♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
♪ Glad tidings we bring ♪
♪ To you and your kin ♪
♪ Glad tidings at Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
♪ Oh we wish you a swingin' Christmas ♪
♪ We wish you a crazy Christmas ♪
♪ We wish you a naughty Christmas ♪
♪ And a frantic New Year ♪
Cheers!
Mazel tov!
- Hello! - Welcome.
Have you seen Miss Langford? No?
No.
I'm looking for Miss Langford. Have you seen her?
No. No. Sorry.
Hi! Uh, Miss Langford?
- No. - Sorry.
Sorry.
Mr. Pittman! Excuse me. Mr. Pittman?
- Yeah, just give me one second? - Uh, uh...
I'm Mrs. Worthington.
Chair of the Toys for Tots committee?
- Yeah, just... just... let me just finish this up here. - Uh, uh...
Miss Langford is representing the Home & Hearth Gifts company
at this event, is she not?
She certainly is. Almost done here.
Well, she was supposed to do her presentation 20 minutes ago!
I-I-I can't find her anywhere.
Yes! Now that's how we close it!
I'm sorry. Hi. What was it you wanted?
Mr. Pittman, where is your fiancée?
Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!
Alright! Ten out of ten from the Russian judge.
Thank you. Thank you.
Years of gymnastics. Not easily forgotten.
Oh, thank you.
For my favourite charity.
Toys For Tots thanks you for your generosity.
I'll double it if you can vault that.
- Oh, forget it. - Chicken?
I'll quadruple it.
That's a lotta toys for a lotta tots.
Come on, Ellen!
She's gonna do it!
Fine. But I want that check immediately.
I'll write it now.
Ooh!
Uh!
- Miss Langford! - Oh! Ah! Ah!!
What...?
"Party Heiress..."
..."where socialite Ellen Langford,
heiress to the Home & Hearth Gifts retail fortune,
was up to the very same hijinks
that gained her the "Party Heiress" nickname to begin with...
Alice, is my daughter in yet?
No, she's in the boardroom. Sir, shall I get her...
No, I will get her.
Hey.
Now, I have been thinking.
I think it's time for a snappier tag line.
"The Home of Heartfelt Gifts"? It's a little old-school.
Right now,
this is the only tag line I'm interested in.
- Oh. - Yeah.
Oh. I just spent an hour on the phone
with Mrs. Worthington... talking her off a ledge!
It was for charity.
Someone dared me.
Someone "dared" you?!
How old are you, 12?!
Ellen, when you are out in public,
you are an ambassador for this company.
And once you are CEO, you will be the face
of this company.
So... you've made up your mind...
about retiring?
I thought that I had. Now I'm not certain that I dare!
I need to leave this place
in the hands of someone I can trust.
I'm sorry.
You can do better than this.
Please. For all of our sakes.
I don't know, Alice. Maybe it's my fault.
You know, after Nora died, I...
let Ellie get away with too much.
You know, to make up for it.
You think I... spoiled her a bit?
No. Doesn't every kid get a Ferrari for Christmas?
Funny.
I almost forgot...
...the most important thing.
It's your turn to write the Christmas letter.
Oh.
Have you given any thought to what you're going to write in your letter this year?
Hey, Dad.
Sorry, Alice. I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch.
Sweetie, I-I'm sorry, but I've got a conference call at one o'clock.
I'll move that to 3:00.
He's all yours.
Really? Great!
Dad, I'm really sorry.
No.
Look... Oh, thank you. Ellie, it's not just you.
It-it's on me too.
Look.
I want to do more than just apologize.
I want to... do something...
to... to make this right.
Honey, you don't have to.
I do, though. For you,
for the company... for Mom.
And for me.
I want to prove to you that I'm not...
just a party girl, that I can take charge.
Okay. Great.
- Cool. - What did you have in mind?
Well, I'm...
I haven't really... figured anything out yet,
but...
uh... Oh! What if I did another fundraiser for Toys for Tots?
Maybe, like, uh... uh... I don't know.
Oh, Valentine's Day!
We could do a big, flashy party and...
and I could get the press involved...
Ellie, sweetie... uh...
See, the thing is, you're worrying about our public image.
- Yep. - Which is great. You know, I mean I do too.
But... the thing that I think you need to learn
a little something about is... is the spirit of the company,
which is really all about the people who buy our gifts.
- Right. - Ordinary people who lead
very different lives than you or I.
Mm-hmm. I hear you.
Most of our buyers, they're small-town folks.
You know, they...
Oh, wait a second. I think I just figured it out.
What you can do.
- Really? - Yeah. - What?
I need you to take a trip for me.
A business trip.
Okay.
I need you to deliver the Christmas letters to Uncle Zeke.
You... you want me
- to go to Snow Falls? - Mm-hmm.
It's my turn to deliver the letters this year,
but... I think you should go instead.
You know, see where it all began.
Okay... When?
Tonight? Really?
- You're kidding. - It's not a big deal, babe.
Yeah, but what about Maui? I mean, those tickets are non-refundable.
We don't leave until Christmas Eve. I'll be back in plenty of time.
And you gotta do this whole trip on 100 bucks and a roundtrip ticket?
I can do it. I've already got somewhere to stay.
Uncle Zeke owns this beautiful inn up there.
- It's really cool. - Yeah, but why just 100 bucks?
Because that's all Uncle Zeke and Dad had when they started out.
- Ugh. - Come on.
I think this is a cute idea.
Okay, and if you do this, uh... "challenge,"
you get to run the whole outfit?
Okay, don't make this sound like a gangster movie.
But yes.
A hundred bucks is not a lot of money.
You better bring your credit cards.
I can't. It's part of the rules.
That's insane.
Besides, all my cards have my name on them.
- Yeah. So what? - Oh...
That's another part of the deal.
See, people treat you a little bit differently
when they know that you're inheriting
a multimillion dollar company, so I have to go incognito.
Baby...
why are you doing this to yourself?
Because...
I'm tired of people seeing me as some dumb rich kid.
