Two Turtle Doves (2019)

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Genres - Drama, Family, Romance | Release Date - Nov 1, 2019 | Run Time - 90 min. | Countries - United States of America | MPAA Rating - G

Dr. Sharon Hayes (DeLoach) searches for a beloved family heirloom in a small Christmas town. When she unexpectedly discovers an adorable little girl and her disheartened father (Rady), she realizes that Christmas miracles really do happen.

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Transcript
00:00:30Hi, this is Lucy. Leave a message.
00:00:47Hi. Sorry I missed you again.
00:00:50So I have one quick meeting with my mentor and then I'm on my way to you.
00:00:54I will meet you in town square.
00:00:56And then we're going to wrap that tree in so much tinsel they're going to be able to see it from outer space.
00:01:00I love you. Call me back.
00:01:06Come in.
00:01:10Merry Christmas.
00:01:12Sharon, congratulations. How do you feel?
00:01:16I am still in absolute shock.
00:01:20I mean, the McAdams Fellowship, it's one of those things that you joke about winning, but I never actually expected to be nominated.
00:01:29Well, I can't think of anybody more deserving. Come.
00:01:37Okay. I know I'm not supposed to ask, but did you nominate me?
00:01:44Sharon Harper, you know as well as I do that nominations are to remain anonymous.
00:01:50But on a completely unrelated note, Merry Christmas.
00:01:54Merry Christmas.
00:01:56Look, they already know that you're a brilliant neuroscientist.
00:01:59If you want to stand out, you're going to have to focus on the future, not the past.
00:02:04Tell them how you'd like to change the world.
00:02:08Don't overthink it.
00:02:11Do you have any fun holiday plans?
00:02:14I do. Yes.
00:02:17I am going home now to celebrate with my cousin Lucy and her husband.
00:02:22Is this the first time you're going home since?
00:02:24The funeral. Yeah.
00:02:27I've gotten quite a few messages from my grandmother's estate attorney about my part of the will, and so I'll have to handle that.
00:02:36It's going to be great. My grandmother loved Christmas, so it's the perfect way to celebrate her.
00:02:42That sounds great. Is your town the kind of town that likes to go all out for Christmas?
00:03:07There she is. I'm here. Where are you?
00:03:11Oh, sorry. I went home. My feet were killing me. Can you scoop me up here instead?
00:03:17Of course. I will come to you.
00:03:20You OK, Share Bear?
00:03:22Yeah. You know, it's strange being back when I was here in January.
00:03:29It was not exactly the most wonderful time of year.
00:03:32Yeah.
00:03:33I'm actually having a real hard time getting in the spirit this year without her.
00:03:37I can't even imagine how much harder it must be for you.
00:03:40Stop. She was your grandmother, too.
00:03:42Grandma Vera was the world's best grandmother to me. But she raised you.
00:03:49Yes. Yes. And she also taught us that no matter how hard things get, that Christmas is an all-out joy fest.
00:03:57And we are not going to let our Christmas blues get in the way of celebrating her. We are going to do this thing right.
00:04:03Which way are you facing?
00:04:04Towards the Christmas shop.
00:04:06OK.
00:04:07Turn. Turn. Turn. Stop.
00:04:12You are a genius. I am getting us a dozen snickerdoodles.
00:04:16Oh, actually, could you get me salted chocolate chip cookies and a jar of mayo?
00:04:22Sharon?
00:04:23OK.
00:04:24See you soon.
00:04:27Bye.
00:04:33Sharon!
00:04:34Oh, Andrea! Hi!
00:04:35Oh, it's so good to see you.
00:04:37It's so good to see you.
00:04:38I was hoping that you could swing by the counseling center.
00:04:41We renamed it after Grandma Vera. Naturally, since she was its founder.
00:04:45I did not hear that. That is so wonderful.
00:04:49Darren Harper, is that you?
00:04:52Hi, Miss Pat. How are you?
00:04:54I'm headed to Holly and Ivy.
00:04:56Oh, me too!
00:04:57OK.
00:05:00Good morning.
00:05:02I read about your latest study in psychology now.
00:05:05Oh, it looks like it got excellent peer reviews.
00:05:07Thank you so much for reading it. Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it.
00:05:11We have coffee, black and pink.
00:05:13Now, I heard a rumor that you are nominated for some big fancy award.
00:05:19The McAdams Fellowship. Yeah, it's a creative award.
00:05:23But I thought you were a scientist.
00:05:25Well, science is very creative.
00:05:28I am so excited for you, Sharon.
00:05:30Yeah.
00:05:31Ethel.
00:05:32Oh.
00:05:33Snickerdoodle.
00:05:34How did you know?
00:05:39Nick, Nick, get out here.
00:05:41Coming, coming, coming.
00:05:43Oh, it's little Sharon Snickerdoodle Harper.
00:05:49Hey, where's Lucy?
00:05:50Well, that's actually why I'm here.
00:05:52She would like a dozen of the salted chocolate chip cookies.
00:05:55Specific craving requests.
00:05:57I'm on it.
00:05:59Now, Vera did say that you weren't married.
00:06:02And I think my David would be a wonderful option for you.
00:06:06David, please.
00:06:09My Wyatt is handsome and a firefighter.
00:06:11Sharon.
00:06:12Yes.
00:06:13Sharon Harper.
00:06:14Hi.
00:06:15Sam Taylor.
00:06:16Your grandmother's a state attorney.
00:06:19Oh.
00:06:20Oh, yeah.
00:06:21Of course.
00:06:22It's nice to meet you.
00:06:23Likewise.
00:06:24Yeah.
00:06:25Pardon me.
00:06:26Do you have a quick second to chat?
00:06:27Absolutely.
00:06:28Yep.
00:06:30These are on the house.
00:06:31Thank you, guys.
00:06:32I will be seeing you soon.
00:06:34Merry Christmas.
00:06:35Merry Christmas.
00:06:41Thank you so much.
00:06:44Trust me.
00:06:45I've been there.
00:06:46They mean well, but it can be a lot.
00:06:48Have we met?
00:06:49I am your grandmother's state attorney.
00:06:51That was not just great improv.
00:06:52No.
00:06:53No, no, no.
00:06:54That's not it.
00:06:55I'm also her next door neighbor.
00:06:57Yes.
00:06:58Yes.
00:06:59Sam.
00:07:00Sam.
00:07:01I knew you looked familiar.
00:07:03I've heard so much about you.
00:07:05Really?
00:07:06Yeah.
00:07:07I've heard a lot about you, too.
00:07:08It's nice to officially meet you outside of a few neighborly ways.
00:07:11Yeah.
00:07:12Well, work has been so busy that Christmas has been more of a fly in, fly out.
00:07:18Extravaganza for the last.
00:07:20Well, how long have you been here?
00:07:22Six years.
00:07:23Six years.
00:07:24Wow.
00:07:25Just so weird.
00:07:28We never met.
00:07:29It's always busy at the holidays.
00:07:31Probably just bad timing.
00:07:32So if you have a little bit of time tomorrow, maybe we could go through the last part of your grandmom's will.
00:07:37Actually, do you have time today?
00:07:39Four o'clock.
00:07:40Sounds great.
00:07:42Okay.
00:07:43Bye.
00:07:48For me, you shouldn't have.
00:07:50I didn't.
00:07:51Sorry, Roland.
00:07:52You have been usurped by your child-to-be.
00:07:54Hi.
00:07:55Merry Christmas.
00:07:56Wow.
00:07:57I know.
00:07:58I look like I'm short, too, Wiseman.
00:08:00Listen, I was hoping you would talk some frankincense into your cousin.
00:08:03Ah, there's that wit.
00:08:05She's very excited to see you, but she's also quite.
00:08:08Fully capable of deciding what she can and can't handle.
00:08:11Hi.
00:08:12Hi.
00:08:13You look so amazing.
00:08:15Look at you.
00:08:16It's so good to see you.
00:08:21You got the goods?
00:08:24Oh, yes.
00:08:26How could I forget.
00:08:29Ah, the goods.
00:08:32The goods.
00:08:33Cookies.
00:08:34And?
00:08:35Mayo.
00:08:37Yum.
00:08:38Okay.
00:08:39You wanna take these inside?
00:08:40Yep.
00:08:44Okay, bye, sweetie.
00:08:45Bye. Have fun.
00:08:51I can understand if you're a little nervous to be back at her house.
00:08:56Because this is the first time I'm staying here without her.
00:09:00Right.
00:09:01Right.
00:09:03But I am not going to let that overshadow a lifetime of happy memories.
00:09:08Right?
00:09:09Right.
00:09:10Because you're not going to do it alone.
00:09:15Okay.
