Under the Christmas Tree (2021) Movie Script

1
Something about the weather
got me feeling something new
That I felt
before the last 24th
I'll always take December
way over summer June
'Cause I'd rather be settin'
up the tree oh with my family
Making memories
like a silver-screen do
It's a classic
that we make brand-new
Fa la-la la-la
the only time of year
Thought we can take a break,
Charlie.
We've already missed
second breakfast. I'm cold.
Really?
I think this is invigorating.
Fa la-la la-la
the only time of year
Hi!
Oh oh oh
Okay, okay, okay...
Of year
Ah. Good morning, girls.
You're looking fine today.
Coming, bub. Ah.
Hi.
And I've got our traditions
but we're not breaking
Hey, Betty, make
room for your sister, please.
There's nothing on my wish
list that hasn't come true
Wouldn't change a thing
I got everything oh with my
Well, we're still 300 feet away.
No, I think we found her.
Fa la-la la-la
the only time of year
What is all that noise?
Fa la-la la-la
Raise your glass and cheer
It's the birthday boy
Listen.
I-I don't hear anything.
The tree, it's calling to us.
Um, I'm just gonna
take your word on that one.
Whoa oh-oh-oh
Fa la-la la-la
The only time of year
This isn't the tree we ID'd
from the chopper.
I know. This one is way better.
Are we on private property?
La-la la-la
The only time of year
Everyone you love is near
Whoa oh-oh-oh...
Now we want all of our packages
to feel like they were wrapped
for a member of our own family.
All of our customers should feel
like Santa wrapped them himself.
Now, as I've just shown you,
I have my classic Christmas bow
that I put on every package,
but I encourage you all
to find your own unique style.
Okay, let's give it a try.
-Oh, that's gorgeous.
- You just pull it.
-Yeah, nice.
It's all in the wrist.
Think Edward Scissorhands.
Yeah, you're getting it.
Okay, remember, joy delivered,
that's our motto.
Hi, honey, I hate to interrupt,
but the new ornaments
just came in.
Oh. These are fantastic!
Dad, the craftsmanship
is amazing!
Where do you find these?
These were hand-painted
by a grad student
I met at a craft fair down in
Boston. Aren't they beautiful?
-Pick out your favorite one.
-Ooh. Um...
-This one for sure.
-Oh.
-Partridge.
-Yeah.
These will be perfect
for next year's line, dad.
Yeah, perfect for your
first catalog on your own.
Mm. Can't believe you and mom
are retiring in January.
Going to miss you.
Hey, you'll be too busy
to miss us. Come on.
I know, there's so much to do
around here.
CEO, HR, buyer...
Butcher, baker,
candlestick maker.
-Ha-ha, ha-ha-ha...
Oh.
Mm. I got to go.
Marie's outside.
-She needs me for a taste test.
-Yeah. Say hi.
-Saving this one for you.
-Thank you!
The tree
is gorgeous, Charlotte.
I'm looking at the photos
right now.
The governor is gonna be
over the moon.
You tell him
that it is three feet taller
than Vermont state
Christmas tree.
How soon can you get it
to Augusta?
We're working on it.
There's no room
for error on this one.
-We're counting on you.
-I know. I know.
Good, because I wanna get
a press release out
as soon as it's under contract.
Okay. Bye.
Nice!
-Uh-huh? Uh-huh?
-Oh...
I think I just died and went
to heaven. What is that?
An experiment,
a Christmas macaron
with cranberry filling
and rosemary essence.
Amazing! For the employee
Christmas party?
Yeah, I only had to make four
dozen to find the perfect one.
Save the rejects
for my dad, you'll make his day.
-So it was a drone.
-What?
This morning,
all the-the buzzing.
What are you talking about?
Uh, uh, excuse me? Hi!
Hi, uh, I'd like to talk to you
just for a second about, uh,
the, uh, uh, uh...
-Your, um...
The, um, uh, the drone!
Oh, sorry if we caused
any trouble.
No! No, no, no, no. No. No.
I mean, yes.
Just the, the buzzing,
it got my chickens all riled up.
I'm really sorry about that.
Look, we're almost done here.
-I like your antlers.
-Oh.
'Tis the season and all.
You two look like
you're from around here.
Can you make a recommendation
for lunch?
Uh, what about that place
I was telling you about,
Charlie?
No,
something heartier.
Like, stick-to-your-ribs food.
Isn't Camden famous for stew?
-Uh, stew?
-Stew?
-No.
-Maybe a 100 years ago.
It's like the best patisserie
in New England.
-In Camden?
- Hey.
It's not like
we're some backwards town.
-No, that's not what I--
-We have a library.
We got a newspaper, even Wi-Fi.
Can we please
just get some lunch? I...
If I don't eat something, I'm...
You are looking
for Noelle's Patisserie.
-Wait a minute, you're...
-Oh.
-Marie Gauthier! Oh!
-That I am.
I have been following you
since Paris.
Well, I just made
a Gateau St. Honore.
Mm! I hear your pate a choux
is amazing.
You mean pate a choux.
But it took me forever
to figure that out.
Okay, no more compliments.
She'll be impossible
for the rest of the day.
Come on, I'll take you over.
Why don't you join us?
-I can't. I gotta work.
-Oh, come on.
I owe you a cup of coffee
for all the trouble.
Or a baguette
for the chickens.
Another time. Thank you.
Mm-hmm. Hm.
Oh, my!
Ooh...
There you are.
Oh, my two favorite people.
Uh-oh, that's code for I have
something I need you to do.
This consultant's latest report
has come in
and there's a few things
we need to go over.
Oh, come on, I didn't think
we needed to reinvent the wheel.
I thought we'd been doing
a pretty good job
running the company
for the past 100 years.
We just wanna
make this transition
as smooth as possible for you,
darling.
It's okay, mom. We agreed we
needed a strategic plan.
Good, good, good.
Uh, why are they questioning
our complimentary gift-wrapping?
-That's who we are.
-What? I don't think...
I think they just mentioned
that we should get an automated
gift-wrapping machine,
which seems like an idea
that, you know,
we could look at.
You know, what I find
really interesting is
they want us to have
more of a digital footprint
for our catalog.
But the, the catalog
is what makes us unique.
We're more than just
another online retailer.
Listen, if we're gonna reject
all of their recommendations,
that's not gonna leave us
many options.
Okay, okay, let's, uh,
let's all take a beat
and, uh, we'll come back
and read it more thoroughly.
We don't... We just...
Marcus, it's gonna be
the end of January before--
Honey, we will, we will
get to the report, I promise,
but right now we have
those Christmas stockings
for the first responders...
I pulled some stock already.
Uh, self-care items they
wouldn't only buy for themselves
chocolates, candles,
that sort of thing.
See? Perfect.
She knows what she's doing.
Okay, well, let's read
the report, then we'll talk.
-Okay.
-Mm.
Dad says he can't wait
to try the macarons.
-They're still here?
-They set up shop...
Like, it's their office
and they keep ordering food.
How much can they eat?
Hi. Can we have another round?
And, yeah, we're starving. We've
been in the field since dawn.
We haven't formally met.
I'm Charlotte Freeman.
-Alma.
-Everybody calls me Charlie.
Or Drone Lady.
That, too, but I prefer Charlie.
This is Rohan,
my partner in crime.
Hey.
-Oh. For your papa.
-Ah!
You two seem to know
each other pretty well.
