Original subtitles

♪ It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ♪

♪ Everywhere you go ♪

♪ There's a tree in the Grand Hotel ♪

♪ And one in the park as well ♪

♪ The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow ♪

♪ It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ♪

♪ Like Christmas, Christmas ♪

♪ Like Christmas, Christmas ♪

♪ Mmm ♪

♪ Fall ♪

♪ On your knees ♪

Yeah.

♪ O hear ♪

♪ The angels' voices ♪

Yeah, mix in that chest voice.

♪ O night ♪

Oh, so close!

Okay, so remember,

it's like you just reach up,

and that next note is effortlessly there.

It's like it's coming out the crown of your head.

Ready? Let's try it one more time.

♪ O night ♪

♪ Divine ♪

Good. That's so good.

And it's just gonna get stronger and stronger.

Keep practicing between one note and the other,

and do your exercises,

and let's work on that for Thursday's lesson, okay?

Oh, Kari, your mom said you wanted

to pick up a few extra shifts here.

I can add you onto the schedule.

- That'd be great. - Okay?

Thanks.

What song is that?

Just something I've been playing with.

When are you gonna do a concert again?

Mom said you used to do them up here all the time.

Yes, but these days,

I much prefer hearing my students perform.

Okay, go ahead. Finish your homework.

I know you have lots of it before Christmas break.

- Bye. - Bye.

- Good morning! -Morning, Meg.

Sam, you're gonna be able to see that from space.

I hope so.

Everything old is new again.

Yeah. Bye.

Morning, Marinos.

- Hey, morning, Meg. - Morning, Meg!

- Good morning! - Morning.

Oh, the kids filled out their wish list?

Kari's outgrown it, but Mabel's is ten pages long

with illustrations.

Santa's gonna be a busy guy.

I'm just gonna take this to the bank.

- Okay, have fun. See you soon. - Love you.

Yeah, I'm just on my way back from the bank now, Dad.

Gonna grab a quick coffee, and I'll be back.

Well, in case there is a rush, I will be there.

Sprinkles?

Some sprinkles, too, please, yeah.

Perfect. Thank you very much.

Could you actually-- I'm so sorry.

Just a few more sprinkles. You have the small ones?

- Yes. - Yeah, yeah, the small ones.

- Ah, that's great, perfect. - Merry Christmas.

May I have a decaf coffee? Black, please.

Yeah, we have a special Christmas hot chocolate today.

That's fine.

- Is it? - Excuse me?

You don't see a lot of people drinking black coffee nowadays.

Well, all that stuff just masks the flavor of the beans.

It's because they taste like sadness.

Wow.

Look at this. It's a Christmas masterpiece.

It's not really coffee, is it?

It's more like dessert.

You, uh, you have a little, a little something there.

Still got more of it. There you go.

Guess it's more of a sit-and-sip.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Do you care to join me?

- Sure. - Yeah? Great.

So... do you work around here?

Yeah, 35th floor, down the street.

When I looked out my window

and saw everyone skating and hot chocolating,

I decided to take a break and take it all in.

Hot chocolating? Is that even a word?

It is as of three seconds ago.

Are you from Denver, originally?

I am.

- Yeah, originally, but I-- - Do you hear that?

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

Listen to the joy in their voices.

♪ And a Happy New Year ♪

Oh, yeah, that's beautiful.

I wonder who it is.

Houston Children's Choir, 1989.

How did you know that?

My family sells the vinyl at our store.

Reilly's Music on Christmas Tree Lane.

- Reilly's! - Yeah.

Wow. I haven't been there in years.

I didn't even think it was still around.

Yep, sure is.

Still there. I should probably get going.

Enjoy your masterpiece.

I will.

And you enjoy... that.

Oh, believe me, I will.

Merry Christmas.

Excuse me!

Reilly's.

- Hi. - Hey.

Oh, I hear it's a mob scene downtown.

Yeah, everybody's shopping at that new plaza,

instead of coming down here.

Apparently, some people don't even know we're still here.

Hey, Bert.

Ah, you saved me some steps.

- Ooh. - That's yours.

- Looks official. - Wow.

Maybe we won something.

Thanks, Bert. Have a good one.

"Open immediately."

Hmm.

- What? - What's wrong?

It's an eviction notice.

"All of the buildings on the street have been sold.

They're tearing down Christmas Tree Lane to build..."

"Creative spaces for media and technology companies."

Emma, look.

- Morning. - Morning.

So you ever gonna clean up this disaster zone?

You should see my apartment. It's ten times worse.

I've been looking for this everywhere!

It was always so weird decorating my LA office

with Christmas decorations with the palm trees outside.

Well, we're all real glad to have you back at corporate,

especially your father.

Speaking of which, we got a meeting with him in five, so...

I guess Christmas is gonna have to wait.

I guess so.

When do they want us out?

Ninety days.

They're offering a cash incentive if we vacate early.

Looks like they found a loophole in our leases.

Dad, we can't just pick up and move.

We're barely hanging on as it is.

Never heard of this new owner, Cloverfield Investments.

Emma and I are holding an emergency

Merchants' Association meeting tomorrow,

upstairs at the store.

Well, that's a good idea, but in the meantime, eat.

Thanks, Dad, but I just don't have much of an appetite.

Hey, don't worry, honey. We're gonna figure this out.

Now, I guess you better get going before you...

Hit traffic.

Good night, Dad.

Night, honey.

We all should have bought these buildings in the '60s,

when we had the chance.

What power do renters have?

Yeah, yeah, I think we opt for the early buyout.

- At least make a few dollars. - No, I disagree with that.

We can't just give up.

This is our chance to really do something big

and to make the city pay attention.

No! Our only chance is the buyout.

I agree.

Come on, folks, we're better than this.

We've been in that store for 40 years.

Christmas Tree Lane used to be

the most bustling shopping district in town.

We've survived the Depression, the Great Recession,

malls, even the Internet.

We can survive this.

