Original subtitles

Has the Wilcox estate closed?

Both parties signed this morning.

Over asking price with multiple offers,

if I heard correctly?

Way over asking. Congratulations.

Well, thank you. I loved that home.

I'm excited for the family. I think it's the perfect fit for them.

Grace, have you ever thought about management?

Uh, management? No. Why?

We have a satellite office that's in a bit of a pinch.

Their manager went on maternity leave earlier than we expected.

We need someone to handle things in her place until she gets back.

Didn't you tell me you were from Evergreen Falls?

I am.

But I haven't been there since my parents sold their house.

Well, that's where this branch is located.

Grace, you've got a track record of sales that's on par with theirs.

They're a very high-performing group. I think you'd be a great fit.

I appreciate it, but I'm not sure about being a manager.

Do you know what every buyer or seller tells me

when we ask about their experience with you?

Every one of them says you made them feel listened to, heard, that you truly cared.

And the majority of managing people is just that... listening and caring.

And being that it's December 15th, I also already approved

everyone else's vacation time off.

I'm sorry. My parents are supposed to be coming here,

but they're stuck in back to back snowstorms.

Well, should you say yes to the assignment,

maybe they can meet you in Evergreen Falls.

Well, we haven't been there as a family in a long time.

What do you say?

Would you go there for a few weeks?

Step in as interim manager?

- I'm your girl. - Wonderful.

I'll have temporary housing set up by the time you get there.

Enjoy this adventure.

And we'll see you in the new year.

Well, when would you like me to start?

Yesterday.

Okay.

- Hello? - Hannah.

- Where are you right now? - I'm at the church.

I'll see you there.

20 seconds until the perfect shot

is all aligned.

Three, two, one. No, no! Stop, stop, no!

- To your right. To your right. - Excuse me?

Please. Please just... please just move.

Just move. Just...

You know what? Never mind. It's too late.

I missed the shot. I missed the shot. Ugh.

- I'm sorry. - Do you have any idea how long it took me

- to set up for that shot? - Well, good news is the sun will rise again tomorrow.

Yes. The Earth's tilted on its axis,

so the angle of the sun changes every day as we orbit.

So that light hitting that statue creating that perfect shadow

and the perfect picture will only happen once a year.

So, yeah, the sun will rise tomorrow,

but I'm gonna have to wait 365 days

to get that shot again.

Oh. Okay.

Uh, I'm sorry

about the year and the tilted axis.

The light around the sun?

And I'm sorry about the sun, too.

You're sorry about the sun?

Okay

Almost there.

You know, you shouldn't be sneaking up

on the vertically challenged

when we're trying to defy gravity.

It looks really great in here. Oh!

It's a little bit crooked. Ah! There it is.

- Oh, my goodness! - It' so good to see you, Anna.

So tell me, what are you doing here?

Oh, my gosh, the kids have been asking about you non-stop

since we saw you in the city so long ago.

"Where's Aunt Grace? Where's Aunt Grace?"

How long are you here for? We've got a lot to catch up on.

I'm here through Christmas temporarily managing the local branch.

That is so exciting. I know having you here for Christmas

in Evergreen Falls was not part of the plan,

but I'm so glad that plans changed.

- Me, too. - Is Brad meeting you up here?

Uh, no.

We're not together anymore.

- Oh. I'm so sorry. - No, it's okay.

I mean, I was pretty upset, but it's for the best.

- Why didn't you tell me? - I don't know.

I threw myself into work and ate a lot of ice cream.

How many times can I call you and say it didn't work out?

At some point, I start to wonder if it's me.

Grace, stop right there. I promise you it is not you.

- It's just simply not the right guy. - You have to say that,

being my first friend, and my best friend.

- Well, since you are kind of a local now... - Temporarily.

I'm ignoring that.

How do you feel about swinging by the house tomorrow afternoon?

I'm in charge of donation days this week

and the Winter Warm Up drive is up first.

I can't make any promises,

but if I can get away from work, I will be there.

I'll take whatever I can get.

So you gonna help me finish on up over here?

That sounds like so much fun,

but I have to go prep for tomorrow.

I'm meeting the team and I want to be prepared.

I hear that they run a very tight ship,

so I want them to know I'm up for the challenge.

- You'll be great. - Oh.

- Oh! I love you. - I love you.

- Okay, I'll see you soon. - Okay.

I'm gonna get some punch.

- Hello! Hi. - Hi.

- I'm Grace Sawyer. - Diane's replacement. Welcome.

I'm Kendall, receptionist,

assistant to all, and organizer of everything.

- Our interim manager is here, guys. - Hey, everyone.

- Hi! - Welcome. Hi, welcome. Welcome.

I'm so sorry to interrupt the Christmas party.

We were hoping you'd be here to be a part of it.

Pamela, your most experienced employee.

It's great to meet you, Pamela.

We were told that you would be filling in on our open house on our new listing.

We're really excited about it, but between us,

- it puts us really close to winning the award. - Mm-hmm. Yeah.

- The award? - The Golden Key award.

It's presented to the office

that generates the highest sales volume

in home transactions during the holiday season.

That's brilliant.

Our offices are closed then

so it makes sense that I didn't know about it.

And Christmas is the slowest time of year for sales.

We've almost won it the last three years, but I can feel it.

- This is gonna be our year. - I hope so.

I've got a warm weather wardrobe on my Christmas list.

The company who wins gets an all expenses paid

weekend away in a luxury resort.

That's incredible. Is there a desk I can use?

Yeah, I can take your coat. I can show you...

Someone must've just closed on a house!

That puts us one house closer to sandy white beaches.

Congratulations!

- Let me take you around. - Okay!

I'm gonna have some punch. I gotta...

I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got you my favorite.

Aww.

Wow. That is amazing.

Christmas in a cup if you ask me.

I have to say, I didn't expect you all to be so festive.

Why not?

I guess because you're one of the top-grossing offices.

- But it works for you. - It does.

Here are your listing photos for your open house today.

These are incredible. All this natural light.