00:09:16Alright.
00:09:41You ready?
00:09:43Yep.
00:09:47So, tell me about this crazy award again.
00:09:49The award is half a million dollars.
00:09:52Half a million dollars?
00:09:53Yeah, yeah.
00:09:54And you can use it to advance your expertise or jumpstart a new project, change career paths altogether.
00:10:01But either way, it is insane that someone nominated me.
00:10:06No, it isn't.
00:10:07You've always been super smart.
00:10:09Oh, thank you.
00:10:11Well, the interview is on the 30th, and I just have to come up with a plan of how I would use the money.
00:10:18Knowing you, I'm sure you've come up with a color-coded hundred-page plan.
00:10:23It is 50 pages, thank you very much.
00:10:26And color-coded.
00:10:29But I will probably use the money for my research, if I get it.
00:10:36And that is a big if.
00:10:38It is a big if.
00:10:42Sharon.
00:10:43Yeah?
00:10:44Take a break.
00:10:47Not until I hang the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments.
00:10:52Do it later.
00:10:53No!
00:10:54These were my favorite when I was a kid.
00:10:57Especially the...
00:10:59The turtle doves.
00:11:00That's right.
00:11:01I know.
00:11:02I remember the tears the year I tried to hang it instead of letting you.
00:11:05You know what?
00:11:06That was my ornament, and Grandma Vera said so.
00:11:10Oh, I gotta go.
00:11:11I'm gonna be late.
00:11:13I will see you in an hour?
00:11:15I love you.
00:11:17Yeah?
00:11:18Okay.
00:11:19Love you too.
00:11:27Just one second while I make sure everything is in order.
00:11:31Oh, this is your daughter Michaela, right?
00:11:34Yes, although she's twice as big and twice as loud now.
00:11:39She's really cute.
00:11:41Aw.
00:11:42Grandma Vera talked a lot about her.
00:11:44Yeah, we like to claim Vera as family.
00:11:47We got very close after Michaela's mom died.
00:11:49I really felt like she should talk to someone, and there's no one better than Vera.
00:11:53That is true.
00:11:56I'm sorry about your wife.
00:11:58I'm really sorry about your grandma.
00:12:00Thanks.
00:12:03Would you like to have a seat?
00:12:04Yeah.
00:12:09Okay.
00:12:11I didn't know that Grandma Vera was Michaela's therapist.
00:12:15I mean, not that she would have ever said anything.
00:12:18No.
00:12:19No, I guess that makes sense.
00:12:20Help yourself.
00:12:23Never pass up a cookie.
00:12:26Okay, so here's the deal.
00:12:30Vera knew that you had a very full life outside of Pine Springs,
00:12:34and she did not want you to feel obligated to have to maintain a house
00:12:38that was in a town that you didn't want to live in.
00:12:40She also wanted to make sure that you got the decision to move out.
00:12:45I'm sorry.
00:12:47She also wanted to make sure that you got the decision
00:12:50before it went to someone else since you grew up here.
00:12:53She is still somehow the most considerate human being I have ever known.
00:12:58This is where it gets tricky, though.
00:13:00She has compiled a list of Harper family Christmas traditions,
00:13:04and she would like you to complete all of them before Christmas,
00:13:08at which point in time you would then be able to make the decision about the house.
00:13:12I'm gonna let her explain it to you.
00:13:14Wait, what?
00:13:15She thought it might be better coming from her.
00:13:18After Jenny died, I really wished that I had more things with her voice,
00:13:21and so we both agreed that it might be nice to record her explanation.
00:13:25Okay, so I'm gonna just leave this here,
00:13:28and just press play whenever you're ready.
00:13:30I'm gonna step outside, just give you a second.
00:13:46Let me know when it's ready.
00:13:48Oh, I push record, you can start anytime.
00:13:50Oh, well, that's not a great start.
00:13:54Say hi to Sharon, Sam.
00:13:56Hi, Sharon.
00:13:57Right.
00:13:59Okay, my dearest Sharon,
00:14:02please know that I am squeezing you right now,
00:14:05even if you can't feel it.
00:14:08I am so proud of the woman you've become, Share Bear.
00:14:11After your mother passed away,
00:14:13it occurred to me that I might leave this world while you're still fairly young.
00:14:18So I started jotting down the family Christmas traditions in these journals,
00:14:22so you'll always have a connection to the Harper women who love you.
00:14:27So these are yours,
00:14:29written to you,
00:14:31because I know this first Christmas without me might be hard.
00:14:36In my experience,
00:14:38having something positive to focus on is the best way to keep going.
00:14:43And because, my little scientist,
00:14:45I know you love clear parameters for an experiment,
00:14:50I'm giving you until Christmas to complete 12 of these traditions.
00:14:55One for each of our cherished 12 days of Christmas ornaments.
00:15:00And I promise you, if you do 12 of these by Christmas,
00:15:04you won't need to worry about anything.
00:15:06And by Christmas, you won't need more time.
00:15:10You'll know if this house and this town are the place for you or not.
00:15:16There's no wrong answer, Sharon.
00:15:18Only discovery.
00:15:21Oh, I want you to know that so much, my love.
00:15:26From here, there is only discovery.
00:15:31I love you.
00:15:36Hey, how are you doing?
00:15:37Oh, I'm good. I'm, uh, I'm good.
00:15:40Would you like some water?
00:15:41Oh, no, no. It's okay. You know what?
00:15:43I think, um, I think I'm just gonna go and, uh, process all of this, you know?
00:15:50If there's anything else I can do for you.
00:15:52Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, thank you so much.
00:15:55Thank you, and for the cookie. Thank you.
00:15:57Hey, and remember, I live right next door.
00:15:59Yep.
00:16:00Truly.
00:16:01I know. Thank you so much. Thank you.
00:16:06How are you feeling?
00:16:08I am feeling like someone cracked my heart open and fried it like an egg.
00:16:14That is vivid, but understandable.
00:16:28Wow.
00:16:30I really just thought that I was gonna relax, sign some papers, and then get back to work.
00:16:35But it's sweet in a way.
00:16:37It sounds like she was worried about this first Christmas and wanted to give you something positive to focus on.
00:16:43Something positive to focus on.
00:16:45It's tough, but it's important to remember that we're hurting because we lost someone worth missing.
00:16:53Have you ever heard of synaptic pruning?
00:16:56How did we get here?
00:16:58Okay.
00:17:00So, our brains are full of neurons that are wired together.
00:17:04And these connections, they get stronger or weaker based on our experiences.
00:17:08So what we focus on grows.
00:17:13Okay, so if we focus on the sad things, then our brains will theoretically rewire to focus on the sad things.
00:17:20But if we focus on the happy things, say, our grandmother's amazing Christmas traditions,
00:17:26those things will grow and our brains will rewire to focus on the love, not the loss.
00:17:33I'm not gonna bypass my grief with positivity.
00:17:36Besides, Grandma Vera always said, sometimes you just have to sit with the hard things.
00:17:40Or, or, we could go ice skating.
00:17:42Or have a cup of the best hot cocoa in town.
00:17:45Or decorate the house.
00:17:46She said those things, too, and wouldn't that feel so much better?
00:17:50I wish I had your energy, but this...
00:17:54This is hard for me still.
00:17:56And I was hoping with you home, I wouldn't be alone in that.
00:17:58But you won't be alone.
00:18:00You won't. We would be doing these things together, and then she would also get to be a part of it.
00:18:10Do you remember that every year there is a competition on our street for best Christmas lights?
00:18:16We may not take top prize every year, but I am proud to say our house never disappoints.
00:18:22Our house never disappoints.
00:18:29Hey.
00:18:30Hey.
00:18:31Hi. Just, uh, just wanted to check on you, see how you're doing.
00:18:34I feel really bad about the way things went down in my office.
00:18:37I shouldn't have sprung it on you like that.
00:18:38No, don't, it's fine.
00:18:40You know, I'm actually really excited about this.
00:18:43It gives me something positive to focus on.
00:18:46Okay, well.
00:18:47Yeah.
00:18:48You sure you want to start positively focusing tonight?
00:18:51It's dark in like 11 minutes.
00:18:52Yeah, maybe you're right.
00:18:55I, uh, got a little overexcited.
00:18:59Look, um, in my experience, um, sometimes plans can...
00:19:06Sam, you seem like a great guy.
00:19:08Grandma Vera's five-star review of you feels pretty accurate.
00:19:12And I appreciate your concern.
00:19:15But, I'm doing great. I am.
00:19:18I mean, crossing off the list is very satisfying for my type-A puzzle-loving brain.
00:19:23I mean, there are such doozies as, you know, watching a Christmas movie marathon while wearing fuzzy socks.
