Original subtitles

♪ ["Deck the Halls"]

- Looks great, Gretchen. - Thanks, Tim.

Hey, Mary. Could you give this to Gary?

Thank you.

Please tell me you went home and slept last night, Steven.

We break ground on the museum this afternoon.

That's not an answer.

What is that tie?

It's my "Christmas is only a few weeks away" tie.

It's very, uh, festive.

Sorry if I actually enjoy

getting into the spirit of Christmas.

Hey, I enjoy Christmas. It's the one day a year

I don't answer my cell phone on the first ring.

Oh, Rachel wanted to talk to you.

Looks like we might have an investor

for the shopping center.

More than a chance.

They want to hear pitches this week.

And if they like what they hear, they'll invest.

Steven, I need you to take the lead on this.

Yeah, no problem.

I know you're super busy with the museum.

No. I can totally do both.

You land this pitch, and I have a feeling

the board will have no problem making you a partner.

And, Tom, you're next in line.

Where you going?

Big day ahead. Gotta refuel on espresso.

- Ohh! - I am so sorry!

No, no, it's my fault. I, uh...

I wasn't looking where I was going.

What is this?

It's snow.

Well, it's fake snow from all the decorations.

That... That is a lot of Christmas.

Well, it is almost Christmas.

Right. Yeah, I just...

I didn't expect to see the building lobby

decked out this much.

Well, the building manager just hired me.

I'm a holiday decorator.

That's a thing?

Mm-hmm, and it's a really great job.

People love holiday cheer,

and they like when their surroundings reflect that.

It's just... It's a bit much.

Are you always this harsh on Christmas,

or just when you're covered in snow?

No, I'm not being harsh.

Okay, it's just that... It's just...

Christmas is one day a year.

I think people go overboard for it.

Actually, it's a lot more than just one day a year.

It's the whole season of wonderful things.

And I think people should go overboard.

I can tell you're passionate about it.

It's not really my thing.

Okay, well, um, I'm really sorry about your sweater.

And you know what? Honestly, it just looks like

you could've used the holiday cheer, so...

Merry Christmas.

Hey, Marie.

Hey. They gave me an extra cappuccino this morning.

Oh, thank you. I had another decorating job earlier.

- A building on West Sixth. - That's great news!

That's, what, like your second new client this month?

Right? I mean, I'm so thankful

for Nolan letting me work here part-time,

but if I just get a few more clients,

I can take on holiday decorating full-time.

- Fingers crossed. - Yes! I mean,

getting to decorate the look of a space?

Complete creative control? There's nothing like it.

- Morning, Gretchen. - Good morning.

Need to go over the setup for the desk catalog.

Gave some notes on your last layout.

They need less color and want it to feel more crisp.

What's that supposed to mean?

Not exactly sure, but I told 'em you could figure it out.

Also, we're shooting the display for Woodfire Magazine.

Here's a description of how the company wants it to look,

so just do you did last time

and give them exactly what they want.

Thanks.

Complete creative control, you say?

That's the dream.

Oh, Aunt Lindsay, these companies all want

such specific looks for their catalogs.

No matter how many ideas I suggest, it just doesn't matter.

Nobody listens.

I know it's only a part-time job,

but I still wish you could quit.

Focus full-time on your business.

I can't. Not until things pick up a little more.

And who knows how long that will be?

Right now you're splitting your energy.

Maybe all you need to do is focus on one thing,

the thing you're passionate about.

I will. I just need a few more clients first.

I wish I could pay you for helping me decorate this place.

Don't be silly! The inn is what inspired me

to even start Holidays Made To Order.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions

is decorating this place with you.

Mine as well.

[laptop chiming]

Uncle Steven!

- Working late? That's new. - Hey, Paige.

How'd the volleyball tournament go last week?

That was a month ago, but it went well.

Good. You are by far my most talented niece.

I'm your only niece.

That has nothing to do with it.

Did you get ahold of Uncle Steven?

Hey, sis.

Oh, good. I need to talk to you.

I know, I know. I need to book my flight,

but it looks like this year's gonna be another year

of me just flying to your place on Christmas Eve

and then flying back on the 26th.

- Plans are changing. - How so?

A pipe burst in our house.

Thankfully, we caught it before this place

turned into an indoor swimming pool.

Oh, no. I'm so sorry.

It's gonna be a major job to repair it,

so they're turning our water off for at least a week.

- Yikes. - Exactly, so...

obviously, we can't host Christmas this year.

No, no, I wouldn't expect you to.

And since Mom and Dad moved into that condo,

they don't have enough space for all of us.

So what are you saying?

What if we all came to you?

You could host Christmas this year.

Oh, no, no, I don't think that's a good idea.

I have got a lot going on at work,

and in no way am I prepared for this.

I mean, I don't even have a tree.

Come on. You've never done it.

It's long past due.

Plus I already told Mom that you would.

What? Why?

Because you love us, and you miss us,

and you have that nice house, and it would be fun.

And did I mention you love us?

I don't think you guys would have any fun, you know?

I have to work the whole time.

Please, Uncle Steven.

Visiting you will be way more fun than staying here.

Plus I want to see what Christmas is like in Salt Lake.

Okay. Yes. Let's...

Let's have Christmas at my place.

No, I totally understand.

And if your company has a budget for a decorator next year,

I also do other holidays.

Hello?

New client?

No. Actually, it was a cancellation.

I know what will cheer you up.

That guy Pete I've been seeing, we're going out tonight,

and he has a really cute friend, Josh.

I already told you,

I am not ready to get into anything.

Thank you.

It's been months since you and Zach split.

I think that a fun night out will do you good.

Do you know what I need?

I need a new client,

not a new boyfriend.

Don't be stressed.

You've pitched to investors this big before.

I'm sure you'll do great.

It's not the pitch. I found out last night

that my entire family is coming here for Christmas.

Nice!

No, it's not.

Each year, my sister throws this elaborate family holiday.

Everything is perfect.

And now they're all coming here, and they expect the same.

My mom texted me last night saying how excited she is

to see my place all decorated,

and I don't think that the Santa reindeer that I picked up

is really gonna cut it.

Okay, breathe.