- Perfect timing. - Whoa.

- What are you doing here? - Sun-tilted axis guy?

Do you two know each other?

- Yes. - No.

I'm the interim manager. What are you doing here?

I'm the in-house photographer

behind the photos you were just admiring.

So you do know each other.

- No. - Yes.

- She ruined the perfect shot. - I said I was sorry.

Okay. Grace, this is Luke. Luke, Grace.

Your work is very good.

When I can actually get the shot, it is.

- Yes. Thank you. - Right.

Well, I thought it would be great for Luke to go with you today.

He wanted to get a few more pictures of the house with natural light.

Of course, he did.

I'm gonna go get my bag.

Okay, I'll... I'll meet you there.

Great.

Perfect.

- Guess who's got donuts. - Oh, great.

Oh, hold on. Let me help you.

- It's okay. I got it. - I got it, I got it.

- I can do it. - I know you can, but I am here

and I'm just in the way if I'm not helping.

- Just next to the tree. - All right.

When a potential buyer walks into a space,

they immediately gauge the size of the room,

and these chairs are disrupting the flow.

Right. Where does this one go?

Oh, uh, right by the natural light

coming through the window.

Okay, yeah.

Ah, perfect!

Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, I see what you're doing here.

Those chairs were definitely clogging the room up.

Good flow.

It does look much bigger.

You have done this before. Oh, wow. Wow.

- Really welcoming. - Make yourself at home.

I like to get to know a space before I shoot it.

By lounging on the couch.

Yeah, seriously. Give it a try. Come on.

Get to know the house you're selling.

- Oh. It's nice. - Huh?

- Yeah. - Mm.

Yeah, this room would be great for family gatherings.

Mm-hmm. That corner over there is begging for a Christmas tree.

Oh, and stockings along the mantel.

Uh-huh. Garland over the windows.

That light next to that chair would make a really nice cozy reading nook.

- Fire in the fireplace. - And old-timey Christmas music playing in the background.

Yeah, this room is perfect for Christmas morning.

My grandmother had a living room about this size.

- We'd all cram into it. - Cram?

- Yeah. - In a room this big?

- How big is your family? - Well, it's two older brothers, an older sister.

Everyone's married and has kids, so when we're all together,

you're gonna need a school bus to move us from place to place.

- Do they live close? - Yeah. Yeah, everyone's within an hour,

so I see them a lot, which is really great.

- What about you? - Oh, it's just my parents and I.

I haven't been able to spend Christmas morning with them for a few years.

- Why not? - They run a medical nonprofit that takes them all over.

They provide educational programs and medical care to communities in need.

Wow, that's impressive.

Yeah, they're pretty awesome.

They're so smart and selfless.

They're in the mid west right now and they're snowed in,

so I'm hoping that they'll be able to join me here.

Well, uh, I'm gonna make sure that everything is ready for the open house.

Thank you for the donuts and the heavy lifting.

Even though I could have done it myself.

Everything is ready. Now we just need a buyer.

The donuts will definitely seal the deal.

But just in case, I'm gonna take a few extra pictures.

Sometimes a new picture can bring an unsure buyer back to make an offer.

You're right. Especially first-time buyers afraid to take the leap.

Great idea. Thank you.

Hey, if I happen to get a new client this week,

would you be available to take listing pictures?

Of course, it's, uh, sort of my job.

Okay. Oh!

Excuse me.

Hey, Mom. Hey.

Sorry, I... I forgot to call. What's the latest?

Uh, well, the good news is we can change our ticket and get on another flight.

The bad news is we don't know when that flight's gonna be yet.

Sorry, sweetie. We were so looking forward to having Christmas with you.

Well, you might. There's still time.

I know. I just wish we were there already.

Hey, how is it being back home?

Uh, I don't know.

It's... it's great to see the town.

I don't really know anyone anymore.

Um, I should get back. My open house is about to start.

Okay, kiddo. We love you.

I love you, too, Mom. Bye.

Everything okay?

Uh, yeah, that was just my mom.

They might not make it for Christmas.

So what's your backup plan?

My what?

Your Christmas plan B. Everyone's got one.

They do, do they? Everyone?

- I don't. - Which is why you need one.

Okay, so where are you spending Christmas?

In my rental house alone,

probably eating Chinese takeout.

- Nope. Nah, that's not it. - No? Uh, yes.

Okay, so what's a normal Christmas? Do you have any traditions?

Well, usually I meet my parents wherever their non-profit is.

And, well, last year my boyfriend and... my ex-boyfriend.

We broke up earlier this year.

Um, and if it's not obvious, it wasn't my decision.

I just don't really like to talk about it

because it doesn't really matter.

I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm telling you this.

- I mean, I don't even know you. - I actually think it's healthy

to talk about difficult things, and breakups certainly are difficult.

Yeah. Especially when you envision a future with that person.

Hey, I've got an idea.

For your plan B, I've got boxes of spare ornaments in my garage.

Let's make your house a little more festive.

- Okay. - I'll send the photos over after I edit them.

- Have a great open house. - Thank you.

I'm just gonna ask Walter and I'll be back.

- Okay. - Hey, Kendall.

Hey, Luke! How did the photo shoot go?

- Very well, I think. - How did Grace do?

- Uh, she's particular. - In a good way?

Very good.

Um, she's talented, and she's got a keen eye,

and she cares.

It's... it's, uh, refreshing.

Fantastic.

- Yeah. - Cool.

- Are there any more cookies? - There are. Check the kitchen.

- Surprise! - Hey!

- What are you doing here? - I just wanted to support you.

And, wow, this place is gorgeous.

Oh, my goodness. I saw the listing online.

- I just had to swing by. - Isn't it a great family home?

Oh, I would love to have this much space. And this crown molding!

It's newly renovated. Why? Are you and Noah looking?

Depends on which one of us you ask.

We're supposed to start renovations on our place early next year,

but the contractor said six to eight months,

and that's if nothing goes wrong.

Renovations are tough, but it could be worthwhile.

Or hear me out. We can just get this house.

