonstop ever since then

dealing with every single sore throat and

sprained ankle you can imagine in a 20 mile radius.

I've been daydreaming about these bad boys

ever since my lunch break, which I worked through.

Probably only something a doctor would understand.

Well, what do I look like?

I give up.

A doctor. I'm a doctor too.

I'm an actual doctor.

Like, medical school graduate type doctor.

- Oh, really? - Yeah.

- Where'd you go? - Cornell.

Well, I went to Cornell Vet School,

which is actually harder to get into

than Cornell Med School.

And it's in Ithaca, where it snows

eight months out of the year and only the strong survive.

Oh, you're Dr. Miller's daughter?

I am, but you can just call me Dr. Miller.

Oh, um... This is a little awkward.

Yeah, you know us vets, we have a saying.

Real doctors treat more than

- one species. - Huh.

Just this morning I was performing surgery

to remove a peach pit from a Yorkie's small intestine.

Where do you get peaches in December?

And a newborn Holstein calf is alive tonight

because of my real doctor skills with a calf jack.

Okay. I'll let you win.

You know what, never mind.

You don't need to be a doctor to know that

that stuff will kill you.

Nice to meet you.

Five days until Christmas!

- Six days until we go home. - Oh.

- Oh, hey, dad. - Hi, grandpa.

Wow, I can't get over how great the place looks.

Yeah, Santa must've sent over a few elves last night

with a flare for interior design.

Yeah, I'd say so.

Oh, so I met a friend of yours. I didn't catch his name,

but he made sure I knew it started with doctor.

Don't tell me, tall, dark hair, nice smile,

- kind of a good looking guy? - He's fine, I guess.

That's Josh Foster. He's a good egg.

- I'll take your word for it. - What are we doing today?

Well, the shelter is putting on an adoption event.

They need some folks to check out the animals

before they go to their new homes.

- Hm. - You up for it, doc?

Oh, sure, as long as I'm not needed elsewhere,

because you know, after last night

I am very much in demand as a cow obstetrician.

Oh, of course, yes.

And Duane Wright just got a new Clydesdale mare

and they need to have a wellness check,

so I will go take care of that.

I've never seen a Clydesdale

except for once in a commercial.

Well, go get dressed

and you're gonna be my assistant today.

Ooh, that sounds fun, buddy.

- What a great kid. - He's the sweetest.

I guess I'll have to break in my new

coveralls some other time.

Well, you could stay in town a little longer, do some

more farm calls, and you'll get those duds broken in.

I wish I could, but you know I have to be back by the 26th,

and even then I'm gonna have to pull a few overnights

just to get caught up.

Oh, that's a pretty challenging life

you've set up for yourself.

You know, you might think about moving back.

- To Vermont? - Yeah.

There's plenty of room for you and Milo, and...

Dad, we're doing fine.

Nobody's denying that.

I'm thinking about retiring,

and this job was tough when I was your age,

but I ain't getting any younger.

Well, you definitely need to hire a new associate vet.

Or you could stay on and help

and eventually take over the practice.

I don't know, dad.

You know there's no one I'd rather work with,

but Milo and I are New Yorkers now, it's our home.

Yeah, I just...

You know, I've always had it in my head that

you and I would work side by side one day.

I just think it's wrong

that there are so many miles between us.

Why don't you move in with us in New York?

You could work in my practice part time if you want.

Oh, honey, that's so sweet.

I'm probably getting to be a little too old

to pull up my roots.

Hey, guys.

How are you?

Oh, you found a new friend.

Oh, look at this baby.

So cute.

Daddy, I want this one.

Good treat there.

Hi. Hi, what's your name?

Oh, hi Banjo. How's it going?

How's it going?

Don't let them get you down, Banjo.

You're a VIP too.

See? Camera loves you.

- Yeah. - Hi.

- You're looking much cleaner. - Hi.

Uh, thanks.

I'm Josh Foster, by the way.

Scarlet Miller.

Who's this big guy?

This is Banjo.

Hey, Banjo.

I can't believe he hasn't been adopted yet.

I guess no one thought he'd be as much fun as a puppy.

Yeah, don't you hate it when people make snap judgements?

Well, it was a pleasure to see you again, Dr. Miller.

You too, Dr. Foster.

- Hi, Dr. Foster. - Hey.

- How are you? - Good.

- Who is this? - This is Tots the corgi.

Oh, Tot.

Well, it was good to see you again. Stay well.

You too.

Do you want to see one of the dogs

- I saw at the adoption event? - Yes!

His name is Banjo and no one was paying attention to him

even though he's like the sweetest boy.

Can we adopt him?

Honey, you know we can't.

But what if nobody else does either?

Oh, don't worry, Ace, he'll find his person.

Christmas makes things like that happen.

Yeah, thanks for making dinner, dad.

I could get used to this.

I wish you would.

- Mm. - Dr. Miller. Yeah.

How long?

Is it getting worse or better?

My daughter? Yes, she is visiting.

Yeah, Cornell Vet School, top of her class.

Oh, I don't know if I should send her over on a house call.

She may be a little out of her depth.

- What? - Yeah, I know, city vets,

they all need a staff of 10

and a surgical suite to clip a toenail.

That's not true.

Well, now she's being stubborn.

I think she's insisting.

Okay. Well, yeah.

I'll send her right over.

All right, I guess I'll go get my coveralls.

Oh no, you won't need those.

This is a dog that was adopted

from the shelter event today.

As of a couple hours ago all of those animals

were as healthy as little horses.

Yeah. Just run down to Josh Foster's and check it out.

- Josh Foster's? - Yeah.

I didn't know he was in the market for a dog,

but apparently he picked one out.

Well, there was a litter of golden retriever pups.

I guess he snagged one of those.

Well, couldn't you just take him up to

the 24 hour clinic in Burlington?

Oh, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy

on a night like this on a highway in freezing rain.

Oh, but your daughter, that's another story?

Come on, Josh is just down the hill,

and the van has nice new tires,

and you're a Vermont girl.

Okay, fine. I'll go.

