A Very Arctic Christmas (2026) Movie Script
1
So this is Christmas.
You know the one, the most wonderful,
holly, jolly, merry and bright,
magical time of the year.
To you, it might look like this.
Whatever the season means to you, there's no question
that Christmas is one of the very best holidays.
My dad and I have always
done Christmas a little differently.
That's us.
I'm Isla, my dad's Jim.
As long as I can remember, it's
always just been the two of us.
My Dad's a retired baseball player.
Now he's an on-camera host.
Since he works every Christmas Eve,
we came up with our own tradition.
We call it "All I want for Christmas."
The concept is simple.
We take turns every year choosing
what we wanna do for Christmas.
Sometimes we do something,
and sometimes we do nothing.
There.
That's where I wanna go.
I wanna go to Nokatomi Plaza.
Dad, Nakatomi Plaza isn't a real place.
We've managed to spend some incredible Christmases together, but
there's one place I've always wanted to visit since I was a kid.
And this year, it's my turn to pick.
I have just gotten you the
very best Christmas present
an agent could ever get
for their favorite client.
Well, it's gonna be a little tough for you
to top last year's gift, a
portable golf ball cleaner.
I have outdone myself this year.
- I'm listening.
- You are going to be hosting
the network's live annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown in Times Square.
Stella.
I literally co-host the Jingle
Bell Countdown every year.
Did I say co-host?
I said host, singular, solo.
The network wants you alone.
You do know what a gig like
this could lead to, don't you?
Well, yeah, I mean, it
could lead to my own show.
This is the big time, Jimmy.
On Christmas Eve, you gotta be
on like you've never been on before.
I need you to write a speech
that is funny and inspiring.
I want tears, laughter, I wanna
give the people what they want.
Yeah, okay I'll call you later.
Dad.
- Congrats.
- Oh, thanks.
This is the job you've always wanted.
- Yeah.
- I'm so happy for you.
Yeah.
Well, happy for both of us, because the
TV studio's actually just a few blocks away
from the Columbia campus, so we could
take the train in the morning together.
Mm, I don't think you've ever
taken the train in your entire life.
No, I have not, but I
hear really good things.
It's gonna be such a special Christmas.
Hey, speaking of Christmas.
- Yep.
- You ready?
- Ready for what?
- We're making
our "All I want for Christmas" plans today.
- Oh, yes.
- Why do you think
I made these cookies?
I know.
Great.
- Okay.
- Come on, let's go.
Let's take all these guys.
Hmm.
Since it's my year, I
was thinking staycation.
We stay home, and we cook dinners,
and we see our favorite movies,
and we could even catch "The
Nutcracker" at Lincoln Center.
You love that.
I was just thinking because of the big gig,
I should stay close to
home, so I can be ready.
And that doesn't mean I'm gonna be
working the whole time, I promise you that,
and I know I say that every single
year, but I really mean it this year.
Why are you making that face?
I'm not making a face.
This is just my face.
I know your face.
You're making it do something different.
You're my daughter, okay?
I know that face.
That face means you don't like my plan.
No, it's a fine plan.
It's just too bad it's not your year.
It's totally my year.
Really?
Think back to what we did last year.
It's not my year.
It is your year.
All right, well...
Huh, what do you wanna do?
Staycation?
No.
I wanna do this.
Honey, I don't think we're
both gonna fit in there,
and you know how claustrophobic I get.
Must you with the dad jokes?
I must.
- I'm your dad.
- I wanna go to the Arctic.
Don't you remember
how much I hate the cold?
Would you do that to
your dear old dad, really?
And plus I just said that I got to
stay close to home for this new job.
- Rules are rules, dad.
- Yeah, but honey, the Arctic?
Don't make me get him.
One, you don't need to get him, and
you don't need to bring him into this re.
Okay.
She's gone.
The reason I've always wanted to
go to the Arctic is because of this guy.
When I was four-years-old, my
dad got me him for Christmas.
Hi, PB.
Don't insult the Arctic, dad.
It's PB's home.
Pretty sure he was made in Taiwan.
Before you freak out, hear me out.
I know how you get with the elements,
so I think I've come up
with the perfect solution.
An Arctic cruise.
I do like a cruise.
I can work with a cruise.
I would like to negotiate the Arctic part,
like maybe the Caribbean, or the
Mediterranean, or any of the "eans."
Don't push your luck.
I found this liner.
It does a one week trip
through the Northwest Passage.
One week on a ship?
Look.
We might as well join the Navy.
This is all I want for Christmas, but,
I don't want it if you don't want it.
Don't do that, with the sad eyes.
You know those sad eyes are my kryptonite.
I'm not sad, dad.
I'm just disappointed.
Really?
You're gonna do that?
Wow.
Do you promise me that I'm
gonna make it back by Christmas Eve?
- Yes.
- You sure?
- Mm-hmm.
- And you know this means
I'm gonna have to dedicate some
time to working on this trip, right?
What else is new?
How do you know how to play me so well?
I'm your daughter, it's my job.
All jokes aside, we don't have
to go if it's gonna stress you out.
Book it.
Thank you.
What are you looking at?
Okay.
Okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve Jingle
Bell Countdown, I am your host, the man, the myth, the legend...
No, I'm not gonna say that.
That's ridiculous.
Welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown.
I would like to start this
evening by telling you
what Christmas means to me.
Uh...
I actually have no idea
what Christmas means to me.
Okay, well, I'll do that later.
That's fine.
Come on in.
- Dad.
- Hi.
This is so cool.
Have you been up on deck?
No, not yet.
No, I've just been organizing.
I see that, Marie Kondo.
Why can't you just live out of
a suitcase, like a normal person?
- Like a normal person?
- Mm.
I've seen how you keep your bedroom.
Check this out.
- Lot of water.
- Dad,
you have to see the sights.
I will.
I will, I promise.
Speaking of sights, our first
excursion is in a couple hours.
It's this town called Winslow.
What do you mean excursion?
When the ship stops at different
ports, and we can go out and explore?
Wait, isn't the point of taking
a cruise to stay on the ship?
We paid for the ship.
Why would we get off the ship?
It's got a gym, it's got a
movie theater, mini golf, spa.
We can explore those things.
We didn't come all the way to
the Arctic not to experience it.
Speak for yourself.
Oh, come on.
Apparently this Winslow
town has polar bears.
- Like in a zoo?
- No, like just around.
You're not doing a great
job selling this place.
Come on, this trip is about
spending time together.
And I'm all for that.
Just as long as we stay on the ship.
I mean, Christmas karaoke's at 5:00 PM.
Christmas karaoke.
- No?
- No.
Okay.
Fine, but as long as we
just don't stay too long, okay?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Mm.
- Seriously, polar bears?
- Yeah.
They're just roaming around.
So cute.
Hope I can get a good
cup of coffee in town.
You brought four steamer trunks
of clothes and not one winter jacket.
It's a wool peacoat.
Whew, Winslow.
Should be Windy.
Oh, come on, we have to.
Okay, alright.
Let's do it.
Quick, quick, quick.
- Here, I got it.
- You take it.
- You take it.
- I got it.
All right.
Ha-ha.
Oh, wow.
Caribou sticks.
I wonder what the macros are on those.
Hey, anything I can help you with?
Yes.
Actually, do you have any idea
where we can get a cup of coffee?
You could try the coffee shop.
Okay.
Well, I guess that's a
good place to start, right?
So, excuse me.
Oh, I gotta take this.
- I'll be right back.
- Okay.
Hey, Stella.
Hello.
So, just let me know if you need anything.
Okay.
You're breaking up, Stella.
How is the prep for the
Christmas Eve show coming?
- Can you hear me now?
- Barely.
Stella?
You sound like a robot.
How about now?
Stella, can you hear me?
- What are you saying?
- Ah.
- How about now?
- Yes, finally.
Where are you?
Uh... I'm in a town
called Winslow.
It's in the Arctic.
Why are you in the Arctic?
Isla and I are on a Christmas cruise.
Jimmy, did you somehow forget
that you have to be in Times
Square in less than a week?
I didn't forget, Stella.
I promise you that I
will make it back in time.
I get you one of the biggest jobs of your broadcasting career, and
you decide to go to one of the most remote places on the planet.
I mean, why don't you go to
the Moon while you're at it?
Stella?
- I gotta go.
- Don't hang up.
- Can I help you?
- Can you let me in?
Please... I just heard a bear,
like right over there, so...
I'm not gonna let you
in. I don't even know you.
Oh, uh... I'm here on
vacation with my daughter, and
she's pretty attached to
me staying alive, so please.
Please.
Okay.
Apparently, there are
bears just roaming around.
I don't think I'd be
worried about the bears.
I think your coat is more the threat.
Excuse me?
Your coat.
It's like you're taking a fall
stroll through Manhattan.
This?
This is a very expensive wool peacoat.
Oh.
You're from the cruise ship, aren't you?
- That obvious, huh?
- Mmm.
We get them all the time.
They come off that boat, and their heads are buried in their phone, they
walk right by the signs, and then bam, they get eaten by a polar bear.
Are you serious?
No.
I mean, I was serious about your coat.
You know, I could... I could take you
somewhere to get something warmer
- if you want.
- I can't tell
if you're joking or not.
No, I'm not joking.
I will help you on one condition.
- What?
- You gotta tell me your name.
I'm Jim.
All right then, Jim.
I'm Jane.
Welcome to the Arctic.
Oh, pricey.
They're actually handmade.
Yeah.
It takes a lot of work to make each and every one of
those by hand, we should be charging more if you ask me.
I'm so sorry.
I had no idea.
But you're so right, I can totally see the
craftsmanship, I mean, it really is a beautiful piece.
I'm messing with you.
We get them from Amazon, and my uncle just likes
to mark up the prices for the cruise ship tourists.
We didn't get to officially meet earlier.
- I'm Connor.
- Isla.
Nice to meet you.
So are you just in town for the day?
Yeah, just a shore excursion.
Ah.
Well, that's too bad.
I still can't believe that
nobody can walk around
this town without risking
being eaten by a polar bear.
That is not what I said.
- That is.
- I simply stated
that it's not advisable to go walking
around alone in a deserted area.
That's sort of the same thing.
You know, oh, a little
fun fact about Winslow,
is that there are actually more polar
bears than there are people here.
It's gonna have one less person when I make
it back to the ship, I'll tell you that.
Hey, is... Hi.
Is that your daughter?
Hey, honey.
- Dad, where'd you go?
- He was going to get eaten
by a polar bear, but I saved his life.
You're welcome, by the way.
Hi, my name's Jane.
Isla.
She did not save my life,
I just got a little bit lost.
Hey, do you work for that agency?
Oh, yeah.
I'm a conservationist.
I've been a member since I was a kid.
I mean, it's the whole reason why
I'm studying environmental science.
Girl after my own heart.
Hey, Isla.
Hey.
Ah... This one's on the house.
Thanks.
It's really nice meeting you.
Well, you certainly made
a friend pretty quickly.
So did you.
Thank you again, really, for...
- Saving your life.
- Oh, you didn't save my life.
But I kind of did.