Uh, my first job out of
grad school was in Paris, Marie
worked at the little place where
I got my coffee every morning.
It was so nice to have
a fellow American come in.
I became obsessed
with her eclairs.
-We got to be good friends.
-Mm. Paris is my favorite city.
-The food, the clothes.
-Yeah, I have relatives there.
I actually apprenticed
in their patisserie.
When we met, she'd already
been there for ten years.
I learned to bake
from my Grandmother Noelle.
My recipes are hers,
except, with a twist.
I made the sourdough starter
you posted.
Yeah, he carries it around
in a jar everywhere we go.
-Yes, I have to feed it.
-It's like having a baby.
-He named it.
-Of course I named it.
What do you call it?
-Puff Daddy.
- Puff Daddy!
You just earned
a free pain au chocolat.
Ooh. Thank you.
I don't get
how youended up in Camden.
I grew up here, actually.
When it was time to come home,
I made Marie come with me.
We always talked about
going into business together.
We wanted to try
a local market first,
so we opened up here in Camden.
We're actually opening up
a second location in Portland.
Part of our five-year plan.
Uh-huh. The antlers.
The ringtone.
Okay, I figured it out.
You're Mrs. Claus.
She is, actually,
even when it's not Christmas,
she's running around
in those silly antlers.
Uh, they're not silly.
Actually, I think
they're kinda cute.
See?
Ah, I'm running late. I gotta
head back to the North Pole.
-Santa's work is never done.
-Merry Christmas, Alma.
So, Charlie,
can I get you anything else?
-Charlie? Hello?
-Hm?
Oh. Sorry.
Um, can you recommend
a good florist in town?
I need a knock-your-socks-off
arrangement.
- Hi.
-Hi.
I'm Charlie, this is Rohan.
-We're from the State of Maine.
-Hello.
We wanted to talk to you
about one of your trees.
Okay, come on in.
Oh, gosh. Ah...
I mean, I couldn't, I couldn't.
I'm stuffed.
-I can't.
- There she goes.
Oh. Oh, my God!
-Alma?
-Hi.
-You two know each other?
-Oh, we kind...
Well, it's kind of
a long story, dad.
Wait, you live here?
Alma's taking over
the house
when Marcus and I retire
next year. Yeah.
Did you know
that Charlie and Rohan
are from the governor's office?
-Wait, really?
-Yeah, they wanna use our tree.
As the official
State Christmas Tree
at the Capitol building
in Augusta.
What an honor, right?
-Wait, our tree?
-Yeah.
Yeah, we've never
had one from Camden before,
which is what makes it
so special.
W-well, there's probably
millions of trees in Maine.
Why ours?
Because that white spruce
in your backyard is the most
beautiful Christmas tree
I have ever seen.
I mean,
it was love at first sight.
Didn't the State Tree
already go up this year?
It did, but, um, it was
destroyed by an ice storm.
-Ah. We saw that on the news.
- Yeah, we did.
The top 20 feet
just snapped right off.
But I convinced them to push the
lighting back to Christmas Eve
if I promised to find them
a new tree in time.
-Oh, good.
- Yeah.
Charlie is known
as The Tree Whisperer.
-The Tree Whisperer?
-Oh, yeah.
She can find
the single-most perfect tree
in a forest of thousands.
Anyway, Rohan and I have been
flying over in a helicopter,
uh, surveying the local forests.
Oh, so that's what
all the noise has been.
Okay, I apologize, it's--
Oh, Charlie, it wasn't that bad.
Mom, you were complaining
about it just this morning.
Let her finish, sweetheart.
Our tree has a lot
of sentimental value,
not just to our family,
but to all of Camden.
It's a symbol of hope,
we do this big tree lighting
every year, it's a whole thing.
We need more
inspirational stories like that.
Donating your tree would ensure
that your family's legacy
lives on.
Oh, that's true.
We won't be around forever.
Dad.
Well, I mean,
Charlie's got a point.
Trees have a life span,
just like us.
Yeah.
Look, take some time,
take some time.
You don't have to decide now.
Hm.
-Um, it was so nice meeting you.
-Gosh.
Alma, here, this is my card,
just take it, call me,
text me anytime
if you have any questions.
-Well...
-Come on, I'll walk you out.
It was such a pleasure
meeting both of you.
-Take care. We'll let you know.
-Bye.
Bye!
Huh!
I think we're gonna have
a problem.
What? No.
Alma will come around.
Nobody signs on the dotted line
after the first ask.
-I-I don't know about that.
-Look.
They're lovely people,
let's just give them some space.
Okay, but the tree
needs to be on a truck
to Augusta in a week.
Okay, okay. Slow down.
We will get that tree.
First we need to run
a property survey
and a title report
on the Beltran property.
-Okay.
-Deep breaths.
Okay.
We got this.
You guys aren't seriously
considering that, are you?
Honey, they said the state
would donate a thousand trees
to the community in our name,
imagine what that would do
to the reforestation project
in town.
I've spent every Christmas
with that tree.
I can't imagine the holidays
without it.
Boy, that Charlie
was something else, wasn't she?
We could sure use someone
like that on our sales team.
-Think she's gay?
-Dad!
-Of course she's gay.
-Hm.
Well, I think
it just might be
a fitting send-off
for us and the tree.
Well, it's not really
how I envisioned us
spending our last Christmas
together before you guys move.
Look, I'll get in touch
with her.
No, honey,
you've got a million things
on your plate.
Let me and your mom handle it.
I didn't realize
we'd come to a decision.
Well, I wasn't really thrilled
with her offer,
but she does have a job to do,
this wait gives her
more of a chance
to look for another tree.
I just don't wanna give her
false hope like I'm interested.
Like we're interested.
-Yeah.
-Sure.
Hm.
I just got off
the phone with Sonal.
I told her to tell the governor
that we have this in the bag.
But we don't.
You worry too much for somebody
your age. Relax.
Yeah, have another pastry.
Two shots, extra foam,
chocolate on the bottom,
cinnamon on top.
-Oh, you remembered.
-That's my job.
Have you been doing this
your whole life?
Oh, no, I had a big job
in publishing.
Corner office, view of Midtown,
the works.
And you walked away?
I was ready for a career change.
I always wanted to be a baker,
so I decided to follow my heart.
-I love my job, yup.
-Hm.
So were you always
just interested in food?
Oh, yeah, I was that 11-year-old
who was inside
analyzing brownie recipes
while everyone else was outside
playing soccer.
I think that's why
Alma and I connected.
She's the same kind of nerd,
except about Christmas.
Going into business with her
was a total no-brainer.
And I really like
her mom and dad.
Oh, you know the Beltrans
pretty well.
They're wonderful people.
Their tree-lighting event is
the event of the season!
Everyone in town goes.
Ah, I see
you have their catalog.
Yeah, it was in the gift basket
in my room.
-It's absolutely beautiful.
-All Alma.
Huh.
Totally retro. Cool.
It's filled with
everything you could possibly
want or need for Christmas.
Here, check out this back cover.
Aww. Adorbs.
You sure you don't wanna
think about that a little more?
Her offer was pretty compelling.
-It's a no, mom.
-Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Should I call her?
Why don't you, um...
Why don't you go tell her
in person?
I saw them just now
over at Noelle's.
No, no, no, I'll-I'll,
I'll just text her.
Or should I go over there?
Or is that too obvious?
Like, too obv... Well, it's not
like you're asking her out.