And don't worry about us. We'll be fine.

I won't do anything crazy with him.

We won't stick marshmallows on a candy cane

and stir our hot chocolate with it.

Yeah, we definitely won't do that.

What? It's just tinted lip balm.

It's cold outside.

- Oh, yeah. - Oh, my gosh.

Good luck.

- I'll see you later. - Okay.

Be careful.

Tinted lip balm.

Come on, Scarlet,

it's just a little freezing rain.

You used to do this all the time.

Okay.

No, no.

Ugh, this would not be happening if you were back in New York

where people actually bring their animals to you.

Well, now there's a concept.

Yes, Jade. Okay, good night.

No, no, no.

I'm on the edge of my seat, I promise.

Yes, I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Okay. All right, bye.

Um, Dr. Miller, thank you for coming.

Hi.

Sorry, please come in, come in.

So when I brought him home, he was great actually,

and then I went upstairs and I worked on the computer,

and when I came down and he was like this.

Banjo?

Well, yeah. I wasn't really looking for a dog,

but there's just something about him.

Well, Christmas has a way

of making things like that happen.

Let's see what's going on.

How you doing?

Good boy, good boy.

Well, he's a little dehydrated.

Come here. Good boy.

Good boy.

Heart and lungs sound fine.

A couple of minutes ago it was crazy high, like 130.

Well, that's normal if you're a dog.

Oh, belly's a little tender.

I have been hearing a lot about parvo.

We mostly see parvo in young dogs and puppies.

No offense, sweetheart.

Aw.

If you don't mind, I'd like to take a look around,

see if he left us some clues.

Yeah, knock yourself out.

Wow, what's all this?

Okay, please pardon the mess.

Uh, this is a Buche de Noel, a Yule Log Cake.

At least, it will be. Um...

Yeah, I thought I'd try my hand at it, surprise the staff.

I am not done yet,

so go easy.

- Mystery solved. - What is it?

- I did not give that to him. - Mm-hm.

Well, he got it and he enjoyed it.

Wow, he ate all of it.

- That is really good. - Yeah?

- Yeah. - Does it pass the test?

Mm-hm.

Oh, but his poor belly.

Yeah. We'll get him fixed up.

So Milo, you know, I think I've told you

that when your mom was your age,

I used to take her with me on house calls.

I used to take her with me to the farms

to take care of the animals

and she learned a lot about veterinary.

So I was wondering, maybe you'd like to come along.

Something on your mind, Ace?

I still don't have a Christmas present for mom.

Can we go to the all night drug store?

Well, there's not one of those around here,

but what do you think she'd like?

Well, you know how crazy mom is about Christmas.

I want to buy her something

to remind her of Christmas all the other times of year.

Okay. Well, I'll tell you what,

why don't we finish our hot chocolate

and then I will help you make her something for Christmas.

- Mm. - Mm.

Mm-hm.

I'll give him something to settle his stomach

and then I'll leave you to get back to your Buche de Noel.

You can't drive home in this.

It's not far, I'll be fine.

And get up that hill? No.

Yeah, it was already pretty slippery on the way down.

Yeah, and if you bang up your dad's van,

you're gonna be in some serious

grounded for the rest of senior year kind of trouble.

And there is no way I'm missing prom.

Seriously, the storm is gonna blow over

in about an hour or so,

and I just made you a cup of coffee.

Thank you.

So, just relax and wait it out.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

That's it. Don't be afraid of the hammer.

I'll get it lined up for you. Okay, go ahead.

Good, good. Good.

All right. Really, that's great. Okay.

The nail went in kind of crooked.

Oh, you know what? That's okay.

It gives it character.

I just want it to be perfect.

Yeah, I know, Milo. But in my experience,

character trumps perfection every time.

All right, so let's get to painting.

You want to use green?

So I'm obviously the worst dog dad ever.

What? I can't even keep Banjo out of trouble

for less than a day.

It was an accident.

And you wouldn't believe the things

I've seen owners do on purpose.

- Like what? - There was this one lady...

who wanted to straighten her

poodles hair because she wanted him to match

her daughters for the Christmas card picture.

You're just trying to make me feel better.

- It did. - How did that work out?

Not well, as you can imagine.

And I have had my share of parental fails.

Sure.

One time a while back,

when I was even later than usual

picking my baby up from daycare...

What, they had already cleaned the kennels?

No, not my dog. My kid, my actual human son.

- Oh, you have a son? - Yeah.

Are you surprised?

No. I kind of thought of you as just, you know,

pretty girl in a big city, hitting the clubs,

breaking all the guys' hearts.

Well, until they start letting you leave

a little boy at coat check...

What's his name?

Milo.

Milo, like "The Phantom Tollbooth?"

Yes! No one ever gets that.

It was my favorite book as a kid.

Mine too!

Oh, my goodness.

My husband always thought it was an unusual name,

but he eventually went along with it.

He knew better than to argue with a pregnant lady.

Well, he's a smart man.

So, how's he liking Vermont so far?

Um...

Well, he loved it.

He passed away eight years ago,

just a couple of weeks before Christmas.

- Milo was two. - I'm sorry.

That's awful.

Yeah. Yeah, it was bad.

We were fresh out of vet school, just moved to the city,

and after it happened,

my dad wanted me to move back to Vermont,

but I just, I couldn't imagine giving up so easy.

So I just holed up in the apartment for the first week

and had groceries and diapers delivered

from the bodega downstairs.

So, eventually I bundled up the kid

and we took the subway to Chinatown

where we ate our weight in dumplings.

And then we walked up to little Italy

to see the Christmas lights.

And the next day we took the subway

to see the holiday windows at Fifth Avenue.

And then pretty soon we were taking the three train

to the nine like it was nothing.

Well, it couldn't have been easy then,

and even now.

Yeah, but we've got it down to a science.

So what about you? When do you ever get a break?

You know, if you wanted to go for a run

or on a date or something?

Well, I'll worry

about my cardiovascular health

and my love life once Milo heads off for college.

But I'm fine.

We're fine. Ask anyone.

Oh, I will.