I've been looking. There is nothing like this out there.

Well, let me know if I can help. You can help.

You can come on over and, uh, convince my husband to get this house.

And I'll just take one of these.

I'll see you at the Winter Warm Up later?

Yes, I will be there after work.

Good luck.

So good to see you.

I'll see you soon.

- See you later. - Bye!

- Wow, this place is amazing. - Hello! Thanks for coming in.

- Would you sign in please? - Sure.

- Thank you. - The hardwood floors are so beautiful.

- I've always wanted some. - Yeah, the hardwood is top-notch,

- and it was just newly renovated. - I love the high ceilings.

Well, please make yourself at home

and I'm here if you have any questions.

- Enjoy. - Great.

So much room.

I love this bedroom!

Oh, and this could be the baby's room.

They would love the natural light.

So, what did you think?

It's stunning!

It's also way out of our price range.

We're sorry we wasted your time.

Oh, you did no such thing.

When you're looking for a home,

it's important to feel the space.

And hopefully seeing this home can help you know what you want.

Well, we do know that we're looking for more of a starter home.

And one fairly quickly, as we've got a special delivery arriving in February,

and we'd like to close on a house before then.

- Congratulations. - We're looking for a home to start our life in.

Two bedrooms, maybe three so we've got room for my family to visit.

Hmm. I totally understand.

And I am sure that the perfect home is out there waiting for you.

I'll keep my eyes open, and if you need anything at all,

- please let me know. - Oh, thank you so much.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas!

- And congratulations again. - Thank you.

Mitchell and Marcie Chan.

They're so cute.

- Oh!

Ooh, we have got to stop meeting like this.

Sorry. I was focused on a quick retail therapy shopping trip.

Well, if you've got a spare minute,

I have a spare cocoa for you.

Thank you.

Do you always carry two just in case?

If you must know, they were both for me.

- Both of them? - Well, this one was for me,

and that one was for the car ride home

or if there was some kind of crisis

or if it was just a day that ends in "y."

I see.

So you stockpile hot chocolate.

- Completely normal. - Are you saying it's not?

So afternoon retail therapy, huh?

Is that code for you're having a day that's not so great?

It's code for my current wardrobe

isn't exactly as merry and bright as everyone else's.

And you just want to fit in?

More like I don't want to stick out.

Deep.

I just want to be comfortable in my surroundings.

Well, as long as you really like Christmas,

- you will be just fine. - Hmm.

So you're one of those.

Twinkle light-loving,

candy cane-collecting kind of person

who probably thinks that pumpkin spice

and peppermint are a food group.

Mm. Mm-hmm.

But only between October and January.

I should get going.

Um, thank you for sharing your emergency cocoa.

You're welcome. Don't waste a drop.

- I'll see you soon. - Mm-hmm.

- Can I help you? - Hi. I'm Grace Sawyer.

- I saw the for sale sign. - Grace Sawyer?

Why I haven't seen you since Sunday school

when you were about yea high.

- Mrs. Campbell? - Yes.

- Oh, come in, dear. It's awfully cold. - Thank you.

- Here you can hang your coat up right there. - Oh, thank you so much.

Wow, what a wonderful surprise.

- So, how are you? - I'm great.

Well, much taller, thankfully. How are you?

I'm wonderful, thank you. So what brings you here?

Oh, I saw a for sale by owner sign outside earlier,

but it's not there anymore.

- Did you sell it? - No.

The house is still for sale,

but I put the sign up prematurely,

as my sisters reminded me.

We still have a few details to iron out.

- I see. - We are technically co-owners,

since our family left it to all three of us.

I live closest, so I'm handling the sale.

Why? Are you interested in buying?

Oh, no, I'm here temporarily

managing the Evergreen Falls Realty office.

This might be a little bit silly,

but since I was little, I have dreamed of this house.

I'd love to help you find the perfect buyer

- for you and your sisters. - Oh, I appreciate that.

And it's not personal, but for now we're not going to work with an agent.

My sisters say it's just one more person to pay.

They have their eyes set on a fancy retirement community.

So that said, they're ready to take the highest bidder.

Sadly, that's typically a development company.

You know, it's nice to see a young person

look at property value and not see condos.

Never!

The history in here, the details,

I'd love to take a tour sometime.

- Well, how about now? - That would be great.

- Come on, we can start upstairs. - Perfect.

- Hi! - Hi.

- You made it! - Hi.

Oh, listen up, everybody.

We have a very special guest here.

This is my dear friend Grace.

And now that everybody's here, I just want to thank you all for being here today.

It only takes a few hours out of our day,

and we're helping people to feel warm this winter

and helping them to remember that there are people out there who truly care.

So there is hot chocolate, tea, coffee in the kitchen

for anyone who would like to join me.

- And then we can get started. - Okay.

I can take those. Thank you.

There's a couple more boxes in the kitchen.

- Hello again. - Well, hello.

Aww, you shouldn't have.

I forgot to ask you earlier, how did our open house go?

- Our open house? - I mean, I did contribute.

I think my donuts were a strong closer

if you didn't mess anything up.

Uh, I didn't mess anything up.

- But, no. No takers. - Hmm.

What are you doing here?

I'm the one who lives in Evergreen Falls.

I go to church with Anna and Noah.

What church, you ask?

Well, the same church

where someone walked into and disrupted

my once in a lifetime shot yesterday.

I thought you said it was once a year.

I'm going for dramatics here.

How do you know Anna and Noah?

Anna is my oldest friend.

Hmm. It's weird she never mentioned you.

Yeah, well, she never mentioned you either.

I find that hard to believe. Okay, I believe it.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

- Mm. We should get to work. - Right, yeah.

This should be the last adult box. Thank you.

You seem distracted.

It's nice to see everyone come together.

You don't have a community like this where you live?

Uh, not really.

I mean, I'm not saying it's bad. It's not.

I... I love the city.

You can get pizza 24/7,

and take a walk at midnight

and the city is lit up like it's daylight.

