One Magic Christmas (1985) Movie Script
Gideon.
Gideon!
It's Nicholas.
Yes, sir?
Tonight I give the Christmas angels
their assignments.
Well, I thought you forgot about me.
Forgot about you? Oh, no, Gideon.
I have a very difficult case
for you this year.
Her name is Ginnie Grainger.
She never even says "Merry Christmas. "
Yeah, I know. Where will I find her?
In a town to the north, called Medford.
You'll find her there tomorrow morning,
in a shopping mall.
Medford, north, in a shopping mall.
Mommy!
Bye, Santa.
Mom, why can't I go see Santa Claus?
Mom, why?
- Because I say so, that's why.
- Come on, Ginnie, let her. It's only $4.50.
I have to work over an hour
to make four and a half dollars.
You get a job,
you can take her to see Santa Claus.
- Are you gonna start up with that again?
- Please, Mom. Please!
Abbie, you are going to get a smack
in a minute, and I mean it.
We came here to get socks and stuff,
and that's it.
It's OK, honey. You don't want to see
that Santa Claus anyway.
He's not the real Santa Claus, is he, Cal?
No, the real Santa Claus
is up at the North Pole.
This guy's just like,
you know, Santa Claus's helper.
If I don't even see Santa Claus's helper,
how does Santa Claus know
what I want for Christmas?
Santa Claus! Abbie, for Pete's sake,
you're nearly seven years old, so...
- Mom!
- Ginnie.
It's about time you found out
that the only real Santa Claus
is the one at the North Pole.
- I'm six. I already knew that.
- Can we have an ice cream, Daddy?
I want a Cabbage Patch Kid,
and a toy oven that really bakes.
- Just put it all in the letter to Santa.
- OK, Dad.
I want a Swatch watch, too.
Forget it. You're not getting all those
things. We can't afford a big Christmas.
We can't, but Santa Claus can.
He has a zillion million dollars.
Hey, old Santa
had a pretty tough year, too.
He might not even be able
to get to some of the poor kids.
- Like Molly Monaghan?
- Like Molly Monaghan.
- Don't get jelly on your jacket.
- Abbie got jelly on her jacket.
I did not, jelly face.
One of these days, Abbie. To the moon!
- Hey, Dave.
- Hi, Jack.
- Who's that, Dad?
- That's Dave Gilchrist.
He used to work with me
over at Continental. Continental Radio.
That's where your old dad got canned from
by that dork, Frank Crump.
A long, long time ago.
- Hey, not that long ago. July.
- June.
And Continental's making us move out.
Right, Dad?
Yep. Yep, it's a company house.
It's their house.
Oh, look, Cal.
Our snowman fell over again.
We gotta build it again.
Where are you going?
Down the basement. Work on those bikes
for the neighbour kids.
Jack, we're moving in only ten days.
We gotta start
getting some of the packing done.
Come on, Ginnie, just give me
half an hour, 45 minutes.
I gotta get 'em done by Christmas Eve.
So I'm supposed to do all the packing by
myself on my one morning off from work?
Just give me a little while down there
and then I'll give you a hand.
Hey!
Hey, Eddie.
Can you believe
that weather we're having? Huh?
Do you think
we're gonna get another blizzard?
I hope not.
- Still working on the bikes?
- Working on the bikes?
Well, I don't know.
- Huh?
- Oh, brother! Go on down there.
- Thanks a lot, honey. You won't be sorry.
- I'm already sorry.
It's time to finish the great
Jack Grainger special, huh?
No, gotta finish this one
for Molly Monaghan first.
But if I can sneak a few more hours' work
on it, oughta be ready for a road test.
High speed, very low energy input.
Jack, this could be
some kind of breakthrough.
- You could make a mint on a bike like this.
- I could?
- I thought about owning my own shop.
- Really?
Yeah, sell my own special designs.
I worked out the figures, though.
It'd cost me 5,000 bucks just to open
the door. That's 5,000 more than I got.
Which reminds me.
I collected 18 more bucks for
the town tree fund from the guys at work.
Good. Puts us over 200.
You know, everybody thinks
we're nuts for doing this.
Why? It wouldn't be Christmas in Medford
without the town tree lit up, right?
- Hit it over, come on!
- How about passing the puck sometime?
Out of my way, Ralphie!
It's stopped snowing!
What are you getting for Christmas, Molly?
- I don't know. Nothing, I guess.
- But what would you really like to get?
A bike. I'd sure like to get a bike.
- Three days till Christmas.
- Does your mom like Christmas?
- Yep.
- My mom don't. I wish she did.
- Your momma doesn't like Christmas?
- Who are you, mister?
A friend. Just a friend.
Hey, boys, be careful.
There's little kids here.
Eat snow, mister!
- I told you that'd happen.
- Let's get out of here!
- That's amazing! The window broke.
- The window broke!
Hey, Mom, we've got company.
- Mr Grump.
- What?
Hey, how you doing, Ginnie?
Frank Crump from Continental.
I just dropped by to show these folks
around the premises.
Well, Mr Crump...
This is the Noonans, Mrs Grainger.
They just wanted to have
a quick look-see around, you know.
Mr Crump,
I haven't even made the beds, and I...
Hey, hell, who cares
if the beds aren't made?
Abbie, Cal. For Pete's sake,
you're tracking snow all over the carpet!
- Now go outside right this minute.
- We'll just start downstairs, OK?
The basement's right down here.
Hi, Jack. Frank Crump.
Just showing the new tenants around.
You got a full basement...
All this junk out of here,
you'd make a swell rec room for your kids.
This colour in the kitchen, Mr Crump,
this awful yellow.
Is there something you can do about that?
We could repaint it for you, Louise.
Any colour you want.
It wasn't this yellow when you moved in,
was it, Ginnie?
No. I painted it myself.
I like yellow.
Well, I guess
we'd better be pushing along. OK.
You're gonna be outta here
by the first, right, Ginnie?
- Yes, that's right.
- Right, OK.
- Mr Grump?
- That's "Crump. " Yes, dear?
My daddy says you're a dork.
Think it ov...
Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love
Will somebody please get the phone?
- Hold up, Abbie. I gotta go.
- I gotta go more than you gotta go.
Wrong number. This is not my day.
Mom, Abbie's in the bathroom
and I gotta go.
Abbie? Oh, come on,
I'm taking a shower, Abbie.
Now, I've got to get to work.
- Do you have to lock the door?
- Got to, Mom.
Miss Badducci
says to tell you Merry Christmas.
Well, tell Miss Badducci thank you.
Why don't you ever say
"Merry Christmas," Mom?
Well, nobody ever really means it
when they say it, anyway.
- It's free, Mom.
- My turn.
Oh, no, I'm gonna...
No, Cal...
See you later, Mom.
Hi, Molly. Be my guest.
Please, in my next life,
let me have two bathrooms.
Mrs Grainger!
- Cal?
- What?
- What's a dork?
- Dork? Well, it's, uh...
You know, like a sorta...
- Well, you're too young to know, meatball.
- Oh. Thought so.
Oh, no.
You're in a lot of trouble, meatball.
Attention, Glen's Market shoppers.
Good afternoon. Here are your
Saturday afternoon five-star specials.
Nabisco Shreddies
in the large family box, only $1.69.
You save a dollar off our regular price.
And Glen's own boneless beef stew...
stew beef,
sale priced at only $2.29 a pound.
Excellent value. Have a nice day
and thank you for shopping Glen's.
- Herbie Conklin, manager.
- Herbert.
Herbert.
Keep things moving here.
Hey, you already rung up
them Dorito chips already.
Oh, OK. You're right.
I'll take it off your tote.
See what she tried to pull on me?
See that? Next time I'm going to the A&P!
Please be my guest.
Next time, go to the A&P.
All right.
That's $16.64, minus the potato chips.
Got that five cents, Frankie? Come on.
OK, fine now.
Thank you.
Ginnie, let's step on it here.
Your line's backing up.
Hey, Herbie,
why don't you get off her back?
She's behind because
she made your announcement for you.
Yeah, well...
OK, that's $26.83, Mrs Monaghan.
