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Ready?

No going back,
only moving forward.

- Right?
- That's my girl.

I'm gonna walk through this door

and I'm never looking back.

Oh, um, wrong floor. This...

Uh, uh, okay, I'm walking
through the downstairs door

and never looking back.

Thank you all
for being here tonight

at what we were hoping
would be a victory speech.

I ran on a promise to make
Boston an eco-friendly city,

and I intend to keep
that promise,

even if it's not
as your city council member.

To everyone who worked
on my campaign

and to all of my voters,

I am honored
to have earned your trust.

Uh, since this was
a special election,

will you run again
in the general next fall?

That's the plan. We'll kick off
the campaign in the new year.

And until then?

With Christmas
being three weeks away,

I'm going home
to spend it with family.

- Oh, where's home?
- North Falls.

And if you're looking for
a place to spend the holiday

with your family, I have it
on pretty good authority

that no one does Christmas
better.

Thank you again
for your support.

- I'll see you in the new year.
Yes. Thank you.

- Just one more.

I really wish
I could've given you a win.

Oh, you will.
Don't be too hard on yourself.

This was your first election.

Okay, take a couple of days
to recoup, you know,

get a deep tissue massage,
learn how to snowboard...

- In a couple of days?
- And then...

We'll attend
all the Boston holiday events

for some photo ops.

Lucy, you are the best campaign
manager, and because of that,

I always listen to you,

but I'm overruling you
this time.

More on this later.

Gwen Peters is making a beeline
for you.

I have to go.
Anywhere but here.

No, no, no, no, no!

Aww... Julia.

Julia, pumpkin pie,
I'm so sorry.

Poor Julia.
My sweet, sweet, poor Julia.

You must be devastated. Oh!

G-Gwen, I, I really don't need
a pep talk. I'm perfectly fine.

Then, how about a job offer?

Looks like you could use one
right about now.

Gwen, you know Big Pharma goes
against everything I stand for.

No, I left
Probe Pharmaceuticals, like,

I don't know, like, a month ago.

I'm with The Greener Earth
Initiative now.

Non-profits are all the rage.

I love
The Greener Earth Initiative.

I know you do,
and that's why I'm here.

We need an associate director,
and you are perfect.

Oh, um, please.

Wow, oh, that's...

- Wow. Uh, this is unexpected.
- I know.

You know, it would actually be
a dream job

if I wasn't already launching
my campaign in the new year.

I know you think
you wanna run again,

but it's not gonna be a special
election next time, Julia.

No, you'll be up
against a popular incumbent.

I mean, why would you
wanna do that? Really.

I mean, aren't you passionate
about saving the planet?

- Looks like you are.
- Of course I am.

Okay, then. We're announcing
the position in the new year.

Printed on recycled paper.

I... guess
that's a goodbye, then?

Recycled paper.

- Hey, guys, how's it going?
- How's it going?

♪ Jingle bells jingle bells
jingle all the way ♪

- What up, Jax?

Still down to shoot
some hoops later?

7:30 sharp, and don't forget,

we're hanging Christmas lights

in the town square tomorrow.

But, like, it's just,

I'm allergic
to work of any kind.

- Oh, yeah, yeah.
- I swell, I get hives.

I don't believe a word of that.

I will be there.

Nice tape deck. Are you playing
anything current?

Get out of here.

Hi, mom and dad!
- Oh!

It's so great to have you
at home, sweetheart.

- How was your drive?
- It was good.

I got some thinking done.

I'm so sorry about the election.

But it's nice to see you
in person and not just on TV.

Yeah, we just bought
a new smart TV

just to watch all your speeches.

Parker set it up. He was great.

- Parker?
- A handyman is a rare breed.

All that agility,
watching him reminded me

of that movie Body Heat
from the '80s

with Kathleen Turner
and Bill Hurt.

- Okay, this is getting weird.
- You know, he's single.

Really? Sounds like you two
should ask him out, then.

Ask out who?
- Huh?

- Ah!
Oh, my God!

- Oh. Are you...
- Just remember to...

What? Oh, wow. Are you okay?

Huh? Did you do this on purpose?

Oh, yeah, this is how I greet
everyone at Christmas.

I'm not surprised. Your pranks
in school were legendary.

I mean,
legendary is a strong word.

- Are you cupping my head?
- I am.

Let me get you both
some jasmine tea.

- Thanks, Sylv. I'd love a cup.

Look at you,
spreading Christmas cheer.

- Pine needles and all.
- Sorry about that.

I mean, you brought my parents
a Christmas tree.

I'm delivering it
for Mr. Blankship.

He's donating a portion
of the proceeds

to the leadership program
at the high school.

So the least I could do
is help him deliver them.

- What a guy.
- You being sarcastic?

I did just get knocked
in the head by a tree.

Fair. That's fair.

I heard you're principal now.

- It's been a busy year.
Yeah.

Tell me about it.
I haven't been home since--

Last Christmas, I know.

I mean, I-I,
I don't know know for a fact.

I think I know.
Your parents are here.

Makes sense you'd come home now.
That's, that's...

Mm.

Anyway, I'm sure, uh,
after this incident

you're wishing
you'd stayed away longer.

My hair does, and that's
the only thing that matters.

It's your number-one priority.

Oh, that and permaculture.

I should get going.

I'd say nice running
into you, but--

Yeah. I'm, uh...

I'm gonna put the tree
right over there.

Hey, raincheck on that tea.

- Welcome home.
- Thanks.

What?

You guys are being weird again.

Those were your favorite
when you were a kid.

You and Stella used to eat them
in order.

Arms, legs, head.

Well, I don't do that anymore,
mom. I'm an adult.

Mm!

I really needed this.

I always feel like I can
breathe better when I'm home.

- And I missed you so much.
- I missed you, too.

And I don't think
I'm the only one.

What is that supposed to mean?

- Oh, nothing.
- Oh, please.

What is with all the ladies
swooning over Parker?

In case you haven't noticed,
he's not the same

skinny debate-team captain.

If you ask me,
he could actually be a model.

What? No.

All I can think about
when I see Parker

is that he beat me
for senior class president,

and he did it by being
manipulative and cunning and--

Charming?

You were crazy about him
in high school.

And don't you even try
to deny it.

You two were inseparable
senior year.

Yeah, well,
that was before he...

Never mind. Whatever.

You seem more upset about
losing an election that happened

ten years ago than you are about
the one you lost last week.

Of course I'm not.
Parker just gets under my skin.

He's a good guy, Julia.
Pretty much a town hero.

And on top of being principal,
he runs a leadership program.

Yes, I know.

And he organized all
the holiday events this year.

Oh, writing his biography,
are you?

The first draft's done,
but I'm hoping

you become a bigger character
in the rewrite.

Anyways, makes sense
that he planned all the events

as our mayor needs to be big
on Christmas.

You know,
I'm still conflicted about that.

I know Mayor Rodriguez's plan
helped boost the town

when the mill closed, but that
leaves other areas neglected.

You sound like Parker.

That's why
the leadership program

is the center of his platform.

Platform?
What are you talking about?

Well, Parker is set to be
our new mayor.

Wait, what?

Uh, what are you talking about?
Like, mayor of North Falls?

Yes.

- You've got to be kidding me.
- No, I'm not.

Okay, I didn't seen any signs
around town.

I guess when you're running
unopposed, you don't need signs.

Unopposed?

Wait, what kind of race is that?

I mean,
a job as important as mayor

shouldn't just be handed
to someone.

People should have a choice.

No one else stepped up,
and I heard Mayor Rodriguez

had to work her magic
to persuade Parker to run.