It is still coming down pretty hard.

Do you want to just help me make

some of the cakes for the veterans home?

You don't have to do anything, just supervise.

That's more my speed.

Okay. Here, follow me.

- Is that mom? - Yes, it is.

- Is this Josie? - That is Josie the kitty.

You know, your mom used to decorate the Christmas tree

with kitty toys and kitty treats.

And by morning, all the treats would be gone.

- Who's this? - That's grandma.

- She was pretty. - She was pretty, yeah.

I think this one got into the Christmas pictures by accident.

Let's see. No, you know what?

That was actually Christmas Eve.

I got a call from the Marris farm

that one of their mares was colicky.

- What is that? - Uh...

It's like a really bad tummy ache.

How did you make her better?

Well, believe it or not, I put a tube up her nose.

That's crazy!

Yeah, the horse thought so too.

Good thing your mom was with me.

What did she do?

Well, she rubbed the horse's neck in just the right place

and she sang Christmas carols.

And before you know it, the horse was all calmed down.

I didn't know mom knew how to calm down a horse.

Yeah, after we got the horse calmed down

it was too late to cook, so we decided to go out

and have a Christmas Eve ice cream supper.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, wow. Who's this?

Bet you recognize those three characters.

It's me and mom and dad!

I wish I could remember being with him that day.

Or any other day, actually.

Well, you know, your dad,

when he finished building a snowman,

he built a snow dog and a snow kitty

and three little snow guinea pigs.

Mom said the only thing he loved more than animals

was me and her.

Yeah, that about sums up your dad.

And your grandpa, too.

So, let's pick a picture for your mom's frame.

- Okay. - Yeah, that's a good one.

That's a good one too.

- I think this is the best. - Okay.

When mom looks at it, it'll be like

she's with you every day.

Well, you know, if I had you

and your mom with me all the time,

it would be like Christmas every day.

Well, I can't tell if it's... Maybe it's too cold?

It's supposed to be holding together.

You got me.

I'm not exactly what you would call a gifted baker.

We order in a lot, especially on days when I work late,

which is pretty much always.

Ah-ha!

Oh, there you go.

Uh, that's not half bad.

I think it's great that your kid is able to see his parent,

you know, working hard doing something they love.

Give me a job. Give me something to do.

- I wanna help. - Uh...

This was tough enough, and you said

you can't bake your way out of a paper bag. No.

Well, you shouldn't bake in a paper bag.

It's a fire hazard, everyone knows that.

Come on, give me something to do!

Uh... Okay.

So these, um,

these are white chocolate with food coloring,

and we basically just have to decorate the top now.

- Grab a piping bag. - Okay.

You can do the red berries.

You're right, this is harder than it looks.

Wow, you're-you're an artist, too.

How is it that we never crossed paths

at Coolidge High?

Um...

Probably because I went to Bronx Science.

- Wait, so that means... - I'm a New Yorker.

So what brought you here to Vermont?

So, after my residency, I joined a two year

program where you go and you work

in an underserved rural area,

and then they wipe out your student debt.

I realized I really started enjoying my life here.

I-I have such an insane schedule.

I work full time at the office, and then I spend

another day and a half at the veterans home.

I just love living here.

Everything from like the air, to the trees, to the stars.

And then also everyone here is just so nice.

Just a wild guess,

how many of these nice people

are female?

I guess probably...

Yeah, so the women in Vermont are very friendly.

Okay, so why did you leave?

Um...

Well, I didn't want to stay

in one place for the rest of my life.

New York was just so strange, and hard, and weird

that conquering it made me feel like a superhero.

I think I fell in love with that feeling,

and then the city along with it.

Being here with my dad is great,

but New York during the holidays?

I just remember icy sidewalks

and trying to build a snowman out of slush

from the fire escape.

And then I would look out the window

and I would just see tourists flooding in,

wanting that New York Christmas experience.

I don't know, I just didn't get it.

See, that's the thing.

To really enjoy Christmas in New York,

you have to embrace your inner tourist.

'Cause then you have ice skating at Rockefeller Center.

- Okay. - You have Santa Land at Macy's,

Christmas movies at Nighthawk Cinema.

We go every year and we watch "Miracle on 34th Street"

and we eat this huge tub of parmesan popcorn.

And then you've got the Nutcracker and the peace tree.

Peace tree? That's a new one for me.

Oh, it's this huge Christmas tree

at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.

And they string it with a thousand white origami cranes

that represent dreams come true.

Okay, I'm sorry, I have to stop you.

Everything you're saying is great.

You have this thing on your chin.

- What? - Can I just...

Can I please get that for you?

- Yes. - Yeah?

Please.

I'm sorry.

It's so embarrassing.

- Oh. - What's that?

Uh, the meringues.

They're very temperature sensitive.

All right, coming in.

- Oh! - Oh.

Sorry. Hang on, here. Um...

So they were supposed to look like mushrooms.

- Look who's made a recovery. - Oh, Banjo!

Do you want to say thanks to Dr. Miller?

He can call me Scarlet. You can call me Scarlet.

All right, well, if we can call you Scarlet,

can you at least call me Josh?

It'd be nice not to be Dr. Foster for a night.

Sure.

Well, I guess it looks like I can, um...

- Get going. - Yeah.

He's better, and the weather is...

Yeah.

Oh, hey, can I get your phone number?

I mean, you know, just in case

Banjo gets in to any other kind of trouble.

- Sure. - Yeah?

Hey, do you wanna try a mushroom?

Oh, sure. Thank you.

So, here. It's a little deflated.

- Hey, Scarlet? - Hmm?

I know what you're saying about Christmas in New York.

Mm-hmm?

But I really think this year, Christmas in Vermont,

you won't miss a thing.

Well, we'll see.

You have to, you have to, you have to chew.

You have to chew?

Are you still at work? Nope.

But doc, Mr. Smith just called on the emergency line.

Baby Cat won't eat her bedtime snack.

He's beside himself.

Gently recommend that he stop feeding her

half a pound of salmon for dinner every night

and that should clear the problem right up.

