Original subtitles

He's gone. And so are the muffins and Papa's sweater!

Okay, buddy, you're in the wrong car.

Come on, pal! Wake up!

You're sleeping in the wrong bed! Come on, wake up!

Just relax. It's all right.

Hey, Jim-Bob, this is my new friend, Paul!

Hi.

What'd you do that for?

(SINGING) O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

- Paul! You came! - I wanted to bring you something.

- Jeffrey, you better keep this door... - This is my friend, Paul, Uncle John.

JOHN-BOY: My own memories of that Christmas in 1943 are vague and clouded.

But those of m y family remain vivid in the extreme. For the first time ever,

m y mother would not be home for that most special holida y.

She, who taught all of us the meaning and spirit of Christmas,

would spend it at the hospital with me.

And though they all agreed her place was there,

it put the season in a strange light.

How strange, how unique and unreal it would become,

no one could even imagine.

BEN: Wish he'd bring that fire down here. I'm cold.

- Me too. I wonder who's up there. - I don't know.

Come on, you two. Don't you have anything

better to do than stand in the cold?

Somebody's got a fire up on the mountain.

- I'd do the same thing if I were up there. - I wonder who it is.

Come on, Cindy, get in where it's warm.

Just seemed like someone should be down here to kiss you goodbye.

I'm only going to Charlottesville.

She'll also kiss you hello when you get back. Cindy's kind of kissy.

Oh, and it just makes him furious!

Daddy, would you do an errand for me?

- What kind of errand? - Well, it's not in Rockfish,

but it's in that fine department store in Charlottesville.

- It's called Nights of Love. - What is?

Perfume for Cindy's Christmas.

You're going to be in Charlottesville soon. You can get it, Son.

But you're going to be there today.

Oh, I couldn't ask for anything like that. Nights of Love? No.

But...

(MOUTHING) Nights of Love?

- Hi, John. - Morning, Ike.

- You see that smoke up there? - Yeah.

Good day for a fire. Hope it doesn't get any bigger.

Well, I'll keep my eye on it. You want some gas?

Yeah. I've got enough coupons for two dollars' worth, Ike.

IKE: Yeah.

- You hear any shots up there? - No, you?

No. I guess it must not be hunters then, huh?

Not unless they're using darts.

Darts? That's a good one.

I see you got a suitcase there.

Yeah, I'm going to Charlottesville. Probably be overnight.

Well, what I wouldn't give to go with you.

Well, come on.

Nah, nah, I better not. I'm too busy.

You know what though? You could do a big favor for me.

How big?

When I was last in Charlottesville, I saw something I wanted to buy.

But I didn't have enough money. Corabeth wasn't about to let me go into town.

I'm not going to have much time for shopping.

Well, it's blue and I guess you call it a baby blue.

It's got little rosettes that are here and here.

Whatever it is, I'm not going to have the time.

Whatever it is? It's a nightgown.

Ben has to go to town on that kind of an errand. I'll tell him you want to go along.

John, it'll only take five minutes.

Ike, Corabeth isn't going to want me seeing her nightgown.

Watch out, we don't want to break the ornaments, Elizabeth.

- ELIZABETH: Funny. - Turn.

ROSE: Serena, would you hand me those other scissors, dear?

Here we go. Look, let's see if they're broken.

You know, I still don't know what to get everybody for Christmas.

ELIZABETH: We could tell you.

It would take all the fun out of it, but it would make it simple.

Usually by this time, Mama's stealing into my room saying,

"I'm knitting a sweater for Elizabeth,

"why don't you buy her a nice scarf to go with it?"

I remember all John-Boy ever wanted were pencils and notebooks

and, of course, applesauce cake.

Mama will make sure John-Boy gets anything he wants this year.

I just wish he could be with us.

MARY ELLEN: We should just be grateful that he's getting better every day.

You know, I wish you guys would help me find something for Ben.

I mean, something really special for our first Christmas together.

You're about to give him something very special.