I'm sure your family knows you're busy with work

and will cut you some slack.

I come from a family of overachievers.

If it's not perfect, it ain't good.

So hire someone.

Do people do that?

Ask around.

Actually, wait a minute.

The other day I ran into this woman

who was hired to decorate the building lobby.

There you go. Ask the guy in the lobby.

I'm sure he'll give you her name. What?

We didn't really get off to a great start.

Still worth a try. I mean, what else you gonna do?

- She did a nice job. - Oh, thank you.

You bet.

This looks great. It's perfect.

- Thank you. - Yeah, of course, well done.

Take a break. Go grab some lunch.

- Marie. - Good job.

- [phone ringing] - Oh.

Hello, this is Gretchen.

Uh, hey, it's Steven Brenner.

We met the other day in my building lobby.

Well, actually, we sort of ran into each other

in my building lobby.

The snow is all water-based,

so it should come right out of your sweater.

No, no, the sweater's fine. That's not why I'm calling.

I actually wanted to hire you for your services.

You're kidding.

No, no, I'm not.

I know that's probably the last thing

you expect me to be calling about,

given our... our exchange.

My entire family is coming in for the holiday,

and I need my house decorated for Christmas

as soon as possible.

Yeah. I can actually be there this afternoon.

Uh, wow.

Okay, great.

I will, um, I'll send you my address.

Thank you.

Thank you. Bye.

Three gigs in one month? Okay.

STEVEN: Oh, there's someone at the door.

- Yeah. - Hi.

I'll get those sketches over tonight. Gotta go.

Sorry about that.

I'm not usually home from work this early.

Thank you for coming over on such short notice.

All in the name of Christmas.

Exactly.

Come on in.

I really like your neighborhood.

All the other houses are very festive and decorated.

Yours is nice too. It's just...

It'll be fun to start with a blank slate

I've got my work cut out for me.

So what kind of Christmas are you looking for?

I can do traditional, modern.

We can go full-blown North Pole with animatronic reindeer.

I guess I was just thinking, uh...

Christmas.

Okay, well, how about I just take a look around?

I will get some measurements

and just get a feel for your place.

- By all means. - [phone chimes]

Is this your family?

Yeah, the ones that are coming.

You look like you're really close.

We are. That's why I want to make this special for them.

Will you help me measure the kitchen island?

Yeah.

Okay, I'm gonna go to the island.

Thank you.

Here you go.

So does your family also believe that Christmas decorations are--

how did you put it-- a little much?

Oh, I shouldn't have said that.

I was really flustered from all this stuff at work.

I was designing a new building, so I'm sorry.

Are you an architect?

Yeah. I work for Geyser Corporation.

I can design a building, just can't decorate the inside.

Well, don't even worry.

I already have a bunch of ideas for this place.

So tomorrow after work,

I will just go pick up a whole bunch of stuff,

then get started.

This isn't your job?

I stage for a catalog,

but it's really mundane and restrictive.

But it's a job.

So I started Holidays Made To Order

as my passion project,

and I hope to make it my job.

I didn't realize this before,

but it's actually not a bad business idea.

Oh, well, I don't just do Christmas.

I do all holidays: Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Halloween.

Basically if it's a day off with a whole lot of food,

that's my time to shine.

But really, Christmas is my favorite holiday.

Good, 'cause I need some help.

Well, you don't have to worry about a thing.

Tomorrow I am gonna come back

and transform this place into a Christmas wonderland.

- Hey. - Hi.

Do you need help?

That seems dangerous for one person.

Oh, it's okay. I'm a pro.

Yeah, I don't doubt that. It's just...

heights make me nervous.

So...

let me help.

Thanks.

So what made you get in the Christmas business?

Oh, my aunt, she owns an inn

right outside of the city in Silverpine,

and growing up, it was my job to decorate for every holiday.

Oh, Silverpine, yeah.

I've heard of it. Never been.

What? It's amazing!

It's right outside of the city, but when you go there,

it feels like this whole other world,

especially at Christmastime.

They have carolers,

and this old-school movie theater

plays all these Christmas movies.

And my aunt, she hosts this apple cider-making party.

The whole neighborhood's there.

It's really great.

I love Christmas.

Sounds neat.

Uh, will you hand me those lights?

- Yeah. - Thank you.

Oh!

- Little knot here. - Yeah.

Cute.

All right, they just texted me,

so they should be here any minute.

What do you think?

- Huh? - The room. What do you think?

Wow.

My family might actually be in shock.

Oh, you still need to get a Christmas tree.

I thought that was something fun you could do with your family.

Yeah, if there's time.

- Just make time. - [doorbell rings]

They're here.

It's gonna be great.

Here we go.

[chatter]

Maybe we could order a pizza.

Merry Christmas.

Uncle Steven!

You know the front of your house is decorated, right?

- Yeah. - Hey, Steve!

Hosting Christmas! Who would've thought?

I'm so excited that we're doing Christmas at your house.

- Hi, Mom. - Really, son.

She's very eager to see how this all comes together.

We all are.

So am I.

- My God. - Certainly smells festive.

- What? - Yes.

Oh, my goodness.

- Wow! - Never seen anything like this.

Uncle Steven, this looks amazing.

Did you do this?

Uh, not exactly. Um...

Everyone,

I'd like you to meet my Christmas decorator, Gretchen.

Hello.

Well, the place is lovely.

Thank you.

That's my dad Ben, my mom Ellen,

my sister Kirsten,

my brother-in-law Jeff,

- and my lovely niece Paige. - Hello.

That was a lot of names. It's lovely to meet you all.

See, honey? I told you Steven would come through.

Nothing to worry about. Isn't that right, Steven?

Well, I don't know about the rest of the week,

but, uh, the house...

I mean, the house is definitely on point.

Yeah, well, what should I do with the presents?

I don't see a tree.

Don't have one yet.

Got any food? I'm starving.

So what's there to do in Salt Lake for Christmas?

Well, uh, you--

There's actually a lot happening with your family,

so I'm gonna get out of here.

Can I talk to you for a second?

Yeah, of course.

- Excuse us. - Bye.

We need to talk.

So...

They seem really happy. I think today was a success.

So I want to hire you.