I mean, you have to... Hey,
dad, I mean, we still got time.
Didn't you say you wanted to get coffee?
Can we take you out for a cup of coffee?
I mean, it's the least we can
do for saving my dad's life.
You good with that?
Yeah.
No, we'd love to.
Okay.
Yeah, sure.
I know a place. Hop in.
Doesn't mean you saved my life, though.
I've always wanted to come to
the Arctic ever since I was a little kid.
When Isla was 10, there was a polar
bear documentary called "To the Arctic."
Oh, I know it.
Yeah, it's so good, I loved it.
Well, it was playing on the IMAX, and she
made me take her to see it like six times.
Yeah.
All the other kids were
going to see "Frozen,"
but my favorite movie was "To the Arctic,"
though "Frozen" is pretty cool too.
Yeah. So you're a nature girly, huh?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
How are you two related?
- Hey, Calamity Jane.
- Hi.
You ready for your
Tundra Bus tour tomorrow?
I am, I am.
Hey, Tony, I want you to
meet my two new friends.
This is Jim and his daughter, Isla.
This is Tony, he owns the restaurant.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- What can I get for you?
What kind of coffee do you have?
The kind made with beans.
Okay.
Well, I'll have one of those.
I'll grab a hot chocolate, please.
The usual.
Thanks, Tony.
He's chipper.
Well, he's a chef.
And by the way, he's a good one.
He does this sweet little Christmas Eve
dinner for the whole community every year.
It's nice.
What's a Tundra Bus?
Oh, the Tundra Bus.
It's so cool.
So it's this ATV that we
take out on the tundra,
and it's kind of like a cross between
like a school bus and a monster truck.
Yeah, it's awesome.
The tires are like six feet tall.
- What?
- Yeah.
So you can drive over the snow?
Well, yeah, for that, and
so the bears don't climb in.
Yeah.
I feel like there's so much more to see.
I wish we could stay.
It sort of looks like we've
seen everything there is to see.
Oh... Well, looks
can be deceiving.
There we go.
- The regular.
- Ah, thank you so much.
Yeah.
Thank you.
What is that?
Well, this is a peppermint cortado.
You got a cortado here?
Told you, looks can be deceiving.
What time does your ship leave?
2:00.
We got about an hour.
Okay.
Is that ship time or port time?
Uh...
Is this your first cruise?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
Oh, okay.
All right, well, let me
explain something to you.
So there's something called "ship time,"
which is the time that the ships go
by, because they don't go by local time.
So if we're looking at that, then
your ship is leaving right now.
We gotta go!
Hey, call me.
Put it on my tab, okay?
Thank you.
Tourists.
Where's the ship?
- Yeah.
- Huh.
Looks like that ship has sailed.
I can't believe they left without us.
Should we call them? Should we call them,
have them turn the boat around,
come back and pick us up?
They don't do that.
Why wouldn't they do that?
Well... Why... Like what...
What are we gonna do?
Dad, let's just take a second here.
Maybe we could take
a train to the next port.
Hm?
We could take a train.
That's a great idea, honey.
There's gotta be a train
that comes here, right?
We do have a train.
It's just not very reliable.
Oh, okay.
Well, can you at least can you
just take us to the train station?
Yeah.
Yeah, of course.
Great.
The train normally runs every two days,
unless the weather's bad,
and the tracks freeze over,
then it can be four days or even longer.
And isn't the weather
normally bad this time of year?
Oh, yeah.
Pretty normal.
- Merry Christmas.
- Ah, Merry Christmas.
- No trains.
- Yeah, sorry.
I told you the trains are a
bit unreliable around here.
Yeah.
Well, I mean... Don't these ships
have helicopter pads on them?
- What?
- They do.
All these ships have helicopter pads,
so we'll just, we'll find a
place that rents a helicopter,
and the helicopter takes us to the ship, and we can
just land there on the boat once we catch up to it.
Yeah, but maybe we could just rent a car.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, that sounds like a good idea,
except for we don't have
any car rental places here.
Wait... Wait, you don't
have a car rental place?
What if somebody wants to drive to the next
town, or, I don't know, take a road trip?
Well, I mean, there's no roads that lead
here, so that would be kind of impossible.
No Roads?
No.
Like... Like literally no
roads that lead to Winslow?
Nope.
Look, I think it's safe to say that you guys
are gonna have to spend the night here, right?
So I did take the liberty
of calling the three hotels
that we have in town, and unfortunately,
two of them are booked for Christmas.
Well, what about the third one?
Well, the third one has some vacancy.
Yeah.
I'm just not sure that
you're gonna like it.
- How bad is it?
- It's not bad.
It's just different.
Well, it's not like we have any choice.
What's the issue with the place?
Oh... I'll just...
I'll just show you.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks.
- Season's greetings.
- There's snow place
like the Christmas Inn, where
it's Christmas 365 days of the year.
365 days.
That's a lot.
Well, how about tonight?
Do you have a couple rooms available?
Let me check my list.
In fact, I'll check it twice.
Oh.
I honestly don't think I can do this.
And when will you be checking out?
As soon as humanly possible.
We'll only be staying one night.
- You are all set.
- Now, don't hesitate
to ask if you need anything at all.
We want you to be comfortable
from head to mistletoe.
- I'm Chris.
- Oh, and I'm Missy.
Chris.
- Missy.
- Christmasy.
Got it.
We hope Yule enjoy your stay.
That's spelled Y-U... We got it.
- Thanks.
- They got it.
Yeah, upstairs.
- Okay.
- Just to the right.
- After you.
- You'll find it.
- Okay. Thank you.
- No problem.
Is Christmas claustrophobia
an actual medical condition,
because I believe I'm
experiencing symptoms right now.
Yeah, it definitely puts
the Claus in claustrophobia.
Now I'm making the dad jokes.
You settle in, I'll check in later.
Sounds good.
Ho-ho-ho.
Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho...
Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho...
Christmas party at Cozy Cliffside,
so they just blew it up and...
And if all else fails Okay.
- Hey.
- Hey.
How's the Rudolph room?
Very red.
Yeah.
Wait till you see this.
Come on.
It's like I'm in the middle of Santa's workshop
or something, I might as well be an elf.
You're way too tall to be an elf.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Ready?
Yep.
- I agree.
- And...
Okay, this... Every single
channel is a Christmas movie.
I mean, she is pretty good.
How do you miss a cruise ship?
I have been asking myself that all day.
Why did you get off the
ship in the first place?
Can you just do your best
to get us out of here, please?
Are you still trying
to salvage this cruise?
I think at this point, I think
it's best I just get home.
Oh, what a relief.
I'm glad you've come to your senses.
Can you get us on a plane, please?
There's gotta be an airline
that flies into this place.
Well, let's see if I can
perform a Christmas miracle.
Hello.
- Ho-ho-ho...
- Santa...
Ho-ho-ho...
- Hey.
- Hey.
Wanna sit down?
Okay.
So...
All flights are canceled out
of here until further notice.
Do you know why?
Is this the weather bad?
Yep, you hit it right on the nose, Rudolph.
No planes, no trains,
no automobiles.
So you're saying we
could be stuck in Winslow?
No, I'm not.
Actually, I'm saying that
we are stuck in Winslow.
Huh.
Looks like we gotta get you
some proper winter clothing.
When in Rome, right?
No, not when in Rome.
If we were in Rome, I'd be fine, because
there's roads that actually lead to Rome.
In fact, all roads lead to Rome.
No roads lead to Winslow.
I gotta get back to New
York for Christmas Eve,
my career is literally riding on this.
That's six days away.
We're gonna figure this out.
Okay?
In the meantime, let's
just try to enjoy ourselves.
As long as we're together,
I don't care where we are.
You're right.
As long as we're together,
nothing else matters.
Oh, Merry Christmas.
Hey.
How you doing?
How's the travel plans coming?
Looks like we're gonna
be staying a little longer.
Oh, well, it's your lucky day.
I just happen to have two free tickets
for the Tundra bus tour if you wanna come.
- I'd love to.
- I don't...
Okay.
Um... It's safe though, right?
No polar bears climbing in?
No, I mean, that hasn't happened in weeks.
You're good.
Pick you up later. Bye.
- In weeks?
- It'll be fun.
Mm-hmm.
Hey.
You know, you look just like
this tourist girl I met yesterday.
I was hoping she would stick around,
but she had to get back to her ship.
You probably meet a lot of tourists.
This girl must have really stood out.
I gave her a snow globe.
- Wow.
- I know.
That's serious.
What is going on here?
- Oh this is my dad, Jim.
- Hello, sir.
I'm Connor.
We missed our boat yesterday, so we're
gonna be staying a couple more days.
- Get to the bad part.
- My dad obviously
didn't pack for the weather, so
do you sell any winter clothes?
Right this way.
We've got jackets, boots, gloves, scarves,
hats, sweaters, long johns, and holding socks.
Mm.
Let me know if you need any assistance.
Mm-hmm.
Great, thank you.
Ready?
I'm not doing this.
- What?
- You know what.
A fashion montage.
Oh, come on.
It'll be fun.
I promise it'll be the
fastest one in history.
I don't have a choice, do I?
Nope.
Looks like you were doing
some Christmas shopping today.
- What gave it away?
- Oh,
because of all the bags.
If you're here tomorrow evening, we're hosting our
annual Christmas movie night over at the Town Hall.
You guys are more than welcome to attend.
Oh, the movie is starring my favorite
actress, the Queen of Christmas.
Are you a fan?
I'm getting to be.
So wait a minute, the
movie is playing outside?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Huh.
Wow, okay.
- Well, we'll try.
- Great.
We'll see you there.
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll save you a seat.
- Two seats, coming up.
- Two seats, coming up.
- Yeah, that's right.
- Save those tickets.
They're going fast.
Ho-ho-ho...
- Ho-ho-ho...
- Really?
Ho-ho-ho...
Hey guys, look at you.
You look like a local.
Huh... Well, looks
could be deceiving.
- You excited?
- More excited
than I've ever been in my entire life.
All right.
That's what I like to hear.
So since this is the field that you wanna get into, I brought
some of my tools that I used when I first started out.
There's a camera, there's lots of different
things in there, but there you go.
Did you bring anything for me?
Is this the field that you wanna get into?
I made a decision a long time ago not
to get into any field that involves bears.
All right, there she is.
Do you need a special license
to drive one of those things?
Nah, you don't even need a license.
Come on, let's go.
All right, good afternoon, everybody.
Welcome to the Tundra Bus Tour.
Christmas edition.
I am your tour guide, Jane Walsh,
and I have a partner here
to drive this big old bus,
and yes, he does have a
driver's license to do so.
Say hello, Gordon.
- Hello, Gordon.
- Okay.
So for all of you city slickers out there,
you're probably wondering, what are we on?
What is this big old thing?
Well, let's see.
The best way to describe
what it is is probably like
an Uber for the Arctic,
except for we don't say Uber.
What do we say, Gordon?
- Ooh, bear.
- Oh.
Ooh bear.
Okay, I only have three rules for you.
Just three, okay?
Number one, all arms
and legs inside the vehicle.
