Mistletoe, I want you to join me
in giving a special shout out
to the donor of this year's Christmas tree,
Mr. mark Stafford!
Yes, mark!
Thank you, mark.
And as soon as our guest of honor arrives,
we can light this tree, huh?
Yes!
Ha ha ha ha!
Ho ho ho!
Seasons greetings, kris!
I had to deliver your mail after hours,
there was so much addressed to Santa.
How's Martha?
Ah, ornery as ever.
She made a special batch of cookies for you.
I'd feed 'em to the reindeer if I were you.
- Give her my regards. - Ah, will do, will do.
Well, the whole town's waiting for ya.
On, comet, on, cupid,
on, donner and blitzen.
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
- Now... - Dash away, dash away...
Dash away all!
That's great.
- There he is! - Uh-oh!
Ladies and gentlemen, here he is...
Our very own kris kringle!
Yes! Yes!
Thank you.
Ooh.
Yes!
Hello, hello, hello!
I suppose a Christmas tree isn't really a Christmas tree
without lights, now, is it?
No!
So... let's count down together.
Five... four...
Three... two...
One!
Anna, Zoe wants to see you.
- Oh, great. - I'll be there in a sec.
Thanks, carly.
Knock, knock. You rang?
Anna, check this out.
Look at this guy.
He really knows how to milk a moment.
- Mm. - Ho ho ho.
Oh, come on, Anna.
This is good stuff.
Oh... there's more.
Of course there is.
A guy named Phil sent me the link.
Says he's the mayor of, uh... mistletoe.
- How quaint. - Says this old guy's
been playing Santa every Christmas for 50 years.
Wow.
And you'll love this part.
He changed his pedestrian name from John Wilson
to kris kringle.
Okay. Well, now he sounds like he needs to be fitted
for a straitjacket.
Why are you telling me this?
No. No!
Zoe, please, you know I'm not a Christmas person.
Exactly.
That's what makes you perfect for the story.
Story? What story?
This guy sounds like a glorified mall Santa.
- Oh... - But he is so much more.
This Santa is the real deal.
Or so he says.
This guy really thinks he is...
"The real" Santa claus?
According to mayor Phil.
Our readers are gonna eat this up.
Oh... I feel like I'm getting indigestion already.
Anna.
We are a family magazine.
Stories like this are our bread and butter.
- Okay... you win. - What do you want me to do?
I have an inspired idea.
- Here it comes. - Okay.
It's the holidays, so why not make this story special?
I mean, 50 years? That's quite an accomplishment.
I want you to go down to mistletoe,
find out what makes Mr. ol' kringle tick,
then I want you to blog about it.
You want me to blog about it?
- Kris kringle... - 50th anniversary.
Our readers are gonna love it.
Okay, am I being punk'd?
It's gonna make a wonderful feature story.
And I've arranged for carly to house sit for you.
You'll leave first thing in the morning.
You really want me to blog about a crazy old man
who thinks he's Santa claus?
I'm sorry, but I don't even think
Quentin Tarantino could make that interesting.
I have faith in you, Anna.
I know you do.
- Oh, Anna! - Yes.
How'd the blind date go last night?
It didn't.
I canceled.
Honey... it's been three years.
You really need to get back out there.
I know, and I love you for caring, but...
I'm just not ready yet.
Dear blogosphere, from now until Christmas,
I will be reporting from
the recently renamed town of mistletoe.
Why, you ask?
Because my editor thought it would be a good idea
to banish me to, of all places,
northern California, where it snows.
My task at hand... To uncover what makes
the great mall Santa of the north tick,
a man affectionately known as kris kringle
who resides in a town called mistletoe.
Good to see ya.
Good! Good to see you.
Aah!
What?
All right!
Uhhgh!
Okay, okay, I'm moving, I'm moving.
Perfect.
It is funny.
It is a laugh. This is good.
I'm in a parade. I'm in a parade.
Hello.
Oh! Happy holidays!
Welcome to the holly inn.
Oh, thank you.
Uh, I believe I have a reservation.
Anna wahl. Family now magazine.
- All right. - Anna wahl.
Mm... no. Uh, no.
Wait! Here we go!
Oh, Anna wahl with an "l".
- Yeah. - That's what I said.
Oh, I thought you said walls.
Well, it's a little noisy in here.
Just need your Jane hancock on the line.
Uh, what's going on in here anyway?
- What do you mean? - Well, all the construction...
Oh, yeah!
Well, uh, our new owner's doing a remodel.
- Wonderful. - Yeah.
Uh...
- How's room number five sound? - Great.
Uh...
I just have, uh, these two bags.
Oh, um...
I hope you don't mind lugging your own bags.
I, uh, strained my back bowling.
- No problem. - Oh, thanks.
- All right. - Just... here?
- Just... yeah. - Just, uh, down that way
and up the stairs.
Make a left.
It's the one with the big sitting room.
Would you be the Anna wahl
from family now magazine?
You made a grand entrance in our parade today.
The one.
Mayor Phil green at your service.
- Oh, excellent! - If you're the mayor,
- then you're the reason I'm here. - Indeed.
- I hope that's a good thing. - Too early to tell.
I'm actually here to check out your, uh...
Your kris kringle, aka John Wilson?
- Hear he's quite an extrovert. - Oh, yes, ma'am.
Kris is some piece of work.
11 months of the year, he pretty much keeps to himself,
spending his time gardening
or fiddling in that workshop of his.
But come December... poof,
like a butterfly bursting out of his cocoon,
there he is.
7:00 P.M. December 1st without fail,
kris shows up in this square
driving that ridiculous car of his.
Then when the holidays are over,
he goes back to his cave.
- Cave? - His house on Santa claus Lane.
Used to be maple drive before the change.
- Change? - Yeah, this town
was called summerville till about 30 years ago.
Christmas of '79, to be exact, the change took effect.
Summerville became mistletoe
and all the street signs took holiday theme names.
Lloyd, our postmaster, nearly went insane.
What about the holly inn?
Yep. Used to be called the summerville inn.
And all of this...
For Mr. Wilson?
Well, he goes by kringle now.
He hasn't answered to Wilson in years.
See, the change came about, Anna,
'cause folks wanted to show kris
just how much they appreciate all he's done for our town.
What exactly has he done?
Let me take you to the St. Nick's
to meet a few folks.
Oh, you're gonna love this place.