Oh... Wait a minute, are you still out?

I just finished up a house call, actually.

Oh, so that's what the kids are calling it these days?

The weather was terrible,

so I watched the owner make a Buche de Noel

while I waited out the storm.

Some nice old lady?

A young man, actually.

I knew it! I knew it, I knew it!

All right, that's enough out of you.

Bye!

I'm so happy, grandpa.

I was afraid there wouldn't be any good trees left

four days before Christmas,

but I'm pretty sure I found the perfect one.

You sure did.

I can't believe I got to help with the axe part.

Tell you what, if you can keep a secret, so can I.

Okay.

What a perfect morning for a walk.

Oh, what's going on here?

Grandpa didn't put the ornaments in the shed after all.

We found them while we were putting away the Christmas...

Yeah, I thought it'd be best to not have them, you know,

out so that the raccoons could play bowling with them.

So we went out and found

the perfect Christmas tree in the woods,

and we've been decorating it right now.

Oh.

Well, that's not exactly truth in advertising.

I guess they were fresh out of

Christmas pain in the butt for dad ornaments.

Oh, wow.

- You found Hazel! - Who's Hazel?

Well, one winter when I was about your age,

there was this little rabbit who used to come visit us

on the back porch. I named her Hazel.

And I used to leave food out for her every single day.

What time did you get in last night?

Oh, around 10:30-ish.

Uh-huh.

Freezing rain was out of control,

so I had to wait for it to stop.

Is the dog all better?

Actually, it was Banjo.

What was wrong with him?

Well, he had what vets call

a dietary indiscretion.

It means he ate something he shouldn't have.

Let me guess, French fries? Chicken wings?

No, he knocked over a bowl of frosting

and had a little feast.

Oh, so Josh is also a cook?

Oh, are you expecting someone?

No, I don't think so, but, you know,

it's not unusual in these parts

for a neighbor to come by to say hi

and just happened to have a cat with a sore paw.

Hey, Josh. Hi, Banjo.

Banjo!

Wait, wait.

- Hi. - Hi.

- You must be Milo. - Yeah!

Banjo is so amazing.

Banjo is incredible and I am very lucky he chose me.

- Yeah. - Do you want to play with him?

Oh, yeah!

When Scarlet was over last night,

she told me about a tradition that she and Milo have,

and I got an idea.

Hoping you could help me with it.

Come on, buddy, I think you're gonna love this.

Whoa! Is this like our own private movie theater?

- It most certainly is. - Wow, this is something.

So, I know it's a little early,

but you can't have a movie without snacks, right?

- Here. - Parmesan corn!

Yep. Your mom told me it was your favorite,

but in my family, we're all about the candy.

Are you sure you're a doctor?

Knock yourself out, we're on vacation.

So, is your family coming up for the holidays, Josh?

Here you are. Um...

No, unfortunately they are not gonna make it this year.

I've got Banjo.

Isn't that right, boy? Banjo!

- Oh, come here. - He's so cute.

- Do you have any pets, Milo? - Well...

Our life is just too crazy right now.

Well, maybe it wouldn't be quite so crazy

if you lived in Vermont.

What, are you thinking about moving back?

- Not really. - Maybe.

All right.

Well, let's start this show.

Mom, look, "Miracle on 34th Street!"

I know. And we thought we wouldn't

get to see it this year.

That's very sweet.

My pleasure.

This is amazing.

It tastes just like the Parmesan popcorn

at Nighthawk Cinema.

Thank you. It's actually a modification

on my mother's top secret cheddar recipe.

Can you tell me?

I'll guard it with me life.

Okay.

So, you have to mix the popcorn with the butter

and you have to stir in

an insane amount of grated cheddar cheese.

Hmm, okay.

And, I mean, that's it.

She does something to make it taste really fancy...

- Uh, sea salt maybe. - Mm.

Well, you definitely inherited your mother's gift.

I can only hope I have something half as good

to pass down to Milo.

What are you talking about?

He's probably gonna grow up with this incredible talent

for delivering calves wearing pink coveralls.

Those pink coveralls brought me good luck.

I should wear them on all my farm calls.

Your coveralls are actually really inspiring.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

I was thinking about it, what are the odds

that we were at the same general store

in the same aisle at the same exact time?

And that I also felt the need

to critique your choice of breakfast cereals.

That was only after I accidentally

criticized your profession,

which I want to make sure you know

I have nothing but respect for vets.

And I have nothing but respect for frosted cereal.

You wanted them too.

I did. I did want them.

Santa!

Maybe I didn't do such a remarkable thing after all.

That was awesome.

Yeah, it gets better every time, doesn't it?

Chris Kringle would be a perfect name for kitten.

I wonder if Santa has a vet on the staff.

Well, yeah, of course he does.

He's gotta make sure those reindeer

can help him deliver all those presents.

I wonder if one of the reindeer

had a dietary indiscretion.

Well, if he did, I'm sure they'd fly back

from the North Pole so your grandpa

can take care of them. Maybe even your mom.

It would definitely be my grandpa.

I feel like a reindeer would have a hard time

figuring out the subway.

I see. But there are advantages to living in the boondocks.

There definitely are,

but me and mom are New Yorkers and it's cool there.

What's the best part?

I like to go see Santa at Macy's.

Mom's favorite thing is ice skating at Rockefeller Center.

Oh, are you a good skater?

I'm actually a very good skater, but my mom is worse.

That is true. That's very true.

In fact, one time she fell right in the middle

of the skating rink and couldn't get up,

so she had to slide to the edge on her butt,

and her jeans got so wet it looked like she...

Okay, okay, all right, all right. That's a great story.

I think we can end it right there.

Well, it sounds like a lot of fun.

There is great fun to be had in Vermont, too.

Like a movie in a barn.

They definitely don't have that at home.

They definitely don't.

Look! A reindeer! It could have been Santa's.

Yeah, probably getting ready for that long ride.

Well, I hate that I have to go to work, you guys.

We could have made this a double feature, stayed in.

Next time. What are you doing today?

Um, I don't know.

