Original subtitles

This program is rated G

and is suitable for general audiences.

♪

- Maybe we should have put up more signs?

- Or maybe it's just too cold outside, Chris?

- I was hoping we'd sell at least one toy

before dinner time, Joe.

- Know what? We will,

'cause I'm gonna buy one. This one!

- But you helped them make it. - So?

The whole point is that we make toys

that we'd wanna play with, right?

- Right.

Then congrats on being our first official customer.

Chris: Let's do this every year.

- That's the plan. I wanna be a world-famous toymaker,

just like Santa Claus.

- Just way prettier. (Small laugh)

- Heather tells me it's my destiny to make toys

since I was born on Christmas.

- Can it be my destiny too?

Even though I'm born in July.

- Of course. - Pinky promise?

- Mom, look at all these toys!

Can I get one?

("Let it Snow" plays)

♪

- Ooh, that one is my favorite.

Oh, that's about $4.00.

♪ Oh, the weather outside is frightful ♪

(Alarm clock beeps)

♪ But the fire is so delightful ♪

♪ And since we've no place to go ♪

- Right, but let manufacturing know we will reorder,

once they add a new recording to the voice chip.

♪ Now, it doesn't show signs of stopping ♪

♪ And I've brought some corn for poppin' ♪

- Hmm, and I have Kathleen Keller at 11:00,

so make sure that my meeting with Quality Assurance

gets pushed. Oh, one second.

(Phone vibrating)

- Okay, yeah, go ahead.

♪ How I hate goin' out in the storm ♪

- Uh-huh.

Yeah, I'm on my way.

♪ But if you really hold me tight ♪

♪ All the way home I'll be warm ♪

♪ Now, the fire is slowly dyin' ♪

♪ And my dear, we're still goodbye-in' ♪

♪ But as long you love me so ♪

♪ Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow ♪

♪ Oh, it doesn't show signs of stopping ♪

♪ And I've brought some corn for poppin' ♪

♪ All the lights are turned way down low ♪

♪ Let it snow... ♪

Chris: Tell Marketing that I will approve all overtime,

I just need everyone to stay late

so they can finish the focus group reports.

Ah! Oh! Oh! I'm-I'm so, so sorry.

No, not you, Alice.

Santa: You're in uh, quite a hurry.

It's Christmas Time. You should be slowing down.

- Uh, Alice, hold on, I have a Santa talking to me.

I-I'm sorry, what?

- You're in too much of a hurry. It's Christmas!

You should be enjoying it all.

- Well, that sounds lovely,

but it's a very busy time of year for me, so...

- It's a very busy time for me, too.

You know, Christmas is 16 days away,

but I'm not bumping into people.

- You don't have a company to run,

and the biggest meeting of your life, happening today.

Yeah.

- That you know of. Ho, ho, ho.

(Rings bell) Oh, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

- Looking good, Nick! - Thank you, Joe.

Ho, ho, ho. Woman: Taxi!

♪

♪

- Oh. Also, I wanna make sure that there is

fresh pastries available for when Kathleen arrives.

(Gasps)

(Quietly) Get over here!

(Nervous exhale)

Why is she here so early? - I don't know,

I was in the copy room this whole time

and just saw now that she was in your office.

- How long has she been waiting?

- I'm not sure. Why are you so nervous?

- Because, CEO's of top-tier toy companies

don't call me everyday to arrange a meeting.

I mean, this could be about something big!

Help me! - Good luck.

Also, your sister called again.

- Yeah, tell her I'll call her tomorrow.

(Calming exhale)

(Sharp exhale)

(Approaching footsteps thud)

- Kathleen Keller,

it is such a pleasure to meet you in person.

- Well, I feel the same.

- Uh, I'm so sorry to keep you waiting,

I just, I thought our meeting was at 11:00?

- You know, I was probably in LA

when I put it on my calendar,

and the cell phone didn't transfer the time zones.

Well, I hope I'm not getting you at a bad time.

- Oh no, no, not at all.

I'm just so glad that you're here.

I was thrilled when I heard the CEO of Arlo Toys

wanted to meet with me.

I've just admired your work from afar

for as long as I can remember.

- I've been following yours, as well,

and to see everything you've accomplished here at CJ's Toys,

in such a short time, it's very impressive.

That's actually why I wanted to meet you.

I am uh, planning on retiring

before the end of the year. - Oh.

- And I don't wanna leave my company in just anyone's hands.

I need someone just as driven, just as dedicated,

just as business-focused as I am.

- Hmm.

- And from all my research,

I believe that person is you.

- I... I'm flattered!

- I wouldn't ask you to give up everything

you've created here, so to preserve my legacy,

and to begin yours,

I am proposing...

that CJ's Toys and Arlo Toys merge.

To form one, brand-new company,

with you as CEO.

- A-Are you serious? - To be honest,

I really can't see Arlo Toys continuing to move forward

without someone like you at the helm.

- I mean, merging, with Arlo Toys...

being in charge of something that big

would just it-it would be an honor.

- Well, I'm happy you feel that way.

- I've been trying to expand CJ's Toys for so long,

but we never had the resources until now.

- Well, there's a bit of a process

before things become official, of course.

- Yeah, of course. - But we wanna move fast

so we can make the announcement of the merger

before the new year.

- Whatever you need, I-I'm in.

- Okay, well we'll need all your quarterly reports

for the past few years. - Okay.

- And the Board will wanna meet with you

before they vote on anything officially.

- Okay, ju-just say when, and I will be there.

- Well, lots to do, as you can imagine,

but I am so happy we're on the same page.

- Me too.

- So, uh, I'll be in touch.

- Sure. Let me walk you out.

- Oh, there was one other thing that my lawyers mentioned.

- Oh, what's that?

- When CJ's first started, you had a co-founder, right?

Joe Sullivan?

(Award thump) - What?

Uh, yeah, yeah, he uh,

he left the company years ago.

- Good, then uh, it shouldn't be a problem

to get him to sign off?

- What's that now? - Well, his name is still

on the articles of incorporation.

All the owners of the company have to sign off

for the merger to go through.

But it's not a problem, right?

- No! - Okay.

- No, no, no, not at all. - Great.

- No problem. - We'll be in touch.

- Okay. - Talk soon.

- Great! (Footsteps thud quickly)

- Okay, I'm bad at lip reading, but did she just say merger?

- We have a problem.

- Merging with a company as large as Arlo Toys

takes us to the next level.

- Yeah, and they want me as CEO.

- That's amazing! But why do you look like

like you just saw a ghost?

- Because I have to get Joe Sullivan to sign off

on the merger. - Who's that?

- Short answer: he was my childhood best friend.

- Oh.

- We co-founded CJ's Toys together,

he's the "J" in CJ's Toys. - Oh!

- He left, abruptly, one day,

just after a discussion that we had about

the direction of the company.

- Still not totally seeing the problem.

- It didn't end on the best of terms,

and I have not spoken to him in seven years.

- Hmm.

- (Sighs)

I have an idea. You know what?

Get our lawyers on the phone.

I bet you I can come up with a better solution than this.

- Also, your sister called.

She needs you to call her back.

(Line rings) Woman: Hello.

- Hey, Heather!

- Finally I got a hold of you.

- Yeah, sorry, it's been a busy morning.

- You busy? No way.

- Hey, we gotta go. - Funny. What's up?

- The headliner for the UK Christmas Folk Tour

just dropped out. They asked Todd and I to step in

for the rest of the tour.

- Oh, wow! Congrats! That's so cool!

I know that you've been wanting to tour with them for awhile.

- Exactly, but it does mean

that we have to be away for a few weeks.

So, I'm calling because we need someone to watch Emma.

- Normally I would say yes in a heartbeat but um...

I just found out that Arlo Toys wants to merge with us.

With me as CEO. - Oh, wow!

That's amazing! Congratulations!

- Yeah, thank you. It's still uh...

sinking in so...

as you could imagine, there's a... a lot to do,

and apparently, it can't happen unless I get Joe Sullivan

to sign off on the merger.