I wouldn't want any of you to
become lunch for the polar bears.
Ugh.
Number two, buckle up.
And number three, just enjoy the ride,
- and Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
All right, Gordon, take your position.
You got it, boss.
- There you go.
- Oh, thank you.
You're welcome.
So, quick polar bear
check, like we're good, right?
Like, we can see a polar
bear coming from miles away.
- Yes.
- Okay.
Yes, we are so good.
I mean, they can run really
fast, like 60 miles per hour.
Are you serious?
No.
And they're like, like 20.
'Cause that's, that's still pretty fast.
Like I gotta be able to
make it back to the bus, right?
Even with the snow,
'cause sometimes the snow
will slow you down as you're running
through, you know, I just wanna say that.
Just breathe. Breathe.
What do you smell?
- Freezing.
- Mm-mm.
Smell the cold.
No, you smell fresh air.
It's calming fresh air.
Oh yes, it is fresh.
I prefer warmer fresh air.
- Oh.
- No, it's nice.
I give up.
Look at Isla.
She's having the time of her life.
She actually reminds me
a lot of myself at that age.
She clearly gets her love of
the outdoors from her mother,
but it has been just the
two of us since she was five.
We're just so close.
We've been there for each other
nonstop since then, I'm just so lucky.
I don't know what I did to
deserve such an incredible daughter.
Well, I'm sure you did a lot.
What about you?
You born and raised Arctican?
No, I'm not an Arctican.
I am a...
Texican.
- Nice.
- Born in Fort Worth.
My family then moved to Montana, so spent a lot of time there, and then when I was a young woman,
I started traveling around, and I found this place and completely fell in love, and made my home.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Officially the coolest
thing I've ever experienced.
Well, the only thing that could top this
is if I could see a polar bear up close.
I can see how it's hard to believe that we are biologically related, because
that would literally be the opposite of the coolest experience of my life.
What has been the
coolest moment of your life?
Well, that's an easy one.
2006, I'm playing for Tucson, right?
I hit a walk-off home run against
Toledo, and the place goes crazy.
It wins us the whole series.
Ah, it was amazing.
Well, that and the birth
of my daughter, obviously.
I mean, that goes without saying.
Nice save, dad.
Well, everybody, we're
at the end of our day.
I had a really nice time.
I hope you did, too.
If you did have a good excursion today,
and you wanna make a
little donation, you can do so
to the Arctic Animals
Assistance and Conservation.
They also work in conjunction with
my own wildlife rehabilitation facility.
So on behalf of both of
us, thank you so much.
It means a lot that you guys are
here, and also, Merry Christmas.
All right, I hope to see
you again next year.
Bye.
Bye.
- Yeah.
- What is this?
It's just a little passion project of mine.
I finally got off the ground.
Hey, you mentioned you
wanna see a polar bear?
- Oh...
- Yeah.
I think I can make that happen.
Come on.
Here it is.
Hey, do you have the...
Thank you so much.
Making it official, here you
go, here's your own pass,
- there you go.
- Great. Thank you.
So what exactly do you do here?
Oh well, we do a lot, but mainly we take
in animals if they need medical assistance,
we give them shelter until
they can be safely relocated.
- You built this?
- Well, I mean,
I didn't just build this,
I had a lot of a help.
But it's my dream.
Yeah.
So polar bear.
- You wanna see him?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- What?
Polar bear?
There he is.
Okay, so this is Barry White.
So I found Barry, he was an abandoned
cub, and he was out on the tundra,
he was limping, so I actually
thought he had a broken leg.
Turns out, he just had a broken claw.
He was a bit of a baby.
Yeah.
Aw.
I can't thank you enough.
Oh, you are so welcome.
And hey, if you ever have any questions,
or you need any help,
you just call me, okay?
That'd be nice.
It was an amazing day.
Are we still leaving in the morning?
I don't know.
I don't know. I gotta check my phone.
If I don't see you two, it's
very nice to meet both of you.
Likewise.
- Come here.
- Oh.
One more hug.
Hey, good luck.
All right?
Thank you again.
Bye.
Dad...
I love you so much.
This is the best Christmas we've ever had.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Okay, so you're not calling me back, because you're
obviously mad at me, and trying to ruin my Christmas.
Here's what I've done for you.
I rented a private jet to come pick you up,
but they can only pick you
up on the 23rd in the evening,
and that means you'll get home very
late that night, you won't get much sleep.
I hope you'll be camera ready for Christmas Eve, and make
sure your speech on what Christmas means to you is top notch.
Until then, you're stuck
there for the next five days
in the middle of a polar vortex.
You hear that, Santa?
I'm gonna be here for another five days.
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
I know this place is a lot of work,
but it's a labor of love, you know?
Unfortunately, I spend a
lot of my time fundraising,
and ironically, that seems to
take me away from the thing
that I love the most, which
is working with animals.
But I understand, it takes
donations to run this place, so...
You're like the coolest
person I've ever met.
Oh, I don't know about that.
I mean, your dad must have introduced
you to some pretty cool people.
True, but you're different.
How is it even possible that
someone like you is single?
How are you assuming I'm single?
If you're single, I mean, I don't know if
you are or not, I'm just assuming you are.
Not that you seem like someone who's single, I mean, if
you're not, that makes sense, if you are, that's crazy.
I mean, the world's an upside down place.
Many people who are single
shouldn't be, and vice versa.
- Take my dad, for example.
- For the record, I am single.
Cool.
Single and ready to cringle.
We've been in that hotel too long.
Seriously, though.
How are you single?
Every free second I have, I spend out there
on that tundra, or with those animals.
I'm trying to see the downside of that.
Kind of like my dad.
He loves to work.
Just it sucks I have to
share him with his career.
Yeah, but you guys are so close, you know?
I don't know another young woman
who would wanna go on a
Christmas cruise with their dad.
True.
We're really close.
He's the best.
And we spend Christmas
together every year, kind of.
He always has to work on Christmas Eve.
Can I ask you a question,
a personal question?
Where's your mom?
She... She passed.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- All good.
My dad's great.
He fills in the blanks.
We actually came up
with this Christmas thing,
where we trade off each
year what we do for Christmas.
We call it the "All I want
for Christmas" tradition.
The deal is you have to go along
with whatever the other person chooses.
Uh-huh.
And so I am guessing that
the Arctic was your choice.
Obviously.
I love it.
Thing is, Christmas Eve
is always off the table.
- Every Christmas Eve?
- Yeah.
It's kind of lonely.
Guys.
Owl Pacino.
He's awake.
Okay.
Well, thank you, Gordon.
Owl Pacino is this snowy owl
that we have who hurt his wing,
and apparently, it is time for
him to be released into the wild.
Owl Pacino, clever.
It is clever. I came up with that.
You wanna go say
hello to our little friend?
- Yeah.
- Okay, obviously.
Okay, come on.
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
Ooh.
Okay.
So, Christmas...
To me.
Oh... Christmas...
Mean... What does
Christmas mean to me?
What does it mean?
Christmas does mean to me.
It means it's Christmas, so it means...
So their wingspan is around
four to five feet on average.
- Really?
- Yeah, they're pretty big.
Hey, you have visitors.
- Who?
- It's the...
Get it?
Owl humor.
It went over my head,
but I'm sure owl get it later.
Oh, look at you.
Come on, Gordon, don't leave me hanging.
Come on.
You two are hoots, okay?
They're waiting for you in your office.
Who?
Finance team.
Oh.
Okay, I'm so sorry, I wasn't
expecting anybody today.
I'll be right back.
Okay?
- It's Tony, right?
- Yeah.
What can I get you?
I'll take one of those... One of those
fancy peppermint cortados, please.
- Sorry, we're out.
- Isn't it
just espresso and steamed milk?
And peppermint.
We haven't got our weekly
supplies in yet 'cause of the weather.
I will... I'll just get
whatever you got.
One black coffee coming right up.
Hey, hot chocolate and the usual.
- Make it a double.
- Oh, one of those days huh?
- Okay.
- How was your day, honey?
We had so much fun.
We did.
- We had a great day.
- Isla.
I'll be right back.
Hey.
- What's his name again?
- Connor.
Yeah.
Let's get a table.
Oh.
Putting it down.
- Everything okay?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just work.
Okay, good.
So we finally got our ride out of here.
Good.
That's great.
I mean, we still got a couple
days left before we go, so.
Um... Okay, well, a couple days.
Let's see.
I mean, you guys definitely have to go
see the Northern Lights while you're here.
Yeah.
And I mean, I could
take you, take both of you.
That would be great.
I would love that.
Okay.
All right.
We'll do that.
Oh, thank you.
And for the girl.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Tony.
Is that a cortado?
Yes, it's a peppermint cortado.
Because...
Hey, Jane has offered to take
us to go see the Northern Lights.
Oh, Connor actually just invited me to go
see a Christmas movie in the town square.
- Oh.
- But you two
should definitely go
see the Northern Lights.
- Connor?
- Yeah.
Connor, the guy I met the other day.
You're gonna go out with a
guy that you met the other day?
- I don't think so, no.
- Why not?
Because you said it yourself.
You met him the other day.
So?
I mean, you guys met the
other day and you're going out.
Well, that is... It's very
different because we're adults.
So am I.
Well, but like you're in your 20s.
We...
We're like, I'm more
of an adult than you are.
Okay, you're being unreasonable.
You say unreasonable, I say responsible.
- Potato, potato.
- Nobody says potato.
Sir, your concerns,
they're completely valid.
However, I can assure you, your daughter
will be completely safe in my company.
I do not drink, I do not smoke,
I have been gainfully
employed for the past two years,
I volunteer at the community
center in my spare time,
I am training for a triathlon,
I also do martial arts.
Okay, do you do martial arts?
You look like you do martial arts, but if not, I'm also part of a book
club, I read, and I can provide character references upon request.
Huh.
You guys go out and have a good time.
- Thank you, father.
- Mm-hmm.
Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.
I will protect her with my life.
All right.
He is a good egg. Don't worry.
So I, hey, listen, you know, I know you
probably wanna go see the Lights with
your daughter, so don't worry about it.
No, I definitely wanna go
see the Northern Lights.
Just you and me.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, scientist.
So what exactly am I looking at here?
Oh, okay.
Well, do you want the complex
answer or the simple answer?
I would like the simple answer, please.
I figured.
How did I know that?
Well, it's really solar winds
interacting with Earth's magnetic field.
Oh wait, I've heard
a little bit about that.
Earth, wind, and fire, and something about the
21st day of December chasing away the clouds.
Did I get that right?
- Do you remember
- No, no.
Please don't sing it.
And I believe the song
cited "21st of September."
Oh.
I was speaking more in
an astronomy sense, but.
Got it.
That was close though.
Very close.
You know, I have seen those
lights probably 100 times,
and every single time I
look at them, it's like the first.
They're that beautiful.
But I mean, you don't have to look
up there to find fascinating things.
It's happening all around us, really.
When I was little, every morning before school, my dad
would have to come and get me, because I'd be in the garden,
and I'd have my nose on the
ground, and I was studying bugs.
Oh, you were looking for
bugs, like studying bugs?
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh.