Oh, I thought you already hired me.

No, not as a decorator.

I want to hire you for all things Christmas.

Be a Christmas ambassador.

I don't know what this means.

My family's expecting a week filled with

fun Christmas activities,

and I don't even know where to start.

I have a pitch coming up,

and I can't be there for them the way that they deserve.

They need someone who loves and appreciates Christmas

to make it the best year it can be.

- I'm just a decorator. - Well, then think of it as...

decorating for the entire Christmas experience.

Name your price.

Well, this is the most interesting offer I've ever had.

You do this, and I will talk to my boss

about making you the official decorator for Geyser.

All the buildings.

You would do that?

Yeah, I would.

You have yourself a deal.

Great. Thank you.

- Okay. - Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Gretchen, I can't believe how great this place looks.

Oh, thank you. I'm so glad you guys like it.

I've actually just asked Gretchen to stay on

as our official Christmas coordinator

I've got a lot of work to do,

and she knows Christmas better than anyone,

so she agreed to help out.

You hired someone to help us do Christmas?

- Yes. - I think it's a good idea.

That's very nice of you. Are you sure?

Oh, I love it.

I know how much Steven wants you to have a good time,

so it's perfect.

I think that's cool.

It's like having your own personal Christmas tour guide.

First up, tomorrow we could go pick out a Christmas tree.

A little family outing.

There's a great Christmas tree farm right outside the city.

Go and find the biggest tree. Whatever one you want.

You pick it out, Paige. It's on me.

You're not coming?

I can't.

I've got too much work to do.

Son, we all came here to be with you.

You can't take a few hours off to come pick out a tree?

I was really looking forward to hanging out with you.

You know what? I'll work extra late tonight,

so I can take some time off tomorrow.

You guys are gonna love it.

The key to finding the perfect Christmas tree

is finding one with the strongest scent,

and where when you bend the needles, they don't snap.

What kind of tree holds the needles the best?

Fraser fir. Okay, I want you to cover some ground, so fan out.

Go find a good tree.

How do you know so much about Christmas trees?

My dad taught me.

ELLEN: Steven, there's some ornaments over here. Come look.

- Duty calls. - Yep.

I'm gonna go look for some trees over here.

Okay, perfect.

Hey, Gretchen, what about this one?

Um, okay, so this is nice,

but do you see how at the bottom it's already browning?

You don't want that.

Uh, yeah.

Well, we have an artificial tree at home.

We're kinda new at this.

So how long have you and my brother

been seeing each other?

Oh, no, we're not--

No. I'm just the decorator.

And I guess now also the Christmas coordinator, so...

We just met like three days ago.

See? I told you.

I was hoping he was finally moving on.

Moving on?

He had his heart broken a few years ago.

That's when he really started to bury himself in work, so...

I was just hoping things were finally changing.

Ooh. What about this one?

Gretchen, come here.

♪ Silent night ♪

♪ Holy night ♪

♪ All is calm ♪

♪ All is bright ♪

- ♪ Round ♪ - That's really pretty.

Thanks. I didn't know anybody was listening.

I didn't know you could sing.

Only sometimes.

You're really good.

Thanks.

What's wrong?

I don't think my parents would feel the same way.

What makes you say that?

My mom wants me to get a volleyball scholarship,

just like her,

and my dad wants me to be a doctor, just like him.

They don't even know I'm taking choir this semester.

Please don't tell them.

But you should tell them.

You never know. They might be into it.

No. Can you imagine what my dad would say

if I said I wanted to be a singer instead of a doctor?

Right.

Well, maybe ease him into it.

My dad wanted me to be a lawyer for the longest time.

Really?

Grandpa always talked about how he hated being a lawyer.

He wanted me to take over his firm.

Telling him that I wanted to be an architect,

well, it was a pretty hard thing to do.

But you know what?

It all turned out okay in the end.

Hey, you know what else we should do?

Get hot chocolate. You want some?

- Yes, please. - Okay, come on.

- Guess what. - What?

Gretchen found the biggest, fullest tree on the lot.

It's gonna look beautiful in your living room.

- Really? - Yeah.

At least I think I did.

Are we sure we want to do that?

Don't you think we want to find like a little scrawny tree

that just needs a lot of love,

and then we decorate him up real big,

so he feels good about himself?

Ehh, I mean...

Or not.

[laughing]

- Okay, so just move the tree-- - Right here?

- A little to the right. - To the right?

- That'd be left. - Wait, this is heavy.

- Stop, stop, stop, stop! - Right there?

- Perfect! - There we go.

All right, just some lights and ornaments,

and this tree's gonna come to life.

All right, guys, good luck.

Uh, where are you going?

I gotta finish my drawings.

Gotta get work done at some point, Mom.

- Seriously? - Yes, seriously.

Okay.

Why don't we put some lights on the tree?

- Come on! - All right.

- This is pretty. - I'll get this untangled.

Yeah.

It's got tinsel in it.

We'll untangle those.

- Oh, thanks, Paige. - Mm-hmm.

ELLEN: Is there any room left on the tree?

GRETCHEN: There's always room.

[laughter]

KIRSTEN: Look, here's another box of ornaments.

GRETCHEN: I have no idea how you got star up there.

That was amazing.

Sweetheart, that's very off-center.

Well, you're welcome to hang it yourself.

This is way more fun.

Why don't I just go help the kids make some hot chocolate?

Oh, good idea.

Men!

- I think you guys are cute. - Oh.

Should I put this in the center?

Yeah.

Let's see.

How about right there?

He was right.

Yeah.

[laughter]

ELLEN: It's beautiful.

JEFF: You guys really knocked it out of the park.

PAIGE: This looks great.

KIRSTEN: It really does.

GRETCHEN: It's wonderful.

KIRSTEN: That's amazing.

- I love it. - Great.

Oh.

Wow.

My living room has never looked better.

You guys did a fantastic job.

It's perfect.

Now it is.

You guys, I'm gonna get going. Good night.

Today was really fun. Mm-hmm.

Will you be coming back tomorrow?

Yes. I have work in the morning, but the afternoon off,

and I figured we would go to my aunt's inn

over in Silverpine.

She's having an apple cider party.