I know, but I want something just for him. The baby really isn't a Christmas present.

Well, he usually hints pretty well.

He also usually sneaks into every cupboard and drawer

and anything he finds, he shakes it and feels it.

You haven't written your letter to Santa yet, have you, Jeffrey?

- I've been awful busy, Nana. - I bet he's got a fever.

He usually starts that right after the Fourth of July.

If I did write one, I'd ask him to trade you in for a brother!

- Oh, what a thing to say! - It won't work, Jeffrey.

I tried to make a deal with Santa Claus about getting rid of Jim-Bob.

Now, I'm kind of glad I have him.

You'd better be good, Jeffrey, or Santa won't come at all.

That's just an excuse to make me act right.

Now, you go write your letter, and I'll mail it first thing in the morning.

I keep forgetting he's still young enough to believe in Santa Claus.

ROSE: And I'd like to keep him there a long, long time.

MARY ELLEN: You don't mean that, Rose. ROSE: I do, indeed.

When that child is too old to believe in Santa Claus, I won't be able to bear it.

I won't!

(COW MOOING)

BEN: Psst!

You're a little jumpy, aren't you, Jim-Bob?

- Chance wake you, too? - BEN: Yeah.

- I wonder what's the matter with her. - I don't know.

- I guess we should go find out, huh? - I guess so.

(COW MOOING)

BEN: Hey!

(COW MOOING)

JIM-BOB: Don't bother, Ben. You'll never catch him now.

Now, you can shut up, Chance, whoever it was is gone now.

Potatoes.

Hey, those potatoes are supposed to be in a sack.

Well, that's crazy. The sack's gone.

Who'd ever steal a gunny sack?

(GLASS CRASHING)

Corabeth, where on Earth are you going with that thing?

Now, as any person can plainly see, Mr. Godsey,

I am going to try and fill up that hole in the window.

Well, if you just wait until I finish cleaning up, I'll take care of it.

- Will you just relax, huh? - In the meantime,

I shall catch my death! Now, that is a raw wind, Mr. Godsey.

Well, now, be careful there and don't shove too hard.

If it is to serve its purpose, it must fill the entire...

Don't dawdle, Mr. Godsey. We desperately need a new window.

Corabeth, if you would just have patience.

Time is of the essence.

When emergency strikes, one acts.

(HUMMING)

(COW MOOING)

Well, good morning, Miss Chance.

I haven't had a minute to thank you personally.

Now, I know you've been fed, but you deserve an extra little reward

for sounding that alarm last night. Believe you me.

Ohh!

Just wait till I write my friends in Baltimore about you.

The whole world could use a watch-cow.

(CHUCKLES)

(HUMMING JINGLE BELLS)

- A potato? - Yeah.

He must have been gnawing on it when he saw all that food in the store window.

Ben and Jim-Bob saw somebody in the barn last night.

All that was missing was a gunny sack we keep our potatoes in.

And one potato to eat, don't forget that.

I say that's the only motive we're going to have.

There's somebody out there that's about half-starved.

Still, there's something strange about that gunny sack.

- You got any putty, Ike? - Yeah, I got plenty.

You know what? He never touched that cash register at all.

And Corabeth had some very nice displays nearby.

You know, watches, pen and pencil sets, things like that.

Well, somebody is really starving, I guess.

Still it's strange they'd be stealing food,

what with all the work there is around here.

- Here, give me a hand with this, Ike. - Sure.

CORABETH: It was exactly one year ago today that we held our annual meeting

to discuss the Christmas pageant.

Now, my notes reveal that a lively discussion was held by all.

Everyone having her say and so it shall be today.

Except for poor Sister. The doctor's confined her to her room.

She's highly contagious, don't you know.

Yes, Miss Emily, we are all well aware of Miss Mamie's condition.

And we are all deeply concerned. However, we feel that

she will be well represented here today, by you.

I think Miss Emily should have two votes,

in case any close decisions have to be made.