Cash or check?
I've got these food things.
But there's only $25 worth.
I don't know what to say.
I could loan you, maybe.
Oh, that's OK. I don't need this.
OK, it's...
- That's $2.29. You're down to $24.52.
- Good. I'm OK, then.
- Here it comes, Dad.
- OK, kids. Send it up.
Here it comes, Jack.
- It's the prettiest angel ever.
- It's the biggest angel ever!
Bye, angel!
- What did you get Mom for Christmas?
- A ring. A beautiful amethyst ring.
It used to belong to my Grandma Rebecca.
Whoo!
But don't tell anybody, OK?
Cos it's a secret.
OK, Dad.
Dad, is there such a thing as an angel?
- Of course there is.
- Mommy says there isn't.
Well, I believe that there is.
I believe that whenever
anybody who's really good dies,
they go up to heaven
and become an angel.
A guardian angel or a Christmas angel.
All kinds of angels.
Are you ready?
Give me your legs.
And the angels are everywhere.
They're all around us,
and they're watching us,
to make sure that we're A-OK.
- But you can't see 'em, right, Dad?
- That's right.
Because they are invisible.
Invisible.
Exactly.
- Night, Dad.
- Good night, honey.
Invisible.
Did the kids give any trouble
about going to bed?
No, they went right up.
They're sleeping.
Look what I got 'em for Christmas.
I ran over to Toys R Us
on my dinner break.
I got Cal an Etch A Sketch.
You know how much he likes art.
And I got Abbie this tea set. I think
she'll really like that, don't you?
Yeah, she will.
So...
So I guess we can go get
the rest of their stuff on Monday.
Yeah, we'll go get 'em some crayons,
little things like that.
But that's the main thing.
- Cal?
- What?
If Santa Claus brings all the toys,
how come Mom bought me that tea set?
I don't know. I think Santa Claus
only brings some of the toys,
and your mom and dad
have to buy the rest.
- Oh.
- That's why they got toy stores.
Anyway, I think Santa Claus isn't coming
to us this year, cos we're too poor.
- Not because we're poor.
- Then why?
Because I didn't write no letter
to Santa Claus.
Yeah, well, a lot of presents
doesn't make it any better of a Christmas.
Well, when you're a little kid
it does, hon.
We've still got $5,000 in the bank.
We might as well take out a few hundred
and just buy a bunch of stuff.
A few hundred? Jack, that money's all
we've got between us and the poorhouse.
- You want to throw it away on a bunch...
- No, no, no, no, no. Not throw it away.
Yeah, throw it away on junk from Taiwan
that's gonna be broke in two days.
We don't have to buy junk.
We can buy good stuff.
That's not the point. The point is,
what happens if one of us gets sick?
What do we do for money then?
"That's all Cal and me want. "
"Please write back and tell me
if you are really real. "
"Your friend, Abbie Grainger. "
It's all wrote, Elizabeth.
I'm sorry I was so cranky tonight.
It's OK.
It's just this moving thing, you know,
with Christmas on top of it.
Well, you'd be better off
if you believed in Santa Claus like Abbie.
Like you, you mean.
- You believe in Santa Claus, don't you?
- Sure.
Or at least, you know, a nice spirit
that's around at Christmastime, that's all.
I've noticed.
Mostly round department stores.
Give us a kiss.
Oh, give me a land
where the bright diamond sand
Flows leisurely downstream
Where the graceful white swan
Goes gliding along
Like a maid
In a heavenly dream
Can you keep a secret?
Yes.
Well, I'm an angel.
A Christmas angel.
Oh, no, you're not, cos my dad told me
you can't see angels. They're invisible.
Well, they're invisible sometimes,
but sometimes they have to show up.
- So what's your name, then?
- Gideon.
Gideon, was you a good person that died?
Good person?
Well, I was a cowhand, out west.
And one Christmas a long, long time ago,
I was riding along the Snake River,
and I heard this little kid
yelling for somebody.
And so I jumped into the river
to save him.
Well, I saved him all right,
but I got myself drowned,
cos I didn't know how to swim.
And after that,
they made me a Christmas angel.
What do Christmas angels do?
Well, my job is to...
Every Christmas I have to help
one person that's feeling down
to get into the Christmas spirit.
- One person?
- Yeah.
Could it be my mom? Could you make
my mom like Christmas better, Gideon?
- Yeah, I think so, if you'll help me.
- OK.
Abbie?
I knew it.
Take this letter
that you wrote to Santa Claus,
and give it to your mom
and let her mail it for you.
Why?
That'll help her
get into the Christmas spirit,
and then that can be
our Christmas present to her.
Now, you'd better go on inside because
your momma's going to be worried.
And remember, don't tell anybody
that you talked to an angel, OK?
Abbie!
Abbie!
Abbie, you were nearly run over
by that car.
I know, Mom, but the angel Gideon
made it. I mean, a man made it.
Abbie, what are you talking about?
Come inside the house right now.
Yes, Mom. Here,
you can mail a letter to Santa Claus.
This letter, Abbie... Coming out
in the night, nearly getting hit by a car.
- Abbie, you're in big trouble. I mean it.
- But it was an angel, and I talked to him.
You are never
supposed to talk to strangers.
Is that the kind of motel
you lived in when you was little, Mom?
- Not really.
- No, your mom's was bigger.
It was the Ramada Inn,
and her dad was the manager.
Is that where you met Mom, Dad?
At the motel?
No. The motels came later.
Jack!
No, I met your mom on a blind date.
Ginnie Hanks, prettiest girl I ever saw.
And you know something?
The minute I saw her, I knew
she was the girl I was gonna marry.
- You did not!
- Did so.
And she's still the prettiest girl
in the whole world, isn't she, kids?
No, she's just Mom.
Just Mom.
We finally got here.
Hi, Great-Granddad.
Hey, Granddad, good to see you.
Merry Christmas.
Great-Granddad, is there
really, really, really a Santa Claus?
Well, of course
there's a Santa Claus, Abbie.
Why, you're a Grainger, honey.
Our family, we've always been
strong believers in Santa Claus,
and the Christmas spirit
and angels and stuff.
We're dreamers, I guess you'd say.
Yeah, you're great dreamers,
all you Graingers.
That's what's so wonderful about you,
I guess.
In other words, we're nuts, huh?
- Over there, Cal. That's a boy!
- Is there a ghost up here?
Nope, just cobwebs and old stuff.
A rocking horse! A rocking horse!
I know those Christmas tree lights
are up here somewheres.
How about this box right here?
Here they are. I knew they was up here.
Oh, my goodness.
I clean forgot about these.
Lookee here, kids.
What is it?
It's the North Pole,
where Santa Claus lives.
Ooh, it snows.
That's pretty, Great-Granddad.
- Do you want it, Abbie?
- Sure.
Thanks, Great-Granddad.
And here's the Christmas book my mother
used to read to me when I was little.
- Do you want it, Cal?
- Thanks, Great-Granddad.
Now you both got a present from me.
Won't have to give you
nothing for Christmas.
But maybe I will anyway.
- Cal?
- What?
If we was at Great-Granddad's house,
would Santa Claus fit down that chimney?
Sure. Santa Claus can fit down
any chimney, cos he's magic.
- Magic?
- Yep. He's watching you all the time.
- He can see you wherever you are.
- The bathroom, too?
- No, every place except the bathroom.
- Thank goodness.
Mom, is that Santa's house?
- Yes.
- Does he have any kids?
No, he just has a wife, Mrs Santa Claus.
Oh. Mom, if Mrs Santa Claus had kids,
would she be crabby to them?
All moms are crabby sometimes, but that
doesn't mean they don't love their kids.
You go to sleep, all right? Good night.
Good night, Mom. Mom,
did you mail my letter to Santa Claus?
No, Abbie, I didn't. Not yet.
Aw, gee, Mom. Now I won't get anything.
Oh, Abbie, stop it. Now, you're going to get
plenty of presents. Now just go to sleep.
Good night.
Mom's never going to like Christmas,
Elizabeth.
- Gideon!
- Shh.