The entire neighborhood gets together,

and they make homemade spiced cider.

It's amazing.

That sounds fun.

I'll walk you to your car.

Oh, thank you. Bye.

- Bye. - Hmm...

Hmm...

So I take it you are not gonna be joining us

at the inn tomorrow?

Can't. Too much to do.

All right. Well, um, have a good night.

Yeah, you too.

I just-- Yeah.

- Thanks. - Let me get that. There you go.

Well, thank you.

Service here, you know?

Such a gentleman.

Thank you.

- Bye. - Have a good one.

[ignition fails]

[ignition fails]

That's not good.

I have an idea.

Just as I suspected.

It's your alternator.

My sister, ladies and gentlemen,

the best mechanic in the family.

I restore old cars in my spare time.

That's impressive.

What can I say? We're a family of overachievers.

I could probably fix it by tomorrow.

That would be great.

Do you want me to give you a ride home?

Yes, but I have a lot of supplies in my trunk.

I don't mind.

Okay.

- Thanks. - Mm-hmm.

[chuckling]

You can just set it on the counter.

Thank you.

This is your apartment?

Uh, yeah, this is it.

I just assumed I'd be walking into something

that looked like Santa's workshop.

I know. I pull out my decorations every year,

but between my day job and trying to start this business,

I never really get around to it.

Hmm.

What?

It's just...

I guess we're more alike than I thought.

We both work too much.

Thank you for giving me a ride

and bringing all this stuff in.

Yeah, of course.

Good night.

Good night.

Bye.

Bye.

Welcome to the Silverpine Inn!

Wow. This place is lovely.

Forget Steven's place. Can we stay here?

Kirsten, Paige, Ellen, this is my Aunt Lindsay.

- So good to meet you. - You too.

You have a wonderful niece.

I like to think so.

Car's right out front.

- Good as new. - Thank you.

I cannot believe she fixed my car.

You are very impressive.

It was the least we could do after all your help yesterday.

Now, have any of you ever made mold cider before?

No.

Well, you're in for a treat.

Nice job, ladies.

Oh, keep in mind, the finer you slice them,

the easier it is to mash them later.

Paige, you figured out where you want to apply to colleges yet?

We're hoping she gets a volleyball scholarship.

You play volleyball?

She is so good, just like her mom at that age.

Huh. Do you like it?

Yeah, of course.

See, I was not very coordinated with sports in high school,

but if it had to do with creating something,

like art class or set design for a play,

that's where I thrived.

It's no wonder you became a professional decorator.

Well, not yet. Maybe after a few more clients.

Am I doing this right?

That's perfect. This is great.

We can just throw them in the bowl.

That looks great.

RACHEL: Pitch is confined.

You'll be talking directly with Davis Bowers.

He's the CEO of the investment firm.

You feel ready?

- I will be. - Good.

Going well?

I've redrawn the layout like ten times.

You could use a break. Step away.

That always helps me get a new perspective.

You think so?

Yeah. You didn't take lunch.

You should take an early dinner.

Okay.

You're actually taking my advice?

Yeah.

Yeah, I am.

Feel free to use a few more cinnamon sticks and cloves.

The more spice, the zestier the flavor.

A few more, Mom, not the rest.

Got it.

That smells amazing.

I call Paige's batch.

- You came! - I thought I'd take a break.

That picture you sent me really got me craving apple cider.

I see how it is. Now that we've done the labor and hard work,

you show up for some hot apple cider.

It's a win-win.

GRETCHEN: There you are.

Sorry.

I don't know if I'm allowed to be back here.

Is this you?

I guess you could say you've always been

tangled up in Christmas.

Oh! That was a terrible Christmas pun.

Uh, but yeah, yeah, you could say that.

Those your parents?

Mm-hmm. They passed away when I was younger.

I'm sorry.

The cider's delicious.

Glad you got to taste it.

Me too.

Seems like they're having fun out there.

Oh, I knew they would.

That's what Christmas is all about.

Apple cider parties?

No! No, it's about getting your family together

and making memories.

All the holiday decorating

is just kind of what brings us all together.

- Well, cheers to that. - Mm.

Who's that?

Oh. Oh, that...

That is my ex. I don't know why my aunt still has that here.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--

It's okay. He wasn't right for me.

How so?

Uh, well, when I left my job at a big corporation

to start my holiday decorating business,

he thought I was frivolous.

That's not good.

No, no, I mean he just thought that I had something good going,

so why be silly and mess it up?

Well, I have to say as a client of your new business,

he couldn't have been more wrong.

Well, I knew he wasn't ready for me when he didn't believe in me.

What about you?

A few years back,

I was gonna propose to my long-term girlfriend,

and I found out she was in love with someone else.

Ohh. Sorry.

After we broke up,

I put all my energy into my work,

and I guess you could say the silver lining is...

I'm about to be made partner.

You know, life has a funny way of just working itself out.

There you guys are.

Jeff texted. He and Dad are picking up some steaks.

Gretchen, you must join us for dinner tonight.

Thank you. I, um...

I actually have a few things I have to get done though.

I insist.

So do I.

Well, what can I bring?

You.

I will be there.

KIRSTEN: So I come downstairs,

and Steven has opened up all of the Christmas presents.

- Even the ones for the dog. - What?

Keep in mind, this was the middle of the night.

I had just gone to bed.

ELLEN: I wake up with Kirsten

screeching at the top of her lungs,

jump out of bed to see what was wrong.

We get downstairs, and the place is covered

in wrapping paper and ribbons,

and Steven's just sitting there playing with his new truck.

Okay, guys, I was like five when this happened, okay?

I think you need to start your story with that.

It's not like this was last year.

I think Gretchen brought some cookies,

so I'm gonna go put them out.

Actually, they're not just any ordinary cookies.

They're cookies that need to be decorated.

I figured we could have some fun after dinner.

PAIGE: Oh, yes!

Yes, that sounds so fun.

GRETCHEN: Okay, does anybody have any questions?

ELLEN: You have icing all over your fingers.

PAIGE: I love the green frosty gumdrop.

Are these cinnamon?

JEFF: We are all gonna have a sugar rush.

We'll be asleep in ten minutes.

