﻿1
[instrumental music]
Merry Christmas!
♪♪
[Peggy] Daniel?
- Look here. - What?
♪ ♪
- Oh. - [Daniel] Ah.
I can't believe this is the last time.
♪♪
[music continues]
Nice work, munchkin. That was some fast packing.
Is that your boss again?
Oh. Yeah, he's a worrier.
Kitchen and staff will be fine.
It's only two weeks.
Okay, driver's gonna be here in?
- One minute. - Yup. That's right.
And then the Marvin family Christmas
officially begins.
You excited to see grandma and grandpa?
Yes, and Aunt Audrey and Aunt Bethany.
You think we'll beat them to grandma and grandpa's
this year?
[Megan] Not if we miss our ride to the airport.
[Megan chuckles]
[sighs] Well, thank you.
[instrumental music]
[George] So it's exactly 356 miles to Woodstock.
I suggest we stop in Kingston to switch
and we'll have a bite to eat.
Perfect.
Bethany, are you excited to tell them?
Yes.
I just hope I don't slip.
[laughs] You?
I will be the one to tell them
when the time is right.
[George] Okay. It's your family.
Thank you.
Who knows, maybe Audrey'll come back from semester break
with a 4.0 and a second-year scholarship.
Maybe.
What? She could.
[alarm beeping]
[instrumental music]
[doorknob clattering]
- Thanks, mom. - You're welcome.
[instrumental music]
[chuckles]
[gasps] Doesn't it look beautiful?
Yeah.
Hello?
[Daniel] Megan. [laughs]
- Dad. [chuckles] - Mm...
You, oh... [chuckles]
Peggy, Megan and Ivy are here.
- [gasps] - Grandma!
- Oh, my gosh! - [chuckles]
You have grown so big.
- Did we beat Aunt Bethany? - You sure did.
[laughing]
[footsteps approaching]
It's about time you got here.
Aunt Audrey!
Hm. Hey, squirt.
You beat us, but Austin's farther than Nashville.
That is so true.
When did you get in?
Oh, it feels like months now.
[inhales] How's Nashville?
You didn't hear? I signed a record deal, went platinum.
- No big. - Ha-ha! Right. [chuckles]
Dad, would you please help us with our luggage?
- Oh, yeah, I got it. - [Megan] Okay. Yeah.
- Up to my old room. - [Daniel] Yup.
I did a drawing on the plane for you.
Oh, I can't wait to see it.
Seems like Megan is under the impression
you're still living in Nashville.
I'll tell her...
today.
- Grandpa. - Whoa.
[Daniel] Oh, what a beautiful picture.
- It's great to have you home. - [Megan] Thanks, dad.
This is goin' on the fridge.
[Ivy chuckles]
[sighs]
[instrumental music]
[knocking on door]
It'll be a while before Bethany gets here.
You wanna head into town, do some Christmas shopping?
Mm, I don't know, I'm pretty wiped.
Come on, it'll do you good.
Ivy, you wanna go for a...
[whispering] Guess it's just you and me.
[whispering] Whoo-hoo! Sister trip.
[whispering] Sister trip.
You dropped out?
Maybe you can say it a little louder.
I'm sorry. I just...
- Why? - I don't know.
I just figured, "Why go into debts studying music
when I could just perform?"
I mean, that's why people go to Nashville in the first place,
not to go to school.
How's that panning out for you?
Well, without student aid, I ran out of money pretty quickly.
Turns out, street performing isn't super lucrative,
so I kind of moved back in with mom and dad.
Oh, Audrey.
I know, I had to sell my guitar to afford a bus ticket home,
so please, I don't need to be reminded
of how young and irresponsible I am.
Your words, not mine.
Have you told Bethany?
Oh, you have to tell her.
She can't be the only one who doesn't know.
I will...
eventually.
Come on, you know how she is.
- I'll never hear the end of it. - Audrey.
Just give me until Christmas.
[man 1] Merry Christmas!
After that I'll tell her.
- Have it your way. - I promise.
All right. Congratulations, Nash.
We're officially in this together.
Here is to a long and fruitful relationship.
[chuckles] I'll head back to the office
and make sure everything is in order for tomorrow.
Why, are you sure you don't wanna stay?
Maybe, uh, split a donut or somethin'?
[chuckles] Do I look like a donut person to you?
Oh, come on, everybody is a donut person.
[inhales sharply] Goodbye, Nash.
[chuckles] See you tomorrow.
Hm.
So how are you doing?
I'm okay.
It's been three years and every day gets easier.
But being here reminds me so much of James.
He always loved all of our Christmas traditions.
[chuckles]
Buy you coffee?
[woman 1] Large Americano for Margaret.
- Thank you. - [woman 1] You're welcome.
Sure you don't need me to spot you?
I'll have you know that I sang
in this cafe a few days ago,
so I have a few bucks to spare.
[woman 1] Hot chocolate with whipped cream for David.
What?
You are never gonna guess who's in here.
Here's a hint, you have some very embarrassing
winter formal photos with him.
- Should we go over? - No.
Reconnecting with my high-school boyfriend
is not at the top of my to-do list.
[woman 1] Medium half-caf soy-latte
with whipped for Megan.
- Did he see us? - Yup.
- Is he comin' over? - Uh-huh.
Do you think he'll recognize me?
- Definitely. - Definitely.
What a surprise!
Megan Marvin back in Vermont.
- Hi, Nash. - [woman 1] Here you go.
You know, when I heard this order, I knew it had to be you.
You haven't changed since high school.
This is a perfectly reasonable order.
It's a soy-latte with whipped cream. It makes no sense.
I don't have to explain myself to you.
No.
[woman 1] Eggnog latte for Rich.
- It's good to see you, Nash. - Yeah, I know.
It's nice to see you, too, Audrey.
Likewise.
So I'm just going to wait here for my drink--
- I'm gonna... - If you wanna...
Mm-hmm.
How long has it been?
Hm. Hundred years, give or take.
- Yeah, that sounds about right. - [woman 1] Got a peppermint...
So, um, what brings you to town?
I thought you were spending Christmas in LA these days.