Parker Conroy,
mayor of North Falls?

- Noah!
- Aunt Julia!

- Hey, hey!
- Hi.

Mm, wait, I thought I wasn't

gonna see you until tomorrow.
Where's your mom?

Uh, she had an emergency
Angel Flight to California,

so I'm staying with you!

You two are sneaky.

Dad said
he was going to the store.

Noah made me promise
not to tell.

Hey, sorry about your campaign.

Next time you should focus
on swing voters.

Boston has almost
600,000 undecided.

Where were you when I was
looking for my campaign manager?

Probably in gym class
staring at some boy.

If you're not 6"4,
I'm not interested.

Come on, come inside.
We were just making cookies.

Are you over Christmas yet?

You are, right?
You ready to come home.

Are you really trying to deny me
my mom's homemade eggnog?

- That's just unjolly.
- Sorry.

I thought you wanted to win
your next race.

Of course I do.
I just need to reset, Lucy.

Being home always grounds me.

Well, then you need to lay off
the eggnog.

That is the opposite
of what I need to do.

Is there something
that you wanna tell me?

- I don't think so.
Nothing at all?

Well, if you're talking
about Parker...

-Wait, who's Parker?
- Who, what?

I've, I've...
No one. I just, um...

Yeah, uh, I don't even know
what you're talking about.

Okay, uh,
what's with the stammering?

It's not... I'm not...

I'm, I'm not stammering.
I'm-I'm...

Okay, relax, I'm not talking
about a Parker Whosie-whatsit.

Why did I have to hear from Gwen
that she offered you a job?

I mean, were you even gonna
tell me?

Well...

You weren't.
Okay, that's cool.

I'll just be over here
in the dark,

you know,
trying to manage your career.

I'm sorry I didn't tell you.

I just needed some time
to think about it.

Well, I think
you should meet with her.

I mean, you've always admired

the Greener Earth Initiative,
Julia.

And this'll give you
great exposure

before your next election.

You need to keep
your options open.

Okay, so when
does she wanna meet?

Uh, the 24th, in Boston.

They wanna choose someone
before the new year.

Who sets a meeting
on Christmas Eve?

- Terrible people.
- Who you want me to work for.

Correct! Gwen doesn't keep
Santa's schedule.

This opportunity will pass
if you don't take the meeting.

-Fine. One meeting.
- Good.

Now, go back to your eggnog
and Parker Whosie-whatsit.

Well, stop.
I'm hanging up now. I'm--

Is he hot? What does he
look like? Send me a...

- Oh. Damn.

Okay.

Once they're in,
you just wanna make sure

they're hanging straight.

I feel like such a dad
right now.

Did your dad teach you
how to do this?

Nah. He wasn't around much.

I, uh, can relate.

You know, there's more than
one way to have a family.

I have my grandpa,
and when I was your age,

he taught me how to hang lights.

Thanks.

- Hey, there it is!
- Hey!

You can't be
missing me already.

You just saw me yesterday.

And there's the Parker I knew.

I told you he was annoying.

My old friend, Julia Chen,
former debate-team champion.

- You were talking about me?
- Oh, she was.

Uh, Noah, this is Jax.
He just moved to town.

How tall are you?

Six-foot-one.

Oof, what a shame.

Nice to meet you.
- Same here.

Now, back to you
talking about me.

You know, I was only saying
how I'm gonna be pulling

pine needles out of my hair
for a month.

That's a little bit dramatic,
and who doesn't love

the smell of pine,
especially at Christmas?

My mom happened to mention
that you're running for mayor.

Why didn't you mention that
yesterday?

It just felt with our past,

it seemed
a little bit sensitive.

What? No way. I'm, I'm good.

- I'm happy for you.
- Thank you.

This town has given me
everything,

and now I have the chance
to give back,

so I'm taking it.

Look, are you gonna be at the
tree-lighting ceremony tonight?

The least I can do
is buy you a hot chocolate.

You know,
as tempting as that is, um,

I've got a work call with my
campaign manager tonight, so...

I thought you had that
last night.

We still have
other things to talk about.

Anyways, uh, my parents' tree
is not gonna decorate itself

so, uh, bye.

Bye. See you tonight, then!

Nope. Probably not.

- But probably...
- Not.

- Bye, Noah.
- Bye, Jax.

- Stop.
- I didn't say anything.

Okay, and we're ready.

- Oh, that looks so good!
- Oh!

Beautiful! Thank you so much
for your hard work.

- Uh, grandma, that was not work.
- Mm-hmm.

- We were happy to do it, mom.
- You know, it's getting dark.

- We better get to the ceremony.
- Uh, yeah, you guys go ahead.

I've got a date with George
Bailey and a gallon of eggnog.

Nonsense.
I made you a hot chocolate.

And I know you don't want it
go to waste.

Okay, fine, only 'cause I love
your hot chocolate.

Let me grab my jacket.
I'll be right back.

♪ That time of year
has come again ♪

♪ I just wanna be
with all my friends ♪

♪ Smiling faces
calling down to me ♪

♪ Let's go downtown ♪

I can never get sick
of this.

They add more lights every year.

- And still no solar options?
- With what money?

All the extra funds went
in a new gazebo.

Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Chen!
H-how's the tree?

Beautiful! Julia and Noah
just finished decorating it.

Speaking of, where's Julia?

She's, uh...

- Oh, hey!
Hey!

Looks like your phone meeting
was cancelled.

- What phone meeting?
- It's nothing, dad.

It's no big deal.

So how about that hot chocolate?

Oh, you know,
my mom already made some,

and no one else's can compare.

I'm sure you're right about
that. Some other time, then.

Parker? Parker, come here.

Okay, duty calls.
You all have a lovely evening.

Thank you.

- What?
What's going on? Hey.

They moved up
my daughter's induction

to the day after Christmas,
we're, we're gonna have

to move the election
to the 24th.

Wa-wa-wait, the-the 24th?
That's only two weeks away.

Yeah, I have to pack,
finish the baby's quilt

and, plus, I'm trying
to campaign for the baby to have

a non-gender conforming name.

- Oh, wow, that's great.
- What do you think of River?

I like River.
Isn't that your name?

Oh, yeah.

I thought I had
until after the new year.

I still have to find
my replacement,

and the leadership program has
no volunteers this time of year.

No problems,
only solutions.

Your first assignment
as North Falls' newest mayor

is to put your big-boy pants on
and make it work!

- Okay?
- Okay. I'll try.

I'm gonna be a grandma! Oh!

Best Christmas present ever!

Congratulations.

Hello, my beloved North Falls!

Isn't it a perfect night
for a Christmas tree lighting?

This is my 12th year
doing this. Can you believe it?

Who knew back then
that North Falls would become

New England's
number-one holiday destination?

I have loved every minute of it.

But as you all know,
my time here is coming to an end

and I'm announcing tonight
that I will be leaving

sooner than expected.
No, for a very happy reason.

My grandbaby is coming
sooner than we thought!

So we're gonna be having
the election on the 24th.

Of course, it's just a formality

because Parker is running
unopposed--

No, he's not!

Did she just...

You can't have a proper election
without being given a choice.

So... I'll give you one.

- I'll run against Parker!

Julia! Of course!

Oh, I love
a little healthy competition.

Come up here, both of you.
Come up, Parker.

- Come on up.
- Wow.

Ah, I think Julia makes a worthy
opponent, don't you, Parker?

You are not wrong, mayor.

All right,
well, you have two weeks.

Shortest campaign ever,
I'm sure.