No. No, no, no. Of course not.
-No. No.
-Yeah?
I mean, yeah, no, it just,
it can get confusing, you know?
Yeah. No. No, totally.
I just, I wanna let her down
easy is what I'm trying to say.
-Oh. Yeah.
-So...
So, yeah, so...
I'm gonna text her. I'm gonna
text her. I'm gonna text her.
Here we go. Thank you
for helping me figure that out.
-Anytime. Anytime, sweetheart.
-Yeah.
Okay, so what do we do next?
I think
she's gonna reach out first.
This is gonna be
the easiest assignment ever.
But maybe we could just,
like, call her.
-Ugh.
What did I tell you?
You're working with a pro.
Hey, Marie,
break out the champagne.
"Good morning, Charlie,
we have considered your offer.
And while we find it
immensely flattering,
we have decided to decline."
The Beltran tree will remain
standing tall and proud
here in Camden.
Good luck.
-Yeah.
-Hey.
-She's still a maybe.
-She just said no.
That's just her opening serve.
I would've done the same thing.
That sounded pretty final to me.
Doesn't Puff Daddy need
another feeding or something?
Cheers.
Don't give up.
You have got to be kidding me.
Ugh. Charlie?
Hope you don't mind
that I stopped by.
No, no, not at all.
But I thought
you'd be gone by now.
-Did you not get my text?
-Yeah.
Look, I just wanted to talk
to you about this catalog.
This is incredible, Alma,
it's clear
that you've put your heart
and soul into every page.
Thank you, there's not
a single item in there
that I wouldn't give
as a Christmas gift to myself.
Well, then I need to get you
my wish list.
-What's all this?
-Ugh.
The vendor thought
we wanted them disassembled.
Like, we get a lot of orders
for decapitated nutcrackers.
-Harr-harr-harr...
-That's terrifying.
Yeah, 300 of them are scheduled
to go out in the morning.
-Oh, that's awful.
-Yeah.
-You good with arms and legs?
-Yeah.
-You want a hand?
-No, no, I was just kidding.
No, no, no, part of my job
is to, you know, get to know
our local businesses
and assess their needs.
-Really? You wanna help?
-Yeah.
Yeah. Let's get
these bad boys crackin'.
-Ooh.
-It felt wrong coming out.
Five out of ten.
Five out of ten.
-So where's Rohan?
-Ooh, he's with Marie.
And they're bonding
over Christmas croquembouche,
whatever that is.
What are the chances
I would meet her
at some random little bakery
in Paris, right?
You know, nothing's random.
Well, the next person you meet
could be the person
who changes your life.
...at Christmas
This warehouse is really nice.
-So much natural light.
-Yeah. Thanks.
Before I moved back,
it was full of these,
like, dark cubbyhole offices.
But since we opened it up, the
energy levels have skyrocketed.
Sounds like you really like
what you do.
Oh, yeah. Well...
When you celebrate Christmas
365 days a year,
you got to really love it.
-Even in the summer?
-Oh, especially in the summer.
-Yikes!
-Christmas in July is the best!
Every day is a reason to eat
eggnog ice cream. Come on.
Wow.
Hm...
Ta-da!
Oh. You did that on purpose.
-I did not.
-What is this creature?
Did you not play with dolls
as a child?
No. Dolls creeped me out.
I liked to play in the garden.
My dad had a nursery. That's
how I became a tree expert.
Which is why your family tree
speaks to my heart.
Everyone in town
has a story about her.
Okay, that I wanna hear.
Tell me about it.
They played under her as a kid
or got engaged there.
I'm gonna get married there
one day.
Someday?
I'm single,
if that's what you're asking.
Okay, I got to be honest
with you, Alma.
My whole job is riding on this,
the governor thought
last year's tree
was a little too Charlie Brown.
And then there was
a stowaway owl
who came all the way to Augusta
with us.
Oh, yeah, I remember that.
-What happened to him again?
-I called him Kris Kringle.
And I found him a new home
at a wildlife refuge
not far from here.
-Wait, that was you?
-Yeah.
I got him a grant from the State
and everything.
He's the only owl I know who's
the CEO of his own foundation.
Hm.
Well, that was fun.
Oh.
- Mm.
-Really?
-Well, did you get her to sign?
-She's single.
-Hello?
The governor loved the video.
What's the schedule on
contracts and permits?
-We're on it.
- Good.
All eyes are on you, Charlotte.
Talk soon.
What? Relax, Rohan,
it's all part of the job.
W-what-what are we gonna do now?
It's our job. Come on.
Follow me.
-Hey, Isabella.
-Oh, hey, guys.
Can we give you a hand
with that?
Yeah, sure. I'd love that.
Oh, I just saw your warehouse.
What an amazing place!
I know, isn't it? Isn't it?
A lot of history.
But Alma is really gonna
take this company new places.
Yeah, I'm certain she will.
Hey, listen, I just wanted
to apologize for yesterday.
What? Why? No, no, no.
We loved the presentation.
If it wasn't for Alma,
we were ready to say yes.
Oh. Well,
maybe she'll change her mind.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
So what's all this?
Well, this is our annual
holiday school fundraiser.
A gingerbread house
building competition.
But between us,
Alma has came in second place
for the last two years
and it is killing her.
She likes to succeed
at everything she does.
-Yeah, I can tell.
-Yeah.
So she's been prepping
since September.
Oh, hey,
why don't you guys stop by?
You can maybe even sign up
for a team.
Oh, you know, I don't know
the first thing about ginger--
Oh, no, Charlie was just
telling me how much she loves
to step outside
of her comfort zone.
Perfect.
I could introduce you around.
I think this would be
a really nice way
for you to get to know
the community.
-Hm...
-Okay, yeah.
-That sounds wonderful.
-Good.
-Yeah, maybe I will. Okay.
-Great!
Okay. Are you sure you don't
need help with this?
Look, Rohan will be happy
to lift the heavy boxes.
No, no, I'm fine.
I'm gonna see you later.
-Okay. Okay. Great. Bye.
-Okay!
-Buh-bye!
- Ciao!
-Oh!
-Oh! Sorry!
-Hi!
-Hi. Hi. Hey.
I-I thought I heard someone,
I just, I wanted
to drop this off,
spirit of the season and all.
Well, gifts might work for my
parents, but they're not gonna--
Oh, no, no, no, no! I just
wanted to thank your mom.
She offered to introduce me
to some people in town.
-Did she?
-She's really great.
Well, I would invite you inside,
but I'm just, uh,
closing up the chicken coop
for the night.
-Oh, can I meet them?
-Oh, the girls are sleeping.
Oh. Yeah, sure.
That's, that's okay.
But we can just pop in
and say hello
just as long as we're quiet.
Okay.
Come on.
Oh...
Oh, I love that photo of you
and the chickens in the catalog.
Oh, thanks.
My dad and I built the coop
when I was seven.
-Is there anything you can't do?
-Uh...
I've been building things
my whole life.
Birdhouses, mailboxes.
-Barbie's dream house.
-Right.
-Hey. Yeah.
-They're my council of advisors.
Every time
I'm stuck on something,
I come and sit with the girls.
They've helped me make
some really big decisions.
Wow. It's like having four
therapists in your backyard.
-Ooh, sorry, Mary B!
-We didn't mean to disturb you.
-They have names?
Yeah. Of course. They're family.
That one, that's Mary B.