MISS EMILY: Oh, my! Then I must be twice as attentive.

Well, it's all new to me, but if anybody should have two votes, then...

Actually, Sister and I have definite thoughts concerning

- our Christmas program this year. - Mary Ellen and I have some thoughts, too.

We talked them over with the family.

Well, while my own thoughts are still fresh, if you'll permit me, please.

Envision, if you will, an altar in total darkness.

While back here... One moment please.

Just watch, it'll be three kings of Orient.

- I don't understand. - You will.

- Oh, my, she's doing it again. - CORABETH: Ladies, ladies, please.

Now, back here, the three kings of the Orient.

Suitably lighted, of course.

Mr. Godsey, possibly Ben, Jim-Bob.

(SINGING) We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts, we tra verse afar

Etcetera, and so on, so on.

Corabeth, Sister and I feel keenly that pageantry is not called for this year.

MISS EMILY: Sadly, this is our third wartime Christmas.

Oh, all the more reason.

You do the same thing every year, Corabeth.

Everyone will want to mark the holy days, but quietly.

ROSE: Oh, I just love the Christmas story read from the Scripture

and the traditional hymns sung, it just chokes me up every time.

- It has a special meaning for all of us. - Prayers for peace.

To the Prince of Peace. Exactly, Elizabeth.

Well, I can see that a subsequent meeting will have to be called.

You will all be informed of the time, of course.

I asked you not to wash it, remember? But you were bound you were going to.

It was cotton flannel, all soft and warm.

It was the best shirt I ever had. Where is it?

- I don't know. - Come on, Rose!

Now wait a minute, it was in the wash.

I remember, because it had a button missing

and I made a note to put one on. That's odd, isn't it?

How does a guy get women to listen to him around here?

ROSE: Don't worry, Jim-Bob. It'll turn up.

Yeah, but I need it now.

Well, for pity's sakes, I wouldn't put it in the rag bag.

I don't know. Mama and Grandma used to put a lot of my favorite clothes in here.

Something about that shirt. It was there and then it wasn't there.

(SINGING DON'T SIT UNDER THE APPLE TREE)

(ALL SINGING) Till I come marching home

Don't go walking down Lover's Lane with anyone else but me

Anyone else but me With anyone else but me, no, no, no

Don't go walking down Lover's Lane with anyone else but me

Till I come marching home

I just got word from a guy who heard from the guy next door to me

The girl he met just loves to pet and fits you to a "T"

So don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me

Till I come marching home (ALL CLAPPING)

I don't suppose you'd like to let the piano player take a little break?

- No, no. Don't stop. Keep on playing. - You're a pack of slave-drivers!

- Well, how about Silent Night? - Yeah.

I was thinking of something a little more lively,

you know, to help get the decorating done.

MAN: Back to work, Callie.

- How about Deck the Halls? - MAN: Yeah.

(JASON PLAYING PIANO)

(ALL SINGING) Deck the halls with boughs of holly

Come on, join us.

'Tis the season to be jolly Fa la la la la, la la la la

Don we now our ga y apparel Fa la la, la la la, la la la

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol Fa la la la la, la la la la

See the blazing Yule before us Fa la la la la, la la la la

- Nana? Wake up. Nana. - Jeffrey? Jeffrey? What on Earth?

- What's wrong, child? - I can't sleep.

Do you feel sick?

Not like a cold or as if I ate something wrong.

- I'm worried. - Well, you just get under these covers,

and tell me about it. I can't have you worried.

I'm going to break your heart and I don't want to.

I've been thinking about this a long time and every kid has to do it.

- Jeffrey, has to do what? - Grow up. All kids do.

I know. I know.

You want me to believe in Santa Claus and I don't.

Well, then I'll just have to be brave for you, won't I?

But no more Santa? Oh, Jeffrey!

- See? I knew I'd break your heart. - No, child, no.

- Really no? - Really no.

It had to happen sometime.