But what a fitting way to end
my term, with a Christmas...

Ooh, wait. Let's call it
a Candy Cane Campaign.

- Oh, I love it!
- That's good.

Will you two do the honors?

- Yes.
- Sure.

Are we really doing this again?

Oh, it's on.

Three, two, one!

Beautiful!

- Got to be quick.
- Oh, I'm quick.

Hey. Do you really
wanna be mayor?

You know,
when I first got back here,

all I wanted to do was
lose myself in the holidays.

That's hard for me. I keep
fighting the urge to fix things.

You think
North Falls needs fixing?

I feel like we're so
concerned about keeping the town

authentic for Christmas
that we ignore everything else.

Like, our infrastructure,
it's so antiquated,

which means
our emissions are sky high.

Our recycling program,
it's so outdated.

And we have no social programs
to bring awareness

to conservation. Sorry.

I get a little carried away
sometimes.

Um, I think it's called passion,
and voters are gonna love it.

- So, keep it up.
- Thanks.

I guess when my hand shot up,
I wasn't even thinking.

Sounds like
your heart made a decision

before your mind even knew
what was happening.

Are you sure you're 16?

Mom says I was born
an 80-year-old.

But, you know,
I feel more like 32.

- Oh, so we're the same age.
- Yeah.

I guess I'm an old soul, huh?

I miss your mom.
I wish she was home.

Hey, we should call her.

Yeah, it's three hours earlier
in California. It's...

Hi!
Hi!

Oh, I'm so happy
to see your faces!

- Come home!
- Yeah.

You've missed a ton already.

Hey, Aunt Julia
is gonna be mayor.

-Wait, what?
- Running for mayor.

I still have to beat
Mr. Town Hero.

Wait, you're running against
Parker Conroy?

Seriously, I say "Town Hero"
and you knew it was Parker?

Everyone knows that,
but you have

just as much of a chance
as he does.

- Thank you.
- Hey, mom.

Uh, do you think you'll be home
in time for Christmas?

I hope so, but my boss said

that there might be
a few more transports.

Well, you better be home
for Christmas Eve

'cause I'm gonna need your vote.

Oh, well,
I'm gonna have to review

all the literature
before I make any decisions.

Yeah, ma'am! I'll be sending you
my resume and bio.

- Oh.

I gotta go. We're getting ready
to take off.

- We love you!
- Love you! Bye!

Bye! I love you.

- Night, Aunt Julia.
- Goodnight, sweetie.

Hey, gramps,
where do you want this?

Okay, uh, to the left.

B-back left. Yeah.
- Left?

- Okay. Back. Ba... Okay, b-back.
- This way?

- Yeah. Turn it on its head.
- Again?

- What?
- This gets him every time.

Oh, this is, this is all
for your enjoyment, huh?

- He's hilarious.

Ah. But it's starting
to come together.

Thanks for your help, Jax.

Well, we had to make things
a little extra special,

considering the Christmas Eve Sock Hop

will basically be
your victory party.

All right, slow down there,
slick. I have to win first.

Julia isn't an easy opponent,
trust me.

I'm having a deja vu over here.

I can't believe,
after all these years,

you two are going at it again.

Wait, what does that mean?

We ran against each other

for senior class president.

- Ooh-wee!
- Well...

If it hadn't been for that race,

you never would've gotten close.

The plot thickens,
the tea is hot.

Tell me more, gramps.

Well, those two used to go at it
like cats and dogs

until they competed
against each other.

Then they found out
they had more in common than

they realized,
became best of friends.

Yeah,
until she stopped talking to me.

What happened?

Honestly, I still don't know.

But she's back.

And I always loved stories
about second chances.

All right, you need to lay off
the Christmas TV movies,

grandpa. He's watching them--

Who doesn't love a happy ending?

Yeah, well,
what's my happy ending?

Something tells me
it's not to be mayor.

You've already got a job
that you love.

You've barely been there a year.

Wait, so if you win, does that

mean you won't be able
to hang out anymore?

What, no. No, I'm sure--

That's exactly what it means.

Grandpa, the town needed someone

to step up, so I did.

I wanted to do it.
I'm, I'm happy to do it.

I just hope it's worth it.

Mom says she might not be home
in time for Christmas.

Well, don't give up hope
just yet.

- Oh, I gotta go.
- Why are you so rushed?

At least have some congee.

I can't, I have an appointment

at the mayor's office,
filing for my candidacy.

Will Mr. Conroy be there
with his sidekick?

- What's his name? Jack?
- I don't think so.

Parker already filed.
And, uh, his name is Jax.

But I'm sure
you already knew that.

Hey, hey, hey, pot in
dishwasher. You know the rules.

Your lack of planning is not...

My emergency.

I know, mom, but I've got to go.
Okay.

Hold it.

We haven't had any time
to talk about

what is actually happening.

I hope you've thought
this thing through, Julia.

Washington was always your dream.

You came here
with a whole other life plan

and now, poof, you suddenly
want to become mayor?

Would that be so bad?

I mean, it takes so long to get
things done at the state level.

Being mayor,
I could take action right away.

I feel like this could actually
be a better move for me.

Nothing would make me happier
than having you back home.

Well, I still have to win first,
mom, so don't get your hopes up.

You'd better
get down there, then.

Parker needs a proper opponent.

Thanks, mom.

And don't forget about Christmas
Pictionary tonight at Perked.

Mom, I have so much
on my to-do list.

And Christmas Pictionary
should be at the top.

- It's a tradition.
- I'll be there.

Okay,
Mr. Candy Cane Candidate.

Why are you here?
Haven't you already filed?

Oh, hi to you, too. I'm doing
well. Thank you for asking.

Hey, what do you think?
Night Sky mayor or GQ mayor?

- You're an idiot.
- Well...

Our current mayor thought
it'd be a good idea if I met you

here for a photo op, you know,
just to kick off the race.

Hey, what do you think, Nick,
maybe a-a picture

in front of the Christmas tree?

- What a good idea.
- I don't think that's a good...

Okay. Great.

Okay.

Okay.
- Uh, why don't you shake hands?

Can you at least act like
I don't smell? For the picture.

Oh, well, for the record,
you do smell.

Like motor oil and cheese.

Yeah, well, you still smell
like pine needles.

Okay.

That should be good.
I got some good ones.

- Great.
That's a nice smile.

Thank you.

- Oh, I was talking about Parker.
- Oh.

Second time
our hands have touched.

Are you keeping track?

I assume
you'll both be attending

all the holiday festivities?

I'd like to make
sure I have a photographer

to get shots of each event.

Uh, well, I planned them all,
so I'll definitely be there.

I'll be there. And I'll have
a few events planned of my own.

- Oh? Really? Like, what?
- Mm-hmm.

- Wouldn't you like to know?
- Huh.

I'd like to know.
It's for the paper.

Christmas Pictionary.

Tonight at Perked,
seven o'clock.

- Sounds fun. I'll be there.
- Hm.

- Yay.

Hey,
sorry, Jax couldn't be here.

Oh. I didn't even notice.

Welcome, everyone.
We're ready to start.

So let's get into our teams.

I wanna be on Parker's team.

- Hey.
- Hoo!

We are totally gonna lose.
He thinks he's Michelangelo.

Hey, don't forget, grandpa,
we're being timed.

Yeah, I got it,
I got it, I got it.

Julia will start.

Uh, it's-it's an ornament.

A-a donut! C-cookie!

Uh, the-the wedding ring I lost.

A-a Santa. It's Santa.

It's Santa.

I... see...

I see you when you're sleeping?