Well, for the record, you can get a pizza from Charlie's until 9 PM.

And the stars here are bright enough to light up the streets

without any neon signs.

I guess I haven't found

this kind of human interaction there.

You can... continue. I just...

So, tell me, did you leave behind a perfectly

and elegantly decorated Christmas tree?

No, I didn't. Why?

I'm not sure we can even be friends.

What do you have against a good old Christmas tree?

Is it the needles? It's the needles, isn't it?

And I get it. I get it. They're hard to clean up.

You find them six months later, even after you've vacuumed numerous times.

Or you could get a, uh, fake tree.

They make them very realistic these days.

You just need a little pine-scented room spray.

I don't have a problem with trees, real or fake.

I'm just a busy woman. I've got work and deadlines.

Sellers and buyers, escrows and closings.

I have work stuff, too, but I don't let it stop me

from getting a tree or decorating my apartment

or doing anything Christmas-y.

That's not what I meant.

I don't let them get in the way of what I want either.

Like a tree.

Okay, so does that look mean

that you did leave behind a holly jolly apartment?

Mistletoe hanging, lights a-twinkling, garland a-garland-ing.

Okay, I will have you know that I like Christmas.

- I like it very much. - Hmm. Just ask your tree.

Oh, that's right. You don't have one.

Okay, maybe I'll think about getting a tree,

seeing as I'll be here through Christmas.

No, no. No maybe. This is happening.

You're getting a tree. I'm gonna call my tree guy.

This is very exciting. I'm very excited about this.

- So what did you think? - I enjoyed it.

Your friends are great.

I forgot how much this town comes together around Christmas.

- It's inspiring. - It is.

Selfishly, I admit,

it's been really great to have you back.

And I could use a little more of your help

during donation days this week.

Uh, well, I'd be happy to help whenever I can...

You know what? I'm gonna make the time.

So, Luke?

Looks like the two of you were having fun.

I don't know.

I wouldn't call it fun.

He's different. He seems nice.

He's kind of funny and kind of...

Cute? Cute.

So tell me about your renovation plans.

Ooh, that was a smooth transition if I ever heard one.

Okay, well, so for our renovations,

we are planning on busting this wall out.

We're gonna extend the kitchen.

We're gonna revamp the master bath,

add two bedrooms, Jack and Jill bath in between,

and then we are going to bump out the living room into the yard.

That's a lot.

Wash up, kids. It's bedtime.

Oh, movie must be over.

Oh, hey, Grace. So good to see you.

- It's good to see you, too. - You've only been here for two days

and my wife already has recruited you to help with donation days.

I'm happy to help, and it's so great what the church is doing.

We were just talking about the renovation.

Can't happen fast enough.

Honey, you should see this house that Grace is selling.

- Oh, yeah? - Yeah. Yeah, the house.

- It is incredible. - So incredible.

Oh, yeah. I mean, it's a dream house.

The owner has thought of every detail.

- Turnkey ready. Yep. - Turnkey ready.

- Dad! - Ah, they're fine.

I don't know how we're gonna make it

through eight months of construction, babe.

- I know. - You both have created a really beautiful life here.

Well, I don't know if you would have said that if you would have seen

the living room ten minutes before everyone showed up.

Yeah, on a daily, it does triple duty as a living room, playroom, and my office.

- Sometimes simultaneously. - Yeah.

That's a lot of pressure on a room, and both of you.

Yeah.

Oh, dad duty calls.

- Grace, see you soon. - I'll see you soon.

I tried to help.

- I should probably get going. - I'll walk you out.

Okay.

I'm just thinking that maybe you should buy my dream home

and I can live vicariously through you

and we can be sort of neighbors.

- That's very funny. - Or not.

Look, I love it here. I do!

But I live in the city,

and I have an apartment and a lease.

I'm pretty sure most leases end eventually.

Just let me get through Christmas.

While you're here, instead of just getting through Christmas,

why don't you really try to feel it this year?

- I'll call you tomorrow. - Okay.

Oh!

- Joyce, hi. - Good morning.

I wasn't sure I would catch you there this early.

Oh, well, it's nice to get a jump start on the day before it gets busy.

- You know, that's how us managers do it. - Well, it's suiting you.

I was just checking in to see how it was all going,

but it looks like you have it all under control.

We do. The team is fantastic.

And you're right, they are a high-performance team,

but they still like to have fun.

Couldn't be happier to hear.

Anything else pressing to discuss?

Well, I wanted to throw something out to you.

Look, I know that they are a high-grossing office,

but, you know, there's always room to grow, right?

Always. Keep talking.

I had an idea about the website.

Like, nothing major, just a little refresher.

What if we made the agents more personable?

Maybe add a bio, their likes, hobbies,

so that clients can match up with the perfect agent.

Very little investment for a big payoff.

- Great work, Grace. - Thank you.

I also had one little idea.

Um, I was thinking that Luke could maybe...

- Luke? - Well, he's our very talented in-house photographer.

What if he took pictures of the agents while they're working?

Whether it's them at an open house

or them telling a first-time buyer that they got their house...

These are all great ideas, Grace.

I know you weren't sure about filling in for this position,

but I am very glad you did.

Thank you so much for having faith in me.

I'll get approval from corporate,

but I can't imagine them not agreeing to all this.

- Well done. - Thanks, Joyce.

I'll talk to you soon.

Okay, bye.

Front page of the website, here we come.

Nice work.

Hey, what are you doing here?

Uh, Anna called.

She's running a little late,

so she asked me to cover for her.

That's really sweet, taking Christmas pictures for the website.

Well, my dad always said the most valuable thing we have is time,

so I like to give a little to people, you know?

Have you always loved photography?

Yeah, yeah, since I was eleven.

My grandpa got me hooked.

He was an amazing photographer.

He could see completely different things

through his lens than I could through mine.

What do you mean?

Okay, uh, close your eyes.

Now picture a beautiful scene of snow-covered mountains,

flurries lightly falling over pine trees,

pine trees that are so tall

they look like they're touching a gray sky,

which even though it's nighttime,

still looks like it's glowing.