St. Nick's cafe. People are great.
You're gonna love it, I promise.
Ahh.
Mr. mayor.
Zelda.
How are we today?
- Well, Zelda. - How are you?
- I'm good. - We've got company.
This is miss Anna wahl, parade interloper.
Oh, my goodness.
A celebrity.
Well...
- Welcome to St. Nick. - Thank you.
Miss wahl, this way.
I'll take you to booth number one.
We usually save it for the president,
but I'll give it to you.
Mayor Phil beat me out by only seven votes
in the last election.
That was despite my "free donuts Wednesday" platform.
But I forgave him.
Well, you were a worthy opponent, Zelda.
- I know it. - Special's on the board.
- Enjoy. - Thanks.
- Trust me? - Sure.
- Yo, harley! - Yes, sir, Mr. mayor.
Let me get two phantom specials.
Yes, sir, Mr. mayor.
- On the taxpayer. - You're the boss!
No, you don't have to do that.
I have an expense account.
- No, no, no. - No problem at all.
We're just happy you're here.
Hey, you were quite a hit in the Christmas parade.
Yes. Famous for my entrances.
By the way,
what is this phantom special?
- You tell her. - I gotta work.
Well, it's not on the regular menu.
It's on the secret menu.
You're gonna enjoy it.
When my mama was dying, God rest her soul,
every evening, he would read to her.
He was there when she passed.
Back in the '80s
when the plants started downsizing,
I was one of the first of the lucky ones
to get laid off.
Kris helped me get back on my feet.
Loaned me the down payment for this diner.
Mm.
What about you, mayor Phil?
Well, sometime back,
the missus and I were having problems,
decided to call it quits.
Kris sat us down, gave us a good talking to,
convinced us to give our marriage a second chance.
That was nearly 20 years ago,
and we've been happily married ever since.
You see, miss wahl,
kris kringle has touched pretty near
every life in this town.
And that's why you changed the name.
- Yes. - And we just wanna
give him a great big thank-you card.
With a big kiss on the bottom,
and that's from me.
Well, I'll admit...
Your Santa certainly is versatile.
Oh, yes, he is.
And you'll see, once you get to know him.
I look forward to it.
I was thinking about stopping by his house
sometime tomorrow.
Well, um...
You see, kris is kind of, uh, particular
about who he lets inside.
- Yeah! - Really?
- Yeah. - Yeah, yeah.
Personally, I've never seen the inside of his house.
- No, neither have I. - No! Are you kidding me?
Okay. This is fascinating.
Well, all the folks around here,
we're accustomed to kris's eccentricities.
Oh, wait one...
Oh, you know what? That's my editor.
I should go.
- Thank you, guys. - Miss wahl?
Can I call you Anna?
- Of course. - Well, then, come on, Anna.
I'm done with my shift. I'm gonna walk you down.
- Oh, great. - Good night, ladies.
- See you later. - Thanks, mayor.
- Thank you, harley. - Oh, you too.
This is a letter from a little girl called Virginia.
And she says, "please tell me the truth.
Is there a Santa claus?"
"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa claus.
"He exists as certainly as love and generosity
"and devotion exist,
"and you know that they are bound to give to your life
"its highest beauty and its joy.
"How dreary it would be if there were no Santa claus.
"It would be just as dreary if there were no virginias.
"So... a thousand years from now,
"there will be another Santa claus.
He'll continue to make glad the hearts of childhood."
Do you believe?
- Mm-hmm! - Yeah!
- Zelda, tell me... - How did all this happen?
How does John Wilson, ordinary citizen,
become kris kringle?
It's a real tearjerker, this story.
I think I can handle it.
- It was Christmas Eve... - 1960.
Only three days prior,
John had married his high school sweetheart,
Betty Clark.
She couldn't stand the thought
of anyone being alone on Christmas Eve.
And this was to be their very first Christmas
as husband and wife.
You see, she wouldn't leave the hospital
until the last of her patients had drifted off to sleep.
Betty was on her way home to John
when her car hit a patch of ice near the old road.
There was an accident?
Yeah.
- She didn't make it. - No.
Oh... that's so sad.
Oh, I told you.
So losing his wife...
- That's what made him go crazy. - Oh, no, now, wait now.
Who... who's to say that he's crazy?
He changed his name to kris kringle.
He thinks he's Santa claus.
I would say that's a little more than just eccentric.
Well, I suppose that there's a lot of people
with a couple doses of crazy in 'em.
I like ketchup with my pancakes.
I sleep with mittens on my feet.
And harley... He likes to get up on the roof
in his underwear, and he talks to the moon.
Cuckoo! Well?
Those are quirks.
This has been going on 50 years with him.
Do you know what I think?
I think you need to get around town
and you need to talk to as many folks as possible,
and you gotta get to know kris...
And then you make up your mind.
- That's very good advice. - I know.
- I'll take you up on that. - Okay.
- Thank you for the walk home. - Toodle-oo!
Good night.
Ohh...
Ah...
Oh, you're kidding me!
Hello! Front desk!
- Hi. Hello. - This is Anna wahl in room five.
- Oh, Anna, I can't hear. - The noise in the background...
Yes, I realize there's a loud sound coming from my room.
You hear that? You hear it?
It sounds like an army of gremlins
making horseshoes in here.
Oh, we already got somebody to fix that.
- Love to have it fixed. - First thing in the morning.
- Morning! - Oh, fantastic.
Sounds perfect. You have a good night.
You too!
Oh... this place.
- Morning, Jake. - Morning. How's it going?
- Good. Morning, guys. - Hey, man.
Looking good.
Hello?
Aah!
Oh! Oh... oh!
- What are you doing here? - I'm so sorry!
- I was just... - Just get out now!
- I don't care... go! - Of course. Uh...
- Go! - Hank told me
there was something wrong with your heater.
- I don't... go! - If it makes you feel better,
- I didn't see anything. - Please leave!
What is it with this place?
I don't believe that you sent some strange man into my room
without calling me first?
- I'm real sorry, miss wahls. - I didn't see him come in.
Well, yeah, sure, like Johnny handyman's
just gonna come strolling in off the street
walking right past you without checking with you first.
Well, actually, he's more than just a handyman, he...
I just don't want anyone in my room
unless you're absolutely sure I'm not there.
- Is that too much to ask? - No, not at all, miss wahls.
Good. And it's wahl.