Gee, that was easy, maybe I'll be able to sleep now.

It's too bad about me and Santa.

If I still believed in him, I could have wrote him a letter about a puppy.

All right, I will. See you later. Good night.

Okay, buddy, you're in the wrong car.

Come on, pal! Wake up!

You're sleeping in the wrong bed! Come on, wake up!

Just relax. It's all right.

Hey, where you going? You don't have to run!

MISS EMILY: Yes, Sister. I know it's cold in here. I'm about to go out

and get some more wood for the fireplaces.

John Walton has promised to come by this morning

and check the furnace, so please be patient!

(BANGING)

(SIGHS) Sister can be such a bear, when she can't talk.

A blessing in disguise, perhaps.

PAUL: Pardon me. Please, don't be alarmed.

I was just looking for my dog.

Oh? What kind of dog is it, in case I see him?

He's just a little one. He's a little brown one.

Well, I'm afraid I haven't seen him. You must be cold, without your coat.

Oh, yes, I am. Well, I didn't have time to put one on. Well, my dog, he ran away.

Well, you must come inside and get warm. I just came out for some wood.

Oh, please, let me get it for you.

Oh!

Thank you, young man! How very nice.

It would be good to get warm for a moment.

Of course. Please, do come in.

If you put it by the fireplace in the parlor, I would be most grateful.

Right in there.

You simply must take this old sweater of Papa's, young man,

- you'll be chilled to the bone. - Oh, is your papa here?

Oh, dear, no. Papa's been gone these many years.

- Oh! Are there others in your family? - Just my sister, poor soul.

She's up there now. Sleeping peacefully, I pray.

- Sorry to hear that. - It's this cold weather.

And our broken furnace, don't you know. Well, I was about to have some breakfast.

Would you like some coffee, and perhaps a muffin?

Oh, thank you.

- You may sit right here, young man. - Thank you.

You must eat your fill.

Christmastime is not the season

to turn a cold and hungry man away from one's door.

Do you come from around here?

No, ma'am. I used to live in Milwaukee. That's in Wisconsin.

Oh, so it is.

My, you are hungry. Here, have my eggs and bacon.

I can't eat all this, and I'm sure Sister won't.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Oh, that must be John Walton.

You just keep on eating, young man.

- Good morning, John. - Miss Emily.

- Cold spell is still with us. - Yes.

- Too bad your furnace is acting up. - Oh, it isn't acting up.

It isn't doing anything. Especially, it isn't furnacing.

We'll fix that. How's Miss Mamie?

Still highly contagious, I fear. Maybe

you'd like some coffee first to warm you up.

Yes. It's a good idea.

MISS EMILY: I'd like you to meet a nice, young...

- How strange. - Something wrong?

He's gone. And so are the muffins and Papa's sweater.

A nice, young man, John.

He came to the door half frozen and ravenously hungry.

My! He certainly did like my muffins!

- Come along, Jeffrey. - Can't I stay out here, please, Nana?

It's so cold, Jeffrey.

Elizabeth can stay out here and play ball with me.

I might have a couple of years ago, but I'm working on being a young lady.

Besides, it's too cold.

Please, Nana?

Well, you come inside if you feel chilled.

He's never going to admit to being chilled.

Grandmothers have to say things like that. I don't know why!

Go on, fetch! Get it, boy.

Go get it, boy. Come on, fetch. Bring it back.

- Who are you? - Here. It's no good to play ball alone.

- What's your dog's name? - I don't have a really dog.

I was almost related to one. She was my cousin's.

- But she had to die. - Well, Christmas is coming.

Does your family know how much you want a dog?

I sure have tried to tell them.

Well, I hope they hear you.

Me, too.

This, of course, has taken a great deal of soul-searching, as it were.

As you know, this is our third wartime Christmas.

As I said to Mr. Godsey,

we must do something in keeping with that idea.

Something simple. Something tasteful. Jason, I'm sure, will play beautifully.