I still do that.
- You still do it?
- Hey, I am very proud
of the fact that I love bugs.
It's very sweet.
- It's very sweet.
- No, I just mean that
ever since the moment I opened my eyes, I've
seen the beauty of this place, you know?
I see all of the little miracles.
It's not lost on me.
And is that why you
wanted to start your facility?
Yeah, I guess so.
I mean, I've wanted to do this
ever since I was five years old.
I just didn't know how much work it
would be, or how much money it would take.
- Hmm.
- It's a part of the job.
But let me tell you this, something
exciting happened last week.
A lady called the facility, and she
wants to make a very, very large donation.
Jane.
That's incredible.
I'm really happy for you.
That's gotta be such a... Such a
huge weight lifted off your shoulders.
It is, yeah.
I mean, it lets me focus
on the important things.
Like the beauty of it all.
Yeah, like...
Yeah.
Yeah.
It could've been worse.
Oh, uh, I gotta go.
Jane...
What happened?
Are you all right?
Yeah.
You know what? No.
No, no.
I'm actually not all right.
I am not all right because, you
know, I try so hard, you know?
I give my time, and my energy, and I try
to raise money for my facility, and then...
I'm...
I don't even wanna
say this out loud to you.
There's something I didn't
tell you the other night.
I am...
I'm out of money.
Wait, but you said you got that donation?
I did.
I thought I did.
And I'll spare you
the details, but I don't.
I don't.
And so now I'm back to doing
what I always do, you know?
I'm going door to door, and I'm begging for
money again, and I'm just... I'm just exhausted.
I'm exhausted and I
feel like I've failed myself,
and I feel like I failed
these animals, and I am...
I'm embarrassed.
Hey, Jane.
You're not a failure.
You are amazing.
You are one of the most passionate people that I have
ever met that... There has to be a way to fix this.
It's gonna, it's gonna work out.
Is it?
Will it?
Because you know what, Jim?
I don't... I don't
understand your world.
I don't know how things just
magically fix themselves, you know?
No one sends a jet for me when I mess up.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm just upset.
I know.
It's okay.
No.
No, it's not.
It's not.
You know, you didn't... You
didn't ask to be a part of this.
You know, you didn't do anything wrong.
You're just
you're just a guy that missed his boat.
I'll be fine.
I'll figure it out, you know?
But I...
I do hope that you get home
for your Christmas Eve gig.
I know it's important to you.
Hey, Jane.
I'm really sorry that I gotta leave.
Can I... Can I give you
a little piece of advice?
I don't think you need
to be apologizing to me.
You're a good egg, Jim.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, come on in.
You okay?
Yeah...
I don't know.
I...
I feel so terrible for Jane, I just wish
there was something that I could do.
I think she just needs
some space to cool off.
Can I...
Can I ask you something?
Yeah.
Was I a good dad?
You are the greatest dad.
Present tense.
After your mom
passed, I... I just... I was...
I was just so lost.
I didn't...
I didn't know what to do,
and I just tried my best.
Dad, you did so well.
Look at me.
I am who I am because of you.
I know it couldn't have been
easy raising me all on your own.
And we had good Christmases, right?
Like, with the "All I
want for Christmas" thing.
Dad, you gave me everything.
But...
If I'm being honest,
all I ever really wanted
for Christmas was you.
You always had me.
You did.
I'm so sorry if I ever seem distracted.
You have nothing to be sorry about.
I know you did what you
thought was best for both of us.
I know you would move mountains for me,
but I didn't always need
you to move those mountains.
In fact, I didn't wanna be on
the other side of the mountain,
I just wanted to be on this side, with you.
You know, out of all the
beautiful Christmases we've had,
this one's my favorite.
You wanna know why?
Why?
'Cause even though you may
have thought we were stuck here,
this is the most free
I've felt in my entire life.
No one gets everything
they want for Christmas,
but these past couple of days with you,
I've been pretty close.
I didn't feel stuck.
Being with you even makes
being in a town like this...
Bearable.
- Really?
- I'm your dad, okay?
It's my...
It's my job.
I love you.
I love you too.
Come here.
I love you so much.
- One coffee, please.
- One black coffee
coming right up.
Did I do something to offend you?
You've been standoffish
since the moment I met
you, and is it something I did?
Yep.
Would you please fill me in
on what it is for the life of me?
I am completely stunned.
In 2006
you hit a walk off home run against Toledo.
I was in the stands that night.
You knocked my team out of the playoffs.
So had I struck out that night,
you would've made me the cortado?
Probably.
I hear you're leaving today.
You mind if I give you some advice?
I look like I need it, huh?
It'd be less obvious if
you put it in sky writing.
- Be my guest.
- I used to travel around
all over the world, opening
up restaurant after restaurant,
obsessed with my career.
I just thought I was
going after what I wanted.
You know what the worst thing
about getting what you want is?
Realizing it's not truly what you want.
I used to be you,
but I hope for your sake,
you don't end up like me.
Hey.
Why haven't you packed?
I'm gonna stay a couple more days.
Jane needs my help.
I checked the weather
and it clears up after tonight,
so flights will be running again.
I'm not just leaving you here.
I'll be fine. And you're working anyway.
You won't miss me.
I'll see you in a few days, I promise.
Go do the thing you need to do.
Well, I wanna thank you both.
How was your experience
at the Christmas Inn?
My stay here is...
Well, it's gonna be
one that I never forget.
Well, there will always
be a room for you here.
The Santa Suite, I hope.
- Of course.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, fingers crossed, we'll
see you next Christmas,
or any time of year, for that matter, because...
It's always Christmas at the Christmas Inn.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thanks again.
Come here.
Take care.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- Oh, hey.
What are you doing?
Trying to save this place.
It's Christmas Eve.
I know that, so I'm thinking people
might become more generous.
You should go to dinner.
I'm not going to dinner.
And this whole place is depending on me.
I'm not gonna let it fall apart.
No.
No, it won't.
And there's nothing
that you can do tonight.
Go to dinner.
- Oh, you look beautiful.
- Thanks.
How are you feeling?
Uh... I've had better
days, but you know what?
I'll be fine.
You didn't have to stay, you know.
I wanted to.
Felt like the right thing to do.
And you know I love this place.
I know you love this place.
Well, thank you.
So have you talked to your
dad since he's been back?
No.
I haven't heard from him yet.
It's weird though he hasn't called me.
His broadcast should be
starting in a couple minutes.
Oh, this is him.
Dad, I've been trying to reach you.
Have you made it back okay?
No.
What do you mean?
Do you remember you told me
to do the thing that I need to do?
Well... I decided
to take your advice.
What? Dad.
Look, I gotta go, but just make
sure you watch the live stream, okay?
Enjoy the show.
Is everything okay?
Ho-ho-ho.
I've got it all queued
up for you right here.
Merry Christmas, you two.
What is going on?
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and
welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown.
I'm your host, Jim Carrington.
Now, I'm sure you were expecting us
to come to you live from Times Square.
Well, we're doing things just a
little bit differently this Christmas.
We're coming live from
a very, very special place,
way up North, the frozen
tundra on Christmas Eve, no less.
Now, you might be wondering
what I'm doing in the Arctic,
and up to a couple days ago, I
was wondering the same thing,
but in a very short time being
here, I have become enchanted
with its beauty, and I really
wanted to share that beauty
with all of you at home, as well.
Now, I have to admit, when I first got here, I looked around a
little bit, and I didn't really think there was that much to see,
until somebody very special to me made
me realize that looks can be deceiving.
This is Winslow, an incredible town,
nestled at the foot of
the Arctic, and like I said,
in a very short time, a couple of days, I have fallen in love with this
place, and I wanted to share that splendor with all of you at home, so,
so stay tuned for a very special
Christmas Eve celebration.
We'll be right back.
- You two better get going.
- What?
What?
Gordon.
Come on.
Now, I've been tasked with answering the
question, "What does Christmas mean to me?"
I gotta be honest, I've been
struggling with that question a little bit.
I know it seems like a
pretty simple one, right?
I mean, we all know why Christmas exists.
We know the reason for the season, but I think somewhere along the way,
many of us have forgotten that giving is a main pillar of Christmas.
And I'm not just talking about
giving presents, of course,
I'm talking about being present,
being there for the people
that we love, being
there in their time of need,
and as soon as I figured that out, well,
answering that question
became a whole lot easier.
Here in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,
they don't have the funding
they desperately need
to continue doing the great
work that you've all been doing.
So if you're looking for a
good cause this Christmas,
to be generous to, well, look no further.
And I have to say, this
experience has taught me so much.
It's allowed me to discover what
Christmas truly means to me, and that is
spending time with the people that I love.
So as much as I've enjoyed
spending the evening
with all of you, I'm
gonna go and do just that,
and my Christmas wish for you is that you're
lucky enough to be able to do the same.
Well, goodnight, everybody.
God bless, and of course, Merry Christmas.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you, thank you.
You're all amazing.
- You got me.
- Gordon,
I couldn't have done it without you, especially pulling
this all together so last minute like that, you're amazing.
I need to call my mom right
now and wish her Merry Christmas.
Hi.
I'm so proud of you.
I want you to know, every Christmas
Eve from now on is 100% yours.
Oh, it doesn't entirely have to be mine,
if you found someone that
you'd like to share it with,
I'd be down for that.
By someone, you wouldn't be talking
about Jane by any chance, would you?
- She's a good egg.
- Mm.
Don't let this one get away.
Hey.
So you think you're gonna
come back to visit in the summer?
I think that'd be nice.
Stella?
Stella, can you hear me?
No, I can't.
If you can't hear me, then
why are you answering me?
- Hmm.
- Are you mad at me?
Yes, but since you're my best
client, I'll be over it by Monday.
So has the network replaced me yet?
No, it turns out you're irreplaceable.
It was a bold move, and
they loved your authenticity.
Well, that's amazing.
But I think we gotta
continue this conversation
after the holidays, because
I gotta go see about a girl.
Hopefully you have a
particular girl in mind.
I do.
Well, then why are you
wasting your time talking to me?
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Stella.
Gotcha.
Okay, I wasn't scared.
You were scared.
You were scared, just a
little bit you were scared.
It's not even real.
Hey, thank you.
It was nothing.
I hope it helps.
No, it was something.
No one's ever done anything
like that for me before.
Jim, you saved me.
No.
Jane, you saved me.
You made me realize that the life that I was so afraid
to slow down for, was the only life worth holding onto.
And the truth is,
I don't wanna run from you.
I wanna stay here, and I wanna
stick around, and help you.
- Are you serious?
- And I also have
some selfish reasons
I'd like to stick around for.
But I thought you didn't like the cold.
Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving.
Are you gonna kiss me now?
I'm gonna kiss you.
I'm actually really freezing.
Can we go inside?
We can go inside.
So that was Christmas.
You know the one, the
most wonderful holly, jolly,
merry and bright, magical time of the year.
And my family, it now looks like this.
So this is Christmas.
You know the one, the most wonderful,
holly, jolly, merry and bright,
magical time of the year.
To you, it might look like this.
Whatever the season means to you, there's no question
that Christmas is one of the very best holidays.