No "s". Just wahl.
Oh. Don't worry, miss walls... wahl.
We'll get that heater fixed for ya.
Thank you.
Oh, miss walls!
Congrats on makin' the front page!
That fateful Christmas Eve phone call
forever altered the life
of the small-town furniture maker.
It's gonna make ya type faster.
Thanks, Zelda.
Kids would line up around the block
for hours ahead of time,
waiting for a chance to be the first one on his lap.
It was a real badge of honor.
It was 1973. I was first that year.
Probably one of the biggest days of my childhood.
I was first once, 1984.
I was four years old.
I tugged on his beard to make sure it was real.
I was the last kid once,
Christmas Eve, '65.
Kris gave me a ride home.
Said he was off to the north pole.
Didn't anyone find this a little bit... weird?
Weird? It was Santa claus.
Ho ho ho! Ha!
You know, when I was a little girl,
December 1st was the biggest day of the year.
Even bigger than my birthday.
Because that was the day kris kringle
came out of his house.
You like some popcorn, Anna?
- No, thanks. - Yeah, by the late '50s,
our little town had pretty near dried up.
You know, people were starting to lose hope.
Then one December, kris put that suit on...
And before you know it,
we had families coming from Miles around,
just so the kids could sit on Santa's lap.
Kris had become like our very own
- economic stimulus package. - Mm.
Yeah, our little town had become synonymous
with all things Christmas.
My dad, Phil senior,
he started the name change petition.
He said it just didn't seem right,
kris kringle living in summerville.
Our local radio station
started a name-picking contest.
Mistletoe won by two votes.
Noel came in second.
- Noel! - Noel.
Ah, the kids used to line up around the block.
Not so many anymore.
I mean, some days, we hardly have any at all.
Ah, the young families, they've moved to the cities.
Lots of malls and game stores and food courts.
Well, why do you think kris still does it?
Let me tell you something about kris.
He's the most unselfish man I've ever met.
And the little ones, they take to him
because he's got this essence.
- What essence? - Yeah... goodness.
And they can feel it.
He's... he's genuine.
Genuine?
Little kids can spot a phony Miles away.
But with kris, they know.
He's the real deal.
Here he comes!
Oh! Ha ha ha!
I've gotta get a shot of this.
- Here he is, kids! - Ha ha, boy!
Merry Christmas, kris.
- They all been waitin' for ya! - I know.
There we go, there we go.
Hello! Ah... excuse me.
All right, kids, come on. Let's go.
Come on. There ya go.
Hey.
I'm sorry I'm a bit late, but there ya go.
Come on.
Don't be tardy. Ha ha.
- Merry Christmas. - Yes.
Hi! Hi, excuse...
Hey, no cutting.
- Oh, I'm sorry. - Sorry.
Hello, Joshua!
I hear you scored a goal the other day.
- My first. - Oh, well.
As long as you're enjoying yourself,
that's all that counts.
Now, Josh, you promised your mother
that you would keep your room spick and span this year.
So how's that going?
Oh, well, I suppose nobody's perfect.
Now, what would you like for Christmas?
A pair of new cleats, please.
- Right! - A pair of new cleats.
I'll see what I can do.
If you remember to be nice to your sister,
you might just get them.
I'll try.
Oh? Good.
Excuse me, Mr. Wilson, I'd love to do...
You misunderstand, miss.
There's no Mr. Wilson here.
- Is there, kids? - No!
- No. - We have a doubter here.
No. No. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. Mr. kringle.
- Mm-hmm. - As I was saying, um,
- I'm Anna wahl from... - Oh, Anna wahl
from family now magazine.
I saw your picture in the paper.
- Oh. - I love your magazine.
I make my elves read it all the time.
That... that's great.
Um... I was wondering if I could interview you
- for a story? - Hey, kris, how you doing?
- Ho ho ho! - Merry Christmas.
Uh, story. What... what is the subject
of this story?
Well, you, actually.
- Me? - Yes!
About how this is your 50th year playing Santa.
Playing... Santa.
Oh, children, it seems we have a doubter.
Oh, no, no, I-I...
Didn't mean playing... Santa.
What I meant to say
was that... That the story, um...
You know what, can I just buy you a cup of coffee
and we can talk, I can ask you a few questions?
- All right. - That should be all right.
Uh, give me a few minutes,
and we'll go to St. Nick cafe.
- Great. Perfect. - Thank you. Thanks.
Oh, one more thing, uh...
I prefer eggnog.
Hmm?
So are you enjoying...
Our little town, Annabelle?
Do you mind if I call you Annabelle?
- Hi, kris! - I guess not.
Nobody's really called me that in a long time.
- So are you? - Am I...
- Enjoying our town? - Oh, right.
Uh... I guess.
I'm... I'm definitely more of a city girl.
I try to avoid the city, myself,
except for Christmas Eve, of course.
Of course.
I detect a hint of skepticism.
Oh... you don't believe in Santa claus.
I've always had more trouble with the whole time/space thing.
Mistletoe's a long way from the north pole,
so... if you're here Christmas Eve,
how could you possibly make it back for your rounds?
You must remember
that the ordinary rules of time and space
don't apply to Santa claus.
Silly me.
- Here's your usual, kris. - Thank you.
- Do you mind if I... - No, no, not at all.
Okay. So you've been playing Santa...
Mm?
Let me rephrase that.
You've been the local Santa claus here
for 50 years.
- Is that right? - Mm-hmm.
- Sounds about right. - And how does it feel
now that there aren't so many children anymore?
You used to believe, didn't you, Annabelle?
- A long time ago. - What about the beard?
Is that real?
Ah, yes, all there.
What's left of it.
Feel for yourself. Come on.
No. I'll take your word on it.
- Come on, I won't break. - Come on, I dare you.
Oh. Well...
Yeah. That's real, all right.
Good for you.
So... would you like to see where I live?
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
I thought you'd never ask.
Wow. This is really somethin'.
Yeah?
My home away from home.
Oh, right, right.
'Cause you live at the north pole.
Now you're catching on.
Well, uh...
Good day, Annabelle.
What... aren't you gonna invite me in?
Oh, perhaps, when I get to know you a little better.
Well, can you at least give me a quote for my blog?
"If there's any kindness I can show
"or any good thing I can do to any fellow being,
"then let me do it now,
"not deter nor neglect it,
as I shall not pass this way again."
