7th Heaven s11e11 Episode Script
Christmas!
I'll be home for Christmas You can count on me Please have snow And mistletoe And presents under the tree Christmas Eve will find me Where the love light gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams Christmas Eve will find me Where the love light gleams I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams.
7th Heaven When I see their happy faces Smiling back at me 7th Heaven I know there's no greater feeling Than the love of family Where can you go When the world don't treat you right? The answer is home That's the one place that you'll find 7th Heaven Mmm, 7th Heaven 7th Heaven.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let Earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven, and Heaven and nature sing Joy to the world, the Savior reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love.
Eric.
Eric.
- Oh.
- Oh.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I didn't I didn't know you were coming.
Neither did I.
Oh, that is wonderful to arrive with a sense of humor.
That's my son-in-law.
Well, most people, when they get here, they're so confused, they they don't know where they are and they walk around in a daze for weeks.
- Where am I? - Oh, you.
No, Charles would have been here, but but he offered to help the homeless.
There are homeless people in? Well, not here; there.
A lot of work is done here.
All day, all night, all eternity.
I I understand.
I I do.
A lot of things are done from here.
It's just that I have this feeling I didn't quite finish my own work.
Oh, well, few people do.
You know what we should do? We should go Christmas shopping.
Isn't it a little late for that? Oh, heavens, no.
Heavens, no.
- I really wish I hadn't worn this kilt.
-Why? You look great in it.
Really.
I mean, if I if I had legs like that, I'd show them off every day.
Really? Absolutely.
But if you're uncomfortable, then Slightly.
Was that a, uh, remark? No.
He just got here.
Well, in that case, merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
So, are you comfortable now? Yeah, yeah.
I I'm feeling a little better.
I'm-I'm I'm feeling kind of happy.
Wonderful.
This is a very happy place.
In fact, this is the happiest place not on Earth.
Yeah.
All right, who shall we start with first, the oldest or the youngest? The Christmas presents.
Oh, right, the presents.
Uh, I don't know.
I Christmas has always been for the children.
Well, we're all children.
Yeah, right.
Well, then, I guess let's go with the oldest Matt.
That's it Matt.
Oh, Matt and Sarah and their boys.
Oh, are they not the cutest things? Have you seen them? I was there with the whole family when they were born.
Ah.
I have just the thing.
Come on.
Come on.
You see? They have some very nice timepieces here.
And some pieces of time, as well.
And you think Matt would like a what? Reverend Camden, I had no idea.
Oh, neither did I.
He took me completely by surprise.
I think you know my son, Phil.
Oh, yeah, I think I do.
I know a Phil anyway.
He looks like a million bucks.
He lost 75 pounds.
- No kidding.
- No kidding.
He's walking every day with his wife.
I'm so happy to hear that.
Phil's a Phil's a nice guy.
A nice, healthy guy.
You gave him so much time.
No, no.
Not really.
I mean, just an hour here or there.
An hour here or there every week for years.
And now, because of that, he's going to have more time.
More time.
More time on Earth.
More time with his wife and more time with his children and more time to laugh and just more time to enjoy his life.
You see, this is the perfect gift.
Matt and Sarah stay so busy with their work.
Well, as they have to, because being doctors is such important work.
But if you could give them more time with their children, I think they'd love that.
And it would be so good for the boys.
All right, well, then, uh wrap it up.
Got it right here.
Golly, you're so generous.
Reverend Camden's been very generous with his time, don't you think? Oh, I do.
I really do.
Well, thank you.
You're welcome, Reverend.
And I hope that Matt and his family enjoy having more time with each other.
Yes, yes.
So do I.
Oh, and, uh, here.
Take this, too.
This is, uh, just a little something from me to you to say thanks.
Oh, but I don't have anything for you.
Don't have anything for me? What, you just forgot what you did for my Phil? Please.
Well, thank you.
Really, this is very nice of you.
Merry Christmas.
Yeah.
Merry, merry Christmas, Reverend.
Thanks.
Matt will be thrilled.
Yes, I think he will be.
Oh, I know he will be.
Time is the nicest gift you can get.
And you can really only find it here.
You won't find it on the Internet.
- No? - No.
Can I tell you something just between you and me? The Internet sucks the life out of time.
Oh, there is something.
I see something perfect for Mary.
Are you ready? Yeah.
I-I I don't know.
I'm feeling a little strange.
Oh, the hot chocolate must be wearing off.
You okay? I don't know.
I-I'm kind of light-headed.
Or maybe lighthearted.
Here, come on.
- Come over here and sit down.
- Okay.
I'll go get you something to eat.
Thank you, Jenny.
It's it's so good to see you.
Oh, and it's so good to see you.
Not that I don't look in on you and Annie every day.
Every single day.
You've taken such good care of my daughter.
I'll be back.
More time.
Oh! Hey, there's my girl! Mommy! Come here.
You're supposed to be in San Francisco.
Oh, yeah, we just we had a feeling that we should come home, and I wanted to come home.
I missed Savannah.
Oh, she was fine.
What's cooking? Something smells great in the kitchen.
Pork chops.
I'm trying to lure Eric home, you know, so we can decorate the tree.
- Without us? - Well, you have your own tree.
I know, but you know I I like to be here with you and Dad when you put up the tree.
And you didn't tell me you were putting up the tree tonight.
Well, I-I-I didn't plan on it, you know.
Did you go by the church? Uh, no, I didn't, but I did talk to Dad.
He said he had a lot of people come in all day, and, um, he said he was coming home right after I called.
He's not home yet? No, no.
I'll give him another five minutes, and then I'll bug him again.
That really is a beautiful tree.
Yeah, it is nice.
Um, we picked it out Sam and David and I at the market this afternoon.
You're putting it up a little early.
I mean, why tonight? There's no set time to put up a Christmas tree.
I just felt like putting it up tonight, you know.
And so did Sam and David.
And T Bone helped us bring down the decorations before he went off to work, and Jane and Margaret, they want to put up their own Christmas tree in the garage apartment.
So, tonight's the night to put up the Christmas tree.
And now that you and Lucy are here, we can have a little family party and kick off the season.
Okay.
Sounds like fun.
Doesn't it, Savannah, huh? Oh, uh, Kevin and I have been trying to figure out something to do for Dad for Christmas.
I was thinking, what if we all donate our time to help others? I think that's what would do your dad's heart the most good.
Yeah, I-I think I can get everybody in the church to do that everyone.
We should get everyone to volunteer their time.
Oh, I like that.
Yeah.
Hello.
Merry Christmas, Reverend.
Oh, merry Christmas.
May I? Oh yeah, of course.
I have something for you.
It's not much, considering what you've done for me and my husband.