Well, mom and dad are spending the sunny Christmas back home,
but they're gonna have to make do without me this year.
- Oh, poor them. - Or lucky you.
Actually, I moved back.
Been here a few months now.
Really?
Why is it so hard for you to believe?
Are you kidding me?
You couldn't wait to get to USC
and out of tiny little Woodstock.
True, but, um... things change.
Now I see the appeals of a great, little family town.
- Yes, it is. - Um...
I'm sorry about James.
My parents told me about the accident and...
Yeah, I should have called.
It's okay.
Well, actually, um, I was gonna look you up.
Uh, I have something I need to talk to you about.
- Really? - I just got a text from mom.
Bethany and George are at the house.
They're gonna start cooking.
- Okay. - Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on.
You guys still do the Christmas cook-off?
Yup.
Leave it to your family to take a holiday feast
and turn it into a competition.
Are you hoping for an invite?
Oh, uh, well, I-I could never say no to your cooking--
- Always a pleasure, Nash. - Sorry, got to run.
Nash, it's been, well, it's been just like high school.
Is that a good thing?
Jury's still out.
[instrumental music]
- [grunts] There. - And that looks yummy.
[Peggy] Oh, it's a good one this year.
Oh, honey, look at that. Looks delicious.
Don't you think it's a little unfair to have a cook-off
as a family tradition with Megan being a professional chef?
It started as a way to share new recipes.
It's not supposed to be a competition.
- Tell that to Bethany. - Hey!
How am I supposed to compete with pie?
In what world are mashed potatoes
more delicious than pie?
She's right.
Audrey doesn't stand a chance
against this.
Any dish is fair game.
Remember the year dad won with a salad?
You just have to think like a chef.
Add some pizzazz.
Speaking of which, how's work, Megan?
You still liking the restaurant?
It's steady. I love running the kitchen.
I just wish I could run the menu, too.
Her boss is hopeless.
That's what mom says.
[laughing]
Yeah, the owner is a bit much.
You should open your own place.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to start a restaurant?
Bethany's right.
There is no way I'm ready for that.
And the most important thing
is that we're happy in Austin.
[Daniel] Oh, Megan, that is outstanding!
[Bethany] Wow, Megan. [Ivy] Mm, looks good, mom.
So unfair.
That's it. I surrender.
This has got to be the best holiday cook-off we've had yet.
Way to go, Marvins.
And I think we all agree on our surprise winner this year.
[Megan] Hm. [Audrey] Called it.
I couldn't have done it without grandma.
- Could I? - Oh.
I think the prize is all yours, Ivy.
To the successful beginning
of our family Christmas celebration.
May the next two weeks be full
of joy, love and warmth,
and lead to the best Christmas we've ever had.
- Cheers. - Cheers.
- Cheers. Merry Christmas.
Mm. Thank you, Daniel.
I think that's an appropriate segue
into delivering our news.
- Ooh, what could it be? - Right.
Kids, uh, as you know, I've been planning to retire
for quite some time now
and this year I'm finally doing it.
- Oh, great, dad. Oh. - [Megan] Congratulations.
- Congratulations. - [Daniel] Thank you.
I've had a good run, 37 years.
George, you'll get there someday.
[all laughing]
At least I'm teaching college, I can't imagine
teaching Earth Science at high schools for that long.
Honestly, it had its faults, but it rocked.
- [Peggy] Hm. - Oh, no, dad.
[all laughing]
And with my retirement,
your mother and I are ready to move on
to the next stage of our lives.
Oh.
Well, what your father's trying to say is...
we're selling the house.
What?
Mom, you can't be serious.
We grew up in this house, I guess.
That's too expensive for just your mother and me.
And, of course, we always thought
the house would stay in the family.
But then Bethany moved to Philadelphia
and Megan to Austin.
You all started your own lives.
But if you move, where would we celebrate Christmas?
Exactly!
This is the one place we actually
get to see each other.
You can't just sell it.
I... Where are we, y-you going to live?
We already have a condo in mind. We've given a deposit.
When we sell the house, we'll have enough to retire.
You kids will love it.
It's a cute, little community
just outside Sedona.
Arizona?
Imagine living that close to the Grand Canyon.
And I'm thinking of all those desert landscapes
waiting to be photographed.
Mm. That's great, mom.
You guys are gonna love it.
Guys, let's not lose focus here.
They're selling the house.
Megan, you have to be with me on this one.
We do have a lot of great memories here
and we'll make plenty more wherever we celebrate Christmas.
I'm happy for you, dad.
You deserve to retire.
I know this is sudden, but things are moving fast.
We have some buyers coming to the house in the morning.
In the morning?
We'll have to make our last Christmas here
that much more special.
So was Bethany really okay with our plan?
She thinks it's a smart decision and so do I.
Your turn.
Here you go, flatter side down,
eyes on the top where you wanna strike.
You got that?
[grunts] Oh.
Well, that's a start.
I'm gonna go check on the girls.
[instrumental music]
So now you bring this stitch back that way.
There you go. That's it.
- Great. - Good.
Look at you.
- How's our lumberjack? - I have an apprentice.
[all laughing]
- Oh, Peggy? - Hm?
[chuckles] Good morning, Daniel.
Good morning, Lane. Please come in.
Thank you.
Everyone, I'd like you to meet Lane.
- Hello. - Hi.
Lane Castle. Archer Real Estate.
- Wonderful to meet you. - You're the real-estate agent?
Yes, but in this particular instance,
I'll be handling the transaction for myself.
I never pass up on a good investment property.
- Huh? - So I thought I'd make an offer.
- Well, me and my partner. - Partner?
Yes, he is covering half the purchase.
He's been doing work as a contractor
on some of my properties
these past few months, and when I learned
he was also looking for an investment property,
we decided to team up.
Will he be joining us?
I spoke to him on the way over.
He should be here any minute.
Would you like some coffee?
Sure. Oh.
Oh, there he is now.
Are you going to live here?
Oh, I don't think so. [chuckles]
Well, hi there.
Hi, Mr. Marvin.
Nash?
Why, it's been ages.
- I heard you'd moved back. - [Lane] Hey.
You k-know each other?