I want to prove to my father...
and to myself... that...
that I can take care of things on my own.
And not I'm not just the "Party Heiress."
Uh... Oh, yeah, that's...
So... what's all this about, anyway?
- The Christmas Letters? - Yeah.
Have a look at that greeting card. On the back.
It's the original business plan for Home & Hearth Gifts.
When my Uncle Zeke and Dad came up with the idea,
they just grabbed the nearest thing and wrote it down.
What about all these letters?
Well, every Christmas, they write each other, like, a...
a sort of newsletter to say what had happened that year,
good or bad.
- Wouldn't it be easier to just, you know, send an email? - Look at the dates.
Some of those letters go way back before email.
Oh. Anyway, the whole point
is that they're forced to get together every Christmas.
It's like a company tradition.
Anyway...
Yeah, we should get going.
The traffic to the airport's probably crazy right now.
Uh, did you take a look at the ticket your father gave you?
No. Why?
Well... let's just say
we won't have to worry about airport traffic.
The Port Authority Bus Terminal welcomes you to New York City.
Please be aware of your...
Ho-ho-ho!
Here you go. Okay?
And remember, this only works if nobody knows
- who you are. - Got it.
- Right? Good. - Ahem.
- And say hi to Zeke for me. - I will.
And don't worry about me, okay? I can take care of myself
I can.
- Yeah. - Ahem. Alright.
Oh, Ellie? Your, uh, credit cards?
Oh, right.
- Thank you. - Okay...
The platinum?
Nice try.
- Bye. - Bon voyage.
Final boarding for Kennebunkport,
Augusta, Waterville and Snow Falls.
Hi there. Is this baggage check?
- Sure. - Great.
Uh, there are a couple of delicate items in here.
If you could just make sure they don't bounce around too much.
- Got it. - Thank you!
I'm sorry. Ooh!
Oh, excuse me.
Whoop!
- Whoa! - Careful there, hon.
Uh, I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm trying to find my seat,
but I... I can't see any seat numbers.
Well, that... that's because there aren't any.
Well, how would you know where to sit?
I don't know...
You just... sit.
- Well... - Oh, here.
- Thank you. - Yeah.
Okay.
- Are you looking for something? - The call button.
The what?
The call button? You know, for the attendant?
I could really use a glass of wine.
You don't ride the bus much, do you?
Just between you and me, it's my first time.
- No. - Mm-hmm.
Well, I'm an old hand at it. Kathy Garver.
I'm Ellen Lang...
Uh, never mind.
Nice to meet you, Ellen.
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ 'Tis the season to be jolly ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Don we now our gay apparel Fa la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide carol ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪
Miss! ♪ See the blazing yule before us ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la ♪ Miss!
Oh!
Sorry.
I'm sorry.
Sorry. I'm still half-asleep.
Ahem. Uh... thank you very much.
You don't have change for 100.
It's alright. Have a Merry Christmas.
I'm sorry.
Oh! Uh...
Merry Christmas to you too!
Hey, be careful!
No! Watch out! Ah!
Ugh!
Oh... God.
Ugh!
- What are you trying to do, lady, cause an accident? - You hit my suitcase!
Yeah, what's your suitcase doing in the road?
Well, the... I just took my eyes off it
for one second and some guy just came and...
- Some guy? - Yes! Ugh.
Alright.
Let's get you...
You need a cab?
Not from you, thank you. I will wait.
Well, you might be waiting a real long time.
- This is a one-taxi kinda town. - Well, fine.
I'll just... I'll Uber.
Yeah... No.
Lyft?
You might as well be speaking a foreign language here.
Besides, we're not so good on cell reception either.
That's great.
Ugh.
Look...
Why don't you hop in?
It's on the house. It's the least I can do.
Hey. Trust me.
I am your best option right now.
Ho-ho-ho!
So you're from New York?
Yeah. How'd you know?
Ah, you just got that look.
What look?
Uh, just...
You were on the second bus of the day,
and the second bus of the day is New York.
Oh.
Have you ever been?
Yeah, I've been.
And what did you think?
Came back here, didn't I?
Okay.
Oh, thanks for the ride.
No problem.
So, you got a reservation?
- You work here too? - Yes. I am the manager.
Jake Collins.
Nice to meet you.
I just drive the taxi when Herman's gout acts up.
Oh. Well, uh...
I am actually here to see the owner.
- Zeke. - Yes. Is he around?
You just missed him. He left town this morning.
- What?! - Kelly, he say when he's gonna be back?
You've met Zeke, right?
Yeah. Our boss and his mysterious
"communing with the elements" trips.
Mere mortals are not welcome to that information.
That's his words, not mine.
Did he say how long he was going for?
- Kelly? - All he said was, and I quote...
"I'll be back when I'm back."
Seems like he's gonna be back when he's back.
Can you please call him and just tell him that I'm here?
It's Ellen Lan... London.
Yeah... like I said, reception here's a disaster.
And besides, Zeke's not really a cellphone kind of guy.
Yeah, but... but my father...
I just... I just thought that he knew that I was coming.
Well, he didn't say anything to me. Sorry.
So, you still want that room or not, Miss Lang-London?
No, it's actually just London.
Ellie London.
There's a landline in the room,
but I'm gonna have to charge you for it.
That's fine.
- Cookies are free though. - Mm.
Great.
Really? He's not there?
You know, that's just like him.
Ever since Zeke retired, he's lost all track of time.
So what am I supposed to do now?
Well, you're already at the inn,
so why don't you just relax, make yourself at home
and hopefully he'll show up tomorrow morning.
But what if he doesn't?
Can I just leave the Christmas Letters
at the front desk and... and come back to New York?
No, honey. I'm sorry, you must put it into his hand.
That's the tradition. And that's our deal.
But Dad... It's nearly three days until Christmas Eve.
Ah, crap! Hello?
Uh... I'm sorry, honey, I can't hear you very well.
We've got a bad connection.
I said it's only three days until Christmas Eve
and I promised Gray...
Hello? Hello?
Hello?!
No!
Just a minute!
- Hey. - Hi.