- Do I know you? - No, you don't.
And yet you saved the lives of our five children.
This is going to be a beautiful Christmas, the most beautiful Christmas I could ever have imagined.
You just found a home for my children.
My five children.
Nell.
Oh, yes.
Nell.
She has the most wonderful heart.
And she'll make a wonderful mother.
So, those are your children that she's adopting? Mine and my husband's, yes.
All five.
She took all five of them.
And they're all going to America together.
Well, that's that's nice.
And you know what else is nice, Reverend? One day she'll return to my country with our five children and her husband, a doctor.
He's a wonderful man, too.
I've been looking for someone for him.
So Nell is going to get married to a doctor? Yes.
He's with Doctors Without Borders.
She'll meet him when she takes the children back to visit my mother in Ethiopia.
It's going to change her whole life, this adoption.
It's going to change their lives.
It's going to change the lives of those we haven't even thought about.
You are a very powerful man.
Well, no.
I mean, I didn't really do anything.
Oh, yes, you did, my friend.
And God bless you.
Please take this.
This is for Lucy.
It's courage.
You gave Nell courage to adopt, and now my husband and I will give Lucy the little bit of courage she needs to have another child.
We were blessed with courage, you know.
And it made all the difference in our lives.
Merry Christmas, Reverend.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you.
God rest ye merry gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas Day To save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray Oh, tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
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.
That was amazing.
Brought to you by just a small representation of the waiters you generously tipped over the years.
- Really? - Absolutely.
Feeling better now? Yes, I I'm feeling much better.
Good.
Come on.
I want you to see this.
Okay.
Okay.
Well, thank you.
Thank you.
And and merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas! If you could give Mary anything in the world, what would you give her? Oh, I'm not sure.
Come on.
I'll show you.
I'm so pleased to see you.
So pleased.
Merry Christmas.
Well, merry Christmas to you.
It's such a practical gift.
An eraser? Mm-hmm.
The ability to forget, all wrapped up in brown paper to look absolutely ordinary when it's so very extraordinary.
- Yeah.
- You know, if Mary could just forgive herself for her mistakes, oh, it'd be so nice, but it's so hard to forgive yourself.
Besides, forgiveness belongs to God, so all we can really do is forget, right? - Yeah.
-I mean, people are always saying, "Forgive and forget.
" It sounds like such simple advice, but it's so complicated.
Best to just forget.
And Mary would forget? That she, um, toilet-papered the gym and got kicked out of school.
I'd forgotten.
I'd completely forgotten.
You see what I mean? But Mary can't let it go, she can't forget it, and so that little mistake became another mistake and then another mistake.
And she would be so much better off if, like you, she could forget.
Yeah, but if Mary erases her mistake There'll be nothing to remember.
Yeah, but shouldn't she remember, so that she'll learn something from it? That's not working.
Okay, well, then you know, then forgetting sounds good.
I guess you have to know what to remember and what to forget.
You got it.
So, uh the smallest eraser you have will do, because it was a very tiny thing.
Most of the time it is.
She's a young mother, isn't she? If I only had one of these when I was a young mother, oh, the trouble it would have saved me.
I would have gladly gone hungry and just bought that stupid doll if I had known the trouble I was going to cause.
The doll Joyce wanted for Christmas that she didn't get.
You know Joyce? I do.
I'm her mother.
I'm the one who didn't buy her that doll because I bought her food.
She never forgave me for it my whole life.
After a while, I couldn't forgive her for holding onto it.
That's why I got into the business of selling erasers when I came here.
I could see the value of a good eraser.
She could not.
She could not forget that I didn't buy that doll for her.
She clung to resenting me for it most of her life, until you came along.
God bless you.
I really didn't do anything.
You erased a 70-year-old grudge.
I think that's something.
Didn't I tell you he was wonderful? And just to let you know, Joyce isn't due here anytime soon, but when she gets here, I've got the doll to give her.
Can you imagine anybody holding a grudge against their own mother for 70 years because of this? Let's not let Mary hold onto a bad memory, certainly not till she's an old lady.
Thank you.
No.
Thank you.
And merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
An eraser.
See, I-I wouldn't have thought of it.
Ah, just wipes out the memory and lets you move on.
Of course, sometimes you forget something that happened, and it just torments someone else, and we don't even know.
Hmm.
Now, any ideas for Simon? Simon doesn't really ask me for much anymore.
He's gotten pretty independent.
He's living on his own this year with no help from us, and he's doing fine better than fine.
Doesn't that make you proud? But, of course, the important thing is that he's proud of himself.
After all, it is self-esteem, not parent esteem.
Hmm.
When are we eating? Uh, as soon as your dad gets here.
Well, when's that? Uh, well, it should be anytime now.
I've been calling him, but he's not answering, which usually means he's helping somebody.
Yeah, probably.
But, uh, you can, uh, help take away your hunger pains by, uh, putting up some ornaments or getting out some decorations.
Oh, um, we were trying to think of something good to give Dad for Christmas.
So, I was thinking that maybe we should volunteer our time to a good cause during Christmas, and and maybe we could even get the entire church everybody in the church to do the same thing.
So, what do you think? Okay, but we always do that, don't we? I mean, isn't doing something for others really doing something for ourselves? I mean, doesn't it always make you feel better by doing something for someone else, especially during this time of year? You're right, Ruthie.
Helping others is really a gift we're giving ourselves.
So maybe we could help others twice as much as we normally do.
A day for ourselves, a day for Dad.
Or what if we make it three days? One day for ourselves, one day for Dad and one day to honor the one born on Christmas Day.
O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by This is one of my favorite things we do at Christmas.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Reverend Camden, how are you? Uh, I'm fine.
Merry Christmas.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
I'm so happy to see you, but I didn't know you were going to be here.
Neither did he.
But that sometimes happens.
Especially around the holidays.
Reverend, I just want to say thanks for fixing up Betsey.
My wife and I want to say thanks, rather.
We really appreciate it.
You know, with Van.
He's a great guy.
Yeah.
Are you actually Oh, no, no, no.
No, we're just recreating what was created.
Oh! We have the honor this year.
And quite an honor.
Oh, thank you, Jenny.
It is.
We feel very lucky to be chosen this year.
Anyway, our daughter, Pearl you've heard Betsey complain about her Aunt Pearl, right? Yeah.
Well, thanks to you, this year, her Aunt Pearl, our daughter, couldn't be happier.
She's been pushing Betsey every year to find herself a man, probably because Pearl herself never married.
Hmm.
And this was going to be, uh, Aunt Pearl's last Christmas.
But now she has a purpose.
She's got to cater the wedding and the baby shower and the birthdays, and take care of Uncle Mason.