Your mom still hasn't found
the Christmas spirit, has she?
Nope. She didn't mail my letter yet,
cos she's never gonna like Christmas.
She did once, a long time ago.
But then she lost the spirit.
Something in her broke.
The glass ball! It broke.
- Fixed.
- It's fixed.
I can fix broken pieces of glass.
But only your mom can fix
what's broke in her life. What's been lost.
- Can't we help her?
- Well, we can help her remember.
How, Gideon? What are we gonna do?
Well, we're going to give her
a Christmas present
that only angels and children can give.
And I want you
to listen real careful now.
No matter what happens
between now and tomorrow night,
I don't want you to be afraid.
- I'm not afraid.
- That's good.
Now, you will need to find me later on.
- Do you know where to find me?
- No, Gideon. Where?
Where the angel is at the top.
- The tree.
- The tree?
The tree. At the tree.
At the tree.
This letter is to Santa Claus.
What are you doing?
Nothing. Just going through these figures
again that I worked up for the bike shop.
Are you still thinking about that?
Yeah, well, I had this idea.
Knock it off by a couple of thousand,
and then maybe I could
float a small business loan.
A loan? With what for collateral?
Forget it. You've got to get a job,
a regular job
that brings in a salary every week.
I know. I know I need a job.
This bike shop idea is the dumbest thing
I've come up with yet.
Where are you going?
Jack!
I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry.
There's just no way
you can start any bicycle shop.
It just seems like nothing's going right
for you and me. Just nothing.
And now Christmas.
I don't know one thing
we've got to be so joyful jolly about.
- Things'll be better next year.
- Maybe.
Still, you know, ever since my dad died
last year, I've been thinking.
Why did he even live?
What did he live for? A motel manager.
And me, what am I living for?
The supermarket?
People live for...
Well, I suppose, for nights like this.
Watching Christmas lights...
Being able to hear the rain on the roof.
Being able to see just one star.
Stars...
You know, when I was in high school,
we had this piano teacher, Miss Lehmann,
and she used to have us kids over
to her house to listen to records.
She liked
those Broadway shows, you know.
And she used to have this song
called "Lost In The Stars. "
- I've never heard that one.
- You would like it. It reminds me of you.
Sometimes I think maybe God's gone
away, forgetting the promises he made.
And we're lost out here in the stars
Little stars, big stars
Shining in the night
And we're lost out here in the stars
You know something, honey?
If you came on this little walk here
to cheer me up, you're doing a lousy job.
Hey, Jack, I'm just...
I'm gonna take another turn
around the block.
Howdy.
Late Christmas cards,
or maybe something for the North Pole?
I'm a little old for the North Pole,
thank you.
Well, you don't sound like
you've got much Christmas spirit.
- I don't know you, do I?
- No.
No, I didn't think... I didn't think so.
No, I don't have much Christmas spirit.
But you should, you know. That's sad.
- I should, huh? Why?
- Why?
You've got to find out, Ginnie.
I want you to find out.
How'd you know my name?
I put a tuna nibble casserole for you
and the kids' supper in the fridge.
I'm gonna be working all day,
all night till ten.
- Honest, honey, couldn't you call in?
- Jack, we've been through this.
If I don't work a double today,
Herbie says that's it, I'm fired.
We'll go to Granddad's
first thing in the morning.
But then how will Santa Claus know
where to bring all our stuff tonight?
Abbie, I'm getting a little sick of hearing
all this talk from you about Santa Claus.
If he's coming,
he'll know where to find us.
- He'll know, honey, and he's coming.
- Right, he's coming.
Jack, you just remember what I said
to you about the bank account.
So you're going to miss
the town tree lighting, too.
I've seen Christmas trees before.
And now me and Abbie won't be able
to decorate no tree tonight.
Hush, Cal. You'll be able to decorate one
tomorrow, right?
Ask Daddy. I gotta go.
Yeah, Eddie's gonna bring
that generator over.
Thank you, sport.
It wasn't as heavy as I remembered.
- Hi, Betty.
- Good morning.
Can you believe those jerks
at the city council?
Won't even throw in five cents' worth
of free electricity.
OK, we're all set. Meet me at the tree
at 5.30 and we'll hook it up.
Yeah, I hope this is worth it,
and you folks aren't...
Hey, shh. Ginnie doesn't know that part.
Bye, honey.
Gin? I have eight dollars exactly, so
can you make sure I don't go over, OK?
OK, I'll get the window.
Oklahoma... No papers.
How many miles did you say
you got on this heap?
55,000.
155,000's more like it.
I can't give you anything for this wreck.
Hey, look, do me a favour, will you?
Give me a break.
I gotta get my hands on some money
today. For this kid.
- It's Christmas.
- Hey, I'm sorry.
I'll give it to you!
A hundred bucks, the car's yours.
- 50 bucks?
- I'm sorry.
Or I got this camp stove.
Ah, sure you're sorry!
OK, that's that.
I'm gonna drop you off at the bus station
for a couple of hours, Frankie.
There's something I'm gonna do.
OK, I gotta go
in the bank for a minute, kids.
But what are you going to do in the bank?
Never mind about that.
I'll just be a few minutes.
You guys stay right here
and don't touch anything, OK?
- OK.
- OK, Dad.
Abbie, Dad said to stay in the car.
Where are you going?
To see Mom.
Hi, Mom!
- Abbie...
- Hey, Mom, guess what.
Dad bought us a little Christmas tree
to decorate tonight. It's on the car.
- Where is your dad?
- He went in the bank.
In the bank?
Oh, no, he doesn't!
- Ginnie! Ginnie!
- Come on, you're coming with me.
Just where do you think you're going?
Herbie, I just have to go to the bank for
two seconds. You could take my register.
Me? I am the manager here,
and you're not going anywhere.
We're in the middle of
the Christmas rush here.
If one more person says "Christmas"
to me, I'm gonna throw something at 'em!
Now, I'm going to the bank, Herbie.
Well, that's it. You're fired, Ginnie!
Go jump in a lake, Herbie.
- Thank you, Mrs McCormick.
- Merry Christmas, Eleanor.
Put all the money you've got there
in the bag and don't say a word,
or you're blown away.
Readouts.
You know you're not supposed
to go in Glen's when I'm working.
I've told you that before. Your dad,
honestly! Now I've gone and gotten fired.
Abbie, get in the car and don't get out
again. I mean it. Cal, keep her in there.
- Is there a problem?
- Yes, sir.
Gimme that.
Keep that gun where it is, old man.
OK, now. We're leaving, me and her.
Anybody try anything, she's dead.
Hey, listen. No one's gonna stop you
from going. Just let the girl go.
- Leave me alone. Leave me alone, pal.
- Listen, it's Christmas Eve...
Jack?
Jack, you're gonna be OK, honey.
You're gonna be OK.
He's killed him.
He's driving off in Ginnie's car.
What?
My kids. My kids are in that car!
Hey, mister, this is my dad's car.
He took them. He took my kids!
He took my kids!
- What are your names, then?
- I'm Cal and she's Abbie.
Well, I'm Harry.
Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you.
I've never hurt nobody.
Oh, help! He's down there.
Ginnie?
The police just called.
They found the children,
standing by a roadside.
They're fine.
They must have been
dropped off by the man
before he went in the water,
the police said.
- We're home, Mom.
- The car crashed into the river, Mom.
But an angel saved us.
Right out of the river.
It was like we was flying.
Cal and Abbie?
- Yes, Mom?
- Yes, Mom?
Sometimes bad things happen.
Real bad things.
And sometimes good things happen.
Right, Mom?
Right. But this is about a bad thing
that happened to your dad.
What bad thing, Mom?
You know this morning
when your dad went to the bank?
- That man that took you away...
- Harry?
Harry, yeah.
He shot your dad, and your dad got killed.
You mean Dad's in the hospital?
- No. No, Cal, you see...
- When's Dad coming home, Mom?
Well, that's the thing.
He is not coming home. Ever.
He's not coming back to us.
- But he's gotta come back, Mom.
- For Christmas.
You have to understand this, you have to.
Your dad's not coming back.
Your dad died.