- Here's your change. - Oh.
Sorry that took so long. I had to go down to the safe,
we don't get a lot of hundreds around here.
Yeah, uh, have you heard from Zeke yet?
Nothing, sorry.
So look, if you get hungry,
Debbie's Café, just around the corner.
Thanks, but I think I'll just order room service.
What?
Debbie's Café is room service.
Come on, I'll walk you over. I gotta get coffee there anyway.
Okay.
It gets dark fast around here.
You're in the Deep North now, Miss.
Ho ho ho! Well, thank you very much, young Jake!
A very Merry Christmas to you.
And you too, beautiful lady!
Thanks.
Forget your change upstairs?
No.
No, I'm just on a bit of a... budget.
Hm.
Besides, my fiancé says giving money to the homeless
actually hurts them.
That's ridiculous.
Well, I'm not sure I agree with him,
but think about it,
giving charity makes us feel good, but it's really selfish.
I mean, are we helping the homeless
by giving them money
or should we be encouraging them to earn their own?
That's a nice theory.
I think in practice, Baxter back there probably appreciates every penny
that gets him closer to a warm meal.
Come on.
Wow, this place is really packed.
I should have made a reservation.
Luckily, I know the owner.
Hey, Jakey, you're just in time for your favorite.
Thanks, Aunt Debbie, but I'm just here to pick up
- the coffee for the morning. - Don't be silly.
The chef saved you some clam chowder
and you know you don't wanna upset the chef!
I'm the chef.
- Oh! - How about you?
Something to eat, something to drink...
some warmer clothes?
She'll survive. She's just here the night.
Well, thank you for choosing to bring your date to our humble establishment.
- Oh! I'm not his date. - No.
This is Ellie London, she's a guest at the inn.
Guest. Hi.
Okay. Not-a-date.
And just one night?
Oh, that's too bad.
You're gonna miss Dinner With Santa.
It's a Christmas Eve tradition here. We set up a Santa House
in the church hall for the kids
and we raise money for charity.
Ms. London has a...
complicated relationship with charity.
I do not!
I... don't.
We have dinner and dancing and a silent auction.
It's fun! You should stay.
I can't. I have to go back to New York.
I'm just here to see Zeke.
Zeke Daniels?
Well, you're in the right place. He comes in here all the time.
You see that table right there?
That is where it all began.
Zeke Daniels and Jim Langford came up with the idea
for Home & Hearth Gifts right in that booth.
Who knows? If it wasn't for my little diner,
their whole multimillion-dollar company
might've never gotten off the ground.
How do you know Zeke?
Oh, uh, I...
am a friend of the family.
Do you know Jim Langford too?
Know him?
I dated him all my senior year of high school.
You dated m... Mr. Langford?
Yeah. Until he met Nora.
I so wanted to hate her, but she was the sweetest thing.
And smart as a whip.
Lit up a room every time she walked in. Everybody loved her.
And she and Jim made a beautiful couple.
- Didn't they get married at the inn? - That's right.
Yeah...
I heard Nora passed about 10 years ago.
Poor Jim...
Anyway, forgive my reminiscing.
You check out the menu and I will be right back!
You okay?
Yeah. I'm fine.
Uh... so... she's your aunt?
Yeah. I was born here,
so I've got a lot of family in town.
Oh! She was a singer.
Yeah, nothing ever that big,
but... a lot of local bands.
She's got a great voice.
♪ Silent night ♪
So, you grew up here,
moved to New York and...
You know, what brought you back to Snow Falls?
Oh, uh...
Pff... I just...
realized big-city life wasn't for me after all.
Excuse me.
Are you okay?
Oh, I just...
I just can't stand this song.
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪
Come on! ♪ Silent night ♪
- She seems nice. - Aunt Debbie.
I'm just saying, she seems like a nice girl, that's all.
She's a guest at the inn. That's all.
Besides, not interested.
Because you don't want to be interested.
I just want a new song!
Jacob, you can't keep yourself closed off.
- It's not healthy. - I'm fine.
Sure you're fine.
That's why you're beating up my jukebox.
♪ With the dawn ♪
♪ of redeeming grace ♪
♪ Jesus Lord at thy... ♪
...breathe in. And breathe out...
And breathe in. And breathe out.
Feel your cells expanding.
Feel them multiply as you become...
♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
♪ Glad tidings we bring to you and your kin ♪
♪ Glad tidings for Christmas and a happy New Year ♪
♪ Now bring us a figgy pudding ♪
♪ Now bring us a figgy pudding And a cup of good cheer ♪
♪ We won't go until we get some ♪
♪ So bring some right here ♪
♪ Good tidings we bring to you and your kin ♪
♪ Good tidings for Christmas and a happy New Year ♪
♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪
♪ And a happy New Year ♪
What are you so happy about?
Miss London? Everything alright?
There is something in my bed.
An animal.
Let's have a look.
- Is she alright? - Oh boy.
What?
Yeah, you are lucky.
You were almost bitten by a...
hot water bottle.
- A what? - A bottle full of hot water.
Everything alright in here?
Yes, everything's fine, folks. You can go back to your rooms.
The... culprit was apprehended
and will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.
Thank you.
What was it doing in there?
It was trying to keep you warm.
It is a perk that we offer our guests in the wintertime.
Most people enjoy it.
Especially those whose sleepwear is not exactly conducive to the local climate.
Thank you. Thanks.
- Extra blanket? - Good night!
Excuse me!
This is not clotted cream,
this is whipped cream!
I'm afraid Aunt Debbie didn't send any over with breakfast
this morning, Captain Williams.
Did you think I wouldn't know the difference?
Do you think me an idiot?
Of course not, sir.
I would be happy to arrange for a credit on your account
for the price of one pot... of clotted cream.
That's much better.
Alright.
I'm impressed. You handled that like a professional.
Who? Captain Williams? Nah, he's just a sweet old guy.
You know...
ever since his wife died,
he comes back here every year to celebrate Christmas with us.
Kind of a tradition.
Excuse me.
Merry Christmas, Snow Falls Guest House.