This street is one of the only places left

where people can experience Christmas the way it used to be.

We just have to get people back down here,

so that they can see it for themselves.

So what we need are ideas for how we can raise awareness

and do it fast.

Ideas, folks, come on.

How about gift wrapping?

- Gift wrapping, okay. - A gift-wrapping party.

- How about a toy drive? - Yeah.

- A bake sale. - We just opened

our St. Elizabeth's Christmas tree lot across the street.

What if we sponsored a Christmas tree decorating contest?

Every shop on the lane buys a tree from us

and then decorates it in the theme of their shop.

-I love that! - Hey, now we're talking.

That is a fantastic idea.

Ooh, what if we had a vintage Santa with a photo booth

and maybe like an old-timey sleigh?

Yes! I love that.

I know someone at Channel 7 News.

Maybe they could do a story about us.

Okay, that would be incredible.

So I think the one thing we need, though,

is something to tie all these events together,

some single, perfect blockbuster event.

Like what?

Like a holiday parade?

- We've done that. - Yeah.

Or a tree-lighting ceremony.

- We can combine that, yeah. - Okay.

- A concert. - Yes!

A concert on Christmas Eve.

- I love that idea. - Nice!

- You can perform too. - I--

Um, I'd be happy for Reilly's just to host.

We could bring people together

to come down here from all over the city.

The concert to save Christmas Tree Lane.

This is it!

Who's that?

Just this guy I met yesterday downtown at the coffee stand.

What's he doing here?

Here's an idea. Go ask him.

Right.

Hey.

Checking to see if we really are still here?

Actually, I came to bring you this.

I wondered where that went. Thank you.

My name is Nate, by the way.

Meg.

- Hi. - Hi.

Sorry. This is my best friend, Emma.

She owns the coffee shop a couple of doors down.

- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you too.

Emma's place is famous for their holiday hot cocoa bar.

It is right up your alley.

Emma, do--

That was smooth.

This-- This is amazing. It's like a time capsule.

Since 1903.

Courtesy of my great-great-grandfather.

He opened this place with a prayer and a song. Literally.

- Is that you? - No. That's my mom, Miriam.

She used to run the store and taught upstairs.

Is she retired now?

No. Sadly, we lost her about five years ago.

Oh, I'm sorry.

She was a great lady.

Her spirit keeps this place going.

She is the heart and soul of Reilly's.

I'm sorry.

It's my boss-slash-father.

You work for your dad too?

Yeah. It's not like having a regular boss, right?

They know your strengths, your skills, your weaknesses.

Yeah, with the added pressure of the future of the company

riding on your shoulders.

That, I understand.

So what do you do, if you don't mind my asking?

Yeah, I'm an architect.

What brings you back to Denver?

My father owns a real estate investment firm here,

and he's grooming me to take over for him

on the management side for when he retires.

I'm trading my drafting table in for a desk.

You don't sound too thrilled about it.

Are those, those originals?

Most of them, yes.

Oh, check this out.

This is the choir that we were listening to at the plaza.

It's one of the only vinyl copies remaining.

What?

It's just so scratchy.

I guess that's why people don't buy records anymore.

People do buy records,

and those that don't are missing out.

That scratchiness, as you call it,

those imperfections, that's what makes it real.

That's what makes it special.

Go deeper. Really listen.

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ♪

Let the music surround you.

Okay.

♪ Good tidings for Christmas ♪

That tonal balance is pretty near perfect.

♪ We wish you a Merry Christmas ♪

You can feel it, right?

It's almost... solid.

You can't get that from a digital recording.

♪ We all know that Santa's coming ♪

♪ We all know that Santa's coming ♪

♪ We all know that Santa's coming ♪

Between the music and the shop,

I feel like I've traveled back into Christmas's past.

That's exactly what we're going for.

♪ Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year ♪

You're welcome to take it home, try it out for yourself.

Oh, no, no, I...

I haven't unpacked yet, and even when I do,

I still won't have a record player.

Well, lucky for you, we have a whole bunch of refurbished ones,

And...

I am so sorry about this.

- Your dad? - Yeah, it's--

I should go. I'm sorry. Just end-of-year deadlines...

Hang on a second.

Here.

Wow. Talk about high-pressure sales.

No, no. You can borrow it.

Take a little Christmas Tree Lane home with you.

Sounds like you could use it.

That's very sweet,

but I can't take this without giving you something in return.

Well, we are planning a big Christmas Eve concert.

Maybe once we get the flyers printed out,

you could help us pass them around, spread the word.

Deal.

Well, uh, great to see you again.

You too.

Enjoy.

I'll enjoy the scratches.

♪ Joy to the world ♪

♪ The Lord is come ♪

♪ Let Earth receive her king ♪

Folks, Merry Christmas.

Like to look at the trees?

♪ Let heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ Let heaven and nature sing ♪

♪ And heaven and heaven ♪

♪ And nature sing ♪

Really need to get our tree

and decorate it for the competition

and for the open house.

And you need to start practicing.

Practicing what?

Your song for the concert.

You are ready, Kari.

No, I'm not.

There's gonna be so many people there, Meg.

I'm gonna tell you what my mom told me

when I used to get nervous.

When you start to sing,

just focus on one pair of eyes out there,

and you'll feel like you're singing for a friend.

The hardest part is walking out onto that stage.

And I promise I'll help you do that.

Thank you.

Hey.

Nate.

Back so soon?

I actually-- I came to pay you for the record player.

I'd like to buy it.

Well, as I said, you are more than welcome to borrow it.

I insist.

Oh. You saw the flyer.

I didn't realize Christmas Tree Lane was in trouble.

Well, it won't be if we can rally enough people behind it.

Yeah, what can I do to help?

Just keep on spreading the word.

Okay. Well, how about for now

I at least buy a couple Christmas albums?

That would be great.

My music student, Kari, is in there,

and she can help you with that.

Uh, you're leaving?

I just have to go and get a Christmas tree for the store.