Oh, I love your Christmas tree cookie.

Thank you. I like your-- What is...

Reindeer. It's a reindeer.

Well, it will make more sense when you put a nose on them.

Here.

- See that? - Yeah.

- See? - Whoa!

You do not have to squeeze that hard.

I'm trying to make it like your perfectly decorated cookies.

Oh, you like my perfectly decorated cookies?

- They're great. - Well, they took a long time

to figure out how to make, so...

- Yeah, I believe it. - I'm kidding!

It's real easy. Come here.

Okay, I just hold it a little lower

and squeeze it and go in a circle, yeah.

You're not even looking. Look!

[phone ringing]

Guys, these cookies aren't gonna decorate themselves. Come on.

You actually have some on your face.

- There we go. - Look.

- It's me as a snowman. - It's a happy Christmas.

MARIE: I think you like him.

What? No!

No. He's just a client.

He likes my decorating skills,

and I'm helping coordinate Christmas.

It's business.

You haven't stopped talking about him

or his family for the last hour.

He's more than just a client.

Okay, but it's not like that.

We have an arrangement. I'm helping him with Christmas,

and he's gonna help me land new clients.

It's perfect.

But you think he's cute.

Uh, I'm leaving.

STEVEN: The place will have a completely modern feel,

lots of glass and smooth surfaces,

concrete all around.

No. I don't think that's it.

I'm sorry. What-- What's not it?

I like it, but no.

Now, if my company's going to invest in this,

it needs to be... different.

Is there a certain part of it that you don't like?

All of it.

But you just said you liked some of it.

Yes. It's one of those things that's difficult

for me to describe exactly what we want.

I just know it's not this.

All right. I will come up with some new plans

and give you some more options.

We have another meeting across town,

so save those ideas for another day.

- No problem. - How about we set up a meeting

for day after tomorrow?

Steven can draw up some more plans,

and hopefully it'll be something

more in the area of what you guys had in mind.

I am a fan of your work.

I know we're in the right ballpark.

Teaming up with the Geyser Corporation

means a lot.

I just want to make sure we do it right before we invest.

I won't let you down.

Okay. Talk then.

Thank you.

Well, that could've gone better.

I still don't know what it is that he wants.

I know it's frustrating.

They only know what they don't want.

I should've had some backup plans ready to go.

No, it's fine.

Just go back to the drawing board.

You'll figure it out.

You always find a way.

♪ Holy infant so tender and mild ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

♪ Sleep in heavenly peace ♪

They always find the best of the best to sing.

People come from all over to hear.

I love this street.

Steven, why haven't you taken us here before?

I didn't know about it.

Now let's have some of you join us.

Paige.

♪ Shepherds, why this jubilee ♪

Sing.

Come on, you got this.

♪ Why your joyous strains prolong ♪

♪ What the gladsome tidings be ♪

♪ Which inspire your heavenly song ♪

♪ Gloria ♪

♪ In excelsis deo ♪

♪ Gloria ♪

♪ In excelsis deo ♪

[applause]

That's my niece!

That's my daughter!

That's my niece right there!

I had no idea that you could sing like that.

You have a beautiful voice.

Clearly you did not get that from me.

No, she probably got it from me.

I'm not so sure about that.

Really, Paige, you have an amazing voice.

You have to join a choir.

- I joined the school choir. - Really?

The more electives you have on your application, the better.

Volleyball and choir?

Look out, Yale. Here comes Paige!

Thanks.

It was a beautiful evening.

Yeah.

Weren't the carolers wonderful?

They sure were.

And they get better and better every year.

- Do they? - Must take a lot of practice

to do that without any instruments.

Some of their harmonies were really spot on.

We have carolers in the mall at home.

Paige.

Hey, is everything okay?

- Kind of. - What's going on?

I've been missing volleyball practice to be in choir.

I don't know how to tell them.

You know, I know what it feels like

to be doing something you don't want to do,

wishing you were doing something else.

You know how my dad is.

Can you imagine if he knew that I wanted to major in music?

He'd be so disappointed. What do you think I should do?

Well, he's gonna find out sooner or later,

so wouldn't you rather it came from you?

I just hate letting him down.

It's hard, I know, to take that leap

because there's always risk.

I took one when I left my corporate job

to start the holiday decorating business,

and I ended up taking a part-time job as a safety net,

and it's just been a distraction.

I've had a really hard time committing to my dream.

Why haven't you?

Honestly? 'Cause I've been scared like you.

Who would you be letting down?

Myself.

I guess we both need courage.

I am so glad there's not a legal limit

to the amount of cookies you can eat

because these are amazing.

How many have you had?

This is my fourth.

I'm cutting you off.

Hey!

Thank you.

I heard you talking to Paige earlier.

I shouldn't have eavesdropped.

- She's a really sweet kid. - Is it true?

You're afraid to quit your job at the catalog

to focus on Holidays Made To Order full-time?

I'm scared that if I take that leap and fail,

I'm just gonna be stuck.

I'm afraid too.

What are you afraid of?

That the minute that I'm not successful at my job,

I won't have anything else.

You'll always have your family.

Yeah, I know, but up until this Christmas,

I've been kind of pushing them aside.

And now that I've been spending more time with them,

my work's suffering.

It's like I can't win.

I think you just need to find a better balance.

I need to be more like you and Paige.

Just focus on what I want and go for it.

You don't like designing buildings?

I do.

See, when I was studying to be an architect,

my favorite classes were designing homes for families,

and that's what I thought I was gonna do with my life.

And then right out of college,

Geyser offered me this amazing position,

and I took it.

I kind of lost sight of what I really wanted to do.

What made you remember again?

You.

Steven, what did you do with the rest of the roasted chestnuts?

Uh, Paige has them.

- Paige? - Mm-hmm.

Okay.

I am gonna get going.

What's on the Christmas docket for tomorrow?

One of my favorite holiday traditions.

Which is?

You'll see.

[humming "Angels We Have Heard On High"]

[continues humming]

Mm.

[phone ringing]

Hello?

NOLAN: This is a bad time?

Uh, no, no.

What's up, Nolan?

Clients weren't happy with the mock-ups

you and Marie submitted.