She's the mother hen.
She's the biggest.
-Uh-huh.
-And that one is Susan.
-Our youngest.
And Betty and Judy are sisters.
Who are they named for?
It's a riddle,
no one's been able
to figure it out,
except my parents.
Oh, come on,
it can't be that difficult.
Well, Judy is for Judy Garland,
right?
Mn-mn.
Okay. Give me a hint.
Figuring out the riddle is the
first step to figuring out me.
Uh-huh.
Okay, let's let them sleep.
Goodnight.
Betty as in Bette Davis, right?
I did not name my chickens
after gay divas.
Why not?
That would have been fun.
-Bettie Page?
-Mm. Mn-mn.
Mm... Betty, Betty White?
No, but good.
My God, this is gonna
drive me nuts!
-I'm gonna be up all night.
-Hm.
Oh! Betty Crocker.
Betty Crocker?
Come on!
It's a Christmas, no?
It's a sound gap.
-Honey, it's not MMA.
-Uh-uh.
There is no way
I'm coming in second place
again this year, dad.
I'm taking no chances.
There definitely seems to be
some pretty fierce competition
this year.
Yes, Marie, thank you.
I'm aware.
I've been scoping everyone out.
I've gotta
psych myself up.
You got this. Look,
you've been practicing forever.
The YouTube videos,
the gingerbread houses.
Honey, I've gained five pounds
since you started training
for this thing.
Look, Alma, just
remember, there's nothing wrong
with second place.
Okay, I gotta go. Good luck.
And most importantly, have fun!
Yeah. And have fun, but win.
-Mm-hmm.
-Give me that.
-Uh, it's, uh, Charlie.
-Hi. Oh, hey.
-Hey.
Oh, no... What?
Oh, your mom invited her.
Thought it might help
with her work.
- Of course.
-You have fun. Win.
Charlie. Hey. What a surprise.
Oh, looking sharp, Alma.
Uh, you know those aprons are
only for competitors, right?
Yeah, this is gonna be
so much fun.
Uh, it takes years
to hone your skills.
This is a very serious
competition.
Ah, wouldn't it be great
if we were on the same team?
Oh, come on!
You're gonna be fine.
Okay, I gotta get a picture
of you in this vest.
What's wrong with my craft vest?
Uh, strike a pose,
or act natural, that's fine. Oh.
It's wrong on so many levels.
That's why
I love it so much.
I also have a sewing vest
and a baking vest.
Why am I not surprised?
Welcome, welcome, everyone!
Oh, I am so thrilled
to see all of you here.
As you know, the money we raise
will go towards supporting
our school's
fine arts programming.
So thank you,
thank you for your generosity.
Yeah!
Now, we are so honored this year
to have
two of the city's top chefs
on our judging panel.
Well, we have Marie Gauthier
of Noelle's Patisserie.
And Elena Nikas
of Nikas Greek Taverna.
- Yay!
-Thank you, Elena.
Okay, I want a drumroll, please.
We are choosing our teams! Okay.
-We have Franny Wong.
-Oh!
Oh, and Sara Wong!
Whoo! Go, ladies.
I think this is our very first
mother-daughter team.
This is
my worst nightmare.
-What?
-Okay, you see those two?
Granny is former
Army Corps of Engineers
and the Goth is on a scholarship
at Rhode Island
School of Design.
For the past couple of years,
one of them has always been on
the winning team, if they get
on the same team this year,
I am screwed.
Have you ever done
anything like this before?
I wasn't really one of those
crafty kids in school.
Play-Doh,
it's mostly for eating, right?
Uh, uh...
Beth Langand and...
Karla Thomas.
Yay! Whoo-hoo!
Oh, no, Beth! Oh, okay.
I'm so excited.
Oh, Alma Beltran...
and Charlie Freemont!
-What? Me?
-Yes!
-Yeah! We're on the same team!
How cool is that?
Okay! I'll go get ready.
Okay. Here's my shopping list.
We need to get
every single item on that.
-Got it.
-All right, competitors.
When I ring the bell,
the elves' workshop
will be open
for five minutes
and five minutes only.
So get everything you need,
because there are no exchanges.
There are no refunds,
and all sales are final.
Dude, you need to chill.
Did you read Lord Of The Flies
in high school?
Yeah, I hated that book.
It's the worst of the patriar--
Well, get ready,
'cause you're about to live it.
I'll get the coconut.
Get the dragees.
-What the hell are dragees?
-Go!
Go. Okay. Wait a minute!
Wait! Okay, okay!
You can't do that! There's
none left for anybody else.
You snooze, you lose!
...do with 20 squeeze bottles?
Oh. Ah!
Oh, these are so cute.
Oh, I love these.
Oh. Yeah... Whoa.
Oh, my God!
Whoa, whoa!
- Okay.
-Um...
Okay.
That was a lot of cardio.
I didn't get
half of what I needed.
-Oh.
-Cotton batting?
- Snow?
-Ugh.
Charlie, w-what are you doing?
Doing my Snoopy dance from
It's A Charlie Brown Christmas.
What are we celebrating?
-Santa came early.
-Oh, my...
-How did you do that?
The tree whisperer
is also a stealth shopper.
Wow, when I first met you,
I thought you were all cool
and laid-back.
But that's a cover.
You're cuckoo bananas.
Says the lady in the craft vest?
Hey, you wanna win this thing?
Let's get to work.
So what exactly
are we building?
George and Mary Bailey's house
in Bedford Falls.
-Oh, from It's A Wonderful Life.
-Yeah.
Easy. Easy.
Ooh...
We're gonna crush you,
Alma Beltran.
You wish,
I've got a killer partner
and we take no prisoners.
Am I right, Charlie?
Yeah!
Hi.
-Oh... Look at that thing!
- It's a masterpiece.
Sorry, George and Mary Bailey.
There's no way
we can compete with that.
Three, two, one!
Time's up, bakers!
We present "The Nightmare
Before Christmas,"
Camden style.
-Oh.
And, you know, I have never seen
black frosting before, have you?
Totally surprising
and unexpected. Well done.
Innovative
and off-the-charts fun.
Welcome to
George and Mary Bailey's House
in Bedford Falls.
It's both practical
and fanciful.
I love what you two have done
with the dragees.
Amazing execution.
All the skill is here
as well as the artistry.
Brilliant work, ladies.
That was good, right? Okay.
It's been
a whirlwind of a competition.
So much talent and style
on display.
You are all winners here.
But only one team will take home
our coveted Gingerbread Trophy.
All right, judges, the moment
we've all been waiting for.
We are down to the final two.
You should be proud, Alma.
Look how far we've come.
The team with the highest score,
who brought Christmas magic
to life as we know it.
First prize
goes to
Alma and Charlie for their
It's A Wonderful Lifehouse!
-Oh, Alma, you won!
- You deserved it.
Okay, here we go.
Hey, hey!
This is my first time
having glogg.
Well, another reason
to celebrate. I mean...
I still can't believe we won!
Um, usually
I'm not a competitive person.
Ah, you are the most competitive
person I've ever met.
No, no,
that's you, Alma.
Never ever trust the quiet ones
with the sweet smile.
-You two make a great team.
-Hm.
A toast to our two
fearless gingerbread warriors
and their sweet, sweet smiles.
I got one better.
-To the lesbians!
-To the lesbians!
I have a question.
How does this work?
I-I was thinking joint custody?
Ah... Yeah,
I don't know how that works.