Dad never died before.
Cal?
We'll be all right.
We gotta make it, Cal, so Dad's not dead
any more, so Mom's not crying.
- We can't, Abbie.
- We gotta.
I know.
Maybe we can't, but Gideon can.
He can do anything.
He made this glass ball break, and then
he made it so it didn't break again.
No, he didn't. Nobody can do that.
He did so, and I'm going to him.
Are you crazy?
Where do you think you're going?
- To find Gideon.
- You don't know where he is.
I do, too, cos he told me.
I'm going to him. He's at the tree.
- Mom, Abbie just ran away.
- What?
She said she was going to find
Gideon the angel at the tree.
Gideon?
Gideon?
I'm not afraid.
Abbie!
The glass ball?
The glass ball was one thing, but
bringing your dad back is something else.
I think I know who we can talk to, though.
Who, Gideon?
- Santa Claus.
- Santa Claus?
Do you know Santa Claus?
The real Santa Claus?
Then we gotta go to the North Pole,
Gideon, to see Santa Claus,
so he can make my dad not dead.
Come on.
You didn't find her?
She came here. I know she came here.
Come on, Ginnie, I'll take you home.
She's probably already home by now.
See that little door up there?
That's where you have to go.
Now, you have to talk to him yourself.
And I'll wait for you here,
to take you home.
I've really got to go by myself, Gideon?
- Yes, child?
- Does Mr Santa Claus live here?
Of course he does. Come in.
What it is, Santa Claus...
is my mom and Cal and me
want my dad back,
so he's not dead any more.
I'm sorry, little one, but there are some
things not even Santa Claus can do.
You wouldn't have to bring me or Cal
anything else. Just our dad back.
You could give the stuff you was
going to give us to Molly Monaghan.
Molly Monaghan?
Oh, yes.
Please, Santa Claus, please.
I would, Abbie.
I really would if I could, but I can't.
I am sorry.
But there is someone who could.
There is? Who?
- Your mother.
- My mom?
Yes.
She can make my dad not dead?
Yes, Abbie, yes.
But how could she?
I fixed your sweater, Nicholas.
Oh... Oh, my sweater. Thank you.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Abbie, I have something
I want you to give to your mother.
- Is this your workshop?
- Yes, this is my workshop, Abbie.
My brother's never going to believe this.
Watch out for the bicycle, child.
My brother is never going to believe this.
- Hello, how are you doing, Sidney?
- Merry Christmas.
Hello.
Bonjour!
Did you see that man?
That was Mr Perkins.
He used to be the janitor in our school
before he...
Died? Most people think it's elves,
but it's just nice, ordinary people,
young and old, that work here.
Joyeux Nol, Franois.
- Hello.
- Merry Christmas, Eli.
Merry Christmas, all.
Abbie, this is my mail room.
All of the letters children all over
the world write to me come here.
Now, let me see. Oh, yes. What was
your mother's name when she was little?
Ginnie.
- I mean her last name.
- Oh. Hanks.
O'Hanks?
Oh... Hanks!
Hanks.
Hanks... Hanks...
- My brother's never going to believe this.
- Uh-oh.
Anyone! Chaps!
Would you please push me a bit closer?
In!
Whoa, whoa!
Hanks!
Now, let me see.
Ah, I thought so.
Now, here it is, Abbie.
Now, this is what I want you
to give to your mother.
Santa Claus, how come you don't look like
the Santa Claus in the mall?
Because the Santa Claus in the mall
isn't me.
Santa Claus, how can one sleigh carry
all the toys for all the kids, everyplace?
Because it's a magic sleigh. Very magic.
Do you believe in magic, Abbie?
- Yes.
- Good.
- Your lunch, Nicholas.
- Oh, yes!
- Have a nice trip.
- Yes.
Take care of Abbie.
Make sure that she gets home,
- and I'll see you in the morning.
- I'll see you in the morning.
Goodbye, Abbie.
Bye, Santa Claus.
You wait here, Abbie, and I'll go
and fetch Gideon to take you home.
Yes, Mrs Santa Claus.
Santa Claus has gone.
- Good night, Gideon.
- Good night, Abbie.
- Hi, Cal.
- Abbie, where you been?
- To the North Pole.
- You have not. Mom's mad at you.
She was looking for you everywhere.
I saw Santa Claus, but he can't make it
so Dad isn't dead any more, but...
You did not see Santa Claus!
I did so. Give me back my glass ball.
Who needs it?
I'm gonna tell Mom you're back.
And you're gonna get it, Abbie.
You're gonna get it good.
Gonna get it!
Mom, Abbie came back. She's upstairs.
Abbie...
I told you, Mom. I told you she was back.
You go on back downstairs.
I want to talk to Abbie for a minute.
Oh, Mom, do I have to?
Yeah, you have to. Go on.
Yes, Mom.
Come on, let's go to your room.
Abbie, where have you been?
I've been worried sick.
I've been to the North Pole, Mom,
to see Santa Claus.
Don't tell me stories like that.
No, Mom, really.
Gideon took me there. He can fly.
You gonna spank me, Mom?
No, I'm not, but you shouldn't tell fibs.
Yes, Mom. But it's true.
There is an angel.
You know there's an angel, or Cal and I
would be drowned in the river.
Maybe there is an angel.
There is a Santa Claus, too. But he
can't make it so Dad's not dead no more.
Aw, honey, nobody can.
No, you can. He said you can.
But then he didn't tell me how.
I'm tired, Mom, real tired.
It took such a long time,
going all the way to the North Pole
and then coming back home again.
I know.
Tell you what.
Close your eyes, go to sleep.
When you wake up in the morning,
it'll be Christmas.
Yes, Mom.
Santa gave me something to give you.
It's a letter.
It's in my pocket.
OK, Abbie.
"December 21 st, 1959."
"Dear Santa Claus,
"I want roller skates and a Hula-Hoop
and a raggedy doll and a tea set
and a Mister Potato Head. "
"Your friend, Ginnie Hanks. "
Oh, my!
Good night, Ginnie. Merry Christmas.
Good night, Gideon.
Oh, Jack!
You're not dead.
Hey, honey, of course I'm not dead.
No... No, of course you're not dead.
Of course not.
It's just that it is so good to see you.
So good to see me?
Well, I saw you a minute ago, didn't I?
You sang that little song, remember?
Yeah. Yeah, just a minute ago, yeah.
I love you so much.
I love you, too.
You're not going to work, Mom?
No, I'm not going to work.
I don't care if Herbie fires me.
It's Christmas Eve
and we're going to be together.
We're going to have
a wonderful Christmas, you'll see.
I'll give it to you.
A hundred bucks, the car's yours.
Forget it. It's not worth anything to me.
50 bucks?
- I'm sorry.
- So what'll you give me for a camp stove?
50 dollars.
- Some kind of joke?
- No. No, I just really need a camp stove.
There it is.
Thanks a lot.
You don't know what this means to me.
Maybe I do.
Thanks again, lady.
Merry Christmas.
I don't care if you fire me, Herbie.
It's Christmas, and I'm going to spend
Christmas Eve with my kids and Jack.
- And I mean it.
- Is that so?
Well, you know
what I have to say about that.
- No.
- Go, and don't come back.
Not until Thursday morning.
But you be on that register
nine o'clock sharp. Merry Christmas.
Herbie! Thanks.
Molly Monaghan wanted a bike.
Yeah, and now she's getting it.
Hurry up. Come on, get in. Close the door.
Merry Christmas!
A bike! A bike!
- Look at it. Isn't it beautiful?
- A bike!
Oh, it's so nice.
- Maybe it needs oil.
- Maybe.
How faithful are thy branches!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How faithful are thy branches
Green are thy boughs in summertime
And through the winter's frosty rime
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How faithful are thy branches
For the Jack Grainger bicycle shop.
- Santa Claus?
- Santa Claus.
Santa Claus is real?
No way! He can't be.
But he is. And don't ever forget,
I told you so, Cal.
Something's missing,
something's missing.
Oh! Yes, of course. Lights.
Merry Christmas, Ginnie.
Merry Christmas.