Yeah.
Aunt Pearl's going to hook up with Van's Uncle Mason.
She's got her niece and her husband and their children to take care of.
And she's going to have Uncle Mason to help her do it all.
She's got purpose.
All of a sudden, at her age, purpose.
And she'll be happier and live longer.
She certainly will.
So, thanks again.
I have to get back.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
Purpose.
That's what I should get for Simon purpose.
He-he he needs a purpose.
He wants to make money, but he-he doesn't have a purpose.
Oh, that is good.
That is really good.
I mean, just look what happened to Paul Newman when he got purpose.
Good Lord, I mean, you think he's a big star down there? Up here I mean, big.
I mean, really big.
Oh, speak of the angel.
- Oh, merry Christmas.
- Oh, merry Christmas.
Does she look familiar? No.
I'm I'm sorry.
Do I know you? Uh, no, but some people say my son looks a lot like me.
Martin.
- Are you Martin's mother? - I am.
Such a pleasure to meet you.
Martin's such a nice young man.
And what would he have done if he hadn't had you in his life? Not had a baby when he was 18? But that was meant to be.
Baby Aaron already has a purpose.
It's to show Martin how much he was loved by me.
And truly, he's already seeing that when he sees Sandy with Aaron.
All his life, Aaron will be bringing people together for common causes.
Well, good.
Well well, then, that's good, then? Yes, it is.
She has a real knack for knitting purposes.
Give Simon this.
Is it? His purpose in life.
And that would be? Something he'll have to unravel himself.
Something he'll have to discover on his own.
Not even a hint about what's inside? No.
Sorry.
All will be revealed in time.
You're a good father.
Thank you again for taking care of my son and my husband.
You were there when they needed you.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
She is so nice, isn't she? And that's a lovely gift she's giving to Simon.
Even if it takes him a few Christmases to open it.
- Even if.
- Yeah.
Ruthie.
Oh, we have to get something for Ruthie.
Um maybe a boy? Nah.
Now I think about that, those presents never really last.
And she has Theodore.
Oh, I love that kid.
- T Bone? Yeah, so do I.
- Yeah.
Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright - What fun it is to ride and sing -Come on.
Let's take a break and have some fun.
- Yeah.
Come on.
- Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way, oh, what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
In his master's steps he trod Where the snow lay dinted Heat was in the very sod Which the saint had printed Therefore, Christian men, be sure Thank you.
Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
And thanks again for the ride.
Anytime, Reverend.
And I didn't get a chance to mention it I didn't want to interrupt you two but I sure appreciate you looking after my Lindsay.
Lindsay? The same Lindsay who just apologized to her brother and his fiancée? Yes, that's the one.
Her brother's been praying about it for years, and so has she.
But you know, you can pray, or you can do.
And I don't think you should pray for anything you can do yourself.
I think that's a very nice philosophy.
Say, that little girl of yours, Ruthie, she likes horses, doesn't she? Yeah, she does.
Take her something from Snowy and me.
Dignity.
Beauty.
And loyalty.
Beauty's from the horse, of course.
Oh, please.
Everyone knows what a beautiful man you are.
Thank you.
I-I-I will give these to her.
Dignity, beauty and loyalty.
You helped my children recover their dignity.
It's so undignified to carry around such public and hateful grudges, you know? Might make good for daytime TV, but it's not a pretty life.
You gave them a chance to be beautiful again.
That was a beautiful thing, that apology.
Beau-ti-ful! And hopefully now they have some real loyalty to each other.
To the family, to their families.
Loyalty is in such short supply.
Can't thank you enough.
But you did.
Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
To both of you.
He's not answering, but you know, maybe he just got a phone call or someone stopped into his office with a problem.
Do you want me to go down to the office - and pull him out of there? - No, no, that's okay.
He'll be here.
He's not answering his cell phone or the church phone, Mom.
- I know that.
-Why don't I just take a ride down there, hurry him along? Because I'm not worried about him.
I'm not.
He's fine.
Like Luce said, he's talking to someone or helping someone, which is where he always is.
Where's Dad? Oh oh, hi, honey.
He's just running a little late.
But you know what? While we're waiting for him, come help us.
We're going to get everything ready to decorate the tree, okay? You can start by getting out the decorations.
- Okay.
- Okay! Oh, and boys, we were talking, and we thought that this year, it might be nice to volunteer to help out somewhere, like we did last year.
But this year, we're going to work a day for ourselves, a day for Dad and a day for Jesus, kind of like a birthday present for Christ at Christmas.
Isn't that nice? - I like that.
- Me, too.
It feels funny in here.
It does.
Is something wrong? Dad is coming home tonight, isn't he? Luce! Have a little faith.
All of you, have a little faith.
He'll be here.
So, now, Sam and David.
Um, do you want to get them the same thing, or each something different? - Each something different.
- Yeah.
Yeah, but then, I don't know, they they like the same things.
I don't know.
Oh, twins, triplets, quadruplets all multiple births it's just it's amazing.
To arrive and and have a friend or friends I mean, that's fantastic, don't you think? The world is a miraculous place.
Reverend Camden! Oops.
Sorry.
Just got the wings.
Um, you are Reverend Camden, right? Well, I mean, you look like him, but you're not supposed to be here yet, are you? - Ah, we'll see.
- So it's him? Well I am Eric Camden.
Or was.
Oh, you are and always will be.
Well, I just got my wings, and I've been assigned to your two sons, David and Sam.
Can you believe it? So they're your first assignment? Yeah.
Cool, huh? - Yeah.
- Now, don't you worry.
Now, Angelica comes from a long line of guardian angels.
Her grandmother is one of your guardian angels.
And she's around? Well, she's off doing some paperwork.
Oh.
There's paperwork here? Are you kidding me? Everything is written down every little thing.
Except for the stuff that gets erased.
Erasers, you see? They can come in very handy.
So, do you know what I should get David and Sam for Christmas? Of course.
They need cooperation and understanding and respect for each other.
And I can get those for them where? I love doing that! Love it! Here you go.
Here, I'll help you.
Come on.
You created cooperation, understanding and respect between those two people you pushed into getting married, so I just grabbed some while it was in the ether.
Dean and Andie? I-I didn't push them.
Oh, pushed, shoved what's the difference? It's okay, Reverend.
Everything is going to be fine.
It is.
And whenever it isn't, well I'll be there.
Oh! Uh Cooperation, understanding and mutual respect.
I can just see that they'll be there for one another for the rest of their lives.
And it's a good thing that this is her first assignment? Oh, well, she's not their only guardian angel oh, no, no, no.
There are bands of guardian angels surrounding each and every human being.