Or you can just write ho ho ho, merry Christmas!
Oh, he's a fruitcake, all right,
with extra nuts.
Better not blog about that.
He wouldn't let me in his house.
Who knows what he's hiding in there.
Focus on the charming,
not the crazy.
By the way, your first blog got more hits
than all of our other stories combined.
Oh, right, yes,
"coming this spring to family now...
The story of the plumber who thinks he's the easter bunny."
Check in later.
Ohh...
So enough about the world's noisiest b&b.
Back to the reason you're here... Mr. John Wilson.
Alias, kris kringle.
First a little background on mistletoe
beginning with a trivia question.
What was mistletoe's original name?
A... whoville, b... bedford falls,
or c... summerville?
If you chose "c", congratulations.
You've just won a free trip to the north pole.
Oh! I am... not looking.
Ha ha. Very funny.
- It's, uh... - It's all finished.
Ah. It's about time.
- Mark Stafford. - Anna wahl.
- Oh, right. - The Christmas parade crasher.
Yes! The world-famous parade crasher.
I also hear you're a writer.
You're, uh, working on an assignment?
You have good sources.
Mark Stafford... where... You know,
you know, there's a divorce lawyer named mark Stafford.
Represented one of my friend's ex-husbands.
There used to be.
No. No!
- You're that mark Stafford? - I was that mark Stafford.
I heard he was a real shark.
And now you're a handyman in mistletoe?
Yeah, well, I'm not exactly a handyman.
It's... more my hobby.
I work pro Bono exclusively for the holly inn.
And sometimes for my neighbor mabel.
She's got some plumbing issues.
And why do you do this?
I bought the inn a couple months back.
Ah! So you're the guy...
Hey, listen, you mind if I ask you
a couple questions while you're here?
No. Shoot.
Mark Stafford, erstwhile divorce lawyer.
Do you have any... Fond childhood memories
of kris kringle?
Let's see...
I remember the first time I crawled up on Santa's lap.
I was terrified.
And then he spotted me.
And the first time he said my name,
it was like...
I already knew who he was.
Like I'd always known who he was.
I don't even remember what he said to me.
Just that he made me feel... Safe.
Kris has this rare gift.
He can make anyone believe
they're the most important person in the entire world.
Okay. Thank you.
You're welcome.
Should I... tip you or...
I don't think so.
Question... what does one do around here
after hours?
- Well... - Funny you should ask that.
♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ we wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ and a happy new year
♪ good tidings we bring
♪ to you and your kin
♪ we wish you a merry Christmas ♪
♪ and a happy new year
♪ so bring us a figgy pudding
♪ so bring us a figgy pudding ♪
Hi, Anna!
- Hey! - Want some hot chocolate?
- It is on the house. - Sure. Thank you.
- And a yummy cookie? - No cookies.
- No! - You're watchin' your figure.
So you made it.
Yeah. I have to admit,
it got a little lonely back at the inn.
- Well, how's the story coming? - Good. Good.
Just... waiting for the pulitzer people to call.
This is nice.
A family gathering. What about you?
- Wife and kids? - No. Not married.
Uh, to Santa claus?
Okay.
- You believe in Santa claus? - Well, I believe in kris.
You think that's good for him, enabling his delusion?
Oh, it's not a delusion to him.
♪ See the blazing yule before us ♪
- You, uh, care to sing? - Uh...
No. There won't be any singing.
- Trust me! - Really?
- Mm-hmm. - Well, then...
I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave.
- Really? - Fat chance.
♪ Fa LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA ♪
♪ while I tell of yuletide treasure ♪
My family spent Christmas in airports, mostly.
Always traveling somewhere... London, Paris,
Tahiti one year.
My dad loved flying on Christmas
'cause he said it was never crowded.
- Mm. - When I was four...
This is great...
My mom told me, "Santa claus is a myth
created to stimulate retail sales."
Well, there must have been one Christmas gift
that stood out... The easy-bake oven, the tea set.
When I was seven, I begged them for a puppy.
I wanted a dog more than anything in the world.
What I ended up with that year was a little stuffed schnauzer
that they picked up at an airport gift shop.
♪ We won't go until we get some ♪
♪ we won't go until we get some ♪
♪ so bring it right here
so did you ever get the dog?
- No. - Why not?
Never got around to it.
So what about you?
Why would you leave all that divorce money for... this?
Ha ha. You wouldn't believe me if I told you.
Oh, try me.
I, uh, had this really big case.
It was a nasty divorce.
Two parties.
Couldn't agree on what time it was
much less anything that mattered.
It was the last day of court.
I had just finished what I thought
was a brilliant closing argument.
I was getting a coffee at the vending machine
feeling really good about myself
when I started to have this feeling
that I was being watched.
Watched?
Turned around, and there was this little girl
just... staring at me.
I assume that she wants something out of the machine,
so I ask her, "what would you like?
It's on me."
And she didn't say anything. She just kept...
Staring at me with these penetrating green eyes.
Finally, she says,
"mister, why are you tearing apart my family?"
Ow. That's intense.
What did you say?
- Nothing. I was... - Floored.
Didn't have an answer for her.
Hotshot lawyer with a silver tongue
rendered speechless by a ten-year-old.
Then, I had this...
Wave of nausea come over me.
I knew I had to get out of here,
so I walked out of the courthouse
and got in my car and just... drove.
Had no idea where I was going.
I ended up here.
My hometown.
The place I thought I had outgrown.
Hmm.
- And you never went back? - Nope.
I was fined. My license suspended.
My partners bought my shares out of the firm
and asked me for my key to the executive washroom.
That's quite a story.
- Yeah. Funny part is... - I didn't care.
I knew at that moment my old life was over.
I was no longer a lawyer.
I was just some guy stumped by a little girl's question.
So... here I am back home
in a town formerly known as summerville.
My family's all gone,
so there's no real reason for me to stay here.
It just... feels right.
And now you're remodeling your inn.
I like staying busy.
What about the answer to the little girl's question?
Still workin' on it.
Oh, well...
Good night.
Good night, Anna.
Hello again, and welcome back to mistletoe,
faithful bloggers.
So far, it's been a most interesting week
trailing after Mr. kringle.
Tuesday, I won a $17 pot
at mistletoe retirement home bingo night.
B-10!
Oh, bingo!
Bingo! Whoo!
Don't worry, bloggers.