My dad and I have always
done Christmas a little differently.
That's us.
I'm Isla, my dad's Jim.
As long as I can remember, it's
always just been the two of us.
My Dad's a retired baseball player.
Now he's an on-camera host.
Since he works every Christmas Eve,
we came up with our own tradition.
We call it "All I want for Christmas."
The concept is simple.
We take turns every year choosing
what we wanna do for Christmas.
Sometimes we do something,
and sometimes we do nothing.
There.
That's where I wanna go.
I wanna go to Nokatomi Plaza.
Dad, Nakatomi Plaza isn't a real place.
We've managed to spend some incredible Christmases together, but
there's one place I've always wanted to visit since I was a kid.
And this year, it's my turn to pick.
I have just gotten you the
very best Christmas present
an agent could ever get
for their favorite client.
Well, it's gonna be a little tough for you
to top last year's gift, a
portable golf ball cleaner.
I have outdone myself this year.
- I'm listening.
- You are going to be hosting
the network's live annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown in Times Square.
Stella.
I literally co-host the Jingle
Bell Countdown every year.
Did I say co-host?
I said host, singular, solo.
The network wants you alone.
You do know what a gig like
this could lead to, don't you?
Well, yeah, I mean, it
could lead to my own show.
This is the big time, Jimmy.
On Christmas Eve, you gotta be
on like you've never been on before.
I need you to write a speech
that is funny and inspiring.
I want tears, laughter, I wanna
give the people what they want.
Yeah, okay I'll call you later.
Dad.
- Congrats.
- Oh, thanks.
This is the job you've always wanted.
- Yeah.
- I'm so happy for you.
Yeah.
Well, happy for both of us, because the
TV studio's actually just a few blocks away
from the Columbia campus, so we could
take the train in the morning together.
Mm, I don't think you've ever
taken the train in your entire life.
No, I have not, but I
hear really good things.
It's gonna be such a special Christmas.
Hey, speaking of Christmas.
- Yep.
- You ready?
- Ready for what?
- We're making
our "All I want for Christmas" plans today.
- Oh, yes.
- Why do you think
I made these cookies?
I know.
Great.
- Okay.
- Come on, let's go.
Let's take all these guys.
Hmm.
Since it's my year, I
was thinking staycation.
We stay home, and we cook dinners,
and we see our favorite movies,
and we could even catch "The
Nutcracker" at Lincoln Center.
You love that.
I was just thinking because of the big gig,
I should stay close to
home, so I can be ready.
And that doesn't mean I'm gonna be
working the whole time, I promise you that,
and I know I say that every single
year, but I really mean it this year.
Why are you making that face?
I'm not making a face.
This is just my face.
I know your face.
You're making it do something different.
You're my daughter, okay?
I know that face.
That face means you don't like my plan.
No, it's a fine plan.
It's just too bad it's not your year.
It's totally my year.
Really?
Think back to what we did last year.
It's not my year.
It is your year.
All right, well...
Huh, what do you wanna do?
Staycation?
No.
I wanna do this.
Honey, I don't think we're
both gonna fit in there,
and you know how claustrophobic I get.
Must you with the dad jokes?
I must.
- I'm your dad.
- I wanna go to the Arctic.
Don't you remember
how much I hate the cold?
Would you do that to
your dear old dad, really?
And plus I just said that I got to
stay close to home for this new job.
- Rules are rules, dad.
- Yeah, but honey, the Arctic?
Don't make me get him.
One, you don't need to get him, and
you don't need to bring him into this re.
Okay.
She's gone.
The reason I've always wanted to
go to the Arctic is because of this guy.
When I was four-years-old, my
dad got me him for Christmas.
Hi, PB.
Don't insult the Arctic, dad.
It's PB's home.
Pretty sure he was made in Taiwan.
Before you freak out, hear me out.
I know how you get with the elements,
so I think I've come up
with the perfect solution.
An Arctic cruise.
I do like a cruise.
I can work with a cruise.
I would like to negotiate the Arctic part,
like maybe the Caribbean, or the
Mediterranean, or any of the "eans."
Don't push your luck.
I found this liner.
It does a one week trip
through the Northwest Passage.
One week on a ship?
Look.
We might as well join the Navy.
This is all I want for Christmas, but,
I don't want it if you don't want it.
Don't do that, with the sad eyes.
You know those sad eyes are my kryptonite.
I'm not sad, dad.
I'm just disappointed.
Really?
You're gonna do that?
Wow.
Do you promise me that I'm
gonna make it back by Christmas Eve?
- Yes.
- You sure?
- Mm-hmm.
- And you know this means
I'm gonna have to dedicate some
time to working on this trip, right?
What else is new?
How do you know how to play me so well?
I'm your daughter, it's my job.
All jokes aside, we don't have
to go if it's gonna stress you out.
Book it.
Thank you.
What are you looking at?
Okay.
Okay.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve Jingle
Bell Countdown, I am your host, the man, the myth, the legend...
No, I'm not gonna say that.
That's ridiculous.
Welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown.
I would like to start this
evening by telling you
what Christmas means to me.
Uh...
I actually have no idea
what Christmas means to me.
Okay, well, I'll do that later.
That's fine.
Come on in.
- Dad.
- Hi.
This is so cool.
Have you been up on deck?
No, not yet.
No, I've just been organizing.
I see that, Marie Kondo.
Why can't you just live out of
a suitcase, like a normal person?
- Like a normal person?
- Mm.
I've seen how you keep your bedroom.
Check this out.
- Lot of water.
- Dad,
you have to see the sights.
I will.
I will, I promise.
Speaking of sights, our first
excursion is in a couple hours.
It's this town called Winslow.
What do you mean excursion?
When the ship stops at different
ports, and we can go out and explore?
Wait, isn't the point of taking
a cruise to stay on the ship?
We paid for the ship.
Why would we get off the ship?
It's got a gym, it's got a
movie theater, mini golf, spa.
We can explore those things.
We didn't come all the way to
the Arctic not to experience it.
Speak for yourself.
Oh, come on.
Apparently this Winslow
town has polar bears.
- Like in a zoo?
- No, like just around.
You're not doing a great
job selling this place.
Come on, this trip is about
spending time together.
And I'm all for that.
Just as long as we stay on the ship.
I mean, Christmas karaoke's at 5:00 PM.
Christmas karaoke.
- No?
- No.
Okay.
Fine, but as long as we
just don't stay too long, okay?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Mm.
- Seriously, polar bears?
- Yeah.
They're just roaming around.
So cute.
Hope I can get a good
cup of coffee in town.
You brought four steamer trunks
of clothes and not one winter jacket.
It's a wool peacoat.
Whew, Winslow.
Should be Windy.
Oh, come on, we have to.
Okay, alright.
Let's do it.
Quick, quick, quick.
- Here, I got it.
- You take it.
- You take it.
- I got it.
All right.
Ha-ha.
Oh, wow.
Caribou sticks.
I wonder what the macros are on those.
Hey, anything I can help you with?
Yes.
Actually, do you have any idea
where we can get a cup of coffee?
You could try the coffee shop.
Okay.
Well, I guess that's a
good place to start, right?
So, excuse me.
Oh, I gotta take this.
- I'll be right back.
- Okay.
Hey, Stella.
Hello.
So, just let me know if you need anything.
Okay.
You're breaking up, Stella.
How is the prep for the
Christmas Eve show coming?
- Can you hear me now?
- Barely.
Stella?
You sound like a robot.
How about now?
Stella, can you hear me?
- What are you saying?
- Ah.
- How about now?
- Yes, finally.
Where are you?
Uh... I'm in a town
called Winslow.
It's in the Arctic.
Why are you in the Arctic?
Isla and I are on a Christmas cruise.
Jimmy, did you somehow forget
that you have to be in Times
Square in less than a week?
I didn't forget, Stella.
I promise you that I
will make it back in time.
I get you one of the biggest jobs of your broadcasting career, and
you decide to go to one of the most remote places on the planet.
I mean, why don't you go to
the Moon while you're at it?
Stella?
- I gotta go.
- Don't hang up.
- Can I help you?
- Can you let me in?
Please... I just heard a bear,
like right over there, so...
I'm not gonna let you
in. I don't even know you.
Oh, uh... I'm here on
vacation with my daughter, and
she's pretty attached to
me staying alive, so please.
Please.
Okay.
Apparently, there are
bears just roaming around.
I don't think I'd be
worried about the bears.
I think your coat is more the threat.
Excuse me?
Your coat.
It's like you're taking a fall
stroll through Manhattan.
This?
This is a very expensive wool peacoat.
Oh.
You're from the cruise ship, aren't you?
- That obvious, huh?
- Mmm.
We get them all the time.
They come off that boat, and their heads are buried in their phone, they
walk right by the signs, and then bam, they get eaten by a polar bear.
Are you serious?
No.
I mean, I was serious about your coat.
You know, I could... I could take you
somewhere to get something warmer
- if you want.
- I can't tell
if you're joking or not.
No, I'm not joking.
I will help you on one condition.
- What?
- You gotta tell me your name.
I'm Jim.
All right then, Jim.
I'm Jane.
Welcome to the Arctic.
Oh, pricey.
They're actually handmade.
Yeah.
It takes a lot of work to make each and every one of
those by hand, we should be charging more if you ask me.
I'm so sorry.
I had no idea.
But you're so right, I can totally see the
craftsmanship, I mean, it really is a beautiful piece.
I'm messing with you.
We get them from Amazon, and my uncle just likes
to mark up the prices for the cruise ship tourists.
We didn't get to officially meet earlier.
- I'm Connor.
- Isla.
Nice to meet you.
So are you just in town for the day?
Yeah, just a shore excursion.
Ah.
Well, that's too bad.
I still can't believe that
nobody can walk around
this town without risking
being eaten by a polar bear.
That is not what I said.
- That is.
- I simply stated
that it's not advisable to go walking
around alone in a deserted area.
That's sort of the same thing.
You know, oh, a little
fun fact about Winslow,
is that there are actually more polar
bears than there are people here.
It's gonna have one less person when I make
it back to the ship, I'll tell you that.
Hey, is... Hi.
Is that your daughter?
Hey, honey.
- Dad, where'd you go?
- He was going to get eaten
by a polar bear, but I saved his life.
You're welcome, by the way.
Hi, my name's Jane.
Isla.
She did not save my life,
I just got a little bit lost.
Hey, do you work for that agency?
Oh, yeah.
I'm a conservationist.
I've been a member since I was a kid.
I mean, it's the whole reason why
I'm studying environmental science.
Girl after my own heart.
Hey, Isla.
Hey.
Ah... This one's on the house.
Thanks.
It's really nice meeting you.
Well, you certainly made
a friend pretty quickly.
So did you.
Thank you again, really, for...
- Saving your life.
- Oh, you didn't save my life.
But I kind of did.
I mean, you have to... Hey,
dad, I mean, we still got time.
Didn't you say you wanted to get coffee?
Can we take you out for a cup of coffee?
I mean, it's the least we can
do for saving my dad's life.
You good with that?
Yeah.
No, we'd love to.
Okay.