And the congregation will join in the singing of hymns

appropriate to the season.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful, from the original Latin, A deste Fidelis.

Silent Night, Holy Night. O, Little Town of Bethlehem.

I'm sure we can leave the selections up to Jason.

I'm partial to Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

I, too, Rose and The First Noel.

I like the Three Kings of Orient.

Just the song.

Ladies, ladies, we digress. Although I do appreciate your lively interest.

Now, we come to the reading of the scripture.

And, perhaps, the Reverend Bradshaw will do that.

He is the minister, Corabeth.

Well, he or someone blessed by birth

and training with the gift of beautiful speech and diction.

I could gather boughs to decorate the church with.

That would be most appreciated.

Now, for the conclusion,

I thought that we might have prayers of peace for the Prince of Peace.

- It sounds lovely, Corabeth. - Oh, I'm so glad.

Because, you see,

I felt that we should steer away from bizarre pageantry this year.

- How come you walk just right? - Just right?

Well, I don't have to keep on running to keep up to you.

- See, we're right even. - How old are you? Seven?

- Eight, maybe? - Eight.

So is my brother. And we've walked many roads together.

Where?

Where have you and your brother walked?

Everywhere. Country roads, through woods like these.

A forest, a great black forest.

Jeffrey!

Come along, Jeffrey!

Where has that child got to?

- Jeffrey! - Rose.

He's not back there. Maybe he went home.

Or maybe he wandered off anywhere. He does that more and more.

Well, boys his age tend to do that.

- Here. - Thanks.

You know, I think I would like to be eight again.

Such a gentle time. And so full of innocence.

I think I would like to be eight forever.

- You can't do that, can you? - No.

You know, all you can do is keep a little corner of your heart,

just a little corner, that never quite grows up.

- Do you believe in Santa Claus? - Do you?

I had to give him up. Like you said, you can't be eight years old forever.

But Santa's such a nice idea. He's generous. And giving.

If I still believed in him, I could write him that letter about the puppy.

Well, I'll tell you, there is St. Nicholas.

- You might think about him. - Isn't he just like Santa?

Oh, no.

No, he is a saint. He is much more than the idea of giving.

Hey, could you tell my nana about him?

It'll make her feel a lot better and we just live right over there.

No. I think your nana will like it better coming from you.

I'll tell you about St. Nicholas, if you will play a game with me.

We will be secret friends, you and I.

We will know we are friends, but nobody else will know.

- And we can meet some secret place. - Sure.

Right here. It's a fine place to meet.

I think you're gonna like St. Nicholas. He's, in many ways, a lot like Santa Claus.

Uncle John. Anyone ever tell you about St. Nicholas?

It's another name for Santa Claus, isn't it?

It is not.

He is a saint. And he's got his own day.

- That so? - I never heard of St. Nicholas Day.

It's true. So I'm gonna keep St. Nicholas,

and let anybody who wants to have Santa Claus.

You learn that in Sunday School, did you?

See, the way it works is he knows if you're a good boy

and if you are, he'll bring you a gift from the Christ Child.

JIM-BOB: What if you're bad?

- He brings you switches. - Where you getting all this stuff, anyway?

It's not stuff. It's true. And you can write to him,

- but I forgot to ask where. - Who'd you forget to ask?

A guy I know.

This is generous of you, Jeffrey.

You shared with me yesterday. I made it myself.

- Oh, I believe you. - I never made one before.

I believe that, too.

- Paul? - Yes?

You forgot to tell me where to write to St. Nicholas.

Oh, you don't write to him.

You just leave a letter at the church, maybe.

Or under your pillow. He'll find it.

I sure hope so. I really want that puppy.

What would you name him?

Nick.

Nick? Good. That's a perfect name.

I wish you could come to our house for Christmas.

But I guess you'll be at your house, with your brother.

No. I'm not going home.

You can come to our house for Christmas!

We're gonna have lots of people. Uncle John won't mind one more.

Thank you, Jeffrey.