Megan and Nash were close all through high school.
He was over here almost every day.
Oh? Well, then you must be
pretty familiar with the property.
Um, it's great to see you all again.
It's been way too long.
Wait. You're buying our house?
Yeah. Well, I mean, we're buying it.
Why didn't you mention this yesterday?
I'm sorry. I tried to, but...
- [Nash] Are you okay? - I'm fine.
But, I mean, it is a little weird, though, right?
Well, yeah.
Well, why don't we talk in the kitchen?
Lane, let's get you that coffee.
- And a cup for you, Nash? - I think that's a great idea.
- Nash? - Yeah, sure.
It was wonderful meeting you all.
Nice to meet you.
I'm sorry. We'll talk about this later?
Yeah.
Sibling meeting. The attic.
Now.
[instrumental music]
Sorry, dad.
We are not gonna let this happen.
- Audrey. - This is where we grew up.
Are you really gonna let your ex-boyfriend
do who-knows-what with it?
If I had to say, yes, he's, he's flipping it.
Audrey, this is none of our business.
If mom and dad wanna sell, let them sell.
What about Christmas?
Megan, you used to live for all our family traditions.
You were, like, the Christmas police.
What'll happen once the house is gone?
We can always make new traditions.
It's just a house. We can meet somewhere else for Christmas.
Our place in Philadelphia is perfect
for hosting family functions.
And, actually--
We all know this is about more than just a house.
Megan, back me up here.
I understand what you're saying.
Remember, I have ten years on you in this house.
- So I know how special it is. - Thank you.
So if this is our last Christmas here,
we should be making it as memorable as possible,
doing all the things that make it so special.
Yeah, like chopping down the tree?
Exactly, we are going to do
all of our Christmas traditions to the fullest.
Like, finding a tree and making ornaments, the snowman.
Donating toys, decorating cookies.
Making gingerbread houses and the Christmas firework tour.
Of course, how could we forget?
- So we say goodbye properly. - I don't believe this.
Megan, I thought, of all people, you'd understand.
You got married in our living room.
Can you really let it go so easily?
Well, I'm not gonna let it happen.
And what exactly are you gonna do to stop it?
- I'll think of something. - Audrey, come on!
Can we try to be a little more mature about this?
- You can all do what you want. - Audrey!
That could have gone better.
[knocking on door]
I got it, mom!
- Hi, Brandon. - Morning, neighbor. What's up?
How do you feel about helping me save my house?
[Audrey] By the way, I'm glad you're on semester break.
Okay...
[instrumental music]
[Lane] I just wanna be sure.
We're putting up a lot in earnest money.
And we can kiss that deposit goodbye
if you simply get cold feet.
[chuckles] I won't get cold feet.
I do this for a living, you know?
Besides, you're reading into things.
Megan and I dated ages ago.
Yes, you did, which is why I find it interesting
that you're going all in on this property in particular.
It's a good house.
Look, would I take a risk if I had any reservations?
Trust me, things are more than under control.
In fact, I'm heading over there tomorrow to oversee
the home inspection and I'm not even thinking about her.
If you say so. We need to be a team on this.
I can't afford this deal without you, Nash.
Yes, I say so.
You've nothing to worry about.
Now, if you'll excuse me.
Nash?
I'm all for reconnecting with old flames.
Just try not to ruin
a perfectly good real-estate deal in the process.
I won't. [sighs]
I just hope that Megan can withstand my natural charm
through all this.
Bye, Lane.
[instrumental music]
[Bethany] Do you know that this train has been here
since I was your age?
- Really? - It really has been.
It's awesome.
They put it out every Christmas.
[indistinct chatter]
I'm just picking wrapping paper, mom.
I know, but it might be the last time in your favorite toy store.
They've had that same train setup since I was Ivy's age.
[indistinct chatter]
Ah, I love this place.
Ah.
We didn't really get a chance to talk about
what happened this morning.
- Are you all right? - Mm. I am fine.
And you didn't know it was gonna be Nash any more than I did.
I know, but still...
Don't worry, mom.
Hey, can you buy this, too, dad?
- Of course. - Oh, thank you.
[laughing] That is quite the donation this year--
And we're not done.
Ivy still has a few gifts to pick out.
Come on, let's help her decide.
[woman 1] I'll hold on to these.
[gasps] Remember those?
You and Bethany had the entire set.
Right. So where are they now?
Tsk. Probably under Audrey's bed.
Oh. I'm really going to miss it here.
They do have toy stores in Arizona, mom.
I know, but...
I guess, part of me always imagined Ivy coming here
with her children, too. I know it's silly.
I am excited to move and start a new adventure with your father,
but Woodstock will always hold a special place in my heart.
It will for all of us.
I don't know. Doesn't that seem kind of dishonest?
How is it dishonest?
If anything, it's the right thing to do.
We're pointing out the house's problems.
With a few embellishments
to convince them not to go through with it.
What, it's not like it's against the law
to bend the truth a little.
It's called perjury.
Isn't Bethany a lawyer?
How did none of that rub off on you?
I don't know. [laughs]
Okay. Uh... How do your sisters feel about this?
They're both in denial. Well, at least Megan is.
But trust me, this is for the best.
I'm just buying a little time for my parents to see
how important it is to keep the house.
I mean, if you really want me to move away...
[inhales sharply] Okay. Fine.
I'll help. But you owe me.
Good...
because the home inspector is coming by tomorrow.
[knocking on door]
[door creaking]
- Hey, Megan. - Hey, Brandon.
- Hey. - It's good to see you.
What are you guys up to?
- Nothing! - Uh, we're...
- Just catching up. - [clears throat]
Well... Well, I'm just waiting for the home inspector.
- He should be here any minute. - Oh.
- Wow. What a coincidence. - Hm.
Oh, there he is now.
[instrumental music]
- What's he doing here? - Aha!
Would you look at that?
Looks like he wanted to oversee the inspection.
Unless he's interested in more than just the house.
If you'd like, Brandon and I can show the inspector around.
Give you some more time with Nash.
Don't be ridiculous.
- Well, hi there. - Hey.
I didn't know you'd be here today.