I put it all back in the kitty.
Ho ho ho ho!
It'll soon be Christmas!
Here's some goodies for the tree.
Here we go!
Wednesday found me at the local children's hospital.
Ah... all right.
Thanks.
Hey, harley.
Hey, mark.
- Hey. - Hi.
- Sit? - Sure.
I'll eat over here, Zelda.
Got it, Mr. staff.
Hey, you do know...
Phil told me about the special menu.
I wouldn't believe everything Phil tells you.
- Thanks for the tip. - He also said you're a nice guy.
Well, you can believe some of the things Phil says.
Mistletoe gotten under your skin yet?
You mean that in a good way?
- Yeah. - This town has a way of...
Growing on people.
Well, not this people.
- City girl. - Oh, here you go, darlin'.
That was fast!
- Well, they know my... - Routine.
- He's a growing boy. - Nice!
So... I saw your blog yesterday.
You're a good writer.
Thank you.
Any, uh...
Novels in the works?
Close. Unfinished play.
It's probably gonna stay that way.
Really? Why don't you finish it?
Oh, hit a wall.
Maybe I will... Someday.
- Good. - I'd like to read it.
Hey, Anna.
- Oh, hi! - Hi.
Mark, I am really looking forward to
your party tonight at the inn.
- Oh, great, Nora. - I'll see you there.
- Okay. - Take care.
Bye.
Party?
Actually, I was just about ready to invite you.
Sure, you were.
It's my annual Christmas party.
- I would love for you to come. - Mm...
All the eggnog you can drink.
I'll think about it.
- Great. - I gotta go.
Duty calls. Maybe I'll see ya later?
- Great. - Enjoy that breakfast.
- I will. - Bye.
Bye.
- Do ya feel it? - Do I feel what?
Christmas? Yeah.
- No, no, don't you feel it? - No! What are you
- talking about, Hank? - Romance!
Romance is in the air!
- Romance is in the air? - What do you mean by that?
Yeah, yeah, you know that reporter Anna
that's been around town.
- You and Anna! - Are you kidding me?
- What about your back? - No, no, not me!
Mark! Mark Stafford.
- Oh, okay. - They're perfect together.
All right, now I get it.
Mark and Anna, okay. That makes a lot more sense.
- Yeah, yeah. - All right, now, uh...
- Ya got the stuff? - Yeah, yeah.
- Made up last night. - Yeah, give 'em to me.
Give 'em to me. All right, quickly.
Good!
- Beautiful! - Thanks.
Now, listen, if kringle finds out
that we're padding the letters to Santa,
I'm telling ya, he is gonna put us on the naughty list
like he did last year for opening up
all those big presents under the tree!
- Oh, yeah. - No, he's not gonna find out.
- That was a bad idea. - He'll never find out.
All right, he better not.
- Zoe, please... - Stop trying to play matchmaker.
He's a nice guy. End of story.
Good guys don't grow on trees, you know.
Hey, why don't you take a photo of him?
Email it to me so I can check him out.
- Yeah, that's not happening. - Try and use your imagination.
- All right. - Have fun tonight, Anna.
I'll try.
Please do.
♪ When the snow lay round about ♪
♪ deep and crisp and even
♪ brightly shown the moon that night ♪
♪ though the frost was cruel ♪
♪ when a poor man came in sight ♪
- Anna! I felt you! - Come in! Oh!
Well, look at you.
You look lovely.
Could use a little more red, but...
You do. You do, you look beautiful.
♪ Lay round about deep and crisp and even ♪
Gonna introduce you to all these people.
Yoo-hoo! Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
Thank you. This is Anna.
You know Anna. Give her a hand.
Make her feel welcome.
...decorating for hours!
'Scuse me.
Whew.
- Happy holidays. - Hi!
I see that you made it.
You're just another stop on my party-hopping tour.
- Great party, by the way. - Thank you.
I didn't know kris was musical.
Mm-hmm. He's a man of many talents.
I brought wine.
So you have.
Thank you.
Well, I'm gonna...
Go back out there and mingle.
Anna...
I'm really glad you came.
Whoa!
- Sorry. - I'll see ya out there.
Thank you, thank you.
Ah.
Might I have the pleasure?
Well, of course!
You're a wonderful dancer.
Why, thank you, Annabelle.
My, uh, wife taught me very well.
You must have loved her very much.
- Must have? - I still love her very much.
Mrs. kringle is the light of my life.
Brian didn't really like to dance.
Brian?
My husband.
He passed away.
I'm so sorry.
It was three years ago, Christmas Eve.
I imagine you miss him very much.
I think I'm gonna get some air.
Thank you for the dance.
You really scored big with the, uh, with the antlers.
Didn't I?
- What about your snowman boxers? - Oh, yeah.
- I hear those are in this year. - Oh, yeah.
I had a great time tonight.
- Thanks. - So did I.
Hey, you two.
The night is young,
but I'm off to my cave.
I'm ready for my hot chocolate and cupcake.
Good night!
- Lovely party, mark. - Good night. Good night.
Feel like a cup of coffee?
It's midnight.
Yeah, well, the...
Holly inn is still open.
Okay.
And the phone rings...
Just like it's done a thousand times before, but...
Something feels different.
Somehow you just know.
And in a moment, everything, your... hopes, your dreams,
they're just...
Gone.
Can't imagine.
Most people don't make it back from something like that.
But then there's kris.
He could be mad at the whole world
for the lousy hand he was dealt...
But he goes the other way.
Decides to dedicate his whole life to the...
Memory of his wife...
To live as if Betty's still here.
Watching him.
It's true love.
It's been an interesting evening.
Good night, mark Stafford.
Good night, Anna wahl.
Bye.
Morning, Jake. Morning, Jim.
Morning, Anna.
- Hello! Front desk! - Hey, Hank.
Can you do me a favor and get the guys
some coffee and donuts on me?
- Sure thing! - Thanks.
Hey, thanks, Anna.
- My pleasure. - Don't work too hard, boys.
- Hey, Anna. - You got a sister?
- Sorry, Jake. - She's married.
- And your point is? - Ah ha ha ha ha!
- Thanks, Anna. - Have a good day.
Thanks again!
And why am I in such a good mood today?
I don't know, bloggers.
Maybe it's just the silly season.
Or maybe kris kringle's magic
is beginning to have an effect on me.
Can I get you anything else, Anna?
