[wind whooshing]
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[cheerful Christmas music]
[horn honking]
Oh those are amazing, I love it!
Thanks!
Mandy, someone left a box for the donation drive out back.
Perfect.
Someone also left a whole bunch of trash
next to the dumpster.
-Do you want a hand? -I got it.
-You sure, Gabby? -Yep, people, a few inches further
and the trash is where it's supposed to go.
Huh.
A hymn book?
Yeah, there's a lot of used books and toys in here too.
I thought we were only taking new things.
Whoever left this must not have known.
It's okay, I'll take care of it.
Oh, wow, look at this, "A Christmas Carol."
Cool.
It's a classic.
Oh, and it's an early edition too.
A child still isn't gonna want it.
I know, but, oh.
What's that?
I don't know.
Oh!
Whoa!
A coin!
"Dear, Santa, I have been good all year
"and tried to help my mother.
"I know we won't have much for Christmas.
"That is just fine by me, but could you help me?
"I found a coin I think my father would like.
"He died in the war though.
"For Christmas this year, could my present
"be you giving this to my father?
"He liked collecting these.
"I miss him, and I know he would love it, love, Judith."
That's...
Oh, look, she even put the date on it.
December 11th, 1947.
Oh, so long ago!
Why is this here?
It's sweet, who'd wanna give it away?
I know, maybe they didn't know it was with this stuff.
[gentle music]
[cheerful music]
[Mandy sighs]
Judith, who are you?
Creek Hill Chapel.
["We Wish You A Merry Christmas"]
Hello, excuse me?
Um, hello?
Hey!
♪ A special time of year
Ah, all right, then.
Oh!
Oh.
Sorry!
It's okay.
Are you all right, I didn't mean to scare you.
Yeah, no, you didn't scare me.
A little startled, but let's not tell anybody about that.
You got it.
All right, let me get this, oh, oh.
Thank you.
Sorry, I think I'm making it worse.
Oh well.
Sorry.
It's okay, better?
Yeah, yeah, I mean, it was good before, but, um...
Got it.
So you here to see the pastor?
Yes, I am looking to track down who donated these books.
Oh, I did, I took 'em to a drop-off
in town for a book drive.
That's my place, I'm Mandy.
Oh, hey, Jonah, nice to meet you.
[both chuckling]
So are these your books then?
No, I found 'em in a back room with some odds and ends
the pastor asked me to throw away, but I don't know,
those books and a few other things
just seemed like they were worth saving.
Especially if someone else might like 'em.
I don't suppose you happen to know who this book
in particular belonged to, do you?
No, why?
This letter was inside the book and a coin too.
I wanted to find the person who wrote it.
Wow.
It's amazing, isn't it?
Yeah, that's pretty neat.
Judith, judging by the date, she'd be--
In her late 70s, probably.
You don't by chance know who that is, do you?
Are you from around here?
Oh, I am, but a woman named Judith in her 70s?
Sorry, kinda thin to go on.
I know, someone else probably would've thrown this out,
but there's something special about it, you know?
Yeah, I mean, any kid's letter to Santa is.
And this one, it being as old as it is, I get it.
Anyway, I was hoping maybe it came from someone here.
Well, you know, the pastor probably knows more,
but he's not here right now, but I can talk to him.
Would you?
Yeah.
That would be great, or I can come back.
Or you can leave a way to get ahold of you
and I can talk to him or have him call you.
Thank you, you said Jonah, right?
Yeah, Canton Construction & Renovations.
Okay, thanks,
and sorry to have interrupted your work.
Oh, not a problem at all.
Bye then, and thanks again.
Yeah, no problem.
[gentle music]
You done for the night?
Yeah, just powering down.
We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow.
Excellent.
So what do you think, we still on schedule?
Yeah, I think so.
We'll let you know if we hit any hiccups.
All right.
Yeah, hey, a woman came by this morning,
asking about the books we found in the back room.
Ah. She said she found
something interesting in one of them
and was trying to track down the owner.
I wish I knew, everything in there
has accumulated over the years,
long before I was pastor here.
How 'bout a woman named Judith?
She'd be much older now.
Well, there's a Judith Tucker,
but she's only in her 50s, so...
Hmm, anybody else?
No one that comes to mind.
I'm sure Pastor O'Brien would have known more.
Are there church records that go back that far?
Well, I'm afraid I had to throw a lot them out,
they were damaged from a burst pipe a few winters ago.
The only thing that's left is the more recent ones.
This woman, is she a friend of yours?
We just met.
Oh, thought she might've been a--
What?
Well, you seem very determined to help her.
Well, it's not quite like that.
Oh, okay. [chuckles]
She must be a very special lady.
Good night, Pastor.
[Pastor chuckling]
[cheerful music]
This turned out so great, you are quite the artist!
Have a merry Christmas.
Thanks!
♪ A merry Christmas ♪
I wonder if this is worth anything.
Well, if it is, maybe you shouldn't handle it like that.
Seriously though, you should find out.
Andre has his rare book store around the corner.
He'd know something.
Doesn't matter though,
I wanna return it to the letter writer.
It might matter to Judith
if you ever find her, which is a big if.
I know.
What if she's passed away?
I mean, decades have gone by, so...
I get it, the deck is stacked against me,
but I still wanna try.
Hmm, well, I'm no expert,
but I do dabble in coins here and there.
You know, the hardest thing
is when some young fella comes in
with his great-uncle's collection,
certain he's about to strike it rich.
Well, I was just curious to know what I've been holding.
Hmm, well, not to get your hopes up, but...
[soft dramatic music]
What?
It's 1895.
This is a proof coin.
This coin in mint condition
could be worth $30,000 easily.
It's a bit worn, but still, you've got quite a coin here.
$30,000, really?
Now, I said could be,
and that's if it were in perfect condition, no guarantees.
Of course, thanks, Andre.
Yeah, look, if you decide to sell this,
I hope you'll let me bid on it.
You bet, but not mine to sell.
Thanks again.
[gentle music]
You've won the lottery!
No, Judith has.
Okay, but think about it, after you've done everything
you can and you can't find her--
Hey, don't jinx this!