Yes, hold on a sec, she's right here.
Uncle Zeke?
No, it's me. Have you been getting any of my messages?
Oh, sorry, babe, there's no reception up here.
Yeah, yeah. I've been trying to call you all morning, it's really annoying.
Well, it's nice to hear your voice.
So what time are you getting back?
Yeah. I'm not sure.
Whoa. What does that mean?
Well, Uncle Zeke isn't here yet.
Ellen, tonight is the night for my office Christmas thing.
Oh! Yeah, right.
You gotta get back here for that. I want us to make a bit of an entrance.
Well, okay, but uh... I just, I can't go yet.
Can't you just drop the letters off and come home?
I'm really sorry, babe, but it doesn't work that way.
The tradition is that I have to give him the letters in person.
Tradition? What is this, Fiddler on the Roof?
- Okay, don't be like that! - It's fine. Whatever.
Look, I'm sorry,
but I'm just gonna be stuck here a little bit longer.
It's fine. Karen will be there, I'll have someone to talk to.
Karen?
You remember Karen from accounting.
Karen from accounting. How could I forget?
What was that?
I... nothing.
What did you say? I can't hear you.
Hello? Gray? Gray!
Can you do... it's not...
Hello?
Yeah, I guess the lines are down.
Happens a lot when it gets this cold.
So, Gray is your fiancé?
The charitable one?
Yes, and he would like me home before the Fourth of July.
Did you get a hold of Zeke?
Sorry.
Sorry?!
Sorry you didn't get a hold of him
or sorry that you didn't even try?
Look, I told you, he doesn't have a phone up there.
Now the lines are down.
He will be here when he's here.
- I can't stay another night. - Is it something I said?
Look, I spent most of my cash at dinner last night and...
I can't afford it.
We take credit cards.
I don't have one.
Who travels without a credit card?
Great. I'm gonna have to call my father!
What?
Nothing. You know what?
I'm gonna figure this out by myself. Thank you anyway.
Miss London. Ellie!
Look, we've all been there.
Where?
Money's a little tight, you didn't expect all this.
Now... I know you're not the biggest fan of charity, but...
- No. I-I... - Just let me finish.
Mrs. Dawson, our housekeeper, is on vacation.
Kelly called in sick this morning, so...
What are you asking me to do?
Do you know how to make a bed?
Yes...
Oh, mama!
So... we've got no vacancies,
and eight rooms to clean by 2:00.
I figure if we split the job, we'll just make it.
Uh-huh.
Yeah, yeah. That's good math.
Good luck.
You can do this.
This might take a little longer than I thought.
I'm really sorry.
I'm just... I'm not used to this kind of thing.
Yeah. Apparently.
So... what do you do for a living?
- Me? - Yeah.
Uh... uh... I... I'm...
I'm a baker!
Oh! A baker.
Ellie the baker, it's what they call me.
I just bake bake bake.
It's too bad you don't have a kitchen
because that is where I really shine.
But you don't, you don't have a kitchen.
No kitchen, so, oh well.
Actually...
Okay, we have to deliver the tea service to the inn by 4:00.
So why don't you do the divinity,
- while I whip up the shortbread? - Okay!
But first do me a favour and separate the eggs.
Separate the eggs. Got it!
Ah!
Is everything all right, Ellie?
Yes. Yes.
I was just wondering...
you said that you wanted me to separate the eggs,
but you didn't tell me whether or not you wanted them
separated by size or by weight.
You're not a baker, are you?
No.
Have you ever done any cooking?
I watch the Cooking Channel...
sometimes. At the gym.
I should've realized yesterday.
You look just like her.
- Excuse me? - Your mom!
You are the spitting image of Nora Langford.
I didn't think of that.
So why are you lying about who you are?
I'm not lying. Really.
I'm doing this for my dad.
See, he wanted me to come here without telling anyone who I am.
So that people wouldn't treat me differently.
See, he wanted me to learn something
- from the people of Snow Falls. - Learn something?
Yeah.
Please don't tell anyone.
Well, if Jim Langford thinks it's a good idea,
I'm willing to help out.
Thank you.
Did you know that Jake was married once?
No.
To a Wall Street broker, believe it or not.
They met when he was in college in New York.
Got married a year later and a year after that,
she left him for one of her clients. Some millionaire.
That's terrible.
It is. Broke my heart.
You see I...
I love my nephew like he were my own son.
And... I don't want to see him get hurt.
No. No, no, no.
I'm... I'm not here to hurt anybody.
Really, I'm just here to learn.
Well...
there's only one thing we can do then.
What?
We have to teach you how to bake.
The weather forecast is calling
for a major snowstorm tonight.
The mayor's office is warning everyone to take cover as soon as possible.
High winds are forecast that will send the windchill plummeting.
So everyone is advised to stay inside, stay warm
and sit out what will be a very cold night.
Looks like your Christmas cookies are a big hit.
Thanks to you.
Oh, I just held your hand a bit. You did the rest.
I'll have you making Baked Alaska in no time.
Where's the manager?
I'm not sure, Captain Williams. Can I help you with anything?
We're out of honey.
This morning, no clotted cream. What is this place coming to?
Well, I...
Come on inside, folks!
Everybody come on over to the fire and warm up.
Aunt Debbie, can you give me a hand?
Yes, please, come on in!
Come on in!
Let's just get you folks nice and warm. Come on!
Close the door!
Hey. What's going on?
The storm's knocked out the power on the east side of town.
The temperature's getting dangerous,
so we moved most everybody to the shelters for the night.
But... we still needed a place for these folks till the power comes back on.
Hey, sheriff, we've got
a 10-66 down by Old Lakeshore Road.
- Copy that. I've got to go. - Sure.
Are you going back out there?
Yeah. I need to get more firewood.
But there's no vacancies. How are you gonna fit all these people in here?
Well, we'll figure it out. We have to.
Can't leave anyone out in the cold.
Out in the cold.
Ellie! Where are you going?
I'll be back soon.
- Oh, honey, it's freezing out there. - I'll be fine.