00:19:33Yeah.
00:19:36Thank you, though.
00:19:38Um, I will let you know when I've made a decision about the house.
00:19:42Okay.
00:19:43Okay.
00:19:49Okay.
00:19:58Well, see, now that's a rookie mistake.
00:20:00You always put the clips on the lights before you climb the ladder.
00:20:02You know, so that...
00:20:05Okay, I can't watch this anymore.
00:20:07Uh, Michaela!
00:20:08Go run and get your coat!
00:20:10Okay, Uncle Alex!
00:20:19Excuse me. Hi.
00:20:21Uh, you look like you could use a hand.
00:20:25Um, you know what?
00:20:27If my, uh, if my 83-year-old grandmother can do it, so can I.
00:20:31She didn't.
00:20:32She asked me to do it.
00:20:34Uh, at least for, like, the last couple years.
00:20:37Anyways, um, I'm Alex, by the way, and this is...
00:20:41Oh, the famous Michaela!
00:20:44Grandma Vera talked so much about you.
00:20:47She did?
00:20:48Yeah.
00:20:49Are you Dr. Harper?
00:20:50I am, but you can call me Sherry.
00:20:53Grandma Vera told me that once you get a doctorate, everybody has to call you doctor, and I thought that was pretty cool.
00:21:00It is pretty cool.
00:21:03Are you finished decorating inside yet?
00:21:05Because I used to be one of Grandma Vera's best helpers.
00:21:09I heard that.
00:21:10I heard that last year you were her very best elf.
00:21:14Oh.
00:21:16Uh, well, I still have to buy a tree, and I have to decorate it.
00:21:20Uh, by yourself?
00:21:22Oh, I think I can handle a tree.
00:21:25No, I'm not saying you can't. I'm just saying that can and have to might be different things.
00:21:36Oh, Christmas tree, oh, Christmas tree, your leaves are so...
00:21:42The only things that I really know about you, Grandma Vera told me.
00:21:47So, tell me something about yourself.
00:21:49Oh, I'm the lawyer. I should be the one interrogating.
00:21:51I will point to exhibit A. I was raised by a therapist.
00:21:55Oh, good point.
00:21:56Yeah.
00:21:57What do you want to know?
00:21:58Um, that's sweet.
00:22:00That's kind of nice.
00:22:02How do you like your coffee?
00:22:03Black. Coffee with milk and sugar defeats the whole point of drinking coffee.
00:22:09What is your most controversial opinion?
00:22:11Ooh, um, hmm. I don't believe in naps.
00:22:14What? Naps are life.
00:22:16I do believe in late, lazy Saturday mornings, though.
00:22:19Yeah, that's just...
00:22:20Yeah.
00:22:21What is your version of the most wonderful time of year?
00:22:25Well, I have a ten-year-old, so whatever makes her happy.
00:22:28Yeah, but you must have some kind of preferences, you know, something, things that you love.
00:22:33Dr. Sharon, what about this one?
00:22:36What about this one?
00:22:37Well, now, this I love. It's perfect. What do you think?
00:22:43Whatever you like.
00:22:48It's the one.
00:22:50Okay, one, two, three.
00:22:54Okay, you good?
00:22:55Yeah.
00:22:56All right.
00:22:57Ah, thank you, guys.
00:22:59Yeah, let's get this thing decorated. Come on, guys.
00:23:02Hey, you...
00:23:03Oh, you know what? You don't have to, sweetie. Oh.
00:23:05Hey, Michaela, make sure Uncle Alex doesn't get pine needles all over her house, please.
00:23:09On it.
00:23:10Look, do not feel obligated to have her help, but if you do need an extra set of hands,
00:23:15she really loved doing this with Vera last year.
00:23:17You know what? That would be really nice.
00:23:19It's kind of empty in there, decorating the house by myself.
00:23:24Oh, I get that.
00:23:25Take it from me, nothing fills up an empty house like an enthusiastic ten-year-old.
00:23:36I put all of the angels on the top shelf, and then I put the manger on the middle shelf,
00:23:42and the three wise men go on the bottom shelf, so that the whole...
00:23:46The whole bookcase tells a story. That is exactly how Grandma Vera taught me to do it.
00:23:51Okay.
00:23:53Yes?
00:23:54Oh, you can take over here. Put those on there.
00:23:56Okay.
00:23:58So...
00:23:59Home to work.
00:24:00It's always soft and squishy on the bottom. Got it?
00:24:03Mm-hmm.
00:24:04All right. And then, anything that's sparkly goes in front of a light, so it can send rainbows.
00:24:09And she's absolutely right. Absolutely right.
00:24:13Soft and squishy. High as we can go.
00:24:16No! You put it down here.
00:24:22Hey, um, thanks for letting me help.
00:24:26I'm really glad you're here.
00:24:29I'm really glad you're here.
00:24:31I am really glad you're here.
00:24:35This was always my favorite part to do with Grandma Vera.
00:24:38Yeah?
00:24:40This was my second favorite part. Can you guess my favorite?
00:24:44I'm gonna give you a hint.
00:24:49Hanging stockings?
00:24:50Oh, so close! Hanging the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments on there.
00:24:56What are those?
00:24:57What?
00:24:58I never did that with her.
00:25:00Oh, wait a second. Wait a second. You are gonna love this. Okay.
00:25:04Um, Alex, there's an antique wooden box in that pile of boxes. Do you mind finding it for me?
00:25:10Yeah, for sure.
00:25:11All right. So, Grandma Vera made these journals for me, and they have all of our family traditions in there.
00:25:18Here. Okay.
00:25:20So on this page, she talks all about the 12 Days of Christmas ornaments.
00:25:24So a long, long time ago, my great, great, great, let's just say seven greats grandfather, he was an artist, and he worked with ceramics.
00:25:35My mom did that.
00:25:36Really?
00:25:37Oh, yeah. That's why we moved here, so she could open a shop. She was a very talented artist.
00:25:42Wow. That is so cool.
00:25:46So he fell in love with my seven greats grandmother, but her parents didn't approve of them getting married.
00:25:52Why not?
00:25:53I'm sure they had very specific ideas about who they wanted her to marry.
00:25:58Probably, yes. And that was very common back then. We don't do that anymore.
00:26:02No, we do not. So he made her these ornaments.
00:26:06All right. I think I found it.
00:26:10Yes. Yay. Here. Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here.
00:26:13Forbidden love? That's a pretty juicy family history right there.
00:26:16No. Well, they actually had to leave for America before he had time to make the partridge in the pear tree.
00:26:22So there's a family legend now that the two turtle doves makes people fall in love.
00:26:29That was my favorite part.
00:26:33I loved how Grandma Vera told the story, and I liked the ritual of it.
00:26:37Where's the two turtle doves? There's only ten.
00:26:40What? No.
00:26:43She's right. There's only ten ornaments in there.
00:26:45But that doesn't make any sense.
00:26:47Well, it's got to be here somewhere.
00:26:49Look, I pulled out all the boxes. If it's not in one of those boxes, then I don't know where it would be.
00:26:55We're going to find it, okay? We're all going to help you. Right, guys?
00:26:57Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I'll check the rest of those boxes.
00:27:01We'll find it. It's okay.
00:27:16Dr. Sharon, it's Michaela.
00:27:18Yeah, come on in.
00:27:21Hey. Hey, guys. What's going on?
00:27:24Oh, we were sad that we couldn't find the ornament yesterday, and so Michaela wanted to make you something to help you feel better.
00:27:32It's a placeholder.
00:27:36Wow.
00:27:39This is beautiful.
00:27:42Wow.
00:27:44This is perfect.
00:27:47Thank you so much.
00:27:49Here, come here.
00:27:52So, I was going to hang one ornament for each tradition that we crossed off Grandma Vera's list.
00:27:59This is the one for decorating the house.
00:28:02Can I do it? Absolutely.
00:28:06Any leads?
00:28:08No. I'm going to stop by Grandma Vera's old office, and then if it's not there, I'm going to turn Lucy's house inside out.
00:28:18Well, that's a start.
00:28:20Mm-hmm.
00:28:21Well, let us know if there's anything we can do to help.
00:28:23I'm a great detective.
00:28:25I bet you are.
00:28:27So, does that mean I'm going to see you guys later?
00:28:30Yeah. We'll see you later.
00:28:32Good. Great. Thank you again.
00:28:37Bye-bye.
00:28:38Bye.
00:28:40Bye-bye.
00:28:41Bye.
00:29:10Hey.
00:29:14Hi.
00:29:15Hi. I just wanted to give you a five-minute warning before the next appointment.
00:29:19Any luck?
00:29:21Nothing.
00:29:23No.