Alma, could you give
me a hand in here, sweetheart?
Uh-oh.
Yeah.
Oh! Sorry. I didn't, uh--
No, please,
it's, it's beautiful.
Who's the musician
in the family?
Oh, my parents,
well, they started me on lessons
before I was tall enough
to hit the keyboard.
-Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to--
-No, no, please. Just...
I was really enjoying that.
Our house hasn't seen music
in ages.
-Come on. Join me.
-No. Go, go, go, go.
You know, me and my dad
used to play this song.
Everybody always thinks
it's such a sad song,
but I don't think so.
Exactly, right? I mean,
it's such a hopeful song.
Raise a cup of kindness
to old friends
and remember the good times.
It's a beautiful song.
"It's all in how you play it."
That's what my dad used to say.
Yeah.
Oh.
Brava, brava!
-Dad, that was beautiful.
-Oh, just like old days.
Yeah, my fingers remember
what to do.
Well, it's clear
you've had a lot of training.
You know,
the first time I met Marcus,
he was the lead singer
of a band.
And, uh, boy, he was the
handsomest guy I'd ever seen.
I was just smitten.
-He won my heart instantly.
-Aww.
I can't thank you enough for
getting my dad to play tonight.
He's a natural talent.
Oh, by the way, I still haven't
figured out your chicken riddle.
I've searched everywhere.
There's no connection
between the names.
Hm.
Come on.
I wanna show you something.
Wow. It's even more
beautiful in the moonlight.
You know,
the favorite part of my job
is finding a tree like yours.
How's the search coming?
Actually, I was kind of hoping
you were having second thoughts?
-You never give up, do you?
-No.
Not when I find something
I really like.
Don't worry, I'm still looking,
I'm still playing the field.
But there's only one tree
who's captured my heart.
I should get going.
Thank you
for an incredible day, Alma.
Goodnight, Charlie.
DJ booth can go here.
Oh, and we'll put the desserts
over on that table.
I am so excited.
You guys throw the best
Christmas parties in town.
Do you hear that?
What?
There's a drone outside.
I swear I didn't.
- Ooh. Oh.
"You are invited to a very
special holiday dinner tonight.
Meet me at Noelle's at 6:00.
The Drone Lady."
You knew about this.
I don't know
what you're talking about.
You're the worst liar ever.
But there's no way
I'm gonna be done by 6:00
I have a stack of orders to fill
from three days ago.
You have been working 24/7.
You deserve this.
-Take my advice, say yes.
-I always take your advice.
Oh, really? Then why are we
still having this conversation?
'Cause she's just here
for a few more days.
She's just passing through.
I don't recall
an expiration date
stamped on her forehead.
-What if I'm not ready?
-Nobody's ever ready.
That's when the magic happens.
Trust me.
Better yet, trust yourself.
-Come on, honey. Goin' home.
-Mm-hmm.
Oh, no, no, no, babe.
Just another hour.
Honey, we've been here
since 7 a.m.
I ordered food, we're picking
it up on the way. Come on.
You know what,
I just wanna finish up
this new inventory program
for Alma.
Honey, she can call us
when we're in Florida
if she has any questions,
come on.
By the way, where is she?
She... What? Oh.
-Oh!
-What happened?
Marie helped Charlie
engineer a night out for her.
-You mean, like a date?
-Shh!
We were strictly forbidden
to use that word as per Marie,
but, yes, it's a date!
-Yeah.
Oh. Sorry.
It's just
the consultant's final report.
I've been waiting
for this darn thing all day.
Honey, please, come on,
after dinner.
Please. Honey, you have your own
hot date, you know?
-What, were you... I...
-Yeah.
Oh, so I do. Mm.
The most handsome guy in Camden.
Just Camden?
What? No. No.
In the entire state of Maine.
-Oh, that's better.
-Mm.
Start feeling festive
There's lights
upon the tree
There's just one more thing
I need
I just want it to snow
Snow
Snow snow
Snow snow
Let's stay in
think I know where you'll go
Go
Go
Okay, I'm gonna need your phone.
-Wha...
-No distractions.
Okay, fine by me.
So how did you pull this off?
I asked Marie if I could rent
the place for the evening.
She was delighted.
May I take your coat?
Oh, thank you.
I asked her about
all your favorite meals.
But you're not cooking, right?
Marie's here,
hiding in the back somewhere?
-No, I gave her the night off.
-Oh!
But she did make everything
in advance.
So I just have to heat it up.
-You're good at this.
-Yeah.
Snow snow
Snow snow
Let's stay in
think I know where
Mm.
Go go
Go go
-Cheers.
-Cheers.
Shouldn't you go check on that?
No, it'll be fine.
That's not how
kitchen timers work.
Okay, you need to relax.
You don't always need to know
where we're going.
Sometimes
the destination finds you.
-You're probably right.
-Mm-hmm.
So did you spend a lot of time
cooking with your mom
when you were a kid?
No. No, mom and I
were shopping buddies.
When I was a kid, we'd do this
big shopping trip to New York
every year for Thanksgiving.
I just loved looking
at all the store windows.
-Where is your mom?
-She lives in Seattle now.
Near my brother and his family.
What about your dad?
He passed away.
-I'm sorry.
-Yeah.
The nursery was
the most wonderful place
to spend the holidays.
Talk about a magical Christmas.
Feelin' kinda disconnected
since we sold it.
That's tough.
Well, you seem close
with your parents.
Uh, my mom and I
are a lot alike.
But growing up I was always
building things with my dad.
We had something really special
together.
I feel lucky
having both of them.
Hm. Yeah.
My dad knew I was gay
before I did.
He didn't care who I loved,
he just wanted me to be loved.
Shouldn't you check on dinner?
Don't worry, Marie left me
step-by-step instructions.
Some of them seemed
a little unnecessary,
so, so I just skipped it.
I don't think you can do that.
Yeah, the people on TV cooking
shows do it all the time.
It's like magic.
Okay. You're the chef.
Speaking of magic, I've been
meaning to give you something.
Have you ever been to the Camden
reforestation project?
It's just outside of town,
amazing little place.
That's where you should be
looking for your Christmas tree.
Some of them have been around
for almost 300 years.
They could use someone like you
with your expertise over there.
They lost a lot of their staff
to retirement.
They're not getting people our
age to work up there anymore.
Uh, do you smell smoke?
Uh, do you need help?
No, everything's
under control.
Why don't we go
right to dessert?
God! That Buche de
Noel tastes just like Christmas.
What did I tell you,
Marie's a genius. Mm...
Uh, you got, you got
a little something right there.
Oh, you think
I'm falling for that old trick?
-I know you just wanna kiss me.
-What? No, I don't.
I didn't mean it
like that.
You know what I mean, right?
Mm-hmm.
But seriously, you do actually
have, uh, just a little...
Oh.
No, wait, I don't,
I don't think you got it.
Can you try again?
-Wait a minute.
-What? What's wrong?
Wait a minute.
-The riddle.
-What riddle?
Your riddle,
the riddle of the chickens.
Um, Mary B,
she's the mother hen.
She is Mary Bailey in
It's A Wonderful Life.
Oh, of course,
our gingerbread house.
You've been paying attention.
And Susan, wasn't Susan
Natalie Wood's name
on Miracle On 34th Street?
Two out of four, you're on fire!
Okay, I'm just a little stuck
on Betty and Judy.