Speaking of work, remember Maisy Phillips?

Oh yeah. She had those two little colts I loved as a kid.

And now it's a little herd

and they're due for their shots today.

How are you on herd health?

I think I can manage.

Okay then.

Well, looks like I'm going to work today too.

Off you go.

All right, Merry Christmas, Maisy.

All right.

Make sure to send me pictures

as soon as Gertie has her foal,

and if she has any problems, give me a call.

Thank you so much, Scarlet.

- Thank you. - Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas. - Bye.

Hey.

Can we do tooth whitening on a dog?

No.

What if she's got an audition

for a national commercial?

Not even if she's accepting

the Nobel Peace Prize.

You would not believe the state I am in,

and in public no less.

Doc, try me.

Well, I have a crazy idea.

How about you hop on a train,

come up here for a few days,

and then you're back in New York

in time for Christmas dinner?

Radical change of plans, I like it.

Sometimes a radical change of plans

is just what the doctor ordered.

I can't wait!

Shelby, no tooth whitening on the dog, please.

Oh, good. Looks like you're getting the hang of it.

- Mm-hm. - That's great.

You know, when your mom and I first did this,

she was just out of third grade,

and we got out the potatoes,

and got out all the ink and the ink pads,

and we got ink all over the place and all over us.

So we ran down to the old swimming hole,

and splashed around for awhile, and got all cleaned up.

Wow. That sounds so cool.

Wouldn't it be awesome

if I can come visit you for the summer?

Awesome doesn't begin to describe it.

Who is the greatest sheep vaccinator

in all of New England? Dr. Miller.

Well, you're right, I am pretty good,

but you're coming right along.

Ha-ha, so funny.

What's going on here?

Potato stamping. The presents were too brown.

They needed a little zhuzh.

Oh, what a great idea.

Oh, dad, do you mind if David comes up for a few days?

Of course not. The more the merrier.

Oh, man, these are so much neater

than the ones that we used to make.

We used an 11 scalpel,

and that really did the trick.

Wait, you let a 10 year old use a scalpel?

Grandpa held the bottom and I held the top.

Yeah, give me a little credit, honey.

After all, you survived all the way to adulthood

under my watch.

That's so nice.

- What's that? - It's Josh.

He's inviting us all to go see "The Nutcracker" with him

tomorrow afternoon at the community barn.

I made an appointment

with the Davis farm for two o'clock.

Do I have to go?

Well I love ballet,

especially "The Nutcracker."

Do you remember when we went last year

and the tree got so big, like magic?

That was fun, right?

That was one minute in like 10 hours.

Sometimes you have to try things

a few times before you know you really like them,

and it was very nice of Dr. Foster to invite us,

so we're gonna go and we're gonna have a good time

and keep an open mind.

And we're gonna be thankful

that we have such a thoughtful friend.

Doesn't it usually take more than a few days

to make friends with someone?

Sometimes you just have a feeling.

It's three days before Christmas,

don't we have other things we need to do?

I'm sorry to say it, buddy,

but I think we're all caught up.

- Hi. - Hi.

I'm really happy you guys made it.

Me too.

Thanks for inviting us.

It was very nice of you.

I'll keep an open mind.

I know you're probably used to the New York City

Ballet's "Nutcracker," but this,

I think, will be a little more fun...

- Especially for Milo. - Ooh.

Any children who would like to be in the show,

please come sign up.

- Yes. - What's this?

This is the best part.

- Hi, Dr. Foster. - Hi.

Oh, any child in the audience can be in the show.

We have lots of parts to pick from.

That sounds fun, Milo. What do you say?

We have spots open for guests

at the fancy Christmas party?

No? Snowflakes?

- Uh, candy canes? - Un-unh.

The Mouse King's soldiers?

- That could be okay. - Yeah.

We have one spot left,

but you have to be really scary though.

Can I see your most terrifying face?

Arrr!

Very impressive. You're hired.

Just go right on in there to get set up

with some ears and cheese.

Vivian sweetie, go take him to the

dressing room, okay?

And now you guys get to have a real child-free date.

Enjoy.

- Oh. - Oh.

We're not actually on a...

They also have hot chocolate.

- Oh. - Hi, come on in.

Come have your seats.

Hi, come on in. Hello.

We're about to start the show.

Come have a seat.

- Hi. - Hi. Good to see you.

Hi. Come have a seat.

If everyone could please have their seats.

Good evening, everyone. Welcome.

Thank you all so much for being here tonight.

We're so excited.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy our production

of "The Nutcracker."

Places!

Throw the cheese.

Do you see him?

I've never seen him have so much fun. That was incredible.

Yeah, he was throwing that cheese

like he was in the major league, it was amazing.

It was so cute. It was fun.

Actually, can you excuse me just for a minute?

Oh, yeah, sure.

Mom, did you see me?

There's my favorite little rodent.

You were awesome, buddy.

And you were too.

That's Vivian. She's shy.

She only talks to people she knows.

Well, she doesn't know you that well either, does she?

We were mouse soldiers together,

so we're pretty much best friends.

Well, that's great. That was fast.

Sometimes you just have a feeling, you know,

like you said about Josh.

All I said was that I have friendly feelings for doctor,

uh, Josh, like you and Vanessa.

Vivian. I love her and she loves me.

I actually never said anything about love.

Okay. Let's take a selfie.

Milo, get in here with mom. Here. All right, everyone ready?

You got to do something really ferocious.

- Rawr. - Rawr!

Uh, we should go. Yeah.

Vivian? There you are, cupcake.

You did such a good job.

That's so nice.

And you were a great mouse too.

Thank you. So was Vivian.

I'm Scarlet, by the way.

- Scarlet Miller? - Yeah.

I'm Alice Barstow.

We were in advanced biology together senior year.

- You remember Mr. Hayden? - Yes.

He used to tell the rest of us that we should

all aspire to be more like you.

That is mortifying,

but it's really good to see you.

I had no idea we were neighbors again.

We should get the kids together for a play date sometime.

That is, if you guys aren't too busy

getting ready for Christmas.