- Ellie's not with you? - No, what do you mean?
I thought she went outside to help you.
- She's outside? - Yeah, she was in a real rush.
Come on.
It's much warmer in here.
We have a fire going. It'll be great.
- Are you sure? - Yeah.
Of course, yeah! Come on in.
You're more than welcome here. Come on.
- Hi, Jake. - Hey, Baxter. Come on. Come on in.
I... I don't want to make no trouble.
Come on in! Come sit by the fire.
Yeah! Come on. It's so cold out there.
- I'll get you some hot chocolate. - Thank you.
Why did you go out there by yourself?
You should've come to get me or told the sheriff.
- Everyone was busy. - That weather out there is no joke.
You are way underdressed.
You were worried about me.
No. No, I wasn't.
I was worried about your clothes or lack thereof.
You were worried about my lack of clothes?
Yes.
Well, my clothes thank you.
That makes no sense whatsoever.
That was some fast thinking.
Thank you.
Well, you set a good example, so, thank you.
Okay. Uh, I am going to...
...head over to the fire...
to go make the fire.
- Okay. - Bigger. Make the fire bigger.
Okay.
So, you folks are gonna stay in my room.
I'm gonna bunk down here with Baxter.
- Thank you, sir. - No problem.
Now, that just leaves you guys
and our mom and her two snow princesses.
My wife and I have the honeymoon suite.
We could give up the sofa in the sitting room.
That is great. Thank you.
Jacob, I'd like to volunteer to give up my room,
take the honeymooner's sofa.
My hearing's not that good anymore anyway.
Thank you, Captain. Very kind of you.
So, you folks will stay in the Captain's room.
Now... Cara...
Ah, it's okay, Jake,
we'll just make ourselves comfortable down here somewhere.
Uh, excuse me.
I have a couch in my room. I'd be happy to share it too.
No, no. You don't have to do that. It's okay.
I want to. It's Christmas.
Say "thank you" to the nice lady.
Thank you, nice lady.
Aw...
Here we go. Come on in.
I cannot tell you how much we appreciate this.
Of course.
Mommy, what if Santa can't find us?
Oh, I wouldn't worry, honey. Santa's pretty smart.
Yeah. Besides, there's still two days to Christmas.
Okay.
This would be so much easier if Dennis was here.
That's my husband.
He's stationed over in Germany
and we were hoping he would be home in time for Christmas,
but...
best laid plans and all that.
Would you mind?
- Oh, no... - Yeah, she's...
- Oh, okay. - There you go.
Oh.
Thanks.
Hey, why don't you guys take the bed?
I can camp out on the sofa.
Oh, we can't do that. You've already been so generous.
No, it's fine. I mean, there's three of you and one of me.
- Mommy, I can't find Douglas. - Who's Douglas?
- My dog. - Your dog?
Her stuffed dog. Honey, are you sure?
He's not in here. Mommy, you forgot him.
You know I can't sleep without Douglas.
You know what?
This guy looks kind of lonely.
Do you think Douglas would mind if you kept him company tonight?
Okay.
Thank you. It's cute!
- Hey. - Hey!
- Figured you'd need these. - Thank you.
Sure. Looks like you made a new friend.
Yeah. She likes me.
I'm not sure why.
Well, let me know if you need anything else.
- Otherwise, good night. - Good night.
He's such a nice guy.
He is, isn't he?
Hey! Uh...
- So... - You're an artist.
Oh, no, just a doodler.
- You're up late. - Yeah, I was just cleaning up.
- Do you need anything? - Oh, no, I'm good, thanks.
You should get some sleep though.
Uh, yeah, probably.
Are you opening a Dollar Store?
Uh, no.
No, I volunteered to help with the Santa Dinner.
Those are items for the silent auction.
Long-time tradition around here.
We're trying to raise some money for the local soup kitchen.
Kind of a rough year for a lot of folks, so...
Wow.
I mean, look, this alone would raise...
a couple million easy.
Yeah, you can have that.
There is... more where that came from.
- What?! - Yeah.
Thank you.
I will treasure it forever.
I just haven't had a lot of time
to bug local businesses for donations.
Which is why I have...
beautiful items like this for auction.
- And when is it? - Day after tomorrow.
Ooh...
I know. Believe me. I know.
It's just been a little crazy around here with the storm.
Yeah.
Hey!
This could actually fetch a price.
That's adorable. Did you do this?
Yeah. That's just... just a sketch.
You should do something with these.
Okay, you're the artist,
but you should know that you're very talented.
Thank you.
Well, I'm gonna go to bed, so...
Okay.
Do you always do this much to help people?
Yeah. Whenever I can.
You help people too...
Not like you.
Well, I think Baxter out there would beg to differ.
- I'm really gonna go this time. - Okay.
Hold on.
Uh... do you want to go for a walk?
Outside?
Yes.
Now?
Yes.
Why?
I want to show you something?
Uh... Okay.
Can I...
- Yes? - ...borrow a warmer coat?
You're right, I do have a lack of clothes problem.
I think you're really good at what you do
and you're a talented artist.
I think if you just made a few big, bold moves, you could...
do so much more.
Yeah, well, sometimes, big, bold moves...
- don't work out so great. - Right. New York.
What do you mean, New York?
I...
Aunt Debbie.
We had to talk about something while the cookies were baking.
I guess I'm an idiot. I never suspected anything.
We were in different worlds;
she worked in finance,
I was a... struggling art student.
But... true love, right?
I don't know. I really thought she was the one.
So, we're having this romantic dinner
and out of nowhere,
in the middle of the seafood risotto,
she looks at me and she just says:
"It's over."
Bam! Right then, they start playing Silent Night.
So now, every time the song comes on, you...
Yeah. It's pretty stupid, right?
You'd think I'd be able to get over it by now.
I don't know.
I think some things you never actually get over.
You wanted to show me something?
Yeah. We're almost there.
It's right that way.
Okay.
Wow!
- You made these? - I just designed them.
My buddy Martin teaches sculpture at the college, so,
his students actually do all the hard work.