Well, I figured I should be here
in case something serious pops up.
This is Randy, he'll be doing the inspection.
- Hello. - Hi.
I guess I should be getting used to the fact
that we'll be seeing more of each other.
I will let you two get to it.
Yeah, actually, um, do you mind tagging along?
I thought it might be helpful,
just in case Randy needs any details that I don't have.
Uh, Brandon and I can help.
In fact, why don't you two catch up?
And if we need you, we'll, we'll come find you.
I do have some sugar cookies to bake.
[instrumental music]
Is that your brother-in-law?
Yeah. George.
Dad says he's improving.
So fill me in.
You're buying old houses and flipping them now?
Well, only houses that I know other people are gonna love.
Houses with history and character.
I mean, who wouldn't wanna live here?
Well, you used to not want to.
Last time I saw you, you were racing off to LA.
Hey, that was for school.
And my family moved and my dad opened his new firm
in Southern California and, on paper, it was perfect.
Then I graduated, got a job at the firm
and it turned out that I didn't want to be an architect
as much as he wanted me to be.
- Yeah, sure. - Hm.
But I-I always did love renovating.
So I figured why not make it a living.
Well, how's it going?
Honestly? I love it.
There's nothing like taking something old
and transforming it while keeping its original essence.
[oven alarm beeps]
And I couldn't see my future in Southern California, so...
a few months ago I moved back.
Just like that?
Well, it's Vermont, well, they do things different here
and I've had to adjust,
but, you know, it's been a little more challenging
than I thought it would be.
Oh, is that why you started working
with Ms. Castle...
Lane. Well, pretty much. It's a, it's a big step.
Hey, uh-uh, those are for l-later.
Hm... Mm.
Oh, my gosh, I forgot how good these are.
It's amazin' how that can bring you back in time.
Oh, yeah. Remembering anything good?
Yeah. All of it. Every second.
I-I wonder how Randy is doing with Audrey and Brandon.
Oh, I'm sure they're taking great care of him.
[instrumental music]
D'you remember when we were kids and I fell through the floor
while helping find Christmas lights?
Oh, yeah, you know, I think my dad
said something about termites.
- Hm. Yeah. - Naughty little guys.
Yeah, my dad's been meaning to fix that.
[clattering]
Careful.
That fuse box is, uh, temperamental.
I myself have been electrocuted three times
right where you're standing.
Okay, I'm sorry. But what is this?
That is a sleigh.
Obviously.
Ivy, do we have a ruling?
Sorry. Reject pile.
- Oh... - That's cruel.
Nash, you might be even worse at this
than you were in high school.
Now, that's impossible.
- [chuckles] - [knocking on door]
Hey.
Is everything okay?
I'll have my report to you tomorrow.
Just, it's gonna be a long report.
- Huh. - What happened?
Nothing. We were just very thorough.
Huh. Ah, well, I gotta take off, too, actually--
You're not going to come caroling?
We're going to town to sing on Main Street.
Wow! You guys still do that?
- Yeah, of course, we do. - [Peggy] The whole town does.
We'd love for you to come.
You're not sick of me yet?
Oh, I can't speak for the whole family.
[all laughing]
But, yeah, you should come.
♪ Fa-la la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Fast away the old year passes ♪
♪ Fa-la la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Hail the new year lads and lasses ♪
♪ Fa-la la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Sing we joyous all together ♪
♪ Fa-la-la la-la-la la-la-la ♪
♪ Heedless of the wind and weather ♪
♪ Fa-la la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
[all laughing]
- "Jingle Bells." - Oh, good one.
♪ Dashing through the snow ♪
♪ In a one-horse open sleigh ♪
♪ O'er the fields we go ♪
♪ Laughing all the way Ha ha ha ♪
♪ Bells on bob tails ring ♪
♪ Making spirits bright ♪
♪ What fun it is to ride and sing... ♪
Now I'm in the Christmas spirit.
You know, the world's best caroling happens in Woodstock.
[chuckles]
I, um, wanted to say, your voice is amazing.
- Really? - Yeah.
I mean, I knew you were good when you left. But now?
I'm surprised they let you drop out with a voice that good.
You should share it with more people.
I'll think about it.
So good-goodnight.
Night.
Even rejects taste good.
They sure do.
So, uh, thank you again for today. [chuckles]
It's our pleasure.
- Bye. - See you around.
- Definitely. - Hey, Nash.
What are you doing tomorrow?
Oh, I-I have a few errands to run in the morning,
but I'm free in the afternoon.
[Daniel] Great. Why don't you stop by again?
You can help us with another Marvin family tradition.
- We're overdue for a tree. - Yeah.
Where else are we gonna put all the presents?
- It'd be great. - Okay.
Well, I guess I'll see you all tomorrow.
- [Ivy] Yeah. - [chuckles] I'll walk you out.
Well, Megan and Nash seem to be getting along pretty well.
Yes, they do. I haven't seen Megan this happy in years.
Is that why you invited Nash to come over tomorrow?
I have no idea what you're talking about.
[instrumental music]
- And what about this one? - [Ivy] No.
[Audrey chuckles]
- Hey. - Hey. [laughs]
- Is this good? - I think there's a better one.
[exhales] Yeah. I forgot how committed your family is.
What do you mean?
Where else are you supposed to find
the perfect tree?
Oh, I remember my first time doing this
with your family, vividly.
We just started dating
and your dad was walking me out
into the middle of the woods
carrying a giant saw.
- [laughing] - Mom, catch up.
We'll never get a tree walking this slow.
[Megan] We're coming.
I'm glad you got to,
you get to share this tradition with Ivy.
- Yeah. - [clears throat]
Cutting down the tree up here's one of her favorite things.
You know, uh, I never asked.
Why did you guys move?
James landed his dream job in Austin,
and I knew I'd have more opportunities to cook out there.
It was the best move for us, for Ivy.
It's kind of ironic.
I mean, we broke up because I wanted
to get out of this town and you wanted to stay.
And now I've moved back and you're the one who left.
No, no, no, you're the one who broke up with me.
- Regardless. - [laughs]
I'm glad I get to spend one last Christmas with you.