Milo and I don't actually live here,

and Josh and I, we're not together.

I mean, we're physically standing

- here together, but... - Right.

Just to clarify, we're just friends.

Got it.

You're being so weird, mom.

I heard a crazy rumor

that Santa might be coming into town tomorrow.

That actually sounds perfect.

My friend David is coming in town from New York,

but he doesn't get in until late.

David is definitely not just your friend.

Oh, okay. We're gonna, um, we're gonna get out of here

It was so good to see you. Thank you so much.

- It was my pleasure. - Bye.

- Bye. - See you.

Hi, my name is Scarlet Miller.

I'm here to see Dr. Foster.

You must be Dr. Miller's daughter.

That's me.

I remember you when you were little.

How you used to always love to

come with him on his house calls.

By the time I was eight, I figured

I was pretty much a doctor myself,

and I was ready to go to work as his partner.

I know he'd love it if you did.

Go ahead and take a seat and I'll call Dr. Foster.

Okay, awesome. Thank you so much.

And I'm gonna take the children

and we're gonna go find some candy.

Okay.

So we just need to make sure

that you're keeping up with your exercises,

and of course the glucosamine.

Okay. I surely will, doc.

And you make sure you and your family

have a nice Christmas, all right?

And don't let your wife do too much work.

Oh, that won't be happening.

I'm not married.

You got a girlfriend?

No, not at the moment.

Oh, doc, you better get on that.

It's really not that hard.

You a smart doctor.

You need a smart, nice girl.

Hi, Josh.

- Scarlet. - Ooh, she'd do just fine.

- I'll do what just fine? - Uh, nothing.

You know, it's really not good to be alone,

and she look like a nice church girl,

- come from a good home. - Thank you.

- Thank you very much. - And she cute.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

Mrs. Bix, thank you.

That's Mrs. Bix. She's one of our patients.

Um, she's a character.

Yeah.

Sorry, I wasn't expecting you so early.

Santa's not here yet.

I have to run into my office and get him.

- Okay. - Wink, wink.

- This one's cool. - Yeah.

Ho, ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!

Ho, ho, ho.

Hey, Santa, Vivian said you look very much like Josh.

Hm. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret.

It is me! It's Josh.

Now, Santa was very busy today,

so because I'm such good friends with him,

he asked if I would stand in for him.

But unfortunately, the elves that he sent

seem to have disappeared,

and all they left behind are their hats.

Now, would you two be willing to stand in

and be my elves for the day?

Definitely. But Vivian wanted to point out

that those hats still have the price tags attached.

What? What?

Uh, those elves can be so tacky sometimes.

There. Now, I'm gonna need

your help to pass these cookies out.

Vivian also wanted to know if we could eat it.

Of course.

What time did the last batch come out?

Uh, 11:15.

I swear I haven't felt this out of my depth

since organic chemistry.

I actually kinda liked organic chem.

Of course you did.

All right everyone, gather around.

- Are you ready? - Yes.

We're gonna make this the best Christmas ever.

- Yes. - Hands in.

Elf power on three.

One, two, three.

Elf power!

Ho, ho, ho, ho!

Merry Christmas!

Ho, ho, ho, ho!

You're just in time.

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

♪ And a happy New Year ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry Christmas ♪

♪ Merry Christmas to you ♪

Thank you.

- Thank you, Santa. - Thank you.

Ooh!

Hi darling, how are you?

Please excuse me.

I was wondering if maybe you had some plans?

- What? What? - Oh.

Sorry. Sorry.

Uh, I was wondering if maybe you could sneak away

for a little bit tomorrow night.

Well, that's very sweet,

but I know if I keep Milo out late on Christmas Eve

he'll never get to sleep.

Oh. Uh...

I-I mean just you,

maybe after you put Milo to bed.

Well, yeah, my dad could watch him, so that would be...

That'd be great.

Scarlet!

Oh, my friend David just got into town.

- Hi. - Hi.

- Oh, my goodness. - I missed you.

I missed you too.

- Hi, I'm David. - I'm Santa.

Josh. Um...

Well, you look great.

Hi, kids. Let's go, come on.

Thank you again for today.

The kids loved it. I did too.

It was a million times better than going to

see Santa in New York.

At Macy's you never get to be an elf.

Could we come here the next time we're in Vermont?

I'm sure that we could work something out.

So, how's 8:30, the pine woods trail head?

Sounds perfect.

Vivian? Hey, sweetie.

Come here. Hi, Scarlet.

Hi. Hi, Santa.

Ho, ho, ho, ho.

Thank you so much for inviting Vivian today.

She was a fantastic elf.

Oh, Abigail can't wait to see you tonight.

She said to come hungry because she got way too much steak.

Oh, I'll take steak over milk and cookies any day.

Now, come on my elves, We have gifts to pass out.

Ho, ho, ho.

"Too much steak."

Oh, Abigail has such a crush on him.

Well, kind of like every other woman in this town.

Can you believe that she would pass on a message

from his hot date just like right in front of me?

Does she know you're into him?

I am not into him,

but she should know that it's inappropriate

to talk about that sort of thing while he's working.

And plus he's got this like whole Casanova thing going on.

- Hey, doc? - What?

The two of you are crazy about each other.

- I saw it with my own eyes. - That is so not true.

Even if it was, it doesn't even matter

because we live like 300 miles away from each other.

What do you always tell me when we have 20 appointments

to fit into 15 appointment slots?

- I tell you to make it work. - Scarlet.

Make it work.

I thought most Christmas Eve surprises

happened in front of a roaring fire,

or underneath the Christmas tree,

not in the dark woods in the middle of the night.

It's 8:35 p.m.

And I'm pretty sure you know your way around these woods.

Yeah. Me and my friends actually used to have a fort

right here between these three trees

in front of these princess pines.

- Princess pines? - Yeah.

Princess pines.

Oh, because they're small and cute.

When I was little, I used to come out here

and, uh, my friends and I,

we would decorate all these princess pines for Christmas.

We would imagine all the birds and mice and chipmunks

just gathering around and opening their presents,

and singing carols.