- Well, there's a name that I haven't heard in a long time.

- Right? So, I-I have a lot of stuff to figure out,

so I'm-I'm sure you can understand

that throwing Emma into the mix right now

would just be really, really tough.

- Well, Mom and Dad are on their cruise until Christmas

and there's no one else that we can ask to watch Emma

on such short notice.

- You-you know, I haven't watched her in years.

- I know, because you're always working.

♪

(Reluctant) - Yeah. Yeah!

Of course I will. It's no problem at all.

- Great. We'll drop her off after dinner.

- Can't wait!

(Call disconnects) (Exhales)

♪

Todd: Okay, so no TV on school nights.

Heather: Also, make sure to be on time

for pick up and drop off. It gets crowded there.

- Oh, and tomorrow, she's auditioning

for the school Christmas concert.

- That means no staying up late!

- Okay. Right. - Relax, guys, we got it. Okay?

Right, Emma? - Okay, got a flight to catch.

Bye, Sweetheart. - Have fun with Aunt Chris!

And call me anytime. - Okay.

- Thank you. - Okay, guys, go.

Go, enjoy the tour! We're good here!

- Thank you so much, Chris!

(Door clunks closed) Whew!

(Footsteps thud)

So, hey, I mean, this should be fun, right?

We haven't hung out, just the two of us,

since you were little.

Okay, well um, you could help yourself to anything,

and I'll put your guitar and your bag up in the room

that I-I made for you.

I was gonna order a pizza tonight, if you want that?

- So... Where's your Christmas tree?

- Uh, I-I don't have one.

I usually spend Christmas at your place.

- Yeah, well not for these past two years.

- True, uh, but I usually have work emergencies

that I'm taking care of.

- At your toy company? - Mm-hmm.

- So, then, where are all your toys?

- Uh...

well, I-I mainly work on the business side of toymaking.

You know, like profit margins, and...

supply and demand.

♪

It's really cool.

How 'bout I just order that pizza?

♪

Chris: I don't understand.

But he was the one who walked away

and made it perfectly clear he wanted nothing to do

with the future of the business.

- We're here! - Can I tell him...

Oh, uh I gotta go. I will... I'll call you right back.

Okay.

Where is everyone? It seems kinda empty.

- I think everyone is inside. We're really late.

- Shoot, sorry, that's kinda my fault.

But the-the cold pizza was pretty good, right?

- Yeah.

- (Clicks teeth) Okay, I'll-I'll be here at 4:00.

- 3:00. - 3:00.

Have a good day!

Hey, good luck on the audition! - Thanks.

- (Sighs)

Okay, I'm back.

Are you sure, there's no legal action we can take?

I don't even know where Joe Sullivan is.

He's pretty much fallen off the map.

- You're looking for Joe Sullivan?

- Yeah. Hang on a second. Why?

- Well, I know Joe Sullivan.

- Well, Santa, it's probably a pretty common name.

- Well, is his father Tucker Sullivan,

who's got the antique shop downtown?

- Yeah, actually that's the one.

- Well, Joe works there now.

- Wow.

Thank you. - You're welcome.

- I found him. I found him.

(Rings bell) - Ho, ho, ho!

(Running footsteps approach)

- Hey! I'm so sorry.

Just a really busy day at the office.

You okay?

Look, I-I really am sorry, Okay:

I-I-I'll try and be better about being on time.

I just...

I'm still getting used to all this.

- It's not that.

- Then what is it?

Hey, you can tell me anything,

you know that.

- It's stupid. - I doubt that.

- I asked if I could perform an original Christmas song,

but they said that I could only perform a song

that was already approved.

- I didn't know you wrote your own songs.

Although, I guess, since both your parents are musicians,

it was only a matter of time.

- Yeah, well, they do folk covers, and I do pop.

- Oh, yeah, I like pop, too.

- (Both chuckle)

- You know, just 'cause they said no this time,

doesn't mean that things can't change.

I mean, I can't tell you how many no's I got

When I was starting my own company.

Just made me want it even more.

- Really? - Yeah!

Okay, so they won't let you perform it here.

You'll find some place else that does. It's their loss!

- I hope you're right.

Thanks, Aunt Chris.

- I know I'm right. - (Chuckles)

- Let's get outta here.

So, I have a really important stop to make.

Mind tagging along? - Sure.

- Okay.

♪

(Door clunks open, bell jingles)

- Whoa, this place is cool!

(Hammering in back, door shuts)

What's a toy hospital?

- I don't know.

(Guitar sings)

(Footsteps thud)

(Mallet bangs loudly)

♪

- (Sighs)

♪

(Mallet bangs loudly)

- Hey, Joe!

(Mallet clatters)

- Chris?

What are you doing here?

- Um, I needed to talk to you about something.

- Okay.

- What's a toy hospital?

- It's where I fix uh, toys that are broken.

- Huh, Joe, you remember my niece, Emma?

- Oh! Wow, yes,

the last time I saw you,

you were a toddler.

- Wait, you guys know each other?

- Used to.

- Look at all this stuff!

(Footsteps recede)

- I was really surprised to hear that you're working here.

- Yeah, well, things didn't quite work out

the way I'd hoped.

You know how that goes.

- Look, I-I... I didn't come here to stir things up.

- CJ's Toys and Arlo Toys are merging,

so apparently, and legally,

I need your signature to uh...

move forward with the merger.

- Hmm...

no. Mm-mm.

- No? (Mallet bangs)

What do you mean, no?

- Like, the usual definition of no,

like, no.

There's no way this is gonna happen.

I'm not gonna give our company away to a corporate giant.

- Okay, first of all, it hasn't been our company in years,

and that was your choice.

And secondly, I'm trying to do this the easy way.

Without all the paperwork and lawyers.

- Lawyers.

- And what difference does it make to you anyway?

- Wait, you guys started CJ's Toys together?

- Yeah.

And then one day, Joe decided to walk away from it all.

- That, well...

your aunt decided that the most important things

of toy making was the profits.

- No, the most important thing about running a business

is sustaining that business.

- Same thing! - It's not the same thing!

- It is. - No!

- Same thing! - Not at all!

- What's all this stuff over here for?

- Uh, those are donations that we put together.

I run the annual toy drive jamboree,

and we do an event every year with Toys for Tots.

We bring these toys to children's homes in the area.

It's really fun. - That's really nice of you.

- Yeah, it's always a lot of fun.

- Sounds like a really great cause.

- It is.

- I guess I'll get the paperwork ready and...

call the lawyers.

(Footsteps recede) Let's go.

- Chris!

(Reluctant exhale) I'll sign.

♪

Under one condition. - Okay?

- You volunteer for my toy drive jamboree,

and I will sign your silly merger away.

- I can't!

I don't have the time to volunteer for a toy drive.

- Hmm. - Um, but-but...

what if CJ's Toys made like a really big donation?

- Mm-mm. No, we need boots on the ground.

It's at Pleasant Park.

Kids come from all over.

They eat together, we play games,

they actually get to open every one of these gifts

that we collect all month long.

- Come on, Aunt Chris, it sounds like fun.

Can I help? - Yes! Of course!

The more, the merrier.

- Okay, um...

so, if I sign off on this toy drive thingy.

- Jamboree.

- Jamboree.

Then you'll sign off on the merger.

- (Exhales)

Promise.

♪

Good morning. - Morning.

(Coffee pot rattles)

- Huh. Guess who got you breakfast?

Well, technically Alice did,

but it's better than cold pizza, right?

- The sugary kind. Mom never lets me have that one.

- Oh, uh, shoot.

Well um... maybe we don't tell your mom.

Hmm?

- Oh, I found this in the back of the guest room closet.

I was looking to see if you had any Christmas decorations

stored there. You don't, but you have a toy.

- Oh, wow.

I haven't seen this in ages.

You know, Grandma took me and your mom,

when we were little, to see the Nutcracker Ballet,

and this was my souvenir. - Hmm.

Oh, it doesn't work. I tried. - Oh.

That's probably why it was in the back of the closet.

- Hmm.