No, Angelica is very enthusiastic and very smart, so she'll just get better and better.
You'll see.
It's going to be wonderful.
So, where were my bands of angels when Well, one was standing right there with you in clear view.
Stanley Sunday.
- Oh, you didn't suspect? - No.
- He told you to ask for your life.
-And I did.
Which is why Gertrude has gone off to make your case.
Gertrude is Angelica's grandmother and your guardian angel.
Gertrude is doing the paperwork.
So we should know shortly how this all turns out.
Okay.
In the meantime, you have one more person on your gift list.
- Annie.
- Yeah.
Christ is born in Bethlehem Hark! The herald angels sing Glory to the newborn king.
The first Noel The angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds In fields as they lay In fields where they Lay keeping their sheep I think I found something.
They have some really interesting books in there.
Yeah, but you can't take any of them with you.
Did you find your story? I have a story? Of course you have a story.
We all have a story.
And you write a lot of it, you know you do.
Of course, as I mentioned, your guardian angel is trying to do some revisions.
The revisions being? Paperwork, remember? But everything's going to be fine.
So, did you come up with anything for Annie? Well, I thought I might get her a first edition book.
You know, she likes books.
You can read the books in the bookstore, but you can't buy them.
You can't take them with you.
No one needs to know every single thing about another person.
Except, of course, for the man upstairs.
- Hello, Reverend.
- Hi.
I I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for our men and women in public service.
Oh, you're welcome.
Not that I've done anything.
Oh, but you have.
You remember Larry? Friends call him Larry the Loser? He always wants to spend more on his children than he has to spend? And he has no money because he spends all of his time at the computer trying to get rich quick? He's one of those projects that I just never felt I I quite finished.
He's a person I couldn't get through to.
I tried, but I mean, I like Larry.
He's a sweet man.
And I tried honestly, I did.
That's why we don't let you run the place.
You just get to work there.
Have a little faith, man.
You got through to him.
- I did? - Absolutely.
Larry spends three days playing with his children, realizes that they have absolutely no respect for him or anyone else, invents a computer program that teaches morals and ba-boom! he hits the big time and donates his money to helping public servants.
- That's amazing.
- You're amazing.
You wouldn't have an idea about what I could get Annie for Christmas, would you? Shopping for your wife is no easier here than it is there.
Sorry.
But nice meeting you.
Nice work.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
You know, I can't remember when anyone was so well received here.
You have so many friends here.
I also have a lot of friends there.
I know.
You want to go home.
Do you think there's any possibility of that? All things are possible.
Just have a little faith.
Now, come on, let's think.
Think about what to get for Annie.
Maybe that's it faith.
Faith that someday we'll see each other again, 'cause by now, she has to be missing me 'cause I'm missing her.
That's another sign that you're not really supposed to be here.
If you were really supposed to be here, everything would be fine, and you wouldn't be missing anyone, because you'd know that you're going to see them again soon enough.
But does Annie know that? That no matter what happens, we'll see each other again soon enough? Oh, she does.
She really does.
That's why you're going to have to think of something else to get her.
Something other than faith.
Because she already has faith.
She has faith to spare.
How could she not, after being married to you all these years? Have some popcorn.
Have some cheese and crackers.
He'll be here.
Annie, let me just go check on him.
He's 20 minutes late.
That's all 20 minutes.
It only feels as if he's later because you're all making it so important.
Don't make it important.
He's late all the time.
Okay, Mom.
I'm going to give him five more minutes.
I know you've already called your little buddies down at the police station and no one's seen him, right? And then they called the hospital, but he's not there because he's busy working.
I'll tell you the man is fine.
I feel it in my bones.
He is not going to miss a pork chop dinner.
Mom, what if he's not fine? What if he had a heart attack or something in between the church and home? I'd know it.
I'd know if he were in any real trouble.
I would.
He's fine.
I know it in my heart.
I do.
O come all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye Annie already has everything that you would want a person to have.
She has patience and kindness and virtue and strength and love and passion and dedication and I don't know.
I never know what to get her.
Yeah, all the other gifts are so special, and we really have to think of something Oops.
I dropped my pin.
Oh.
What does it look like? Um, it's a cameo a blue cameo.
It-it must be around here somewhere.
Let me help you.
It's something Charles gave me when Annie was born.
I should have just left it with her, but I didn't.
Let's see.
Oh, wait.
Here it is.
Ah, thank you.
Isn't it pretty? - Yeah, it is.
- Yeah.
Oh, here she comes.
Is that? That's Gertrude, your guardian angel in charge of paperwork.
She's very experienced.
Gertrude, how'd it go? Oh, that Stanley how brilliant of him to tell you to ask for your life.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes I guess it does.
I I'm just so grateful.
Well, I'm sure that had a lot to do with it your attitude and your gratitude.
But that Stanley, I mean, he is something.
But other people ask for their lives, and they would be grateful for a second chance, so For most people, it's time to start a new life.
For you, it's time to go back to the old one.
Because you were right.
You have a lot of unfinished business to take care of, and people need you.
They really do.
I'll be home for Christmas - If only in my dreams - Thank you.
Thank you for everything.
Oh, you're welcome.
And don't you worry I'll be around.
Could I ask you something? Christmas Eve will find me Will I remember this? You'll remember that everything is fine.
Whatever happens, everything is fine.
I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams If only in my dreams.
Dad! Dad! Hey! Whoa! How are my guys? Hey, Dad.
Hey, pretty one.
We were waiting for you.
I know.
I'm sorry I'm so late, but it's really good to be here.
It's really good to be here.
We're putting up the tree.
I see that.
We picked it out with Mom.
Well, it's beautiful, and you know your mom can pick out a tree better than anybody in the world.
- Are you okay, Dad? - I'm fine.
I'm really fine, Luce.
And I told you you didn't you you didn't need to cancel your trip.
I know.
I wanted to.
I wanted to be here tonight.
- Are you hungry? - I'm starving.
You had us all worried, you know.
Oh, well, don't worry about me, please.
Not this Christmas or or next Christmas or the next one or the next one.
Okay, Dad.
Come on, guys.
I love you.
I love you, too.
More than ever, Annie.
What's that? What's what's in your hand? Uh I I don't know.
You don't know? You don't know that this is this is the pin that my my dad gave my mom when I was born? - Is it? - Yes, Eric, it is.
Where on Earth did you get this? I found it.
Where? Where could you possibly find this? Oh, Eric, don't.
Don't, don't, don't.
Don't.
It's okay.
I-I don't care.
I don't I don't care where you found it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!