Gideon!
It's Nicholas.
Yes, sir?
Tonight I give the Christmas angels
their assignments.
Well, I thought you forgot about me.
Forgot about you? Oh, no, Gideon.
I have a very difficult case
for you this year.
Her name is Ginnie Grainger.
She never even says "Merry Christmas. "
Yeah, I know. Where will I find her?
In a town to the north, called Medford.
You'll find her there tomorrow morning,
in a shopping mall.
Medford, north, in a shopping mall.
Mommy!
Bye, Santa.
Mom, why can't I go see Santa Claus?
Mom, why?
- Because I say so, that's why.
- Come on, Ginnie, let her. It's only $4.50.
I have to work over an hour
to make four and a half dollars.
You get a job,
you can take her to see Santa Claus.
- Are you gonna start up with that again?
- Please, Mom. Please!
Abbie, you are going to get a smack
in a minute, and I mean it.
We came here to get socks and stuff,
and that's it.
It's OK, honey. You don't want to see
that Santa Claus anyway.
He's not the real Santa Claus, is he, Cal?
No, the real Santa Claus
is up at the North Pole.
This guy's just like,
you know, Santa Claus's helper.
If I don't even see Santa Claus's helper,
how does Santa Claus know
what I want for Christmas?
Santa Claus! Abbie, for Pete's sake,
you're nearly seven years old, so...
- Mom!
- Ginnie.
It's about time you found out
that the only real Santa Claus
is the one at the North Pole.
- I'm six. I already knew that.
- Can we have an ice cream, Daddy?
I want a Cabbage Patch Kid,
and a toy oven that really bakes.
- Just put it all in the letter to Santa.
- OK, Dad.
I want a Swatch watch, too.
Forget it. You're not getting all those
things. We can't afford a big Christmas.
We can't, but Santa Claus can.
He has a zillion million dollars.
Hey, old Santa
had a pretty tough year, too.
He might not even be able
to get to some of the poor kids.
- Like Molly Monaghan?
- Like Molly Monaghan.
- Don't get jelly on your jacket.
- Abbie got jelly on her jacket.
I did not, jelly face.
One of these days, Abbie. To the moon!
- Hey, Dave.
- Hi, Jack.
- Who's that, Dad?
- That's Dave Gilchrist.
He used to work with me
over at Continental. Continental Radio.
That's where your old dad got canned from
by that dork, Frank Crump.
A long, long time ago.
- Hey, not that long ago. July.
- June.
And Continental's making us move out.
Right, Dad?
Yep. Yep, it's a company house.
It's their house.
Oh, look, Cal.
Our snowman fell over again.
We gotta build it again.
Where are you going?
Down the basement. Work on those bikes
for the neighbour kids.
Jack, we're moving in only ten days.
We gotta start
getting some of the packing done.
Come on, Ginnie, just give me
half an hour, 45 minutes.
I gotta get 'em done by Christmas Eve.
So I'm supposed to do all the packing by
myself on my one morning off from work?
Just give me a little while down there
and then I'll give you a hand.
Hey!
Hey, Eddie.
Can you believe
that weather we're having? Huh?
Do you think
we're gonna get another blizzard?
I hope not.
- Still working on the bikes?
- Working on the bikes?
Well, I don't know.
- Huh?
- Oh, brother! Go on down there.
- Thanks a lot, honey. You won't be sorry.
- I'm already sorry.
It's time to finish the great
Jack Grainger special, huh?
No, gotta finish this one
for Molly Monaghan first.
But if I can sneak a few more hours' work
on it, oughta be ready for a road test.
High speed, very low energy input.
Jack, this could be
some kind of breakthrough.
- You could make a mint on a bike like this.
- I could?
- I thought about owning my own shop.
- Really?
Yeah, sell my own special designs.
I worked out the figures, though.
It'd cost me 5,000 bucks just to open
the door. That's 5,000 more than I got.
Which reminds me.
I collected 18 more bucks for
the town tree fund from the guys at work.
Good. Puts us over 200.
You know, everybody thinks
we're nuts for doing this.
Why? It wouldn't be Christmas in Medford
without the town tree lit up, right?
- Hit it over, come on!
- How about passing the puck sometime?
Out of my way, Ralphie!
It's stopped snowing!
What are you getting for Christmas, Molly?
- I don't know. Nothing, I guess.
- But what would you really like to get?
A bike. I'd sure like to get a bike.
- Three days till Christmas.
- Does your mom like Christmas?
- Yep.
- My mom don't. I wish she did.
- Your momma doesn't like Christmas?
- Who are you, mister?
A friend. Just a friend.
Hey, boys, be careful.
There's little kids here.
Eat snow, mister!
- I told you that'd happen.
- Let's get out of here!
- That's amazing! The window broke.
- The window broke!
Hey, Mom, we've got company.
- Mr Grump.
- What?
Hey, how you doing, Ginnie?
Frank Crump from Continental.
I just dropped by to show these folks
around the premises.
Well, Mr Crump...
This is the Noonans, Mrs Grainger.
They just wanted to have
a quick look-see around, you know.
Mr Crump,
I haven't even made the beds, and I...
Hey, hell, who cares
if the beds aren't made?
Abbie, Cal. For Pete's sake,
you're tracking snow all over the carpet!
- Now go outside right this minute.
- We'll just start downstairs, OK?
The basement's right down here.
Hi, Jack. Frank Crump.
Just showing the new tenants around.
You got a full basement...
All this junk out of here,
you'd make a swell rec room for your kids.
This colour in the kitchen, Mr Crump,
this awful yellow.
Is there something you can do about that?
We could repaint it for you, Louise.
Any colour you want.
It wasn't this yellow when you moved in,
was it, Ginnie?
No. I painted it myself.
I like yellow.
Well, I guess
we'd better be pushing along. OK.
You're gonna be outta here
by the first, right, Ginnie?
- Yes, that's right.
- Right, OK.
- Mr Grump?
- That's "Crump. " Yes, dear?
My daddy says you're a dork.
Think it ov...
Stop! In the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! In the name of love
Will somebody please get the phone?
- Hold up, Abbie. I gotta go.
- I gotta go more than you gotta go.
Wrong number. This is not my day.
Mom, Abbie's in the bathroom
and I gotta go.
Abbie? Oh, come on,
I'm taking a shower, Abbie.
Now, I've got to get to work.
- Do you have to lock the door?
- Got to, Mom.
Miss Badducci
says to tell you Merry Christmas.
Well, tell Miss Badducci thank you.
Why don't you ever say
"Merry Christmas," Mom?
Well, nobody ever really means it
when they say it, anyway.
- It's free, Mom.
- My turn.
Oh, no, I'm gonna...
No, Cal...
See you later, Mom.
Hi, Molly. Be my guest.
Please, in my next life,
let me have two bathrooms.
Mrs Grainger!
- Cal?
- What?
- What's a dork?
- Dork? Well, it's, uh...
You know, like a sorta...
- Well, you're too young to know, meatball.
- Oh. Thought so.
Oh, no.
You're in a lot of trouble, meatball.
Attention, Glen's Market shoppers.
Good afternoon. Here are your
Saturday afternoon five-star specials.
Nabisco Shreddies
in the large family box, only $1.69.
You save a dollar off our regular price.
And Glen's own boneless beef stew...
stew beef,
sale priced at only $2.29 a pound.
Excellent value. Have a nice day
and thank you for shopping Glen's.
- Herbie Conklin, manager.
- Herbert.
Herbert.
Keep things moving here.
Hey, you already rung up
them Dorito chips already.
Oh, OK. You're right.
I'll take it off your tote.
See what she tried to pull on me?
See that? Next time I'm going to the A&P!
Please be my guest.
Next time, go to the A&P.
All right.
That's $16.64, minus the potato chips.
Got that five cents, Frankie? Come on.
OK, fine now.
Thank you.
Ginnie, let's step on it here.
Your line's backing up.
Hey, Herbie,
why don't you get off her back?
She's behind because
she made your announcement for you.
Yeah, well...
OK, that's $26.83, Mrs Monaghan.
Cash or check?