You know you could take it to the jamboree meeting.

Maybe Joe could fix it.

- (Sighs) For one minute,

I had the bliss of forgetting that I volunteered.

- Why don't you like Joe? He seems nice.

- (Sighs) I don't not like Joe.

In fact, we used to be best friends.

- No way! - Yeah,

we even went to the same college.

That's where we created CJ's Toys.

- Hmm. What made you two stop being best friends?

Did you have a fight?

(Slurps coffee) - Something like that.

Anyway, you almost finished?

I wanna be able to tell your mom I made drop off on time.

- Fine, but will you go get the wind-up ballerina

to get fixed?

- For you, of course. Hmm.

♪

- So, you're holding your signature for ransom.

- Dad, I'm not holding anything for ransom,

I just think if I can keep Chris away

from her corporate world,

maybe she'll be able to get back to her love of making toys

and what got her there in the first place.

- And maybe you'll get your friend back.

- Yeah, maybe. And she'll understand why I had to leave

and couldn't keep going down that road with her.

- That's a lot of maybes. - Yeah, I know.

- Hmm, just be careful.

I know how much she meant to you

and how hard things were when things went south.

- It's not like that.

I don't have feelings for her anymore.

- Right. Of course.

- That was a long time ago, and besides,

I never acted on them.

- Well, I trust you know what you're doing.

- Just can't figure out this light.

(Clicks on) - (Laughs)

- Oh, funny. Why didn't you tell me?

♪

Chris: Well, when will the supplier show up?

Okay, well when was it due? (Bell jingles on door)

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Okay, Alice can you contact the supplier,

see if they can get those deliveries out tonight?

- Hey! Better late than never.

- Um, I gotta go.

I'll-I'll be back at the office soon.

I had a work call. - You, a work call?

Everybody, this is uh, our newest volunteer, here.

This is Christmas Winnacker.

- Uh, hi, I go by Chris. - Hi, Chris.

- Your full name is Christmas?

- Um, yeah, yeah, I was um,

I was born on December 25th,

a week early,

so my mom figured my destiny was Christmas.

- Mm-hmm. - (Light chuckling)

- You look familiar.

Oh, it's you!

You're volunteering for this too?

- Proudly! - You're... everywhere.

- Of course I am, I'm Santa.

Or, if you prefer, you can call me Nick.

- Committed to the role, huh? - Hmm.

- Noble. - Whatcha got there?

- Oh, uh...

I don't know if you remember this,

but it's my sugar plum fairy ballerina.

Emma found it and it-it's not working,

so I thought perhaps you could fix it?

- (Laughing) I do remember this!

(Sings "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies")

Uh, let me, let me look at it. I'll see what I can do.

- Thank you. - Okay, everybody,

so I was just about to get everybody together

and go over what we need to for the next week and a half.

- (Sighs) Oh, okay.

- So, we still have two more food vendors that need spots.

We need to fill those spots. Two more collection bins

are needed for the businesses over at the Galleria.

I have a walkthrough a little bit later at the venue

at the park, so who's free to come by and help me

measure out some of the venue there, anybody?

- Ho! Ho! Ho!

- Chris! Yes, thank you. That's unexpected,

but okay, it's gonna be at Pleasant Park at 4:00 p.m.

- Well, uh, well, no, no.

- Thank you. And it's... I'm inspired.

Inspired by your initiative with this.

Thank you for volunteering.

- Sure.

- Okay, Decorating Committee.

We need one.

♪

Joe: All right, that's 17 feet, right there.

- Okay, that's three booths across.

Are you sure there's enough room here for everything

you wanna put in it?

- Yeah! Sure, we'll make it work.

- Okay, well either there's enough room, or there's not.

I mean, the numbers here don't have much wiggle room.

- Ah, numbers don't determine everything.

- Right, but they play an important role.

- Are we still talking about the booths?

- You know, you were the same way when it came to our company

you didn't pay attention to the numbers there, either.

- The funny thing about that is,

you had all the most creative ideas back then.

Do you remember that little remote control car

that turned into a boat?

- Yes, I loved that car.

But then, I came back to reality

and realized you can't make something that costs more

than what you could sell it for.

- Reality, you see, that's when it all became about money.

- No, it became about running a business,

which is the whole point of having a company.

- Ah. - Hey, Joe? - Yeah.

- Do you still think the wind up ballerina could be fixed?

- I think that just about anything can be fixed

if... you're willing to work at it.

- Okay, what's next?

- Stage location.

- Wait, there's gonna be a stage?

- Yeah, I mean, not a big stage,

but there'll be music there throughout the day.

- You know, Emma's a singer-songwriter now.

- No way!

- Yeah, well, my school doesn't think so.

- Well, they won't let her perform the Christmas song

that she wrote for the school concert.

- Well, that's ridiculous.

Hey, I have a really good idea!

Why don't you play your song here,

for us, at the jamboree? - Really?

- Yeah, an original song written by a kid,

Heard for the first time by other kids,

it'll be the highlight of the entire day!

- That sounds amazing. Thank you, Joe!

- Yeah!

- Oh, hey Aunt Chris, there's a Christmas Tree lot here,

maybe we can get one for your apartment.

- Whoa, hold on, you don't have a Christmas tree yet?

- Isn't that crazy? - It's crazy.

- Well, it's not a big deal,

I spend Christmas at Heather's anyway.

- Yeah, when you're not working.

- Right, which is almost never, so I just,

I don't see the point of going through all of that

if I'm barely home.

- Wow, so okay, so your aunt

used to be really good at decorating Christmas trees.

You were! - Okay, so before you both

die of offense, let's go get a Christmas tree.

- And decorations. - Yes!

Whoa, whoa, wait.

You don't have decorations either?

Who are you?

Come on, Emma! We got work to do!

at abo?

- No way! We can go way bigger than that.

- (Laughs) You don't have to do this, you know.

I'm sure you have a ton of work to do.

- Right, and find out that you backed out,

went back into work? No way, not ever.

I'm not doin' that to Emma.

We're gonna find you something here.

We're gonna get your house decorated.

- I forgot how determined you can be.

- (Laughs) Yeah,

that's-that's one thing we had in common.

- True.

We just became determined about the opposite things.

- Yeah.

- Look, I know that us not talking for like,

seven years is this huge elephant in the room, so I-

- Shh, shh, shh, shh.

Not in front of the trees.

Christmas tree shopping is a sacred experience.

It's a merry one, in case you forgot.

- (Laughs)

- Found one!

- Look, see? Emma, she's got a Christmas spirit,

so genetically, it must be somewhere in there?

Hello?

Chris: Okay.

- I think more to the right.

No, my right. This way. - Oh, good! Yeah.

Oh, I've got needles everywhere.

- Well, that's how you know you're doing it right.

(Door opens, Joe whistling)

- Wow.

Ahem. (Coughs)

Did somebody say decorations?

- Wow! Look at all this stuff!

- And you just happened to have all these

Christmas tree decorations lying around.

- This is the tip of the iceberg.

You should see how much stuff we have.

People decorate all year round. Did you know that?

- Bordering on hoarding. - Yeah... hey.

- (Laughs)

- This is gonna look great over here.

- Oh yeah. Really great.

- Right. Oh yeah, let's tinsel it up.

- That's garland. - Same thing.

- Is it though? Both: (Laughs)

Chris: I cannot remember the last time I decorated a tree.

- I would gasp but no, that tracks.

(Chuckles) - At least I'm doing it now.

- Yeah.

- Oh, since you're out practice you probably don't remember,

but you should space out your ornaments.

They're gonna cluster. - No, they're not.

- Ooh. - Oh, yeah.

actually, you're right. - Smart kid!

- There.

(Chris' phone vibrates)

Oh, I, I have to take this.

Hey, Kathleen.

- Hey. I was hoping to catch you at the office,

but nobody picked up. - Oh, uh, I'm not there.

- Okay. Well, I was calling to let you know

that the Board wants to meet with you on the 22nd.

They want a full presentation of your work at CJ's

and your vision for our merger.