7th Heaven When I see their happy faces Smiling back at me 7th Heaven I know there's no greater feeling Than the love of family Where can you go When the world don't treat you right? The answer is home That's the one place that you'll find 7th Heaven Mmm, 7th Heaven 7th Heaven.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let Earth receive her King Let every heart prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven, and Heaven and nature sing Joy to the world, the Savior reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat the sounding joy He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love, and wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love.
Eric.
Eric.
- Oh.
- Oh.
I'm sorry I'm late.
I didn't I didn't know you were coming.
Neither did I.
Oh, that is wonderful to arrive with a sense of humor.
That's my son-in-law.
Well, most people, when they get here, they're so confused, they they don't know where they are and they walk around in a daze for weeks.
- Where am I? - Oh, you.
No, Charles would have been here, but but he offered to help the homeless.
There are homeless people in? Well, not here; there.
A lot of work is done here.
All day, all night, all eternity.
I I understand.
I I do.
A lot of things are done from here.
It's just that I have this feeling I didn't quite finish my own work.
Oh, well, few people do.
You know what we should do? We should go Christmas shopping.
Isn't it a little late for that? Oh, heavens, no.
Heavens, no.
- I really wish I hadn't worn this kilt.
-Why? You look great in it.
Really.
I mean, if I if I had legs like that, I'd show them off every day.
Really? Absolutely.
But if you're uncomfortable, then Slightly.
Was that a, uh, remark? No.
He just got here.
Well, in that case, merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
So, are you comfortable now? Yeah, yeah.
I I'm feeling a little better.
I'm-I'm I'm feeling kind of happy.
Wonderful.
This is a very happy place.
In fact, this is the happiest place not on Earth.
Yeah.
All right, who shall we start with first, the oldest or the youngest? The Christmas presents.
Oh, right, the presents.
Uh, I don't know.
I Christmas has always been for the children.
Well, we're all children.
Yeah, right.
Well, then, I guess let's go with the oldest Matt.
That's it Matt.
Oh, Matt and Sarah and their boys.
Oh, are they not the cutest things? Have you seen them? I was there with the whole family when they were born.
Ah.
I have just the thing.
Come on.
Come on.
You see? They have some very nice timepieces here.
And some pieces of time, as well.
And you think Matt would like a what? Reverend Camden, I had no idea.
Oh, neither did I.
He took me completely by surprise.
I think you know my son, Phil.
Oh, yeah, I think I do.
I know a Phil anyway.
He looks like a million bucks.
He lost 75 pounds.
- No kidding.
- No kidding.
He's walking every day with his wife.
I'm so happy to hear that.
Phil's a Phil's a nice guy.
A nice, healthy guy.
You gave him so much time.
No, no.
Not really.
I mean, just an hour here or there.
An hour here or there every week for years.
And now, because of that, he's going to have more time.
More time.
More time on Earth.
More time with his wife and more time with his children and more time to laugh and just more time to enjoy his life.
You see, this is the perfect gift.
Matt and Sarah stay so busy with their work.
Well, as they have to, because being doctors is such important work.
But if you could give them more time with their children, I think they'd love that.
And it would be so good for the boys.
All right, well, then, uh wrap it up.
Got it right here.
Golly, you're so generous.
Reverend Camden's been very generous with his time, don't you think? Oh, I do.
I really do.
Well, thank you.
You're welcome, Reverend.
And I hope that Matt and his family enjoy having more time with each other.
Yes, yes.
So do I.
Oh, and, uh, here.
Take this, too.
This is, uh, just a little something from me to you to say thanks.
Oh, but I don't have anything for you.
Don't have anything for me? What, you just forgot what you did for my Phil? Please.
Well, thank you.
Really, this is very nice of you.
Merry Christmas.
Yeah.
Merry, merry Christmas, Reverend.
Thanks.
Matt will be thrilled.
Yes, I think he will be.
Oh, I know he will be.
Time is the nicest gift you can get.
And you can really only find it here.
You won't find it on the Internet.
- No? - No.
Can I tell you something just between you and me? The Internet sucks the life out of time.
Oh, there is something.
I see something perfect for Mary.
Are you ready? Yeah.
I-I I don't know.
I'm feeling a little strange.
Oh, the hot chocolate must be wearing off.
You okay? I don't know.
I-I'm kind of light-headed.
Or maybe lighthearted.
Here, come on.
- Come over here and sit down.
- Okay.
I'll go get you something to eat.
Thank you, Jenny.
It's it's so good to see you.
Oh, and it's so good to see you.
Not that I don't look in on you and Annie every day.
Every single day.
You've taken such good care of my daughter.
I'll be back.
More time.
Oh! Hey, there's my girl! Mommy! Come here.
You're supposed to be in San Francisco.
Oh, yeah, we just we had a feeling that we should come home, and I wanted to come home.
I missed Savannah.
Oh, she was fine.
What's cooking? Something smells great in the kitchen.
Pork chops.
I'm trying to lure Eric home, you know, so we can decorate the tree.
- Without us? - Well, you have your own tree.
I know, but you know I I like to be here with you and Dad when you put up the tree.
And you didn't tell me you were putting up the tree tonight.
Well, I-I-I didn't plan on it, you know.
Did you go by the church? Uh, no, I didn't, but I did talk to Dad.
He said he had a lot of people come in all day, and, um, he said he was coming home right after I called.
He's not home yet? No, no.
I'll give him another five minutes, and then I'll bug him again.
That really is a beautiful tree.
Yeah, it is nice.
Um, we picked it out Sam and David and I at the market this afternoon.
You're putting it up a little early.
I mean, why tonight? There's no set time to put up a Christmas tree.
I just felt like putting it up tonight, you know.
And so did Sam and David.
And T Bone helped us bring down the decorations before he went off to work, and Jane and Margaret, they want to put up their own Christmas tree in the garage apartment.
So, tonight's the night to put up the Christmas tree.
And now that you and Lucy are here, we can have a little family party and kick off the season.
Okay.
Sounds like fun.
Doesn't it, Savannah, huh? Oh, uh, Kevin and I have been trying to figure out something to do for Dad for Christmas.
I was thinking, what if we all donate our time to help others? I think that's what would do your dad's heart the most good.
Yeah, I-I think I can get everybody in the church to do that everyone.
We should get everyone to volunteer their time.
Oh, I like that.
Yeah.
Hello.
Merry Christmas, Reverend.
Oh, merry Christmas.
May I? Oh yeah, of course.
I have something for you.
It's not much, considering what you've done for me and my husband.
- Do I know you? - No, you don't.
And yet you saved the lives of our five children.
This is going to be a beautiful Christmas, the most beautiful Christmas I could ever have imagined.
You just found a home for my children.
My five children.
Nell.
Oh, yes.
Nell.
She has the most wonderful heart.