Uh, Santa, Santa,
Santa grinds his teeth.

Santa has a nervous breakdown
and becomes

one of those people
who fish in the city--

It's a comb! Comb!

S-saw? Saw!

- Ten seconds!
- Uh...

Santa's cutting down

a Christmas tree.

I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus!

- Good job.

Y... Yeah, you, too.

Okay.

That was actually really fun.

- It was, huh?
- Mm.

Too bad Jax couldn't make it.
I think Noah was bummed.

Yeah, they, uh, they definitely
seem to have hit it off.

- Yeah.

Unlike us when we first met.

And the first thing you did
was make fun

of my below the knee pony boots.

That never happened.

I don't even know
what those are.

What do you mean?

I remember
because I bought them that day.

Well, you know what people say,
when you make fun of someone,

it's because you like them.

So you do remember.

Do you remember

the annual
Christmas Eve Sock Hop

at my grandpa's barn?

It's a North Falls tradition.

Yeah, I haven't seen you there
in years.

- Not since senior year.
- Why is that?

It doesn't matter anymore.

Okay.

Well, since the election
is on Christmas Eve,

I was thinking
maybe we could have

joint, uh,
election night parties.

I mean, the whole town will
already be at the barn, so--

Wait, excuse, you just assume
everyone's gonna be at the barn?

Like you said,
North Falls tradition.

Candidates can't have
joint election night parties.

Why not?

Because that's not how it works.

Okay. Well,
what are you gonna do instead?

It's none of your business,
okay?

Anyways, I'm gonna go.

Bye.

I did make fun of those boots.
They were so ridiculous.

What about Candy Land? Yeah.

We could have different booths
of cookies and candies and--

Ooh, ooh, okay, slow down,
Willie Wonka. I like it.

Wait, but the Christmas
craft fair already offers

all that stuff.

You two look like
you're planning a heist.

Oh, we are. We're planning
on taking the election.

Boom! And you're our accomplice,
grandpa.

Well, he can be anything
but the lookout.

All it takes is a peppermint
snickerdoodle to distract him.

Hey, only if it's
your mother's recipe.

So, how can I help?

Can you think
of any Christmas events

that haven't already been done?

You know, this reminds me
of how you and Stella would plan

entire events for your dolls
when you were little.

Then you'd just play with them
for a day and lose interest.

I used to make my dolls
have secret naps together.

Wait, wait, wait. That's it.
Great idea, dad.

We'll do a toy drive.

People can donate
their gently-used toys

to kids who need it most.

And it will get people
to recycle.

Yes, because 90 percent
of all toys are plastic.

Yeah, and you could fulfill
your campaign promises

right here in North Falls.

Oh, that's perfect!

Dad, thank you so much.

Okay, um, well,
now we just need to figure out

where to have the toy drive.

To be continued. All right.

- Uh, well, where are you going?
- Uh...

Meet-the-candidate event
at the high school.

I'd ask you to come, but, um,

I think mom just made
a fresh batch.

Oh, well, I think
she's gonna need a taste tester.

So, okay, have fun, see ya.

Thank you do much for coming.

We never turn down free stuff.

Ooh, muffins. Mm.

I would love to talk to you
about my campaign.

I was hoping that you two
would consider voting for me.

We're voting for Parker, dear.

You know, Parker doesn't have
the experience that I do.

Oh, it wouldn't be right for us
not to vote for him.

- He's teaching me how to swim.
- What?

She could totally write
a novella about that red Speedo.

Oh, there he is now,
the man of the hour.

Hello, Parker.

You know he's single.

Hey, nice to see you. Hi.

Why are you here, Parker?

You are aware I'm a candidate
in this race, right?

You're asking me why I'm
at a meet-the-candidate event?

The candidate not candidates,
right?

There's no S
at the end of that sentence.

Oh, you assumed
when Mayor Rodriguez

set this up,
it was just for you?

There's no S!

She probably ordered that sign

before you even joined the race,
which actually

means it was made for me,
I mean,

I was her first pick, after all.

- Hm.
- Come on.

Just a little friendly
competition, that's all.

It doesn't feel very friendly.

I do enjoy riling you up.

You think you have the power
to rile me up?

I am in control
of my own emotions.

Okay, you are aware
you get that little wrinkle

in your brow when you get mad,
I see that hasn't changed

since high school.
Well, nothing has, really.

Oh, my... You know,
a lot has changed, okay?

- I have changed. Yeah.
- Really?

We're in our high school
campaigning against each other,

driving each other nuts.

- Hm.
- See, there it is again.

Just stay on your side,
and I'll stay on mine.

Okay. It's hard to tell
which is your side. Hm.

I have so many ideas
about how we can bring

clean energy to North Falls.

Uh, we can do so much
to reduce our footprint.

Absolutely,
that's a great question.

My focus is on youth programs.

But as the mayor,
my goal is to implement

social services
for the whole community.

This is a chicken teriyaki.

Oh, I can smell that.
Thank you.

Rudolph the Red Velvet.

Is it GF and dairy-free?

Uh, maybe.

- I'll take it anyway.
- What are you writing?

I'm logging all my interactions
with the voters.

Aren't you doing the same thing
for Mr. Conroy?

No. I'm just talking to them.

Well, yeah, but you have
to keep track of their votes.

I mean, you don't wanna
go into this election blind.

But if you spend all that time
with your nose in a clipboard,

you might miss out
on a connection.

That's what Mr. C
always says anyways.

So, um, why'd you move here?

Mm, wasn't really working
and all for me back home.

I kept changing schools, so...

So this is all kind of like
a new beginning for you, then?

Yeah. And I'm starting off by
helping Mr. C win his campaign.

Okay, well, I think
Aunt Julia's the professional,

so she knows what she's doing.

Yeah, but didn't she lose,
like, her last campaign?

Ouch! Hey, what happened
to the easy-going aloof guy?

I think
I kinda liked him better.

Hey, you ever played
this or that?

- Yeah, it's a great way...
- To get to know someone.

- Dogs or cats?
- Oh, dogs. No question.

Cats are better.

Hey, Lucy,
what's going on?

Just finished my second
therapy session of the week.

- She was full of compliments.
Nice.

Okay, I'm gonna say this
as calmy as possible.

What is going on, Julia?

Wow! Okay. Jumping right in.

Look, I know you're upset, but--

Is-is there some reason that
I had to hear this through Gwen?

What? How does she even know?

It's in the paper, Julia.
Everybody knows.

The point that you seem to be
missing is that

I am the last one.

Okay, I'm sorry
I didn't tell you.

Honestly,
it happened all so fast.

So much for relaxing
during the holidays, huh?

Does this have something to do
with whosie-whatsit?

Parker? No.

I mean, okay, he's running
against me, but has no--

Yeah, I saw that
in the paper, too.

There was a photo of him.
The guy looks like a model.

He's not a model.
He wishes he was a model.

No model is worth changing
your whole life plan, Julia.

Okay, I made that mistake
2.5 times.

- What's the 0.5?
- Catalogue model.

Okay, just come back home
to Boston

and I'll get you back on track.

I can help you prep
with your interview with Gwen.

Okay, you have to admit,

being mayor would be
a great experience.

- And if I run next time--
- Ooh. If?

I-if? When did running again
become an if?

Don't freak out,
you're the one who said

I should keep my options open.

I know that North Falls is
a small town, but being mayor

is still a step up
from city council, Lucy.

You might have a point. Okay,
I think we can work this out.

I'll figure out a way
to spin it.

There's nothing to spin.
I wanna serve my community.