I've got these food things.
But there's only $25 worth.
I don't know what to say.
I could loan you, maybe.
Oh, that's OK. I don't need this.
OK, it's...
- That's $2.29. You're down to $24.52.
- Good. I'm OK, then.
- Here it comes, Dad.
- OK, kids. Send it up.
Here it comes, Jack.
- It's the prettiest angel ever.
- It's the biggest angel ever!
Bye, angel!
- What did you get Mom for Christmas?
- A ring. A beautiful amethyst ring.
It used to belong to my Grandma Rebecca.
Whoo!
But don't tell anybody, OK?
Cos it's a secret.
OK, Dad.
Dad, is there such a thing as an angel?
- Of course there is.
- Mommy says there isn't.
Well, I believe that there is.
I believe that whenever
anybody who's really good dies,
they go up to heaven
and become an angel.
A guardian angel or a Christmas angel.
All kinds of angels.
Are you ready?
Give me your legs.
And the angels are everywhere.
They're all around us,
and they're watching us,
to make sure that we're A-OK.
- But you can't see 'em, right, Dad?
- That's right.
Because they are invisible.
Invisible.
Exactly.
- Night, Dad.
- Good night, honey.
Invisible.
Did the kids give any trouble
about going to bed?
No, they went right up.
They're sleeping.
Look what I got 'em for Christmas.
I ran over to Toys R Us
on my dinner break.
I got Cal an Etch A Sketch.
You know how much he likes art.
And I got Abbie this tea set. I think
she'll really like that, don't you?
Yeah, she will.
So...
So I guess we can go get
the rest of their stuff on Monday.
Yeah, we'll go get 'em some crayons,
little things like that.
But that's the main thing.
- Cal?
- What?
If Santa Claus brings all the toys,
how come Mom bought me that tea set?
I don't know. I think Santa Claus
only brings some of the toys,
and your mom and dad
have to buy the rest.
- Oh.
- That's why they got toy stores.
Anyway, I think Santa Claus isn't coming
to us this year, cos we're too poor.
- Not because we're poor.
- Then why?
Because I didn't write no letter
to Santa Claus.
Yeah, well, a lot of presents
doesn't make it any better of a Christmas.
Well, when you're a little kid
it does, hon.
We've still got $5,000 in the bank.
We might as well take out a few hundred
and just buy a bunch of stuff.
A few hundred? Jack, that money's all
we've got between us and the poorhouse.
- You want to throw it away on a bunch...
- No, no, no, no, no. Not throw it away.
Yeah, throw it away on junk from Taiwan
that's gonna be broke in two days.
We don't have to buy junk.
We can buy good stuff.
That's not the point. The point is,
what happens if one of us gets sick?
What do we do for money then?
"That's all Cal and me want. "
"Please write back and tell me
if you are really real. "
"Your friend, Abbie Grainger. "
It's all wrote, Elizabeth.
I'm sorry I was so cranky tonight.
It's OK.
It's just this moving thing, you know,
with Christmas on top of it.
Well, you'd be better off
if you believed in Santa Claus like Abbie.
Like you, you mean.
- You believe in Santa Claus, don't you?
- Sure.
Or at least, you know, a nice spirit
that's around at Christmastime, that's all.
I've noticed.
Mostly round department stores.
Give us a kiss.
Oh, give me a land
where the bright diamond sand
Flows leisurely downstream
Where the graceful white swan
Goes gliding along
Like a maid
In a heavenly dream
Can you keep a secret?
Yes.
Well, I'm an angel.
A Christmas angel.
Oh, no, you're not, cos my dad told me
you can't see angels. They're invisible.
Well, they're invisible sometimes,
but sometimes they have to show up.
- So what's your name, then?
- Gideon.
Gideon, was you a good person that died?
Good person?
Well, I was a cowhand, out west.
And one Christmas a long, long time ago,
I was riding along the Snake River,
and I heard this little kid
yelling for somebody.
And so I jumped into the river
to save him.
Well, I saved him all right,
but I got myself drowned,
cos I didn't know how to swim.
And after that,
they made me a Christmas angel.
What do Christmas angels do?
Well, my job is to...
Every Christmas I have to help
one person that's feeling down
to get into the Christmas spirit.
- One person?
- Yeah.
Could it be my mom? Could you make
my mom like Christmas better, Gideon?
- Yeah, I think so, if you'll help me.
- OK.
Abbie?
I knew it.
Take this letter
that you wrote to Santa Claus,
and give it to your mom
and let her mail it for you.
Why?
That'll help her
get into the Christmas spirit,
and then that can be
our Christmas present to her.
Now, you'd better go on inside because
your momma's going to be worried.
And remember, don't tell anybody
that you talked to an angel, OK?
Abbie!
Abbie!
Abbie, you were nearly run over
by that car.
I know, Mom, but the angel Gideon
made it. I mean, a man made it.
Abbie, what are you talking about?
Come inside the house right now.
Yes, Mom. Here,
you can mail a letter to Santa Claus.
This letter, Abbie... Coming out
in the night, nearly getting hit by a car.
- Abbie, you're in big trouble. I mean it.
- But it was an angel, and I talked to him.
You are never
supposed to talk to strangers.
Is that the kind of motel
you lived in when you was little, Mom?
- Not really.
- No, your mom's was bigger.
It was the Ramada Inn,
and her dad was the manager.
Is that where you met Mom, Dad?
At the motel?
No. The motels came later.
Jack!
No, I met your mom on a blind date.
Ginnie Hanks, prettiest girl I ever saw.
And you know something?
The minute I saw her, I knew
she was the girl I was gonna marry.
- You did not!
- Did so.
And she's still the prettiest girl
in the whole world, isn't she, kids?
No, she's just Mom.
Just Mom.
We finally got here.
Hi, Great-Granddad.
Hey, Granddad, good to see you.
Merry Christmas.
Great-Granddad, is there
really, really, really a Santa Claus?
Well, of course
there's a Santa Claus, Abbie.
Why, you're a Grainger, honey.
Our family, we've always been
strong believers in Santa Claus,
and the Christmas spirit
and angels and stuff.
We're dreamers, I guess you'd say.
Yeah, you're great dreamers,
all you Graingers.
That's what's so wonderful about you,
I guess.
In other words, we're nuts, huh?
- Over there, Cal. That's a boy!
- Is there a ghost up here?
Nope, just cobwebs and old stuff.
A rocking horse! A rocking horse!
I know those Christmas tree lights
are up here somewheres.
How about this box right here?
Here they are. I knew they was up here.
Oh, my goodness.
I clean forgot about these.
Lookee here, kids.
What is it?
It's the North Pole,
where Santa Claus lives.
Ooh, it snows.
That's pretty, Great-Granddad.
- Do you want it, Abbie?
- Sure.
Thanks, Great-Granddad.
And here's the Christmas book my mother
used to read to me when I was little.
- Do you want it, Cal?
- Thanks, Great-Granddad.
Now you both got a present from me.
Won't have to give you
nothing for Christmas.
But maybe I will anyway.
- Cal?
- What?
If we was at Great-Granddad's house,
would Santa Claus fit down that chimney?
Sure. Santa Claus can fit down
any chimney, cos he's magic.
- Magic?
- Yep. He's watching you all the time.
- He can see you wherever you are.
- The bathroom, too?
- No, every place except the bathroom.
- Thank goodness.
Mom, is that Santa's house?
- Yes.
- Does he have any kids?
No, he just has a wife, Mrs Santa Claus.
Oh. Mom, if Mrs Santa Claus had kids,
would she be crabby to them?
All moms are crabby sometimes, but that
doesn't mean they don't love their kids.
You go to sleep, all right? Good night.
Good night, Mom. Mom,
did you mail my letter to Santa Claus?
No, Abbie, I didn't. Not yet.
Aw, gee, Mom. Now I won't get anything.
Oh, Abbie, stop it. Now, you're going to get
plenty of presents. Now just go to sleep.
Good night.
Mom's never going to like Christmas,
Elizabeth.
- Gideon!
- Shh.
Your mom still hasn't found
the Christmas spirit, has she?