- Oh, no, I'm good. - I'm just, uh, finishing up.
You mind if I take the weight off my dogs?
- They're barkin'. - Of course! Have a seat.
Is something on your mind?
Well... let's not pussyfoot around.
I know all about you and mark Stafford.
Oh! Jeez, does everybody know?
- Pretty much. - Yeah.
Oh, okay.
Thank you very much, Hank.
Oh, come on, he's a real catch, if you ask me.
I see the way you look at him.
- Oh, really? - And how do I look at him?
Like you just tasted your first chocolate truffle.
I love truffles.
Exactly!
Oh...
Now that man is the reason that they invented jeans.
Stop it.
- Yeah! - All right!
So, Owen, did you tell Santa what you want for Christmas?
- A new Wii game. - Cool. What'd he say?
Santa said I should always tell the truth,
especially about dropping my big sister's iPhone
in the toilet.
- Oh! - How did he know about that?
Uh, duh!
He's Santa.
- That's right, I'm sorry. - I forgot.
My mom made me come here today
'cause she felt sorry for him
'cause hardly any kids come here anymore.
Well, it's very nice that you did.
- Thanks for talking to me, Owen. - Don't mention it.
- Happy Christmas. - You too.
- Thank you. - Okay, you ready?
It's all right.
There's nothing to be afrai...
Oh, honey!
It's all right.
He's a very nice man.
I'm so sorry, kris.
Amber was so excited to meet you.
- Oh, that... - That's all right.
Perhaps Mrs. rutherford
would like to sit here?
That sounds like a very good idea.
What do you think, sweetie?
Should we have Mrs. rutherford sit on kris's lap?
I think it'll be all right.
Okay? Do you want me to give her to him?
Okay.
Here you go, kris.
Well, hello there, Mrs. rutherford.
I am happy to see you.
What's that you say?
She does?
Amber,
Mrs. rutherford says
that you want Santa to bring you a doll's house
for Christmas.
Is that true?
She also says that sometimes you sing to her at night
when she's afraid of the dark.
Let's see... Now, how does that song go?
♪ Angels watching ever round thee ♪
♪ all through the night
♪ in thy slumbers close surround thee ♪
♪ all through the night
would you like to sing with me?
Yeah? Come on.
And so...
♪ Angels watching ever round thee ♪
♪ all through the night
♪ in thy slumbers close surround thee ♪
♪ all through the night
look, she's smiling.
Yes. Look.
She's smiling. Ha ha.
This is what it feels like, Annabelle.
What what feels like?
Oh, riding my magic sleigh way up in the heavens.
- Must be nice. - Oh, it is.
It really is.
- I'll take you there someday. - I'd like that.
Don't you want to put the top up?
What top?
Kris, are you okay?
Kris.
What is it?
This is where it happened.
She was hurrying home.
It was a cold, rainy Christmas Eve.
Aah!
Betty never liked to keep me waiting.
If only she knew...
I'd have waited forever.
My Betty was one-of-a-kind.
Beautiful inside and out.
She'd give her last dime to a stranger and...
And not think about it twice.
She loved everybody and everybody loved her in return.
That was my wife.
And she loved Christmas. It was her favorite holiday.
And she loved it all... The baking, the wrapping.
But especially, she loved the giving of gifts.
My Betty loved Christmas.
She used to say,
"if only Christmas could last 12 months a year."
That's why you do it.
That's why you're Santa claus.
You do it for her. You do it for Betty.
Well, maybe this old man's not so crazy after all.
I just wish she could be here
to see what you've done with your life.
Oh, I think she is here.
Right now.
How do you know that?
- Well... - I see my Betty's light
reflected in the children's faces.
That's how I know she's still with me.
Love never dies, Annabelle.
I wish I could believe like you.
Maybe someday you will.
It's never too late to have faith.
Best be going.
People will start to talk.
- Oh, stop it. - Ha ha ha ha.
Oh, my, I do believe I have a dead battery.
You don't have a spare one in your purse, do you?
No, I don't.
But I do...
Have a cell phone.
Oh!
Okay, give her a try!
Hey, it started right away.
Well done, mark, my boy!
You'll get a little something extra in your stocking
this year!
Perhaps you'd see miss wahl back to the square?
- Of course. - Bye, Annabelle.
Thank you, kris.
- Good-bye, kris. - Bye-bye!
Bye-bye.
Nice work.
Okay!
- Dear bloggers. - Okay, so I know you're all eager
to read the latest about kris kringle.
But before I get back to his heartwarming story,
I'd like to take you with me on a short diversion.
Are you sitting down? Tonight I have a date.
What's that, you say? You want details?
Oh, sorry. That's for another blog.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go get ready.
Ciao.
Anna wahl.
Mark, huh?
- At last, a name. - Relax, Zoe.
- He's just a friend. - A friend?
Come on, Anna. You've been holding out on me.
What's he look like?
He's fairly good-looking.
On a scale of 1 to 10.
Scale of 1 to 10.
I would say he's in the...
9.5 range.
Wow! I've never even seen a 9.5.
He's here.
- I gotta go. - Okay, call me later.
- And give me all the details. - Okay.
Hello? Okay, I'll be right down.
Wow.
Well, thank you.
- So where are we going? - It's a surprise.
I love surprises.
Good.
- All right. - Explain.
Kris's idea.
He, uh, wanted to show off his cooking expertise.
But I thought only special people
were invited inside.
Exactly.
Oh. Okay.
Welcome, friends.
Dinner's almost ready.
It's amazing.
Oh, wow.
It's amazing.
Ah.
Dinner is served.
Mm! Gingerbread.
Come, come.
Have a seat at the table.
Thanks.
I never knew Santa claus was such an accomplished cook.
Oh, bless you for saying so, my dear.
Mrs. kringle was a... Wonderful teacher.
Living in this place must feel like Christmas
all year long.
Well, that is the idea.
You see, to me
Christmas is not just a date on the calendar.
It's a... It's a feeling.
Like the smile you get from a long-lost friend,
the joy you feel when you've chosen
just the right gift for a special someone.
And Christmas is the season of romance.
- Oh, really? - Yes!
And, if I might be so bold,
I...Think you two have potential.
Now, kris, maybe you should
leave the matchmaking to cupid.
Oh, it doesn't take a cupid to see that you two go together
like matching Christmas stockings on a mantle.