ELIZABETH: It smells so nice.

If it smells real good, you're cutting too close to the resin.

You're right. It's so sticky. How do I get it off?

Gasoline would probably work. But that'd take your nose off, too.

- Are brothers ever nice and helpful? - Only when they're a lot older.

I figure we'll have to have a nice bank of them along the front of the church.

Then maybe we can lay them down each pew aisle.

What do you think, Jim-Bob? Think we got enough?

Don't ask me. I'm not old enough to be nice and helpful.

Well, we better get some more, just in case.

Maybe I will, maybe I won't.

Brother!

How come you can do that so good?

Oh, you should learn how to do this. It isn't hard.

See. It's a whistle.

I can never learn how to do it as well as you can.

That's what my little brother used to say.

But I taught him how well enough.

Maybe I could teach you.

- For me? - Try it out.

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

Hey, Jim-Bob, this is my new friend, Paul!

Hi.

What'd you do that for?

Hey. Whoa! Slow down. You're not going anywhere.

- Who is he, Jeffrey? - He was my friend.

I never had one like him before.

- Then you had to come along. - Hey! Wait a minute.

Darn you, Jim-Bob!

And the guy's got my shirt on. He had to steal it off our clothesline.

- You never saw him before? - Well, he's not from around here.

Did Jeffrey say how they got to be such good friends?

- JASON: What did he look like, Jim-Bob? - Kind of tall and skinny, with dark hair.

It's hard to say. He took off real quick.

Sounds like the guy I found in my car the other night outside the Dew Drop.

He was sleeping in it when I came out. He took off like a shot, too.

Sounds like the guy that we saw in the barn.

Also the one that broke Ike's window.

The Baldwins had a visitor, too.

Miss Emily said he looked cold and starved. He took off when I got there.

Did you see him?

He's beginning to sound like one person all the way through.

Beginning to sound like something else, too.

Like he's running. Maybe from the law.

Or maybe a deserter from the Army.

Jeffrey say anything to you about him?

Just that he was his friend. That I made him run away.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

- You hiding from someone? - If I am, it's Jim-Bob.

Yeah. He told me you didn't want much truck with him.

You wanna tell me about your new friend?

We're secret friends.

- Whose idea was that? - Paul's.

He's the one who gave you that whistle?

There's nothing wrong with having new friends.

It's just that those who love you would like to know about him, too.

Kind of hard if we're secret.

He tell you that story about St. Nicholas?

It's a mighty nice story. How come he told you that?

He has a brother just my age.

He was telling me about him and Christmas, all of a sudden, popped up.

- I think he misses his brother. - I bet he does.

He can't go home for Christmas. I invited him here.

Well, I'm glad you did.

He won't come now that Jim-Bob made him go away.

Well, let's see. Maybe he will.

JEFFREY: Paul!

Paul! Paul, you over here?

- Hi, Daddy. - Jason.

I checked. Camp Rockfish doesn't list any deserters.

Maybe he's from somewhere else.

Could be, but I don't think so.

The MPs and law officers exchange that kind of information

all the time with other camps and bases.

Jeffrey's invited him for Christmas.

And when he comes, we'll ask him.

Paul? I'm alone. You don't have to be afraid.

(ALL SINGING) Joy to the world, the Lord is come

Let earth receive her King

Let every heart prepare Him room

And hea ven and nature sing And hea ven and nature sing

And hea ven, and hea ven, and nature sing

He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness

And wonders of His love And wonders of His love

And wonders, and wonders, of His love

Oh, how spirited. How appropriate that we should all be together for this wassail!

Is that what it is, Corabeth?

I thought it was just good friends and family

getting together on Christmas Eve.

(IKE CHUCKLING)

- I should like to propose a toast. - With coffee, Ike?

Well, since Miss Mamie is still highly contagious,

we're not about to have any of the Recipe.

So, I toast John-Boy, Olivia and Esther

and the Baldwin sisters, and I wish them all a merry Christmas.