It's gotta be
another Christmas movie.
Mm.
Remember, they are sisters.
Sisters? Mm...
Wait! Oh, sisters?
Uh, White Christmas,
Rosemary Clooney
and Vera-Ellen, uh, Betty
and Judy in the Sistersong!
-Ding-ding-ding!
-Oh, yeah!
I had my first
profoundly queer moment
as a kid watching that movie.
-What?
-Okay.
When Vera-Ellen starts dancing
with her legs going from here
to Mars, ooh,
I fell in love instantly.
Wait, so White Christmas
made you gay?
Absolutely. Only a thousand
other little girls.
-And boys.
-Mm-hmm.
To Vera-Ellen.
-To Ms. V.
-Mm!
Oh! Oh, I can't remember the
last time I felt this relaxed.
Yeah, my cooking has that effect
on people.
Marie trusted you
with the keys, wow!
What? You thought
I was gonna burn the place down?
-Mm.
-That's Kris Kringle.
-What?
No way, how can you tell?
I'd recognize that hoot
anywhere.
He's watching down over us.
Uh, right.
Mm.
Wow, seems like
the real world missed me.
Uh, can you excuse me
for one second?
Yes.
Hey, mom,
I just saw your messages.
Yeah, honey,
just when you get home,
maybe we could talk
for a minute.
Yeah. What's up? Talk to me.
- Yes?
Hey, where you been? I've been
trying to get a hold of you.
-Slow down, Rohan.
-The title report came back.
Their deed
is in the parents' names.
We don't need Alma to sign off
on cutting down the tree.
Well, the consultant's report
came back.
And they-they do wanna get rid
of the catalogue.
I thought
we already talked about this.
There's more.
This is great news.
We can close the deal
without her.
You should let her down easy.
-And I'll get the paperwork re--
-Wait a minute, Rohan.
They wanna consolidate
operations to save money.
-In, um, in Arizona.
-What?
-Hey, come on, Charlie.
-Just, uh, I'll call you back.
Let me call you back.
Is everything okay?
Yeah, yeah, everything's fine.
Yeah, I think so.
What about you?
It's great. It's wonderful.
Oh, honey.
I didn't mean to call you away
from your, um,
meeting with Charlie.
It's fine, mom.
This is important.
Look, it's not that I have
anything against Arizona.
It's just I don't see us
moving our warehouse there.
Camden is our home. Company logo
is growing in the backyard.
I mean, how am I supposed to go
between here and Arizona
to oversee the warehouse while
also doing catalogue sales?
Well, eventually they'd like to
move all operations to Phoenix.
I mean, this is the bottom line
according to this projection.
If we don't do
some radical restructuring
within the next five years,
we either get bought out
or we get driven
out of business.
We're gonna need to make
some big decisions
and we're gonna have to do it
before January.
-Yeah.
-Okay.
Now, come on,
it's almost midnight.
Let's, uh, let's get some sleep
and we'll come back to it
tomorrow, all right?
Goodnight.
-My two lovelies.
-Oh.
Big day tomorrow. Workers coming
in to set up the tree lighting.
-This looks beautiful, Marie.
-Thank you.
You know what they say, "You can
never have too much Christmas."
Ah! So how did it go last night?
Eh, it was good. We had
some surprises along the way.
It got a little confusing
afterwards.
-Oh, will you tell me later?
-Marie.
What am I gonna do
when we go back to Augusta
and I can't start my day here?
You are such a sweetheart,
Rohan.
You know, I have to get inside
'cause I've got
some dough proofing.
So you hear from the office
this morning?
Yup, Sonal wants
the new contracts on her desk,
so I gotta buy us
some more time.
I called Baxter State Park,
they've got
lots of specimen trees.
Let's just head over there
right now.
I'm not ready to move on, Rohan.
If we don't find a tree
in the next 48 hours,
this whole thing is going
to blow up in our faces.
Do you have a new copy
of the contract
with the parents'
signature line?
What are you gonna do?
Oh, this is quite a production.
I've been hanging
some of these same ornaments
since I was a kid.
Always a trip down memory lane.
There's something I wanna talk
to you and your parents about.
Yeah, sure, I think
mom and dad are free
in, like, five minutes. Oh!
I've been meaning to invite
you and Rohan
to our employee Christmas party
tonight.
-It's always super fun.
-Thank you.
We are ready
to start hanging lights, Alma.
Oh, thank you.
-I have an idea.
-For what?
-Hey, Tad, can you give us five?
-Five minutes. That's it.
Thank you.
You know, I've never seen your
tree-whisperer skills in action.
-What do you say?
-Absolutely.
Your carriage awaits.
Oh.
So, you and this tree
go way back.
Well, all the way back.
My great-great-grandparents
planted that tree
the day
they started the company.
Dad proposed to mom
underneath it.
I had my first kiss
right over there
in the middle of a snow storm
on Christmas Eve.
I'll never forget it.
-Can I cinch you in?
-Yes, please.
Nothing like a good harness
to start your day.
-Tighter?
-Yes, as tight as you can get.
Mm-hmm.
Now I know why you like your job
so much.
Okay.
Aren't we taking an operator?
You're lookin' at her.
All right. Here we go.
-Safety first.
-Thank you.
-Ready?
-Ready.
Can we stop here?
This is where I look for what
separates a good Christmas tree
from a great Christmas tree.
There are so many factors
that come into play
beyond aesthetics,
like how difficult it's gonna be
to cut and haul off-site,
what are the hydration levels.
But if you listen closely,
you can figure out
a tree's history.
How so?
-Look. See the discoloration?
-Mm.
-Signs of CSNN.
-What's that?
It's current season
needle necrosis.
This tree has fought drought
conditions for a long time.
Yeah, we had a really bad one
a couple of years ago. Huh.
Over there, see that scarring?
-This tree was hit by lightning.
-When I was 12.
The boom was so loud,
it cracked my bedroom window.
I thought
we'd lost her for sure.
Wow, this is
a really special tree.
-Oh, she's the mother tree.
-What's that?
She shelters all the trees
around her.
But someday when she moves on,
she's gonna allow in
enough sunlight
to nourish all the saplings.
It's beautiful.
I still don't get how
you do this, it's like magic.
Call it reading a tree. I do it
with everything in life.
My father taught me.
Sometime a tree can look
incredible from a flyover,
but you don't really know
what you're looking at
until you're up close.
Maybe it's not
such a perfect fit.
Or maybe it's the one
that you've been looking for
you entire life.
Alma!
-Your five minutes is up.
-Okay, Tad, we'll be right down.
Do we have to?
Our carriage
is about to turn into a pumpkin.
Yeah.
Thank you, Tad.
Oh, that was amazing.
Oh, you wanted to talk to mom
and dad about something, right?
-I can go grab them.
-Uh, you know what?
It's, it's nothing.
It's nothing at all.
Do you think your mom has any
more of that glogg left?
-I could use a drink.
-Okay, let's go.
Yeah, these are my favorite...
-God, this is unreal!
-See...
I don't understand
why the governor
doesn't throws parties
like this.
There's always
some boring old string quartet.
Hey, I'm so glad
you guys made it. Hi.
Oh, my God, Alma,
this is incredible!
Here, pick a card.
I wanna see what you are.
Naughty.
No, naughty is the new nice.
Okay, Rohan,
let's see how you fair.
Okay.
I don't know, it says naughty.
Doesn't really sound like me.