Okay, now what do you see when you take that picture?

- Can I open my eyes? - Yeah, yeah, open... open your eyes.

Um, I see snow-covered mountains.

- Mm-hmm. - The dark sky and pine trees.

- Okay, nice. - Why?

Well, my grandfather would have seen the spotted baby deer

with its mother in between those trees

eating brush that wasn't covered by snow.

- That's beautiful. - That's photography.

But it's not always beautiful.

I mean, I got my start in commercial photography.

It pays well, you get to travel a lot,

but there's not a lot of heart in it, you know?

You wanted to see the baby deer.

Yeah. How about you?

What is it about real estate you love?

Honestly, the people.

Getting to help them find a place

for their lives, their future,

somewhere where they belong.

The home I show them could be

where they get to bring their firstborn home

or years later celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

I... I don't know.

That is so sweet.

- Hi! - I thought you should be introduced

to what is quite possibly the best pizza in the area.

Well, I'm pretty sure it's the only pizza within 30 miles.

- Exactly. - Thank you.

I'm impressed. Your Christmas decor,

I love what you've done with the place.

Ha, ha, very funny.

You know it was already like this.

- I'm more understated. - Noted.

However, if you are planning on spending Christmas in Evergreen Falls,

it's mandatory that you spruce up your house.

Luckily, I'm available to help.

That's very nice of you, but it's not necessary.

- Okay, we'll spruce. - Well, that was close.

You almost got coal in your stocking this year.

Because I didn't want to decorate?

We take Christmas very seriously here.

I know.

I grew up in Evergreen Falls.

Really? When did you leave?

When I was 18. I went off to college,

and then my parents sold their house and started traveling.

It was actually right before this pizzeria opened up.

What?

I was just thinking how funny life is.

I came here right after this place opened.

We just missed each other.

I'm happy that you're here now.

Me, too.

- Sorry. - No, go ahead.

Hey, Anna, what's up?

I just had to call.

Noah is totally open to the farmhouse.

- No way. - He said he's on board.

- He did? - He said he'll come see it.

- He will? - Yes, he will!

Okay. Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.

- Okay, I can't wait. - Noah is going to love it.

- He really is. Bye. - Okay, bye.

We may have found a buyer for the farmhouse after all.

To possibilities.

To Christmas.

Well, I personally know the buyer,

and they are a wonderful family.

Did you look over their offer?

You're gonna accept? That is the best news.

You are going to make their Christmas.

Yes. Okay, Merry Christmas.

Yes.

We can just email...

- Hey! - Morning!

Hey, how did Noah like the house?

Uh, where are those bell thingies?

There they are.

Noah loved the house.

They accepted the offer!

- No way! - Amazing!

Congratulations, Grace.

Is it okay if I go tell Anna and Noah right now?

You're the boss. You can do whatever you want.

You're right. I guess I am.

Okay, I'll be back soon.

Or maybe I won't.

Just kidding. I'll be back in an hour.

Luke, thank you so much for doing this.

Are you kidding? This is a great idea.

- Ready when you are. - Let's go.

Anna?

- Hey. - Hey.

What are you guys doing here?

Um...

They countered, didn't they?

They accepted your offer!

- What? - Yes!

- We got the house? - Yes!

- I can't believe it! - Me either!

No more renovations for months!

No more kids in my office?

We can't thank you enough.

Oh, I appreciate that, but I had nothing to do with it. It was meant to be.

- We got to go tell the kids. - Let's go.

- Thank you! - Come on, come on, come on! Let's go!

Pretty sure you just made their day.

I didn't do anything. I was just at the listing and Anna stopped to say hi.

- Hmm. Meant to be. - Yeah.

Well, I guess I have to find someone to buy this house now.

- Want to go get some lunch? - Uh...

I should probably get back to the office and get this listing live.

Of course. Much more important.

I'll email the photos of the house over to you when I can.

Great idea.

- Hey, are you gonna... - Hey, are you gonna go to...

- You. - You go. Go.

Will you be at the church later?

Christmas Cans Of Love? I wouldn't miss it.

I'll get the shots and see you there.

Okay. I'll see you there.

"Christmas Cans Of Love.

Ho, ho, ho, Kendall.

P.S. Look under box."

"Just in case you're interested,

it looks like your interim position

just became a permanent one.

Evergreen Falls Realty now seeking immediate replacement

for qualified manager to oversee a high performing realtor office.

"Manager experience necessary."

Manager experience necessary.

Sorry, I'm a few minutes late.

Oh, hey. You're perfectly on time.

You can drop it right there.

Oh, I can't stop smiling. I'm so excited!

I am so excited for you guys.

What did you do to change Noah's mind?

You know, what's weird? I didn't do anything.

I feel like something just changed within him

when we were looking around the house.

Well, he also knew it would make you happy.

Well, there is that.

But you know what I think?

I think he just kind of needed some new adventure.

Maybe you can relate?

I'm serious. Why aren't you arguing?

No reason.

Okay, well, I can do this all day until you tell me.

Because you know us old friends, we just know

when the other one's hiding something from us.

It's nothing. Really!

I just found out that the person I'm filling in for

might not be returning.

They're looking for a replacement.

- And they asked you? - Uh, no.

They wouldn't want me. You know, they're looking

for competent applicants with managerial experience,

and that wouldn't be me.

Okay, well, you do know that you have to apply, right?

Like, you at least have to consider it.

I will. Just promise me you won't say anything, okay?

I need to sit with this for a bit.

I would never. Never!

Hey! Guess who might be moving back to Evergreen Falls?

- Grace! - What did we just say?

Hey, how long have you known me for?

I can't keep a secret.

Excuse me.

I'll be right back.

Are you serious? She's staying?

I don't know what you're talking about.

- Hey, Mom. Any news? - Well, no good news.

The snow is really piling up, and even if we can get out,

there are so many people here in need.

No, Mom, you can't leave everyone without care.

We are trying so hard to get to you.

I know you're trying.