00:29:24Do you know anywhere else you might have stashed it?
00:29:27No. If it's not in one of those boxes, then it's not here.
00:29:31But you might try to do some sleuthing at the town tree lighting tonight.
00:29:35A couple of years ago, the mayor invited every family to hang one personal ornament on the town tree, so maybe there was a mix-up there.
00:29:42That is a great idea. I will definitely do that.
00:29:45Yeah.
00:29:46Thank you. And, um, I'll clean everything up. Just give me two seconds.
00:29:50Thank you so much.
00:29:53One of my favorite days of every Christmas season was watching your face when you came home from school and saw Santa and his reindeer right there at our house.
00:30:06You told me as long as we displayed our Santa, the real St. Nick would always know he was welcome here.
00:30:14I thought that was the cutest thing I'd ever heard.
00:30:17And so every year, up he goes.
00:30:22What are you doing?
00:30:25Well, if you don't know, then I'm worse off than I thought.
00:30:30Okay, here, let me help you. Stay there.
00:30:32Nope, it's balanced. I'm almost there.
00:30:34Nope, I got it.
00:30:36See, I'm assembling Santa and his reindeer.
00:30:40Why?
00:30:42So Santa knows that he's welcome. Right?
00:30:52There.
00:30:53Wasn't this list supposed to bring you Christmas joy?
00:30:56What is more joyful than Santa?
00:31:00I don't know. Maybe not assembling a 15-foot lawn ornament all by yourself.
00:31:04You know what? Okay. You don't appreciate my Santa. You don't like sweets. You don't have a tree preference.
00:31:12I'm starting to think you just don't like Christmas.
00:31:17Okay. First...
00:31:20Oh, whoa, that's heavy.
00:31:21Nobody enjoys assembling these things by themselves.
00:31:24I'm having a great time.
00:31:26Okay, talk to me tomorrow when everything hurts.
00:31:29That is not my point. You're evading my point, which is you don't like Christmas.
00:31:37I think you're a secret Scrooge.
00:31:42Let's do this one.
00:31:43All right.
00:31:47Right, do this one. Okay.
00:31:49Yeah.
00:31:50You know, the first year after Jenny died, I went all out for Christmas.
00:31:54We just, we had a rough year, and I was so excited to finally have something to celebrate.
00:32:00Oh, man, I did the cookies, the half-eaten carrots, little hoof prints through the snow.
00:32:06There was a suit involved.
00:32:08That sounds amazing.
00:32:09Oh, yeah, Michaela still talks about it.
00:32:11It had to be this big, over-the-top thing that would distract her from the fact that her mom wasn't there,
00:32:18and it had to be a big enough gesture to remind her that I always would be, and that Santa would be there, too.
00:32:24You were a really great dad.
00:32:26Doing all that without Jenny, I wanted to sleep right through January.
00:32:34It was... rough.
00:32:38Yeah.
00:32:42Last one.
00:32:44I don't understand why anyone who doesn't have kids would want to do this.
00:32:49I mean, I would be inside by the fire, reveling in the joys of adulting.
00:32:55Well, it's because I'm not doing it for me, either.
00:32:58I'm trying to remember her.
00:33:01Oh, why is this so hard?
00:33:05Why is she making me do this?
00:33:07Because she loved you.
00:33:13Come on, let's see how we're looking here.
00:33:24Okay.
00:33:26Okay.
00:33:28Now we just have to put together Santa's village.
00:33:32I'm sorry, what?
00:33:35Oh, the traditional lighting of the town Christmas tree.
00:33:40I'll never forget the first time you saw it.
00:33:43The lights came on and your eyes went wide as saucers.
00:33:48I just love when we light candles and the whole town sings.
00:33:54Oh, there's something so magical about the stillness in that moment.
00:34:00Well?
00:34:01Well?
00:34:02No, looks like she's doing her thing. I don't think she wants to talk to anyone right now.
00:34:06Okay.
00:34:07Well, I'm sure she'll make it a tease for you.
00:34:09Come on, let's go see the reindeer.
00:34:11Ooh, yay!
00:34:14All by yourself over here.
00:34:17Hey.
00:34:18Hey.
00:34:20Yeah, Andrew mentioned Grandma Vera possibly putting the ornament on the tree.
00:34:25So I just thought I would, um...
00:34:28Yeah, nothing yet though, huh?
00:34:31Nope.
00:34:34I, uh, I checked Lucy's and the counseling center and nope.
00:34:41Just a couple of days of nope.
00:34:46Some guy came and humbugged all over your Santa and that was really great.
00:34:51Hmm. Lighting this tree later tonight?
00:34:56Yeah.
00:34:59That used to be one of my favorite traditions.
00:35:09Is it always going to be like this?
00:35:14I just...
00:35:15I keep having these flash memories of being here with her and my mom and...
00:35:22If Christmas is going to be like this, I just, I don't, I don't think I can do it.
00:35:30Yeah.
00:35:31The first year after Jenny died, it was really hard not to feel like Christmas was just a giant shadow.
00:35:38That Jenny would just, she would light up the whole house.
00:35:40Yeah.
00:35:42But whether she was gone or not, I was not going to let how I felt about Christmas ruin it for Mikayla.
00:35:50Because she's a kid, she gets to be a kid once and when you're a kid, Christmas should be magical.
00:35:56No matter what.
00:35:57How did you do that?
00:35:59No, seriously.
00:36:00I get to be a kid once and when you're a kid, Christmas should be magical.
00:36:04No matter what.
00:36:05How did you do that?
00:36:07No, seriously. I'm just by myself and I can barely do it.
00:36:12At first, I took it one step at a time.
00:36:16It's like driving with your headlights on, you know, you just focus as far as you can see.
00:36:20And most importantly, you don't do it alone.
00:36:22My brother Alex, he moved here just to help me out.
00:36:27I had Vera, and Nick, and Ethel, and a whole town full of wonderfully nosy neighbors who were ready to help make Christmas magic happen.
00:36:40But I didn't feel like I had it in me.
00:36:49You're welcome to join us if you want.
00:36:54Okay.
00:36:56Okay.
00:37:01Dad! I pet the reindeer!
00:37:04Nice!
00:37:05And he licked the corn right out of my hand.
00:37:08Gross! And awesome.
00:37:13So, Dr. Sharon, did you find the ornament yet?
00:37:16I did not, but thank you so much for asking.
00:37:20It's okay. We'll find it.
00:37:27Please join me in the traditional lighting of the Pine Screens Christmas tree.
00:37:33Five, four, three, two, one!
00:37:43And as your mayor, I want to welcome everyone who's come near and far to join us.
00:37:49The spirit and generosity this town embodies is truly amazing.
00:37:53The spirit and generosity this town embodies is truly a miracle every season.
00:38:01Hello! My friend, Dr. Sharon Harper, is missing an ornament that used to belong to Vera Harper.
00:38:09It's white with two birds and a little heart hanging from it.
00:38:12So, if we could all look, we could make a Christmas miracle.
00:38:16Thank you and Merry Christmas!
00:38:19Merry Christmas!
00:38:21Well, I don't think I can top that!
00:38:24Welcome home, Dr. Sharon Harper!
00:38:27We will all keep our eyes peeled, yes?
00:38:29Yes!
00:38:30And now please join me in enjoying the rest of this fine evening. Merry Christmas!
00:38:36Merry Christmas!
00:38:51Is baking Christmas cookies on your list?
00:38:54As a matter of fact, it is.
00:38:56Would you like to bake cookies with me and Mrs. Ethel?
00:38:59I would love that. Thank you.
00:39:02Do you want me to take you or is your dad coming?
00:39:06Um, no.
00:39:07Yeah, I could swing by.
00:39:09I thought this was girl time.
00:39:11Well, I will come by at the end then and we can hang out for a bit.
00:39:16Sounds great.
00:39:18Okay, uh, well, good night.
00:39:23Good night.
00:39:48Merry Christmas!
00:40:11Now, I'm no Ethel, but I just don't think it's Christmas without a homemade batch of cookies.
00:40:17Frosted sugar cookies are my favorite.
00:40:20But you love a snickerdoodle, just like your mom.
00:40:24There's so much fun in getting your hands messy and spending time in the kitchen together.
00:40:29That's my favorite part.
00:40:31Your favorite part seems to be licking the spoon.
00:40:34And I can't blame you.
00:40:36I've got something to check on out front.
00:40:39Lucy, do you think you can give me a hand?
00:40:41Absolutely!
00:40:43Okay, I have a very important question for you.
00:40:48What is your favorite Christmas cookie?
00:40:52I only get one?
00:40:54You're right.
00:40:55Loose top three.
00:40:56Okay.