Well, today's your lucky day

because I am fantastic at picking Christmas trees.

I look at it kinda like choosing a design for a building.

You know, you need a good base, good balance,

and when it's right, you can feel it in your heart.

Sounds a whole lot like songwriting.

Are you-- Are you a songwriter?

I am a voice teacher and a piano teacher,

and I help my dad run the store.

Keeping the family business going, just like you.

My dad.

- If you need to go-- - I know.

It's totally fine. You know what?

This is important.

I need to get to know the city again, now that I'm back.

Especially its history.

My dad will understand.

We should get some coffee?

Okay.

Are these gas lamps original to the street?

They are. My dad told me that back when they used to be on,

they put off this incredible warm orange glow.

It's like being in a movie.

You never saw them?

No. They were turned off over 40 years ago.

It was a sad day for Christmas Tree Lane.

What's happening with the street?

Christmas Tree Lane is slated for demolition.

What do they want to tear all this down for?

High rises. New, modern...

Cold, sterile.

You know what I'm talking about.

Yeah.

I built what you're talking about all across the country.

This is Emma's coffee house.

She opened her doors here on the lane, right out of college.

It's her dream.

I'm not letting anyone take that away,

if I can help it.

Shall we coffee up?

Yeah, let's coffee up. Come on, after you.

Oh, wow. The inlaid ceiling tile in here.

You don't see that in newer buildings. Beautiful.

Yeah.

- Hello. - Meg!

And Nate. You're back. What can I get you?

You know, why don't you get something festive?

Good luck. I've been trying to get her

to color outside the line since first grade.

Okay, you know what? Why don't we order her

an Americano with a dash of nutmeg,

whipped cream, some cocoa powder,

a little drizzle of chocolate on there too?

I like this guy.

I'll be in a sugar coma for a week.

This young man's order sounds delightful.

Can I get one just like it, please?

Why not? But we should give it a name

in case it catches on.

Why don't we call it "Nutmeg's Christmas Blizzard?"

You see what I did there?

Oh, I see what you did there.

- Yeah? - Uh-huh.

- Emma likes it. - Mm-hmm.

I think it's gonna turn out really well.

I'm not sure about that.

- It's going to blow your mind. - Oh, yeah, Emma!

Well, number 24 had good form, bad coverage.

Number 11 had bad form, good coverage.

Hey, what about this one?

We need a tree that looks good from 360 degrees.

The base is nice.

Excellent form.

Good needle retention.

Top's a little funky, but we could probably prune that up.

It's a contender.

Nate, they're closing in five minutes.

Let's take it.

- We'll take it! - We'll take it!

All right!

Hi.

This is perfect.

Thanks again for your help.

You know, I never did buy those records.

Then you're just gonna have to come back, aren't you?

♪ The only thing we know for sure ♪

♪ The truth is in... ♪

♪ Is nothing stays... ♪

♪ The only thing we know for sure ♪

♪ Is nothing stays the same ♪

♪ La da da da da da ♪

Sounding more and more like Christmas.

I hope I wasn't playing too loud.

So good to see you writing again.

I just had a little burst of inspiration.

Whoa, guys. Where are you taking that?

That's my--

That's my drafting table.

Uh, we were hoping to surprise you.

Well, you didn't have to get me this, Dad.

We'll keep your drafting table safely in storage.

I need your management expertise right now,

more than I need your drawing skills.

You know, you have no idea

how happy I am to have you back home.

Hi.

What's-- What's all that?

Hmm? Our active project files.

Oh, I'm gonna need you up to speed ASAP.

Looks like a hundred files there.

Concert to save Christmas Tree Lane!

Save Christmas Tree Lane!

December 24th!

- Christmas Eve. - Here you go.

Save Christmas Tree Lane.

- Wanna take a selfie? - Oh, yeah, for socials.

That's cute.

I've been posting twice a day.

Yeah. Have you been getting a lot of followers?

#SaveChristmasTreeLane is catching on.

- Nice. - Oh, for sure.

Save Christmas Tree Lane!

- Christmas Tree Lane! - Meg?

- Nate. - What are you doing here?

Well, we're we're handing out flyers for the concert.

What are you doing here?

Uh, I'm going skating.

Want to join me?

I have a lot of flyers that I still need to hand out.

Oh, uh, guys, I've gotta go.

Our espresso maker is down. It's a cappuccino catastrophe.

- I didn't hear a notification. - It was on vibrate.

Okay, well, you two have a great time.

- Emma... - Um, bye.

- Okay, good luck with that. - Emm!

You ready?

Sidebar.

I'm not a good skater.

- Okay. - Whoa.

- All right, let's do this. - Okay.

Good stuff.

Balance you out.

Whoa!

This is that slippery part over here.

- Nate Williams? - Regina?

Is that really you?

When did you get back to town?

Why didn't you call me?

Hey, how you doing?

I came back two weeks ago.

I've been busy getting settled.

I'm so sorry. This is Meg. Regina Stevens.

Regina and I have known each other since college.

Known each other?

We dated for four years.

Did your father tell you

I had an eminent domain lawsuit against him last month?

And I almost won.

Almost? I'm sure he loved that.

No. Actually, he was lovely.

He took me for lunch after

and offered me a job as his corporate counsel.

- And what'd you say? - No way!

He'd have me working 24/7.

Edmund doesn't know the meaning of weekends and holidays.

Oh, you weren't kidding about him.

He's one of a kind.

The old gang is doing a gift exchange at Smitty's Bar.

It's just around the corner.

Why don't we all get a drink right now? Meg?

Oh, I-I'm gonna-- I'm gonna head out.

Come on! Are you sure? Why don't you come join us?

No, I've got so much work to do,

and it seems like you guys have a lot to catch up on,

so I'll catch you later

All right. Well, that was fun.

- It was nice to meet you. - It was great to meet you.

You did great.

Thank you for helping me with this.

Of course I'll help you with yours too.

- Mine's done. - Mine too.