Or she's passed away or is somehow unreachable,
what will you do?
I'll find her or her family.
They deserve to have the coin and the letter.
Oh, wouldn't this make the best Christmas present for them?
Sure, Christmas is a couple weeks away, though.
Plenty of time.
Oh, boy.
[Mandy sighs]
Any luck?
There are a lot of Judiths, even just around here.
I didn't think it was that common of a name.
Too bad it's not Gabby, there aren't too many of us.
True. [sighs]
Did you just type in Judith and think you'd find her?
I typed in the name of towns around here,
Everett, Kingston, you know.
Hey, it's just a start.
I'll say, anything else you need done around here tonight?
Uh, no, thanks, Gabby.
All right, I'll take off then.
Okay, good night.
[gentle music]
[whimsical music]
[cheerful music]
[bell jingling]
Sorry, we're closed.
Hi, Mandy.
Oh, Jonah, sorry, I thought you were a customer.
It's okay, I talked to the pastor.
You did, what did he say?
He doesn't know who it could belong to.
Oh, okay, well thank you for asking him though.
Did you come all this way just for that?
No, I was in the area buying supplies for a job.
Oh.
But I had an idea.
[horn honking]
I wanna help you find Judith.
You do?
Yeah, you know, I spent most of my life in Everett,
and assuming Judith is from there
or around there, let's team up.
Well, I wanna find her by Christmas,
so I could use all the help I can get.
But are you sure?
Yeah, why not?
Well, you have your renovations and your work to do.
You know, a lot of that can go on without me.
I've got subcontractors and others
who really do a lot of the work.
But why do you wanna spend your time with this?
I don't know, it's intriguing and kinda noble.
[Mandy chuckles]
And you seem like somebody worth helping.
Thanks.
Plus, I know where we can get started.
Where?
The letter mentioned that her father died
in the war, World War II.
So you're hoping we could find
a list of those who served from the Everett area.
Exactly.
Okay.
What do y'all need?
Hi, we're trying to track down soldiers
who died in World War II who lived in the county.
Is that something you might have record of.
Name?
Um, yeah, we don't have that.
Sorry.
Give me a few minutes.
She thinks we're crazy.
Yeah, could be worse.
Thanks for this, you know, helping.
I'm happy I can.
I'm taking you away from your building!
Or renovating?
Let's just call it construction,
that general enough?
Have you done that long?
Yeah, I mean, around here it's more fixing up things
and building add-ons than building new buildings,
but every once in awhile a big job comes up.
Have you thought about moving to a bigger city?
Yeah, been there, done that, but didn't like it.
Well, why's that?
Ah, it's too tense, you know?
Everything's more expensive, more red tape, more stress.
Building's supposed to be exciting.
I started to dread it.
So you left.
I came back home.
It's not as busy here, the money's not as good,
but I really love it here.
Me too.
Here it is.
Ah, this is it?
Yep, it's the whole county,
you'll have to sift through it.
Is there any way we could check this out?
We're not a library, but we have a copy machine.
Without a name there's so many.
Well, it could be a starting point though.
Where is that copy machine?
[cheerful music]
[bell jingling]
Oh, I didn't pay attention before, but this is cool.
You can make your own crafts?
Yeah, this time of year
it's all about decorating things for Christmas.
But the store stays busy all year round with date nights,
other holidays, birthday parties, and such.
So creative and cute, can I say that?
Of course.
Hey, we had a few more toy donations come in.
Perfect.
Who's this?
Oh, Gabby, this is Jonah, he's helping with the--
Mystery letter writer search, welcome.
Thank you, nice to meet you.
So you work here?
Yep, I keep this place running while Mandy's distracted.
[phone buzzing]
Oh, sorry, it's one of my job sites.
Do you mind if we pick this up tomorrow?
I should have this settled by then.
Oh, sure.
Great, there you go.
Thank you.
Bye! Bye.
He seems nice enough.
Yeah.
Make any progress today?
Yep, well, sort of.
What's that?
A haystack.
We really need to get this done right this time,
so let's not disappoint.
Got it, I'll get right on it.
Looks like you're pretty busy here.
You sure you have time for this now?
Oh yeah, it'll be nice to take a break from this mess.
We had some work done here that,
how should I put it, failed spectacularly.
Ouch.
Yeah, I hired someone here who messed up pretty bad.
We didn't find out until we were all done
and the business reopened.
Now it's causing a huge inconvenience for them
and costing me a small fortune,
but it'll be nice when it's done.
Well, I brought everything, including two copies
of the letter so I don't damage the original.
Very nice.
You ready?
Oh yeah, I was thinking we'd start
with those who died in Everett.
Wish these were organized better.
Too bad computers weren't invented earlier.
[gentle music]
I was crazy to think
this would lead to something.
Actually, it was my crazy idea.
Oh sorry, it's like solving for X in a math problem
but without any other numbers.
Judith could have left us more clues.
Yeah, right?
I'm sure she thought that while she was writing it.
Now look at this, there's a next of kin
listed with each one of these soldiers.
What if the mother was named Judith?
Mm, daughters aren't named after mothers very often.
Or another relative.
I'm not saying we find a Judith Junior.
I wonder if we cross reference the county list
with all the Judiths I found, maybe, I don't know,
maybe something connects.
Yeah, you really wanna type all this up?
No, I...
I saw something.
What?
[Mandy laughs lightly]
Victor Franklin.
It's his book!
Maybe that is Judith's brother.
Or her dad, either way, that's a lead.
He's gotta be here.
If he was a soldier.
But maybe Victor wasn't.
Well, I am more than halfway through, so with my luck,
probably be on the last page I look through.
Nope, not on the last page. [laughs]
[Jonah chuckles]
Now, what if it was a brother?
Look at his handwriting, it's kind of young looking.
But it could also be the father's copy.
The book was first published in the 1800s.
Not this edition.
Hmm.
Okay, let's say you're right.
What do you suggest?
Victor Franklin, age 78.
This could be him.
What did you search?
Property records and a phone number.
He lives in Everett.
Really?
So I'll call Victor to set something up for tomorrow
while Gabby's running the store.