00:40:57I like Ethel's snickerdoodles.
00:41:00Naturally.
00:41:01Gingerbread cookies.
00:41:02Crunchy or soft?
00:41:03Crunchy.
00:41:04Yeah, good choice.
00:41:07And, um, I like my mom's frosted sugar cookies that were shaped like snowflakes.
00:41:19Or at least what I can remember.
00:41:27You know I lost my mom when I was just a little bit younger than you.
00:41:30Yeah, I know.
00:41:32Grandma Vera told me.
00:41:35If it makes you feel any better, I never forgot her.
00:41:41In fact, I feel I know her even better now than I ever did when I was younger.
00:41:47Really?
00:41:48Yeah.
00:41:52Pinky promise.
00:41:55Presenting Great-Grandma Ida's famous lemon cake.
00:42:00Really?
00:42:01For your list.
00:42:02The ornaments, right?
00:42:04Yeah.
00:42:06Wow, that looks so beautiful.
00:42:10Smell them.
00:42:13Oh, it smells just the same.
00:42:15Mm-hmm.
00:42:16Ready?
00:42:17Yes, I am ready.
00:42:18All right.
00:42:19Mm.
00:42:21How did you do this?
00:42:23I refreshed the recipe a bit.
00:42:26Because I know back in the day, your great-grandmother wouldn't have baked with anything but lard.
00:42:32Lard?
00:42:33Lard.
00:42:34Oh.
00:42:35I don't want to know any more.
00:42:37That's the best.
00:42:38Don't ask any questions.
00:42:39Just eat the cake.
00:42:40Hi, ladies.
00:42:41Hi.
00:42:42Dad.
00:42:43Oh, hello.
00:42:44Hi.
00:42:45Hi.
00:42:46Hi.
00:42:47Hi.
00:42:48Hi.
00:42:50Hey.
00:42:51Oh, I see we're getting into a little dessert before dinner, huh?
00:42:55Hey, Sam.
00:42:56Good to see you.
00:42:57Good to see you, too.
00:42:58This looks great.
00:42:59Thank you for lending me your little helper today.
00:43:01Oh, you're welcome.
00:43:02Though we still have two more batches of cookies in the oven.
00:43:04I wouldn't dare intervene, but it is getting close to dinner time.
00:43:07And so, do you want me to go out and get takeout or something?
00:43:11That sounds amazing.
00:43:13Can we get pizza?
00:43:15Okay.
00:43:16You should go to Patsy's.
00:43:18I was talking to her, and she seemed to recall Vera mentioned the two turtle doves ornament to her.
00:43:23Seriously?
00:43:24It might not be much of a need, but it's something.
00:43:27Go.
00:43:28Yeah.
00:43:29Yeah.
00:43:30No, I'm going to go.
00:43:31I'm going to go.
00:43:32Oh.
00:43:33Ah.
00:43:34That's fantastic.
00:43:35Thank you so much.
00:43:36I just need to get my jacket.
00:43:37Oh, it's cold.
00:43:38I can't even.
00:43:39Sorry.
00:43:40Can you hold that?
00:43:41So has Vera's list swayed you to the charms of hometown living?
00:43:46Oh, it would be heartbreaking to give up that house.
00:43:49But, um, I'm a finalist for a McAdams Fellowship, and my interview is on the 30th.
00:44:00Wow.
00:44:01You just became like 11% more intimidating.
00:44:05I love my family, and I love my home.
00:44:09But my work and my everything else is somewhere else.
00:44:13And, uh, moving back home was never part of the plan.
00:44:16And now I just feel torn between, you know, my past and my future.
00:44:21Well, hey, just to be clear, I don't think the goal was ever to make you choose.
00:44:25I think it was more to just give you options.
00:44:29Well, now you sound like my mentor.
00:44:33But it's not a bad thing.
00:44:34I just, I have a very clear path for this fellowship, and she just keeps urging me to think bigger in the research.
00:44:43And there's no time for that.
00:44:44Because in my field, once you take your foot off the gas, you just get left in the dust.
00:44:50Ah, yeah, the New York bubble.
00:44:51I remember that well.
00:44:53I live in Minneapolis.
00:44:55Right.
00:44:56Okay, I'm just saying, New York is an achiever culture.
00:44:59Yes.
00:45:00And people who live there, they think the world starts at the East River and then it ends at the Hudson River.
00:45:04Yes.
00:45:05And I love, I love being there.
00:45:07I lived off of that, that ambitious culture, that, that ambitious energy, that relentless pulse, a lot of Thai food.
00:45:15Yeah, there's nothing resembling Thai food in Pine Springs.
00:45:18No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:45:19I, um, no, but I firmly believed that leaving Manhattan would mean a slower life, a slower career, that I was settling for those things.
00:45:27That all of my colleagues would rocket past me to fame and acclaim and...
00:45:32So wait, you're saying that, that didn't happen?
00:45:36No, it totally did.
00:45:38That's not helpful at all.
00:45:40But it wasn't settling.
00:45:42It was a new dream.
00:45:44A yard for my daughter, a chance for my wife to be a working artist.
00:45:47What I wanted changed, so the plans changed.
00:45:52And whatever you choose, that'll be the right thing too.
00:45:58Do you miss New York?
00:46:00Yes.
00:46:02Some days.
00:46:04What'd I mean?
00:46:06Look at this place.
00:46:07I know, I know.
00:46:08It's the harbor place where Kayla grew up.
00:46:12What about when she goes to college?
00:46:15She'll never be that old.
00:46:19No, I'm not focused on that, I'm just trying to focus on Kayla's part of being a good dad.
00:46:23Yes, and also...
00:46:26And also what?
00:46:30I...
00:46:32I am not a parent.
00:46:35But I lost my mom at a young age, like Michaela.
00:46:40And even though Grandma Vera was there for me every step of the way, she...
00:46:45She also went back to school and she got her master's degree in social work and she opened up her own therapy practice.
00:46:51And I watched her do that.
00:46:55She cared for me, yes, but at a time in my life where I was afraid that being an adult meant getting sick and dying,
00:47:06she modeled what it was like to be a happy, fulfilled adult, even after loss.
00:47:13It was one of the most important things that she ever gave to me.
00:47:22Now, it was a long time ago, so my memory's a little hazy, but she said something about an ornament that your great-great-grandfather or whomever never made.
00:47:32He never made the partridge in a pear tree.
00:47:34Yes.
00:47:35And I remember she mentioned something about maybe she could get someone to make one for her.
00:47:39Use one of the other ornaments as a model.
00:47:42Do you have any idea who that was?
00:47:44I'm not sure she even got around to doing it. I mean, she just sort of mentioned it in passing.
00:47:49I'm not sure if that's helpful, but...
00:47:52It's more than I've had to go on so far. Thank you so much.
00:47:56Do not take his money. No, no, no.
00:47:58Your money's no good here tonight.
00:48:00Thank you, Patsy.
00:48:02You're welcome.
00:48:04Welcome home, honey. Merry Christmas.
00:48:07Merry Christmas, and I will let you know if I find it.
00:48:10Great.
00:48:12Oh, Dr. Sharon!
00:48:14Yes!
00:48:16Are you going to the Christmas pageant? Because I'm going to be an angel.
00:48:19I wouldn't miss it.
00:48:22Yes!
00:48:24Are you going to the Christmas pageant? Because I'm going to be an angel.
00:48:27I wouldn't miss it.
00:48:29Thank you. Promise.
00:48:31And then, we get hot cocoa.
00:48:33Michaela.
00:48:35What? Grandma Vera always took us to go get hot cocoa after.
00:48:39It's on the list.
00:48:41Have a cup of the best hot cocoa in town.
00:48:43I'm doing it for Eleven Pipers Piping. Do you want to know why?
00:48:46Why?
00:48:48Because the cocoa will be piping hot.
00:48:50Oh.
00:48:52Dr. Sharon, seriously?
00:48:54You're better than that.
00:48:56I know. I know.
00:49:12Alright.
00:49:21Oh.
00:49:33Sharon?
00:49:35Hi. Okay.
00:49:37So you know how this field works. I just, I can't just press pause on my research to pursue some sort of passion project.
00:49:45You know, once you lose momentum, there is no going back.
00:49:47The path is very clear. It is very specific. It is, it is very...
00:49:52Very limiting.
00:49:54Which is the beauty of this fellowship.
00:49:56I've seen scientists use this award to fund their research. And that would be great.
00:50:01But I've also seen them use it to integrate their work into community outreach projects.
00:50:07To write books. Start treatment centers.
00:50:10So if you win, the question you'll have to answer is, what would you do?
00:50:15What would you do?
00:50:17If there were no more limits?