- I have hope. - We're so disappointed.

We really want to be there with you.

Look, and if it doesn't work out, don't worry about me.

- I'll be fine. - Thank you for understanding.

- I love you. - I love you, too.

Okay, we'll see you soon, honey.

- Okay. Bye, Mom. - Bye-bye.

- Hi. - Hey.

- Mind if I sit? - Not at all.

I forgot how beautiful this church is.

You take it for granted when you're a kid.

Me and my parents would come here every Sunday.

I think we sat in the third row from the front.

That was your parents on the phone?

Yeah.

They still can't get out?

They can, but now the relief team can't get to them.

I've been alone for a lot of Christmases since they moved away,

and I'm really proud of my parents and what they're doing.

I was just really looking forward to seeing them this year.

Being here just makes me

miss them even more than usual.

You're allowed to feel both proud of your parents

and disappointed at the same time, you know?

- Multiple feelings? - Yeah.

- At the same time? - Yeah.

No, thank you.

What?

I have an idea that I think will cheer you up.

Do you trust me?

Hello? Delivery!

Hello? Christmas delivery for Grace Sawyer!

Does Grace Sawyer live here?

Hey, I said if you're staying for Christmas,

you are getting the full Christmas experience.

All right, well you and Santa can come on in.

- Almost full. - Yeah. Last one.

Ah.

- Ha! Perfect. - Perfect.

Hey, did you ever try to convince your parents

to get the biggest tree on the lot?

- Oh, every year. - Same.

My mom, she would pick the saddest one.

Tell us we needed to get the underdog tree,

take it home, give it some love,

because it was counting on us to make a difference.

- That is so sweet. - Yeah, you say that,

and then one year we ended up with a tree with five branches.

- No. Really? - Yeah. But my mom made it beautiful anyway.

She made special ornaments, paper snowflakes,

popcorn garland, little twinkle lights.

She even glued glitter all over bows and threw it on there.

And then she'd turn out all the lights except for the Christmas tree ones and say,

"See? When you look at the world through a Christmas lens,

you will always see the good hiding in life."

- Your mom sounds amazing. - She was.

Yeah, we lost her a couple years ago.

But I always think about what she said.

It's probably why I stuck with photography.

How about this tree, though?

Does this remind you of the trees of your youth?

Uh, no. We were more of a colored light kind of family.

- Oh! - But I, uh... I like this.

It represents new things.

- I'm in a new town. - New house.

- With new friends. - New job.

Right. New job.

- At least temporarily, anyway. - Hmm.

I love this.

I can feel the magic and the wonder.

- Everything okay? - Couldn't be better.

Okay.

I left you a note about the position opening up.

I think I saw that.

Has anyone from corporate contacted you yet about staying?

No. They, um, they haven't.

But, you know, it's Christmas. Things get slow.

From what we hear, they're moving pretty quickly.

On behalf of everyone here, we think you should at least apply.

But only if you want to. And we really hope you do.

I appreciate you two, but it's hard for me to even think about leaving the city.

- I have my whole life there. - We understand.

We just wanted you to know.

We'd be really lucky to have you as our new manager.

Thank you. Both of you.

I really loved working with you.

Hey, I haven't gone anywhere yet.

Not until Santa comes down the chimney.

- All right. - Okay.

- Hello? - Hey, Anna.

- Are you still at the church? - Hey, Grace.

Yeah, I'm still here getting things ready.

- Great. - You can just take these ones right over there.

Thank you so much.

- Hey! - Hi.

So, what donation day is this for?

This is for the Tidings Of Comfort And Clean.

So, in every bag, we've got a razor, comb,

toothpaste, toothbrush, hand sanitizer, and bar of soap.

- Evergreen scent, of course. - Anna, this is amazing.

You're helping so many people in need.

Oh. Well, so are you. You know why?

Because you're gonna help me finish up.

We just need to put some bows on these bags and we are all good.

Oh, the pictures that Luke took of your house turned out great.

I have everything written out, and your house will be live by today.

Awesome. I think Noah's actually more excited than I am.

Oh, well, I can help you pack if you want.

- Okay. - You know who I ran into?

Remember our old Sunday school teacher Mrs. Campbell?

She owns my favorite house.

Remember the one we used to walk by when we were kids?

Yes, the one that's like a castle.

You should see the woodwork in that place,

and the stained glass, and the wallpaper.

It's so colorful. Apparently, her mom picked it out.

I heard that they've had it in the family since the 1800s.

Mrs. Campbell just gave me a tour of the entire place, and I just walked around,

and I think there's even, like, six fireplaces, too.

It is absolutely breathtaking.

Is that so? Why are you really here?

- I'm helping. - Hmm.

Okay, well that's funny, because you didn't know

what I was doing until you showed up,

and everything that you just told me

could have been sent in a text, and you know it.

I don't know. I guess...

I thought I was just coming out here for a quick work trip.

You know, see you, impress my boss, and then go back home.

Not seeing a problem with that so far.

It's just, you know me.

I don't like to deviate from a plan.

But the more time I spend here,

the more I want to stay here.

- Still not seeing a problem. - I just...

I guess I'm just scared of putting myself out there.

You know, professionally and personally.

How I see it, you've got two choices, okay?

You can continue going down this path

that you've been going down your entire life

or you can stop being afraid of being hurt again

in your career, in love, all of it.

You know, you make it really hard for me to argue with you when you're always right.

Yeah. Try telling Noah that.

You know, when we first found this house,

I was expecting baby number one, and, I mean, it was a lot.

- I was scared, too. - I thought you were still in the apartment when you had Jack.

No, it was actually this time of year.

Yeah, they had this beautiful nativity scene in the house.

I just fell in love with it, and they ended up leaving it behind for us,

along with this really sweet note congratulating us

on our new starter home and baby on the way.

Yeah.

Starter home and baby on the way.

That's it! Oh!

Oh.

I will call you later. You are brilliant.

Okay. I'm a genius.

I think we figured out the numbers.

This is great.

Well, I'll call them right now. Thanks so much.