I knew it. Here you go.
Hey, you want to check out
the food?
I hear some genius baker
made all the desserts.
Let's go.
Think she forgot
something mandatory.
Right. Uh...
Does it bring out my eyes?
Check it out.
Oh, my God!
Your parents are rockstars!
They alternate sets
every 30 minutes.
Dad's rediscovering his musical
roots, all thanks to you.
Oh, well,
you're welcome for that.
Come on.
Welcome.
Oh, I am Mrs. Maggie Claus.
What do we have here?
Two beautiful women
looking for their futures.
Let Maggie light the way.
-Who goes first?
-Charlie.
Okay.
Mm...
Four calling birds. Oh.
Um, she's talking about
the chickens.
The chickens? No.
Birds that travel
great distance, that is you.
What kind of bird am I?
Falcon.
An eagle.
-Oh, maybe an owl.
-An owl?
Okay, well, only one question
per reading. Next.
Uh...
Mm...
A partridge in a pear tree.
-Mm, we're birds.
-Oh, no.
You are the pear tree,
not the partridge.
You provide a home
for the birds.
Oh, may you all live together
in harmony.
-What does that mean?
-The heck if I know.
I'm just the messenger.
Next.
-Uh-oh.
Hey, mom, how you doin'?
Rohan, I've been trying to reach
Charlotte,
I keep leaving messages.
Does she have her phone
turned off?
I don't know, but I can find her
for you, if you want.
No, actually,
I'd rather talk to you.
Why haven't you been
calling me back?
Oh, well, you know,
I've just been,
um, really swamped around here.
Okay, so where is Charlotte
with the contracts?
-Technically--
-Technically...
Doesn't get the tree here
by Tuesday.
It's the daughter, Alma,
that's the holdup.
I mean, I keep telling Charlie,
we don't actually need her.
Her name's not on the title. Ah!
You know what, why don't
I get Charlie to call--
No, no, it's okay.
I got what I needed.
-I'll see you soon.
-Okay, love you.
You havin' a good time?
I thought so.
We're here to celebrate
our retirement.
- Yeah!
Stop it, stop it.
We're here to celebrate
Christmas
and we're here to celebrate you,
our valued team.
Isabelle and I, how do we even
start to thank you?
And, uh, to also introduce
your new boss,
our lovely little daughter,
Alma.
I'd like to sing a song.
It's been a while.
I used to sing this song
to the two
beautiful women in my life
every Christmas.
And, um, thanks to a new friend,
who with a little prodding,
little encouragement,
brought me back to it.
-Here goes.
Should auld acquaintance
be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance
be forgot
And days of auld lang syne
For auld lang syne my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll take
a cup of kindness yet
For days of auld lang syne
You know, this wouldn't be
happening if it wasn't for you.
-Well...
-I'm really glad you're here.
Charlie.
I hate that you're going back
to Augusta in a few days.
You know, I never thought
I'd say this,
but I'm tired
of livin' out of a suitcase.
I thought you liked your
freedom. Every day's a new day.
I did. I do. I used to.
-Since when.
-Since meeting you.
I'm about to go between
here and Phoenix next year.
You know,
I had a girlfriend in Paris.
When I came home,
we tried to make the whole
long-distance thing work,
but it didn't.
Hm.
So where does that leave us?
I don't know.
Right.
Thank you.
Good morning. Oh, I didn't know
we were havin' a board meeting.
-Let me go wake up your mother.
-No, no, just let her sleep.
Honey, I'm worried about you.
Got a lot on my plate,
I can't lie.
Yeah, yeah, and life will keep
throwing you curve balls.
Faster than I can hit 'em.
You know, when I was your age,
my parents asked me
to take over the company, but I
was planning a career in music.
What?
I didn't know that. I thought
that was just a hobby.
Well, I mean,
I figured I'd work for my dad,
your grandfather,
for a couple of years
and then go off
and do my music full-time.
What?
But then I, uh, I met your mom
and we started dating.
And, um, then there was
no reason to leave.
There were only reasons to stay.
I mean...
-Do you have any regrets?
-No.
No, so many wonderful things
happened, like you.
But this is the beginning
of your journey.
I mean, who-who knows
where it'll lead you.
I feel like I'm failing already.
I don't wanna disappoint
you and mom.
You're kidding me?
That'll never happen.
Just feel like
I always make safe choices,
and I, I can't do that anymore.
Whatever you decide, we will
support you. You understand?
Come on, come here.
Hey. Oh...
Mm.
What about
this Douglass fir on the right?
Coordinates, 21.37 by 80.6.
That's a beautiful tree.
Stately,
probably a 150 years old.
It's problematic base.
Not feelin' it.
We've been here for two hours
and you're not feeling anything.
-We can make this tree work.
-No. The tree will find us.
Let's keep looking.
I told the consultant
your feelings about
keeping the catalogue, and they
sent this link this morning.
I-I know
that they're just trying
to work with us. I'm not trying
to be impossible.
No, no, their creative team
just did a quick mockup.
They thought it might be helpful
to see what it would be like
if we did decide
to go fully digital.
- Wow.
-Yeah.
I mean, it's beautiful, but...
-It's not really us.
-No?
What happened to the recipes,
the-the family photos,
the chicken coop
from the back page?
Uh-huh, well, I think
they wanted to feature
more of our product line,
which seems...
I think we need to consider
some of their recommendations--
I know,
but this is so soulless, mom.
What happened
to the joy of Christmas?
There won't be the joy
of celebrating anything
if we go out of business.
Wow, I can't believe
we're disagreeing on this.
Part of your job now as CEO,
a big part of your job,
is going to be
considering all the options,
no matter
how unpleasant they may be.
Ugh.
Look, we can postpone
our retirement.
-No...
-If you think that would help.
Mom, I don't need you
to do that.
All right, then,
we're gonna get through this.
We're gonna need the strongest,
blackest coffee you've got.
I should probably check in
with Sonal.
No need. I'm right here.
-Ma?
-Sonal?
A lovely young woman at the BnB
said I could find you here.
We need to talk.
I didn't see an 18-wheeler
parked out front
with my Christmas tree.
-Let me explain.
-You do remember...
The governor is up
for re-election next year.
We're gettin' close, Sonal.
You should've seen
some of the candidates
this morning.
W-what happened
to the Beltran tree?
It's not available.
That's never been a problem
before.
Charlie's doing
everything she can.
That's not the report
I wanna take back
to the governor.
I'm disappointed in you two.
If you don't need he daughter's
signature, just get on with it.
What? How do you know
we don't need the--
Uh, my mother called me
the other night
during the party. I'm sorry.
You pitched me the most
beautiful tree you've ever seen.
And now that's all
the governor can talk about.
Why can't you just get them
to sign this?
It's complicated.
Whatever you've been doing
to cozy up to this family
clearly isn't working.
Whatever happened
to that charm offensive?
If the parents said they're fine
with you taking the tree,
just forget about the daughter.
Okay.
-Alma?
-What's goin' on?
-Hi. I'm Alma Beltran.
-Hi.
I'm Charlotte's boss, Sonal.
It's nice to meet you, Alma.
I'm just here to secure
the contract for your tree.
Oh, our tree isn't going
anywhere. Charlie knows that.
Oh, I appreciate that it means
the world to your family,
which is why Charlie fell in
love with it in the first place.
That's why she's been trying
so hard to get you--
We haven't changed our minds.