- Okay, sounds good. - All right, so,

while you're working on it, why not send it over to me,

and uh, we can tweak it to their satisfaction.

Can you have something ready for me by Friday the 17th?

- Yeah, I'll get right on that. - Excellent.

So, the other thing I wanted to ask about was

the Joe Sullivan situation. How's that going?

- Oh, uh, it's good. It's coming along.

- Heads up! Kathleen: I hope so!

Be a shame to have the Board approve

and then come up short with that.

- Well, believe me, I won't let that happen.

- Okay. Good.

- Okay, have a good night. - You too.

- Ah, look what I found!

- (Laughs)

Chris: Okay, a little to the left.

- This part? - Yeah, a little more.

Yeah, little... More to the right now.

- Okay, right there. - Right. Right there.

- Yeah? Looks good. Oh, we got a decorator down.

- I didn't realize it was so late.

I have to get her to bed. - Allow me.

Okay, come here, you.

There we go. Okay.

♪

Joe: Well, Emma is snug as a bug.

- (Chuckles) - Thank you.

- Mm-hmm.

Wait, is that what I think it is?

- This? Yeah,

I thought it might make a good tree topper.

- I can't believe you still have that.

- Well, like you said, I'm bordering on hoarder.

(Laughs)

- Really, I'm... I'm surprised.

- Guess it meant a lot to me.

You... you meant a lot to me.

- You meant a lot to me, too.

- Just some things meant a little bit more.

- I thought we weren't gonna get into that today, remember?

- Right. Right.

Your tree is decorated, and that's all that matters.

- Should we put it on top? - Yeah!

("Jingle Bells" plays)

♪

- Yeah. It still fits.

♪

♪

(Sleeping exhale)

♪

(Birds chirp)

(Waking inhale) (Phone vibrates)

♪

Hey! All right, here she is!

All dressed and ready for school.

- Looks like she's playing guitar and still in her PJ's.

- Uh, well, we have like, 10 minutes

before we have to be there, so we're... we're good!

- Hey, guess what? Joe is gonna let me perform

my original song at the Toy Drive Jamboree.

It's gonna be my first gig

where I get to play something that I wrote.

- What?! That's amazing! - Exciting!

But hold on, back up, Joe as in Joe Sullivan?

- Yeah, Aunt Chris' old friend. He's really fun.

- Interesting.

- It's a long story.

- We've got time. - Yes, but we don't.

We have to get to school,

and we are all about being on time in this house.

Heather: Mm-hmm.

- Uh, will you guys be able to make it for my performance?

- When is it? - December 23rd.

- Yeah, our last show's the 22nd, so we'll be there.

- Wouldn't miss it for the world. Love you, Honey!

- Love you! - Love you, too!

- Bye!

- I really mean it, Joe's really fun.

- Yeah, he has his moments.

- You're fun too, Aunt Chris. - Thank you.

Okay, you need to get ready for school.

Oh um, also, today after school,

I need you to come to the office with me.

I just, I have a lot of work to do. I hope that's okay?

- Yeah, sure. You work at a toy company

and that's like every kid's dream.

- Okay, get dressed.

♪

♪

- I don't get it.

- What?

- There aren't any toys here either?

- Uh, I think we have some left over from the display

that we did at the toy convention, right, Alice?

- Yeah, in storage. I can bring some out.

- That'd be great.

- Okay, why don't you set up over there

and I'll just get a little bit more work done.

- Great.

♪

- Hey. Having fun?

- Yeah. Some of these are really great.

I love this one. - Aw,

I haven't seen that one in a while.

That was our big Christmas toy a few years back.

- Hmm. This one's really cool.

- This one was one of my favorites.

Though it didn't sell like we hoped.

What about these ones?

- I don't really know what they do.

- Really?

Well, this one was huge!

See, it's a pretend phone

that leaves voice recordings for places you call.

Listen to this.

Female voice: Hi there,

would you like to make a dentist appointment?

- Oh. Fun.

- Really? I thought kids liked toys that interact

and talk back?

At least, that's what all our research shows.

- Well, they should ask more kids. It's kinda boring.

- Huh.

- So, these just sit in a storage closet.

- Yeah, pretty much.

- Can we donate them to the toy drive?

- That's a brilliant idea.

Sweet of you to think that.

- Kids are gonna love this. - (Laughs)

All right, let's donate all of them.

- Maybe not the fake phone thing.

It's super lame.

♪

- Okay.

(Bell jingles over door)

- (Sighs)

- Christmas Winnacker.

What a treat to see your face again.

- Tucker!

It is so good to see you again!

You look exactly the same.

- (Laughs) That's kind of you to say.

- This is my niece, Emma.

- Pleased to meet you.

- Is that an Epiphone hummingbird guitar?

- Sure is. Wanna see it?

- Yeah!

(Instrumental "Jingle Bells" plays)

- A musician, I see. - Whatcha got here?

- Oh, um these are donations from CJ's Toys.

Just some stuff we had at storage.

It was Emma's idea to donate.

- Aw, that's such a great idea. Okay, let's uh,

let's take them to the back. - Okay.

- All right, this way. - Yes.

- Emma, how'd you like to see some more

of the vintage guitars? - Yes, please!

Joe: Well, this was nice of Emma to... to do this.

- Yeah, well, she was pretty disappointed

when she got to the office

and saw that there were no toys around.

- Now, are these offices in those big,

giant buildings downtown? - Uh-huh.

- Oh, shame! - (Laughs)

- Do you like them? - Yes, I do.

- Really? - Yes.

What are these?

- Oh, just some designs and some sketches

I've been pitching around that...

You know how it is nowadays. Everything's so flashy,

and unless it's got an app attached,

nobody's even really interested, it seems anyway.

- Hmm.

- You were always so much better at pitching

new toys than me.

- That's just because you never liked to go at it

from the marketability perspective.

You know, see the business side of things.

- It's true.

- But I'm really glad you're designing again.

- Yeah, it's... it's a part of who I am.

You know, my dad is getting ready to retire

and I have zero interest in antique dealing, so.

(Chuckles) But you know,

so I guess I'm just trying to find my

groove with my career.

Until he sells this place.

- Hmm.

- Yeah.

- Flyers have been delivered. - Dad!

- Oh! - There you go.

- For the toy drive? - No, no, for movie night.

- Wait, what-what's movie night?

- Yeah, I have you down for helping out with tickets.

- Okay, well back up, what's-what's movie night?

- Okay, so Thursday night,

we're having Christmas movie night in the park,

where people can bring a toy, they donate it to the drive,

and then, they get to come into the movie.

It sort of helps get the word out a bit.

- Oh.

- So people can bring out lawn chairs, or you know,

Blankets to snuggle up, and I get to use my old projector.

- Oh, I remember this!

We used to watch old movies in your backyard on this!

- Yes. - Indeed!

Now, we haven't had as many RSVPs as we'd hoped,

so I thought maybe we'd just put up

some old-fashioned style flyers.

- They look good. - I could um...

talk to my social media team to get the word out.

- You'd do that? - Yeah.

♪

- Thank you.

- Happy to help. Hmm.

(Low hum of chatter)

♪

- Wow, it's packed. - Yeah!

Probably should have saved ourselves some seats!

- (Laughs) Yeah.

Santa: I've got seats for ya right over there.

- Thanks. (Chuckles) - Anytime.

- Hey, guys.

♪

(Projector clicks on and rattles)

♪

(Audience laughs)

♪

- Um, I- - This is the...

Sorry, ladies first.

- This is um, one of my favorites.

- Well, I was just gonna say that when I watch this,

it makes me uh, think of you.

- (Winces) - Oh, wow.

- Do you feel that, too? - What? No, no, no.

- What? - Kathleen is here.

- Kathleen? From Arlo? - Yes! Yes!

- What's she doing here?

- Kathleen! - Oh, hi!

- Hi! What-What are you doing here?

- Well, I saw that your marketing department

had posted about it and thought it was good cause.

Wanted to donate some toys.