Ah. That's it.
- This one? - Mm-hmm.
It looks like it's big enough.
- Dad? - Yup.
The only feeling
better than finding the perfect tree
is cutting it down.
[laughing]
Are you serious?
Uh, yeah, I'm gonna be honest. I always wanted to do this.
[laughs] You know, though, I, uh,
I think I'm gonna need some help, somebody strong.
- Wanna give me a hand? - Yeah.
Come here.
All right. [sighs]
There.
[indistinct chatter]
God job. Keep goin'. Keep goin'.
Keep it straight. All right, uh, there we go.
- All right. - [cheering]
- Yay! - [Peggy] Good job.
[Nash] Yahoo! All right.
[instrumental music]
- Watch your step, guys. - I got it.
- Got it? - Yup.
So what's the deal with Nash?
I know you don't like to talk about this kind of thing,
but we all noticed how you were looking at him earlier.
Bethany, we broke up many years ago.
- There's nothing going on. - Really?
Yes, he's still cute
and always knows how to make me smile,
but don't misinterpret that.
We're just reconnecting as friends.
- I don't want anything more. - Why not?
When James and I met in college, it was love at first sight.
We were partners in everything. Well, you know how that feels.
You and George, in your way, are so close.
Imagine losing that.
Well, I need to be here for Ivy, she's my focus now.
I know you haven't so much as looked at another guy
in three years.
I will always be here for you to lean on.
But if you ever want something more,
you shouldn't feel guilty about it.
Thanks, sis.
- All right, come around. - Okay.
[Daniel and Brandon] Ready? One, two, three.
[Daniel] And up!
- All right. How's that? - All right.
- Uh, a little to the left. - My left or your left?
- Right there? - [George] Oh, sorry.
- How's it look? - Is that good?
- [Brandon] Good? - Perfect.
- [George] Great. - Thanks, boys.
- [sighs] Good job, sir. - Hey, thanks.
Hey, Audrey, uh, thanks for letting me tag along.
My family firmly falls into the tree-like category.
Yeah, it was really fun last night.
Yeah, it was.
So, uh, any updates on the house?
No word on the inspection report yet, but I can't say
that Nash hanging around so much is a good sign.
...California...
At least he seems to be making your sister happy.
Yeah. I think he's pretty happy, too.
And it's definitely not just the house
that keeps bringing him back.
I just wish it didn't mean losing the house.
[Ivy] I'm ready for my early Christmas present.
Close your eyes.
Hold out your hands.
- Guess. - A rock?
It's a geode, and I promise you there's a surprise inside,
but you have to wait for Christmas to open it.
Thank you.
What you doin'?
Everyone's deciding if they have
the energy to decorate tonight.
[Megan] We can't decorate the tree.
We haven't made the ornaments yet.
Hm, we can just use the ones we have.
Mom.
[chuckles] Oh, honey. You're so cute.
Of course, we'll make them.
I'll go check it up. All right.
Hey.
Hey. I just wanted to say goodbye before heading out.
[chuckles] I had a really good time today.
- Yeah. Me, too. - And I heard from Randy.
He sent over the inspection reports.
Turns out that there is a lot of things
that need fixing in this house.
- Really? - Yeah.
And I know you guys have plenty of Christmas celebrating to do,
so if it's not too much of a nuisance,
I could come over in the next few days
for some DIY.
Are you sure you aren't using this whole DIY thing
as an excuse to muscle into my family Christmas?
Oh, wow. Yeah, I'm...
- Yeah, I'm hurt. - [chuckles]
What an accusation. I would never do that.
[laughs]
[sighs] Well, it is the most wonderful time of the year.
- So is that a yes? - I'll run it by my parents.
Cool. They already said yes.
[laughs] Oh!
Okay. We can both sleep in this bed tonight.
Did you have fun today?
Yeah, I like Nash. He's nice.
Yeah, I do, too.
Christmas is coming. Are you excited?
Yeah.
What's wrong?
I want Christmas to be here, but...
It's the last one at grandma and grandpa's?
I know. It's a special place.
We're all gonna miss something about it.
I liked cutting down the tree. It reminds me of daddy.
- Oh, honey-- - It's okay. It's a good feeling.
You are awesome.
Night, munchkin.
- Goodnight, mom. Love you. - I love you.
[Nash whistling]
Handyman reporting for duty.
Wow. You weren't joking about getting a jump on things.
Oh, I never joke about home renovations.
Hm. So where do we start?
[Nash] Upstairs.
Okay. Hold it steady.
Screwdriver, please. Thank you.
There you go.
Come on. Come on. Oh, God! Okay.
[laughing]
Yeah. Okay. Yup. Ah, good work.
Oh. Thank you.
[indistinct chatter]
- Oh, that's looking good. - Oh!
Did you do this? That is actually perfect.
[indistinct chatter]
I think it's gonna... I'm gonna cool it off.
- What? - Boom. I'm out.
- [laughs] - Catch you later.
All right? Yeah? Right, right.
- Okay, we good? - Okay, great.
- Just a-- - Okay, ready?
Good. Go for it.
Okay.
- Yes! All right. - Aha!
[indistinct chatter]
[cell phone ringing]
[drill whirring]
[indistinct chatter]
[drill whirring]
[instrumental "Jingle Bells"]
Ow! Whoa. Dude, dude, what...
Did you just throw it at me?
[clamoring]
No. Ow...
No!
[Megan] Oh!
- Nice job! - Defeat! Defeat!
[indistinct chatter]
[laughing]
Look.
Wow! It's cutting down the tree.
- Yeah. - Oh, that's really good.
[instrumental music]
But still looks like there's a lot of this tree
left to decorate.
[footsteps approaching]
Finally found them.
[Daniel] Let's get to decorating, people.
[clears throat]
Ah, this was the year that you made the scales of justice.
Yeah. They're in here somewhere.
- Remember this? - Oh, of course.
What is it?
[Peggy sighs]
It's the Eiffel Tower.
Your grandpa made this years ago after we came back from Paris.
- You went to France? - We did.
And I introduced your grandpa
to the beautiful paintings in the Louvre.