Uh, you do realize,
with your parents onboard,
we don't need you.
Excuse me?
Tell her, Charlotte.
-What Sonal's trying to say--
-No, no, no.
I'm not trying to say anything.
Be straight with her.
Legally we just need
your parents' signature
on the contracts.
But I'm gonna find another tree.
I'm done.
-Alma.
To keep you warm
when you're out there.
Thank you.
Rohan's gonna be thrilled.
What am I gonna do,
Marie?
That's a tough one,
Charlie.
God, I've made such a mess of
everything.
Maybe I should just go.
There's nothing wrong
with floating through life,
but at the end of the day
you want to be rooted
and connected to someone
or something.
I want that. I just,
I don't know how to get there.
You will. The pathway
is out there for all of us.
-The trick is finding it.
Okay. I got the drone
all loaded.
-Good luck.
-Today's the day.
-I can feel it in my bones.
-It sounds like Kris.
- All the way over here?
Yeah, I re-homed him
just across the ridge.
Aren't owls nocturnal? What's
he doing hooting during the day?
He's trying
to tell us something.
Yeah.
Now this is a grand old dame!
So regal! Look how she stands
like a dancer.
Beautiful crown
on a tall proud base.
Excellent. Yeah, you're getting
the lingo down, Rohan.
This Douglas fir is nearing
the end of her life.
I think she'd be honored
to have thousands of people
visiting her for Christmas.
I think we've found our tree.
Thank you, Kris!
Should auld acq...
-Hey.
-Hey.
Hope you don't mind.
Your dad said you were out here.
Why are you here, Charlie?
Should auld acq...
Rohan and I are leaving
first thing in the morning.
-Have a safe trip.
-Wait.
I wanted to say
more than goodbye.
Just hear me out,
then I'll go, I promise.
Syne my dear for...
-What happened with my boss--
-I can't believe you lied to me.
I didn't. I-I could have moved
on without you, but I didn't.
Really, 'cause it looked like
you were just using me
to get what you wanted.
I mean, she even said as much.
Your charm offensive?
Lang syne
I found a wonderful tree
at the reforestation project.
It will be cut down tomorrow.
I'm gonna build
an entire educational platform
around what they're doing
over there.
Maybe it'll help
with their funding.
That's really great.
It wouldn't have happened
without you.
You know, each of us
in our own way is a whisperer.
For me it's trees.
For you it's Christmas.
...sun till dine
I am not so sure about that
anymore.
Come on, you are the true Camden
Christmas Shoppe whisperer
if there ever was one.
Who else eats eggnog ice cream
in July?
Auld lang syne my dear
You know, you don't need
some consultant
telling you what to do.
You already have
all the answers.
Take a cup of kindness...
Everything I said to you
was real.
Auld lang syne
I really wanna believe you.
Should auld acq...
So it's goodbye, then?
Be forgot and days...
Whatever this was was...
wonderful.
Acquaintance be forgot and
But it's over now.
Lang syne
For auld...
Goodbye, Charlie.
Syne my dear
Okay.
Lang syne
We'll take
a cup of kindness yet
For auld lang syne
If all goes to plan, we'll be
in Augusta and unloaded by 3:00.
-Are we checked out?
-Yup. We are ready to go.
Hey, I'm sorry
about the call with my mom.
She gets to talking, and I just
don't know when to shut up.
No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have
put you in the middle.
Hey, I got to learn how
to stand up to her for myself.
That is between her and me.
I'm gonna go
finish loading the SUV.
For the road.
Something to remember me by.
Ah. I'm never gonna forget
this trip, Marie.
And I'm never gonna forget
the guy who was willing to carry
his sourdough starter
all over Maine.
You know, I'm gonna be opening
up that shop in Portland.
I'm gonna be needing
an apprentice.
Stay in touch, Rohan.
You... butter believe it.
Oh, hey!
This arrived for you
early this morning.
Are they giving me
the keys to the city?
Hm.
You take good care of her,
Marie.
She's lucky to have
a friend like you.
There's always a table
for you here, Charlie.
Bye.
Here you go. Enjoy.
Dad, the s'mores bonfire
was a such a good idea.
-The kids are loving it.
- They are.
Yeah.
Mom, I wanna apologize
for snapping at you yesterday.
-I was at a breaking point.
- You didn't, honey.
You've been under
a tremendous amount of pressure.
Oh, we knew this transition
was gonna be tough.
It's scary stuff, honey.
Just know that we love you.
I know, but I want you guys
to be able to go to Florida
and not have to worry about me.
Listen, if it makes you feel
any better,
I'm really anxious
about leaving.
It's hard letting go.
I mean, your mom's doing
a great job.
I mean, we-we both are.
We both are, right?
I'm letting go
so you have room to grow
and soak up the sun.
Like the mother tree.
Yeah. Like the mother tree.
I've been doing
a lot of thinking,
and I've made some decisions.
Oh?
-I'm done with this consultant.
-What?
I'm not moving our warehouse.
Yes, I will hire someone
to do digital outreach,
but the catalog stays.
Mom, we've been going strong
for a 100 years now,
and if I follow my instincts,
we'll be in business
another 100 years from now.
Mom, what do you think?
Are you asking me
as the soon-to-be former CEO
or as your mother?
Both.
Sweetheart, it's not easy
to blaze your own trail,
but it's the mark
of a true leader.
And I'm right here with you,
Alma, all the way.
I don't color outside the lines
very often,
but I think it's time I start
scribbling all over the page.
Oh, baby.
-You're beautiful.
-Oh.
-We did good, Issy.
-We did good.
-Yeah.
-All right!
-Whoo! Yeah!
Welcome, welcome, welcome,
everyone! Welcome, welcome!
I'd like to introduce
my daughter, Alma.
Come on up, honey,
say a few words. Come on, Alma.
-Oh. Yeah.
- Come on up.
Just come on up.
Stage is yours.
Stage is yours.
-Thank you, dad.
-Okay.
Oh, oh, I feel like I know
everyone here by first name,
and I probably do.
Tonight we are here
to celebrate everything
that makes Christmas so special.
For me that's family, friends...
and especially this tree.
She's endured a 100 years
and she's still going strong.
She's our mother tree.
She whispers her secrets
to those of us
who are willing to listen.
And her message this Christmas
is about love,
always enduring,
through good times and bad.
To another 100 years.
Merry Christmas.
- Okay.
-Beautiful.
- We know what to sing.
-Beautiful.
O Christmas tree
o Christmas tree
Thy leaves
are so unchanging
O Christmas tree
o Christmas tree
Thy leaves
are so unchanging
Not only green...
Charlie?
I thought you went back
to Augusta.
I did. The tree goes up
in the morning.
The governor was thrilled.
I feel terrible
that I hurt you, Alma.
I'm so sorry.
I was
at the reforestation project,
and I saw that they were looking
for a new executive director.
Seriously?
I mean, they could use
a certified tree whisperer.
I think there's an opportunity
for me here.
I was kinda hoping I could ask
the girls for their advice.
Do you think we can give this
another shot?
I was hoping you'd say that.
- Let's light the tree!
-Yay! Yay!
Come on. I want you to join us.
Really? Nah, it's just family.
Exactly.
Come on, Charlie.
Okay.
Three, two, one!
Merry Christmas!
Oh.
Merry Christmas, Alma.
Merry Christmas, Charlie.
[instrumental
"Joy To The World"]