Mitchell! Hi, there.

It's Grace Sawyer, the realtor you met at the open house.

Yes. Listen, I know that you and Marcie

are probably busy with the holidays,

but I was wondering if you had a few minutes to meet me.

I may have found the perfect starter home for you.

Great. How's tomorrow?

I will send over the details.

Okay. Bye-bye.

- Was that the Chans? - I'm going to show them Noah and Anna's house.

I think it's the perfect fit.

One more sale will put us over the top to win the Golden Key Award.

'Tis the season for anything to happen, right?

Yeah.

- Oh, excuse me. - Take that, take that.

This is Grace.

Mrs. Campbell!

Really?

Well, that's great.

Okay. Do you mind if I bring my photographer with me?

Wonderful. I'll see you soon.

- It's beautiful, isn't it? - It sure is.

You know, I used to look at this place

the same way you two are now.

Every time I see it, I just...

I don't know, I feel better.

That probably sounds funny.

Not to me, it doesn't.

Trish Campbell. Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you.

- Luke Davies. Nice to meet you. - Mm-hmm.

Luke is our photographer.

I can't tell you how excited I am

to help you find the perfect buyer for your home.

I already have the paperwork drawn up

and I can have the listing live by tonight.

Oh, thank you.

You know, we might be hearing from companies

looking primarily at the property value.

I've already had a few inquiries about that so far.

Well, don't worry.

I'll be sure to say that you're not interested

in selling for land value.

My wish is to have a family in this home

who loves it as much as we do.

My sisters, however, they have their sights set

on that fancy retirement community with the pickleball courts.

That said, we're open to reviewing any and all offers.

I understand.

Would it be okay if we walked around and started taking some photos?

Oh, please, make yourself at home.

Okay, thank you.

Let's start with the stained glass?

Yeah.

This house, every room tells a different story.

I'm sure it'll sell fast.

Me, too.

Hopefully, they won't consider any developers' offers.

We've had a few come to town and just destroy houses like this.

I agree. But unfortunately,

I have a professional obligation to sell it

whether or not I agree with who buys it.

I remember what you told me when we were at the church.

I was taking Christmas pictures and you said you help people find where they belong,

show them a future.

I wonder if you can do that for this place,

find its future.

- Very nice. - Oh, stop.

Here, let me show you the living room.

Well, the school area here is fantastic.

Great neighbors and a great location.

This is such a charming neighborhood.

It looks exactly like the pictures.

Oh, wait till you see inside. It is the perfect home for you.

Look what I found. Isn't this the hat you wore on our first date?

- Yes. Doesn't that feel like it was yesterday? - I'm so romantic.

Oh, look! It's the owners.

Anna, Noah, this is Mitchell and Marcie.

- Hi. - Hi.

Uh, why don't you two go and take a look around, make yourself at home?

Enjoy this very, very lived-in starter home.

Yeah, enjoy. I thought you said you were coming on Thursday!

- It is Thursday. Yes! - It's Thursday?

We dropped the kids off at my parents'

and we've been packing all night.

Maybe they'll just see past the chaos.

Okay. Just go, go, go, go, go.

- Okay. Okay. - Come on. Come on!

So?

Thank you for your time.

We've seen all we needed to see.

Of course.

We'd like to make an offer of the asking price.

- What? - You were right, Grace.

We see our future here.

The future Christmases, the homemade decorations,

even the mess.

It shows us how much joy lives here.

That's... that's wonderful.

Well, I will go back to the office and start the paperwork.

Thank you for really listening to us, Grace.

Well, after you.

- Well, how'd it go? - Sorry, team. I tried.

Hey, none of that. We worked really hard.

- We should be proud of ourselves. - Yeah.

Guess what? We sold!

I can already feel that warm white sand between my toes!

We did it!

Grace, hi.

Robert Prince with Jones Development.

Sorry I missed you, but we saw your listing

and we're prepared to offer 20% over asking.

Take it to your client, discuss it,

and give me a call back at your earliest convenience.

Thank you very much.

I'm sure you and your sisters have been discussing the offer.

I know it's above asking,

but there are some things to consider before making any decisions.

- Their minds are made up. - Well, do they know that this is only the first offer?

I'm sure there will be many more in the new year.

I know how you feel about this house, Grace,

and believe me when I say it breaks my heart

to think of this home not being in our family after all these years.

Mrs. Campbell, you do realize

that this is a development company, right?

No one would put that amount of money in writing

without seeing the house unless they were gonna tear it down.

My sisters feel the offer is too good to pass up.

- I've been outvoted. - Well, is there any way we can change their minds?

Another buyer?

They've given you and your sisters 48 hours to respond.

- I'll still try to find another buyer. - Thank you, Grace.

But if no other offer comes in, we're gonna take this deal.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready for an appointment.

Um...

Would it be okay if I stayed a few more minutes?

Of course. You take all the time you need.

Thank you.

There's got to be a way.

"Attached, please find my application

for the permanent position in Evergreen Falls."

Come on, Grace. Just send it.

There.

- Hey! - Hi.

- What are you doing here? - I just wanted to make sure

that you got this before you left.

Oh.

We heard they offered someone the manager position.

Well, that's great news for you guys.

I'm sure whoever they found will be the perfect fit.

Merry Christmas from everyone,

to thank you for all that you did for us.

Merry Christmas.

"Evergreen Falls, where you're always at home."

Hi, Joyce. It's Grace.

I hope you're at a Christmas party having fun.

I, uh...

I just heard that someone got the permanent position.

I wanted to thank you for this opportunity.

I really loved working here.

I'll see you in the new year. Merry Christmas.

- Hey, Mom. - Hey, honey, I got some news.

It looks like we'll finally be able to get out of here sometime tomorrow.

- That's great. - Yeah, your dad's working on flights right now,

and I'll call you as soon as we know something tomorrow.

I can't wait to see you and Dad.

- Hey, are you okay? - Yeah.

I'll tell you all about it when I see you.

- We love you. - Love you, too, Mom. Bye.