Yeah, sure.
I know a place. Hop in.
Doesn't mean you saved my life, though.
I've always wanted to come to
the Arctic ever since I was a little kid.
When Isla was 10, there was a polar
bear documentary called "To the Arctic."
Oh, I know it.
Yeah, it's so good, I loved it.
Well, it was playing on the IMAX, and she
made me take her to see it like six times.
Yeah.
All the other kids were
going to see "Frozen,"
but my favorite movie was "To the Arctic,"
though "Frozen" is pretty cool too.
Yeah. So you're a nature girly, huh?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
How are you two related?
- Hey, Calamity Jane.
- Hi.
You ready for your
Tundra Bus tour tomorrow?
I am, I am.
Hey, Tony, I want you to
meet my two new friends.
This is Jim and his daughter, Isla.
This is Tony, he owns the restaurant.
- Pleasure to meet you.
- What can I get for you?
What kind of coffee do you have?
The kind made with beans.
Okay.
Well, I'll have one of those.
I'll grab a hot chocolate, please.
The usual.
Thanks, Tony.
He's chipper.
Well, he's a chef.
And by the way, he's a good one.
He does this sweet little Christmas Eve
dinner for the whole community every year.
It's nice.
What's a Tundra Bus?
Oh, the Tundra Bus.
It's so cool.
So it's this ATV that we
take out on the tundra,
and it's kind of like a cross between
like a school bus and a monster truck.
Yeah, it's awesome.
The tires are like six feet tall.
- What?
- Yeah.
So you can drive over the snow?
Well, yeah, for that, and
so the bears don't climb in.
Yeah.
I feel like there's so much more to see.
I wish we could stay.
It sort of looks like we've
seen everything there is to see.
Oh... Well, looks
can be deceiving.
There we go.
- The regular.
- Ah, thank you so much.
Yeah.
Thank you.
What is that?
Well, this is a peppermint cortado.
You got a cortado here?
Told you, looks can be deceiving.
What time does your ship leave?
2:00.
We got about an hour.
Okay.
Is that ship time or port time?
Uh...
Is this your first cruise?
- Mm-hmm.
- Yeah.
Oh, okay.
All right, well, let me
explain something to you.
So there's something called "ship time,"
which is the time that the ships go
by, because they don't go by local time.
So if we're looking at that, then
your ship is leaving right now.
We gotta go!
Hey, call me.
Put it on my tab, okay?
Thank you.
Tourists.
Where's the ship?
- Yeah.
- Huh.
Looks like that ship has sailed.
I can't believe they left without us.
Should we call them? Should we call them,
have them turn the boat around,
come back and pick us up?
They don't do that.
Why wouldn't they do that?
Well... Why... Like what...
What are we gonna do?
Dad, let's just take a second here.
Maybe we could take
a train to the next port.
Hm?
We could take a train.
That's a great idea, honey.
There's gotta be a train
that comes here, right?
We do have a train.
It's just not very reliable.
Oh, okay.
Well, can you at least can you
just take us to the train station?
Yeah.
Yeah, of course.
Great.
The train normally runs every two days,
unless the weather's bad,
and the tracks freeze over,
then it can be four days or even longer.
And isn't the weather
normally bad this time of year?
Oh, yeah.
Pretty normal.
- Merry Christmas.
- Ah, Merry Christmas.
- No trains.
- Yeah, sorry.
I told you the trains are a
bit unreliable around here.
Yeah.
Well, I mean... Don't these ships
have helicopter pads on them?
- What?
- They do.
All these ships have helicopter pads,
so we'll just, we'll find a
place that rents a helicopter,
and the helicopter takes us to the ship, and we can
just land there on the boat once we catch up to it.
Yeah, but maybe we could just rent a car.
Yeah, yeah.
I mean, that sounds like a good idea,
except for we don't have
any car rental places here.
Wait... Wait, you don't
have a car rental place?
What if somebody wants to drive to the next
town, or, I don't know, take a road trip?
Well, I mean, there's no roads that lead
here, so that would be kind of impossible.
No Roads?
No.
Like... Like literally no
roads that lead to Winslow?
Nope.
Look, I think it's safe to say that you guys
are gonna have to spend the night here, right?
So I did take the liberty
of calling the three hotels
that we have in town, and unfortunately,
two of them are booked for Christmas.
Well, what about the third one?
Well, the third one has some vacancy.
Yeah.
I'm just not sure that
you're gonna like it.
- How bad is it?
- It's not bad.
It's just different.
Well, it's not like we have any choice.
What's the issue with the place?
Oh... I'll just...
I'll just show you.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks.
- Season's greetings.
- There's snow place
like the Christmas Inn, where
it's Christmas 365 days of the year.
365 days.
That's a lot.
Well, how about tonight?
Do you have a couple rooms available?
Let me check my list.
In fact, I'll check it twice.
Oh.
I honestly don't think I can do this.
And when will you be checking out?
As soon as humanly possible.
We'll only be staying one night.
- You are all set.
- Now, don't hesitate
to ask if you need anything at all.
We want you to be comfortable
from head to mistletoe.
- I'm Chris.
- Oh, and I'm Missy.
Chris.
- Missy.
- Christmasy.
Got it.
We hope Yule enjoy your stay.
That's spelled Y-U... We got it.
- Thanks.
- They got it.
Yeah, upstairs.
- Okay.
- Just to the right.
- After you.
- You'll find it.
- Okay. Thank you.
- No problem.
Is Christmas claustrophobia
an actual medical condition,
because I believe I'm
experiencing symptoms right now.
Yeah, it definitely puts
the Claus in claustrophobia.
Now I'm making the dad jokes.
You settle in, I'll check in later.
Sounds good.
Ho-ho-ho.
Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho...
Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho-ho... Ho-ho...
Christmas party at Cozy Cliffside,
so they just blew it up and...
And if all else fails Okay.
- Hey.
- Hey.
How's the Rudolph room?
Very red.
Yeah.
Wait till you see this.
Come on.
It's like I'm in the middle of Santa's workshop
or something, I might as well be an elf.
You're way too tall to be an elf.
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Ready?
Yep.
- I agree.
- And...
Okay, this... Every single
channel is a Christmas movie.
I mean, she is pretty good.
How do you miss a cruise ship?
I have been asking myself that all day.
Why did you get off the
ship in the first place?
Can you just do your best
to get us out of here, please?
Are you still trying
to salvage this cruise?
I think at this point, I think
it's best I just get home.
Oh, what a relief.
I'm glad you've come to your senses.
Can you get us on a plane, please?
There's gotta be an airline
that flies into this place.
Well, let's see if I can
perform a Christmas miracle.
Hello.
- Ho-ho-ho...
- Santa...
Ho-ho-ho...
- Hey.
- Hey.
Wanna sit down?
Okay.
So...
All flights are canceled out
of here until further notice.
Do you know why?
Is this the weather bad?
Yep, you hit it right on the nose, Rudolph.
No planes, no trains,
no automobiles.
So you're saying we
could be stuck in Winslow?
No, I'm not.
Actually, I'm saying that
we are stuck in Winslow.
Huh.
Looks like we gotta get you
some proper winter clothing.
When in Rome, right?
No, not when in Rome.
If we were in Rome, I'd be fine, because
there's roads that actually lead to Rome.
In fact, all roads lead to Rome.
No roads lead to Winslow.
I gotta get back to New
York for Christmas Eve,
my career is literally riding on this.
That's six days away.
We're gonna figure this out.
Okay?
In the meantime, let's
just try to enjoy ourselves.
As long as we're together,
I don't care where we are.
You're right.
As long as we're together,
nothing else matters.
Oh, Merry Christmas.
Hey.
How you doing?
How's the travel plans coming?
Looks like we're gonna
be staying a little longer.
Oh, well, it's your lucky day.
I just happen to have two free tickets
for the Tundra bus tour if you wanna come.
- I'd love to.
- I don't...
Okay.
Um... It's safe though, right?
No polar bears climbing in?
No, I mean, that hasn't happened in weeks.
You're good.
Pick you up later. Bye.
- In weeks?
- It'll be fun.
Mm-hmm.
Hey.
You know, you look just like
this tourist girl I met yesterday.
I was hoping she would stick around,
but she had to get back to her ship.
You probably meet a lot of tourists.
This girl must have really stood out.
I gave her a snow globe.
- Wow.
- I know.
That's serious.
What is going on here?
- Oh this is my dad, Jim.
- Hello, sir.
I'm Connor.
We missed our boat yesterday, so we're
gonna be staying a couple more days.
- Get to the bad part.
- My dad obviously
didn't pack for the weather, so
do you sell any winter clothes?
Right this way.
We've got jackets, boots, gloves, scarves,
hats, sweaters, long johns, and holding socks.
Mm.
Let me know if you need any assistance.
Mm-hmm.
Great, thank you.
Ready?
I'm not doing this.
- What?
- You know what.
A fashion montage.
Oh, come on.
It'll be fun.
I promise it'll be the
fastest one in history.
I don't have a choice, do I?
Nope.
Looks like you were doing
some Christmas shopping today.
- What gave it away?
- Oh,
because of all the bags.
If you're here tomorrow evening, we're hosting our
annual Christmas movie night over at the Town Hall.
You guys are more than welcome to attend.
Oh, the movie is starring my favorite
actress, the Queen of Christmas.
Are you a fan?
I'm getting to be.
So wait a minute, the
movie is playing outside?
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Huh.
Wow, okay.
- Well, we'll try.
- Great.
We'll see you there.
- Mm-hmm.
- I'll save you a seat.
- Two seats, coming up.
- Two seats, coming up.
- Yeah, that's right.
- Save those tickets.
They're going fast.
Ho-ho-ho...
- Ho-ho-ho...
- Really?
Ho-ho-ho...
Hey guys, look at you.
You look like a local.
Huh... Well, looks
could be deceiving.
- You excited?
- More excited
than I've ever been in my entire life.
All right.
That's what I like to hear.
So since this is the field that you wanna get into, I brought
some of my tools that I used when I first started out.
There's a camera, there's lots of different
things in there, but there you go.
Did you bring anything for me?
Is this the field that you wanna get into?
I made a decision a long time ago not
to get into any field that involves bears.
All right, there she is.
Do you need a special license
to drive one of those things?
Nah, you don't even need a license.
Come on, let's go.
All right, good afternoon, everybody.
Welcome to the Tundra Bus Tour.
Christmas edition.
I am your tour guide, Jane Walsh,
and I have a partner here
to drive this big old bus,
and yes, he does have a
driver's license to do so.
Say hello, Gordon.
- Hello, Gordon.
- Okay.
So for all of you city slickers out there,
you're probably wondering, what are we on?
What is this big old thing?
Well, let's see.
The best way to describe
what it is is probably like
an Uber for the Arctic,
except for we don't say Uber.
What do we say, Gordon?
- Ooh, bear.
- Oh.
Ooh bear.
Okay, I only have three rules for you.
Just three, okay?
Number one, all arms
and legs inside the vehicle.
I wouldn't want any of you to
become lunch for the polar bears.
Ugh.
Number two, buckle up.