Why can't that community be
North Falls?

What if this job is your chance
at Washington, Julia?

Just take the meeting, you know,

even if you are running
for mayor.

Fine, but I need to be back
for my victory party.

Okay, I love
that we're visualizing a win.

But just be realistic, okay?

I'll see you in Boston.
I promise.

Let's just go.

Did you tweak tables
so you can spy on me?

Maybe I was the one in charge
of the table assignments.

Who knows how these things work?
It's weird.

Either way,
it was to spy on you.

Hi, Jax.

Uh, here,
let me help you with that.

Thanks, Jax.

Why weren't you like that
in high school?

I was moody and misunderstood.

- So emo.
- I was brooding.

Are we still talking about you?

Oh.

Forgot the rest of the calendars
in the car.

- I'll get them.
- No, no, it's fine. It's fine.

I got it.
You're already settled.

Uh, so do you live
with your aunt?

No, um, my mom's
out of town for work,

so I'm staying at my grandma's.

Oh. Vote Julia Chen for mayor.
Thanks.

- You're still a type-A.
- Proudly.

Look at us.

Right?

You look cute.

You did. You, you did look...

You, you work here... You work.

It's not like it's....

That was great English.

It's a good photo.

You have to admit,
we had a blast even if I...

drove you out of your mind.

Yeah. I mean,
you weren't that horrible.

Okay.

- Mm-hmm.
- Thank you, I think.

Okay, let me
spin that into a positive.

- Ah, like a good politician.
- Mm-hmm.

There were times where you were
actually pretty tolerable.

- Tolerable?
- Yeah.

A half compliment
from Julia Chen. I'll take it.

Wait, wait, wait.

Wasn't this your locker?

You remember
where my locker was?

I do, because mine
was right at the end there,

and I might have seen you
flirting with Travis Hart...

- Oh, what?
- A time or two. Yeah.

I wasn't flirting. Oh, no,
I don't even know how to flirt.

- Really?
- Yes.

What was this?

"Travis, my locker is stuck.
Can you help me?"

Okay, that did happen.
But my locker was really stuck.

Okay.

Wow, you got a good memory.

- Hm.
- What are you looking for?

All my life goals
used to be written right here.

- Guess they wiped them away.
- Hm.

Have they changed?

Well, I mean,
I don't intend on marrying

a member of NSYNC,
so, yeah, maybe a little.

I would have taken you
for a Backstreet Boys girl.

A Backstreet Boys girl?
- Just from what I know about ya.

So much.

Thank you. Take these.

Okay. For you. Enjoy.

Thank you so much.

Are you bribing people
to come to your sock hop?

My platform is based
on community outreach.

Everyone needs a pair of socks,
so one might say

I'm doing a service.
Here you go.

Okay.

I see you live up to your word,
a 100 percent recycled paper.

Yup.
And it's a dual-purpose item.

You know,
everyone needs a calendar,

so one might say
I'm doing a service, too.

With a toy drive
scheduled on Christmas Eve?

Yeah. Told you I would have
an event. That's it, so...

Well, you know the whole town
has been coming to the barn

for, like, 40 years.

Okay, I'm aware,
but that's because

they've never had
any other options.

There's a difference
between options

and splitting the town apart.

I am not trying to split
the town apart.

Okay? I'm just trying
to give them choices.

People should be together
on Christmas Eve.

Whatever, Parker.

Ooh, what about the town square?

Isn't it at night?
We would freeze.

How about
the high school?

Parker's high school?

I mean, he has his hands
in everything.

No wonder the mayor
sided with him.

What are you talking about?

Mayor Rodriguez suggested
we do joint events so that

the whole town could be there
when she reads the results.

She might have a point, honey.

Some people are afraid
of change, especially in a town

where tradition
is their livelihood.

Mom, I'm not trying to change
our tradition.

Okay, I just wanna give people
a chance to make new ones.

Besides, if I go to the barn,
it'll be all about Parker.

That's exactly what he wants.

That's not the Parker
I've come to know, Julia.

If you stop letting the past
cloud your judgment,

you'd see that.

Okay, I know
a thing or two about politics,

and Parker is playing
straight from the manual.

This is North Falls,
not House Of Cards.

And Parker isn't Luke.

He's not intimidated
by strong women.

- Wait, Luke? Who's Luke?
- Yeah, who's Luke?

Julia's ex-fiance.

Oh, Luke. My ex-fiance.

You know, it's okay to open up
and trust people.

I'm doing the toy drive, okay?

The kids of North Falls
need that

more than they need a sock hop.

Now, that I agree with,
just take

Parker out of the whole equation.

How am I supposed to do that?

I'm running against him.
I mean, he's all I think about.

That's abundantly clear.

Ask yourself
why are you doing this.

Focus on that, and you'll get
all the answers you need.

I'm trying, but then
he says or does something,

and I go right back to acting
like I'm in high school.

So basically you're saying

nothing changes
after high school?

It changes. I promise.

I'm not the same person as I was
back then.

And if you've changed,
is it possible Parker has, too?

All right same deal,
guys.

Bounce! Right-hand bounce.

There we go. Dig. Dig. Dig. Dig.

Right hand. Get low.
That's what I'm talking about.

Jax, eyes up.

Really good work. Dig. Dig. Dig.

Keep pushing, guys.

All right. All right. All right.

Great job, guys.
Uh, water break.

Figured you'd be here.

If you came here looking
to continue our argument--

You really have made
a positive impact

to the people in this town.

Just came here to tell you that.

So, no apology?

Joke. It was, it was a bad joke.

I did forget to tell you
one thing.

Let me see this.

- I'm still gonna beat you.
- All right, bring it on, Chen.

Um, yeah, she's on my team!

All right, here we go, guys,
four on four. Julia, you're in.

Close.

You know, it's bad enough
they smoke me every time,

now you have to help them?

Hey, they didn't need my help.

They're all pretty much
superheroes.

- Right?
- You know...

It's clear they feel
the same way about you.

All right, watch this.

- That game was just my warm-up.
- Oh!

- Okay?
- Okay.

And that's how you guys lost.

- What happened?
- Uh, don't worry.

They'll come back on.
They always do.

See? Clockwork.

Okay, this place needs some TLC.

Well, the electrical system
is as old as the building,

but city council
would rather spend money

on creating
an authentic holiday experience.

A rundown gym for local kids
is somehow not as important

as a new gazebo
and a tree-lighting ceremony.

Uh, what about everybody
that lives here all year round?

Authentic is one thing,
but, Parker, this is rundown.

So why didn't you make this
a part of your campaign?

Because my campaign is focused
on community outreach.

As far as I'm concerned,
nothing is more important--

Okay, I get it,
but the gym is a part of that.

Okay, how about

I make it a part of my campaign?

Right, we can do
the toy drive here.

We can, um, we can get raffles
and, um, sponsors.

We can use that money
to fix this place up.

In an eco-friendly way,
of course.

Look, I guess it's worth a shot.

But honestly, I don't know
if it's gonna do anything.

Well, all we can do is try.
Right?

We have to bring awareness
to the problem

before we can fix it.

And we're gonna need people
to do the work,

so it fits perfectly
with my jobs program.

I don't know if it's gonna work,
but I like your enthusiasm.

He's pretty great, huh?

Even if he's not 6"4.

We're, we're just friends.

So if you're just friends,
why are you avoiding him?

I'm not avoiding him.

Yeah, I'm just busy
with this wreath.

Noah, I've got these wreaths.

Living is so challenging.

You look great.

Hi. You look happy.

I am. What are you doing here?