- Hey, I got your message. - Hey.

So are they considering the offer?

They are.

Is there any way they could have, like, a clause in the contract

that says that the new owners can't tear the house down

or, I don't know, split up the lot?

That can't be enforced.

Plus, once the sale goes through,

they can do whatever they want.

The only way I can convince them not to accept

is if I find a replacement buyer in less than 39 hours.

- So this is it? - If I had more time,

I could think of some better options.

It is a beautiful house, but it does need some updates.

The appliances are outdated

and the electrical needs some upgrades.

The plumbing probably does, too. It's not gonna be cheap.

It doesn't need to be done now, but it will need to get done,

and they want to start over.

- I get it. - I can see why you'd say that.

What does that mean?

You moved away a long time ago,

and this isn't your home anymore.

It's hard to care about a place that you're not a part of,

- and I just thought that... - Thought what?

- You know what? Never mind. - No. Luke, what is it?

Is there anything worth you staying for?

What?

Of course there is. More than you know.

But for now I have a job to do,

and Mrs. Campbell and her sisters want to accept.

I understand.

You had a job to do, and now you have to go back to your real life.

Listen, I got to go.

I promised Noah I would help.

- Hey, Mom. - Hi, honey.

You're on speaker. Merry Christmas.

Happy Christmas Eve eve to you, too.

Guess what? Our relief team just got here,

and your dad got us on a flight to Evergreen Falls.

That's great! When does your plane land?

- Hi, honey, it's Dad. - Hey, Dad.

All right, so there are a few details I'm still working on,

and there's some connecting flights that we have to deal with,

but the good news is we're gonna be there no matter what,

- and we're leaving very soon. - That sounds great.

Anyway, we'll call you later when we make our connection.

I can't wait to see you both.

Merry Christmas! We love you!

Love you, too. Okay, bye!

Hey. Come on in. It's cold.

Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday.

- It's okay. - No. No, it's not.

I was frustrated, and I took it out on you

when you were just doing your job,

which you are very good at, unfortunately.

Otherwise, they wouldn't want you to go back to the city.

Luke, at the church, you asked me if there's anything worth staying for.

Is there?

I applied for the permanent manager position.

They gave it to someone else, but I did try.

I see. You wanted to stay for the job.

- Luke, I... - No, no, no, it's okay.

I understand, really.

Here. I got you a little something to remember your time here.

- Merry Christmas, Grace. - Merry Christmas, Luke.

- Then I'll just... - Thank you.

"It's still a once-in-a-lifetime shot because of you.

Love, Luke."

Hmm.

We got an early Christmas present.

- Do you mean the offer? - Not that offer.

- We got another offer. - Does it beat 20% over our asking price?

- Then I'm still passing. - Me, too.

Well, I think we need to at least read it.

It's a letter from the buyer.

"Dear Trish, Mary, and June..."

"A few days ago, I stopped by my favorite house",

the Campbell home, which I have loved

since growing up in Evergreen Falls.

Trish thought I was there to buy it,

but I told her I was there to help you sell it.

Turns out she was right all along.

I've admired your home since I was young,

thinking to myself every day when I'd walk by,

someday I'm going to live in a house just like that.

Years later, I'm still drawn to its grace, its charm,

and the way it seemed to hold stories in its walls.

It's the kind of house that I know would make me slow down,

breathe in, and enjoy all the little moments.

My offer is far from the highest, but I want nothing more

than to be able to care for this home with the love, reverence,

and attention it has always deserved,

and if I'm lucky, give those walls new stories to tell.

It's my biggest wish that you'll allow me

"and my future family to make memories in this house..."

"house for years to come.

Merry Christmas, Grace Sawyer."

Well, you know what my vote is.

- Amen! - Merry Christmas.

- Oh, merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

I'm gonna go talk to Luke. I'll call you tomorrow.

- You do that. - Yeah, bye.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

Thank you for the picture. I love it.

I'm glad.

I have something else to tell you.

There was a second offer on the Campbell House.

Really? So, no developers?

- Actually, I think you know... - Grace.

Mom? Dad!

Oh, sweetie.

What a surprise!

I didn't think you'd make your connecting flight.

- We barely did. - Since it's Christmas Eve,

we told the taxi to drop us off here.

Uh, Mom, Dad, this is my...

Uh, this is Luke.

- Luke, how lovely to meet you. - Lovely to meet you.

And you have an absolutely spectacular daughter.

- Well, we sure think so. - You two must be exhausted.

I have plenty of food back at my house, and you should see it.

- Did you get a tree? - We did.

- Luke, will you join us? - I would love to.

Oh, it's my boss. Excuse me.

- Well, that seems peculiar. - Joyce?

Grace, hi. I'm glad I caught you.

Uh, me, too. I was gonna call you later.

I've, um, decided that it's time for a new adventure.

I'm staying in Evergreen Falls.

And if you need me to cover until you find someone to fill in for me...

That won't be necessary. I do have a question for you, though.

- Have you found a new job yet? - Not yet. Why?

Do you have someone who's looking for a realtor?

Not exactly, but I do know a firm that's looking for a managing realtor.

Grace, what you've accomplished in Evergreen Falls

in such a short time is truly impressive.

The permanent position is yours if you want it.

Yes! Yes, I do. I do.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Joyce.

Merry Christmas.

I got the job!

- Congratulations! - What a surprise!

- Dad and I will meet you back at the house. - Okay.

- Congratulations. - Thanks.

So, does this mean you're becoming a local again?

- Seems that way. - Glad it worked out for you.

There's something else.

The other offer for Mrs. Campbell's house?

- That was me. - What?

You asked me if there's something worth staying for

and I was too scared to tell you.

The truth is you are worth staying for.

The way you make me laugh,

the way you see me, see us,

that is worth everything.

And I want to spend this Christmas by your side.

If you'll have me.

What? That was a good speech.

Grace, when you stepped into my shot,

you turned my world upside down.

I've just been waiting for you to catch up with me.

- Best Christmas ever. - Till next year.