And number three, just enjoy the ride,
- and Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
All right, Gordon, take your position.
You got it, boss.
- There you go.
- Oh, thank you.
You're welcome.
So, quick polar bear
check, like we're good, right?
Like, we can see a polar
bear coming from miles away.
- Yes.
- Okay.
Yes, we are so good.
I mean, they can run really
fast, like 60 miles per hour.
Are you serious?
No.
And they're like, like 20.
'Cause that's, that's still pretty fast.
Like I gotta be able to
make it back to the bus, right?
Even with the snow,
'cause sometimes the snow
will slow you down as you're running
through, you know, I just wanna say that.
Just breathe. Breathe.
What do you smell?
- Freezing.
- Mm-mm.
Smell the cold.
No, you smell fresh air.
It's calming fresh air.
Oh yes, it is fresh.
I prefer warmer fresh air.
- Oh.
- No, it's nice.
I give up.
Look at Isla.
She's having the time of her life.
She actually reminds me
a lot of myself at that age.
She clearly gets her love of
the outdoors from her mother,
but it has been just the
two of us since she was five.
We're just so close.
We've been there for each other
nonstop since then, I'm just so lucky.
I don't know what I did to
deserve such an incredible daughter.
Well, I'm sure you did a lot.
What about you?
You born and raised Arctican?
No, I'm not an Arctican.
I am a...
Texican.
- Nice.
- Born in Fort Worth.
My family then moved to Montana, so spent a lot of time there, and then when I was a young woman,
I started traveling around, and I found this place and completely fell in love, and made my home.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Officially the coolest
thing I've ever experienced.
Well, the only thing that could top this
is if I could see a polar bear up close.
I can see how it's hard to believe that we are biologically related, because
that would literally be the opposite of the coolest experience of my life.
What has been the
coolest moment of your life?
Well, that's an easy one.
2006, I'm playing for Tucson, right?
I hit a walk-off home run against
Toledo, and the place goes crazy.
It wins us the whole series.
Ah, it was amazing.
Well, that and the birth
of my daughter, obviously.
I mean, that goes without saying.
Nice save, dad.
Well, everybody, we're
at the end of our day.
I had a really nice time.
I hope you did, too.
If you did have a good excursion today,
and you wanna make a
little donation, you can do so
to the Arctic Animals
Assistance and Conservation.
They also work in conjunction with
my own wildlife rehabilitation facility.
So on behalf of both of
us, thank you so much.
It means a lot that you guys are
here, and also, Merry Christmas.
All right, I hope to see
you again next year.
Bye.
Bye.
- Yeah.
- What is this?
It's just a little passion project of mine.
I finally got off the ground.
Hey, you mentioned you
wanna see a polar bear?
- Oh...
- Yeah.
I think I can make that happen.
Come on.
Here it is.
Hey, do you have the...
Thank you so much.
Making it official, here you
go, here's your own pass,
- there you go.
- Great. Thank you.
So what exactly do you do here?
Oh well, we do a lot, but mainly we take
in animals if they need medical assistance,
we give them shelter until
they can be safely relocated.
- You built this?
- Well, I mean,
I didn't just build this,
I had a lot of a help.
But it's my dream.
Yeah.
So polar bear.
- You wanna see him?
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- What?
Polar bear?
There he is.
Okay, so this is Barry White.
So I found Barry, he was an abandoned
cub, and he was out on the tundra,
he was limping, so I actually
thought he had a broken leg.
Turns out, he just had a broken claw.
He was a bit of a baby.
Yeah.
Aw.
I can't thank you enough.
Oh, you are so welcome.
And hey, if you ever have any questions,
or you need any help,
you just call me, okay?
That'd be nice.
It was an amazing day.
Are we still leaving in the morning?
I don't know.
I don't know. I gotta check my phone.
If I don't see you two, it's
very nice to meet both of you.
Likewise.
- Come here.
- Oh.
One more hug.
Hey, good luck.
All right?
Thank you again.
Bye.
Dad...
I love you so much.
This is the best Christmas we've ever had.
- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.
Okay, so you're not calling me back, because you're
obviously mad at me, and trying to ruin my Christmas.
Here's what I've done for you.
I rented a private jet to come pick you up,
but they can only pick you
up on the 23rd in the evening,
and that means you'll get home very
late that night, you won't get much sleep.
I hope you'll be camera ready for Christmas Eve, and make
sure your speech on what Christmas means to you is top notch.
Until then, you're stuck
there for the next five days
in the middle of a polar vortex.
You hear that, Santa?
I'm gonna be here for another five days.
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
I know this place is a lot of work,
but it's a labor of love, you know?
Unfortunately, I spend a
lot of my time fundraising,
and ironically, that seems to
take me away from the thing
that I love the most, which
is working with animals.
But I understand, it takes
donations to run this place, so...
You're like the coolest
person I've ever met.
Oh, I don't know about that.
I mean, your dad must have introduced
you to some pretty cool people.
True, but you're different.
How is it even possible that
someone like you is single?
How are you assuming I'm single?
If you're single, I mean, I don't know if
you are or not, I'm just assuming you are.
Not that you seem like someone who's single, I mean, if
you're not, that makes sense, if you are, that's crazy.
I mean, the world's an upside down place.
Many people who are single
shouldn't be, and vice versa.
- Take my dad, for example.
- For the record, I am single.
Cool.
Single and ready to cringle.
We've been in that hotel too long.
Seriously, though.
How are you single?
Every free second I have, I spend out there
on that tundra, or with those animals.
I'm trying to see the downside of that.
Kind of like my dad.
He loves to work.
Just it sucks I have to
share him with his career.
Yeah, but you guys are so close, you know?
I don't know another young woman
who would wanna go on a
Christmas cruise with their dad.
True.
We're really close.
He's the best.
And we spend Christmas
together every year, kind of.
He always has to work on Christmas Eve.
Can I ask you a question,
a personal question?
Where's your mom?
She... She passed.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
- All good.
My dad's great.
He fills in the blanks.
We actually came up
with this Christmas thing,
where we trade off each
year what we do for Christmas.
We call it the "All I want
for Christmas" tradition.
The deal is you have to go along
with whatever the other person chooses.
Uh-huh.
And so I am guessing that
the Arctic was your choice.
Obviously.
I love it.
Thing is, Christmas Eve
is always off the table.
- Every Christmas Eve?
- Yeah.
It's kind of lonely.
Guys.
Owl Pacino.
He's awake.
Okay.
Well, thank you, Gordon.
Owl Pacino is this snowy owl
that we have who hurt his wing,
and apparently, it is time for
him to be released into the wild.
Owl Pacino, clever.
It is clever. I came up with that.
You wanna go say
hello to our little friend?
- Yeah.
- Okay, obviously.
Okay, come on.
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
What does Christmas mean to me?
Ooh.
Okay.
So, Christmas...
To me.
Oh... Christmas...
Mean... What does
Christmas mean to me?
What does it mean?
Christmas does mean to me.
It means it's Christmas, so it means...
So their wingspan is around
four to five feet on average.
- Really?
- Yeah, they're pretty big.
Hey, you have visitors.
- Who?
- It's the...
Get it?
Owl humor.
It went over my head,
but I'm sure owl get it later.
Oh, look at you.
Come on, Gordon, don't leave me hanging.
Come on.
You two are hoots, okay?
They're waiting for you in your office.
Who?
Finance team.
Oh.
Okay, I'm so sorry, I wasn't
expecting anybody today.
I'll be right back.
Okay?
- It's Tony, right?
- Yeah.
What can I get you?
I'll take one of those... One of those
fancy peppermint cortados, please.
- Sorry, we're out.
- Isn't it
just espresso and steamed milk?
And peppermint.
We haven't got our weekly
supplies in yet 'cause of the weather.
I will... I'll just get
whatever you got.
One black coffee coming right up.
Hey, hot chocolate and the usual.
- Make it a double.
- Oh, one of those days huh?
- Okay.
- How was your day, honey?
We had so much fun.
We did.
- We had a great day.
- Isla.
I'll be right back.
Hey.
- What's his name again?
- Connor.
Yeah.
Let's get a table.
Oh.
Putting it down.
- Everything okay?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
It's just work.
Okay, good.
So we finally got our ride out of here.
Good.
That's great.
I mean, we still got a couple
days left before we go, so.
Um... Okay, well, a couple days.
Let's see.
I mean, you guys definitely have to go
see the Northern Lights while you're here.
Yeah.
And I mean, I could
take you, take both of you.
That would be great.
I would love that.
Okay.
All right.
We'll do that.
Oh, thank you.
And for the girl.
- Thank you.
- Thank you, Tony.
Is that a cortado?
Yes, it's a peppermint cortado.
Because...
Hey, Jane has offered to take
us to go see the Northern Lights.
Oh, Connor actually just invited me to go
see a Christmas movie in the town square.
- Oh.
- But you two
should definitely go
see the Northern Lights.
- Connor?
- Yeah.
Connor, the guy I met the other day.
You're gonna go out with a
guy that you met the other day?
- I don't think so, no.
- Why not?
Because you said it yourself.
You met him the other day.
So?
I mean, you guys met the
other day and you're going out.
Well, that is... It's very
different because we're adults.
So am I.
Well, but like you're in your 20s.
We...
We're like, I'm more
of an adult than you are.
Okay, you're being unreasonable.
You say unreasonable, I say responsible.
- Potato, potato.
- Nobody says potato.
Sir, your concerns,
they're completely valid.
However, I can assure you, your daughter
will be completely safe in my company.
I do not drink, I do not smoke,
I have been gainfully
employed for the past two years,
I volunteer at the community
center in my spare time,
I am training for a triathlon,
I also do martial arts.
Okay, do you do martial arts?
You look like you do martial arts, but if not, I'm also part of a book
club, I read, and I can provide character references upon request.
Huh.
You guys go out and have a good time.
- Thank you, father.
- Mm-hmm.
Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.
I will protect her with my life.
All right.
He is a good egg. Don't worry.
So I, hey, listen, you know, I know you
probably wanna go see the Lights with
your daughter, so don't worry about it.
No, I definitely wanna go
see the Northern Lights.
Just you and me.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay, scientist.
So what exactly am I looking at here?
Oh, okay.
Well, do you want the complex
answer or the simple answer?
I would like the simple answer, please.
I figured.
How did I know that?
Well, it's really solar winds
interacting with Earth's magnetic field.
Oh wait, I've heard
a little bit about that.
Earth, wind, and fire, and something about the
21st day of December chasing away the clouds.
Did I get that right?
- Do you remember
- No, no.
Please don't sing it.
And I believe the song
cited "21st of September."
Oh.
I was speaking more in
an astronomy sense, but.
Got it.
That was close though.
Very close.
You know, I have seen those
lights probably 100 times,
and every single time I
look at them, it's like the first.
They're that beautiful.
But I mean, you don't have to look
up there to find fascinating things.
It's happening all around us, really.
When I was little, every morning before school, my dad
would have to come and get me, because I'd be in the garden,
and I'd have my nose on the
ground, and I was studying bugs.
Oh, you were looking for
bugs, like studying bugs?