- Oh, that's so nice of you. - That's so nice of you.

Just what our kids need, overly gadgety toys.

Is that a drone?

- It's a very expensive drone. - Okay.

- Who might this be? - This is Joe.

Joe Sullivan. - Joe Sullivan from CJ's Toys,

back when we used to make meaningful toys,

and not just worry about maximizing profits so much.

- Evidently even less about maximizing charm.

This is the signature we need?

- I-I'm sorry.

Joe and I just sort of see things differently

when it comes to the toy business.

- I like to make great toys.

- Hmm.

- Joe, why don't you go get us some popcorn?

- Would you like to go get some popcorn?

- Can you go get us some popcorn, please?

- That's a really good idea. - Great.

(Footsteps recede)

I am, I'm sorry, again.

- Why do I have the feeling That getting his go ahead

might be a little more difficult

than you let on at the start? - No!

I mean, it-it completely, well it's just a,

it's just a work in progress.

But you don't have to fear, we-we have an arrangement.

- I hope so!

Be a shame for such an amazing opportunity to fall through

for something trivial. - Absolutely,

and I promise you, I will not, not let that happen.

So, you tell me where you and your guests are sitting,

and I will go get that popcorn for you.

- Oh, I didn't bring anyone with me. Um...

this is what it looks like when you're married to your job.

- (Laughs) Yeah, you're right.

Okay, I'm gonna go get some popcorn

and put this down. I'll see you later.

- Thank you. - Yeah.

♪

(Boxes clatter)

- What was that?

- I-I came in a little bit hot but I was just being honest.

- By putting my dreams on the line.

I can't believe you would jeopardize

everything I'm working for.

- She can take some constructive criticism.

Come on.

- And you are only thinking of yourself.

I'm gonna go sit with Emma.

- Ok...

♪

(Regretful exhale)

Alice: So, I have the numbers you need for your presentation.

- Oh, great. - And do you need your coffee?

- Yes! Please.

- So, movie night went well?

- Huh, define "went well". - (Alice chuckles)

- What is he doing here?

What are you doing here? - Hey, I try and visit

all the most corporate-looking office buildings in America

before I die.

(Chuckles nervously) I'm kidding. I...

I actually came here to apologize.

- Oh, well, you're off to a great start.

- I let my feelings about Arlo Toys

jeopardize your business dealings and...

(Sighs)

I shouldn't have done that.

- No, no, you shouldn't have.

- I know better than anyone

how hard you've worked to get here.

And for that, I am...

I am truly sorry.

Forgive me?

- Maybe. - Maybe?

- Yes, maybe.

- (Laughs)

- So, this is...

this is CJ Toys.

- Yes. Yes it is.

- Where are the toys? - Wow.

- (Laughs)

- I-I could see why Emma's confused.

It looks really nice and it's professional.

- That's the idea. - Right.

(Rapid knocking on glass)

- Hi. 20 minutes 'til 3:00. We gotta go.

- Okay. - What's at 3:00?

- Uh, I have to pick up Emma.

It's her last day of school before winter break.

- Nice! What are you doing to celebrate?

- Nothing. - Oh, come on.

You-you don't remember what a big deal winter break was?

How much fun we used to have on the last day of school?

- Well, I didn't plan anything

she's just gonna come back here.

I have a ton of work to do.

- Oh, I wish I had a time machine,

I would take you back and remind you

how much fun we used to have.

- Hey, I do fun stuff. - Really?

Like what, this massive pile of work,

books on your desk? - Yeah, which by the way,

I should, I need to get back to this.

- Yes. You should.

- I should!

- Come... come with me.

- Come with you where?

- Ice skating.

- Actually, I've got a really good idea.

Shh. Come.

(Rock "Jingle Bells" plays)

♪

Joe: You good? Emma: Yeah, I'm good.

Joe: (Humming) Hey!

Chris: See, it's like riding a bike, right?

- Yeah, if that bike was rusty and several decades old.

(Both laugh)

- Yeah, but it beats being outside in the cold.

- That it does. This was a good idea.

- I didn't know you could skate, Aunt Chris.

- Yeah, I love skating. Come here.

- Joe, grab my other hand. - Okay.

Are you uh, getting excited yet about your performance?

- I am. It's just that I...

- She's a little nervous

about what people might think of her song.

- It's my first time playing my music

in front of the crowd. It's scary.

- Well, you just can't care what people think about you.

- That's what I've been trying to tell her.

- But you have to, actually have to practice that.

- How do you practice not caring

about what other people think?

- By staring at your insecurities, dead in the face.

(Sings off-key) ♪ Dashing through the snow ♪

Whoa!

♪ On a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ O'er the fields we go ♪ - Wow!

♪ Laughing all the way ♪

Ho, ho, ho, ho. (Emma laughs)

- You're really off-key.

- That's the whole point is you can judge me,

they can judge me, it doesn't matter,

I'm going where I'm going and I'm having fun.

So, do you wanna have some fun?

Sing your song. Let's hear it!

♪ Oh, what fun it is to ride ♪

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ Hey! ♪ Chris: Good job!

- Yes, that's great. Okay, you're next, Chris.

Come on! ♪ Jingle Bells ♪

- ♪ Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ♪

♪ Jingle all the way ♪

♪ On a one-horse open sleigh ♪

- Oh! (Both gasp)

(Landing thud, laughs) Man: You okay?

- Are you okay? Ah! - (Both laugh)

♪

- Are you guys okay? Woman: They're all right.

- Yes, great. - (small laugh)

Woman: Slow down now.

♪

- Feeling a bit better about your performance?

- I think so. What matters is that I enjoy it.

- Exactly.

Santa: Ho! Ho! Ho!

- Santa's here? - Yeah, Emma, this is Nick.

Nick, Emma. He's one of our other volunteers.

- Well, nice to meet you, Emma.

- Nick, as in Saint Nick?

- Well? - Well, if you want it to be.

- (Giggles)

- I was hoping to catch you here.

- Now, how did you know that we were gonna be here?

- Well, it's me! Santa! - (Chuckles)

- Anyways, I was rotating bins at the Christmas Café.

We're getting great donations there, by the way.

- Oh, that's great.

- Oh, I didn't know that place was still open.

I thought it closed down forever ago.

- Grand reopening this week. - Wow!

We haven't been there since...

well, since we were kids.

- How would you like some tickets for Christmas dessert?

- Uh... I-I can't, I have to get some work done

on that presentation for the Board.

- Wait, what's a Christmas café?

- It's a place all about Christmas desserts

and non-stop fun. Ho! Ho! Ho!

- It would always open up right after Thanksgiving,

and then close right after New Years.

- Hmm. - Can we go?

Please, Aunt Chris, I've never been. Please?

- Yeah, they do have really good fudge there.

- Oh, they do have really good fudge.

I would eat that 'til I get a stomach-ache.

- Yeah, but it's so worth it. - Please?!

- Come on.

- (Laughs) Okay, yes, just for a little while.

- Yes! - And Joe too?

- I do happen to have three tickets.

- Oh, looky, looky.

- If he would like to join us.

- I, you know, could always make time

for a little bit of... Christmas desserts.

- Mm-hmm. - Look at that.

- Let me see those. - Ho! Ho!

- Those are cool.

(Train whistles, whirs)

♪

Emma: Am I dreaming?

How has no one told me about this place?

- Ah, hasn't changed one bit.

- Look at this! They still have the reindeer racing game.

- Oh!

- We must've blown every single penny we made

in our toy stand on this game.

- That's because you were always trying to beat my high score.

- Which I did. - Only once.

- Only once. - I wanna try!

- Okay, well let's eat first.

- Okay, I'll take one of everything.

- Me too. - I'm starving. Me too!

- (Laughs) - Mm-hmm.

- Sure we can't play first? - (All laugh)

(Cutlery clanks)

Emma: I think I still have more room.

- I think your mom would want me to cut you off.

- Hey, look, game's free! Now's your chance!

Go see if my name's still on the top score.

- Uh yeah, doubtful. - Ah.

- I think the last time we were here

was high school winter dance.

- Ah, the winter dance. Good memory.

- Yeah, and if that memory serves me right,

your date fell asleep on that booth.

- Who, Dan? - Dan.

- I don't remember that.

- Come on. Dan. Dan the man. - (Laughs)

Well, what about your date, huh? Sandy.

- Oh. - Right?

She didn't even go to our school.

- Well, it was slim pickins.

I had to call in a favor and it's, you know,

because somebody bailed on me, not pointing any fingers.

- No, I didn't!

Dan asked me and you knew how into him I was.

Besides, I don't think you wanna talk

about who bailed on who, hmm?

- For the record, I-I never bailed on you.

- You're not talking about the winter dance, are you?

If you didn't bail, then what do you call just

walking away from everything that we had been working

our entire lives for?

- I had to.

Wasn't our company anymore

and it certainly wasn't me.

And wasn't us.

- According to you!

I mean, we didn't even talk about it.

You know,

(Sighs)

let's not get into it right now.

- That's fine. Fine with me.

- You know, I think it was this booth

where you snorted root beer out your nose.

- That was you. - No.

- Yes. - Really?

- Oh yeah, we were 13 and you had this great about idea

a Slinky that also was a pen, and I was like,

"Hey, why don't we call it an Inky Slinky."

- (Laughs) - And you snort laughed;

so much root beer went everywhere, like on me.

- Oh, that's right.

- Oh, that was your fault.

- That's true. - Yeah.

- Good memories. - (Content exhale)

♪

(Whooshes, toys rattle)

(Door shuts)

- Hey, hey, I know, I know that I said

that I would help you earlier with sorting out the toys,

but I, oh, I...

- Work, right?

- Yes. - Hmm.

- I'm just, I'm just, I'm juggling a lot,

but I am here now.

- Okay, well since we get so many different types of kids

at the jamboree, I like to organize the toys

into categories of interest.

So, when a kid's opening their gift,

they're gonna get something that they really like.

- Okay, okay, I can help with that.

- Okay.

- I've done lots of research on toy groupings and...

- Yeah, no. No, no.

In this case, you're gonna actually wanna pick up the toy

and touch it and play with the toys.

For example, sports and games.

- Or science.

- How so?

(Ball flutters) Okay.

- Good lesson on physics. - Physics. Think fast!

- Ah! (Laughing)

♪

(Playful laughter)

- Yes, I scored! - Wait, wait, wait, no!

- Yes! - No! - Yes!

- Okay, good job.

♪ Jingle Bells ♪

- This is definitely in the games and learning category.

- And high-level skills.

- But that's not a category.

- Really? - No.

- Should be. Look at this.

(Blocks clatter) - (Laughs) Yes!

High-level skills are definitely required.

♪ Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ♪

- Can-can I show you something?

- Sure.

- Come.

♪

(Boxes thud)

- You wanted to further prove to me that you're a hoarder?

- Funny. Just, just look inside the box.

- (Gasps) Oh.

I remember this.

That's the first toy we ever made for CJ's Toys.

I remember because we couldn't agree on the color of the vest.

- But eventually, you gave into blue.

- It looks good.

Are these all? - Yep.

(Taps box) Every toy we ever made.

- You kept them.

- Yeah. Look at this.

I remember... you remember this one?

- (Laughs) - It's a prototype modelled

after a high school gym teacher.

- Yes, the crazy hair! - (Laughs)

- Wow.

Still can't believe it.

Glad you kept them.

- Yeah.

- Hmm.

What are these, more toy designs?

- Yeah, just something I've been working on recently.

- What is it? - This?

This is uh, my plans for a dollhouse

that kids can build from the ground up. All by themselves.

- I like it! - Yeah.

- You know, you could make it so that each part

has multiple uses, and then that way, there could be like,

an infinity number of houses

that someone could build from one kit.

- That's actually a really good idea.

(Pencil rasps)

Chris: Yeah. - Like that?

- Yeah, like that.

- We made a good team.

- Until we didn't.

- 'Cause it stopped being about the toys.

- Because it was the real world, Joe.

The toy business was competitive.

I just wanted to make sure that we lasted.

- And I wanted to make sure that we didn't lose track

of what that was, what made our company great

in the first place.

We made open-ended toys

that allowed kids' imaginations to run wild and...

you lost faith in us knowing what that was.

- Because we weren't kids anymore, Joe!

- Right.

- (Slow exhale)

- Success mattered. Money mattered.

- We're never gonna agree on this, are we?

- No.

I'm gonna go pick up Emma.

♪

(Remorseful exhale)

♪

Tucker: Hey, is Chris stopping by?

(Items clatter)

It's been nice having her around.

I remember how inseparable you two used to be.

- Even after all this time,

whenever she comes around, there's just this

part of me that feels...

- Complete?

- Yeah.

- You should tell her that.

- It's just lingering nostalgia, Dad.

I'm never gonna change her priorities.

Work's... work's always gonna come first and you know,

that's okay, it's just who she is.

I just need to accept that.

There she is.

- Well, everyone needs someone to balance them out.

- What does that mean?

- Means to keep your mind open to some of her strengths.

Man: Merry Christmas!

Chris: Yeah, I'll call, I'll call you back.

- Everything okay? Sorry. - Sh! Nick!

Hey, uh yeah, yeah, just lots of work to do

and I know that Joe needs my help,

but I also need to run through this presentation thing

I have tomorrow afternoon.

- Or, now hear me out,

you stay here, you turn off the phone,

and you trust that everything's going to work out

the way it's supposed to.

- That's nice, in theory.

- You know when you were little

and you used to stay up really late at night waiting for me

to come down the chimney?

- You or Santa?

- My point is no matter how hard you tried to stay awake,

you'd still fall asleep. - Yeah.

- Sometimes we think we want something so bad,

but in the end, forces beyond our control, they know best.

It's better to let go.

And to see what tomorrow brings.

(Small chuckle)

♪

(Nick chuckles)

- Go! Here come the presents! - Okay, I got it.

I'm catching up. - No.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah! - Go Chris! Go Joe!

Watch the jump! - I got this!

- (Laughs) You wish!

Okay, I'm catching up, I'm catching up.

- Nope! Nope! - Yes!

- Eat my reindeer! - Whoa, here I come!

- Yes! - Oh!

- Oh, I still got it!

- Oh, so close! Almost had you.

- No, you didn't.

- Oh, hey, our desserts are here.

- I still can't believe you guys talked me into this.

I'm supposed to be home, working on my presentation.

- What more do you need to do?

Just tell them that you're really good at devoting

all your time to making trendy toys.

- Only you can make success sound bad.

Either way, we all need to rest.

You have set-up tomorrow,

and you need to practice your song.

- Come on, Aunt Chris, I've already practiced a ton.

Does this mean that we're not getting another slice

of pecan pie? - Hmm.

- Oh, I did not say that. - Yes!

- Mm-hmm. - (Emma chuckles)

♪

- Didn't you get my message last night?

- What? No, no, Santa turned off my phone, why?

- The Board moved your presentation up a few hours.

You're supposed to be there right now!

- What?! Are you kidding? Call them. Call them,

tell them I'm on my way. I'm on my way!

- Go! Go! - Ugh!

(Low hum of chatter)

Kathleen: Here she is.

- Ah, my sincerest apologies.

There was a slight mix up

and I didn't realize the presentation had been moved up.

- Well, you're here now, so why don't we get started?

- Great.

(Clears throat)

I would like to begin by walking your through CJ's Toys

exponential growth over the last decade.

♪

- Ta da! Well, it's not Busch Stadium, but it's a start!

- I love it! - Yeah?

Okay, check this out. Here's what I'm thinkin'.

You can go here and then,

we'll have the speakers projecting out into the world.

- Yeah, I can't believe this is where I'm gonna be

performing my first original song.

- Oh yeah, they're gonna be doing drive-by tours

of this very spot. - If people like it.

- If people like it? Who cares!

All that matters is that you like it, you enjoy yourself.

That's what matters, right? - Yeah.

- That's what I think. - Thanks. And Joe?

- Mm-hmm?

- I hope you and my aunt keep being friends.

- (Sighs) Yeah. Me too.

- Good. No more going seven years without talking.

- Deal. - Okay.

- Now, let's get your guitars out

and let's get a sound check going.

- Yes. (Giggles) - Rock on! (Laughs)

- So, as you can see, my priorities at CJ's Toys

were about optimization of profits

and always looking for ways to expand.

I believe a merger with Arlo Toys would be a perfect fit.

- Here at Arlo Toys, we take pride and dedication,

and investing in the work

Is that something you think you can handle?

- Oh, absolutely.

I've spent the last seven years learning how to work harder

and work faster, and that does not happen

without many late nights and cancelled plans.

- Okay, well thank you, everyone.

- Thank you.

Board members: Thank you very much. Thank you.

I'm gonna have to take these. (Papers shuffle, chairs rattle)

(Low hum of chatter)

- Well, didn't go quite as flawlessly as I'd hoped,

but I think it went okay.

- (Sighs) Again, I'm so sorry about being late.

- Well, hopefully the numbers in your reports

speak for themselves. - Please,

let, let me know if there's anything else we can do.

- Well, would you like to go through

some of the future toy lines? I have some time now.

- I would love to, but I'm sorry, I can't.

I have to go set up for that toy drive.

- Right. Of course.

Have... have a good toy drive and uh,

I'll let you know if there are any decisions.

- Okay, thank you.

- Hey, get that signature.

- I will.

Thank you, again.

(Small laugh)

♪

- (Pensive exhale)

Chris: Okay, so your parents made their flight

and they're gonna make it here on time to see you perform.

- Hmm.

I've had a lot of fun with you, Aunt Chris.

We've never gotten to spend this much time together before.

- Yeah, that's my fault.

But I will absolutely make sure we spend more time together

in the future.

- Promise? - I promise.

- And Joe?

- And hopefully Joe too.

- You know, I was thinking, you should marry Joe.

You know, then he'd be my uncle.

Just throwing it out there.

- Okay, somebody had a little bit too much peppermint bark.

- He's cute and funny,

and he likes toys as much as you do.

- Good night, my sweet niece.

- Good night.

(Light switch clicks)

(Footsteps recede)

♪

♪ I got a bright vest, Baby ♪

♪ Jingle bells what a thrill ♪

♪

♪ I'm gonna take ya downtown, we got Christmas time to kill ♪

♪

♪ It's a downtown Christmas, Baby take a ride with me ♪

♪

♪ Yeah, it's a downtown Christmas ♪

♪ Baby, take a ride with me ♪

♪

♪ On a cold Christmas night, downtown is where I wanna be ♪

♪

♪ You know uptown, Baby ♪

- Hey, you. - Hmm.

- Have you heard from them?

- Yeah, Heather and Todd just texted,

they're gonna be here any minute.

- Good. I mean, is she nervous? How's she doin'?

She's about to debut her big song.

- Well, I think she's okay. She's warming up right there.

- Oh.

♪ This is the season ♪ Woman: Merry Christmas to you!

Joe: Look at her go!

- I know.

- (Laughs)

- You know, this whole thing is really special.

- Why, thank you. - I mean it.

I mean, you took your love of toys

and found a way to give back.

Usually this time of year,

I'm only concerned with the bottom line.

- Well, ever since I left the company and you,

I've had this giant void that I've been trying to fill

with stuff. Things like this.

- Oh.

Is it working?

- Odd to say, with you here,

yeah, it's working pretty good.

- Hmm.

Todd: Hey Chris! - Hey!

Wanna let her know? - Yeah, I'll check on her.

- Okay. - Where is she?

- Hi! She's warming up.

- Oh! Thank you for everything. She's warming up?

- Good. - It's her first time.

- I know, right?

Joe: Okay, okay, put your hands together one more time

for the flying turtle doves.

(Crowd cheers and claps)

Ahem!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,

please join me in welcoming to the stage

our very next performer,

performing an original Christmas song.

Put your hands together for Emma Stewart!

(Crowd cheers and claps)

- Go Emma! - Wooo!

- Show 'em what you got!

- (Nervous exhale) - Yeah.

(Crowd claps and cheers)

(Emma begins to play guitar)

♪

♪ All they want for Christmas ♪

♪ Is a little heart and love ♪

♪ They're not asking for an angel ♪

♪ Just hoping Santa knows ♪

♪ Wishing on a star through the window ♪

♪ They never stop believing ♪

♪ Looking at the twinkling lights ♪

♪ Dreaming of a present ♪

♪ That's on its way to them tonight ♪

♪ Tonight ♪

♪ Oh Joyful, Joyful ♪

♪ This is the season ♪ (Crowd cheers)

♪ Time to make a change ♪

♪ Santa won't you bring my happiness ♪

♪ On your sleigh ♪

- Yeah Emma! (Clapping)

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

♪ All they want for Christmas ♪

(Clapping along rhythmically)

♪ Is someone to hold their hand ♪

♪ They're not asking for an angel ♪

♪ Just a little faith to know ♪

♪ Santa's on his way through the snow ♪

♪ Oh, Joyful, Joyful ♪

♪ This is the season ♪

♪ Time to make a change ♪

♪ Santa, won't you bring my happiness ♪

♪ On your sleigh ♪

♪ Ooh, ooh ♪

(Crowd cheers and claps)

(Crowd cheers and claps)

(Crowd cheers and claps)

(Emma giggles)

♪

- Oh! (Chuckles) Kathleen!

I-I didn't expect to see you here.

- I know, I'm sorry to just drop by like this but uh,

- Oh.

- ...by the way, this is gorgeous. I'm impressed!

- Ah, thank you. It was a team effort.

So, uh is-is everything okay?

- It went great. - Oh.

- The Board has approved the merger

with you as the new CEO.

- Wow! Wow!

Wow.

Uh, I can't believe it. Uh...

Well, it's official now.

- Well, not quite, we still have that signature, right?

- Oh, right. Ha, ha. Well, we um...

(Kids laughing)

We made a deal, so you're gonna have that soon.

- All right.

Well, I was just really excited to come by

and tell you the news.

You know, I see so much of myself in you.

And I cannot wait to see the enormous success

you are gonna make of this new company.

- Ah, thank you! Thank you so much.

I mean, this is all I have ever wanted.

- Well... - (Reluctant laugh)

- congratulations.

See you soon. - Okay. Okay.

♪

♪

Woman: Which one do you want? You want the Teddy Bear?

- There ya are!

- Oh, hey. - Hey.

- I was just getting a head start on cleaning up.

- Oh, wow. Can I talk to you?

- Yeah! Oh, about the tree?

I'm so sorry about that bald spot

where more tinsel needed to go. I-

- What? No, no, no. But look at you, you're just...

a tree designer. - (Laughs)

- Sorry, no, it's not that at all.

It's got nothing to do with trees. I um...

Whew.

I am in love with you.

Seems like I may have always been in love with you.

But I just didn't wanna jeopardize our-our friendship

or our uh, our,

business relationship, our partnership,

so I just never acted on it. Never did anything about it.

But these last few weeks,

just seeing you with Emma,

and spending time with you,

it feels like I've been with the real Chris again.

And all these feelings just came rushing back in

like a tsunami,

and I don't even know what to sometimes do with myself

when I'm around you, but listen,

I know we're best friends,

but there's something here,

there's something here,

and I think there's always been something here.

If you, do you feel it?

- I do. - Good.

- Of course I feel it, too, but...

the real Chris?

I mean, I-I'm still me.

I'm still this Chris.

I-I'm worried that you're in love with a version of me

that doesn't exist.

- No, no, no, she exists.

She's right here, I'm looking at her,

and she, you, did this.

You helped create all this.

I should've never left so abruptly

and-and-and I, I should've never given up on us,

all those years ago.

- But Joe, it-it, it would never work.

- Why-why not?

- Because CJ's Toys is merging with Arlo Toys

and I am going to be CEO. Kathleen just told me.