We weren't as busy.

What did you tell her?

Just that you had a little ice skating date with Nate.

I hate to disappoint you both, but it was not a date.

Date.

Nate ran into an ex-girlfriend, and I left.

I'll probably never see him again.

Never say never.

- Nate! - Hey.

- Oh, hi. - Hi.

What-- What are you doing here?

What, a man can't do a little Christmas shopping?

Hey, Nate.

How did the cappuccino catastrophe work out?

The what?

The cappuccino catastrophe.

Oh, that. Yes, all set.

- Great, good. - Nate, this is Samantha.

She owns the vintage clothing store down the street.

Oh, the one with the pink tree?

That's the one.

Great color. Timeless.

I think so too.

Well, all right! The gang is all here, huh?

So any ideas for the tree?

We got a little sidetracked.

Nate, this is my father, Benjamin.

Dad, this is, this is Nate. He's a new customer.

- Glad to meet you, Nate. - Nice to meet you, sir.

Is this the one you were telling me about?

Yep.

Well, Nate, feel free to look around.

We'll be decorating, if there's anything you need.

Except we haven't yet figured out

how to theme the tree to the store.

Do you guys happen to have any old 45s?

Maybe some sheet music?

Boxes of both. Yeah, why?

I have an idea.

Okay, that should do it.

Now all we need is light.

Oh, Meg, why don't you do the honors?

Okay.

Ready?

- Ohh! - Ha ha!

How nice is that?

This will be just perfect for the open house tomorrow.

Well, if I can get off work on time, I'll try to make it.

Okay.

These are amazing.

We can put some people helping with the vintage Santa sleigh

in costumes like this.

Yes, that's beautiful.

Maybe we could even let the kids

use some of these in their photos.

- Love that. - Definitely.

How's the promotion going for the concert?

Oh, well, we blanketed the city with flyers,

so now we just have to hope we get a fantastic turnout.

And if we do, I'll wear this.

What about this?

Ohh...

For Santa? I think an A-line

might not be the right cut for him.

For you!

It just came in, and it screams "Meg."

It's beautiful, but where would I wear something like this?

Mm, Christmas parties,

the concert,

dates.

The only thing on my mind right now

is saving Christmas Tree Lane.

- What is that? - What are you talking about?

- I saw that look. - What look?

Captain Obvious.

- Okay, are we ready? - Yes, let's do it.

Welcome to Reilly's!

- Merry Christmas, everybody! - Thank you for coming!

Enjoy the treat table and have some holiday cheer.

That's right.

Here's the info about our Christmas Eve concert,

and a little pamphlet about the history of Christmas Tree Lane.

Come join us on Friday for our vintage Santa photo booth,

and the shops will have specials too.

And the street will look just like it did

at Christmas in the 1900s.

I finally got ahold of my friend down at Channel 7 News.

I told him about everything we're doing

to save Christmas Tree Lane,

and he said he'd love to do a story on us.

That would be perfect.

Let's get him down here right away.

Mm-hmm.

Free food, concert flyers, our social media posts?

It's working, Meg.

You sure you don't mind closing up?

Not at all.

That was a really great day, huh?

Oh, you're making a difference, honey.

We'll see. I hope it'll be enough.

You just wait. Good night.

Good night.

Oh, hey.

Am I too late for the open house?

- Well, that's up to Meg. - Come on in.

Wow. Looks like you had fun. How did it go?

Oh, it was the best. We had so many people.

We didn't slow down until just a few minutes ago.

Oh, that's great.

Sadly, the only thing left is fruitcake.

Hey, any port in the storm, right?

That's right. That's the Christmas spirit.

Thank you.

Can't do it.

Oh, hang on.

I know just the thing.

Okay, all right.

Now you're just mocking me.

Maybe a teensy little bit.

You're gonna need a fork for that.

Thank you so much.

Can I offer you some wine?

- That, I'll take, please. - Okay.

Regina would have been welcome to join you.

It was lovely meeting her the other day.

Oh, yeah. She thought the same of you.

She's probably out with friends tonight or something.

She seemed nice.

You should see her in the courtroom.

You two were pretty serious, huh?

Back in the day, yes.

Hey, did you put up the rest of your flyers for the concert?

- Every last one. - Great.

I had a thought.

My mom runs the toy drive at St. Luke's Hospital,

and they get a ton of foot traffic.

She'd be happy to pass them out for you.

That'd be great. I can print out a few more.

I'll be over there tomorrow at noon, if you want to pass by.

I will. Thank you. I really appreciate that.

- Oh, of course. - Hey...

can I pick your architect's brain for a second?

Yeah.

Okay, so we've been starting

to map out what the stage might look like,

the outdoor stage for the concert,

and right now all we have is the base,

but it needs to really feel like

it's part of the history of Christmas Tree Lane, you know?

It needs to be like a natural extension

of the street or geography of Denver.

- Yeah. - Well...

you could do a Christmas-themed backdrop

with some prop gas lights

and maybe some string lights crisscrossing the street.

I'd be happy to draw up a plan for you.

Seriously? I don't want to bother you,

and I have no idea how we'd be able to pay you.

Well, we could do a trade.

Like what?

I'd love to hear you play.

Mom mentored a whole generation of local talent in this room.

And every singer-songwriter you can think of

from the '60s and '70s

played here at one point when they were just starting.

Wow.

You can feel the vibe.

Yeah.

Look at this record collection.

It's funny growing up immersed in music

from infancy like I did.

It took a while before I started writing my own songs.

I guess it felt like a lot of pressure.

But I started writing when I was about 16 or 17.

This is a Christmas song I wrote a few years back.

♪ All the busy sounds of life come down to a whisper ♪

♪ Whether there's snow or sunny skies ♪

♪ Or any sign of winter ♪

♪ No matter where we are, we're home ♪

♪ With all the ones who've missed us ♪

♪ The peace in every heart lights up the sky ♪

♪ And that's why Christmas ♪

I had no idea.

You're amazing.

Oh, thank you.

Why don't you perform more?

It's kind of complicated.

What happened?

A producer came to a show here at the loft when I was playing.

And he heard me, and he loved my voice,

and he liked my songs,

but he said if I wanted to take it seriously,

I should write more modern material.

More commercial, whatever that means.

Anyway, when I moved back here, I started teaching,

and I found real joy in that too.

Do you play?

I have zero musical talent.

I don't even sing in the shower.

You're an artist though.

People like you always have music in their souls.

Come here. Come sit.

We could play something together.

I promise I'll go easy on you.

I know you could do it.

Your first piano lesson's on the house.

Oh, well, thank you.

♪ Silent night ♪

Okay, I know that one, yeah.

- You heard it? - I've heard that one, yeah.

Okay, so see the black keys?

So it's the middle black key there, A-flat,

and then with this finger...

Yep.

Beautiful.

♪ Silent night ♪

♪ Holy night ♪

Now we're gonna change the chord.

Go down to this.

Oh, boy.

-Hello! You still open? - This one here?

So much for that piano lesson.

Well, just gives me an excuse to come back.

You can keep playing if you want.

Hey, Mom.

- Hi. - This is incredible.

People have been so generous, I can't even keep up.

Well, Meg has offered to do a gift-wrapping night at her show.

That's awfully nice of her.

- She's got a big heart. - Mm-hmm.

You should hear her sing and play piano.

- She's so talented. - Really?

And she's got this incredible collection

of Joni Mitchell albums.

Oh, I love that.

- Hi! - Oh, hey, you made it.

Hi.

Mom, this is Meg Reilly.

Meg, so nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too. These are for you.

They're donated from Marino's Toy and Hobby Store

on Christmas Tree Lane.

That is so kind.

- Please thank them for us. - I sure will.

Let me see these. Why don't I see what I can do with these.

Thank you so much, Mrs. Williams.

I really appreciate that.

Of course. Would you like to join us for lunch?

I would love to, but I have to get back to the shop.

We have so much planning to do before the concert.

Okay, well, it was lovely meeting you,

and I'm sure our paths will cross again.

I hope so.

I'll see you after.

I like her.

She's great.

Oh, it's Dad.

Hmm, so much for lunch, huh?

Okay, moving on.

So what's the latest update on CTL?

CTL?

Christmas Tree Lane.

That's one of our projects?

Actually, it's about to be one of your projects, Nate.

I need you down on the ground, coordinating as we move forward.

I heard the Merchants' Association

was shilling for people to come down and save the lane,

putting on some sort of concert or something,

hoping to spruce up the street.

About 20 years too late.

I'm here with Meg Reilly,

the president of the Christmas Tree Lane

Merchants' Association,

on one of the oldest streets here in Denver.

Meg, where's the name "Christmas Tree Lane" come from?

Back in the 1920s,

we were the first shopping district in the city

to use electric Christmas lights on all the trees and buildings.

Nobody had seen anything like it.

People came from all over.

So there's a lot of history here.

History and tradition.

And we're in danger of losing both.

Christmas Tree Lane is slated for demolition,

and we're hoping to show the city that we are worth saving.

And how are you doing that?

By embracing what people are longing for,

which is Christmas the way it used to be.

We are having a Christmas tree decorating contest,

we have a vintage Santa and sleigh,

we're lighting this street from end to end,

and it all finishes with the big concert

to save Christmas Tree Lane on Christmas Eve.

We are bringing history back to life,

and we hope you will help us preserve this lane

for generations to come.

And we're putting a link up on our website

for that concert information.

You think I'm too old to visit with Santa?

You are never too old to have the Christmas you remember.

That's perfectly said. I really love this.

I'll get right in.

Wow.

It really does feel like you're going back in time.

Christmas the way it used to be.

Rick Connor, Channel 7 News,

reporting from Christmas Tree Lane

100 years ago.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, Denver.

Hey, did you see the story on TV?

I did. Christmas Tree Lane is the talk of Denver.

It really feels like all of our hard work

is starting to pay off, you know?

This shop has been filled with customers all day.

Hey, I, uh... I want to tell you something.

Okay.

Well, it's just, I found something out at work.

- Mabel! - Aunt Meg!

Mabel.

- Hey, you. - Hey, what a surprise.

You remember Emma and Kari.

And this is my best buddy, Mabel.

- Hi, Mabel. - Hi.

- I'm Nate. - Are you ready to go?

Where are you going?

We are going to go look at all of the trees

in the Christmas tree decorating competition.

- Ooh. -Ours is the best.

We even put little coffee mugs on it.

I cannot wait to see that.

Do you want to come with us?

Uh...

Sure, yeah, why not?

How about this?

- Wow. - It's so beautiful.

1, 2, 3.

Yay! Which one's your favorite?

- I like the pink. - The pink?

Yeah, the pink.

- What other parts? - I like the candy canes.

Yeah, I like the candy canes too.

And then there's that little star up there. You like that?

- You like the sugar cupcakes? - And all the jelly beans?

Ah, wow, this is really nice.

Well, I mean, this one is obviously the winner.

I think you might be playing favorites.

Meg...

Wow. It's actually kinda crowded in there.

Uh...

Was there still something you wanted to talk to me about?

I just...

I wanted to say...

congratulations...

on all the publicity.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm really starting to believe

this might actually work.

Any chance you'll be coming back down here tomorrow?

I can... I can almost guarantee it.

See you then.

See you then.

Hey, Meg.

- Good morning! - Thanks.

You know, these are going out as fast as you get them to me.

That's fantastic. I'm gonna bring the rest of these

over to Cloverfield Investments,

let them know about the concert

and invite them to use a couple of VIP seats.

I want them to see this lane

and everything we're doing for themselves.

Cloverfield. Aren't those guys like a bunch of Scrooges?

Even Ebenezer came around in the end.

Worth a shot, right?

Your mom would have done the same thing.

There's a lot of history here.

History and tradition.

And we're in danger of losing both.

Carol!

Carol?

You wanted to see me, sir?

Yeah. I'm headed down to Christmas Tree Lane.

Oh, but you have a budget meeting in about two minutes.

This is more important.

Thanks.

Hi. Meg Reilly

with the Christmas Tree Lane Merchants' Association.

Meg.

Well, at least now I know

why you were down there all the time,

doing a little opposition research.

That's not it at all.

I kept on going there because I love it down there.

I had no idea that we were involved

in the Christmas Tree Lane project.

How was that even possible?

Because when I got back to Denver,

my father had dozens of projects for me to get caught up on.

I had no idea our company was the one

causing all your problems until yesterday.

And you didn't tell me then?

I tried, but...

you were so happy.

And so was I.

Look, let me fix this.

How?

I can work on my father from the inside.

I think we can do this together.

Together?

I looked at the proposal, okay?

And I think that there's a way that we can combine

the old buildings with new construction.

I can do a sketch, cost analysis,

and present it to my dad.

What makes you think your father

would even consider something like that?

Because I'll make sure the plans are so good

that he won't be able to say no.

Look, I know I can do this.

I just need to know if you want me to try.

I don't know what I want right now.

- Hey. - Hey.

Before you say anything,

I just, I wanted to show you what I've been working on.

Just in case you said yes.

Meg, I want to bring my father down here tomorrow morning

and show him everything you're doing.

If he sees this,

and I show him these plans,

I think that we have a shot at something...

special.

From here on out, I want total transparency.

No secrets.

I promise you I will not keep anything from you.

Then I think it's worth a shot.

Son, this is a waste of time.

I've been down Christmas Tree Lane before.

Hey, we have a site meeting across town at 1:00,

so let's try to make this quick.

Mr. Williams, thank you so much for coming down here.

I'm Meg Reilly. Welcome to Christmas Tree Lane.

Nice to meet you.

I, uh, saw the story about you on TV the other night.

And we have just gotten busier ever since then.

Where else in the city can you go

to experience Christmas the way it was a hundred years ago?

People are just loving it.

Mm-hmm.

Well, I understand what you and Nate

have been trying to do here,

but the only way to reinvent this neighborhood

is to start over.

Christmas doesn't need reinventing,

and neither do we.

- Well, that's not-- - Dad, look.

We're losing our connection to the past.

All over town, buildings are being torn down,

neighborhoods bulldozed over.

Well, that's not true. No, that's not true.

- Yes, it is. - The city has restored

the Ogden Theater, Larimer Square,

the old Molly Brown House.

But, you know, we need to have progress,

and we can't save everything.

But look at how many people are out, sir.

Yeah, I see them,

but they're all gonna be gone by January 1st.

Now, I want to wish you all the best of luck

in your future endeavors, Miss Reilly, all right?

Nate, we gotta go. We're running late.

Go ahead, Dad. I'll meet you back there.

Excuse me?

I'm gonna stay here with Meg.

- How's it going? - Great.

Everybody's in a holiday mood.

They're amazing.

I think you should join them for a song.

No, I couldn't. There's so many people.

Yeah, but they're all minding their own business.

Nobody's paying that much attention.

It'll feel like a performance, but no pressure.

You want to give it a try? Just one.

Yeah? Okay!

Could my friend, Kari, sit in with you guys for a song?

Yeah, we'd love that. Come on.

1, 2, 3.

♪ God bless ye merry gentlemen ♪

♪ Let nothing you dismay ♪

♪ Remember Christ, our Savior ♪

♪ Was born on Christmas Day ♪

- Wow. She's amazing. - I know.

Wait till the concert. She's gonna blow everyone away.

♪ Oh, tidings of comfort and joy ♪

♪ Comfort and joy ♪

♪ Oh, tidings of comfort and joy ♪

Thank you.

And thanks to the best music teacher in the world,

who should come up and sing next.

Come on, Meg. Don't you have an original for us?

I'm working on a few new things, but they're not ready quite yet.

Carry on.

Concert to save Christmas Tree Lane!

Merry Christmas.

Well, hello there.

Well, hello there.

What are you still doing down here?

I didn't want to go back to the office

and get lectured to by my dad.

I get it.

So...

you're writing a new song.

Well, I'm trying to.

Lately, I feel like I'm getting all these ideas,

but haven't really finished anything

for a long time now.

There's this melody that keeps playing around in my head,

and... I don't know.

I think I'm gonna go home.

I have a lot on my mind.

Well, let me, let me walk you.

I think I'd rather just be by myself, if that's okay.

Of course.

Thank you.

Thanks for sitting with me.

Ho ho ho! More toys!

Let me give you a hand with that.

Oh, this is amazing!

Thank you so much.

We would have never been able to get everything wrapped.

Well, we're happy to help.

Nate tells me that you are

something of a gift-wrapping whisperer.

Is that true? I'm terrible at this.

I hope you'll help me.

I will teach you all my secrets.

But first, I hear there's congratulations in order.

- What? - Why?

You haven't heard?

The online version of tomorrow's Denver Record

just went live.

The print edition goes out in the morning.

Wow!

This is amazing.

They picked you as number one.

"The street has music, nostalgia,

themed Christmas trees, vintage Santa,

and the biggest heart in all of Denver."

"Take a walk down memory lane at Reilly's Music Store

for some retro fun.

Savor the memories because this all might be gone soon."

Look, there's even a link to your concert page.

This is incredible! How did this happen?

You made it happen.

And he took his blades off his skates,

he starts shuffling around, falls right on his face.

I haven't seen my son laugh like that in ages.

You seem to bring out the joy in him

when you're together.

Well, I think there's a lot of joy hiding in there.

His father used to be like that

when we first met.

I heard about his visit down here.

Hmm.

When I get home, I'm gonna talk to Edmund

and show him that article,

see what I can do to help him bring back

that love of Christmas he had.

- Really? - Yeah.

Thank you.

Hey, they're not still at work, are they?

No, they live up there.

Above the shop?

Yeah. Most of these buildings

had apartments upstairs for the shopkeepers.

When I was a kid,

the lane was filled with families that lived here.

- It was zoned for residential? - Mm-hmm.

- What happened? - The suburbs.

Back in the 1970s, nobody wanted to live downtown.

We had the shops, but no one to shop at them.

But people are clamoring to move back to the city.

I'd live down here in a heartbeat.

What if...

What if we added housing to the plans?

Everyone's been so focused on office space,

but what if we got people living down here again?

It sounds like a great idea,

but how would you convince your dad?

I'd have to revise the plans.

But the minute people are living here,

you got your shopping base.

Add offices, and people can walk to work.

Dining, bars, markets.

I think this could work.

Thanks for walking me back.

Of course.

You're...

You're an extraordinary person, Meg.

Getting to know you has been the greatest Christmas gift

I could have ever asked for.

I know what you want for Christmas.

And I'm not giving up.

Thank you, Nate.

I had a good time tonight.

Me too.

Oh, hey, Dad.

Hey, what's up? You wanted to see me?

Yes.

I figured out a way to make Christmas Tree Lane

more profitable.

With a mixed-use project, we can expect

either double or triple the per-square-foot income.

I remember being your age, challenging authority.

That's the beauty of youth.

But I'm proud of your initiative.

Well, I'm glad

because I'm putting a proposal together for the board.

Full set of plans.

I have Dean doing a cost analysis for me right now.

Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Nate, that street has been a retail failure for years.

How is it going to support offices and housing?

I mean, it's a waste of time.

Well, not to me, Dad,

and definitely not to the shop owners of Christmas Tree Lane.

Put me on the agenda before people leave for the holidays.

You won't be disappointed.

Good?

Miss Reilly.

Meg. Do you mind if I join you?

Oh, of course.

You have a sweet tooth just like your son.

Oh? Where do you think he got it from?

Oh. Where are my manners? Would you like one?

You know what? I absolutely would. Thank you.

Mmm!

Nobody makes Christmas kolaches like Mrs. Kaminski.

You know Mrs. Kaminsky?

No, no, um, I knew her mother.

So you used to come to Christmas Tree Lane.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, I remember the Christmas windows,

the lights, the old gas lights.

It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.

Well, Mr. Williams,

with all due respect, why don't you help us save it?

Those were the old days.

At least come to our Christmas Eve concert.

Christmas Eve is too late, Meg. We vote tomorrow.

Listen, um, I really gotta get going.

Merry Christmas, Meg.

Hey.

- Hey. - So sorry I'm late.

I can't wait to hear about

this conversation you had with my dad.

Well, we kind of bonded over Christmas Tree Lane,

if you can imagine that.

Wow.

My dad talks about the past basically never,

so something must have gotten to him.

I think it was when he spent time down here the other day.

I know it sounds crazy,

but I think he has a soft spot in his heart for this street.

Okay, go on.

A guy doesn't sneak down here in the middle of the workday

to buy a box of Christmas kolaches from his youth,

unless he's got more on his mind than the bottom line.

You're doing the presentation tomorrow.

We don't have time to get the board to come down here

to see the Christmas Eve concert,

so we need to figure out a way

to bring the spirit of Christmas Tree Lane to them.

Merry Christmas!

- Hi, Father John! - Hey, Father!

Ah, thank you.

Thank you so much. Merry Christmas.

- Okay, yeah. - Cookies.

Pan around a little bit.

So this is a day in the life.

One Nutmeg's Christmas Blizzard coming right up.

That was my idea.

Voila.

Whoa! Another food cart?

These never used to come down here.

It's because Christmas Tree Lane is now the place to be.

Look at this selection.

- Here you go. - Thank you.

This is a fantastic idea.

We should do this next year for the open house,

assuming we still have a house to open.

Oh, come on. Don't give up. This is far from over.

All right? We're gonna make this happen.

So what do you think I should get,

white chocolate or milk hot chocolate?

Or maybe I can do a swirl.

You have the same exact expression as your father,

you know that?

What do you mean?

When I saw him at the bakery.

It was like he was 10 years old again.

He has a heart, Nate. I saw it today.

It's just a glimmer, but it's in there.

What do you love more, singing or songwriting?

Actually, right now, seeing my students perform.

You know, you can do all of that and still write your own songs.

I am so sorry. It's, uh, it's work.

I'll be right back, okay?

Hello.

Ever since the Merchants' Association

has been planning events for the holiday season,

the street has seen an explosion of foot traffic.

I think that if we harness the energy,

Christmas Tree Lane can become the destination it once was.

Hey.

Hey.

So, uh,

I know I won over some of the board.

They came up to me after the meeting.

What about your dad?

The revised plans would trigger

a new approval process with the city.

Well, that would be a good thing for us.

That would buy us more time.

It would cost a fortune in new plans

and set the whole project back by at least a year.

My father doesn't want to spend the money.

But this is just the first step, Meg.

I know that if we lobby enough of the board,

I can challenge my father.

I can't count on your father coming around at this point.

No, but I can help.

Nate, I know that you've tried your best.

I know you've done everything you can,

but right now I think the only hope we have

is that people come together

and stand up for Christmas Tree Lane,

just like before we met.

But we did meet.

And everything changed.

We can't just let that go.

I'm sorry, but right now the...

the only thing I can focus on is the concert.

It's our last chance.

And if that doesn't work?

Well, then I guess you will have

a lot of new buildings to design.

I have to call my dad. Thank you for everything, Nate.

Hey, Dad.

It's not good news.

Where is everybody?

I told them about the board.

You've already shouldered too much of this as it is,

and I didn't want you to have to deliver any bad news.

Where's Nate?

It doesn't matter. He can't help us anymore.

But he matters to you, doesn't he?

I can't even think about that anymore, Dad.

What I know is that I made a promise to everybody

on Christmas Tree Lane, and I failed.

Are you kidding me?

You have succeeded beyond your wildest dreams.

- How can you say that? - Look around, honey.

You make family everywhere you go, just like your mother.

The lane hasn't felt like this in years.

Have you ever seen so many smiles?

And I think that this experience,

as unpleasant as it's been,

has really helped you find your voice.

Sorry, Dad.

It's okay, sweetie.

Carol, where's Nate?

I don't know, sir.

He left after the meeting without saying anything.

Hey.

Hi, sweetie.

Well, I tried.

I really did.

But Dad won, and I lost.

I'm so sorry.

I know you did your best.

How's Meg doing?

I think I lost her too.

I just-- I blew it, Mom.

I disappointed her in the most important thing in her life.

There's no coming back from that.

Will you be at the concert tomorrow night?

No, no. After everything that's gone on,

I should probably just steer clear.

No, Nate, you need to be there.

Why?

Because she needs to know

that even if Christmas Tree Lane won't be there for her,

you will.

Samantha, you're runner-up.

Merry Christmas.

Thank you, Father.

Ah!

- What's this? - We tallied up the votes

from all the folks who came down to see the trees.

You won.

Merry Christmas.

If you love Christmas,

this is the place to be on Christmas Eve.

Everyone coming together to save Christmas Tree Lane,

getting ready for the big concert tonight.

So much buzz and excitement happening here,

where you've got everyone coming together,

and if they're successful,

they can bring Christmas back the way it used to be--

the lights, the sounds...

Lots of energy here.

Regina, hi. What are you doing down here?

Nate called me. I'm sorry about what happened.

You know he did everything he could.

Absolutely. And now it's just better for us to go it alone,

like we did before.

Do you think this concert will do the trick?

Honestly, at this point, I don't know what to think.

Well, I do, and that's why I'm going to help you.

Pardon me?

Nate came to me a few days ago.

He was worried that things wouldn't work out with his dad,

and if that happened,

he wanted you to have a backup plan.

That's me.

He called me this morning and asked me to come down here.

I could tell he was worried.

That's what he was meeting you about.

I... I thought you and Nate were--

That ended a long time ago, Meg.

I'm lucky to have him as a friend.

I really appreciate this offer,

but there's no way that we could afford you.

I know, but this is exactly the kind of work I do pro bono.

Why didn't Nate tell me he was talking to you about this?

He was hoping he'd be successful.

He was trying to protect you.

I know you two just met, but he cares about you, Meg.

Christmas Tree Lane brought you and Nate together.

Don't let it tear you apart.

Merry almost Christmas!

Let's come on in and do a rehearsal!

Ready?

How are you holding up?

You got this. You are gonna be so great.

Okay, first step,

let's make sure we're all in the same key.

Thought we were going to the party.

What's this all about, Lorraine?

I've never seen so many people down here.

How'd this all happen?

You know how.

Meg Reilly.

Wow.

You look incredible.

Thank you.

Have you taken a look outside?

No, not yet.

You've already made a difference.

To me, to everyone else.

You're gonna do great, Meg.

It's the season of miracles, after all.

♪ Hear the angels' voices

♪ O night ♪

♪ Divine ♪

♪ O night ♪

♪ When Christ was born ♪

♪ O night ♪

♪ Divine ♪

♪ O night ♪

♪ O night divine ♪

Whoo!

Hi. Good evening.

I'm Meg Reilly,

and this is the concert to save Christmas Tree Lane.

Thank you all so much for coming out tonight

and showing your support.

Before we get started, I want to thank my father,

whose love and support

has really kept my spirits high,

especially over these last few weeks.

Thank you, Dad. I love you.

For over a hundred years,

this is where Denver came to celebrate the holidays.

As my mother used to say,

"When you have a shop on Christmas Tree Lane,

you have to live up to the name."

Christmas Tree Lane is more than just a street.

Christmas Tree Lane is about love and family

and keeping the spirit of Christmas alive,

and that is exactly what we are going to do tonight.

I wasn't originally planning to perform tonight,

but seeing you all out here,

my heart is full, and...

I'm finally ready to sing my song.

♪ Dusting off these memories ♪

♪ One more year gone by ♪

♪ Face to face we're meant to be ♪

♪ The truth within your eyes ♪

♪ And it's happened so unexpectedly ♪

♪ Like the best things always do ♪

♪ The lights in my heart are on again ♪

♪ I think it's all because of you ♪

♪ You are the piece I've been missing ♪

♪ I couldn't have prayed I'd find ♪

♪ You are the gift I've been wishing for ♪

♪ My hope on this holy night ♪

♪ Here in the glow of Christmas past ♪

♪ Everything old feels new again ♪

♪ Please let this be our beginning ♪

♪ And Christmas ♪

♪ Will never end ♪

♪ Please say we're only beginning ♪

♪ And Christmas ♪

♪ Will never end ♪

Whoo!

You pulled off the impossible.

The concert was incredible.

Not the concert, Nate.

You know, when I look around and see all this energy,

all this goodwill, it...

it gives me pause.

You know, Meg is right.

Something very special lives here on Christmas Tree Lane,

and it wouldn't be right if we took that away.

Let's give it a try, okay?

You've, uh...

You have no idea how much that means to me, Dad.

Go tell her, honey.

Okay. I love you guys.

You're welcome, son.

Wow.

You blew me away.

You blew everyone away.

I meant every word.

These gas lamps! Are you kidding me?

How did you do that?

Called in a couple favors to the city.

What would you say if I told you they'd stay on permanently?

What do you mean?

My father wants to find a way to make this work.

Are you serious?

That's a miracle.

You're the miracle, Meg.

Knowing you has changed my life.

You have changed my life too.

I...

I can't even begin to imagine Christmas Tree Lane

without you by my side.

Well, you won't have to...

because I'm not going anywhere.

Merry Christmas, Meg.

Merry Christmas, Nate.

Yay!