- Mm-hmm.
- Oh.
I still do that.
- You still do it?
- Hey, I am very proud
of the fact that I love bugs.
It's very sweet.
- It's very sweet.
- No, I just mean that
ever since the moment I opened my eyes, I've
seen the beauty of this place, you know?
I see all of the little miracles.
It's not lost on me.
And is that why you
wanted to start your facility?
Yeah, I guess so.
I mean, I've wanted to do this
ever since I was five years old.
I just didn't know how much work it
would be, or how much money it would take.
- Hmm.
- It's a part of the job.
But let me tell you this, something
exciting happened last week.
A lady called the facility, and she
wants to make a very, very large donation.
Jane.
That's incredible.
I'm really happy for you.
That's gotta be such a... Such a
huge weight lifted off your shoulders.
It is, yeah.
I mean, it lets me focus
on the important things.
Like the beauty of it all.
Yeah, like...
Yeah.
Yeah.
It could've been worse.
Oh, uh, I gotta go.
Jane...
What happened?
Are you all right?
Yeah.
You know what? No.
No, no.
I'm actually not all right.
I am not all right because, you
know, I try so hard, you know?
I give my time, and my energy, and I try
to raise money for my facility, and then...
I'm...
I don't even wanna
say this out loud to you.
There's something I didn't
tell you the other night.
I am...
I'm out of money.
Wait, but you said you got that donation?
I did.
I thought I did.
And I'll spare you
the details, but I don't.
I don't.
And so now I'm back to doing
what I always do, you know?
I'm going door to door, and I'm begging for
money again, and I'm just... I'm just exhausted.
I'm exhausted and I
feel like I've failed myself,
and I feel like I failed
these animals, and I am...
I'm embarrassed.
Hey, Jane.
You're not a failure.
You are amazing.
You are one of the most passionate people that I have
ever met that... There has to be a way to fix this.
It's gonna, it's gonna work out.
Is it?
Will it?
Because you know what, Jim?
I don't... I don't
understand your world.
I don't know how things just
magically fix themselves, you know?
No one sends a jet for me when I mess up.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm just upset.
I know.
It's okay.
No.
No, it's not.
It's not.
You know, you didn't... You
didn't ask to be a part of this.
You know, you didn't do anything wrong.
You're just
you're just a guy that missed his boat.
I'll be fine.
I'll figure it out, you know?
But I...
I do hope that you get home
for your Christmas Eve gig.
I know it's important to you.
Hey, Jane.
I'm really sorry that I gotta leave.
Can I... Can I give you
a little piece of advice?
I don't think you need
to be apologizing to me.
You're a good egg, Jim.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, come on in.
You okay?
Yeah...
I don't know.
I...
I feel so terrible for Jane, I just wish
there was something that I could do.
I think she just needs
some space to cool off.
Can I...
Can I ask you something?
Yeah.
Was I a good dad?
You are the greatest dad.
Present tense.
After your mom
passed, I... I just... I was...
I was just so lost.
I didn't...
I didn't know what to do,
and I just tried my best.
Dad, you did so well.
Look at me.
I am who I am because of you.
I know it couldn't have been
easy raising me all on your own.
And we had good Christmases, right?
Like, with the "All I
want for Christmas" thing.
Dad, you gave me everything.
But...
If I'm being honest,
all I ever really wanted
for Christmas was you.
You always had me.
You did.
I'm so sorry if I ever seem distracted.
You have nothing to be sorry about.
I know you did what you
thought was best for both of us.
I know you would move mountains for me,
but I didn't always need
you to move those mountains.
In fact, I didn't wanna be on
the other side of the mountain,
I just wanted to be on this side, with you.
You know, out of all the
beautiful Christmases we've had,
this one's my favorite.
You wanna know why?
Why?
'Cause even though you may
have thought we were stuck here,
this is the most free
I've felt in my entire life.
No one gets everything
they want for Christmas,
but these past couple of days with you,
I've been pretty close.
I didn't feel stuck.
Being with you even makes
being in a town like this...
Bearable.
- Really?
- I'm your dad, okay?
It's my...
It's my job.
I love you.
I love you too.
Come here.
I love you so much.
- One coffee, please.
- One black coffee
coming right up.
Did I do something to offend you?
You've been standoffish
since the moment I met
you, and is it something I did?
Yep.
Would you please fill me in
on what it is for the life of me?
I am completely stunned.
In 2006
you hit a walk off home run against Toledo.
I was in the stands that night.
You knocked my team out of the playoffs.
So had I struck out that night,
you would've made me the cortado?
Probably.
I hear you're leaving today.
You mind if I give you some advice?
I look like I need it, huh?
It'd be less obvious if
you put it in sky writing.
- Be my guest.
- I used to travel around
all over the world, opening
up restaurant after restaurant,
obsessed with my career.
I just thought I was
going after what I wanted.
You know what the worst thing
about getting what you want is?
Realizing it's not truly what you want.
I used to be you,
but I hope for your sake,
you don't end up like me.
Hey.
Why haven't you packed?
I'm gonna stay a couple more days.
Jane needs my help.
I checked the weather
and it clears up after tonight,
so flights will be running again.
I'm not just leaving you here.
I'll be fine. And you're working anyway.
You won't miss me.
I'll see you in a few days, I promise.
Go do the thing you need to do.
Well, I wanna thank you both.
How was your experience
at the Christmas Inn?
My stay here is...
Well, it's gonna be
one that I never forget.
Well, there will always
be a room for you here.
The Santa Suite, I hope.
- Of course.
- Mm-hmm.
Well, fingers crossed, we'll
see you next Christmas,
or any time of year, for that matter, because...
It's always Christmas at the Christmas Inn.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thanks again.
Come here.
Take care.
Thank you.
- Hey.
- Oh, hey.
What are you doing?
Trying to save this place.
It's Christmas Eve.
I know that, so I'm thinking people
might become more generous.
You should go to dinner.
I'm not going to dinner.
And this whole place is depending on me.
I'm not gonna let it fall apart.
No.
No, it won't.
And there's nothing
that you can do tonight.
Go to dinner.
- Oh, you look beautiful.
- Thanks.
How are you feeling?
Uh... I've had better
days, but you know what?
I'll be fine.
You didn't have to stay, you know.
I wanted to.
Felt like the right thing to do.
And you know I love this place.
I know you love this place.
Well, thank you.
So have you talked to your
dad since he's been back?
No.
I haven't heard from him yet.
It's weird though he hasn't called me.
His broadcast should be
starting in a couple minutes.
Oh, this is him.
Dad, I've been trying to reach you.
Have you made it back okay?
No.
What do you mean?
Do you remember you told me
to do the thing that I need to do?
Well... I decided
to take your advice.
What? Dad.
Look, I gotta go, but just make
sure you watch the live stream, okay?
Enjoy the show.
Is everything okay?
Ho-ho-ho.
I've got it all queued
up for you right here.
Merry Christmas, you two.
What is going on?
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and
welcome to the 15th annual Christmas Eve.
Jingle Bell Countdown.
I'm your host, Jim Carrington.
Now, I'm sure you were expecting us
to come to you live from Times Square.
Well, we're doing things just a
little bit differently this Christmas.
We're coming live from
a very, very special place,
way up North, the frozen
tundra on Christmas Eve, no less.
Now, you might be wondering
what I'm doing in the Arctic,
and up to a couple days ago, I
was wondering the same thing,
but in a very short time being
here, I have become enchanted
with its beauty, and I really
wanted to share that beauty
with all of you at home, as well.
Now, I have to admit, when I first got here, I looked around a
little bit, and I didn't really think there was that much to see,
until somebody very special to me made
me realize that looks can be deceiving.
This is Winslow, an incredible town,
nestled at the foot of
the Arctic, and like I said,
in a very short time, a couple of days, I have fallen in love with this
place, and I wanted to share that splendor with all of you at home, so,
so stay tuned for a very special
Christmas Eve celebration.
We'll be right back.
- You two better get going.
- What?
What?
Gordon.
Come on.
Now, I've been tasked with answering the
question, "What does Christmas mean to me?"
I gotta be honest, I've been
struggling with that question a little bit.
I know it seems like a
pretty simple one, right?
I mean, we all know why Christmas exists.
We know the reason for the season, but I think somewhere along the way,
many of us have forgotten that giving is a main pillar of Christmas.
And I'm not just talking about
giving presents, of course,
I'm talking about being present,
being there for the people
that we love, being
there in their time of need,
and as soon as I figured that out, well,
answering that question
became a whole lot easier.
Here in the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center,
they don't have the funding
they desperately need
to continue doing the great
work that you've all been doing.
So if you're looking for a
good cause this Christmas,
to be generous to, well, look no further.
And I have to say, this
experience has taught me so much.
It's allowed me to discover what
Christmas truly means to me, and that is
spending time with the people that I love.
So as much as I've enjoyed
spending the evening
with all of you, I'm
gonna go and do just that,
and my Christmas wish for you is that you're
lucky enough to be able to do the same.
Well, goodnight, everybody.
God bless, and of course, Merry Christmas.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you, thank you.
You're all amazing.
- You got me.
- Gordon,
I couldn't have done it without you, especially pulling
this all together so last minute like that, you're amazing.
I need to call my mom right
now and wish her Merry Christmas.
Hi.
I'm so proud of you.
I want you to know, every Christmas
Eve from now on is 100% yours.
Oh, it doesn't entirely have to be mine,
if you found someone that
you'd like to share it with,
I'd be down for that.
By someone, you wouldn't be talking
about Jane by any chance, would you?
- She's a good egg.
- Mm.
Don't let this one get away.
Hey.
So you think you're gonna
come back to visit in the summer?
I think that'd be nice.
Stella?
Stella, can you hear me?
No, I can't.
If you can't hear me, then
why are you answering me?
- Hmm.
- Are you mad at me?
Yes, but since you're my best
client, I'll be over it by Monday.
So has the network replaced me yet?
No, it turns out you're irreplaceable.
It was a bold move, and
they loved your authenticity.
Well, that's amazing.
But I think we gotta
continue this conversation
after the holidays, because
I gotta go see about a girl.
Hopefully you have a
particular girl in mind.
I do.
Well, then why are you
wasting your time talking to me?
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Stella.
Gotcha.
Okay, I wasn't scared.
You were scared.
You were scared, just a
little bit you were scared.
It's not even real.
Hey, thank you.
It was nothing.
I hope it helps.
No, it was something.
No one's ever done anything
like that for me before.
Jim, you saved me.
No.
Jane, you saved me.
You made me realize that the life that I was so afraid
to slow down for, was the only life worth holding onto.
And the truth is,
I don't wanna run from you.
I wanna stay here, and I wanna
stick around, and help you.
- Are you serious?
- And I also have
some selfish reasons
I'd like to stick around for.
But I thought you didn't like the cold.
Yeah, well, looks can be deceiving.
Are you gonna kiss me now?
I'm gonna kiss you.
I'm actually really freezing.
Can we go inside?
We can go inside.
So that was Christmas.
You know the one, the
most wonderful holly, jolly,
merry and bright, magical time of the year.
And my family, it now looks like this.