Only thing we're waiting on is your signature.

- Is that, is that really what you want?

Really, still?

- I've worked my entire life for this.

How do you not understand that?

How do you say you're in love with me and then,

think I don't want this anymore? This who I am!

- (Sighs) I...

if...if this is what you want,

go for it.

(Sharp exhale)

Ever since we were 10,

all I've wanted is your happiness.

I didn't stand in your way then,

and I'm not gonna stand in your way now.

(Footsteps recede)

- (Sighs)

(Alarm beeps)

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

- Hi! How was the toy drive?

(Paper crinkles)

- When did Joe drop this off?

Did he... leave a note,

or say anything?

- Must've been before I got here.

♪

♪

(Children laughing)

Chris: Hey, Nick! Got the toys.

- So glad to see that you got my message.

- Sure.

- Hope it wasn't an inconvenience.

- No, I was headed downtown anyways, so it worked out well.

- To Arlo Toys?

- Yep.

Only thing left to do is sign.

- Hmm.

Ah, there's nothing better

than seeing a kid immersed with a toy. (Chuckles)

- I remember wrapping that truck over there.

Look at that, that's the little girl

that I had the tea party with.

- Hmm. - She loves that doll so much.

- Do you see how much joy we brought these kids?

Creating joy is what Christmas is all about.

I don't think Christmas is only one day a year.

I think Christmas is anytime.

Any day.

People always striving to create joy in others.

In themselves.

- It's a good motto to live by.

- I guess what I'm trying to ask is,

does this bring you that kind of joy?

♪

Child: Santa! He's here! He brought more toys!

(Kids cheer) Yeah! - (Chuckles)

- Duty calls. And you have a big decision to make.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Oh, here we go. Okay.

So, let me see, who would like the red one?

- (Kids shout) Me! - There you go!

(Plays a slow tune)

- Gift from my second husband.

- Ah, it's pretty.

- Yeah, it's about the only thing from that marriage

that survived.

- Oh, um... - It's okay.

We all have tough decisions in life to make,

and I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah, you know, we decide to go for more profits,

more product,

newer designs, flashier toys.

All of that just doesn't leave a whole lot of time

for personal stuff.

- Yeah. Yeah,

I missed the last two Christmases with my family

because I was making sure those consumer reports

were being filed.

- Well, it's the price we pay.

- Do you ever regret it at all?

- Sometimes.

Sometimes I wish I had found a better balance.

Maybe this retirement will be my second change.

- Huh, maybe.

- Well, anyway, we have work to do here.

These contracts aren't gonna sign themselves.

Shall we?

♪

- (Smirks)

(Cranks the toy)

- Been at that nonstop.

- Yeah, but it's a lot easier to focus on this.

- Than Chris?

- I don't wanna talk about it.

Okay, I'll talk about it. It's embarrassing, Dad.

I laid it all on the line

and I don't think there's anything else for me to do

or (scoffs) or say,

that's for sure.

- Sometimes things don't work out

exactly when we want it,

or exactly how we want it,

but that doesn't mean they don't find a way to work out.

- I mean... I hate the way that we left things.

If there's one thing I've learned over those few weeks is

how much I've missed our friendship.

- So, don't let it slip away again this time.

Hey, you have to take that toy back to her again, right?

- (Scoffs) Yeah.

- So, tell her that you don't wanna go another seven years

without speaking again.

- Right, but if she goes through with this merger then

I'm gonna lose her all over again.

- So, don't let that happen, okay.

♪

♪

♪

♪

- Hi. - Hi. Alice, right?

- Yeah. - Is Chris here?

- No, sorry.

- Do you know where she went? - Yeah,

she actually just called from Kathleen Keller's office.

- Oh, so she's um,

going through with it then.

- She asked me to get a champagne bottle ready so,

I assume so.

Do you want me to tell her you stopped by

or I could give her a call.

- No, no. Um...

(Winds the toy, music plays)

Works. If you could um, give this to her.

Uh, that'd be great.

- Yeah. Will do.

- Thanks, Alice. - Hmm.

♪

- Woo!, playful la)

♪

- So, my teachers heard about how everyone liked my song

at the jamboree, and they promised that I could perform

an original song at next year's concert.

- Hey, that's great! - Wow!

- So, you gonna remember me w hen you're a big,

famous singer-songwriter?

- Oh, I'm sorry, what was your name again?

- (Laughs) - I'm kidding!

Mom, can I have a few more quarters

for the reindeer racing game? - Sure, Honey.

- Thank you.

- I guess I should thank you

for introducing Emma to this place?

She only asks to come here every five minutes.

- Sorry. Okay. (Sighs)

I'll have some pie then I'm off to see Joe.

- I can't believe you're really doing this.

- I know, me neither. It just feels right.

- I'm proud of you.

I really am. This is big.

- Thank you.

It took me a while to get here but I don't know,

I woke up this morning and I just,

I felt like anything was possible.

- Good luck.

- Thank you. Hopefully he doesn't turn me away.

- Just be open, be honest,

and go with your gut.

- Okay. But I need pie.

- (Laughs) - I need pie.

(Bell jingles over door)

- Oh, sorry, we're closed.

(Door shuts, footsteps thud)

- It's gonna be a white Christmas tonight.

- Chris. (Slow confused exhale)

What are you doing here?

- I wanted to talk to you.

- I don't really think there's a whole lot to be said.

- Oh, I think there's a lot to say.

- I-I heard about the merger,

that you went forward with it,

so just, congratulations there,

I'm super happy for ya.

- Hmm. You look super happy.

- (Sighs)

- Joe. - Chris.

♪

- I didn't move forward with the merger.

- I don't... no,

because Alice told me about the champagne.

- Champagne to celebrate, but not the merger.

- What? - Yeah. (Nervous exhale)

So, no merger.

Technically no CJ's Toys, either.

- What happ... what about you?

Like, you were supposed to run the whole shebang.

- That's kinda why I wanna talk to you.

- Okay. - Okay. (Nervous exhale)

See, now um,

I'm kind of a free agent.

And I was hoping that uh,

you and I could

start over.

Together.

Like a blank slate.

And you and I...

could build the kind of company that we always wanted to.

We could run it and operate it

like we always intended to.

♪

We could build meaningful toys

that bring people so much joy.

(Emotional exhale)

And we could be at a company where we would be free

to be ourselves.

- (Sighs) Hold on. Hold on.

Let me just get this straight,

you wanna make toys again with me.

- Yes, I do.

I mean, with my business sense and your imagination,

we make a pretty good match.

- That we do.

Are you sure about this?

- More than anything.

♪

- (Happy exhale)

There's just uh, one little, tiny complication.

- What's that?

- I'm in love with you.

♪

(Upbeat Instrumental "Jingle Bells" plays)

- Merry Christmas! Happy! Happy!

♪

♪

♪

- Hmm. - Ooh. Hey.

- (Giggles)

- Corner Stand Toys' first Christmas party

is off to a good start.

- Yeah. Although I miss Nick, huh,

I haven't seen him since this year's toy drive.

- Well, duh, tonight's his biggest night of the year.

- Impossible. - Are you sure?

- Yeah, are you sure? - (Laughs) Come on!

- He's always right there where you need him.

- Mm-hmm.

- He's always making sure kids have toys,

and he's always busy on Christmas Eve.

- Yeah.

- Final numbers are in!

Build Your Own Dollhouse

is officially the number three toy this Christmas.

All: (Cheer) - Yes!

(Clapping) - That's awesome!

- Good job, everybody!

- Whew. - Congratulations.

- Congratulations to you.

- Are you sure you're all right with not being number one?

- You know, I mean, long-term data does say

that kids are five times more likely to play

with our dollhouse than that number one

little laser light toy thing.

- Yeah, I couldn't agree more.

- (Chuckles)

- Merry Christmas, Christmas.

- Merry Christmas, Joe.

♪

All: (Cheering)

(Clapping) Woo-woo-woo! Woo-woo-woo!

- (Chuckles)

♪

♪

♪

♪