Okay.
It's wonderful, isn't it, being in love at christmastime?
It's wonderful, isn't it, Annabelle,
being in love at christmastime?
Thank you for dinner.
I'm gonna get going.
- But you... - So soon?
But you haven't tried my strudel.
- Is everything all right? - Yeah. Yeah.
I'm just not feeling very well.
Well, I can give you a ride home if you like.
No. No. I just...
I'm gonna walk. I just need a little bit of air.
- Thanks, kris. - 'Twas my pleasure.
Well, don't just stand there, my boy, go after her!
Go!
Anna!
Anna.
I'm not ready for this.
You're a really nice guy, mark, but I just can't.
What? T-there's nothing to be afraid of.
We're just two people getting to know each other,
becoming friends.
- Yeah, then what? - What happens next?
- I don't know. - Yeah, see, I can't...
Live like that, all right?
I-I can't do that anymore. I need to know.
I need to know what happens next.
- I need certainty! - I-I can't give you that.
- Nobody can. - I know that.
And that's why I can't see you anymore, I'm sorry.
Can you believe it's been 50 years, sweetheart?
If it's all right with you, I'll come see you today.
- There we go. - And if you sign right here...
Here's your card.
And initial here... And sign down there.
There you go.
Oh, and if you fill out
our online customer satisfaction survey,
you get 20% off your next stay.
There won't be a next stay.
Oh.
Holly inn. Hank speaking.
Oh, really? You're kidding.
No. I haven't seen kris all day.
But I-I'll keep my eyes peeled.
Thank you.
What's going on?
Oh. Uh, well, uh...
It's just kris.
What about kris?
He's missing.
What do you mean, missing?
Well, he didn't show up
to the ladies' auxiliary breakfast.
He hasn't missed one in 40 years.
Last time I saw him, I don't really know what...
- Oh, here she is. - Oh, Anna, Anna, Anna.
Here's Anna.
- Any word? - No. Nothing.
- No, not at all. - Weird. It's bizarre.
It's almost like he disappeared into thin air.
No idea where he could have gone?
No. It's anybody's guess.
- Well, I'm here if I can help. - Oh, good, good.
We need all the bodies we can get.
Now, I say we split up into search teams.
Sheriff ward and I, we will take
the South and the west into town.
Doc, why don't you go with harley and Zelda?
You guys go east.
And mark, why don't you and Anna take a look north?
And we'll stay in touch via cell phone.
First team to find him gets lunch on the taxpayer.
Good thing I don't pay taxes.
- Come on. - All right, guys.
Keep a sharp eye out.
- Listen, I'm... - Sorry about last night.
It's okay.
Thought you'd be... Long gone by now.
I would have been, just...
I heard about kris and wanted to be here.
I'm glad.
- Wait, wait. - Pull over, pull over.
Oh, of course.
Today's their anniversary.
John basil Wilson married Betty Anne Clark
50 years ago today...
December 21, 1960.
They were only married three days before she died.
Okay.
- So you know where he is? - Yes. I think I do.
Happy anniversary, sweetheart.
I imagine some people are all in a dither.
- A little. - You okay?
We had plans to grow old together, Betty and I.
That was the dream.
I suppose it was not meant to be.
She'd be very proud of you.
You're a good person, Annabelle.
That's why Brian loved you so much.
Advice from an old man...
Looking in the rearview mirror is no way to live one's life.
And... you want to know when it's time to...
Exit gracefully.
What do you mean?
I overheard a boy the other day,
the one you were interviewing.
The only children that come to see Santa these days are...
Forced to do so by their mother.
They feel sorry for me.
- No, kris. - That was...
It's all right, Annabelle.
It's time to face the music.
I...I should have quit years ago.
Kris, what are you saying?
Alert the media.
Santa's decided to hang up his cap.
This is my last year.
No!
No, you can't, you...
You can't quit. You can't do this.
No, not... not after everything you've done for this town,
for the children.
Yeah, I know what the boy said,
but I also saw what you did for Amber...
How you touched her heart.
I've made up my mind.
It's what I came to tell Betty.
And I think she'd agree
that all good things must come to an end.
50 years is a long time.
Time for Santa to return to the north pole.
But for now,
there are still four days till Christmas...
And even an empty post needs to be manned.
Wonderful all year round.
Mistletoe won't be the same.
- Come on, you're a lawyer. - Can't you convince him to stay?
I've never been able to convince kris of anything.
I should go.
Oh, yeah. I can't wait to see it.
So Anna, so you know...
When you're ready.
Thanks.
You know, I think this town
is beginning to grow on ya.
I think you might be right.
Which is why I have to go.
Hey, will you do me a favor?
- Give this to kris for me. - Yeah, sure.
Thanks.
Dearest kris,
sorry to leave without saying good-bye,
but good-byes are especially hard for me.
I know you'll understand.
Besides, how does one say good-bye to Santa claus anyway?
How do you tell him thanks
for restoring a cynical girl's faith in humanity,
for helping her to realize
that there's still people who know how to love
just for the sake of loving,
who give unselfishly, expecting nothing in return?
Well, kris, I'm running out of card space,
so let me just say in closing
that if a man's life is measured
by the joy he brings to others,
then yours is a life that knows no bounds.
Farewell, Mr. kringle,
and godspeed.
Love, Anna.
Good blog.
Love the Christmas card motif.
If only you had finished the assignment.
We all know how the story ends.
Man dedicates 50 years of his life
to making other people happy, and then poof...
One day it's over.
Santa retires.
- It's a shame. - I don't know.
I mean, maybe mistletoe will...
Turn back to plain old summerville.
What happened, Anna?
Nothing happened.
Got the story,
and now I'm ready for my next assignment.
- It's the guy, isn't it? - Mr. 9.5.
Mark is a very nice guy
who I have absolutely nothing in common with.
He's why you ran away, isn't he?
- I didn't run away! - Uh-huh.
What?
Isn't life funny?
What do you mean?
Love.
Love shows up in the most unusual places.
Can we please get back to business?
Sure.
Congratulations. Because of you,
our website hits have increased 150%.
- Our readers love the story. - Good.
I'm glad. Now, what's next?
- Next? - Yes, next.
I'm ready for my next assignment.
- Hello! - Three days until Christmas.
We are shutting down.
Besides, I think you've earned a break.
But... what if I don't want a break?