Nope. She didn't mail my letter yet,
cos she's never gonna like Christmas.
She did once, a long time ago.
But then she lost the spirit.
Something in her broke.
The glass ball! It broke.
- Fixed.
- It's fixed.
I can fix broken pieces of glass.
But only your mom can fix
what's broke in her life. What's been lost.
- Can't we help her?
- Well, we can help her remember.
How, Gideon? What are we gonna do?
Well, we're going to give her
a Christmas present
that only angels and children can give.
And I want you
to listen real careful now.
No matter what happens
between now and tomorrow night,
I don't want you to be afraid.
- I'm not afraid.
- That's good.
Now, you will need to find me later on.
- Do you know where to find me?
- No, Gideon. Where?
Where the angel is at the top.
- The tree.
- The tree?
The tree. At the tree.
At the tree.
This letter is to Santa Claus.
What are you doing?
Nothing. Just going through these figures
again that I worked up for the bike shop.
Are you still thinking about that?
Yeah, well, I had this idea.
Knock it off by a couple of thousand,
and then maybe I could
float a small business loan.
A loan? With what for collateral?
Forget it. You've got to get a job,
a regular job
that brings in a salary every week.
I know. I know I need a job.
This bike shop idea is the dumbest thing
I've come up with yet.
Where are you going?
Jack!
I'm sorry, honey. I'm sorry.
There's just no way
you can start any bicycle shop.
It just seems like nothing's going right
for you and me. Just nothing.
And now Christmas.
I don't know one thing
we've got to be so joyful jolly about.
- Things'll be better next year.
- Maybe.
Still, you know, ever since my dad died
last year, I've been thinking.
Why did he even live?
What did he live for? A motel manager.
And me, what am I living for?
The supermarket?
People live for...
Well, I suppose, for nights like this.
Watching Christmas lights...
Being able to hear the rain on the roof.
Being able to see just one star.
Stars...
You know, when I was in high school,
we had this piano teacher, Miss Lehmann,
and she used to have us kids over
to her house to listen to records.
She liked
those Broadway shows, you know.
And she used to have this song
called "Lost In The Stars. "
- I've never heard that one.
- You would like it. It reminds me of you.
Sometimes I think maybe God's gone
away, forgetting the promises he made.
And we're lost out here in the stars
Little stars, big stars
Shining in the night
And we're lost out here in the stars
You know something, honey?
If you came on this little walk here
to cheer me up, you're doing a lousy job.
Hey, Jack, I'm just...
I'm gonna take another turn
around the block.
Howdy.
Late Christmas cards,
or maybe something for the North Pole?
I'm a little old for the North Pole,
thank you.
Well, you don't sound like
you've got much Christmas spirit.
- I don't know you, do I?
- No.
No, I didn't think... I didn't think so.
No, I don't have much Christmas spirit.
But you should, you know. That's sad.
- I should, huh? Why?
- Why?
You've got to find out, Ginnie.
I want you to find out.
How'd you know my name?
I put a tuna nibble casserole for you
and the kids' supper in the fridge.
I'm gonna be working all day,
all night till ten.
- Honest, honey, couldn't you call in?
- Jack, we've been through this.
If I don't work a double today,
Herbie says that's it, I'm fired.
We'll go to Granddad's
first thing in the morning.
But then how will Santa Claus know
where to bring all our stuff tonight?
Abbie, I'm getting a little sick of hearing
all this talk from you about Santa Claus.
If he's coming,
he'll know where to find us.
- He'll know, honey, and he's coming.
- Right, he's coming.
Jack, you just remember what I said
to you about the bank account.
So you're going to miss
the town tree lighting, too.
I've seen Christmas trees before.
And now me and Abbie won't be able
to decorate no tree tonight.
Hush, Cal. You'll be able to decorate one
tomorrow, right?
Ask Daddy. I gotta go.
Yeah, Eddie's gonna bring
that generator over.
Thank you, sport.
It wasn't as heavy as I remembered.
- Hi, Betty.
- Good morning.
Can you believe those jerks
at the city council?
Won't even throw in five cents' worth
of free electricity.
OK, we're all set. Meet me at the tree
at 5.30 and we'll hook it up.
Yeah, I hope this is worth it,
and you folks aren't...
Hey, shh. Ginnie doesn't know that part.
Bye, honey.
Gin? I have eight dollars exactly, so
can you make sure I don't go over, OK?
OK, I'll get the window.
Oklahoma... No papers.
How many miles did you say
you got on this heap?
55,000.
155,000's more like it.
I can't give you anything for this wreck.
Hey, look, do me a favour, will you?
Give me a break.
I gotta get my hands on some money
today. For this kid.
- It's Christmas.
- Hey, I'm sorry.
I'll give it to you!
A hundred bucks, the car's yours.
- 50 bucks?
- I'm sorry.
Or I got this camp stove.
Ah, sure you're sorry!
OK, that's that.
I'm gonna drop you off at the bus station
for a couple of hours, Frankie.
There's something I'm gonna do.
OK, I gotta go
in the bank for a minute, kids.
But what are you going to do in the bank?
Never mind about that.
I'll just be a few minutes.
You guys stay right here
and don't touch anything, OK?
- OK.
- OK, Dad.
Abbie, Dad said to stay in the car.
Where are you going?
To see Mom.
Hi, Mom!
- Abbie...
- Hey, Mom, guess what.
Dad bought us a little Christmas tree
to decorate tonight. It's on the car.
- Where is your dad?
- He went in the bank.
In the bank?
Oh, no, he doesn't!
- Ginnie! Ginnie!
- Come on, you're coming with me.
Just where do you think you're going?
Herbie, I just have to go to the bank for
two seconds. You could take my register.
Me? I am the manager here,
and you're not going anywhere.
We're in the middle of
the Christmas rush here.
If one more person says "Christmas"
to me, I'm gonna throw something at 'em!
Now, I'm going to the bank, Herbie.
Well, that's it. You're fired, Ginnie!
Go jump in a lake, Herbie.
- Thank you, Mrs McCormick.
- Merry Christmas, Eleanor.
Put all the money you've got there
in the bag and don't say a word,
or you're blown away.
Readouts.
You know you're not supposed
to go in Glen's when I'm working.
I've told you that before. Your dad,
honestly! Now I've gone and gotten fired.
Abbie, get in the car and don't get out
again. I mean it. Cal, keep her in there.
- Is there a problem?
- Yes, sir.
Gimme that.
Keep that gun where it is, old man.
OK, now. We're leaving, me and her.
Anybody try anything, she's dead.
Hey, listen. No one's gonna stop you
from going. Just let the girl go.
- Leave me alone. Leave me alone, pal.
- Listen, it's Christmas Eve...
Jack?
Jack, you're gonna be OK, honey.
You're gonna be OK.
He's killed him.
He's driving off in Ginnie's car.
What?
My kids. My kids are in that car!
Hey, mister, this is my dad's car.
He took them. He took my kids!
He took my kids!
- What are your names, then?
- I'm Cal and she's Abbie.
Well, I'm Harry.
Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt you.
I've never hurt nobody.
Oh, help! He's down there.
Ginnie?
The police just called.
They found the children,
standing by a roadside.
They're fine.
They must have been
dropped off by the man
before he went in the water,
the police said.
- We're home, Mom.
- The car crashed into the river, Mom.
But an angel saved us.
Right out of the river.
It was like we was flying.
Cal and Abbie?
- Yes, Mom?
- Yes, Mom?
Sometimes bad things happen.
Real bad things.
And sometimes good things happen.
Right, Mom?
Right. But this is about a bad thing
that happened to your dad.
What bad thing, Mom?
You know this morning
when your dad went to the bank?
- That man that took you away...
- Harry?
Harry, yeah.
He shot your dad, and your dad got killed.
You mean Dad's in the hospital?
- No. No, Cal, you see...
- When's Dad coming home, Mom?
Well, that's the thing.
He is not coming home. Ever.
He's not coming back to us.
- But he's gotta come back, Mom.
- For Christmas.
You have to understand this, you have to.
Your dad's not coming back.
Your dad died.
Dad never died before.
Cal?
We'll be all right.
We gotta make it, Cal, so Dad's not dead
any more, so Mom's not crying.
- We can't, Abbie.
- We gotta.
I know.
Maybe we can't, but Gideon can.
He can do anything.
He made this glass ball break, and then
he made it so it didn't break again.
No, he didn't. Nobody can do that.
He did so, and I'm going to him.
Are you crazy?
Where do you think you're going?
- To find Gideon.
- You don't know where he is.
I do, too, cos he told me.
I'm going to him. He's at the tree.
- Mom, Abbie just ran away.
- What?
She said she was going to find
Gideon the angel at the tree.
Gideon?
Gideon?
I'm not afraid.
Abbie!
The glass ball?
The glass ball was one thing, but
bringing your dad back is something else.
I think I know who we can talk to, though.
Who, Gideon?
- Santa Claus.
- Santa Claus?
Do you know Santa Claus?
The real Santa Claus?
Then we gotta go to the North Pole,
Gideon, to see Santa Claus,
so he can make my dad not dead.
Come on.
You didn't find her?
She came here. I know she came here.
Come on, Ginnie, I'll take you home.
She's probably already home by now.
See that little door up there?
That's where you have to go.
Now, you have to talk to him yourself.
And I'll wait for you here,
to take you home.
I've really got to go by myself, Gideon?
- Yes, child?
- Does Mr Santa Claus live here?
Of course he does. Come in.
What it is, Santa Claus...
is my mom and Cal and me
want my dad back,
so he's not dead any more.
I'm sorry, little one, but there are some
things not even Santa Claus can do.
You wouldn't have to bring me or Cal
anything else. Just our dad back.
You could give the stuff you was
going to give us to Molly Monaghan.
Molly Monaghan?
Oh, yes.
Please, Santa Claus, please.
I would, Abbie.
I really would if I could, but I can't.
I am sorry.
But there is someone who could.
There is? Who?
- Your mother.
- My mom?
Yes.
She can make my dad not dead?
Yes, Abbie, yes.
But how could she?
I fixed your sweater, Nicholas.
Oh... Oh, my sweater. Thank you.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Abbie, I have something
I want you to give to your mother.
- Is this your workshop?
- Yes, this is my workshop, Abbie.
My brother's never going to believe this.
Watch out for the bicycle, child.
My brother is never going to believe this.
- Hello, how are you doing, Sidney?
- Merry Christmas.
Hello.
Bonjour!
Did you see that man?
That was Mr Perkins.
He used to be the janitor in our school
before he...
Died? Most people think it's elves,
but it's just nice, ordinary people,
young and old, that work here.
Joyeux Nol, Franois.
- Hello.
- Merry Christmas, Eli.
Merry Christmas, all.
Abbie, this is my mail room.
All of the letters children all over
the world write to me come here.
Now, let me see. Oh, yes. What was
your mother's name when she was little?
Ginnie.
- I mean her last name.
- Oh. Hanks.
O'Hanks?
Oh... Hanks!
Hanks.
Hanks... Hanks...
- My brother's never going to believe this.
- Uh-oh.
Anyone! Chaps!
Would you please push me a bit closer?
In!
Whoa, whoa!
Hanks!
Now, let me see.
Ah, I thought so.
Now, here it is, Abbie.
Now, this is what I want you
to give to your mother.
Santa Claus, how come you don't look like
the Santa Claus in the mall?
Because the Santa Claus in the mall
isn't me.
Santa Claus, how can one sleigh carry
all the toys for all the kids, everyplace?
Because it's a magic sleigh. Very magic.
Do you believe in magic, Abbie?
- Yes.
- Good.
- Your lunch, Nicholas.
- Oh, yes!
- Have a nice trip.
- Yes.
Take care of Abbie.
Make sure that she gets home,
- and I'll see you in the morning.
- I'll see you in the morning.
Goodbye, Abbie.
Bye, Santa Claus.
You wait here, Abbie, and I'll go
and fetch Gideon to take you home.
Yes, Mrs Santa Claus.
Santa Claus has gone.
- Good night, Gideon.
- Good night, Abbie.
- Hi, Cal.
- Abbie, where you been?
- To the North Pole.
- You have not. Mom's mad at you.
She was looking for you everywhere.
I saw Santa Claus, but he can't make it
so Dad isn't dead any more, but...
You did not see Santa Claus!
I did so. Give me back my glass ball.
Who needs it?
I'm gonna tell Mom you're back.
And you're gonna get it, Abbie.
You're gonna get it good.
Gonna get it!
Mom, Abbie came back. She's upstairs.
Abbie...
I told you, Mom. I told you she was back.
You go on back downstairs.
I want to talk to Abbie for a minute.
Oh, Mom, do I have to?
Yeah, you have to. Go on.
Yes, Mom.
Come on, let's go to your room.
Abbie, where have you been?
I've been worried sick.
I've been to the North Pole, Mom,
to see Santa Claus.
Don't tell me stories like that.
No, Mom, really.
Gideon took me there. He can fly.
You gonna spank me, Mom?
No, I'm not, but you shouldn't tell fibs.
Yes, Mom. But it's true.
There is an angel.
You know there's an angel, or Cal and I
would be drowned in the river.
Maybe there is an angel.
There is a Santa Claus, too. But he
can't make it so Dad's not dead no more.
Aw, honey, nobody can.
No, you can. He said you can.
But then he didn't tell me how.
I'm tired, Mom, real tired.
It took such a long time,
going all the way to the North Pole
and then coming back home again.
I know.
Tell you what.
Close your eyes, go to sleep.
When you wake up in the morning,
it'll be Christmas.
Yes, Mom.
Santa gave me something to give you.
It's a letter.
It's in my pocket.
OK, Abbie.
"December 21 st, 1959."
"Dear Santa Claus,
"I want roller skates and a Hula-Hoop
and a raggedy doll and a tea set
and a Mister Potato Head. "
"Your friend, Ginnie Hanks. "
Oh, my!
Good night, Ginnie. Merry Christmas.
Good night, Gideon.
Oh, Jack!
You're not dead.
Hey, honey, of course I'm not dead.
No... No, of course you're not dead.
Of course not.
It's just that it is so good to see you.
So good to see me?
Well, I saw you a minute ago, didn't I?
You sang that little song, remember?
Yeah. Yeah, just a minute ago, yeah.
I love you so much.
I love you, too.
You're not going to work, Mom?
No, I'm not going to work.
I don't care if Herbie fires me.
It's Christmas Eve
and we're going to be together.
We're going to have
a wonderful Christmas, you'll see.
I'll give it to you.
A hundred bucks, the car's yours.
Forget it. It's not worth anything to me.
50 bucks?
- I'm sorry.
- So what'll you give me for a camp stove?
50 dollars.
- Some kind of joke?
- No. No, I just really need a camp stove.
There it is.
Thanks a lot.
You don't know what this means to me.
Maybe I do.
Thanks again, lady.
Merry Christmas.
I don't care if you fire me, Herbie.
It's Christmas, and I'm going to spend
Christmas Eve with my kids and Jack.
- And I mean it.
- Is that so?
Well, you know
what I have to say about that.
- No.
- Go, and don't come back.
Not until Thursday morning.
But you be on that register
nine o'clock sharp. Merry Christmas.
Herbie! Thanks.
Molly Monaghan wanted a bike.
Yeah, and now she's getting it.
Hurry up. Come on, get in. Close the door.
Merry Christmas!
A bike! A bike!
- Look at it. Isn't it beautiful?
- A bike!
Oh, it's so nice.
- Maybe it needs oil.
- Maybe.
How faithful are thy branches!
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How faithful are thy branches
Green are thy boughs in summertime
And through the winter's frosty rime
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
How faithful are thy branches
For the Jack Grainger bicycle shop.
- Santa Claus?
- Santa Claus.
Santa Claus is real?
No way! He can't be.
But he is. And don't ever forget,
I told you so, Cal.
Something's missing,
something's missing.
Oh! Yes, of course. Lights.
Merry Christmas, Ginnie.
Merry Christmas.