00:50:22Well, that is a terrifying thought.
00:50:25Why?
00:50:27What if I choose something else?
00:50:29And I fail?
00:50:31You know?
00:50:33All of that research. All of that work.
00:50:36For nothing.
00:50:38If you care more about defending your past than exploring the possibilities right in front of you,
00:50:43you're gonna get stuck.
00:50:46Fast.
00:50:56So, Grandma Vera says, have a cup of the best hot cocoa in town, which is at the Pine Lodge Cafe.
00:51:05Her with the Pine Lodge Cafe.
00:51:07By the way, I've never agreed with her on this.
00:51:08I know! But the best is Nick and Ethel's Peppermint Mocha Mountain at Holly and Ivy.
00:51:15Sweetie, I respect your palate, but you are very wrong.
00:51:19Because the best hot chocolate in town is the salted caramel hot cocoa from Jacques' Swiss Chocolatier.
00:51:25No way.
00:51:27If we made the whole town vote, I would...
00:51:29They would vote for Jacques. Because it is a moot point.
00:51:32Because Vera's list very clearly states that she has to go to the Pine Lodge Cafe.
00:51:34Forget what it says. Because I say change is natural. It's a sign of growth. Wouldn't you agree, Sam?
00:51:45Are we still talking about hot cocoa?
00:51:54I love salted caramel, but to add flavors to this competition creates too many variables for us to be able to judge fairly.
00:52:01And I say hot cocoa without the molten warmth of a gooey caramel, the delightful grace notes of salt tingling in the tongue.
00:52:09Why, I say give me flavored cocos or give me death.
00:52:13Okay. Okay, Patrick Henry. Thank you so much.
00:52:15I think we're going to have one plain category for science, and then we'll have a wild category for the flavored cocos.
00:52:23That is not accurate.
00:52:25No, but it will be fun, which was the original idea.
00:52:27You're right. Fun.
00:52:28Okay, everyone. Michaela is going to pass out scorecards.
00:52:32We are going to judge on three categories. Potency of chocolate, viscosity, and marshmallow to drink ratio.
00:52:40Oh, yes. And everyone have fun.
00:52:43There you are. Take a pop.
00:52:46Oh, did you take the two on the end?
00:52:48Here you go.
00:52:50Here you go.
00:52:52Chocolate.
00:52:57You okay?
00:53:00Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?
00:53:02I don't know. You just seem a little, um, I don't know.
00:53:08Yeah, I'm good.
00:53:10So why was Gloria surprised to see you?
00:53:14Oh, um, she was probably surprised to see me there because that store used to be Jenny's store.
00:53:19Sam!
00:53:21It's totally fine. I was actually curious to see how it was going to feel, and it felt kind of nice.
00:53:31Well, that's a lot to put yourself through for, um, Michaela. You did it for Michaela.
00:53:41A lot more work than just getting a little cup of cocoa at the Pine Lodge Cafe.
00:53:44Well, as someone reminded me, the point of these traditions is to enjoy them, right?
00:53:48Yeah.
00:53:50Yeah.
00:53:52Instead of just going through the motions.
00:53:54And I got to, you know, put my share in Hogwarts bin on thanks.
00:53:57Yes, because nothing says Glad Tidings quite like a control group and data collection.
00:54:01See? He gets it. Thank you.
00:54:04And in second place is Jacques's Original Hot Chocolate.
00:54:09Thank you. Thank you so much.
00:54:11Thanks.
00:54:12And I brought in a special guest to announce the winner. Ready?
00:54:19Okay. Our first place winner is...
00:54:23Ethel's Homemade Cocoa from Holly and Ike!
00:54:29Congrats, Ethel!
00:54:32Thank you guys so much for doing this. Thank you.
00:54:36Sharon, what are you up to now? Do you want to join us for dinner?
00:54:38I would, I would love to, but I actually promised Lucy that I would take her a home taste test.
00:54:45But, Michaela, how would you like to pick something else off the list for us to do together?
00:54:50That sounds awesome.
00:54:52Yes.
00:54:54I can't do anything if you're still on the table.
00:55:02Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
00:55:06Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
00:55:10Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
00:55:14Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh.
00:55:24I need an elf to help me pass out candies to these boys and girls. Do you think you can help?
00:55:31Yes.
00:55:33Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas.
00:55:40Well, it's been a year since I was here with Grandma Vera.
00:55:46You know, I can remember the exact fabric from the chairs in the waiting room.
00:55:51I can remember pretzels or B7 in the vending machine.
00:55:55But I have the hardest time remembering what kind of candy Jenny put in the stocking or how many cookies we left out for Santa.
00:56:06I just, I just wish that I didn't have such flashbulb moments for those last terrible days.
00:56:15And then such hazy memories of our best family moments.
00:56:24And I really wish that when those memories did come back into focus that they just didn't knock the wind right out of you.
00:56:36Because they're just memories now.
00:56:43I know.
00:56:44I know.
00:56:50This week it seems the more I try to keep Christmas alive for her, the more painfully real it becomes that she is not here anymore.
00:57:02I never would have been able to confront any of those memories if I hadn't been making new ones with you.
00:57:17Okay, I am going to show Sharon some of our Christmas decorations.
00:57:24Okay, uh, well, I am going to do the last of the shopping. Do you need anything else?
00:57:31Uh, no. Uh, yes. I'm in desperate need of wrapping paper.
00:57:34Okay.
00:57:36Okay, uh, well, I am going to do the last of the shopping. Do you need anything else?
00:57:43Uh, no. Uh, yes. I'm in desperate need of wrapping paper.
00:57:46Okay, cool. Uh, well, I will see you all later.
00:57:55Look at this place. Did you, did you do all of this by yourself?
00:57:58No, my dad and Uncle Alex helped a little bit, but...
00:58:06Oh, this is one of the first ornaments my mom made.
00:58:10Oh, wow. That is so beautiful.
00:58:14Yeah, and this is the one I made in preschool.
00:58:18Very nice. I can see where you get your talent.
00:58:21Thank you. Oh, this is my dad's.
00:58:27Oh, yes.
00:58:29Oh, yeah, that one we can just tuck around the back side of the tree there.
00:58:32Oh, no, no, no. I think that this should go front and center. Right? So everyone can see it?
00:58:38Yes.
00:58:40Okay, I'm going to show you where all the Santas go.
00:58:42Okay. Come on. Come on.
00:58:46Alright. Alright. There are 37 Santas over here.
00:58:52And my mom, she would always put lights and ribbon on the garland.
00:58:58And she would always help me put teddy bears up there.
00:59:02Wait a second. What happened to the teddy bears?
00:59:06I think they're with my mom's stuff in a box in the basement somewhere.
00:59:10Wait. I'm sorry. What? Which box? I'll go get them, honey.
00:59:13It's okay. So, we would always save the tree for last, for when Dad got home.
00:59:19And while we waited, we would make money buddies.
00:59:21You know what? I'm going to need to know what a money buddy is.
00:59:25Okay.
00:59:31Are you okay?
00:59:33I don't remember the teddy bears.
00:59:36Oh. You know what? It sounds like that was something that was between she and her mom. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
00:59:42We would always take these and cover them with chocolate and peanut butter.
00:59:47And then shake them up in a trash bag with powdered sugar.
00:59:50I do not remember that.
00:59:53Because we ate them all before you got home.
00:59:55You? What?
00:59:58Well, do you want to make some now?
01:00:02No, thank you.
01:00:04Why not?
01:00:07Because I'm going to miss you.
01:00:09Why not?
01:00:12Because it would make me sad.
01:00:17Hey.
01:00:21Sweetheart. So, it's okay to be sad.
01:00:25But you don't get sad.
01:00:27Sure I do. I miss your mom every day.
01:00:31Not at Christmas. You're always happy.
01:00:34Especially at Christmas.
01:00:37I just, I don't want to talk about it because I want Christmas to be so magical for you.
01:00:47Because I love you.
01:00:50And I know that's what your mom wants for you too.
01:00:55I thought I was the only one that got sad.
01:01:01You're not alone. Okay?
01:01:04I get sad. Uncle Alex gets sad. Sharon gets sad.
01:01:09You just, I mean, she's been sad all week because she misses her grandma dear.
01:01:13It's true. I have been so sad.
01:01:16And you know what? Talking to your dad about it has really helped me.
01:01:21Oh.
01:01:24He's actually a really good listener.
01:01:29You can tell me anything. You can ask me anything.
01:01:34Okay. Is Christmas always going to be a little bit sad?
01:01:46You know what? I think Christmas sometimes feels sad because we just want everything to stay the same.
01:01:58You know? And it can't.
01:02:03But I realized something this week.