Thought you could use some help.

That's nice of you.

But we're almost finished.

Wait, shouldn't you be out
canvassing?

I don't want you to miss out
on any votes.

Well, I could say the same
for you.

I'm sure Jax and Mr. Smooth
could finish up.

No. This is where I wanna be.

And this place looks amazing.

I, I can't believe
how much you guys have done

in such a short time.

You know, my last campaign

was all about shaking hands
and making speeches.

And it was so exhausting
that I think I forgot

why I was doing it
in the first place.

Then I came back here and, um...

I remembered.

Anyways, I, uh, I need a place
for my toy drive,

so it's a win-win.

Well, if this turns out
as well as I think it will,

I might just have to crash
this party.

- Crash my party, Parker?
- I might just have--

- Stay away! Mm-hmm.
- It looks like a pretty party.

Aww... It's so cute
when old people flirt.

Yeah, and then it was...

My grandma thinks that
they fell for each other

when they were our age.

- Ugh! Cheesy.
- So cheesy.

- Uh, what are they doing?
- I have no idea.

Oh, is he dancing again?
Oh, yeah.

They need to stop.
Uh, it's embarrassing.

- Doing it now? It's time?
- I am.

Okay, all right.
Gather up, everyone. Focus.

Ready? Three, two, one.

- Hey!
- Hey! Wow!

Guys, I can't thank you enough
for helping out today.

I mean, look at this place!

Hey, everyone,
a round of applause for Julia.

Flip-flops or toe shoes?

- Oh. Flip-flops.
- Yeah, okay.

I don't want this day to end.

Well, it's not over yet.

- Come on. Gents.
- What are you guys up to?

What are you guys up to?

♪ Joy to the world
the Lord is come ♪

♪ Let Earth receive ♪

You know, all of this
is really helping Noah forget

his mom might not be home
for Christmas.

I'm sure having Jax around,
it doesn't hurt much either.

♪ Heaven and nature sing
and heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ And heaven and heaven
and nature sing ♪

- Yeah! Whoo!
- Whoo!

They make love look so easy.

Why didn't you date anyone
in high school?

Um, too busy, I guess.

But you weren't, were you?

You had Laura Combs.

Laura Combs? No.

- Come on. You two dated.
- No.

No, no, no. Absolutely not.

I saw you two
at the Christmas Eve Sock Hop,

senior year.

Slow dancing and then a kiss.

Okay.

This is what actually happened.

She asked me to dance,

we were under the mistletoe,

she leaned in, I panicked.

We kissed.

But that was it,
it didn't mean anything.

How do you even remember that?

It was memorable...

because I wanted to be
in her place.

You know, that's why I haven't
been in a sock hop since.

That's why
you stopped talking to me?

I was pretty beat up about that
if you wanna know the truth.

I was gonna tell you I liked you
that night, but then...

- Laura.
- Laura.

You know,
I had a whole speech planned

with the pros and cons
of us being together.

You modeled your love profession
after a debate round?

It seemed very logical to me.
Okay.

And "love"
is pushing it a little.

Don't let your head get all big
over this. Okay?

- That was a long time ago.
Ahem.

- Uh...
- Yes, Jax?

- We wanna take a photo.
- Sure.

I mean, photos are a big part
of the campaign trail.

So go ahead. You wanna
just shoot us right here?

- How do I look?
- You look great.

Oh-oh, we-we meant of-of us.

- Like, take a photo of us.
- Yeah.

- That's what... That's what...
- Yeah, of course.

- We knew that.
- That's what we meant.

- We'll take a photo of you.
- Yeah.

Cool.

Well, how do I turn off
the flash?

Turn off the flash?
It's right there.

Since when does it take
two people to take a photo?

- Apparently, today.
- Yeah.

How about you guys join us?

Come. N-n-no, no, it's all good.

Come, come, come.
We'll-we'll show you.

- I mean, if you guys insist.
- We'll show you all the way.

- Come on, come on, come on.
- Only because you asked.

- Okay? It's fine.
- All right, let's get everyone.

- So it's the button at the top--
- I'm gonna smack you.

Everyone's in? All right,
lean in. Ready, one, two, three.

All right. Thank you.

- Thank you.
- Well, good job, you guys.

Okay, well, we should call it.
We have our debate tomorrow.

Debate? What debate?

Shoot, sorry. I think I forgot
to send you that email.

I was hanging out with Jax.

What were you guys doing?

- Shopping.

- Toy drive.
- Shopping.

- We were, I mean, together.
- Hanging out.

Pretty clear
that's what you guys were doing.

- Thanks.
- Sorry.

This is exciting.

Is that blazer from high school?

- It is.
- Still fits.

Thank you.

I see you still don't believe
in note cards.

I see you still over-prepare.

Well, winging it

isn't exactly
a winning strategy.

No, but speaking
from your heart is.

People would rather hear that
than some canned speech.

It's only canned if you don't
know what you're talking about.

Welcome to North Falls
Candy Cane Candidate

Mayoral Debate!

We thought it'd be fun
to film in the very classroom

Julia and Parker faced off
against each other

in speech and debate
when they were students

right here at North Falls High.

- So fun.
- So fun.

And to the viewers at home,
tomorrow is the big day.

And I know replacing me
is gonna be tough.

Impossible, even.

You might be thinking
to yourself,

"Why bother?
It's only downhill from here."

But we're hoping
this little debate will help

make your decision
a little bit easier.

So without further ado,
please welcome Julia Chen.

Try to keep up, and it's okay
if you don't know

what our steering measures mean.

I have a vague understanding
of what it means.

Thank you all
for being here tonight.

And thank you, mayor,
for having me.

Next up, standing at 6-foot-2,

and no signs
of visibly thinning hair,

it's Parker Conroy!

Oh, hi, Mr. President.

Thanks for wishing me luck
on the debate.

Good luck, candidates.

Oh, first question is for you,
Parker.

Mr. Conroy, what makes you
qualify to be our next mayor?

Uh, good question.

Uh, does love for my community
count?

- Absolutely.

Look, I don't have
any experience in politics.

- That's true.
That's true.

But I do have the experience
in helping people.

I've dedicated
the last ten years of my life

in service to this community,

and I will continue to do that
as your mayor.

So if you want your next mayor
to focus on people

and not politics...

Yes.
Yeah.

I'm your guy.

Okay, Ms. Chen, uh, this
question is from Ms. Nelson.

Why would we vote for you
when you've been away

from North Falls for so long?

You know, after spending
the holidays with you all

these past few weeks,

the bigger question
I have for myself is

"Why did I leave?"

I mean, we are a town
steeped in history.

And I would never change that.

But we can keep our tradition

and still make positive changes
for the future.

I wanna bring sustainable
development to North Falls.

I wanna commit us
to reducing global warming.

And by doing that, we can create
more opportunities

with higher-paying jobs and jobs
that last all year round, right,

so we wouldn't have to rely on
the Christmas rush to get us by.

That's a nice sound bite,
Ms. Chen.

But sustainable development
would need a massive budget.

How do you plan
on acquiring the funds?

Well, that's where
my experience in politics

comes in, Mr. Conroy.

North Falls needs a mayor
who has experience

in fund-raising and partnership.

So thank you for allowing me
to highlight that.

Now, if I can finish answering
my original question,

you should vote for me because
I see North Falls for what it is

and for what it could be.

Nothing would make me prouder
than to use my experiences

while away
to serve this community.

Whoo!
- Thank you.

Mr. Conroy,
do you have a rebuttal?

That was pretty good. Um...

How am I supposed
to follow that?