- They're stunning. - Thanks.
They're a big hit with the tourists that come around Christmas.
Well, they're a big hit with this tourist.
So is the artist.
Well... the tourist isn't so bad herself.
When I was a teenager,
my mom died.
That's a thing I can't get over.
- I am so sorry. - Thanks.
She came from a beautiful little town,
just like this one.
And I could never bring myself to go back.
Just... scared.
Once she was gone, I just...
I started living life as if nothing else mattered
because... at the time,
the way I felt, nothing did.
But these past few days,
you...
You've taught me that some things really do matter.
Is this the part where we're supposed to kiss?
I think so.
I can't!
I... I'm sorry.
Oh!
Yeah, no, no. I am so sorry. I'm so sorry.
Oh, you were talking about your mom and I didn't...
- I don't... - You're such a nice guy.
Not that nice...
I dragged you up here to look at a bunch of nothing.
No! No. Not nothing.
Not nothing.
It's lovely
and so is your company... and...
I should go.
Good night, Jake.
- Going the wrong way. - Yep, yep. Got it.
What are you doing?
Good morning, Ellie.
Are you ready for today's lesson?
Actually, I need a favour.
Oh...
- Whoa! That's good! - Okay.
Don't forget about Mr. Martin at the art gallery and tell him I sent you.
I will.
Thank you.
- Keys. - Oh, yes! - Good luck!
- A silent auction? - Uh-huh. For the Santa Dinner.
- I already donate online. - But it's for local charity.
Every dollar from the auction goes to help your friends
and neighbours, right here, in Snow Falls.
I already pay my taxes. And plenty of 'em.
Come on! It's Christmas.
Sorry, Miss, that just doesn't cut it with me.
Please? You get cookies!
You're gonna have to do better than that.
It's the right thing to do.
Okay then!
Well, they'll have the power back up for those folks
by tomorrow morning.
- Thanks for all your help, Jake. - My pleasure.
Hi!
Hi. What is all this?
This is your Dinner with Santa silent auction.
Every item was donated by local merchants
right here, in Snow Falls.
Oh! You're kidding!
- You did all this? - Uh-huh.
How?
Well, you don't spend this long in the gift...
baking business without picking up a trick or two.
Gift-baking business?
Jake, you ever heard the expression:
"Don't look a gift-horse in the mouth"?
I don't know what to say!
Seems like "thank you" wouldn't be out of place.
Thank you.
Man, this really is a friendly little town.
Gray?
G-Gray! What are you doing here?
Well, uh... I heard about the storm,
so I figured I'd come up here and rescue you.
Although it looks like you're doing just fine without me.
I thought the roads were closed.
I guess they're open now.
Yeah, they're open now.
Gray, this is Jake Collins.
He manages the inn and Jake,
this is Gray Pittman, my fiancé.
- Good to meet you. - Yeah. Same to you.
Paul Greenleaf. I'm the sheriff here in Snow Falls.
You need anything, don't hesitate to call.
Well, thank you, Paul,
but I'm pretty good at taking care of things on my own.
Uh... come on, honey, do you want to see the inn? It's beautiful.
- Yeah, I'd love to. - Okay.
Nice to meet y'all.
Seems like a nice fella.
You didn't have to be so rude out there.
Oh, well, excuse me, I'll try to be more polite
next time some guy is all over my fiancée.
He was thanking me.
I bailed him out, helped with a charity auction, that's all.
Look, I thought you came here to deliver these Christmas letters
and now, you're what, Mother Teresa of Snow Falls?
Come on, let's get you packed and get you out of here.
I can't leave yet.
Uncle Zeke still hasn't shown up.
Uncle Zeke. Is this that tradition thing again?
What about us? What about our new traditions?
We've got a flight in 24 hours.
Okay, look,
if Zeke doesn't show up by tomorrow morning,
we'll go, alright?
I'll leave the letters at the front desk and...
figure out a way to explain it to my father later.
Okay, great. What do I do until then?
Well, you've been on the road all day, you must be exhausted.
So, why don't you go in there, take a nap,
and I'll be back after I help Debbie with the Christmas tea.
Okay.
Oh! And remember, I'm not Ellen Langford here.
I'm just plain old Ellie London.
- Ellie London? - Ellie London.
- Okay. - Great. Bye.
You got it.
Wait, Christmas tea?
Can I help you?
- Hey. - Hey!
Uh, Debbie asked me to...
pick up the car so I can...
Christmas tea. Yes.
- Thank you. - Sure.
I'm sorry about Gray.
He doesn't mean to be rude, it's just kind of the way that he is.
Yeah, hey, don't worry about it.
I probably would've acted the same way, so...
I don't think you would've.
Look, uh...
About last night,
um, I wanted to apologize.
I knew you were engaged
and I never should've let that happen.
Well, there were two of us out there.
Yeah, but you've been up front with me from the start
and I should've respected that.
- The... the thing is... - Jake.
Just hear me out on this.
The thing is it's been a long time since I've felt like I could trust anyone.
And... I don't know, you're different. You're honest.
And it was just nice to feel that way again,
but I let my feelings get the best of me and I'm sorry.
So... friends?
Let's high-five. Okay, let's be friends.
Hey, I... I've got to tell you something.
Jake!
Oh, I will be right back.
What's going on?
- I've got it. - Okay. Alright.
I thought elves were union.
Trying to get worker's comp out of this or what?
Trying to make a little money off the church?
I take my eyes off you for two seconds!
I'm kidding, I'm kidding!
Alright, you okay?
You alright? Okay.
Whoa.
Ah!
I come from a family of pastry chefs
and can I just say,
these are truly the most delicious Christmas cookies
- I've ever tasted. - Really?! Thank you.
- Bon appétit. - Thank you.
- Hi! - Are we in the Stone Age?
I can't get a signal to save my life.
Well, do you want a cookie to cheer you up?
You know I don't do sugar.
I made them myself.
You made these? Seriously?
Is that so hard to believe?
Well... it's a long way from the Party Heiress
to Suzy Homemaker.
Can you please cut it out with the party heiress stuff?
- Nobody knows who I am here. - What's with the waitress bit?
Well, I ran out of money,
so I've been helping out around here to earn my keep.
Why didn't you just call me or call your father?
Because I said that I was gonna do this on my own
and I meant it.
No one knows who I am,
they treat me like a regular person. And I like that.
You're starting to scare me.
Thank you!
What do you think?
I think...
You can play all lovey-dovey with the locals all you want,
but trust me,
you're never gonna be one of them.
I gotta find a signal.
"December, 1981.
Well, Zeke, we did it.
For a couple of guys who weren't much good at showing their feelings,
we've started a company that lets other people express their own.
Here's to a great first year
and the friendship that made it happen. Jim."
"December, 1982.
Jim, you were right about starting our first retail store in Middlebury,
but you got to admit,
I was the one who picked Bill Parcells to be head coach.
Go Giants!"
December, 1993.
The company's growing and so is our little Ellie.
She's so serious about gymnastics, so focused.
I can already see the strong young woman
she's going to become."
"December, 1996.
Another record year for us, Jim.
You know, maybe it's time we started looking into this Internet sales thing.
It might really take off.
Sorry to hear about Nora's illness,
but she's a strong lady and with you and Ellie by her side,
I'm sure she's gonna be able to pull through."
"Nora's been gone a while now,
but I still find myself calling her name when I come home.
Don't know how I'd get through this if it wasn't for Ellie,
and for you, my good friend.
Merry Christmas."
Come in!
My mommy said to tell you we're all out of hot chocolate.
Okay, I'll be down in a minute.
Are you crying?
A little bit.
He helped me.
Thank you.
Jack, on the rocks.
You know what? Forget the rocks.
It's the innkeeper.
- It's the fiancé. - Uh-huh.
- Enjoying our little town? - Oh yes.
I'm especially looking forward to spending the night
on a cot in the hallway.
So how come you're not back there enjoying the Christmas hoo-ha?
Sometimes you just need a break, even from Christmas.
Tell me about it.
My family wasn't much for tradition.
More of the... buy the next shiny new thing crowd.
Right.
I gotta hand it to you.
Never in a million years did I think I'd see Ellen Langford
making Christmas cookies.
I thought she was a baker.
A baker!
Yeah... you're kidding, right?
Wait, Ellen Langford?
As in Jim Langford.
As in Jim Langford of Home & Hearth Gifts?
Do me a favour, forget I said anything, alright?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, sure.
Merry Christmas.
Ellen Langford.
Fooled again.
Well, I guess this is goodbye.
I'm sad you're leaving.
I don't even know how to start to thank you for everything you've done.
You already did.
You guys kept me company through a scary storm.
Now, there is someone who wants to come home with you.
What do you say, Livvy?
Thank you. Now, I'm sorry, but we have to go.
Santa comes tonight and we cannot be late.
Oh, of course! Merry Christmas.
- Thank you. - Bye.
Get the door, Livvy. Thanks!
I'm gonna go take this out to the car
if my back doesn't give out first.
Hopefully, there'll be better bellboys in Maui, huh, babe?
- On your way? - I guess so.
Did you hear from Zeke?
Phone call? Anything?
Sorry, nothing.
Okay. Uh, well...
If you could just give him this when you see him.
Yeah, I can't, sorry.
What? Why?
It's like the sign says:
"Management will not be responsible for valuables."
And to the people in this town,
these Christmas letters are pretty damn valuable.
Here's your bill.
Now, is your fiancé gonna pay for this
or should I just send an invoice directly to Home & Hearth Gifts?
- You know. - Yeah.
We may not have cell service here, but we do have the Internet.
Looked like that tree put up quite a fight.
Jake...
Hey, you know, let's just forget this whole thing, huh?
We ought to be honoured that New York City's Party Heiress
decided to stay at our little inn.
Jake, I never wanted to lie to you.
I just couldn't tell anyone. Please, you have to understand.
Oh, yeah, no, I understand. Totally.
You know, this is why I left New York.
Because of people like you.
Merry Christmas, Ms. Langford.
Ellie! Leaving already? But it's Christmas Eve!
I know, but we have to get back to the city.
That's too bad.
I was hoping you'd come to the Santa Dinner.
I know that...
Jake was really looking forward to having you there too.
Yeah, well... thank you for everything.
Oh! I got you something.
- You didn't have to do that. - Your very own oven mitts.
Debbie...
Thank you. I... I love them.
Merry Christmas, sweetheart.
- Don't be a stranger. - Merry Christmas.
Oh and, um... tell your dad I said "hello" too.
I will. Thank you for keeping my secret.
I told you I would. Just remember...
some secrets are too big a burden to keep.
Okay. Gotta go.
Bye.
Hello? Jake?
Want to talk about it?
We're cutting it kind of close,
but we should have just enough time to throw some things
- in a bag and race to the airport. - It's not here.
What?
The letter. I have all the letters dating back to 1981, but...
but I don't have the one from this year!
- Maybe he didn't write one. - He must have.
That was the whole point of me going to Snow Falls, so that...
so that I would hand deliver the letter. I...
And now, I was planning to courier it to him from the airport. I...
I must've left it at the inn.
We have to go back.
Are you kidding? We'll miss the flight!
- Gray, I have to get that letter. - You know what,
I've been pretty patient this whole time, but enough's enough.
They're just a bunch of stupid letters. Who cares?
You don't mean that.
Yeah! As a matter of fact, I do.
I'm sick and tired of your father's neurotic cutesy
family business traditions.
Now, can we please just drop it and enjoy our vacation, please!
Great, we need gas.
Voice command.
Speak a command.
Find gas station.
Finding gas station.
Look, if your boyfriend back there finds your letter at the hotel,
he'll just send it to your office, right?
He knows how important it is to you, to your father, the company.
That whole village is built around the Home & Hearth Gifts legacy.
What makes you think he'd know who my father is?
- How did he know who I am? - Maybe I let it slip out last night.
- Why would you do that? - It was a mistake.