And all of us, too.

- ALL: Hear, hear. - Merry Christmas, Ike.

- That was nice, Ike. - It was, Mr. Godsey!

It really was.

I think there might be a bottle of pop in the refrigerator, son.

I don't want it.

He hasn't gone near that tree.

I'm beginning to wish I'd never seen Jeffrey's friend.

John Curtis, this is an honor reserved for the youngest Walton.

Now, put this up on the tree. Jim-Bob. Give it to Jim-Bob.

(JASON PLAYING PIANO)

(ALL SINGING) O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

Your boughs so green in summertime

Remain so green in wintertime

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree

How true you stand unchanging

Your boughs so green in summertime

Remain so green in wintertime

- Paul! You came! - I wanted to bring you something.

- Jeffrey, you better keep this door... - This is my friend, Paul, Uncle John.

Come in. Any friend of Jeffrey's is a friend of ours.

Hey, everybody! This is my friend, Paul.

- Hello, Paul. - ALL: Hello, Paul.

- Nice to meet you. - ALL: Merry Christmas.

This is like the first Christmas tree, Jeffrey.

It had no ornaments on it.

It was small and growing out in a snow-covered forest

one bright Christmas Eve hundreds of years ago.

Really?

When Martin Luther was walking through that forest on the way home to his family,

the stars seemed to glisten on the snow, on its boughs,

and so he took it home to his children.

And to recreate the beauty he saw, he added candles

to light the tree like stars.

I've never heard that before. It's lovely.

Tell them about St. Nicholas.

PAUL: There's so much to tell, Jeffrey.

Well, just about the part where if you're good, he...

Ah, he brings you a gift from the Christkind...

- From the Christ Child. - And if you're bad?

You would never be bad, Jeffrey.

I must tell you something.

- We do have some questions. - I should not be here,

but I am tired of running. And it is Christmas Eve.

I am homesick. It's nice to see the faces of a family on this night.

Do you have a family?

Oh, yes. A mother and a father and a brother so like Jeffrey.

Then you should stay!

No, Jeffrey.

I have escaped from a prisoner of war camp in South Carolina.

- You're a Nazi? - No, I am a German, and an American.

I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

When I was 10, my father decided to take us back to the land of his father.

And he is still there.

You are a soldier. I turn myself in to you.

I could not think of Jeffrey as the enemy.

As you would find it hard to think that of my brother.

My son was gunned down by Germans. We don't know if he'll recover.

I'm sorry.

I would like you to know I have never killed a man.

Daddy,

I think we have to remember that it was a German fishing boat

that found John-Boy and helped him to safety.

This is a special evening in our home.

And Jeffrey wants you to stay.

So, you're welcome here.

- Merry Christmas, Paul. - IKE: Merry Christmas.

- GIRLS: Merry Christmas. - Thank you.

(DOG WHIMPERING)

(ALL CHUCKLING)

JASON: What's her name? IKE: Merry Christmas, Jeffrey.

JOHN-BOY: It was a Christmas Eve long remembered in our home.

An escaped prisoner of war brought the spirit of Christmas to Jeffrey

and to all those gathered who longed for peace on Earth, good will toward men.

JIM-BOB: You really gonna let that dog sleep with you, Jeffrey?

JEFFERY: His name's Nick.

JIM-BOB: If he keeps me awake, his name's mud.

JEFFERY: He'll be quiet. I'll hold him real close.

JIM-BOB: Okay. Good night, Jeffrey.

JEFFERY: Good night, Jim-Bob. Go to sleep now, Nick.

(DOG WHIMPERING)

Uh-oh! Jim-Bob, you know when you told me to take Nick outside?

JIM-BOB: Uh-huh.

JEFFERY: I forgot. Can I get in bed with you?

JIM-BOB: No! Good night. JEFFERY: Merry Christmas, Jim-Bob.

JOHN: Good night, boys. Merry Christmas!

English -SDH