And she'll make a wonderful mother.
So, those are your children that she's adopting? Mine and my husband's, yes.
All five.
She took all five of them.
And they're all going to America together.
Well, that's that's nice.
And you know what else is nice, Reverend? One day she'll return to my country with our five children and her husband, a doctor.
He's a wonderful man, too.
I've been looking for someone for him.
So Nell is going to get married to a doctor? Yes.
He's with Doctors Without Borders.
She'll meet him when she takes the children back to visit my mother in Ethiopia.
It's going to change her whole life, this adoption.
It's going to change their lives.
It's going to change the lives of those we haven't even thought about.
You are a very powerful man.
Well, no.
I mean, I didn't really do anything.
Oh, yes, you did, my friend.
And God bless you.
Please take this.
This is for Lucy.
It's courage.
You gave Nell courage to adopt, and now my husband and I will give Lucy the little bit of courage she needs to have another child.
We were blessed with courage, you know.
And it made all the difference in our lives.
Merry Christmas, Reverend.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you.
God rest ye merry gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Remember Christ our Savior Was born on Christmas Day To save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray Oh, tidings of comfort and joy Comfort and joy Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.
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.
That was amazing.
Brought to you by just a small representation of the waiters you generously tipped over the years.
- Really? - Absolutely.
Feeling better now? Yes, I I'm feeling much better.
Good.
Come on.
I want you to see this.
Okay.
Okay.
Well, thank you.
Thank you.
And and merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas! If you could give Mary anything in the world, what would you give her? Oh, I'm not sure.
Come on.
I'll show you.
I'm so pleased to see you.
So pleased.
Merry Christmas.
Well, merry Christmas to you.
It's such a practical gift.
An eraser? Mm-hmm.
The ability to forget, all wrapped up in brown paper to look absolutely ordinary when it's so very extraordinary.
- Yeah.
- You know, if Mary could just forgive herself for her mistakes, oh, it'd be so nice, but it's so hard to forgive yourself.
Besides, forgiveness belongs to God, so all we can really do is forget, right? - Yeah.
-I mean, people are always saying, "Forgive and forget.
" It sounds like such simple advice, but it's so complicated.
Best to just forget.
And Mary would forget? That she, um, toilet-papered the gym and got kicked out of school.
I'd forgotten.
I'd completely forgotten.
You see what I mean? But Mary can't let it go, she can't forget it, and so that little mistake became another mistake and then another mistake.
And she would be so much better off if, like you, she could forget.
Yeah, but if Mary erases her mistake There'll be nothing to remember.
Yeah, but shouldn't she remember, so that she'll learn something from it? That's not working.
Okay, well, then you know, then forgetting sounds good.
I guess you have to know what to remember and what to forget.
You got it.
So, uh the smallest eraser you have will do, because it was a very tiny thing.
Most of the time it is.
She's a young mother, isn't she? If I only had one of these when I was a young mother, oh, the trouble it would have saved me.
I would have gladly gone hungry and just bought that stupid doll if I had known the trouble I was going to cause.
The doll Joyce wanted for Christmas that she didn't get.
You know Joyce? I do.
I'm her mother.
I'm the one who didn't buy her that doll because I bought her food.
She never forgave me for it my whole life.
After a while, I couldn't forgive her for holding onto it.
That's why I got into the business of selling erasers when I came here.
I could see the value of a good eraser.
She could not.
She could not forget that I didn't buy that doll for her.
She clung to resenting me for it most of her life, until you came along.
God bless you.
I really didn't do anything.
You erased a 70-year-old grudge.
I think that's something.
Didn't I tell you he was wonderful? And just to let you know, Joyce isn't due here anytime soon, but when she gets here, I've got the doll to give her.
Can you imagine anybody holding a grudge against their own mother for 70 years because of this? Let's not let Mary hold onto a bad memory, certainly not till she's an old lady.
Thank you.
No.
Thank you.
And merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
An eraser.
See, I-I wouldn't have thought of it.
Ah, just wipes out the memory and lets you move on.
Of course, sometimes you forget something that happened, and it just torments someone else, and we don't even know.
Hmm.
Now, any ideas for Simon? Simon doesn't really ask me for much anymore.
He's gotten pretty independent.
He's living on his own this year with no help from us, and he's doing fine better than fine.
Doesn't that make you proud? But, of course, the important thing is that he's proud of himself.
After all, it is self-esteem, not parent esteem.
Hmm.
When are we eating? Uh, as soon as your dad gets here.
Well, when's that? Uh, well, it should be anytime now.
I've been calling him, but he's not answering, which usually means he's helping somebody.
Yeah, probably.
But, uh, you can, uh, help take away your hunger pains by, uh, putting up some ornaments or getting out some decorations.
Oh, um, we were trying to think of something good to give Dad for Christmas.
So, I was thinking that maybe we should volunteer our time to a good cause during Christmas, and and maybe we could even get the entire church everybody in the church to do the same thing.
So, what do you think? Okay, but we always do that, don't we? I mean, isn't doing something for others really doing something for ourselves? I mean, doesn't it always make you feel better by doing something for someone else, especially during this time of year? You're right, Ruthie.
Helping others is really a gift we're giving ourselves.
So maybe we could help others twice as much as we normally do.
A day for ourselves, a day for Dad.
Or what if we make it three days? One day for ourselves, one day for Dad and one day to honor the one born on Christmas Day.
O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie Above thy deep and dreamless sleep The silent stars go by This is one of my favorite things we do at Christmas.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth The everlasting light The hopes and fears of all the years Reverend Camden, how are you? Uh, I'm fine.
Merry Christmas.
Yeah.
Merry Christmas.
I'm so happy to see you, but I didn't know you were going to be here.
Neither did he.
But that sometimes happens.
Especially around the holidays.
Reverend, I just want to say thanks for fixing up Betsey.
My wife and I want to say thanks, rather.
We really appreciate it.
You know, with Van.
He's a great guy.
Yeah.
Are you actually Oh, no, no, no.
No, we're just recreating what was created.
Oh! We have the honor this year.
And quite an honor.
Oh, thank you, Jenny.
It is.
We feel very lucky to be chosen this year.
Anyway, our daughter, Pearl you've heard Betsey complain about her Aunt Pearl, right? Yeah.
Well, thanks to you, this year, her Aunt Pearl, our daughter, couldn't be happier.
She's been pushing Betsey every year to find herself a man, probably because Pearl herself never married.
Hmm.
And this was going to be, uh, Aunt Pearl's last Christmas.
But now she has a purpose.
She's got to cater the wedding and the baby shower and the birthdays, and take care of Uncle Mason.
Yeah.