That was actually fun.

Remember prepping
for the speech

and debate State Championship?

You were way tougher on me
than the actual competition.

Wait, but-but you won.
Didn't you?

- Yes. I did.
- You did. Yes.

So what you're saying is
I was good for something.

- Eh, you had your moments.
- Right?

You know, no one has ever
challenged me the way you did.

Or do.

Is that a good thing
or a bad ting?

Well, debating you back then
taught me

that my point of view mattered.

I never would've gotten
into politics

if I hadn't experienced that.

Yeah, you would've,
I don't think

anything could've stopped you.

How come you never considered
running at the state level?

I never wanted to leave
North Falls.

Christmases were, were horrible
for me when I was a kid.

But that first Christmas
when I moved here

just, just changed my life.

I was finally
part of a community.

That's when I knew
I never wanted to leave.

I'm starting to wish
I never left.

Me, too.

So, why haven't you
gotten married?

I've dated.

But I guess you could say,
as cheesy as it sounds,

I've been married
to North Falls.

What about you?

I came close, once.

But, um,

it was too hard on him
to have a fiancee

running for office.

The arguments
became a distraction.

And it dawned on me,
I don't think a partner

is supposed to make
life difficult for you.

I broke up with him the day
I launched my campaign.

Sounds like you made
the right decision.

His loss is North Falls' gain.

Always lookin'
on the bright side.

- Thanks for a great night.
- You, too.

Man, I wish you still had
that love confession speech.

Come on,
what were some of the pros?

Okay, no way.

I've already revealed too much.

- Night.
- Goodnight.

- Morning.
- Oh, don't you look sharp?

Thanks, mom. I gotta head out
to vote before my...

- I gotta head out to vote.
- I don't think you should go.

Noah, I have to vote for myself.
What if no one else does?

You know I'm talking
about the interview.

I guess you guys all know.

Well, I was up all night
reading about

the Prohibit Plastic Coalition,
and they

are exactly the kind of
partnership we're looking for.

We? Sounds like Lucy's talking.

I have to be reasonable. Right?

I might not win tonight, and
I need to have a back-up plan.

I'll see you guys tonight
at the toy drive.

And don't forget to vote.

Bye.

You've been stirring that tea
aggressively.

I know.

- Yeah. Here we go.
- Thanks.

There you are.

This is it.

- Hi.
- Hi.

Pretty crazy.
Voting for yourself, huh?

Yeah. Yeah, pretty crazy.

I never thought I'd be
in this position, you know?

Definitely did not see this
coming.

- Yeah.
- But I'm glad it did.

No matter what happens.

So since I won't be
seeing you tonight...

Feels weird all of a sudden.

I feel like we've been at this
thing the whole time together.

- Yeah, it's been fun.
- Yeah.

I should get
an electric car, for sure.

You really should.

What's with
the garment bag?

You skipping town, Chen?

I am not skipping exactly.

Uh, I was kidding, but...

You really going somewhere?

Boston. Just for a few hours.

I've got this meeting,
uh, interview.

Job thing.

But, uh, I'll be back
for the toy drive.

An interview? Wait, what?

A job thing?
What kind of job thing?

I was gonna tell you.

Look, Parker, the last few weeks
have been a whirlwind,

and I've loved being home.

Let's be real. My chances
of beating you are slim.

Right? And then what?
What else is here for me?

If you don't know, maybe
you should go back to Boston.

You know what,
I was gonna give you this.

Thought it'd be a nice reminder
of why we're doing all this.

Hope you get the job,
if that's what you really want.

Okay.

Well, I think the band
has plenty of room up here.

What do you think, Parker?

Parker, do we need to make
more room for the band?

What?

No, it's-it's fine. It's fine.

Oh, you've been somewhere else
all afternoon.

Are you nervous about tonight?

Julia has a job interview
in Boston.

Now, that doesn't mean a thing.

She's probably just covering
her bases, uh, in case you win.

Do you want to win?

I'm starting to realize
I have more to lose if I do.

- Well...

Jax, what's up?

Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down.

Yeah, I'm coming now.

Love you.

Nice chat.

- What happened?
- We were setting up the tables.

And all of a sudden
the lights just went out.

I checked the electrical panel,
but nothing's been tripped.

I-it's original to the building.

It was only a matter of time
before it went out.

There's no way we can have
the toy drive here tonight.

Well, has anyone
tried calling Julia?

I tried calling her twice,
but no response.

I feel like this is my fault,
I knew that panel was faulty

and I was too caught up
in other things to address it.

We should have the toy drive
at the barn.

Forget the sock hop,
we'll make it formal

and we'll do it
exactly how Julia would want it.

- Sounds like a plan.
- Jax, you call everyone ya know.

And tell them to meet us here.
I'm gonna keep trying Julia.

I should call Noah
to see how it's going.

Okay.

Come on.

Where are you, phone?

Seriously?

Wow, this is comin' along
even better than I thought.

Thanks. We still have
a long way to go.

Julia had exact plans
for how she wanted everything,

and I wanna make sure
we follow them to a tee.

Don't we need to tell people
about the change?

Yeah, you're right,
a note on the door at the school

isn't gonna cut it. Any ideas?

Jax and I will post it on the
high school social-media page.

That should reach
a lot of people.

I'll post it on my TikTok.

I'll post it on Snapchat.

I'll go live on Clubhouse.

I have no idea
what Clubhouse is.

I know.

I can pass out some fliers.

What's a flier?
- Really?

Well, other than that,
I don't think

there's much more we can do.

Cross our fingers and hope that

people show up here
and not there.

I'm trying her again.

Do you even know
how to play that?

Well, hello, Ms. Green-thumb.

You know I turned
an old football field

into an outdoor greenhouse
in college.

Yes, yes, I do know that.

I saw that
on your campaign website.

- You did?
- No, no, I didn't.

'Cause I have a life
and I have a job

and I have a daughter who is
constantly trying to convince me

that I am part
of the oppressive class.

- And how's that going for her?
- Actually not very well.

So, the, uh,
big election's tonight.

Lucy tells me
it doesn't look good.

- It's a close race.
- No, it's not.

You're in need of a job.

You're staying with your parents

and you're flirting with
the hottie from high school,

who's gonna beat you,
just on his looks alone.

- It's not a beauty pageant.
- Oh, okay.

Let me cut to the chase.

We want you, you need us.
True story.

So far
I haven't heard much that's

making me wanna come onboard.

We both know
this is the right move for you.

You get a few years
at a successful non-profit

under your belt, and then
you can run for the big time.

Isn't that
what you've always wanted?

I see you in Washington.

And I know you see it, too.

This is your best shot
at getting there.

And because
of our partnership with

The Prohibit Plastic Coalition,

you'll get the chance
to draft legislation

that could really make a
difference for the environment.

You'd finally be
a real changemaker.

You really should've led
with that.

Even if you do win tonight,
you should concede.

This job's a much better fit.

Well, can't deny
I'm thinking about it.

Well, don't take too long.

I need an answer
before the new year.

Go on, head on back so you can
make your concession speech.

- And Merry Christmas.
- Thanks, Gwen.

Merry Christmas.

Um, there's something
I wanna talk to you about.

Julia is going to love it!

It's picture-perfect.

I just hope she isn't mad about
us having joint parties.

Why would she be mad at you?

The power outage
was not your fault.

I should've done something about

the school's issues
a long time ago.

Parker, she'll appreciate
what you've done for her.

She'd better,
or I didn't raise her right.

There's another reason
why she's mad at me. I, um...

I kind of told her
she should move back to Boston.

Out of context,
that sounds pretty bad.

I was upset when I found out
about her interview.

I guess I was
kind of getting used to the idea

of her sticking around,
you know?

You're not the only one.

I think she's getting
pretty used to the idea herself.

I don't know.

She said
there's nothing here for her

if she doesn't become mayor.

She doesn't mean it, Parker.

She faces
so much rejection at work.

You'd be surprised on how many
doors are slammed in her face

on a daily basis,

and she brushes it off
and keeps going.

But when it comes
to her personal life--

She would rather be the one
to slam the door first.

You didn't hear it from me.

Thank you, Sylvie.

Thank you.

Oh, you're a good guy, Parker.

- Where are you going?
- To get dressed.

I wanna look decent when
I tell her she can slam the door

as many times as she wants,
but I'm not going anywhere.

Come on, don't be mad at me.
I only told her the truth.

I ran the numbers. I didn't
think you could pull it off.

Well, aren't you
the election day optimist.

I tried to warn you, Julia.

My whole job is to tell it
like it is.

Oh, and I called your mom about
your phone, still no answer.

Can't believe
I forgot it. Today of all days.

All right, are you ready?

Yeah, come on out.

Ah, wow.

Parker is gonna pass out
when he sees you.

Well, this isn't for Parker.

And since when did you start
calling him by his actual name?

When I realized how hard my best
friend was falling for him.

Okay, that's not what's...

- I'm so confused.
- I'm not.

I just...

From Parker.

Open it.

Oh. Wow!

You two already look like
you've been together forever.

He said he got this
to remind me.

Remind you of what?
How hot he is?

Oh, and how hot you were.
Look at you.

Uh, Julia,
what's going on up there?

Uh... Ju... Oh, I was... Okay.

Julia, am I supposed
to follow you?

- Ju...

Okay, um...

Where is everyone?

"In case you haven't heard,
the toy drive will be held

at the Conroy Barn."

What?

- Hi.
- Hi.

- You look so handsome!
- Thank you.

You look like you just
stepped out of a Pinterest page!

- When did you get here?
- Just now.

Wait, what happened
at the high school?

You didn't hear? We lost power.

I-I tried calling you,
like, a million times, but I--

- I left my phone at mom's.
- Yeah.

Hey, you're gonna love it.

I gave Parker all your notes,
and he made it look

just how you wanted.

I think he made it look
even better.

- I got that.
- Thank you.

Hi.

You look stunning.

Thank you. So do you.

And this...

is even more spectacular
than I could ever imagine.

Well, you said you wanted
rustic elegance.

It's the perfect blend
of the both of us.

I really thought
you were gonna be mad.

Oh, I was at first.

And then I wasn't.

Driving here,
I realized that you've been

nothing but generous and kind

and fun this entire campaign.

I knew there had to be
a reason why

the toy drive was moved here.

I would never do anything
to hurt you, Julia.

I finally get that.

I'm sorry.

For what?
You didn't do anything.

I'm sorry for not seeing you.

You know, my mom always says,
"When someone shows you

who they are, believe them."

I believe you.

That crack I made about you
moving to Boston, not my style.

I didn't mean it.

I know.

But are you?

Moving back?

Merry Christmas,
North Falls!

- To be seen.
- Sure.

The time has come to announce
who has the very difficult job

of filling my shoes.

We were lucky to have

two extremely qualified
and capable candidates.

It was a close race.

But there can only be one.

So without further ado,

the winner by 88 votes is...

Julia Chen!

You won. You won.

Go make a speech.
Give me this. Go!

Give it up for Mayor Rodriguez!

You will be missed.

Wow, um...

I'm shocked. I mean...

Look at my opponent.

He's the town hero.

Parker Conroy,
thank you for reminding me

of why I got into politics
in the first place.

Thank you to my family

and to all the kids
in the leadership program.

This event is made possible
because of you.

And to everyone who donated,

thank you for giving back
to the community.

I'm told that the gym
could use it right about now.

And on that note,
I have some good news.

Earlier today I had a meeting

with The Greener Earth
Initiative and told them

about our plans
to renovate the high school.

And they have agreed to partner
with North Falls

and make us Massachusetts'
first sustainable community

and have donated $50,000!

Wow. Yeah.

Thank you, North Falls,

for entrusting me
with such an important job.

It will be the greatest joy of
my life to serve this community.

One last thing.

As your mayor,
I want us to always honor

our holiday traditions.

So, I hope
you all brought your socks!

Looking good!
She's looking good!

- Merry Christmas, North Falls!
- Yeah!

Ms. Mayor.

I'm gonna have
to get used to that.

Ah, you're a natural.

Look at everything
you've already done.

How did you get
Greener Earth onboard?

I've been trying to make Boston
a green city my entire career.

And then I realized that
the only way to make that happen

is to start with a smaller
test community first.

Greener Earth agreed.

Wow. Amazing.

- Are you okay?
- More than okay.

I've only ever wanted
what's best for this town.

And it's clearly you.

That's why I voted for you.

You voted for me?

It was the right choice.

I taught him all of those moves.

Excuse me, don't I know you?

You're home!

Better late than never.

And your patient?

We got her home
just in time for Christmas.

Then it was worth the wait.

- And who's this?
- Uh, hi, Noah's mom.

- I am Jax.
- Family.

- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.

- Honey!
- Oh, my God!

- Oh, my goodness.
- Good to see you home, Stella.

- Oh.
- Oh.

♪ I don't need no presents ♪

♪ Around my tree ♪

♪ Or no mistletoe ♪

Is that...

Is that
what I think it is?

-"Pros. He gets good grades."
- Oh, my God! Yes!

"We like each other's families.

He laughs at my jokes.

We look really cute together."

-"We challenge each other."
- Huh.

"He makes me happy."

Grades was first on your list?

"Cons. We're too competitive.

We're too much alike."

-"He drives me crazy."
- Yup.

"Everyone thinks
he should be a model,

which inflates
his already big ego."

Hurts my feelings a bit,
but it's true.

"He makes me happy."

How is making you happy a con?

The way I felt about you
back then, it scared me.

But it doesn't anymore.

Okay, I just wanna be
completely clear...

I'm not leaving.

I know. You won the election.

Parker, I'm not leaving ever.

I decided to turn down the job
before I even got here tonight.

This is where
I'm supposed to be.

I wanna commit to this community
and to you,

if that's what you want, too.

I've always wanted it to be you.

♪...dark and cloudy day ♪

♪ Well the night...
my baby done storm away ♪

♪ Well she packed up my bags
and she threw 'em on the 219 ♪

♪ Well she packed up my bags
and she threw 'em on the 219 ♪

♪ That train won't come...
into New Orleans ♪

♪ Express yourself back home ♪

♪ 'Cause I can't pick up
alone ♪

♪ Express yourself back home ♪

♪ Before I scream and moan ♪

♪ Oh mama I'm in misery ♪

♪ Get your booty on home
to me ♪

♪ Shinin' it's a dark
and cloudy day ♪

♪ Well the sun ain't shinin'
it's a dark and cloudy day ♪

♪ Well the night...
my baby done storm away ♪

♪ Well she packed up my bags
and she threw 'em on the 219 ♪

♪ Well she packed up my bags
and she threw 'em on the 219 ♪

♪ That train won't come...
into New Orleans ♪

♪ Express yourself back home ♪

♪ 'Cause I can't pick up
alone ♪

♪ Express yourself back home
before I scream and moan ♪

♪ Oh mama I'm in misery ♪

♪ Get your booty on home
to me ♪