01:02:08You know all those traditions that Grandma Vera wrote in the journal?
01:02:13Well, once upon a time, someone made them all up.
01:02:19Really?
01:02:21Yeah. There were new ornaments. And now we hang them every single year.
01:02:26And my great grandmother would make her lemon cake and now I eat it every Christmas.
01:02:30Oh! Or the Christmas that Uncle Alex came down for the first time.
01:02:35Yes! So if we can just make space for the past and also make some fun new memories that make us so happy,
01:02:45Christmas doesn't have to be as sad. Does that make sense?
01:02:50Yes.
01:02:53Okay. So what if you and I do something new? Would that be fun?
01:03:01Yeah.
01:03:03Should we come up with a new cookie? Should we paint an ornament? We could make a wreath.
01:03:07Oh yeah! We don't have a wreath.
01:03:09Okay. We're making a wreath then.
01:03:12Okay. You go get your coat, go get your gloves, your hat and we're going to get some awesome supplies. Okay?
01:03:17Okay.
01:03:19I don't know how to make a wreath.
01:03:23Look, it's easy. Actually, you just bend some branches and then get some snazzy ribbon.
01:03:30I don't know how to get snazzy with ribbon.
01:03:32You know, a really wise person once told me that you don't have to do it alone.
01:03:41You've got Alex and you've got Nick and you've got Ethel and you've got a whole town of really nosy neighbors that will help.
01:03:53And me.
01:03:57You got me.
01:04:00And I can get really snazzy with a ribbon.
01:04:03Okay.
01:04:09Did you mean what you said about making Christmas new?
01:04:12Not until I said it. And then when I said it, it hit me that it was true.
01:04:18Okay. I'm ready.
01:04:23Let's go.
01:04:25Did you know wreaths are a Christmas symbol for eternity? Because they have no beginning and no end.
01:04:33I will forever remember making wreaths with you and your mother.
01:04:38It was a nice reminder when I needed it most that life may be brief, but some things are everlasting.
01:04:46Alright, let's see it. Let's see it.
01:04:48Okay. Yeah.
01:04:50Hold it up.
01:04:52That is beautiful.
01:04:54It's beautiful.
01:04:56What do you think?
01:04:57I like it.
01:04:58I like it too. I like it a lot.
01:05:00I think I'm going to go hang this on the front door.
01:05:03Perfect.
01:05:04Good idea.
01:05:10And thank you guys because making a Christmas wreath was on Kramer's viewers list and now I can cross that off.
01:05:17Oh, see that? You're welcome.
01:05:21I think I should give you guys some time alone.
01:05:24No.
01:05:25Look, you know, it's really fine.
01:05:26No. Besides, I have a Christmas movie marathon to cross off my list.
01:05:32Look, I mean, there must be some kind of rule in there about not watching a Christmas movie alone, right?
01:05:39I might have read that somewhere.
01:05:42And hey, even if you didn't read it in there.
01:05:44Stop shaking. Don't shake it. Stop.
01:06:01Thank you guys so much for indulging me.
01:06:04Oh, no. Twist my arm. Movie night.
01:06:07Is it time to press play?
01:06:08I call sitting by Sharon.
01:06:10Oh, I call dibs on the armchair.
01:06:15Get in here.
01:06:16There you go.
01:06:18Yeah.
01:06:19Okay.
01:06:20Yes.
01:06:21Okay, we ready.
01:06:33It's from London.
01:06:34Oh.
01:06:35Mr. Gower cabled you need cash stuff.
01:06:38My office expected to advance you up to $25,000 stuff.
01:06:42A-ha and Merry Christmas. Say them when right.
01:06:59Will you just...
01:07:01Yeah.
01:07:12Merry Christmas.
01:07:42Merry Christmas.
01:08:13Okay.
01:08:25Morning.
01:08:26Good morning.
01:08:29I was wondering if Michaela wanted to go ice skating tonight, you know?
01:08:34Aw.
01:08:35Keep the streak alive.
01:08:36She's actually at a sleepover at a friend Kara's house.
01:08:38Ah, well, worth a shot.
01:08:43Have a good day.
01:08:48I could go.
01:08:52You know, I mean, you don't have to. It's...
01:08:56Maybe we could go out to dinner before or...
01:08:59Yeah?
01:09:01Yeah.
01:09:02I mean, hey, you have lots of, like, crossing off to do and Liz takes priority.
01:09:06That's true.
01:09:07But hey, ice skating alone sounds a little...
01:09:09Well, not as much fun.
01:09:10No.
01:09:11No.
01:09:13Okay.
01:09:14Yeah, dinner and ice skating.
01:09:17Dinner and ice skating.
01:09:18Yeah.
01:09:19I'll see you tonight.
01:09:20See you tonight.
01:09:36There is nothing wrong with wanting to date him, by the way.
01:09:39It's just...
01:09:40I know. I know.
01:09:41It's not a good idea to start something if I don't plan on staying.
01:09:49Look, I...
01:09:52I now can't imagine not being here for that baby.
01:09:57And I can't imagine not having Christmas in that house.
01:10:02And I can't imagine not seeing Michaela run across the yard or Sam.
01:10:08Or Sam.
01:10:12And I also can't imagine walking away from everything that I have worked for, for my entire life.
01:10:19And by the way, the interview, it's in 48 hours now.
01:10:28I don't want to pick.
01:10:30I don't want to pick.
01:10:33You've got a double whammy.
01:10:34I don't want to pick.
01:10:36You've got a double whammy right now.
01:10:38You are confronting the death of Grandma Vera, probably after outrunning it all year, if I know you at all.
01:10:44And I do.
01:10:47Plus, it's Christmas.
01:10:50A whole season of new beginnings in the midst of unlikely circumstances.
01:10:56Death and birth and miracles.
01:10:59Those are all terrible times to make permanent decisions.
01:11:02Yeah, well, you know what? Grandma Vera didn't exactly leave me alone.
01:11:05Grandma Vera, she was a wonderful grandmother, and I loved her.
01:11:09But that was a bad deal, and I think you should ignore it.
01:11:14Keep the house for now. Sell it later.
01:11:18Take a sabbatical from work and write or paint or whatever.
01:11:24Ask them to delay the interview for the award.
01:11:27I don't think it works that way.
01:11:28Just because that's not the way it works doesn't mean it shouldn't work better than the way it works.
01:11:35You know what? You were on a real roll until then.
01:11:39I just can't believe that a smart woman like you can't buy herself some more time and some better options.
01:12:03Here we are.
01:12:04Here we are.
01:12:09So, any luck with the ornament?
01:12:12Oh, no.
01:12:16And I think that's okay.
01:12:18Yeah, I think that I am just going to take a break and focus on the good things that I have left right in front of me.
01:12:31Now it's my turn to cross-examine you.
01:12:35My goodness.
01:12:36Yeah.
01:12:37Do you bring a lot of dates to Chez Noel, Samuel?
01:12:41Objection. Leading the witness.
01:12:43Overruled.
01:12:44I have frequented Chez Noel many times, but no.
01:12:48I can't say that I brought many dates here.
01:12:51That would require dating.
01:12:56Is that because you didn't want to or because the options were limited?
01:13:08At first, I didn't want to.
01:13:10In the beginning, I was just really trying to take it one step at a time.
01:13:14But then when I was finally open to it, I remembered that I live in a very small town.
01:13:21So this not only limits your options.
01:13:23It ensures that everyone knows how that date went by the time they bathe their coffee the next morning.
01:13:28Yes.
01:13:29Yeah. Trust me. I know.
01:13:32Try dating as a teenager in Pine Springs.
01:13:35Yeah. Yeah, you get it.
01:13:37I do.
01:13:38I do.
01:13:41But yes, I am. I do want to be.
01:13:46Dating.
01:13:52So wait. So wait. Ice skating is a Harper Family Christmas favorite.
01:13:56Only every Christmas.
01:13:57Favorite.
01:13:58And every Friday in middle school because what else was there to do?
01:14:04Oh, man. I forgot McKayla's going to be in middle school next year.
01:14:08Middle school.
01:14:09I don't know anything about middle school girls.
01:14:11Well, tell her she can always call me.
01:14:15I feel like I'm going to blink and she's going to be in college.
01:14:19Oh, man.
01:14:20It's just like...
01:14:21What's the plan after that?
01:14:23I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself.
01:14:26Anything you want. The world is your oyster.
01:14:30So wait. So ice skating was... Which ornament?
01:14:35And Lorde's elite paint, of course.
01:14:38That was really good, by the way.
01:14:40Come on. Come on.
01:14:45Now you have to do it.
01:14:46What?
01:14:47Yeah, leap.
01:14:48That? No.