Aunt Pearl's going to hook up with Van's Uncle Mason.
She's got her niece and her husband and their children to take care of.
And she's going to have Uncle Mason to help her do it all.
She's got purpose.
All of a sudden, at her age, purpose.
And she'll be happier and live longer.
She certainly will.
So, thanks again.
I have to get back.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
Purpose.
That's what I should get for Simon purpose.
He-he he needs a purpose.
He wants to make money, but he-he doesn't have a purpose.
Oh, that is good.
That is really good.
I mean, just look what happened to Paul Newman when he got purpose.
Good Lord, I mean, you think he's a big star down there? Up here I mean, big.
I mean, really big.
Oh, speak of the angel.
- Oh, merry Christmas.
- Oh, merry Christmas.
Does she look familiar? No.
I'm I'm sorry.
Do I know you? Uh, no, but some people say my son looks a lot like me.
Martin.
- Are you Martin's mother? - I am.
Such a pleasure to meet you.
Martin's such a nice young man.
And what would he have done if he hadn't had you in his life? Not had a baby when he was 18? But that was meant to be.
Baby Aaron already has a purpose.
It's to show Martin how much he was loved by me.
And truly, he's already seeing that when he sees Sandy with Aaron.
All his life, Aaron will be bringing people together for common causes.
Well, good.
Well well, then, that's good, then? Yes, it is.
She has a real knack for knitting purposes.
Give Simon this.
Is it? His purpose in life.
And that would be? Something he'll have to unravel himself.
Something he'll have to discover on his own.
Not even a hint about what's inside? No.
Sorry.
All will be revealed in time.
You're a good father.
Thank you again for taking care of my son and my husband.
You were there when they needed you.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
She is so nice, isn't she? And that's a lovely gift she's giving to Simon.
Even if it takes him a few Christmases to open it.
- Even if.
- Yeah.
Ruthie.
Oh, we have to get something for Ruthie.
Um maybe a boy? Nah.
Now I think about that, those presents never really last.
And she has Theodore.
Oh, I love that kid.
- T Bone? Yeah, so do I.
- Yeah.
Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh O'er the fields we go, laughing all the way Bells on bobtails ring, making spirits bright - What fun it is to ride and sing -Come on.
Let's take a break and have some fun.
- Yeah.
Come on.
- Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way, oh, what fun it is to ride In a one-horse open sleigh Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
In his master's steps he trod Where the snow lay dinted Heat was in the very sod Which the saint had printed Therefore, Christian men, be sure Thank you.
Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
And thanks again for the ride.
Anytime, Reverend.
And I didn't get a chance to mention it I didn't want to interrupt you two but I sure appreciate you looking after my Lindsay.
Lindsay? The same Lindsay who just apologized to her brother and his fiancée? Yes, that's the one.
Her brother's been praying about it for years, and so has she.
But you know, you can pray, or you can do.
And I don't think you should pray for anything you can do yourself.
I think that's a very nice philosophy.
Say, that little girl of yours, Ruthie, she likes horses, doesn't she? Yeah, she does.
Take her something from Snowy and me.
Dignity.
Beauty.
And loyalty.
Beauty's from the horse, of course.
Oh, please.
Everyone knows what a beautiful man you are.
Thank you.
I-I-I will give these to her.
Dignity, beauty and loyalty.
You helped my children recover their dignity.
It's so undignified to carry around such public and hateful grudges, you know? Might make good for daytime TV, but it's not a pretty life.
You gave them a chance to be beautiful again.
That was a beautiful thing, that apology.
Beau-ti-ful! And hopefully now they have some real loyalty to each other.
To the family, to their families.
Loyalty is in such short supply.
Can't thank you enough.
But you did.
Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
To both of you.
He's not answering, but you know, maybe he just got a phone call or someone stopped into his office with a problem.
Do you want me to go down to the office - and pull him out of there? - No, no, that's okay.
He'll be here.
He's not answering his cell phone or the church phone, Mom.
- I know that.
-Why don't I just take a ride down there, hurry him along? Because I'm not worried about him.
I'm not.
He's fine.
Like Luce said, he's talking to someone or helping someone, which is where he always is.
Where's Dad? Oh oh, hi, honey.
He's just running a little late.
But you know what? While we're waiting for him, come help us.
We're going to get everything ready to decorate the tree, okay? You can start by getting out the decorations.
- Okay.
- Okay! Oh, and boys, we were talking, and we thought that this year, it might be nice to volunteer to help out somewhere, like we did last year.
But this year, we're going to work a day for ourselves, a day for Dad and a day for Jesus, kind of like a birthday present for Christ at Christmas.
Isn't that nice? - I like that.
- Me, too.
It feels funny in here.
It does.
Is something wrong? Dad is coming home tonight, isn't he? Luce! Have a little faith.
All of you, have a little faith.
He'll be here.
So, now, Sam and David.
Um, do you want to get them the same thing, or each something different? - Each something different.
- Yeah.
Yeah, but then, I don't know, they they like the same things.
I don't know.
Oh, twins, triplets, quadruplets all multiple births it's just it's amazing.
To arrive and and have a friend or friends I mean, that's fantastic, don't you think? The world is a miraculous place.
Reverend Camden! Oops.
Sorry.
Just got the wings.
Um, you are Reverend Camden, right? Well, I mean, you look like him, but you're not supposed to be here yet, are you? - Ah, we'll see.
- So it's him? Well I am Eric Camden.
Or was.
Oh, you are and always will be.
Well, I just got my wings, and I've been assigned to your two sons, David and Sam.
Can you believe it? So they're your first assignment? Yeah.
Cool, huh? - Yeah.
- Now, don't you worry.
Now, Angelica comes from a long line of guardian angels.
Her grandmother is one of your guardian angels.
And she's around? Well, she's off doing some paperwork.
Oh.
There's paperwork here? Are you kidding me? Everything is written down every little thing.
Except for the stuff that gets erased.
Erasers, you see? They can come in very handy.
So, do you know what I should get David and Sam for Christmas? Of course.
They need cooperation and understanding and respect for each other.
And I can get those for them where? I love doing that! Love it! Here you go.
Here, I'll help you.
Come on.
You created cooperation, understanding and respect between those two people you pushed into getting married, so I just grabbed some while it was in the ether.
Dean and Andie? I-I didn't push them.
Oh, pushed, shoved what's the difference? It's okay, Reverend.
Everything is going to be fine.
It is.
And whenever it isn't, well I'll be there.
Oh! Uh Cooperation, understanding and mutual respect.
I can just see that they'll be there for one another for the rest of their lives.
And it's a good thing that this is her first assignment? Oh, well, she's not their only guardian angel oh, no, no, no.