That actually sounds like a lot of fun.

It was.

You know, New York has so much to offer,

but I have to admit that I do get a little sad

knowing that Milo won't grow up

playing in the woods like I did.

Well, who knows. Life is full of surprises.

And I'm gonna be taking you someplace

that I think will cheer you up.

Where are we going?

You'll see. You ready?

Welcome to Rockefeller Center.

Wow, this is...

It-it's beautiful.

What is all this?

Well, they decorate it for the winter festival.

I might yield a little influence in this town,

so I made a couple calls.

You wanna go skating?

I-I would love to, but I...

Don't even worry about it, I got you covered.

Here, have a seat.

Oh, thank you, but those are not gonna fit me.

I have tiny Cinderella feet.

- No, this is mine. - Oh.

These are for your little Cinderella feet.

- Weren't these heavy? - Uh...

Yeah, I thought I was gonna keel over back there.

- I have to tell you... - I have to warn you,

I'm actually really bad at skating.

Me too.

The truth is, once I outgrew decorating Christmas trees

for woodland creatures,

I started to spend all my time in the library.

Of course you did.

All I wanted was to get into college

and out of Vermont.

And by my 18th birthday, I was gone.

You didn't miss it?

Of course I did.

I mean, leaving my dad was like,

I don't know, like

leaving my heart behind.

But I knew if I stayed

I would never get a chance to come into my own

or even figure out what that meant.

You seem to have done pretty well for yourself.

I think so.

And New York was the perfect place to do it.

Shall we?

Okay.

Go ahead.

- Oh. - I'm okay. I'm good.

- Are you okay? - Yeah.

Just got to get my ring legs.

Oh, my goodness.

It sounds like we had pretty

similar high school experiences,

except I couldn't wait to leave New York.

- Why is that? - Uh...

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my family,

I just wanted a different life.

And then I got here and now I can't imagine leaving.

I never imagined air could be this good.

It even tastes good.

- I think you're right. - We're good.

All right, I'll admit it,

this is better than Rockefeller Center.

Right?

I am victorious!

And to be honest,

I would spend most of my time over there on the edges

just holding on for dear life.

Well yeah, only because those little seven-year-olds

with the skating outfits are in the center

doing triple axles.

Right? Making me wonder just how I've managed

to accomplish so little with my life.

Well, 'cause let's face it,

you do nothing but lie around and cure sickness

and raise a child.

Yeah. Let's see one of those little smarty pants

try to vaccinate a ram.

That's not bad.

I... I can't. I can't do this.

Uh... what? But why?

No judgment, and you should live your life however you want,

but I can't be just another girl in your fan club.

Another woman?

Scarlet, what are you...

I'm sorry, what are you talking about?

You cannot be so naive to think that

you don't have every woman in this town

wrapped around your little finger.

I'm the only doctor in town.

All these women, they're my patients,

but you are not.

I feel like we fit really well together

and I would hate for us to walk away from that feeling.

I think we should figure it out.

Long distance is so hard.

So what if it wasn't long distance?

You and Milo could move back.

That's your solution?

I mean, yeah. Yeah.

It would be, it would be absolutely perfect.

Your dad has plenty of room. He and I can help with Milo.

And I know you love taking care of all the sheep...

You know what? I-I have been making my own decisions

- for a long time now, Josh. - I know.

And I don't see any reason to stop now.

You know, eight years ago,

Milo and I decided to make a go of it in New York,

and I built a business and a life that I am proud of.

And you just expect me to just give that all up

because you have a good feeling about us?

We've known each other for five days.

Scarlet, Scarlet, hang on.

Scarlet, that's not what I'm saying.

I-I swear just when I look at you and Milo,

really you both look so happy here.

I am not a damsel in distress, Josh.

And Milo and I, we don't need saving.

I'm sorry.

I have never met anyone like you before,

and I-I probably never will again,

but I am not ready to give up my entire life

based on a feeling.

Phoebe was just getting a little too rambunctious, huh?

I think she fell off a stump

and really scraped her leg.

Oh. That's interesting, she climbed up on a stump.

- Hey. - Hi, dad.

- Hi, honey. - Hi, Suzanne.

It's really good to see you. It's been a long time.

Sophie here cut her leg,

so I just want to clean it up

and put a few stitches.

Okay. You want me to grab the chlorhex?

- Yeah. - Okay.

What was Josh's big surprise?

Roller skating.

Well, that sounds like fun.

It was okay.

- All right, here we go. - Okay.

Get you all set up here.

Okay, so I wanna do a ring block

so she doesn't feel the sutures.

Okay. You should probably give her some Vanamine too.

I already did. See? Great minds think alike.

I'll place the block.

- Ready? - All right, here we go.

- You're doing great. - Well, I learned from the best.

Why don't you grab the suture too?

All right.

Good girl.

There you go, sweetie.

Yeah.

All right.

- All right, I think that's good. - There we go. You okay?

- That should do it. - Perfect, okay.

There we go.

All right Suzanne, so she'll be okay in a few days.

Just try and keep her off of that hoof.

Thanks, doc and doc.

Yeah, thanks for your help, doc.

Yeah, it was fun.

It is fun working together, isn't it?

It is.

I'm gonna upstairs and check on Milo.

All right, I'll clean up.

All right. Thanks, dad.

All right, sweetie.

Is it Christmas yet?

Not quite, sweetie.

I'm so happy because it's almost Christmas,

but I'm also sad because after Christmas we have to go home.

I wish we could stay here forever.

Well, it's always hard when vacation comes to an end.

I liked the vacation parts,

but I liked the other parts even better,

like Josh, Vivian, grandpa, and Banjo.

They're here when it's not even vacation.

But if we stayed here in Vermont,

wouldn't you miss being a New Yorker?

We'd still be us, just in Vermont.

Is Josh going to come for Christmas tomorrow?

I really like Josh.

Me too.

Well, he's out like a light.

He's such a great kid.

And he's having a blast.

Yeah.

Well?

Date didn't go as planned maybe?