We just followed the exact description

the marketing department wanted.

They changed their minds.

I need you to redo them soon.

Okay, I will get right on it.

Thanks.

Bye.

[humming "Angels We Have Heard On High"]

[beeping]

[appliance door opens]

Can't sleep?

I'm making you hot chocolate while you work.

Thanks, Mom.

You should be in bed.

I know. It's the price you pay

for staying out and about all evening.

Mm.

You know, it's funny.

You didn't want to be a lawyer like your dad,

but you're sure followed in his footsteps

when I came to work ethic.

Thanks.

It wasn't a compliment.

Right.

I'm just so glad that we came here this year.

It seems so long since we've all been together.

I'm glad too, Mom.

And I think it's thanks to Gretchen.

Yeah, she is making Christmas pretty special, isn't she?

And after Christmas?

Well, I'm hoping that my firm will have her come on

and decorate all the buildings that we own.

That way I can still see more of her.

Well, I know one sure way you could see her again.

Oh, what is it called?

When you like someone, you invite them to dinner

to see where it goes?

Oh, it's a date, Steven.

It's called a date.

I don't know.

I feel kind of weird asking her out, you know?

I feel like I'd be taking advantage of the situation.

You know, I'm a client of hers, I promised her clients.

Did it occur to you that she might like you

and say yes because of that and no other reason?

She's professional.

Steven...

Just because you were burned once

doesn't mean that you can't give love another shot.

I know.

Thank you.

Hi.

Wow. This place is great.

I didn't even know this existed.

What? Oh, my friend volunteers all the time.

Look.

Neighborhood of Good. It's a great place to find ways

to give back to your community all year.

That's how I found out about this Christmas toy drive.

So basically everyone in Silverpine

can participate in the collections,

and today we are gonna sort through all the toys

to make sure they go to the right place,

and then no kid in need is left out.

What a great idea.

Should we check out the tables? Come on.

Yeah, come on, sweetheart.

So technically, this should go in the 10-to-12 pile,

but I would totally play with this.

So should I put it in the any-age pile?

I would stick with the recommended age,

but if Kirsten needs a last-minute gift for you,

I will let her know.

- Please do. - Mm-hmm.

I keep thinking about all the kids

that are gonna open these toys Christmas morning,

how excited they'll be,

how just a simple act of kindness

can change a person's life for the better, you know?

Hmm.

I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Would you guys like some hot chocolate?

One of the perks of volunteering.

Mmm! Yes, thank you.

Well, this day gets better and better. Thank you.

You're welcome. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Agreed.

There is so much to do in Silverpine.

Well, there's a beautiful gazebo outside,

if you want to go for a walk.

Yeah. I could use the fresh air.

Yeah, sounds like a great idea. I'll come with.

Actually, Jeff, let's go check out the cupcake stand.

You guys go on ahead.

Sure.

Gretchen, wanna go for a walk?

Yeah, let's go.

And here we are again,

you getting me to do something fun

and slow down outside of work.

You better be careful. You're gonna get addicted

to this nice work/life balance.

I think I might.

I love it out here.

I used to come here all the time with my family

when I was younger.

My parents would take me out,

and there's actually a little pond a little further out.

My dad and I would go fishing.

He grew up in Silverpine?

Mm-hmm. My parents were both born here.

But after they passed away, I moved in with my Aunt Lindsay.

Oh, that must have been tough.

It was,

but it made me appreciate my aunt that much more.

Actually, I used to have a really hard time with Christmas.

But my aunt was amazing,

and she wanted to make it enjoyable and fun,

so she would plan all these activities,

and we would decorate and whatever she could do

to bring that excitement to Christmas again for me.

Well, I'm glad she did,

so that way you could share with us.

I have loved spending the holiday with your family.

They're really amazing.

I forgot how good it feels to be around them, you know?

You're really lucky.

You know that, right?

I do.

I just need to be reminded of that sometimes.

Come here. I wanna show you something.

- "Believe." - Did you do this?

That was actually here when I was younger.

I don't know who wrote it,

but I've always wondered what they meant by "believe."

Maybe that means whatever the person needs it to mean.

I like that.

[door closes]

ELLEN: Hey, you're here!

Hey.

What's going on here?

We're making stockings.

It was the only thing missing in your living room.

Why didn't you let me know? I would've stopped and got some.

Where's the fun in that?

It has a lot more meaning if you make them yourself.

Yeah, and I'm sewing names on them.

You gonna join us?

Of course.

- Use this one. - Okay.

- Here you go. - All right.

- Okay, trace that. - Trace this?

- Trace the boot. - The boot.

Trace the stocking.

- All right. - There we go.

I'm an architect, so...

- Pretty good at drawing. - Good job.

I've got some great news.

I just spoke to a colleague of mine

who teaches at Yale medical school,

and he's invited Paige

to join the high school summer pre-med program.

- What? - I know!

It's an incredible opportunity!

Any school that sees that on your college application?

Shoo-in.

Thanks. That's really cool of you, Dad.

It's a great program. It's very hands-on.

Does Paige even want to go?

Of course she does, right, honey?

I wanted to spend this next summer focusing on my music.

Well, there's no reason you can't work on your music

and do the program too.

I was thinking I could apply to some of the schools out here,

maybe as a vocal major.

What?

I didn't know how to tell you.

I switched out volleyball next semester for advanced choir.

Uh, I thought you loved volleyball.

I did for a while. It's just not as fun anymore.

I thought you wanted to be a doctor, just like me.

I did, but I changed my mind,

and I've never been as happy as I am when I'm singing.

Well...

I think it's wonderful.

You have a beautiful voice,

and you are capable of doing anything you set your mind to.

Thank you, Grandma.

I don't know what to say.

I should've told you sooner.

I just didn't want to let either of you down.

You can never let us down.

Honey, we love you no matter what.

We just want you to be happy.

I'm just sorry I ever made you feel

like you couldn't tell us something like this.

Oh, Steven, stop!

You're getting glue everywhere!

Sorry.

I'm also very proud of you.

You're done with the stocking.

This one is mine,

and this one is your grandfather's, Ben.

And this one's for me,

and one for your father.

Here's mine.

And don't forget about me.