And you know I don't celebrate Christmas,
so put me to work.
Assign me something. I'll take anything.
I won't be picky.
Isn't, uh, Frida the food critic on maternity leave?
You owe me one more blog on the kringle story.
After that, you are on vacation,
like it or not.
Fine.
- Anna. - Yes.
He called here looking for you.
- Who? - Mark Stafford.
I wasn't supposed to tell you that,
- but I thought you should know. - What'd he say?
Just wanted to make sure you were okay.
What'd you tell him?
I told him that you were far from okay.
Thank you.
- I'm gonna go back to work. - Mm-hmm.
Okay, so if there's nothing else...
No, I'm good, carly.
Go home.
Just finishing up.
Some of us are headed over to O'Malley's
for happy hour if you wanna come.
- No, thanks. - I'm pretty wiped.
Looking forward to a hot bubble bath and early to bed.
- Okay, well... - Merry Christmas.
You too.
Anna.
Please go home. You can finish your blog there.
I'm almost done.
Why don't you come over Christmas Eve?
My family will be there. We'll have a nice time.
Thanks, Zoe, but, uh...
I already have plans.
Plans.
- Really? - Yes.
Okay. Well, if your plans fall through,
we'd love to have you.
Okay.
- Merry Christmas. - You too.
Oh, leave it alone, wahl.
Hello.
So do you wanna know why I don't have a dog?
Why don't you have a dog, Anna?
- 'Cause I'm afraid. - Afraid?
Afraid of getting too attached.
And then, um...
One day, you know,
no more doggie.
It's scary, loving something.
Yeah. How would you know, Mr. noncommittal?
- Because I... - Am exactly like you.
I'm afraid of putting my heart out there,
- afraid of... - Getting it broken.
Yes.
I've seen too many heartbreaks,
too many families torn apart, the pain it's caused.
Look at us, a couple of, uh, commitment phobes.
What do we do about it?
Well, I guess we...
Weigh the alternative.
- Which is? - Being alone.
Letting fear of losing love
keep us from ever loving.
"Better to have loved and lost
than never to have loved at all," right?
Something like that.
It's just hard to change, you know?
Yes, it is.
But the truth is...
We don't have a choice.
So what do you say we change together?
- I'll think about it, okay? - Fair enough.
- Okay. I should go. - Uh...
I still have a lot of Christmas wrapping to do.
Well, then... merry Christmas, Anna wahl.
Merry Christmas.
Dear bloggers,
tomorrow, Christmas Eve,
the town of mistletoe will bid a final farewell
to their beloved St. Nicholas.
- Come on, boy! - Come on.
What are you doing with the dog?
- None of your business. - This is city business.
Well, where are you taking him?
- Back to the pound. - Todd here's escaped three times.
- Todd? - The dog's name's Todd?
- Come on, boy. - Uh-huh.
Personally, I think it suits him.
Well, I'm looking for a dog.
Uh-huh. So what kind of dog you looking for?
The kind of dog that nobody wants to take.
Then he's the perfect candidate.
Nobody even looks at Todd here.
Well, I'll take him now.
- You're too late. - He's gonna be put down tomorrow.
- What? - On Christmas Eve? No!
Can't I just take him now?
- You can't. - It's against the rules.
You're gonna have to come back to the office.
- Okay, fine. - I'll come to the office.
- Can I ride with you? - That's against the rules too.
Please. Please!
Okay. But it's worth more than my job.
- Just for you. - And for Todd.
- You're a good man.
- Hop in. - Thank you!
Christmas...
Yes! Yes!
It's exciting!
Hey, cute dog.
- Oh, no, no, no. - It's exciting.
Yes. So, this is it, eh, old boy?
Give 'em one last show...
For old time's sake.
Mark, what on earth are you doing here?
Well, this being your last run,
I figured you could use a chauffer.
Well, I... accept.
Mark...
My dear boy, could you do me a favor?
Anything.
It's Christmas Eve,
and I expect some of the children
will be with their families.
If there are none waiting in the square,
just don't bother stopping.
- Just... keep on going. - Sure, kris.
Anything you say.
"The top of the porch!
"To the top of the wall!
"Now, dash away, dash away,
dash away all."
Kris! Kris! Kris! Kris!
You really had me!
Kris, kris, kris, kris!
Thank you, thank you.
Ah, bless you.
Kris, kris, kris, kris!
Oh... thank...
Please, no.
Thank you, thank you!
Oh, goodness! You mustn't.
- Go on, children, go on. - Go on, go on, please.
Go on!
Excuse me!
Anna wahl,
the most famous blogger around?
I am!
Sorry I'm late. Traffic was a bear.
- Uh, because of you. - No.
No. I can't take credit.
It's all about kris. They want him to come back.
Oh, my goodness.
Look at all these people!
Hey, listen, I figured it out.
What?
The meaning of Christmas.
- I missed you. - I missed you too.
Oh! Ha ha ha!
Well... oh.
Santa's back!
I want you to meet someone.
Oh ho ho aw...
Mark, Todd...
Wow. He's so...
- Homely? - I was gonna say friendly.
Hey.
You know, he actually reminds me a little bit
- of you. - Oh, really?
- Not the homely part. - He's got a good heart.
So do you and Todd have any plans this Christmas Eve?
We actually might just be free.
Really?
What a coincidence. So am I.
So loyal readers, before I close,
I'd like to put out my own Christmas evite
to all the good citizens of mistletoe, past and present.
If kris kringle has a special place in your memory,
then join us tomorrow in the square.
And remember once more how wonderful it felt
when you still believed in Santa claus.
Oh!
- Here they are. - Oh!
Sorry that we made you wait.
There was a little bit of a brouhaha
down at the toy shop.
They elves are... Preparing to organize.
Thank you for giving me away.
And for changing your mind.
Oh, the honor is mine, my dear.
What kind of Santa would I be
if I abandoned the children at Christmas?
You make a lovely bride, Annabelle.
Thank you.
- Shall we? - Yes!
Who gives this woman in marriage?
I do, Mr. mayor.
And who are you, sir?
Well, some call me Santa claus.
Others say father Christmas or Saint Nicholas.
Take your pick.
- Very well. - I prefer plain old kris.
Now, who has the rings?
Oh, uh...
Oh, of course, I...
Oh. Here we are.
Ah.
Thank you.
You may kiss the bride.
- Whoo! - Ah!