I don't know, dad. Josh asked me to stay here in Vermont.

And what do you think?

I just can't imagine moving backwards.

I don't think moving back to Vermont

would be like moving back in time.

I mean, look at all you've gained.

Your character, and know how,

and silly pastel overalls.

Those are yours to keep.

Look how you handled that goat today. So confident.

Thanks, dad.

I will always love New York for showing me how strong I am,

but I see how much Milo loves it here in Vermont

and how great it is to sit down to dinner

with the two of you every night,

and how much fun it is to deliver a baby calf

and walk around with an old school doctor's bag.

Oh, yeah, there's that.

I see how life could be less of a sprint.

How I'd have a lot more time to stop and smell the...

Roses.

Princess pines.

Stop and smell the princess pines.

I'm just not used to needing anything from anyone.

Well, I know a little bit about that.

When you were a baby and your mom had passed,

I was hell bent against letting the townspeople

come to my rescue, so I learned to change

a diaper with the best of them,

wrestle you into your coveralls,

and then later on make potatoes stamps.

And I wouldn't trade any of that for one minute.

But the whole time I thought I had something to prove,

and I didn't.

People want to help,

and it's no surrender to let them.

Raising a kid on your own is hard,

even for pros like us.

What do you want?

I just can't believe that Josh would ask me to give up

everything I've worked so hard for.

You know, nobody's perfect.

You don't get to be my age without being able to

pick up a few things from across the room.

What, like a tooth root infection

or a ruptured cruciate ligament?

Love, sweetheart.

Love.

Josh likes you a whole lot.

And he just wants to get to know you better

without there being 300 miles between you.

Well, people can't always get what they wish for.

Well, you know, it's Christmas time.

And sometimes, if you wish hard enough,

miracles can come true.

Thanks, dad.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

♪ Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open slay ♪

♪ Jingle bells ♪

Good morning. You're up early.

Yeah, I've been doing some thinking, and I wanted to see

if you'll watch Milo for me this morning.

- Of course. - Okay.

Wait, wait, wait. What's the big hurry?

I have a few Christmas miracles to attend to.

♪ Jingle bells, jingle bells ♪

♪ Jingle all the way ♪

- Hi. - Hi.

I-I came over early to look for you.

I actually went looking for you too.

- I'm sorry, I overreacted. - No, it's okay. I-I'm sorry.

I should've never made you feel uncomfortable or overstepped.

I just needed to figure a few things out for myself.

This is beautiful. Wow.

I-I remember all the paper cranes

on the tree at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine,

how they represent dreams coming true, and

I want all your dreams to come true, Scarlet.

That's, that's all I want for you.

How did you make all these?

Oh, I, I might have poured my heart out

to Mrs. Bix, and she rallied the troops

and everyone pulled through.

And then I got here and your dad's truck wasn't here,

and then I was worried that you had left.

- No. - I should've never acted like

Vermont was the only place it could happen,

or that it's the only place that we could happen.

- Vermont is your home. - I want you to be my home.

I want to be yours.

I know we haven't known each other for very long,

but sometimes you just have a feeling.

Was that a meow?

When I went to your house and you weren't there,

I had to go pick up something for Milo.

But I thought you said a meow wouldn't work

with your life in New York?

Why don't you come on inside?

- Can I help you with that? - Please.

- All right, a snake. - This guy's for you.

How does that feel?

- Heavy? - Furry.

Furry!

- Merry Christmas! - Hey!

- Hey, Josh, Merry Christmas. - Mom.

Can we open presents now?

Yes, we can.

- Merry Christmas. - Uh-oh. Uh-oh.

- All right, come on. - Okay, let's get in here.

- I got a snake. - Wow, look at this thing.

- That's amazing. Wow. - And I also got dinosaurs.

And you also have one more very special surprise.

I think you should open it right away.

No way! He's seriously mine?

He seriously is.

But I thought you said our crazy New York life

wouldn't work for a kitten?

That's true.

But I think a kitten would be very happy

with our new Vermont life.

What are you talking about?

Yeah, you're gonna have to expand on that.

I will always love New York

for showing me I can do anything I want,

but what I want has changed.

What I want is to come home.

I can't wait to tell Vivian!

Let's go call her right now, okay?

We can show your new friend around the house.

Surprise.

Uh, wow.

Mm-hm.

What do you think?

Well, I think now that I've gotten to know your family,

I guess it's time for you to meet mine.

I would love that.

Next time they're in Vermont

we should have them over for dinner.

Well, I was thinking we could go visit them

next weekend for New Years.

Oh. Where is it?

Uh, it's a small little get together, Time Square.

Yeah, I think I've heard of it.

Yeah? So you're in?

- I'm in. - For New Years?

For all of it.

- Kiss him! - Kiss him!

Kiss him!

♪ Easy going on a slay ride to somewhere far away ♪

♪ Easy knowing you're out here on such a winters day ♪

♪ When it's late and we're tired ♪

♪ We can stay close to keep us warm ♪

♪ And we'll wait till the snow piles higher ♪

♪ And together we can weather the storm ♪

♪ Holiday dreaming here with you ♪

♪ Holiday dreams are coming true ♪

♪ Holiday dreaming here with you, oh ♪

♪ Holiday dreams are coming true ♪

♪ We'll make snowmen and angels on the ground all day ♪

♪ While winds keep blowing ♪

♪ They'll be carrying our cares far away ♪

♪ Sat at night by the fire ♪

♪ We can dream like we never have before ♪

♪ When the lights all expire ♪

♪ We'll be cozy close together evermore ♪

♪ Holiday dreaming here with you ♪

♪ Holiday dreams are coming true ♪

♪ Hanging lights around the tree ♪

♪ To make it glow so bright ♪

♪ A in't nowhere I'd rather be ♪

♪ Than right here with you all night ♪

♪ Holiday dreaming with my baby ♪

♪ When it's late and we're tired ♪

♪ We can stay close to keep us warm ♪

♪ And we'll wait till the snow piles higher ♪

♪ And together we can weather the storm ♪

♪ Holiday dreaming here with you ♪