Gabby wasn't kidding.
About what?
She says she runs the store while you're busy.
Oh, yeah, it's a lot to be cooped up in the store
from sunup to sundown, so I was looking for someone to help,
and then Gabby comes along
knocking on my glass door selling solar panels.
Really?
Yep, she had this deadpan blunt sales pitch
straight out of whatever talking points she'd been given.
Oh, it made me laugh.
And you hired her based off of that?
Yeah, I appreciated her honesty.
She will call it like she sees it,
and as long as she believes in
what she's doing, she will work hard.
And now she works for your store.
Well, my great-grandfather's store, actually.
It started out as a book store
and then toys when my parents ran it, and over time,
I've shifted it to do-it-yourself
Hmm, and now it's just you and Gabby running the place?
Since my parents retired, yes.
In fact, they are on their dream vacation,
a six-month cruise.
Wow.
Mm-hmm, I think they still have three months left,
won't even be back for Christmas.
Oh, do you have any brothers and sisters?
Two brothers, but they didn't appreciate the store.
They live in Oregon and Nevada.
So what do you plan to do for Christmas
without your family around?
I'm still trying to figure that out.
I could sleep in, go see a movie,
open presents for myself whenever I want.
What about you, any big plans?
Yeah, I'm actually gonna host my parents.
I think they expect me to cook.
Okay, well, you can always get takeout.
Oh, for Christmas dinner?
My mother would be horrified.
[Mandy laughs]
Hey, Jonah, can you come take a look
at something real quick?
Sure.
I should let you get back to work.
All right.
Bye. See you later.
This is Victor Franklin,
I'm sorry I can't come to the phone now,
but if you'll leave--
[phone beeping] [Mandy sighing]
Are you ever gonna leave a message?
I already did, I keep hoping he'll pick up,
but I don't wanna come across as too persistent.
Who you calling, Jonah?
No.
Oh, I thought you were playing hard to get or something.
No, he's just helping out.
No, I was calling this man named Victor Franklin.
He might be the owner of "The Christmas Carol" book.
And he hasn't answered or called you back?
No.
Here, use your phone,
here's his number, you call.
I'm not calling a stranger.
Come on, just try it.
No, if he hasn't answered, there's probably a good reason.
But it's important.
Yeah, you have to find out if he owned a book once.
Just, come on, call!
Am I getting extra time off for this?
Shh!
[phone ringing]
Is it going through?
[voicemail beeps]
This is Victor Franklin,
Voicemail. I'm sorry I can't come--
See, he's not dodging your calls after all.
Leave your name--
You want me to leave a message?
Mm, no, yes, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[Gabby scoffs]
[phone beeps]
Good job, now you'll just have to wait.
Jonah did find his address.
[cheerful music]
Hey!
Hi.
Victor never called back, so...
Well, let's see if he's home.
All right then.
Can I help you?
I don't know anyone named Judith Franklin.
Well, I got a niece named Judith though.
Do you know when she was born?
Um, 1960, I think.
Oh, a bit young for who we are looking for.
Did you know any other Judiths growing up?
Oh, now, my memory's not that good.
How 'bout this book?
Is this yours?
Well, I don't recall.
I never was much of a Dickens fan.
It has your name written in it.
Where'd you find it?
At an old church in town.
We thought maybe you left it behind
at some point when you were growing up.
Oh, I don't think so.
I was born and raised in California.
We just moved out here maybe four years ago.
My wife's sister needed some help,
so we came on out, uprooted ourselves.
Sure do miss those mild winters back there.
I'm not fit for this snow they got out here.
Well, it was worth a shot.
Jonah, did you see the book by his glasses?
No.
It was a yearbook.
Yeah, but it's not him though.
No, but odds are there is a Victor Franklin
in a yearbook somewhere, right?
And you're thinking?
We could check the schools around here,
see if they have any Victor Franklins?
Ah, I like it, I'll pull up the addresses for the schools.
[bell ringing]
[phone ringing]
Hello?
Cellphones are supposed to be off here.
Oh, hang on a second, sorry.
Hi.
Is this Jonah Canton?
Yes.
I'm from Taggart Collection Agency.
We're calling about your overdue balances.
Yeah.
This school has been around since the 1950s, right?
Yes, 1949.
Do you happen to have any yearbooks from back then?
Every one since the school opened.
Perfect, is there a way I could look at those?
Which year?
To be safe,
how about 1949 to 1963?
It's for a really good cause.
We can't extend it any further.
Yeah, I understand.
Okay, thank you very much, buh-bye.
Okay, bye.
[somber music]
This might take awhile.
Could I check these out?
The library's only for students and staff.
Oh, where else can I find these?
Well, I don't know.
Look, I promise I will take such good care of them
and I will bring them back soon.
I can ask the principal, but she's out today and tomorrow.
Why don't you come back next week?
I'm kind of under a time crunch.
Look, it's Thursday, how about I promise
to bring them back to you on Monday?
That long?
Well, I'll work on it over the weekend
and then I will bring them back to you
first thing Monday morning.
Let me get you a box.
I don't want these getting damaged or wet if it's snowing.
Thank you!
[cheerful music]
[bell jingling]
Hey!
What's all that?
Yearbooks.
I don't think those will be sought after
from the donation bin.
Oh, we are tracking down Judith and Victor.
That's a lot of yearbooks.
Three high schools' worth, Everett, Kingston,
we even drove to Midwell.
And they all want them back early next week
before school closes for Christmas.
Sounds like a new haystack.
Oh yeah.
Well, let me take some home.
We can divide 'em up.
Okay.
Well, I'm glad you're back,
I need to run to my niece's school Christmas program tonight
that I told you about?
Yes, so I'm closing up then.
Yep.
Have a good night.
You too.
[customers laughing]
Maybe I'll give the mama one to you instead.
Now, what are they making?
You've never seen
an ugly Christmas sweater before?
Oh, I have, I just didn't know people made their own.
Oh, they do here.
Huh.
What size sweater do you wear?
[gentle music]
Have you always wanted to run your family's store?
Sure, I love it.
Ever found a secret letter in a book,
like when it was your grandpa's store?
No, receipts, yes, inscriptions,
or "To my grandson, Timmy," kind of sentiments, yes.
But never a Santa letter.
I was always careful to put the postage
on my letters to Santa, took them to the mailbox myself.
Really, what kinda things did you write?
The usual, "Can I please have a skateboard or a toy?"
Or I'd plead for forgiveness if I was feeling really guilty
about something I had done that I was sure
would keep me from getting any presents at all that year.
That's sweet.
What about you?
Any letters to Santa?
Yeah, it was a tradition growing up,
so my brothers and I would sit around the dinner table
on the first Sunday of December and write our letters.
And what would you write?
Oh, my memory is pretty vague.
I remember what it felt like though,
that warm, excitement of the season.
Beyond that, well, actually I do remember this one time.
Yeah, do tell.
So my parents were actually struggling with this place.
It was a bookstore still,
and it had a bad couple of years of sales,
and then there was a fire next door,
which caused some damage here.
And, well, nobody wants to buy smokey books.
So I wrote to Santa and asked him to save the store.
No wonder you liked Judith's letter.
What do you mean?
Well, she was looking out for someone else's happiness,
not just her own, like you did.
You're giving me too much credit.
I think I was just scared at all the uncertainty.
Yeah, but still, you could've wished for a stuffed animal
or a toy or something to comfort you,
but, well, I guess you got what you wished for, I assume.
We survived through it, yeah.
That's when my parents turned it into a toy store.
And here we are, years later, with crafts.
Is that why you do the toy and book drive?
A homage to your family's legacy?
You've figured me out.
No, it's actually an annual drive the county has.
I just, I like to help out.
So how's the sweater coming along?
Do you have any of those fuzzy stick thingies?
Pipe cleaners?
Yeah.
Here.
Perfect.
And voila!
That is one of the finest I have seen, yes.
We have to get our pictures taken in these.
What, no, no, no, I never--
Come on, yes.
Really?
[upbeat Christmas music]
All right, one, two, three.
[camera shutter clicking]
[gentle music]
"I found a coin I think my father would like,
"he died in the war though.
"For Christmas this year,
"could my present be you giving this to my father?
"He liked collecting these."
A coin collector.
["Hark! The Herald Angels Sing]
Here you go, paint's on the table
and glue guns are plugged in too.
Thank you.
Oh, here, come look through one of these.
Can't I make an ornament too?
Nope, and make sure you look at every name.
I will.
Because if you miss one--
I get it.
[bell jingles]
Ooh, saved by the, oh, it's just you.
Hi.
Hey, did you find something?
Eh, I wish, I still have a few books to go through,
but I wondered about the coin.
What about it?
Well, Judith said her dad was a collector,
coin collecting can be a community of its own.
I was gonna follow up with a friend
and see if he has any ideas
on how to trace the coin to its owner.
But Judith said she found the coin, not her dad.
Well, found could mean she bought it
or someone in her family.
What if there's a way to track down
who bought that particular coin?
Well, I guess it doesn't hurt to look into it.
Do you mind if I borrow it for a few hours?
Sure, just take care of it.
It might, well, it might be worth a lot.
You bet, I'll be back soon.
Okay.
You know, tonight at the town square
there are a whole bunch of Christmas activities,
sleigh rides, Christmas lights, hot chocolate bar,
Santa, the whole big deal.
You should go.
Oh, I don't know.
You can still celebrate Christmas
even if your family's not around.
I know that.
Think on it then.
And, you know, maybe take someone with you.
Keep searching! [sighs]
And you can order ahead for Christmas,
we just need orders no later than the 21st.
Okay, thank you.
Hey, Eli.
Ah, good to see ya, Jonah.
Good to see you too.
Can I get a raspberry cream cheese pie?
The whole pie?
You going off the deep end?
Not at all.
I do have something that might catch your interest, though.
Hundreds of these were minted in 1895.
These are pretty sought after.
So it's valuable?
Definitely, this is a proof coin,
so it wasn't released to general circulation
like the rest of money is.
So how would somebody get their hands on a coin like this?
Buying it from the mint,
inheriting it from another collector,
maybe somebody made the mistake of using it at face value
and that's how it entered circulation that way.
I'm trying to help someone track down the owner.
Is there a record of coins?
Something that says who owns what.
Like a magic database of coin collectors?
Too good to be true?
You know, you could check the credit card records
of the store that sold it.
Not sure it was sold at a store.
Even if it was, it'd be over 70 years ago.
Whoo, good luck.
Hey, you still want that pie?
Oh yeah, throw a couple forks in there too.
All right.
[gentle music]
[bell jingling]
Hey, you're back already.
Yeah, and I brought pie.
Pie?
And the coin.
Oh, what did you find out?
Nothing helpful.
I was hoping collectors had a community or a group
or some way to tell who has what coin,
but it was just so long ago it's a dead end.
Yeah, that's a challenge with this all around.
Oh, wow, that looks amazing.
Mm-hmm, what do you think?
You didn't want any, right?
I'm glad you like it, it's my favorite.
[phone ringing] Oh, hang on, it's work.
Hello, yeah, about two weeks we'll be, what?
No, that soon?
I can't get guys there in time.
Yeah, I understand, I'll see what I can do, yeah, bye.
[sighs] I've got this client,
they have an event early next week
and I've gotta finish with my job before then.
Oh, how much more work is there to do?
Well, it's down to cosmetics,
fixtures and paint and a few other touch ups,
but I can't get guys there in time.
They're on another job, and it's the weekend.
So I gotta go.
Do you want some help?
What?
I am not an expert builder, but I can follow instructions.
No, I couldn't.
Oh no, please, you have helped me so much with the letter
and you just brought me pie.
Yeah, but your store, I mean, I can't have you shut down
because of me, it's Christmas time.
No, Gabby's scheduled to come in any minute.
Okay then, I've just gotta pick up
some work clothes on the way.
Sounds good.
So you said something went wrong here and set things back?
Yeah, right here.
I hired a plumbing contractor
who didn't properly seal a pipe, so disaster.
Well, shouldn't the plumber
have checked his work or something?
Yeah, well, it got past him.
It got past me too.
And he refused to fix it or make things right,
he just tried to pass the blame.
So of course the owner here wasn't happy, so...
So you're left to pick up the pieces.
Yeah, well, more like patch up the pieces.
That sounds--
Expensive?
Well, I was gonna say not fun, but [chuckles].
Well, the work isn't bad,
but paying for someone else's mistake, yeah.
Well, point me wherever you want me to start.
I am sure we can get through this faster together.
All right, well, why don't you wear this
and you get started here and I'll work on the trim.
Sounds good. ♪ Everybody's outside ♪
in the snow
♪ Lovebirds under the mistletoe ♪
♪ What a perfect night ♪
♪ What a perfect night, whoa ♪
♪ "Winter Wonderland" on the radio ♪
♪ I'll take a peppermint mocha to go ♪
♪ Stars are shining bright ♪
♪ And it feel so right, whoa
♪ We're singing around the Christmas tree ♪
♪ In a quaint little town, cozy streets ♪
♪ It's like we're living tonight ♪
♪ Living tonight in the snow globe ♪
♪ Fathers are hanging up the lights ♪
♪ All the mothers are baking pumpkin pie ♪
If had your own sign.
Painting a tree.
♪ It's like we're living tonight ♪
♪ Living tonight in the snow globe ♪
[Mandy laughing]
♪ Ba da ba ba, ba ba ba ba ♪
♪ Like we're living tonight ♪
♪ Living tonight in the snow globe ♪
♪ Fathers are hanging up the lights ♪
♪ All the mothers are baking pumpkin pie ♪
Oh, well, thank you.
♪ It's like we're living tonight ♪
♪ Living tonight in the snow globe ♪
Wow, you have no idea how much time this saves me.
It's not all done yet, though.
No, but it gets me closer.
Now I can finish the rest myself without losing sleep.
Good!
Phew, seriously, thank you.
I'm just glad I was able to do something to help you too.
I think I at least owe you dinner.
Actually, I have a better idea.
["Angels We Have Heard On High"]
[children yelling]
Gabby told me about this place,
it sounded like a nice break from work.
Oh, it definitely is.
You can just feel the giddiness here.
Why is that with Christmas?
I don't know, maybe it reminds us of when we were young.
Yeah, you have any favorite holiday memories
from when you were younger?
Being with my family.
Didn't you say you were on your own
this year for Christmas?
I did.
Well, that's no good; come to my place.
Oh no, I couldn't, I don't wanna intrude.
No, you wouldn't intrude, it'd be nice to have you.
I mean, you can't be alone for Christmas
when what you love about it is being with other people.
Okay, but only if you let me help with the dinner.
Perfect, I definitely need help with that.
[gentle music]
Oh look, kids can write their own letter to Santa.
Well, not just kids.
You'll write one too, won't you?
Yeah, why not?
What are you gonna write?
We're not supposed to talk about that kinda thing,
it's supposed to be a secret.
No, that's birthday wishes.
Well, maybe I wanna keep mine a secret.
Okay, okay.
You all right there?
Yeah, I just wanna get the wording right.
Hey, hey, no peaking!
I wouldn't dare.
Yeah, right.
Okay, done!
Should we send them off?
Yeah.
Okay, on three?
One.
Two.
Three! [squeals]
We did it.
We did, we did it!
["We Wish You A Merry Christmas"]
Thank you.
Mm, now that's a hot chocolate.
So what did you put in your letter to Santa?
I asked to find Judith in time for Christmas.
I thought you might.
What about you?
I'm not gonna tell.
What?
Well, just in case it is like a birthday wish thing.
Well then why did you ask me?
Can't blame a guy for being curious.
Well, that is a double standard.
Yep, I can admit to that.
Okay, so don't tell me what you put in the letter,
but what's number two on your Christmas list
that you didn't write to Santa about?
Okay, second best thing--
Mm-hmm.
Is have my bills paid.
Oh yeah, that's not exciting.
Well, it is if you have to pay
for a certain plumber's mistakes.
Sorry, but you have to have something that you want.
All right, I mean, what are you looking for?
Something that I can have wrapped and put under my tree?
Sure, something tangible.
Okay, a good book.
A classic like "A Christmas Carol"?
[both laugh lightly]
Eh, maybe.
No Dickens then.
What are your favorites?
Books that have been made into movies.
You don't even read the books, do you?
You just watch the movie versions.
That way I can tell if I like it or not
without spending the time to read it.
All right then, what movies do you like?
Spy ones.
Ooh, action junkie?
Yes and no.
I like the intrigue and subplots.
Hmm.
I know, I know, I have lowered your opinion of me.
No. [chuckles]
Oh, I'm sure I have.
You were hoping I was gonna say something deeper.
Nope, doesn't matter.
I just like learning more about you.
You do?
Yeah, yeah, I do.
Come on, everyone, time to see Santa!
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
[Mandy laughs]
[gentle music]
[phone ringing]
Jonah, good morning!
Hey, sorry to bother you.
No, not at all, I'm just taking a quick break.
Been making a list of all the Judiths in the yearbook.
Oh, any Judith Franklins?
No, it could be a complete waste of time,
but thought it might come in handy
if we find something else.
What are you up to?
I'm looking around my kitchen realizing
I probably need food if I plan on making Christmas dinner.
That would be a good assumption.
I don't know what to cook or to buy.
Would you mind brainstorming with me on that?
Sure, yeah, I just have one quick stop to make first.
[gentle music]
[fist knocking]
[cheerful music]
Hey, thanks for coming!
Hi, I brought ideas.
Excellent, I need all the help I can get.
Come on in.
Great.
Hmm.
Well, what do you suggest?
Any favorites your parents like?
They're pretty traditional.
One year I recommended steaks and my mom about lost it.
Okay, ham maybe?
Turkey's always good, but after Thanksgiving,
some people are done with turkey for awhile.
Hmm, what's easier?
Ham, definitely.
Ham, perfect.
Okay, what about sides?
Do rolls count?
Here, do your parents like sweet potatoes
or regular potatoes, casseroles?
Sweet potatoes, sure.
Okay, any other favorite veggies?
My mom makes this amazing phyllo dough tart
with mushrooms and a sauce on it.
Still don't know what it really is,
but Christmas-only tradition.
Mushrooms for Christmas?
Hey, don't knock it till you try it!
Come on, there must be something special
you'd want as part of the dinner.
Actually, there is something.
That raspberry cream cheese pie.
Okay, I will bring that then.
But don't think that gets you out of helping me cook.
No, no, course not.
[both laughing lightly]
Well, thanks for your help.
Don't lose that, half the stress
is knowing what you'll cook.
And the other half is actually cooking it.
Yep. [chuckles]
Oh! Oops.
Oh, thanks.
So what are you up to today?
Oh, I actually need to pick up donations
at a few drop-off spots and take them to the county.
Well, I can give you a hand.
Oh, you don't have to do that.
I'd like to.
You sure?
Yeah, let's go.
Oh! Oops.
Oh, thanks.
So what are you up to today?
Oh, I actually need to pick up donations
at a few drop-off spots and take them to the county.
Well, I can give you a hand.
Oh, you don't have to do that.
I'd like to.
You sure?
Yeah, let's go.
Well, a lot came in here!
Do we take the whole box or just empty it?
Well, there's still a few days until Christmas,
so I say we just empty it for now.
All right.
Have you finished going through the yearbooks yet?
Getting there.
I have this idea in my mind about what Judith looks like.
Is that funny?
No, I don't think so.
I go over the yearbook photos and I see certain ones
and I get excited if it fits that image.
Until you see the name?
Yeah, this whole thing's kind of strange, isn't it?
Well, I think there's a good reason for it.
Be honest with me,
do you think we're gonna find her in time?
I don't know if we'll find her by Christmas,
but I do believe we'll find her.
[cheerful music]
So how many bags of toys and books
did we collect this year?
In our store, a good four large bags,
but a lot more came in from other spots throughout town.
It was nice of Jonah to help you.
Yeah, I wish...
What?
I think Jonah's in a bit of trouble.
Really?
Like, money trouble.
He talks about it like he's okay and he can handle it,
but I think it's worse than what he's saying.
That's rough, he's such a good guy.
Yeah, and I wanna be able to help him, but I'm not sure--
If he'd accept?
He seems like the type who wants to earn his own way.
Yeah, and I like that about him.
But then how can I help if...
Have an idea?
A little inspiration, yeah.
[Gabby chuckling]
[gentle music]
Well, hi.
Hi.
I'm sorry, we're not open for services
for a few more weeks.
Oh, I know.
Are you the pastor here then?
I am.
I'm Mandy, I actually have a favor to ask you.
Oh, well, have a seat.
Thank you.
Yeah.
[somber music]
Oh, come on.
What, the coin!
[bell jingling]
Hey, Mandy, are you okay?
The coin, I have looked everywhere!
Oh, it's gone?
Well, I thought I put it back in the box.
Is there anywhere else you might've put it?
No, I kept it in here.
I can't believe it's gone.
Have you looked around the store?
Maybe it fell.
Well, that's what I thought.
I dropped some stuff, but I have been scouring
through here all morning and...
What about Gabby, does she have any ideas?
I called earlier and nothing.
What if I find Judith?
Without the coin, how can I even face her?
I wouldn't worry about that.
Hey, we'd be lucky if we even find her.
All right, we're gonna keep looking, don't give up.
It's just, it's worth a lot.
For a regular coin, it wouldn't be a big deal,
but that is not the case.
It could change her life.
I know, could change anyone's life.
All right, when was the last time you saw it?
Um, you had just borrowed it.
Right, and I brought it back
after I showed my collector friend.
Right, and then I put it back in the box.
And nothing since then?
No, did you come back for it at all?
Maybe to take a second look?
No, and I'd never take it without asking you.
It's just, I know you said money's kind of an issue
right now and the coin could help, so...
Are you, Mandy, I'd never do something like that!
I'm surprised you think that of me.
No, look, sorry, just forget it.
I gotta go.
Jonah!
I gotta clean up that job site.
No, look, sorry, I shouldn't have said that.
Yeah.
Jonah, wait! [sighs]
It's not like I was accusing him.
Sounds like it was.
You weren't there.
No, which is too bad
because that would've been interesting.
[Mandy sighs]
I did go over the store with a fine-tooth comb
and couldn't find the coin either.
You sure he didn't take it?
I don't know.
Wait, do you think he took it?
No.
I'm totally frazzled and not thinking straight.
What do I do?
About the coin or Jonah?
Both.
Well, to start, maybe apologize.
I tried.
He was upset, understandably so.
Yeah, I get that.
I hurt him though.
And it helped having the extra set of eyes and ears
for the letter and the yearbooks, yearbooks.
What about them?
I was supposed to return them to the librarian.
She is not gonna be happy with me.
I'm sure she'll be fine.
I don't even have all the books.
[fist knocking]
Hi.
I realized I never returned the yearbooks today
back to the schools, I've just finished my part.
Did you find anything?
No, the librarian at Everett High
was especially anxious, I should get those back to her.
I think you have those ones?
I haven't finished yet.
I'm driving by the high school for work tomorrow,
so I can drop 'em off.
You don't have to do that.
It's fine.
Okay, thanks.
Well, my food's probably burning up on the stove,
so I've gotta go.
Right, see you later.
Yeah.
Those are late.
I know, we're really sorry.
She promised.
Yeah, well, it took longer
to go through than we thought.
I actually have a few more I need to go through.
Do you mind if I just sit down while I finish?
I have a class coming in here soon.
I'll go as fast as I can.
Fine, but make sure your cell phone is off.
You got it.
[bell ringing]
[cheerful music]
Victor Franklin.
What are you doing?
Going over the war records again.
Maybe you're putting too much pressure
on yourself with this thing?
I am not giving up.
I know, but finding Judith could be special any time.
You should stop so you can enjoy Christmas.
I am, I ordered myself something online last night.
It'll arrive Christmas Eve.
Yeah, that's the spirit.
It's not a bad thing to stay busy anyway.
It is when you're trying to distract yourself
from the real problem.
I keep thinking maybe there is something
that I have missed.
I don't know, something in the letter perhaps. [sighs]
Gabby?
What?
I need a flashlight.
Um, here.
What is it?
[uplifting music]
[Mandy sighs]
It was here!
Okay, when I checked everywhere,
I guess I missed that spot.
Me too.
Guess that means Jonah really is in the clear.
[Mandy sighs]
Jonah!
Hi.
Hi, thanks for meeting me here.
I have something to show you.
Yeah.
It fell in the floor vent.
Glad you found it.
Me too.
I never should've suggested
you had anything to do with it being lost.
I took the books back to Everett High School.
Merry Christmas, Mandy.
What's this?
"Mrs. Reeves, our favorite English teacher
"with Senior Victor Franklin
"and his cousin, Sophomore Judith Lewis."
[Mandy sighs]
So it has to be her, what's next then?
I find everything I can on Judith Lewis.
Great, how?
Her father, you don't have plans tonight, do you?
Well, no, but I was--
Great, come on over and I'll make us dinner.
Lucky me.
♪ Silent night, holy night ♪
Have you seen these war records?
All these soldiers.
I know, it reminds me of Judith and her family,
the Christmas that she wrote the letter.
Oh, here's a Lewis.
Really, I just found one too!
Paul Lewis.
Nathan Lewis.
Okay, I guess I shouldn't be surprised
that there is more than one Lewis.
Should we make a pile?
Yes.
I didn't think you'd get this far.
I wouldn't have, not without Jonah at least,
and you of course.
Of course.
It was nice of him to give you what he found.
Yeah.
Are you mad at him?
No, it's more the other way around.
I think I let it become too much.
It?
Our relationship, friendship,
acquaintances, really.
He was just a nice stranger
who helped me for a little while.
Nice-looking stranger.
Does it matter?
Depends on how you feel.
It's out of my control.
He has his life, and I have mine.
And they're not going in the same direction anymore.
And besides, it's Christmas!
We should focus on that.
Oh, and this,
found another one, Colin Lewis.
Hey, Jonah, how are you?
Good, thanks, moving along well here.
Can hardly wait to clean up all the dust.
Yeah, it gets frustrating I'm sure.
Well, as eager as I am
to see the church back in operation,
make sure you get some rest, okay, enjoy Christmas.
I will, thanks.
Oh, this is for you.
What's this?
It's the balance of what I owe you for your work.
I'm not done, you don't have to--
I know, I figured you could use it.
I, uh, thank you.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, Pastor, how did you know?
A beautiful angel told me.
[gentle music]
"This is one of the few spy novels I've read.
"It's a first edition, which seems less impressive
"since it was published just a couple of years ago.
"It's not my usual vintage find, but I loved it.
"I hope you will too, Mandy."
Merry Christmas, what can I do for you?
Hi, I am trying to track down a woman named Judith Lewis,
would've been born in the late 1930s.
Oh, I remember you.
Yep, I've made progress though.
I know her dad is one of these men.
Well, is she deceased?
I don't know, could we check for a birth record?
No, that's private information reserved
for family members, which I assume you are not.
What else could I look for to narrow down who she is?
Please, this is a matter of at least sentimental importance.
Well, you could look up a marriage license,
if you know the father's name,
they list that on the records.
Even if he is deceased at the time of the marriage?
Yep, better hurry though, we're closing early today
and then we don't reopen until the 26th.
What do we do?
[cheerful music]
All right, I'm narrowing the search to marriages
in the 1950s to '70s.
Give me the name of the first father.
Paul Lewis.
He's listed under the marriages of two children,
Dorothy and Samuel.
Nope, try Nathan Lewis next.
Father of Joan.
Any other children?
Nope, give me another.
Okay, Donald Lewis died in 1942.
Nothing under that name.
Okay, try Colin Lewis next.
He's listed under one marriage for Judith Lewis.
Really, Judith Lewis?
Married in 1957 to William Cross.
You want a copy of this?
[Mandy gasps]
You gonna pass out or something?
No, no, I am fine,
and yes, I would love a copy!
[bell jingling]
Oh, excuse me, merry Christmas.
I found her.
Seriously?
Yep, her dad is Colin, her mother is Ruth,
and Judith married a William Cross; it's her.
You're sure?
I checked all the Lewis soldiers just to be safe,
and she's the only one.
And she's still alive?
I even asked the clerk for a possible death certificate
for Judith, and there is none.
The clerk was about to toss me out by the time I left,
I think she had an office Christmas party to get to.
Wow, this is her.
I know.
So Judith Cross, you just have to find her.
Yeah.
It's the 23rd of December.
I know, I have a lot of work to do.
Guess that means you could use some help
till closing time?
Is that okay?
I would've made up an excuse if it wasn't.
You are the best!
I will be at home.
I'll come over after I close up here.
Thank you!
No, it's okay, it sounds like I have the wrong Judith Cross.
Thanks for chatting though.
Okay, buh-bye. [groans]
How many more?
Keeping it within the county, I'm looking at three more.
Beyond that, well, let's just hope she's like most people
in the area and loves it here.
So when you find her--
Oh, I like how optimistic you are now!
Are you gonna tell Jonah about her?
Would you?
Yeah.
I want to, I'll agonize over that
after I've found the right Judith Cross.
Ugh, voicemail.
Hi, I'm Mandy, I'm looking for Judith Cross.
I found something that belongs to her,
but I'm not sure if I have the right person.
If you could call me back,
I would really appreciate it, thank you.
What are you doing for Christmas Eve tomorrow?
I think I'm just gonna have a quiet night to myself,
maybe watch a movie, actually use the fireplace.
Sounds cozy.
And Christmas Day?
Maybe I'll make it a movie marathon that day too.
You could come hang out with me and my family.
You do not have to do that.
I'm just saying you might want a break and some company.
I'm pathetic, aren't I?
I purposely did not say that!
This is the first time you've held back,
that's how I know it's a sympathy invitation.
Fine, but promise me,
if you feel like it, you'll come over?
Okay, thank you.
[gentle music] [birds chirping]
[phone buzzing]
Hello?
Hi, we got a call from this number
about something that belongs to my mother?
Your mother, is she Judith Cross?
Yes.
Hi, yes, thank you for calling me back.
[dramatic cheerful music]
[gentle music]
[Mandy sighs]
[phone ringing]
Hey, Mom.
Merry Christmas Eve!
Are you ready for Christmas?
Me, you're the one doing all the work.
I can't tell you how nice it is
not to worry about cooking this year.
Yeah, well, you just relax.
I have everything planned.
Good, now don't forget
to thaw the turkey in advance, or the ham.
What are we having?
Ham, and I'll make sure that it's thawed and warm
by the time you get here.
Is your friend still coming?
Um, I'm not sure.
She may have had something come up.
Come up?
It's Christmas.
Yeah, well, you don't have to worry about that.
You just drive safely and I'll see you here tomorrow.
All right now, love you.
Love you too.
[phone beeps]
[somber music]
Oh!
Mandy.
Sorry, I was about to knock.
I wasn't expecting you.
No, no, I just thought I would stop by.
Here, I thought maybe you could use this for tomorrow.
Wow, thank you.
I was-- I--
Sorry, go ahead.
Well, the pastor at the church,
he paid me ahead of schedule.
I was wondering if?
That was you.
Sorry, shouldn't have meddled.
It was the best thing I could think to do
to make things better.
Thank you.
Well, it was the pastor.
Thanks for caring though.
I found Judith.
Oh, you did?
Yeah, I'm on my way there now.
I thought maybe you'd like to come with?
Well, I've got some last-minute Christmas errands
I really need to--
Yeah, of course.
I just thought I'd check.
Do you want me to come?
Yes, I do.
I didn't tell you everything
that I put in my letter to Santa.
What do you mean?
Well, I asked that I would find Judith,
but I also asked that you and I
could give her the letter together.
Well, let me put this in the fridge.
All right, you ready?
[fist knocking]
Yes?
Hi, I'm Mandy, we spoke on the phone.
Oh yes, my mom, she just took my kids
down to the town square for the tree lighting.
I tried to stop her, but I didn't wanna give away why.
Should we wait here?
I don't know how long they'll be.
If you don't mind, I'm sure they're easy to find.
[dramatic Christmas music]
Her daughter said she was wearing
a dark blue coat with a pink scarf.
Hmm, okay.
How about right there?
No pink scarf.
Yeah.
How about, no.
[Mandy chuckles]
Well, come on, let's go look over here.
Okay.
Maybe we should split up?
Yeah, good idea.
Okay.
["We Wish You A Merry Christmas"]
Hmm.
Good evening, everyone.
In just 15 minutes we'll have
our grand Christmas Eve tree lighting ceremony.
[crowd applauding]
Any luck?
No, you?
No.
Could we have missed her?
I don't know, it is getting cold out.
Maybe they went back early?
Wait, look!
Have you seen him?
Yeah. He was right
over there somewhere.
Okay, let's just go.
Live reindeer.
Let's go!
[boy laughs]
Excuse me, are you Judith Cross?
Yes, yes I am.
[joyful music]
Why don't the two of you find something warm to drink, okay?
All right. Okay, thank you, Grandma!
Be right back! [Judith laughing]
So you're Mandy?
Yes, and this is Jonah.
We have been looking for you
to return something that's yours.
[gentle music]
What's this?
Christmas isn't until tomorrow, you know.
I couldn't wait till then.
Please, go ahead and open it.
All right then, well, don't tell my grandchildren,
they'll wanna open up everything tonight.
You know, kids, no matter what age they are,
they're excited for presents.
[Mandy and Jonah chuckle]
When you were a young girl,
do you remember writing letters to Santa?
Sure, I wrote many.
And there was this one time when you wrote to him,
not to ask something for yourself,
but for him to give a gift to someone else?
My father!
[gasps] Victor's book.
Jonah and I came across the book,
and this letter was inside it.
Oh! [chuckles]
Oh, look at my handwriting!
As soon as I read it,
I knew it was something you'd want back.
Oh.
And the coin too.
I found this silver dollar after my father died.
I knew he would love it for his collection.
I missed him so much.
I thought that if anyone could give it to my father,
it would be Santa.
Well, it's worth a decent amount of money now.
You're gonna wanna keep that safe.
Thank you!
This is so amazing, oh.
[Judith, Jonah, and Mandy chuckling]
"Dear Santa,
"I have been good all year,
"and tried to help my mother.
"I know we won't have much for Christmas.
"That is just fine by me, but could you help me?
"I found a coin I think my father would like.
"He died in the war though.
"For Christmas this year, could my present
"be you giving this to my father?
"He liked collecting these.
"I miss him,
"and I know he would love it."
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
We welcome you all out
to this special Christmas Eve tree lighting ceremony.
We're so proud of our community
and look forward to spending this special time with you.
Thank you for bringing me with you.
This wouldn't have happened without you.
I think you would've found a way.
You believed in this and how special it was.
You wouldn't have given up.
I don't know,
but it was certainly better having you involved.
Well, maybe faster.
More fun.
I don't think the librarian would agree.
Oh!
Why did you volunteer to help me that day at the church?
Nobody would've given that letter
a second thought like you did.
They might've thrown it away,
told a friend about it as a cute story,
gotten rich off the coin, but not you.
Not you either.
And no one else would've helped me.
Yeah they would have,
if they saw what I see in you.
It's the time you've all been waiting for!
Now count down with me as we light our glorious tree!
[crowd cheering]
Do you wanna know what I put in my letter to Santa?
What?
I asked for you to love me.
Five, four,
three, two, one! [cheering]
Merry Christmas, everyone!
[crowd cheering]
Looks like we both got our Christmas wishes.
Merry Christmas.
You still coming to my house for dinner tomorrow night?
I would love to.
Good.
Have you even started on any of the recipes yet?
I haven't even gone to the grocery store.
At least we have pie.
[triumphant Christmas music]
[gentle cheerful music]