And this is an extra hook. I must have miscounted.

No, no, no, I put that there.

This is for you.

You guys made me one?

You were our Christmas coach all week long.

Of course we're gonna make you one.

Thank you.

This was really cool.

They really liked that. Thank you.

You should do this every year.

Hey.

Just wanted to say good night.

I'm proud of you for telling your parents.

Thanks. I don't think I could've done it though

without Gretchen.

She really helped give me the confidence.

Yeah. She's pretty great, huh?

I want to do something for her.

I just don't know what.

I feel like the stocking wasn't enough.

I agree.

Actually, I have an idea.

Oh?

Here they are.

Thank you so much.

No, thank you.

This is a terrific idea.

If it wasn't for this place,

I would've done it a long time ago.

- We'll do a good job. - I have it on good authority

that she'll be busy at work most the day, so go crazy.

We will.

All right. See ya.

She's gonna love this.

She is gonna love it.

Okay.

- Ready? - Ready.

Hey, great work on those photos.

Thank you. I just looked at what they liked last year

and did the same.

Smart. That's very smart.

Hey, guess what I overheard this morning in the break room.

- What? - Nolan's gonna offer you

a full-time position after the holidays.

Really?

Shh. Yes.

He was telling the guy from accounting.

Oh. What am I supposed to say to him?

You tell them that you'll gladly accept.

Well, if I accept, I'm not gonna be able to have time to focus

on Holidays Made To Order.

You can still keep your decorating business.

Just keep it as a hobby.

Steven said he was gonna talk to his boss

about decorating for his company.

What's that saying about birds in your hands

are better than birds in the tree?

That's not it at all.

What I'm saying is you should be happy.

- This is a good thing. - I am happy.

We should get drinks later to celebrate.

Oh, I can't.

Plans with your adopted family?

They're not my adopted family.

Maybe someday.

Okay.

Wow.

What do you think? Little much?

You guys did this for me?

Well, Paige wanted to do something nice for you,

and the fact that someone so into Christmas

didn't even have their house decorated,

well, that's been haunting me for days, so yeah.

Paige, thank you so much!

And, Steven, I-I love it!

You helped give me the courage

to tell my parents what I really wanted.

And I admire you for following your dream.

And you! Who are you?

You are so different from the person that I first met.

Right? Who was that guy in the building lobby

who wasn't into Christmas?

What a weirdo.

Totally!

GRETCHEN: I love Christmas movies.

STEVEN: Me too. Reminds me of why I love Christmas.

Ah, that was such a good idea, Gretchen.

I think Dad teared up a little bit

I had something in my eye.

Oh! Well, I loved the movie.

They always play the best movies at Christmastime.

So where to next?

Well, there's an amazing diner down the street,

and they have incredible pie,

so I figure we'd get some dessert.

Yes, please.

Lead the way.

Instead of using a simple grid to line each of our buildings,

all of our shops and restaurants will be lined in a circle,

all facing a center grass area,

where a giant gazebo will be.

In the summer, there'll be live concerts.

In the winter, it'll be turned into a seasonal wonderland.

I love it.

I do. What made you go in this direction?

Well, I realized that...

the whole point of building this is to bring people together.

It's not just shops and buildings.

It's part of a community.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Well, it's settled.

We want the Geyser Corporation to build a shopping center.

Thank you so much.

We're so happy that you like it.

Well, we'll talk more details after Christmas.

Yes, and I look forward to it.

Great.

Nicely done.

Yes!

Hey, I was surprised this past week when I came by

and didn't see you slumped over your desk early in the morning.

But whatever you were doing, it worked.

I'm gonna go and put a call in to the board.

Now, I wonder what inspired you

to go in a more sentimental direction.

I'll be back.

Uh, Rachel?

Yes.

Do you have a minute?

For you? Of course.

I was wondering if you'd meet with a friend of mine.

She's a holiday decorator, and she does great work,

and I wanted to see if maybe we could bring her on

as the official decorator for all the Geyser buildings.

We usually let someone

from the furnishings department handle that,

but that might be a good idea.

I'll meet with her tomorrow, if you want.

Yeah, thank you.

No, thank you.

This is how a partner thinks.

PAIGE: All right, do you have the hat?

Do we want to go center or to the side?

- Let's center it. - To the side.

And...

Oh, my God, he's so cute!

What's his name?

Charlie.

Hey!

You look like your pitch went well.

I landed the account.

- Yes! - Congratulations!

And I think I might have made partner.

It gets better. There's more.

My boss wants to meet with Gretchen tomorrow to discuss

being the official decorator for all of our buildings.

She wants to meet with me?

Yup. I hope you're available tomorrow.

I am now! Thank you!

I just feel like I have to go home and start prepping.

Just be yourself. You'll do great.

This is the one I did for the Fourth of July.

There are a lot of variations of the flag,

but this is probably one of my favorites.

It's Halloween at my aunt's inn.

Mm-hmm. Very unique.

Thank you.

That's why I started my company.

I just feel like no two displays should be alike.

Each one should have their own special feel.

I can see that.

And even if it's the same theme,

like a Nutcracker Christmas,

I like to style it to the building

or home that surrounds it.

You're very talented. There's no doubt about that.

- Thank you. - But for what we need,

you wouldn't have to worry about making each display

different or unique.

What connects our properties is familiarity.

Don't you think each property should be decorated

to echo what makes it special?

The Geyser Corporation prides itself on consistency.

You have a good eye.

You'd work wonders for our brand.

We'd love to have you come work for us.

See, I was hoping this was more of a contractual-type thing,

where you would hire Holidays Made To Order,

and we would come in and set up your displays individually,

for each building.

But if you come to work for us as an in-house decorator,

you wouldn't need Holidays Made To Order.

Thank you so much for this opportunity

and for even offering me this.

It's just...

I don't think this is what I want.

You sure?

Yeah.

If you change your mind, give me a call.

Thank you.

It was very nice meeting you.

You too.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

Let me call you back.

How'd it go?

Is she still here?

No. She left.

After I explained to her how I saw the position,

she didn't seem interested.

Really?

Yeah.

It's a shame. She's very talented.

I guess it just wasn't the right fit for her.

[ding]

[ding]

Gretchen, wait.

What happened?

Rachel just said you didn't want the job.

Oh. Yeah. No, not that job.

I don't understand. It sounded like a sure thing.

Honestly, I wouldn't be the one calling the shots.

I would be another employee at Geyser,

just being told what to do.

It's really hard to start your own company.

Some people don't even make it.

Are you saying that you don't think I'll make it?

No. It's just, you know,

there's the way we dream things should be

and the way they actually are.

Is that why you're still at your job?

What does that mean?

Well, your dream is to go build houses,

but here you are about to be partner,

doing something you don't even want to do,

at a job that's taken over your life.

I mean, at least I believe in myself enough

to just pursue my dreams.

You know what? I don't want to argue with you, okay?

I just...

I wanted to know why you didn't take the job, that's all.

I'm really thankful.

Thank you so much for that meeting.

But it's just not for me.

Let me double your pay then.

What?

For your services.

I didn't keep up my end of the bargain, and so...

I feel bad.

No, you don't-- You don't have to do that.

No, it's least I could do.

I mean, you did great work.

Is that what this is?

You're the client, and I'm the employee?

That's what we agreed to, right?

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

I will send you an invoice.

Gretchen, wait!

So he just treated you like an employee?

Yeah, like that was all I was to him.

I can't believe I ever thought that it was anything more.

You both got along so well.

I, for one, thought there was more to it.

I thought he understood the vision I had for my company,

and I thought that he believed in me.

How do you know he doesn't?

You should have seen how he reacted

when I told him I wasn't taking the job.

Maybe he was just hoping to work with you more.

I don't know.

I realized that I put a lot of expectation

on the deal that we made,

and I thought that was gonna be the key to my company's success.

Maybe the whole point of all of this

is that you need to make things happen for yourself.

Take a leap. Quit the catalog job.

[scoffs] With no backup?

That's what I did.

And with all my newfound time and energy,

I was finally able to focus on the inn.

- That is scary. - I know.

But some of the best things in life are.

Know that it'll all work out the way it's supposed to.

And think about how much time you'd have

to completely focus on getting new clients.

I want that. I really do.

Then give yourself a Christmas present this year.

Believe in yourself.

[door closes]

Hey, honey, you're home early.

Is Gretchen with you?

I wanted to go over some ideas

about Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow night.

- No, she's not with me. - Call her over then.

She mentioned something about a skating rink nearby

that I wanted to check out.

Uh, I don't know if Gretchen's gonna be around anymore.

We kinda had a fight.

What happened?

She wasn't interested in this job that Rachel was suggesting.

It wasn't what she thought it'd be.

I tried to encourage her, but I think I messed it all up.

And then I offered to pay her more to make up for it,

and she got upset with me.

Of course she did.

That probably made her feel like this whole time

we've just been using her for her services.

It's what we agreed to from the start.

But, son...

it became so much more than that.

She became part of the family.

You're right.

And maybe you fell for her.

I did.

Tell her.

And say what?

Exactly how you feel.

I will.

- Gingerbread cookie? - Cute.

- Have as many as you'd like. - Thank you,

although I don't think any amount of gingerbread cookies

is gonna make me feel good right now.

No, but talking to him might.

- And say what? - I don't know.

How about, "Hey, Steven, I'm falling for you."

Which is ridiculous 'cause I've only known him

for like two weeks.

Then how about, "Hey, Steven,

let's be more than client/decorator."

Gretchen, stack of orders coming in for the new year.

Thought you might want to get a head start.

Also, when you get back from break, come see me.

There's something we should discuss.

Actually, Nolan...

I am gonna give you my two-weeks' notice.

- What? - What?

I started a decorating business, and I wanna give it a fair shot,

and the only way to do that

is to really put the time that it deserves into it.

Well, we'll miss you.

You're a good worker with a good eye.

Thank you. And...

if you ever need anybody to decorate your office,

you just call me.

Yeah. Yeah, will do.

That was amazing!

That felt good.

I mean, it was terrifying, but it was-- it was good.

I'm so proud of you. You finally just did it.

Yeah, I did.

Doing some last-minute cleaning before Christmas?

No. I'm packing up my stuff.

Ah, Rachel finally decided

to give you that private office, did she?

No. Actually, I'm telling her that I quit.

- What? - Yeah.

I don't think I like this job.

I don't like the hours, I don't like the pressure,

I don't like that I lost myself in it for so many years.

What are you gonna do?

I think I'm gonna go back to the reason

I became an architect in the first place.

I'm gonna design single-family homes.

I just don't understand why we're setting so many plates.

Well, actually, I'm expecting a few guests.

Who?

[door chimes ring]

There they are now.

Why don't you bring 'em up?

Merry Christmas Eve!

What are you guys doing here?

We couldn't imagine having

Christmas Eve dinner without you.

We called to invite you guys over,

and Lindsay told us we should all just come over here.

I love seeing you guys.

Well, I want you to know-- well, we all want you to know--

how much we loved spending time with you last week,

and the entire family agrees that, thanks to you,

this is gonna be the best Christmas ever.

That means so much to me.

I have loved every minute with you guys.

You're a part of our family, Gretchen,

whether you like it or not.

- Really? - Yes, of course.

Without you, my daughter would've never had the courage

to tell me what she wanted to do with her life.

So can we celebrate over dinner?

Oh, yes! Yes!

My aunt set up the big table, so please go on upstairs.

Let's go. Come on, Ben.

So happy you came.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

Sorry I'm late.

Hi.

I had to get this out of my car.

What is this?

It's the company I'm starting.

Building family homes.

I wanted you to be the first to have it,

since you're the one that inspired me to do it.

What about your firm?

I quit.

What?

I quit my job too.

That's great.

Now you can focus on what you really want to do.

You too.

Who knows? Maybe someday Holidays Made To Order

can decorate some of the homes that I build, you know?

I would really like that.

I should've told you what you meant to me before.

I shouldn't have let you walk away.

The truth is you're incredible.

And working with you...

spending time with you...

just being with you the last few weeks

has changed my life forever.

Bumping into you in that lobby

was the best thing that ever happened to me.

[clapping, cheering]