01:14:49Yes.
01:14:50No, thank you.
01:14:55I'm so sorry. Are you okay?
01:14:56No, I'm fine. I'm so sorry I pulled you down.
01:15:00No, I tried to catch you and then I lost my balance.
01:15:05Mikayla is so excited that you're coming to the Christmas pageant.
01:15:08By the way, I got a glimpse of the angel costume she's going to wear.
01:15:11It is...
01:15:13Oh, what?
01:15:17I got an email and they changed the interview and I actually...
01:15:23I got a flight to New York in the morning.
01:15:26I am so sorry.
01:15:27Okay. Hey. No, it's okay.
01:15:29Mikayla will understand.
01:15:35What about you?
01:15:37Yes.
01:15:41It just hit me that I...
01:15:43This week is going to end and it's probably not going to end with you packing up and then moving to Pine Springs.
01:15:48I don't know that.
01:15:50Yeah.
01:15:51I don't. I mean, the fact that I'm here right now and not frantically pacing and preparing for this interview speaks volumes about how I've changed my mind.
01:16:01About Pine Springs.
01:16:05Being here, it just...
01:16:09It showed me how much I was missing the home and community and a connection to my past and...
01:16:19Future possibilities that I...
01:16:25Have never even considered.
01:16:29Well...
01:16:30I...
01:16:32I want you to know how hard it is to not kiss you right now.
01:16:38I'm sorry, I can't.
01:16:41Look...
01:16:45I wish I could be the guy that just kisses you and doesn't care what it means.
01:16:48But if I'm being honest with you...
01:16:53This is new to me.
01:16:56I'm feeling this way again.
01:17:01You know, the part of me that just needs the world to make sense needs to know that when I kiss you...
01:17:09You're not going to have one foot out the door.
01:17:14Sam, I wish that I had a definitive answer to be able to give you. I just...
01:17:18Oh, no. I really, really need you to not answer right now.
01:17:21A giant pit of guilt would just open up beneath me and swallow me whole.
01:17:24I couldn't live with myself if I felt like you decided not to stay and then...
01:17:30Me kissing you just somehow may have made a difference.
01:17:47I'm sorry.
01:17:55I'm sorry.
01:18:16Why didn't you kiss him?
01:18:19Because he made it very clear that...
01:18:22That he did not want to be kissed.
01:18:24No, he wanted to kiss you. He just needed you to say that you were staying first.
01:18:29Lucy, you were the one that told me not to kiss him.
01:18:33Don't listen to me. What do I know?
01:18:35Well, this has been supremely helpful. I gotta go.
01:18:39What's your plan here, Cher?
01:18:40To have absolutely no plan. That's what I've got.
01:18:44Alright, I gotta go. I'll call you after, okay? Bye.
01:18:49We will be well on our way to creating a culture that knows how to heal trauma.
01:18:54That knows how to get down on the ground with the wounded and say,
01:18:59I know that this hurts.
01:19:02But you are not broken.
01:19:05And you cannot stay here.
01:19:07Because anything bad that happens to you, happens to us too.
01:19:13Fifteen million views and counting.
01:19:16Countless media appearances.
01:19:18You've jump-started a major conversation about a topic that most people would prefer to avoid.
01:19:23That's inspiring.
01:19:25We were particularly struck by how your talk made the scientific creative and personal.
01:19:33Can you speak to how this grant and fellowship would personally change your life?
01:19:39Earlier this year, I lost my grandmother.
01:19:43The woman who raised me and inspired me to go into this field.
01:19:48A week ago, I went home to celebrate Christmas and get her affairs in order.
01:19:55Even though I'm supposed to be an expert in this field.
01:20:01Even though I was prepared for how my brain and body might respond.
01:20:10I discovered that this experience brought me to my knees.
01:20:19And it made me think more deeply.
01:20:23About the gap between what we know.
01:20:28And how we actually experience things.
01:20:38I love you dude.
01:20:40But you have like zero chill.
01:20:42I mean what did you think she was gonna say?
01:20:44I don't know. I thought I was stating the obvious.
01:20:46Right. Because your life screams, I am open to dating right now.
01:20:51No, come on.
01:20:52What?
01:20:53You're living with your younger brother who is helping you raise your ten year old daughter.
01:20:57Okay, but.
01:20:58And you know I love Jenny.
01:21:00Alright.
01:21:01Okay, all I'm saying is.
01:21:05If you really are ready for your life to change.
01:21:09You have to make space for something new.
01:21:17Hi.
01:21:25How did it go?
01:21:27I got it.
01:21:30I can't believe that I got it.
01:21:34Okay, this is a teddy I got for your mom in college.
01:21:37I gave that to her on our first official date.
01:21:40Hey.
01:21:42What are you doing?
01:21:43Making space.
01:21:45These are the last of Jenny's boxes from the basement.
01:21:52And they liked that?
01:21:53They loved that I was thinking big.
01:21:55And they got really excited about some of my ideas.
01:21:59Even if you don't know how to make them happen?
01:22:01Well, if I knew how to make them happen then that would mean that somebody had already done them, right?
01:22:05Okay, so all of this can go to Gloria for sale?
01:22:08Yeah, I love that idea.
01:22:09Okay, and then this should go to Nick and Ethel.
01:22:16Okay, by the door, Nick and Ethel.
01:22:18Got it.
01:22:22What's that?
01:22:25This.
01:22:27This.
01:22:28I don't know what this is.
01:22:30Maybe this decision will take me off of the track that I had planned.
01:22:34It is going to be super scary.
01:22:36For sure, but new always is.
01:22:39But it could also be bigger than anything that I have ever planned.
01:22:44It's messy.
01:22:46Very messy.
01:22:48And I definitely have more questions than I have answers right now, for sure.
01:22:54But I just have a feeling that I will know the answers when I see them.
01:22:59Dad.
01:23:01Dear Jenny, I can't tell you how delighted I am that you've agreed to make us a partridge in a pear tree to complete our family set.
01:23:08I so love your work, and I'm sure if anyone can do it, it's you.
01:23:12Please use this ornament as a model, and return it when you're finished.
01:23:18Take all the time you need. Love, Grandma Vera.
01:23:44Look, little lady, I just don't want you to get your hopes up.
01:23:47You don't understand. She pinky promised.
01:23:50I know, but hey, things happen, and Sharon's got a lot on her plate right now.
01:23:54Dad, if you break a pinky promise, I don't want to get into it, but it's messy.
01:24:03She's going to be there.
01:24:05Okay. All right, we gotta go, honey. Let's go.
01:24:16Long, long ago, under the biggest star the sky has ever seen, an angel sent the message of hope.
01:24:22An angel sent the message of hope.
01:24:37Anyone for Sharon?
01:24:39No.
01:24:52Gloria in excelsis Deo. Gloria in excelsis Deo.
01:25:23You were magnificent.
01:25:28I'm really glad you came back.
01:25:39I'm going to go talk to your dad, okay?
01:25:41Okay.
01:25:42Okay, I'll see you in a few.
01:25:45You did so good.
01:25:50Hey.
01:25:51Hey.
01:25:52So how did it go? Did you get there?
01:25:53Okay, now it's my turn to ramble, okay?
01:25:57Since Grandma Vera passed away, I have been running as fast as I can.
01:26:04Just chasing goals to a place where she would be proud of me.
01:26:10I decided to take a leap of faith.
01:26:15Believing her when she said that I could never disappoint her.
01:26:20I think that's a great—
01:26:21I'm not finished.
01:26:24I'm going to break Grandma Vera's challenge.
01:26:29I'm not going to make a decision on the house yet.
01:26:33I'm going to hang on to the house for a year.
01:26:35A year?
01:26:36Mm-hmm.
01:26:39What are you going to do?
01:26:40I'm going to write a book.
01:26:41You're going to write a book?
01:26:44I'm going to collect people's stories and use story to shift how we view the brain in the face of loss.
01:26:52And who knows? Maybe I'll open a grief center. I don't know.
01:26:57Okay, so I'm guessing you got the grant.
01:26:59I did.
01:27:01Okay, so a year.
01:27:03Then—
01:27:04I know you told me that you didn't want to kiss me with one foot out the door.
01:27:10And maybe the promise of a year isn't enough for you.
01:27:16But man, I would really love to kiss you on the promise of tomorrow.
01:27:24And I don't have a sign. A big neon sign to prove to you that—
01:27:40There might be signs. There might not be neon, but sometimes there's signs.
01:27:51Where— Where did you—
01:27:53It's the craziest story.
01:28:11I love you.
01:28:27Isn't it amazing how seven generations ago, two people fell in love one day at a time, and now here we all are?
01:28:40You
01:29:10You