There are bands of guardian angels surrounding each and every human being.
No, Angelica is very enthusiastic and very smart, so she'll just get better and better.
You'll see.
It's going to be wonderful.
So, where were my bands of angels when Well, one was standing right there with you in clear view.
Stanley Sunday.
- Oh, you didn't suspect? - No.
- He told you to ask for your life.
-And I did.
Which is why Gertrude has gone off to make your case.
Gertrude is Angelica's grandmother and your guardian angel.
Gertrude is doing the paperwork.
So we should know shortly how this all turns out.
Okay.
In the meantime, you have one more person on your gift list.
- Annie.
- Yeah.
Christ is born in Bethlehem Hark! The herald angels sing Glory to the newborn king.
The first Noel The angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds In fields as they lay In fields where they Lay keeping their sheep I think I found something.
They have some really interesting books in there.
Yeah, but you can't take any of them with you.
Did you find your story? I have a story? Of course you have a story.
We all have a story.
And you write a lot of it, you know you do.
Of course, as I mentioned, your guardian angel is trying to do some revisions.
The revisions being? Paperwork, remember? But everything's going to be fine.
So, did you come up with anything for Annie? Well, I thought I might get her a first edition book.
You know, she likes books.
You can read the books in the bookstore, but you can't buy them.
You can't take them with you.
No one needs to know every single thing about another person.
Except, of course, for the man upstairs.
- Hello, Reverend.
- Hi.
I I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for our men and women in public service.
Oh, you're welcome.
Not that I've done anything.
Oh, but you have.
You remember Larry? Friends call him Larry the Loser? He always wants to spend more on his children than he has to spend? And he has no money because he spends all of his time at the computer trying to get rich quick? He's one of those projects that I just never felt I I quite finished.
He's a person I couldn't get through to.
I tried, but I mean, I like Larry.
He's a sweet man.
And I tried honestly, I did.
That's why we don't let you run the place.
You just get to work there.
Have a little faith, man.
You got through to him.
- I did? - Absolutely.
Larry spends three days playing with his children, realizes that they have absolutely no respect for him or anyone else, invents a computer program that teaches morals and ba-boom! he hits the big time and donates his money to helping public servants.
- That's amazing.
- You're amazing.
You wouldn't have an idea about what I could get Annie for Christmas, would you? Shopping for your wife is no easier here than it is there.
Sorry.
But nice meeting you.
Nice work.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
You know, I can't remember when anyone was so well received here.
You have so many friends here.
I also have a lot of friends there.
I know.
You want to go home.
Do you think there's any possibility of that? All things are possible.
Just have a little faith.
Now, come on, let's think.
Think about what to get for Annie.
Maybe that's it faith.
Faith that someday we'll see each other again, 'cause by now, she has to be missing me 'cause I'm missing her.
That's another sign that you're not really supposed to be here.
If you were really supposed to be here, everything would be fine, and you wouldn't be missing anyone, because you'd know that you're going to see them again soon enough.
But does Annie know that? That no matter what happens, we'll see each other again soon enough? Oh, she does.
She really does.
That's why you're going to have to think of something else to get her.
Something other than faith.
Because she already has faith.
She has faith to spare.
How could she not, after being married to you all these years? Have some popcorn.
Have some cheese and crackers.
He'll be here.
Annie, let me just go check on him.
He's 20 minutes late.
That's all 20 minutes.
It only feels as if he's later because you're all making it so important.
Don't make it important.
He's late all the time.
Okay, Mom.
I'm going to give him five more minutes.
I know you've already called your little buddies down at the police station and no one's seen him, right? And then they called the hospital, but he's not there because he's busy working.
I'll tell you the man is fine.
I feel it in my bones.
He is not going to miss a pork chop dinner.
Mom, what if he's not fine? What if he had a heart attack or something in between the church and home? I'd know it.
I'd know if he were in any real trouble.
I would.
He's fine.
I know it in my heart.
I do.
O come all ye faithful Joyful and triumphant O come ye Annie already has everything that you would want a person to have.
She has patience and kindness and virtue and strength and love and passion and dedication and I don't know.
I never know what to get her.
Yeah, all the other gifts are so special, and we really have to think of something Oops.
I dropped my pin.
Oh.
What does it look like? Um, it's a cameo a blue cameo.
It-it must be around here somewhere.
Let me help you.
It's something Charles gave me when Annie was born.
I should have just left it with her, but I didn't.
Let's see.
Oh, wait.
Here it is.
Ah, thank you.
Isn't it pretty? - Yeah, it is.
- Yeah.
Oh, here she comes.
Is that? That's Gertrude, your guardian angel in charge of paperwork.
She's very experienced.
Gertrude, how'd it go? Oh, that Stanley how brilliant of him to tell you to ask for your life.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes I guess it does.
I I'm just so grateful.
Well, I'm sure that had a lot to do with it your attitude and your gratitude.
But that Stanley, I mean, he is something.
But other people ask for their lives, and they would be grateful for a second chance, so For most people, it's time to start a new life.
For you, it's time to go back to the old one.
Because you were right.
You have a lot of unfinished business to take care of, and people need you.
They really do.
I'll be home for Christmas - If only in my dreams - Thank you.
Thank you for everything.
Oh, you're welcome.
And don't you worry I'll be around.
Could I ask you something? Christmas Eve will find me Will I remember this? You'll remember that everything is fine.
Whatever happens, everything is fine.
I'll be home for Christmas If only in my dreams If only in my dreams.
Dad! Dad! Hey! Whoa! How are my guys? Hey, Dad.
Hey, pretty one.
We were waiting for you.
I know.
I'm sorry I'm so late, but it's really good to be here.
It's really good to be here.
We're putting up the tree.
I see that.
We picked it out with Mom.
Well, it's beautiful, and you know your mom can pick out a tree better than anybody in the world.
- Are you okay, Dad? - I'm fine.
I'm really fine, Luce.
And I told you you didn't you you didn't need to cancel your trip.
I know.
I wanted to.
I wanted to be here tonight.
- Are you hungry? - I'm starving.
You had us all worried, you know.
Oh, well, don't worry about me, please.
Not this Christmas or or next Christmas or the next one or the next one.
Okay, Dad.
Come on, guys.
I love you.
I love you, too.
More than ever, Annie.
What's that? What's what's in your hand? Uh I I don't know.
You don't know? You don't know that this is this is the pin that my my dad gave my mom when I was born? - Is it? - Yes, Eric, it is.
Where on Earth did you get this? I found it.
Where? Where could you possibly find this? Oh, Eric, don't.
Don't, don't, don't.
Don't.
It's okay.
I-I don't care.
I don't I don't care where you found it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas!