Original subtitles

Hi! This is Olivia Hayes with The Morning Tribune.

I'm calling to confirm my interview

with Mayor Galloway this evening.

No problem! I'll hold.

Perfect! 7 PM is great, I'm looking forward to it.

Oh, oh! Five days in a row.

You should play for the B's.

Those bums couldn't afford me.

So, who was that on the call?

Was it a hot date for the office Christmas party?

Try an interview with the Mayor.

The only thing hot is gonna be

my headline flying off the press.

You were supposed to be my wing woman!

You don't need a wing woman!

I see the way Marcus looks at you.

Trust me.

He barely knows that I even exist.

The meeting. Let's go.

Yeah, yeah, coming.

Tanya, you will be covering the grand opening

of the new art gallery on 14th.

And very well done on your proposal.

You really outdid yourself this time.

Marcus, you will be covering

the mayor's rumoured resignation.

Actually, Lucille, that was my pitch.

And the best part is I got him to agree

to an interview. Wonderful.

You can pass all those details on to Marcus.

To Marcus? But what about...

Not to worry.

I have your assignment right here.

Now, let's talk about timelines.

Christmas is coming and we are working on some

very tight deadlines, people.

Tardiness will not be tolerated.

First drafts are expected by email no later than 9 AM,

one week from today.

Understood?

Yep.

Christmas plant.

Hmm...

You almost ready to get going there, kiddo?

Pine tree... No.

Holly. Poinsettia?

Mistletoe.

What?

Nine across, mistletoe.

Now I'm ready to go.

Hey. Backpack.

Thanks.

Lucille, hi. Can we talk?

It's about my assignment.

Ah, yes. An exposé on Manhattan's most famous

Christmas matchmaking event.

I'm excited to see what you uncover.

About that, I don't think I'm the right person for it.

Uh, I'm not really into Christmas.

Plus, I was under the impression

that the Berlin position was still available.

Look, Olivia. This isn't some sort of punishment.

The event promises a 90 % success rate.

I don't buy it.

You're my top investigative journalist,

if anyone can uncover the truth, it's you.

So, you're going.

And if you do a good job,

I will consider you for the position

at the Berlin office. Got it?

I'm on it.

Thanks, Lucille.

Okay. Good afternoon, everyone.

I said, good afternoon, everyone. Yes.

First, I need to thank you all for your great work last week.

You did so well. We're now 25 % on our way

to our goal, and that's all because of you

and your hard work, so thank you.

And now, for today. Craft day.

Today, you'll be creating a hallowed Christmas ornament.

That's right. And once you've finished your ornament,

bring it up here and together,

we will share in decorating our canvas.

The Christmas tree.

Okay, hop to it! Let's go.

Alright, Thomas. Hand it over.

- Hand what over? - The letter,

I know you have it. Whoa, okay. Easy.

- So, it's in there? - Uh, yeah.

- Let's have a look. - I... I...

I thought I put it in here. Oh, come on!

Don't tell me you're having second thoughts.

May I remind you this was your idea?

- What, was it? - Yeah!

I thought you said you were ready to get back out there

and start dating again.

Did I?

Look, I know, okay.

It's just between work and Erin and...

trying to secure enough donors to keep

this arts program running, it's just...

Maybe Christmas isn't the right time.

Okay.

In all seriousness,

I know it can't be easy to put yourself out there.

Especially after what you and Erin have been through.

But I think you know deep down it's what Patty

would have wanted.

Plus, whatever the outcome, Mistletoe Match is a ton of fun!

And if you're lucky, you might just meet a new love.

Like I did last year.

Fine.

I haven't been able to open it. Oh! I will open it.

You know I will.

Oh, my man!

Time to dust off your best suit

and dancing shoes.

You are going to Mistletoe Match!

Hey!

I snagged some cookies from the break room.

Oh! Thank goodness for cookies.

I thought that'd give you a little boost.

Finally, something about Christmas I can get behind.

This, on the other hand...

That bad, huh?

It's Christmas and love mixed into one,

it's literally my nightmare.

- What? No way! - Yes, way.

Lucille was one of last year's past participants.

I guess things didn't exactly pan out in her favour.

My mind is blown right now.

But it makes perfect sense.

- Right? - Mm-hmm.

Who's that?

Okay, that's Mia,

the event's new coordinator.

Claims she met the love of her life, Alfie,

at the event, last year. Hmm...

I mean, check this out.

The website says that 90 % of participants

are gonna find their one true love.

It's a total cash grab!

Who better to profit off of than the hopelessly romantic?

I just wish I didn't have to spend

the next two weeks of my life trying to prove it.

I really thought this was gonna be my year.

Now, look at me.

"Welcome to the 10th annual Mistletoe Match.

Are you ready to find your one true love?"

Well, that's ironic. Considering no one is here.

Hello?

Hello!

Does anyone work here?

- Are you here for the event? - Oh! Uh, sorry.

I didn't see you there. Yes, I am.

Unfortunately.

Excuse me?

- Lead the way. - Okay, then.

Um, follow me.

Thank you.

Are you working the event?

No. No.

What makes you say that?

You just don't seem very excited to be here, is all.

Oh, uh...

My apologies. I guess I'm not very good with...

excitement.

Well, it's supposed to be fun.

Fun.

I mean, if you think exploiting the holidays is...

I don't mean that exactly, I mean more like,

taking advantage of the holidays to force people...

I mean, to entice people into believing

they're making an emotional connection

is fun, then yeah.

That's why I'm here.

Well, Mistletoe Match appears to be thriving,

so they must be doing something right, you know?

And what is it that you think they're doing right, exactly?

Well, for starters, they're really attracting

an open-minded and eager clientele.

Yeah, well that's me.

Olivia.

I'm... just not a huge fan of Christmas.

And I don't believe in forcing love.

You know, it has to happen naturally.

Then, why are you here?

If you don't mind me asking.

I do, actually.

Sorry.

Oh, sorry.

Almost forgot.

The service here has been impeccable. Seriously.

Five stars.

Oh. Thank you so much.

Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

Cats.

Alright, alright, gather around, everyone.

Hi. Welcome, I'm Mia, your host.

And I am very excited to welcome you all

to the 10th annual Mistletoe Match.

Yes, this is a matchmaking event and yes,

90 % of you will find love.

But it's also so much more than that.

Every evening, you will receive a surprise email

with the next Mistletoe Match meetup.

I'll give you a hint, classic holiday traditions

inspire all seven of our secret events.

Now, what do you say we make this year's success rate 100 %?

Our first event is a real crowd pleaser,

decorating gingerbread houses.

Your sweater twin will be your partner.

So, good luck and have fun.

- Oh boy, what are the odds? - What?

Cats.

- Are you here for the event? - Mm-hmm.

You're not the concierge.

No.

Then, why didn't you say something?

- Hmm. - And you took my money.

Yeah. Well, five bucks is five bucks.

Plus, I kind of have a feeling like I'm gonna earn it.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?

- Hmm? - I thought we were doing

a Winter Wonderland theme here. Blues and whites!

What's the point in art if you can't improvise a little?

- You've been improvising? - You haven't?

No, no. It's okay. It's okay.

I can fix this.

You sure take gingerbread decorating pretty seriously

for someone who hates Christmas.

No, I didn't say I hate Christmas,

I said Christmas isn't my thing.

Eager, open-minded and competitive.

Look at us getting to know each other.

Well, since we're getting to know each other,

you should probably know that it wasn't my idea to sign up.

I was forced to do it.

Well, if it makes you feel any better,

I also am a little skeptical about being here.

My friend Alfie actually signed me up.

Like, Mia's Alfie.

Yeah.

They met at the event last year, right?

Yeah, I guess they thought it worked for them,

so it should work for me, too.

To be honest, I'm a little doubtful.

Right? I mean, do they really expect us to believe that?

As far as I'm concerned, they just got lucky.

I guess we'll see.

I guess we will.

- You tipped him? - Yep.

After I almost completely blew my cover.

Thankfully, I convinced him that a friend forced me to sign up.

Well, as far as he's concerned,

you're just another stubborn woman

who won't admit that she's ready to find love.

You don't find love. Love finds you.

I mean, picking the same ugly Christmas sweater

doesn't make you soulmates.

Or does it?

Cute.

Oh. It's tomorrow's event details.

Hmm.

Speed-dating event.

That is exactly what you need.

I swear you're enjoying my suffering way too much.

No, no, Liv.

Speed-dating is basically interviewing.

It's the perfect way to gather the information

about the other participants.

You're right.

Finally, something I'm good at.

Welcome to day two of Mistletoe Match.

Everyone, don't worry,

this isn't your typical speed dating event.

These are Christmas questionnaires.

Your answers to these questionnaires will be used

as conversation starters for our speed dating session.

And don't forget, the person with the most matched answers

to your questionnaire will be your partner

for our next secret event.

Oh.

Ooh, thank you, thank you. It's so kind. So kind.

You know, actually, this is better.

It's better, yeah.

It's my back, you know, it's more support.

I apologize. Just having a little bit of fun.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Who said chivalry's dead anyhow, right?

Okay, then...

It's good. It's funny. Yeah.

Your favourite Christmas dessert.

I don't think carrot cake is a Christmas dessert.

Says who?

Keep your eyes off my test.

You're lucky it's not a test,

otherwise you'd really need my help.

Shh!

Let the speed dating begin.

- Hi, I'm Olivia. - Thomas.

So, what brings you to Mistletoe Match?

Switch!

Good, that was fun, great.

Hi, Thomas. Olivia.

You're related to Santa?

Sorry, your grandmother got run over by a what?

No, no, I think your rendition

of the Chipmunk song is...

quite charming, actually.

Thomas. Olivia.

Which do I prefer?

- Garland. - Tinsel, definitely.

Hmm.

Switch!

Olivia.

Chris.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Hi, hi, my name is Thomas.

Wow, Thomas, firm handshake.

I'm Vanessa, but you can call me Nessa or Nessie if you want.

Or Vanessa's fine. Uh, what about starting

with our favourite Christmas jokes?

Sure! Yeah.

What do you call a broke Santa?

Saint Nickel-less.

I don't know if you've ever been to Costa Rica,

but it is just the most wonderful place

in the whole world.

I'm actually planning on having my wedding there.

Wow! That's really good.

I'm an accountant, so I've never...

Can I write that down?

Tropical flowers, bare feet in the sand.

Sun, on my face.

It's "Nickel-less", 'cause it's less.

'Cause he's broke!

That's good, that's really good.

- And you have pets? - Cat, yes...

- Okay. - for a while,

but it passed away. Oh. Okay...

See, I work in accounting.

Are you familiar with spreadsheets?

Spreadsheet? Like, numbers...

Actually, I colour-code things,

I go red, orange, yellow, purple...

Actually, sorry, I go red, orange, purple, green...

- Oh. - Red, blue...

Do you want to have kids at any point?

I have a daughter, actually.

You have a kid! Oh, just what, tiny?

Like a little... No...

Right!

Accounting stuff.

- Oh, that's fine. - Bad accountant!

- Hmm... - Like me.

'Cause I'm an accountant, so...

Dentist, lawyer, pilot, "accountant".

They're certainly covering all their bases.

Ooh, I didn't realize there was an all-you-can-eat

buffet over here.

Ugh, you again.

Okay, then. Good.

Oh, no. No, no.

Hey, hey, pretend like we're getting along, okay?

- What? - Improvise!

- Thomas! - Oh!

Yeah! I really enjoy that.

Yes, I'm just so happy

that we're both fans of postmodern art.

Yeah. And did you hear about

the gallery opening up on the 14th?

Yeah, I did, actually.

Great, would you maybe want to go check out

the exhibit next week? Yeah!

Since we just have so much in common!

That sounds like fun!

- Who was that? - I don't know.

Are you hiding from her?

Maybe a little bit, alright?

She's very nice, but just a lot.

I feel you.

There's just so much pressure on this thing.

Whoever we match with today is gonna be our partner

for the next event.

Is it too late to back out of it now?

Mm-hmm, I am... Ooh, hey!

I have an idea.

Okay, see you. Oh, hey!

What if we pretend to like each other?

Ouch!

No, it...

If people think that we're a match,

then we don't have to get, you know,

partnered up with any of the others.

No, I don't think this is a very good idea.

Listen, we don't want to be here, right?

- Right. - You don't want to be mingling

with strangers anymore, I definitely don't want to be

Mistletoe Matched with anyone, period.

It'll work! We'll coast through

the next two weeks together, easy peasy.

- Easy peasy? - Mm-hmm.

Have you seen your acting skills?

And I was like, have you ever even been to Costa Rica?

Oh my gosh! Amazing.

Oh, I'm really enjoying this.

- It's a deal. - Deal!

Yeah, great.

Thank you so much, we'll see you. Okay.

Chris, Vanessa, hi.

Hi! Oh, Chris and Vanessa, I like it.

This was really good, though...

This is a bad idea, I can't do this.

Wait, no, no. You are not backing out.

We'll be fine. We just rigged our answers,

so according to this, we are compatible.

Mia knows me very well, okay?

She's gonna see right through this

and right through that. Well, I didn't say

this was gonna be easy.

No, you said it was gonna be easy peasy!

Hi, you two.

Okay, fine. We need to cover our bases.

Pizza, thick crust or thin?

Thin, hands down.

New York style is the only way to go.

No, thick and stuffed with cheese, always!

What do you do for work?

Uh, I'm a journalist

for The Morning Tribune. What do you do?

A journalist? Wow.

I'm a middle-school arts teacher.

I also run an after-school arts program

at the Brooklyn Community Centre.

- Thomas. - Mia.

- Olivia. - Hi!

Hi! I take it your Mistletoe Match

experience is off to a strong start?

- Oh, it sure is. - Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

And we really have so many similarities,

I did not expect it at all so soon.

Wouldn't you say? Yes.

That is so great.

Anyway, I'll see you two tomorrow?

You sure will.

What did I say? Easy peasy! Easy peasy?

Hey! Kiddo!

Ah, how was volunteering

at the community centre with Uncle Alfie?

Good, yeah. I helped him decorate

the whole entire lobby.

It's much more festive now.

And more hands make light work.

They do, yeah.

Okay. Uh, who's this?

Oh, well, uh...

It's... I'm Erin.

Nice to meet you. Hi, Olivia.

It's Olivia! I'm Alfie.

- Nice to meet you. - Very nice to meet you.

Well, we should probably get going, yeah?

Yeah, I need to go as well.

- Alfie! - Hmm?

Hey, babe.

I'm about ready, I'm just gonna get my stuff.

And then, I'm so excited

for our Christmas movie marathon!

But I can't.

What? Is everything okay.

I'm so sorry, Mia, I completely forgot,

I was just about to jet,

I've got all kinds of errands to run,

can I get a rain check?

Yeah.

Okay, no worries.

Okay, you're the best!

Bye!

- Bye! - See you.

Please, it's time to go, so...

- We'll walk you out. - Oh, thank you.

Let me just grab my stuff and then, I'll meet you.

Okay, great. We'll just be at the front doors.

- Okay. - Yeah.

- Bye, Olivia. - Bye.

Mia and Alfie.

Does Mistletoe Match lead to lasting love?

I guess we'll see.

Did you convince Lucille

to change your assignment or something?

Even better.

I found a foolproof way

to coast through Mistletoe Match.

I found my angle.

Okay, let's hear it.

Thomas Kade.

Mr. Sweater Dude?

Yeah. We're gonna pretend to be a match

so we don't have to get matched with anyone else.

Plus, by fake matching, I'm proving once again

that Mistletoe Match is a sham.

Yeah, but doesn't Thomas want to find love?

Well, I pitched it to him and he agreed.

Okay, well, he technically doesn't know

what he's agreeing to.

It's a mutually beneficial deal.

Don't worry. Plus, get this,

he's best friends with Mia and Alfie,

one of the supposed success stories from Mistletoe Match.

Thomas is the perfect in for me to uncover the truth

about their relationship. Okay, back up.

Why do I think this is not gonna end well?

You and Thomas hardly know each other.

Well, I know enough.

He's a decent guy,

he's got a wonderful daughter

and we're partnered up for the next event,

so there's no turning back now.

I mean, as if your scheme

wasn't risky enough, he's a single dad!

Another day,

another matchmaking event.

To what end will Mistletoe Match

go to exploit Christmas and orchestrate love?

It's time to find out.

Today's small group challenge is all about communication.

Behind me, there are two undecorated snowmen.

One person from each team will be blindfolded

and the other person will help guide their partner

with verbal instructions only... We got this.

To find their snowman's clothing.

Which I will be placing across the field. Ta-da!

There's a hat, scarves, mittens and a carrot nose.

Team one, your snowman is wearing blue.

And team two, red.

The first team to dress their snowman wins.

Well, I think it's pretty obvious

who should be wearing the blindfold.

- Agreed. - Oh, ha! Nope. That's you.

This is a communication challenge.

I'm a journalist, I'm great with words.

You're an artist, you're good at decorating things.

What? But I'll be blindfolded.

Exactly. Less chance you'll have to improvise.

Okay.

People like my improvisation, I'll let you know.

- Hmm, not everyone. - Okay, then.

Three, two, one.

Go!

Go, go, go!

Straight, go straight,

straight, straight!

Stop, stop! Get down. Right on your knees.

Yes!

Yes! Put it on your head!

You're killing this!

Get up, go... To the tree, to the... Straight!

No!

Ah! I'm so sorry!

I'm so sorry, my bad.

Put your hand up on the tree, grab it! Grab it!

Yes! You got it! Follow my voice.

- Yeah, I hear you. - Follow my voice.

- Yeah. - Down! Down on the knees.

- Yeah. - Reach your right hand out,

right there! Oh, yes! I got the carrot!

I got the carrot!

Hurry! Yes!

The carrot, the carrot!

And the blue team wins!

Oh, my God! We won!

Woo!

You did it, you did it!

Oh my gosh.

Forcing connection

through shared success and shared defeat.

Well played, Mistletoe Match.

Well played.

Want me to take your photo?

Uh, no, no.

Oh, come on! Thomas, get in there with Liv.

You two killed it today and you need to document it.

Okay, then.

Yeah.

Uh...

Scooch a little closer.

Scoochie-scoochie. Yeah, yeah?

I think we're just gonna have to go for it.

Alrighty, then.

Say, "Hot cocoa!"

Hot cocoa!

Three, two, one!

Should we place bets on who we think will win?

Sure. My bet is on that guy.

Okay. I'll go with team blue, the underdog.

The loser buys the winner pizza.

I am so hungry at this point,

I would even give your stuffed crust a shot.

I never thought I'd be turning down my stuffed crust,

but I've actually got to get home early tonight.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, of course. You got big Christmas plans?

No, actually. I'm applying to a grant for my arts program

and tonight's the deadline. What grant?

It's the Brooklyn Creates Art grant.

Oh, yeah.

That's a really great initiative.

Make sure you include testimonials from the kids.

The grant committee is a huge sucker for that kind of thing.

Wait, wait, you're familiar?

Yeah, I actually wrote an article

about it for the paper.

How a community arts grant changes lives.

Changes lives.

I like that, can I steal that?

Yeah! I could put in a good word for you

at the grant committee. Really? You...

That would be... That would be amazing!

Of course! It's the least I can do.

For the community.

For the community.

Olivia Hayes.

Hey! You're ready for the Christmas movie marathon

on Channel 6?

Yeah, perfect timing,

I'm just about finished here.

Whatcha doing?

Oh, just finished up that grant application.

- Oh, really. - Yeah.

Olivia Hayes?

It's research, right. She wrote this article about...

- Yeah. - She's a journalist

for The Morning Tribune.

Oh, I love The Morning Tribune!

No wonder you have a crush on her.

What? No...

It's okay, Dad.

Internet-stalking your crush is perfectly normal.

Tell me when the coast is clear.

What?

Are you still trying to hide from Marcus?

Girl, what happened to trying to get his attention?

And I did!

And then I panicked and I froze and...

You know what, I'm just gonna lay low

for just a little bit until he forgets the whole thing.

Okay.

So, how is the exposé coming along?

Well, it's coming,

I'm gathering a lot of information,

but no solid evidence yet.

I do have my headline, though.

"Christmas Match or Christmas cash grab?"

- Nice! - Thank you!

Who is that?

Oh, this is just research.

Uh...

Is that Thomas?

- Uh... - You didn't tell me he was hot!

Okay, this changes everything.

Okay.

This is Thomas's art program.

And he's applying for that grant I wrote about last year.

Uh, and I said I'd put in a good word for him

with the grant committee.

That's nice of you.

Okay, so tell me again

why you're pretending to match with him?

I mean, he seems like a total catch.

Well, you know that I'm not interested in love right now.

And if I were, I'm gonna be in Berlin

sometime in the new year. You know, hopefully.

Oh, yeah. That's why I came in.

Lucille changed the deadline.

She wants drafts due end of day tomorrow.

- Wait, tomorrow? - Yeah.

Yeah.

Doesn't she know that I'm busy playing in the snow

and decorating gingerbread?

Day four of Mistletoe Match.

What do sports and love have in common?

Can an exercise-induced mood boost

create a false sense of connection?

And if so, can that connection endure?

Hey, Mia.

Hello.

Oh! Olivia. Sorry about that.

- Hi. - Let me get you all signed in.

If I could just find my sign-in sheet.

I swear I just had it a second ago.

Uh...

- Is everything okay? - Oh, yeah.

Just the usual, it's just a bit tricky

coordinating Alfie and my schedule.

Especially during the holidays.

I'm sure. I can't imagine

you have a lot of downtime, lately.

Yeah. And with Alfie's new schedule

at the community centre,

he's just been working a lot of overtime.

Oh, really?

Uh, you know what?

I think I left it on a clipboard in my truck.

I will be right back. Okay.

- Hey. - Oops!

- Oh! - Oh, oops.

Thanks.

That's a lot of phone numbers. What it all this?

I don't know, I was just helping Mia find a clipboard.

Oh. Well, it's a good thing we were here.

That's a lot of sensitive information

we wouldn't want to fall into the wrong hands.

Hmm, no, we would not.

Okay! Where were we? Thomas and Olivia.

You both chose snowshoeing. Hmm.

- Oh. - Okay, that's for you.

And for you. Thank you.

Paired up together again.

What are the odds?

- Shall we? - Yes.

- Okay. See you later, Mia. - Have fun!

Hi! James and Samantha.

So, let me guess.

You left Colorado, came to New York,

and fell in love with the lights and the energy.

Yeah, just really fell in love with all of it, you know?

Although, I won't lie, there was a bit of time

after Erin's mother passed when I was thinking

about moving back to Colorado.

I'm so sorry, Thomas.

Oh, no, it's just...

I just wanted to get out of town, you know?

Shake things up a bit. Expose Erin to something new.

I guess that's probably why I wasn't so into

the whole Mistletoe Match thing at the beginning.

Anyway, enough about me.

What about you? Why are you so anti-Christmas, huh?

I wasn't always anti-Christmas, I...

I don't know, I just... The busier I got...

Christmas just isn't top of my priority list anymore.

Hmm.

- What is this? - Wow.

Mia has really kicked up the romance.

Right?

I mean, this is all a little overboard, don't you think?

Yeah, totally.

Why don't we just get back to the loop?

We were starting to get a real good rhythm there.

I mean...

we should take the hot chocolate, for the road.

For the road. Don't want to be wasteful.

No.

I don't know, the fire looks really nice

and I'm a little cold. Do you just want to sit

and enjoy it here, maybe?

Yeah, maybe.

To faking love. To faking love.

- Mm-hmm. - Cheers!

Cheers.

I mean, who says sitting around a campfire

has to be romantic, anyway?

- Right? Joke's on them. - Joke's totally on them.

Oh, what's...

Oh, what's that?

Conversation starters.

Ah.

Mia thinks of everything, doesn't she?

Doesn't she?

Who was your childhood hero? Hmm...

Mm, what is your go-to karaoke song?

That is important.

Oh, this is a good one.

What do you love about your career?

Well, there's a lot that I love.

But if I had to pick one specifically, I'd say...

I love how unpredictable it can be.

- Hmm. - You never know

where or how you're gonna uncover a story,

but they're always out there somewhere,

waiting to be discovered.

And how do you that?

Discover them, I mean?

Through research, mainly.

Meeting people, talking to them.

Inspiration is everywhere.

I knew it. That makes a lot of sense.

Knew what?

That's why you're such a good listener.

We should probably get going.

Yeah, yeah.

- S'more for the road? - "Sh'more" the merrier!

Oh, I should get this, it could be Erin.

Is everything okay?

I can hardly believe it.

I got through to the next round for the grant committee!

Yeah, I've got a meeting with them, tomorrow night.

Oh my gosh, I knew you would get through!

Better stop that.

Stop what?

Well, aren't we supposed to be pretending

to get along? Remember?

- Hey. - Hi!

Ah, thank you. Just right there.

Hey, you haven't heard from Alfie, have you?

He was supposed to drop off Erin 15 minutes ago.

He was?

Yeah.

Right. He was.

I will let you know when I see him.

Okay.

Um... Hi! Hi.

Just grab these, thank you so much.

Maybe he's running late.

Mia did say that he's been keeping busy

at the community centre.

Apparently, he's doing a bunch of overtime?

Overtime? That's weird.

He has been acting odd, lately.

Did you hear that?

Shh! Okay, go for it!

I know that giggle.

Duck!

That was the best.

Are you okay, old man?

- I'm not so sure I am. - I don't think so.

That was epic.

You two were ruthless.

Wind up!

Woo!

Oh, I got to run,

but I will catch you two tomorrow night

at the community centre, right? Oh, no. Unfortunately not.

- How come, what's wrong? - It's good news, actually.

My grant got through to the next phase

of the application process.

Oh, that is great news, congrats!

Thanks, it is. But unfortunately, it means

we're gonna have to cancel class for tomorrow night.

What? We can't cancel, it's Christmas.

Maybe Alfie could fill in for you,

like he did when you got your wisdom teeth removed?

No, sorry. Tomorrow night, I can't, I can't.

Because after work, I've gotta go pick up

a big shipment from the post office of books.

- Yeah, the books. - Books.

- The books. - Yeah.

How about Olivia?

Oh, me?

No, I'm sorry, I'm not really a teacher.

Why not? You could teach us about writing.

Please!

Erin, hey. You know it's not polite

to put people on the spot like that.

Plus, I'm sure Olivia has a very busy schedule.

Right?

I mean, we do have a few days off from Mistletoe Match,

I could prepare something.

You know what? Sure. Yeah, why not?

You would do that?

- I would love to. - Yes!

We'll see you tomorrow, then. 6 PM, sharp.

- I will be there. - Amazing!

Alfie! Coming, Mia! See you soon.

Oh...

Oh, wow.

I remember Ruff-Ruff.

Hmm!

"Why I want to be a writer."

A+.

"Believe in the magic.

My favourite Christmas tradition,

going to see the Christmas tree."

"Cookies are the best food in the world."

This is still true.

Lucille, hi. How are you?

Olivia. I'm glad I could reach you.

Just finished reading your article.

And?

And... I like it.

Could be better. Yeah.

I agree. I'm very open to suggestions, though.

I want you to shift the focus

of your Mistletoe Match investigation.

Mia and Alfie are great,

but this Thomas character is much more intriguing.

You know, the one you've been using

to prove the event's a sham.

Well, I mean, "using" is a bit of a strong word.

Single dad looking for love.

It's high stakes. I want you to dig deeper.

Why is he really there?

How's he coping?

He has a daughter to protect.

If Mistletoe Match can't find him his one true love,

it's really gonna hit home with readers.

Keep up the excellent work, Olivia.

Thank you, Lucille.

I really appreciate that feedback.

Hello, everyone.

I'm Olivia and I'm going to be taking over for Thomas tonight.

Tonight's class is about writing.

Writing is...

It's an art, just like painting or sculpting.

It's a way of...

expressing yourself and communicating

the stories that matter to you.

She works for The Morning Tribune.

Now, before we dive in,

I wanted to start with a little activity...

called brainstorming.

Brainstorming is a very important part

of the writing process. Thank you.

Helps loosen up the mind, leads to new ideas.

And in keeping with the Christmas theme,

our prompt will be...

"My favourite Christmas traditions."

I want you to write down on these cue cards

as many words or phrases that come to mind

when you think about that prompt.

Okay?

Okay, go!

Whatever comes to mind,

you don't have to write full sentences,

just words or names of a Christmas song,

your favourite Christmas movie.

Okay.

Now, for your assignment.

Over the next week, you're going to be writing

about what Christmas means to you.

Now, there's no rules, okay?

It can be fiction or non-fiction.

And next week, we'll read them aloud to each other in class.

Sound good?

Okay, let's open up our books, start writing.

I hope the brainstorming helped.

Hey, Erin.

Are you okay?

I don't know. My dad runs the art program,

so everybody expects me to be creative and talented, like him.

Don't put so much pressure on yourself. It'll come.

What if it doesn't? What if I have writer's block?

You know, over the years, I learned a little trick.

You write like no one is ever gonna read it.

This is your chance to experiment.

You find your writing style over time.

Just takes practice.

When did you find yours?

When I started my own community newspaper.

That sounds like a lot of work.

It was. Especially at first.

But I didn't do it because I had to,

I did it because I enjoyed it.

I wish I could enjoy writing like you do.

Oh, you can. Trust me.

That blank page is no match for Erin Kade.

Just write what you know. Start there, see what comes out.

So, how did it go?

I think it went really well, actually!

Yeah, they're gonna be sending their representative

from the committee to come audit our next class!

What?! I mean, what...?

And I think if that goes well,

then we should be in serious contention for the money!

No pressure.

Hey, don't forget what I told you.

You're not writing for them, you are writing for you.

Uh, I'll meet you in the lobby,

I have a lot of work to do.

Uh, I... Okay, then.

Um, I take it tonight's class went well, then?

Oh, your kids are amazing.

You know, I really wish I had a place like this

when I was growing up.

Thanks. That means a lot.

Oh, my phone's buzzing away.

Yeah.

What does Mistletoe Match have in store for us

on day five?

Oh! Cookie swap in the ballroom.

Yeah?

Uh-oh...

Ugh, we have to bring a tray of homemade cookies.

What? Why "uh-oh"?

Every time I see you, you have a cookie in your hand.

Eating them is my strength. Baking them, not so much.

Oh!

You know what? I think Erin and I

could help you out with that. Yeah.

Oh, no, no, no, you don't need to do that.

- Oh, yeah, yeah. - No...

We've got all the baking stuff at our house.

You come by. We're gonna do it anyways.

Plus, I think all the work you've done for us,

we should really pay you back a little bit.

Okay. Yeah, sure.

Yeah? Great!

Sure.

I will, uh...

Text me.

- Text. - Yeah.

I will text you my address. The house, my house address.

- Yeah. Bye, Thomas. - Bye, Olivia. Bye.

What am I doing?!

- Hi! - Hi!

Peppermint? Chocolate?

Don't forget the extra whip.

So, this is where we hang our stockings,

and that calendar is how I keep track of how many days

are left until Christmas! Oh.

You two certainly go all out.

What can I say? We love Christmas.

Who's ready for some baking therapy?

- You have no idea. - Good, come on.

This one's for you. Thank you.

- And this one is for you. - Oh, thank you.

Beverage? Oh, thank you!

What are we making?

- You want to switch? - Read my mind.

See what I mean? He's good at everything!

What are you talking about?

Everything you touch turns to gold.

You're my dad. You have to say that.

No, I think he's right about that one.

And that reminds me... I have something to show you.

Everyone has to get their start somewhere.

Wow. Was that your Christmas tree? It's huge!

Yep! That was the year we got a tree so big,

it barely fit through the door.

That's one of the greatest things about being a writer.

You get to preserve memories for yourself

and for future generations.

Will you read what I've written for my story so far?

My dad says it's great,

but he says everything's great, so I need an honest perspective.

I'd love to.

You did not write this.

I know, it's hard to believe I made

so many spelling mistakes.

That's not what I mean.

This was clearly written by someone who loves Christmas.

Wait, does that mean that there might be hope for you yet?

Maybe. Or maybe that's just all the cookies talking.

Olivia Hayes is warming up to Christmas.

Now, that's a headline.

Thomas, there's something I actually wanted

to talk to you about.

Good. Um, there's actually something I've been wanting

to talk to you about too.

- Oh? - Yeah, I just...

I've been quite embarrassed about this,

but since you've been so honest and open with me

from the beginning, I kind of think I should. Um...

What is it?

Well, Alfie didn't sign me up for Mistletoe Match.

I signed myself up.

I thought I was ready to find love again.

But then that night when I showed up I just...

I don't know, I got cold feet, I guess.

And then you appeared, and well,

you were just my perfect out.

So I took it.

But now, funny enough, I'm really enjoying myself.

A lot.

And you know, I really think Erin has too.

It's pretty obvious that she's just really taken to you.

Yeah, I just thought I should apologize to you.

And well, if you're upset with me,

I would totally understand.

No. No, no. I'm not upset.

I've actually been really enjoying myself too.

Okay! Here goes nothing.

Okay, Erin. What do you have for me?

Okay...

Lucille called the other night.

She "likes" my Mistletoe Match article.

But she thinks it could be better.

She wants me to change everything.

Okay, well, what's her angle?

Thomas.

A single dad struggles to find love,

and Mistletoe Match lets him down.

- Hm... - What was wrong with my angle?!

Mia and Alfie struggling to make it work

one year after the event!

I was this close to breaking that story.

I know.

I really thought this was going to be easy.

I had a plan. Impress Lucille and get to Berlin.

And now, I don't know anymore.

How far is too far?

I mean, the only person that can make that call is you.

What is the story that you want to tell?

Yeah. Perfect.

Let's go with that one.

Mm-hmm, yeah. It's her favourite song. Ha.

Uh, great. Can I call you back? Yeah, okay, bye, bye.

Thomas! Hey, Alf.

How you doing? I'm doing.

Stage looks great.

You really did a good job setting everything up.

Oh, yeah. Hey,

kids' Christmas concert's gotta be big this year.

Awesome. Uh...

I didn't happen to interrupt you there, did I?

No, not at all.

Good, good.

Hmm.

- I know something's up. - What?

- Mm-hmm. - Why would you say that?

Oh, I don't know,

just 'cause you're so subtle about everything.

Yeah, no one suspects you of anything, currently.

Okay, I'm your best friend, Alf, I know when something's up.

What's' going on, man? You can tell me anything.

Okay. Alright, come here.

Um, okay. I was going to wait until tomorrow,

until everything was confirmed,

but this just arrived this morning.

I'm planning on proposing to Mia tomorrow night

at the Mistletoe Match Christmas Eve Gala!

It's been so much work getting everything arranged,

but now it's all finally coming together.

- Oh, man. What a relief! - Yeah.

Wait, what do you mean?

What do you mean, what do I mean?

You've been acting completely insane.

I'm pretty sure Mia thinks

that you're about to break up with her.

- What? - Mm-hmm.

Why would she think that?

Mm, I don't know,

maybe because you've been ignoring her,

giving her the runaround!

Why wouldn't she think that?

I have not been ignoring her!

I've been trying to plan the perfect secret proposal!

Okay!

- Uh-oh. - Yeah.

Oh no, it was supposed to be the perfect secret proposal,

but now what is it gonna be?

Thomas, what am I supposed... It's gonna be okay!

She thinks I'm gonna leave her!

It'll be fine, alright? I'll help you out.

I'm here for you, okay? Okay.

It's gonna be good. We'll make a plan,

everything will be fine, okay?

- Okay. - Good.

Just promise me one thing? Anything.

No more secrets.

I will promise if you promise.

- Me? - Yeah, you.

Whoa, whoa, what do you mean me?

Um... Spill the beans.

What's going on with you and Olivia?

Oh, just Olivia.

You're falling for her!

Hey, hey, I would not say "falling," okay?

But... things... things are going okay.

Oh, that's amazing. Amazing!

Yeah, who would've thought?

Pretending to like each other actually worked out.

Mm-hmm... What?!

What did you just say?

- Did I just say that out loud? - Yeah!

Talk about secrets!

You have a lot of explaining to do!

You've got a lot of explaining to do, my friend.

Yeah...

Olivia, hey, hi! Can I talk to you?

Just for a sec.

- Oh, okay. - Uh, it's about Chris.

I can't stop thinking about him, I mean, we're so different...

- Psst! Thomas! - on so many levels.

What do I do?

Well, maybe being different

isn't such a bad thing.

- You okay? - Just... don't stare.

Can you see if Vanessa's looking over here?

- Eh, well, I don't feel... - Don't overthink it.

No, no, no, you're good.

She's talking with Olivia right now.

- Okay. - What's going on?

I have two tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet tonight.

I want to ask Vanessa to go with me.

- Well, that's great. - No, you don't understand!

I have no idea if she likes ballet.

And I am not good... with rejection.

Family history.

So if she says no...

I highly doubt that's gonna be the only thing that she says.

- That's true. You're right. - Yeah.

- I'm gonna do it! - You should.

Go do it right now.

- Thanks, brother. - Yeah.

Thank you.

Well, maybe being different isn't such a bad thing.

See, there was this guy named Dave

when I was in middle school and...

he invited me to go bowling, but then he actually

didn't show up to the bowling...

Hey, Vanessa.

Oh. Hey, hi.

Hi.

- Uh, are those... - Galletas Maria's?

Yeah. I remember you mentioning you were craving them.

So, here, have a little piece of Costa Rica.

You know how I love Costa Rica.

- I've heard. So many times. - Mm! Oh!

Look at us!

The unmatchable become matchmakers!

Who would've thought, huh?

Thank you.

They'll get closer over time, you know?

- I think so. - Yeah.

Uh-oh. Are Mia and Alfie still on the rocks?

Uh, not exactly.

Look, this is highly confidential information,

obviously, but...

Alfie's actually been planning

his proposal to Mia this whole time.

Right, that's why he's been acting so weird.

And he's gonna do it at the Christmas Eve Gala.

Wow. I did not see that one coming.

No, neither did I.

You know, secrets and relationships just do not mix.

Yeah. She looks really stressed.

Well, I would be too if I was in her shoes.

Although, I don't think hers would fit me.

You okay?

Yeah, I...

I just wish there was a way we could help them.

Yeah.

Hey...

What if we use our new matchmaking skills

to help Alfie surprise Mia?

We could do a romantic dinner?

At the community centre, after hours!

That's perfect. She'll never see that coming.

That's so good!

I'm gonna call Alfie right now and set the whole thing up.

Liv, you're a lifesaver.

Mia and Alfie.

Does Mistletoe Match lead to lasting love?

Well, it just might.

Isn't this breathtaking?

Okay, repeat after me...

I will not act suspiciously. I will not act suspiciously.

I will be cool and I will be calm.

I will be cool and I will be calm.

I will be no more abnormally awkward than usual.

I will be no more abnormally awkward than usual.

Ah, she's here!

- She's here. She's here! - She's here!

- She's here! - She's here.

Okay, calm down.

Shh! Okay.

And then today at Mistletoe Match, I mean,

the couples were really... They're just really bonding,

and I'm so happy with everything

that we've planned together, you know?

Um, I just... Babe, I have something.

Sorry, I forgot that I have to do something real quick.

Oh okay, well, Alf, that actually reminds me.

I wanted to talk to you about something.

Sure, sure, sure. Hold that thought.

- Okay... - Hold that thought.

It's been on my mind for a bit.

Alfie...

What is this? For you, madame.

Did you... did you do this?

Look, I know that I have been really,

really busy lately, okay?

Um...

And I just wanted to say that I'm sorry.

Oh, Alfie!

Thank you. This is so beautiful. You did this all by yourself?

Um, did I do it on my own?

I may have had just a teensy, weensy little bit of help.

Oh, okay.

Good evening sir, madame.

May I start you off with anything to drink?

Yes, please!

- Me too. - The help?

Yep, absolutely. Yep.

Couldn't find better help than this.

Well...

Shh...

Come on, come on, right here. Right here.

Shh.

Who knew being a part of someone's love story

could be so exhilarating?

The last few days have been full of surprises.

I'm so happy things worked out with Mia and Alfie.

Me too.

Oh... kay. Alfie's got some moves.

I may have taught him a thing or two.

Yeah, I'm sure you did.

You don't believe me?

No.

Okay, show off. Okay.

Maybe I was wrong about Mistletoe Match.

Oh, yeah?

Maybe it works for some people.

I can't be alone with this cake any longer!

Dessert is served.

Hey! Sorry I'm late. I was caught up at work.

No, no, it's all good. You made it,

that's all that matters. It's good. We're good.

It's good... Are you okay?

Hm? Fine! Fine, super fine, actually, mm-hmm.

Hey! This is all gonna go according to plan.

Okay? You got this. We got this. Yeah.

What if she doesn't like hot chocolate?

Mm! My goodness, does it ever smell good in here!

Lisa! Thank you for coming. Welcome.

It is so good to see you again, Lisa.

Oh, thank you. And you as well, Olivia.

How wonderful it is to see one of our city's top journalists

getting involved with our community's youth.

Well, how could I resist?

Thomas' program is unlike anything I've ever seen.

So I've heard.

Ooh, a hot chocolate bar!

I knew that smell was familiar! Don't mind if I do.

Please, please!

She likes hot chocolate.

Of course she likes hot chocolate.

Who doesn't like hot chocolate? I know, I know.

Good evening, artists.

Thank you for coming tonight.

I love having you here, as always.

Tonight, I know that some of us might be a little bit nervous

about sharing our stories with the class,

but I just wanted to remind you all

that this here is a safe space.

- And nonjudgmental. - Thank you for reminding me.

And sharing your art can be just as fulfilling

as creating it.

Sometimes even more so.

And if there is anything I've learned this Christmas,

it's that being open-hearted always pays off.

Well said.

Okay, and now to business.

Which one of you fine folks

would like to share your story with us first?

We've got our first volunteer!

- Okay! - Come on, Erin.

Just take your time, okay? When you're ready.

My favourite Christmas memory isn't exactly what you'd think.

It's not snowball fights in the park

or decorating cookies with friends.

No. My favourite Christmas memory is the time my dad

burnt the Christmas turkey.

Maybe it's because 15 people were about to knock on our door,

or maybe it was my mom frantically waving a dish towel

next to the smoke detector

like she was a helicopter trying to take off.

Either way, we were stuck in a tricky situation.

But as I'm sure you all know,

sometimes it's these moments that can lead us

on the adventure of a lifetime.

And that is where my story begins.

Wow, that's an idea.

Maybe you should tell him.

I... I will. Thank you.

Hey. Nice job. Seriously. Way to make me proud.

I couldn't have done it without you, Teach.

Teach? Yeah, I could get used to that.

So?

She said she'll be in touch.

That's good! That's really good!

- I think it's really good! - Yeah, it is!

She also happened to say that she would like us to submit

some of the class's writing for their monthly newsletter.

Starting with yours.

- What? - Yeah.

Oh, wow! A published author already?

Yeah, I knew you were going places.

I have to go tell Alfie.

You know what this means?

We get to take the leftover hot chocolate home with us?

No. Well, yes. But no, that's not what I meant.

What I meant is that if this ends up going well,

I'll owe you.

Big time.

Mm. Very big time.

No, no, but in all seriousness,

we really couldn't have done this without you.

Well, actually, I should be the one thanking you.

I had no idea that teaching could be so rewarding.

I see why you're always so happy.

I have been pretty happy lately, haven't I?

I guess we both have.

No. They can't do that.

Well, actually, Lucille, they have no choice.

The gallery was counting on that funding

for the Christmas Eve grand opening.

And now, they have to push the grand-opening

to the end of January.

You know how I feel about last-minute changes, Tanya.

I do.

Looks like we're going to need a new piece

for the Arts and Culture section.

I want a new pitch on my desk first thing.

Now, be a dear and tell Olivia to join me in my office.

Now!

On it.

Liv!

Hey, Tan. What's up?

Oh, you know, can't a girl

call her bestie first thing in the morning?

What'd you have for breakfast?

Coffee. You?

I had eggs.

Three hours ago!

Liv, please tell me that

you're in the elevator right now.

Oh my gosh. Ugh...

I was up all night working on this article.

I totally lost track of time. You think?

Lucille's been asking for you,

and she wants to see you in her office,

like now! Okay, yeah, yeah,

I'll be there. Can you just cover for me?

Be quick. There's only so long I can hold down the fort.

It's a heavy one. Especially today.

Okay, I will be right there.

Bye.

What do you think you're doing?

Just doing some reading.

Catching up on local news and what not.

If you're looking for Olivia's column,

it doesn't come out until Saturday.

How'd you know that?

Because, unlike you, I actually read the newspaper.

Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a crossword puzzle to do.

Just can't get nothing by you, can I?

Hi. Uh, Thomas here. Thomas, hi.

It's Lisa from the Brooklyn Creates Arts Grant Committee.

How are you? Good, good, Lisa.

Um, how are you doing?

I wanted to call you as soon as I found out.

I think you should hear this from me.

The mayor resigned this morning,

which means the city has suspended

all non-essential spending.

But the arts program is essential, though?

Right, Lisa? In my opinion, yes.

However, the city has decided,

against our recommendations,

to postpone the program until after the election.

I know this isn't the news you were hoping for.

I do encourage you, however, to reapply in the new year.

Your program was our top contender.

Well, um, thank you, Lisa.

I will.

Yes, very good. Have a good day.

A seven-letter word for navigates in a blizzard?!

Oh, man...

Well, you're not gonna give up, are you?

I don't give up, I'm a Kade.

I just... need to clear my mind.

I feel you.

There's always one hint that I can't solve.

It's like every pathway I try just leads to a dead end.

Well, maybe we gotta start thinking outside the box.

No. We need to think outside the boxes!

It's a seven letter word.

Can I use your phone for a minute?

Yeah, sure. Hang on, what for?

I need to call Olivia.

Oh. Wait, why are you calling Olivia?

She'll know the answer.

She does work for The Morning Tribune, after all.

That's it! You! Oh, you're a genius.

Let's go! I'm losing my stuff, It's all over the place.

Don't get too excited, it's only a crossword puzzle.

Let's go, let's go. I'll drop you

with Uncle Alfie on the way.

It went straight to voicemail.

It's fine, it's good. You've solved it!

You're amazing! Let's go!

I am so close, I can literally smell Tony's Pizza.

Okay, first you're late,

and now you're taunting me with pizza?!

Uh-oh. Code tall, dark and handsome.

Tanya! Just ask Marcus out already!

No! Not my tall, dark and handsome,

your tall, dark and handsome!

Mr. Ugly Sweater Dude is here!

What? Thomas? Why?

I don't know! Probably to see you!

Okay, um...

Show him to my desk and I'll be right there, okay?

Good idea.

The less visible he is, the better.

Yeah.

- Hey! - Hey.

- You're here to see Olivia? - I am.

I'll take you to her office. Come with me.

Okay.

Did you get to see the full moon this morning?

I mean, I got up at 4 AM, so I'm not sure if you saw it.

But anyways, this is Olivia's desk, uh...

You are more than welcome to sit there.

She'll be here any minute. Okay, sure.

Make yourself comfortable.

How about I get you something to read? To pass the time.

- Uh... - Yeah, I'll do that.

Thank you.

That's right. She's got everyone fooled.

Yeah, that's right. Mistletoe Match.

Yep, she's even pretending to hit it off

with some poor schmuck to prove the event's a sham.

Oh yes, I think she'll be the perfect addition

to the Berlin team.

Wonderful, we'll be in touch.

Olivia! You will not believe who just...

You're not Olivia.

No.

No. I'm not. Um...

I hope you like crosswords!

'Cause it's the Christmas edition!

Okay, Tanya, who is this?

Oh, I'm just some poor schmuck.

Don't worry, I'll show myself out.

Okay, where is Olivia?

I told you to send her to my office an hour ago.

Yes, and I was gonna tell you

that she needed to... She's what?

Why is everyone acting so weird today?

It's a full moon!

You know what they say about full moons...

They get a little crazy.

Olivia! Where have you been?

You know what? Never mind. Follow me.

We have a lot to discuss.

What? I don't have all day!

I know it's not the exposé that I was assigned, but...

Oh dear.

You know how I feel about surprises, Olivia.

I do. More than anyone.

How could I not see this coming?

I'm sorry if I let you down, Lucille.

But I had to be honest with myself and our readers.

I understand if you no longer want to consider me

for the Berlin promotion.

Hi, yes. No, no, no, it's about the front-page story.

Move kittens at Christmas to page six.

I've got something better.

I'm sorry, you were saying?

I was apologizing.

You should be sorry.

Why didn't you tell me this sooner?

This is some of your best work, Olivia.

You like it?

Do you know what keeps people

reading even more than a juicy exposé?

Love. Especially at Christmas.

Congratulations, Olivia. You just made the front page.

Good evening, everyone!

Welcome to day six of Mistletoe Match,

our final event before the grand finale

at the Christmas Eve Gala!

Tonight is all about seeing how well

you've gotten to know one another.

You've reached Thomas Kade. Please leave a message.

I like to call "Two truths and a lie"!

But of course, there's a Mistletoe Match twist.

Instead of sharing facts about yourself,

each one of you must get up

and share two truths and a lie about your partner.

I've been trying to get a hold of you all day.

We really need to talk.

I think I've heard enough, actually.

Thomas! You're up first.

Thomas will be sharing

two truths and a lie about Olivia!

Okay!

Well, uh... where to begin?

Um...

Well, she's full of surprises.

Miss Olivia Hayes. Yeah, yeah.

Her favourite food group is cookies.

Yeah! Shortbread, gingerbread, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin.

You name it, she'll eat it.

Yeah.

Second...

Well, secondly,

we actually met outside those doors right there.

And she thought I was the concierge.

Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Tipped me five bucks.

Even then, there was just

something about her, you know?

Made me want to get to know her better.

Third. Third...

Wow. Well, Olivia...

Olivia came here to find love.

Hm.

Like we all did.

And she was just so open and honest with me

from the very beginning,

and she really made that process easy.

It was fun.

She really was the perfect Mistletoe Match.

So, you tell me what are the truths and what's the lie.

Thank you.

Alright, thank you, Thomas!

Our next person for this evening

is... Chris!

Thomas. Thomas, come on, wait. I can explain.

Save your breath, Liv. Alright?

I'll just read about it in the paper.

You don't understand.

Anything that you heard, it's not true.

Or it's not true anymore. You just need to let me...

Were you, or were you not here to write an undercover exposé

about Mistletoe Match for The Morning Tribune?

I was, okay? I'm so sorry.

I heard your boss say it herself, alright?

You had us all fooled.

Mia, Alfie, me, Erin.

How could you just lie to us like that?

I didn't have a choice, okay?

Lucille put me on the assignment.

But over time, things changed.

I had you into my house.

I introduced you to my daughter.

Look, I know, I get it, okay?

We both agreed to pretend to like each other. That's fine.

But I don't know, somewhere over the two weeks,

it got real for me.

And I guess I'm just a big dummy,

because I don't know,

I thought it got real for you too.

It did. That's what I'm trying to tell you.

I was wrong about Mistletoe Match.

No, Olivia.

You were right. Mistletoe Match doesn't work.

You got what you wanted. You won.

Good luck in Berlin.

I finally open myself up to love,

and then I just, I go and I ruin it.

You know, people make mistakes.

Sometimes big ones.

You need to apologize, and you can make up for it.

That's gonna be pretty difficult,

considering it was the last event before the gala.

Well, there's a couple days before Christmas Eve,

so you have some time.

What are you working on?

The art gallery I was writing about

postponed its grand opening.

So now, I have T-minus 10 hours to write something new.

- What happened? - The mayor resigned,

so the city postponed all non-essential spending,

including some of the funding programs.

Right before Christmas too.

Oh, my God.

That's why he was here.

What?

Thomas' arts program, it depended on that money.

Now they're in trouble.

Ugh, talk about a rough day.

I think I know how to help him.

Can I pitch you a story?

Hello? Thomas Kade speaking.

That's great, Roger. No, thank you!

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Yes, you will be hearing from me. Thank you.

Absolutely. I'll let him know you called. Thanks, bye.

Alf, Alf, you will not believe this!

Alright, I just got off the phone with someone

who wants to donate to the Arts Program!

You have no idea.

My phone is ringing off the hook.

Every person on that list wants to donate.

I got four more on hold as we speak!

Brooklyn Community Centre,

this is Alfie, thanks for holding!

Dad! You have to see this.

What is this?

It gets better.

Look!

Wow.

♪ Dashing through the snow

♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪

♪ O'er the fields we go...

- Mm-hmm! - Hey.

Hey.

Any signs of Thomas?

Not yet.

It doesn't matter anyways. He's not gonna talk to me.

Uh, stranger things have happened.

I mean, he has to be around here somewhere.

Okay, there they are.

You have to talk to her, man,

you can't ignore her all night.

She doesn't want to talk to me.

I wouldn't even let her explain herself.

So what? It's Christmas Eve,

it's the last night of Mistletoe Match.

Now's your change to make things right.

What in the...

Did you invite Marcus?

Liv... Okay,

I may have mentioned something,

but when I told him that you'd be here,

he jumped at the idea of coming!

I told you he likes you! Yes!

Good evening, ladies. You must be Tanya. Hey!

Oh, so nice to meet you.

- Liv. - Hey.

Muah!

I wanted to thank you both.

This year was a really big opportunity for me

to be able to prove myself.

And, thanks to you and your article,

we've had a record-breaking amount

of participants for next year.

Well, there's no story without you, Mia.

All this... it's because of you.

Thanks, Liv. Well, you two

enjoy the evening, and I will see you later.

- Yeah. - Okay!

- Hi! - Hi!

Alfie!

Alfie! The sleigh has left the North Pole.

She's on the move! Roger that, Erin.

Okay, trust me. You don't want to leave anything on the table.

You will regret it. Wish me luck.

Good luck, buddy.

Alright, let's do this. Go time. Excuse me! Mm!

Uh, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

If I could please have your attention, please.

- Alfie... - Just one second.

Uh, welcome to The Mistletoe Match Christmas Eve Gala! Yay!

Yay!

Alfie, what are you doing?

Uh, just trust me, okay? Just trust me.

- Okay. - Stand over here.

You look so beautiful, by the way.

Thank you, thanks.

365 days ago,

I was standing in this very room.

And I was nervous.

Kind of like I am right now, right?

Um...

But there was this girl.

She came in later than everyone else,

but her smile lit up the room.

I remember wishing right there that she and I would be a match.

Um, and we had our differences, but I knew...

I just knew in my heart

that she was everything that I had ever hoped to find.

Even her quirks, um,

which can make me a little crazy, as you can see.

Even her quirks, I love.

Uh, she...

She makes me... She makes me come alive.

Um, she...

knows the perfect song for every occasion.

She makes the perfect latte.

For you.

And she brings out the best in everyone.

Especially me.

Um, and thankfully, she is a lot braver than I am.

Because 365 days ago,

she asked me to dance.

Tonight, it's my turn to ask her something.

Okay, um...

There it is.

Mia...

Will you marry me?

Oh!

Yes! Yes!

Yes! Yes!

- Woo! - Yeah!

Alfie!

Woo!

You know, your story isn't over yet.

Oh, what the heck! What do I have to lose?

♪ And I'm waiting for you to come home ♪

♪ Here I am hanging up the silver lights ♪

♪ Dreaming you were here tonight ♪

♪ Stand right here by my side ♪

♪ Baby next Christmas

- Hey, Thomas. - Hey.

Um... You look stunning.

Thank you.

I loved your article.

And I just...

I really need to apologize. I just really...

Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong.

The other night, I overreacted.

I should've let you explain yourself,

but I didn't, and I...

No, I should be the one apologizing. I...

I should have been honest with you

when I started developing feelings for you.

There's so much more to love in life

than just finding the next big headline.

- What do you mean? - Well, I was wondering

if you needed a new creative writing mentor

for your arts program?

- Like a partnership? - Yeah.

'Cause I think we make a pretty good team.

I think we're more than a great team.

I think we're a Mistletoe Match.

♪ Here I am hanging up the silver lights ♪

♪ Dreaming you were here tonight ♪

♪ Sitting right here by my side ♪

♪ Baby next Christmas

♪ You'll be here with me

♪ Putting up that Christmas tree ♪

♪ Just have to wait and see

♪ Next Christmas

♪ Hanging up the silver lights

♪ Dreaming you were here tonight ♪

♪ Sitting right here by my side ♪

♪ Baby, next Christmas

♪ You'll be here with me

♪ Putting up that Christmas tree ♪

♪ Just have to wait and see

♪ Baby next Christmas

♪ Hanging up the silver lights

♪ Dreaming you were here tonight ♪

♪ Sitting right here by my side ♪

♪ Baby next Christmas

♪ You'll be here with me

♪ Putting up that Christmas tree ♪

♪ Just have to wait and see ♪

Subtitling: difuze