We had plenty of adventures before settling down here.
And, hopefully, we'll have plenty more.
I remember making this one.
Mom, I don't wanna go back to Austin.
Oh, honey.
I don't want this to be our last Christmas here.
It won't be the same somewhere else.
I know.
But we can't forget all the great ones we've already had.
We should enjoy this one as much as we can.
That's my girl.
Now, you know what I think would help us feel better?
What?
Some of grandma's hot chocolate.
Hm. I think that's a wonderful idea.
- I'll help. - Okay.
[clears throat]
[Peggy coughs]
- Hey. - [Daniel] Here.
Hey.
You okay?
Yeah.
Okay. Well, I should head out.
You sure?
Yeah. Go be with Ivy.
- Goodnight. - Goodnight.
Yeah, well, um, I'll see you soon.
Mm-hmm.
[Daniel] Night, Nash.
Ah, goodnight, Mr. Marvin.
- Goodnight, George. - Goodnight.
[Lane on voicemail] You've reached Lane Castle.
Sorry I missed your call.
Leave a message and I'll return
as soon as I can.
Hey, Lane. Um...
Sorry to, uh, call so late.
Uh, can we meet up for coffee tomorrow?
I just wanna go over a few things.
Yeah.
[clattering]
He is getting better. Hm.
♪ Where God's redeemed ♪
♪ Their vigils keep ♪
♪ I'm going there ♪
♪ To meet my mother ♪
♪ She said she'd meet me ♪
♪ When I come ♪
♪ I'm only going ♪
♪ Over Jordan ♪
♪ I'm only going ♪
♪ Over home ♪
Whoo! Encore!
[chuckles] Excuse me, this is a private show.
You owe me thirty bucks.
[whistles] Steep. But worth it.
So any chances one will end up online?
Yeah, if there's a Christmas miracle.
Well, I'm glad to see you embracing the Christmas spirit.
Ugh!
Hey, you haven't seemed as upset about the house lately.
Yeah, well, I'm still not thrilled about it, but...
Actually, me, neither.
I didn't realize it until the last couple of days.
I'm finally starting to feel like I belong here again.
But it is not our decision to make.
We have to let it go, right?
[Bethany] What? Are you serious?
Was that Bethany?
What's going on?
You dropped out of college?
Mom!
It just slipped. I assumed you told her.
Can you believe this?
Wait, you know?
[scoffs] Wow. Great.
Everyone in the family knows except for me.
Yeah, because I knew you'd freak out.
Audrey, I'm trying to help you.
Bethany, it is so not a big deal.
Not a big deal? I helped you write your application. [scoffs]
I had to pull some strings to get you an interview.
I'm sorry, okay?
But you don't have to treat me like I'm a child.
Yes, I do, because you keep acting like one.
You guys!
I don't need to take this.
I'll be at Brandon's if anyone needs me.
Audrey, wait, it's Christmas Eve.
[door slams]
Uh...
[Lane] Are you serious?
Yeah. I've given it a lot of thought.
It's just...
not the right thing for me right now.
Wow. Well, I have to say I'm pretty surprised.
You seemed so excited about the house.
Um, I know the inspection report wasn't exactly glowing, but--
Yeah, it's... It's not about that.
Okay, so what is it about?
[Nash sighs]
This house is important to the Marvins.
Way more important than it is to me.
And if you'd been there last night--
- Ah. Of course. - What?
I told you this would happen.
You have a history with Megan,
so I guess it shouldn't come as a shock
that you'd fall for her again.
[scoffs] You're not thinking clearly.
No, I am thinking clearly.
[scoffs] What is it, guilt?
Why? Her parents want to sell the house.
Everybody's onboard,
except for you, apparently.
Look, what you're feeling is natural.
Okay? It's a big purchase.
But, please, make the decision for the right reason.
Don't back out because you feel bad for doing nothing wrong.
Then why does it feel wrong?
Because you're thinking with your heart,
instead of your head.
Say, you don't buy the house,
what happens when Megan goes back to Austin after Christmas?
How does it help?
Daniel and Peggy are anxious to sell.
Isn't it better the house go to someone they know?
Someone they trust, who'd give it the love it deserves?
Not to mention, you'd be leaving me high and dry in the process.
Just sleep on it.
I'm sure you'll come to the right decision.
Okay, but if it still doesn't feel right...
Then you and I will settle out.
Just because she has a career and a husband
and doesn't live at home with her parents
doesn't mean that she's better than me.
Bethany doesn't think she's better than you.
She's just hurt you didn't tell her.
I just thought I could make it, you know?
If I recorded a song or something,
maybe they wouldn't be so disappointed in me.
Who do you think's disappointed in you? Bethany?
Her life is so together and mine's never been.
[scoffs]
Maybe that's why I've been holding on to the house so much.
They have their lives to go back to.
But once the house is gone,
I don't really have anything else.
Yes, you do.
You have courage.
I mean, putting everything on the line
to pursue your dream of music?
That takes guts.
I have no doubt in my mind that if you keep trying,
you're gonna make it.
- You think so? - Yeah.
And what about everything else you have?
Passion, beauty,
and let's not forget me, which is also super valuable.
[chuckles] Thanks, Brandon.
- And there. All right. - There we go.
Let me see.
- What do you think, there? - Yeah.
Kinda close together. Ah, that's pretty good.
[Ivy] That's good.
[gasps] I can't believe
you're doing the snowman without me.
- Hey, mom. - Hey. You know the rules.
It's Christmas Eve. We had to do it today.
Grandma, why do we build a snowman on Christmas Eve?
I never told you? Huh!
Well, when I was a little girl, younger than you,
there was one year grandpa was stuck in a blizzard
and couldn't make it home.
Yup, I took my AP students on a field trip
to Coolidge State Park over winter break.
Unfortunately, the roads were so bad
when they wanted to come home
that they were stuck there for two days.
I was so sad that on Christmas Eve
your grandma and I made a snowman
to look just like grandpa,
with his clothes and all.
So that way, on Christmas morning,
it was like he was there with us.
And we started doing it every year.
I think he's still missing one thing.
[chuckles]
I guess we won't be doing this in Arizona.
[chuckles]
Not unless we build one out of rocks.
Hey, it sounds like fun to me.
Ha!
There. What do you think?
I think it's perfect.
Mom, we haven't done the Christmas firework tour,
and this is the night they do it.
You are so right.
- Grandma? - Let's go.
- Yay! - Yay!
Hey. You sure you up for it?
I know this was always your and James' thing.
Yeah. I know James wouldn't want us to miss it.
Mom, can we invite Nash?
Uh...
Yeah, sure.
[instrumental music]
[fireworks exploding]
- [Megan] Hey. - I've not done this in forever.
Thank you for letting me tag along.
My pleasure.
Our parents already went ahead, but our ride should be
right around that corner.
Uh, we'll meet back here real soon.
Yeah. Sounds good.
Mom, can I ride with Aunt Bethany?
Uh, as long as it's okay with them.
- Of course. Come on. - Definitely.
Come on.
Have fun!
Giddyup! There we go.
Bye!
Well, looks like it's just the two of us.
Whoa!
Allow me.
Oh...
[driver clicks tongue]
Let's go. Come on.
- [chuckles] - Hm.
You know... this is kinda starting to feel like a date.
[chuckles] Yeah.
Well, we haven't done this since senior year.
Yeah.
I have really enjoyed being back here this Christmas.
- Yeah, me, too. - Hm.
I have to ask.
Is it a coincidence that out of all the houses
you could have chosen to buy, you chose to buy ours?
I know the house. It's a good property.
I wanna make it the best it can be and send it off right.
Well, at least that's what I wanted at first.
But then we started seeing more of each other
and it was... great
being with you and your family again.
So what if I want something more?
What, is that so crazy? Megan, I know you.
Where do you see this going? Because...
Yeah... we've both felt something.
And, honestly... it's something
I haven't felt in a long time.
But what if it's just nostalgia?
The magic of Woodstock and Christmas.
Ivy and I get on a plane in a few days to go back to Austin.
Why?
Because that's where our life is.
It doesn't have to be.
Megan, I...
I realized that even after 17 years,
the way I feel about you is exactly the same.
I never stopped caring about you.
And I don't wanna lose you again.
But I can't just uproot our lives.
W-what about my job? What about Ivy?
I can't just pull her out of school,
take her away from her friends.
She said she didn't even wanna go back.
Stop.
This isn't about where I live.
And it isn't about our house.
It... it isn't even about you.
Okay.
Have you ever lost someone?
Someone you loved so much
that life without them seemed impossible,
like a piece of you was lost, too?
I'm not ready
to face that kind of hurt ever again.
Yeah, I, I understand.
Then you'll let me enjoy our time together right now...
just for what it is.
[driver] Okay, folks. Ride's almost over.
Merry Christmas.
Whoa!
I'm sorry, Nash.
Truly I'm sorry.
Wasn't that the best?
I'm so glad we got to do that one more time.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
I was just saying goodnight to your mother.
Goodbye, Megan.
Goodbye.
Hey, everything okay?
Yeah.
[knocking]
This is an unexpected surprise.
Yeah, I was just passing by and...
I take it you've thought about our conversation.
Yes...
And I'm sorry.
I didn't know this was gonna put you in a tight spot, but...
I've to back out.
[chuckles] It-it turns out I was, uh, thinking with my heart
and, uh, turns out
that my heart is pretty stupid.
[clears throat]
So you and Megan...
Yeah, it's over.
But even if she doesn't wanna be with me,
I, I know how she feels about that house.
It just doesn't feel right to fix it up
and sell it to someone else.
And how does Megan feel about this?
She doesn't know.
Not yet.
[exhales sharply] Okay.
If that's what you want. I mean...
Really?
Yeah. We had an agreement and you've made your choice.
- So... - Um, thank you, Lane.
And then I'll pay you back your half of the deposit.
Uh, it's gonna take me a while,
but I will get you every penny.
I'm sure we can work somethin' out.
Can I offer you some advice?
Yeah, sure.
If you care enough about Megan to kill this deal,
why are you lettin' her go so easily?
Hi, sweetheart.
Did you guys go on the fireworks tour?
It was so beautiful. We missed you.
I missed you, too.
Well, we're all here now and it's Christmas Eve.
Yeah, what are we standing around for? We should be...
[whispering] Everybody's here.
Wait.
Megan, is something wrong?
Uh, no.
Nash and I...
It got complicated
and I probably won't be seeing him again.
But tonight I told him that, you know,
we have our lives back in Austin
and that being here this Christmas Eve,
even though it reminded me how much I love this place,
that it didn't matter.
But the truth is, even as I was saying it, I didn't believe it.
Mom, dad, I-I'm so happy for you
to start this next chapter of your lives,
but I feel guilty...
'cause the fact is that I am not ready
to let go of this house.
Well, why didn't you tell us sooner?
I didn't wanna ruin your plans.
You deserve to retire, go on adventures.
And I was worried that if you knew how I really felt,
that you might put the sale of the house on hold.
Oh, and, Ivy, honey, I know how much you've loved
doing all the Christmas traditions this year,
because I have loved it just as much.
But I promise you that no matter
where we spend Christmas,
we'll bring the magic of this place with us.
I don't want us to fight.
Well, you heard her. No fighting.
Only the Christmas spirit here.
Let's get this celebration started.
Ivy, let's see what's in your stocking.
- You have a sec? - Sure.
Megan's right, we shouldn't spend
our last Christmas here fighting, so...
I wanted to say I'm sorry.
Okay.
I shouldn't have lied to you.
I was ashamed, I guess.
I didn't want you to be disappointed in me,
because sometimes it feels like
that's the only dynamic we have anymore.
- What happened to us? - What do you mean?
When we were kids, we were best friends.
I-I miss being that close.
I guess we both grew up.
We started our own lives and just... drifted apart.
I think that's what I was afraid of
with the house.
We all live in different places
and this house is our anchor.
And mom and dad started talking about moving to Arizona,
and I just freaked out.
What would happen if we didn't have this?
Maybe we'd start missing Christmas.
I'm sorry, too.
I know I treat you like a child sometimes,
and I don't mean to.
I just don't know how else to help you.
I've always played it safe, by the rules,
and it's worked for me.
But you, you have so much talent and passion.
And I've always been jealous of that.
[scoffs]
I'm glad we're getting one more Christmas here together.
Feels like we're getting a second chance,
and I wanna make the most of it.
I do, too.
I have some news.
- [footsteps approaching] - Yeah.
Everyone, listen up! We have a serious problem.
What's wrong?
Bethany has an announcement to make
and it's going to affect Christmas.
We're gonna have to hang another stocking next year.
- [gasps] - [laughs]
Oh! Congratulations!
- Oh. - Thank you.
Oh!
- Oh! - Oh!
- Mom! - George.
- Congratulations. - Thank you.
- Sweetheart. - [chuckles]
You're gonna have a cousin.
- Daddy. - Oh, come here.
How excited are you?
It's exciting. It's exciting.
[laughs] Yay!
[instrumental music]
Merry Christmas, mom.
- Merry Christmas. - Hm.
[sighs] Wonderful about Bethany.
Yeah!
Oh, I'm so excited for them.
Are you ready to move on?
I guess.
Gonna miss my room.
I mean...
take another chance at life?
- What? - You light up around Nash.
I haven't seen that in years.
Mom.
I know it's scary to commit
to someone after James,
but you owe it to yourself and Ivy
to be brave.
Brave.
You have a lot of life in front of you.
And I wanna see my daughter truly happy.
And now you have the chance.
You'll never know unless you try.
All right.
I just needed to say it.
Well...
time to get breakfast started.
Okay.
Tell Ivy I'll be back in a while.
Of course.
[drill whirring]
[drill powers off]
You know that's rude.
[Megan] Well, it's Christmas.
What are you doing?
Trying not to think about you.
Everything I said to you last night in the carriage,
I realized I hadn't said out loud before.
And this morning I thought,
if I can share that with you,
I can share all my feelings with you.
So I have something I need to tell you.
Yeah.
I love you.
Love you.
I love you.
[chuckles]
So, um, Megan,
um, there's something I need to tell you.
Okay.
I bailed out on the partnership with Lane.
I'm no longer going to be buying your house.
Yeah, I couldn't see myself
surrounded by the memories of your house
while I knew you didn't want me around.
Wait a minute.
Do you think Lane would do us a huge favor
on Christmas morning?
Just what we needed.
Thanks, George.
Thank you.
First present. Go ahead.
♪ ♪
- [Daniel laughs] - [Peggy] Oh!
- [chuckles] - Cool!
And if you wanna know how it formed,
your grandpa will tell you.
- Actually, it-- - Later.
Merry Christmas.
[Peggy] Nash! [Megan] Sorry we're late.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Mom, it's time for presents. Sit down.
Oh, okay.
So who's going first?
Ivy?
Actually... we sort of have
something for everyone.
[chuckles] A last-minute gift.
We hope everyone likes it.
Well, what is it?
It's a purchase offer for the house from Megan.
And Nash.
[Peggy] I don't understand.
I thought Nash and Lane...
I am sorry to say, but that previous deal...
fell apart. [chuckles]
But it's for the best.
You'll see that the offer is exactly the same,
not a penny less.
Well, how did you get this all
together this morning?
Well, we had Lane draft it up
this morning.
We wanted to make it official.
Megan...
[Megan] Mom, it's like you said.
It's time for me to take a chance.
And I don't want this to be our last year here.
So it's a gift for everyone.
It's our home so we can keep celebrating
our family Christmas.
Nash is gonna re-invest his initial offer
and I'm going to apply for a business loan.
- A business loan? - [Megan] Yeah.
It's like mom and dad said, this house is too big
for a couple of people,
but we have some great bed-and-breakfast ideas.
Yeah, I know this amazing local chef
who's gonna help me run it.
That is, as soon as she gives
her two weeks' notice in Austin.
And, of course, there will be some ground rules.
We won't be doing much renovation.
Except, we are going to fix all the problems
that were found in the inspection report.
Yeah, um, some of those
may have been a bit exaggerated.
Really?
And, of course, the entire house will be reserved
every Christmas
for one very large,
very rambunctious family.
But I only want to do this if everyone's onboard.
Ivy, do you still wanna stay here?
Yeah.
Mom? dad?
It looks like we'll be celebrating Christmas here
for longer than we thought.
[all laughing]
I'm so happy for you.
- Thanks, mom. - Well, what are we waiting for?
- Let's open presents. - That is a great idea.
- Let's see. - What is this one?
- I think for... - For you, dad.
- [doorbell rings] - I'll get it.
- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.
- I was hoping you'd stop by. - Of course, I came by.
How else would I give you a present?
You got me a present?
Huh! No way!
Megan told me you hawked your guitar.
And that didn't seem right,
not with a voice as pretty as yours.
[chuckles]
It's perfect.
Thank you.
[instrumental music]
Come on.
Everybody, look what Brandon got me.
- Merry Christmas, Brandon. - Merry Christmas, guys.
- Hey, Brandon. - Merry Christmas, Brandon.
- Hi. - Play something.
Um, okay.
I dedicate this song
to the Marvin family Christmas,
this year and all the years to come.
[guitar music]
♪ Every time I see twinkling lights ♪
♪ Sparkle red and gold and green ♪
♪ Hear a choir sing Silent Night ♪
♪ While the snow falls on Christmas Eve ♪
♪ It takes me back to times with you ♪
♪ And the magic... ♪
- [camera clicks] - Okay. Come on, mom!
- [cheering] - Come on, come on, run.
♪...I'll go home I'll find ♪
♪ The love of Christmas there ♪
♪ Yes I know ♪
♪ This Christmas I'll be with you ♪
♪ Hang our stockings and the mistletoe too ♪
♪ You'll be with me ♪
♪ Whether near or far ♪
♪ You're in my heart ♪
♪ I look outside and see a winter white ♪
♪ When the world becomes a Wonderland ♪
♪ I hear stories of the grace and glory ♪
♪ That lie in Bethlehem ♪
♪ It makes me think of all of your love ♪