He was gonna find out sooner or later. What's the big deal?
Who cares what those people think?
I care!
Me!
That's the whole reason I went to Snow Falls,
it was to learn from them!
Oh, please... what are you gonna learn from a bunch of hicks?
Look, baby...
You don't belong there and you know it.
Maybe I don't.
But I know I don't belong with you.
Don't be ridiculous. Where are you going?
Back to Snow Falls.
And how do you plan on getting there?
I think I'll take the bus.
What about Maui?
You should go by yourself,
I'm sure you'll enjoy the company.
♪ Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way ♪
♪ Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh ♪
♪ Dashing through the snow in a one horse open sleigh ♪
♪ Over the fields we go ♪
♪ Laughing all the way ♪
♪ Bells on bobtails ring ♪
♪ Making spirits bright ♪
♪ What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight ♪
♪ Oh jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way ♪
♪ Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh ♪
Merry Christmas, everybody!
Okay, so, we're actually going to take a little bit of a break
to let you all enjoy some food and fun.
And a visit with Santa.
But then, right after that, we will be back
with a very special guest, okay? Thank you.
Oh, wait! Hey, look, it's the big man himself!
Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas everyone!
Jake...
Look, I know that you have no reason to help me,
but I lost one of the Christmas letters at the inn.
Have you seen it?
- Sorry, no. - Are you sure?
Yep.
Where's your fiancé? Out in the car?
Not wanting to mingle with the common folk?
He's probably back in the city by now.
I don't know and I don't really care.
Okay.
I really don't.
That's a pretty bold move.
Well, sometimes, bold moves are worth making.
Worth the risk.
I don't...
I don't know what you want me to say.
You framed them. Good idea.
Look, I didn't want to come here at first.
Like, I really didn't.
I wanted to...
shut down the part of me that missed my mom.
But then, I met everyone here.
And I met you.
And it made me think that...
even though there are some things that you can't get over,
maybe it's easier...
if you're not alone.
If you're with someone that you...
...that you trust.
You know, you can't...
Lady, we're trying to run an auction here,
so, if you're not interested in bidding on something,
maybe you should...
hit the road.
Wow.
What's this worth?
A gift expert once told me at least a million dollars.
Sold.
Gift expert, huh?
Please gather round, everyone.
Santa has a very special message to share with all of us.
Thank you, Debbie.
Thank you everyone for being here tonight
and thanks to all of you who've donated to the charity auction
for making this Christmas in Snow Falls
so special for so many people.
Hear, hear!
Now, before we continue with our festivities,
I received a very special letter.
It's... uh...
from an old friend of our town.
He wanted me to make sure that I read it here tonight.
It's dated December of this year
and it goes like this: "Dear Zeke..."
Uncle Zeke!
"Well, the time has come, old friend,
for me to step down as Chief Executive
of Home & Hearth Gifts.
And with your blessing,
I want to present someone
who I think would be the perfect candidate to take my place.
My daughter, Ellen."
That's Ellen Langford!
"I'm sending her up to visit Snow Falls incognito
so she doesn't get any special treatment,
but instead, gets some first-hand experience
with our hometown
and the wonderful people in it.
I'd love for her to learn about the important things
that started us off on the right track:
Tradition. Friendship.
And love.
Because those are the most important things
that we could ever give each other.
Merry Christmas."
- Ah! - Congratulations, Ellie.
It couldn't happen to a finer young lady.
So, that's why you stayed away?
To let me get to know everyone?
And to let them get to know you.
The real you,
without big ol' me and your pops getting in the way.
But I left.
How did you know I'd come back?
We didn't know.
We had faith you would.
And I'm sure glad you did.
Let me tell you, nobody's gladder than me!
- Look who it is! - Otherwise, I'd have made the trip for nothing.
Dad!
Come here!
I'm sorry I didn't deliver the Christmas letter myself.
Oh, honey, you have nothing to apologize for.
First of all, you couldn't have delivered it
even if you'd tried. I pulled a bit of a fast one
and... sent it on ahead to Zeke myself.
Just so he'd know what was going on, you know.
Why don't you guys just call each other?
Because we've recorded every single important step
in our lives in those Christmas letters
and this is one very important step.
Besides, delivering the letter wasn't the real test.
The real test, for you, was...
winning over all these wonderful folks.
And win them over you did.
Anyone who can get me to donate a free product...
is a pro.
Hey, Dad, I want to show you the auction.
- Yeah, yeah. - They're all from local shops.
They're one of a kind gifts. Really beautiful stuff.
Wow. You did this?
I did.
I was thinking next year, maybe we could do some sort of
special collection of one-of-a-kind gifts
from the town where it all began.
Maybe call it: With Love, From Snow Falls.
An excellent idea, Ms. Chief Executive Officer.
But let's talk about work tomorrow morning, huh?
It's Christmas Eve.
I think someone wants to see you.
Excuse me.
Hey, folks!
So I promised you all a very special guest
and here she is to sing a very special song,
our very own Debbie Collins.
Thank you all so much. You're all so sweet.
I haven't done this in a few years, but it is Christmas,
so here we go.
♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ All is calm ♪
♪ All is bright ♪
♪ Round yon Virgin mother and child ♪
Excuse me.
Now, I know you're the famous
or should I say infamous Party Heiress,
but would you perhaps do a local boy
the honour of a Christmas dance?
The honour's all mine.
♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪
♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ Shepherds pray ♪
♪ At the sight ♪
♪ Glories stream from heaven afar ♪
♪ Heavenly hosts ♪
♪ Sing Alleluia ♪
Is this where we're supposed to kiss?
I think so.
♪ Deck the halls with boughs of holly ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Tis the season to be jolly ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Troll the ancient Yuletide carol ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ See the blazing Yule before us ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Strike the harp and join the chorus ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Follow me in merry measure ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ While I tell of Yuletide treasure ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Fast away the old year passes ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Come on and hail the new ye lads and lasses ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Sing we joyous all together ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪
♪ Heedless of the wind and weather ♪
♪ Fa la la la la la la la la ♪