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Here you go!
Happy holidays!
I've been waiting for you all day!
Oh!
I wasn't sure when you'd get in.
Oh, I'm so happy to be home, Grandma.
I have hot apple cider on the stove and plenty of rum.
Oh, that sounds amazing!
- I'm so happy you're here. - Me too.
How on earth was Cecilia able to give you so much time off
from the store at Christmas?
I didn't want to worry you, so I didn't say anything.
But she's decided to close the shop
and move everything online.
I'm so sorry.
Do you have another job?
No.
But Cecilia is paying me through the end of January,
so I got a little time to figure it out.
You can send out a bunch of resumes while you're here.
You'll have a new job before Santa swoops down the chimney.
I hope so.
I know that I want to do something that helps people.
I just■
I don't know what that is yet.
Hmm■
What?
Nothing.
I'm just proud of you.
Your mom and dad would have been proud of you too.
I wish they were here.
You and Grandpa gave me everything
I could have ever needed.
Mmm!
I love you.
I love you too, baby girl.
I'll get it!
- Hi! - Hello!
I'm a reporter with National Weekly magazine.
And I'm a happy subscriber since 1982.
- Oh. - Yeah, come in.
Thank you.
Adrian Langley.
- Vanita Maxwell. - Pleasure.
Didn't you write that article
about the contaminated water in the Trinity River?
I did.
I'm very proud of that one, actually.
It won a United Journalists award.
You helped save a lot of animals
and stopped that company from hurting anyone else.
That's my granddaughter, Natasha.
Hi, Natasha.
Uh, but I came here to talk to you, Mrs. Maxwell.
I'm writing an article about your town's mystery giver,
and I was told that you are the person to speak to
if I want to know anything about Round Top history.
That's the Candy Cane Santa.
Now, I did run the reference section
at the library for 25 years,
but I probably can't help much.
Oh.
What?
Since when do you pass up a bibliophilic challenge?
Please.
Take no offense, Mr. Langley,
but no one in Round Top would give away our Santa,
even if we knew who he or she was.
And part of the magic is it could be any of us.
All right.
Well, um, what about you?
Do you have any inside information?
I don't live in Round Top.
That's too bad.
Well, if either of you see anything or hear anything
or stumble across any clues that you'd be willing to share,
please give me a call.
Here is my business card.
Good luck, Mr. Langley.
Thank you.
Oh. I'll let myself out.
We get one of these reporters every few years.
Everyone wants to know who it is.
I think they should just leave well enough alone.
Hey, Bill.
Yeah, I'm on it.
But I haven't had a lot of luck getting people to give me any information.
Seems like the people of Round Top
want to keep their mystery giver a secret.
Yeah, I will.
As long as you keep your end of the deal
and make me associate editor
if I break this story before Christmas.
Yes, I know. And we had to wait for her.
- Yes! - It was hilarious.
Natasha!
I get first dibs on her.
Hi!
Oh, I missed you. So good to see you.
Oh, my goodness!
That picture you posted of you, Rick and the kids
at the basketball game last week?
Little James isn't so little anymore.
Oh, I know.
He eats literally everything
that isn't nailed down in the house.
- Sounds like us. - Yeah.
Come sit.
Right here.
- Our old table. - I know!
Like old times.
So, how long are you in town for?
Um, maybe a few weeks.
I'm not sure. It's a little open-ended.
Well, since you're here early, we get to celebrate in person.
What are we celebrating?
Well, I just found out that I'll be taking over
for Principal Gibson when she retires next year.
Oh my gosh, that's incredible!
I didn't even know you'd applied.
Yes, and Kelly was just named highest-selling realtor
in the entire county.
- Second year in a row. - Second year in a row!
That's incredible!
I wish I had some exciting news to share,
but you'll just have to be satisfied
with my winning smile.
You know we are.
Oh, before I forget, Grandma invited you both over for pie.
We have the charity guild meeting.
Oh, you should come, actually.
Everyone would love to see you!
- OK. - We're discussing the Dawsons.
Their stove went out.
Sabrina's been cooking on a hot plate for 5 kids.
- Five kids? - Yeah.
Well, hopefully our Candy Cane Santa comes through.
- Thank you. - Thank you!
Thanks. Well■
Cheers to us and to the Candy Cane Santa,
whoever they may be.
Cheers!
Nobody's lived in that house for 30 years.
Natasha, right?
The librarian's granddaughter?
That's me.
Almost didn't recognize you outside of your reindeer pajamas.
Uh, all right, well, if nobody lives here,
then who keeps up the house?
The grandkids are trying to figure out
what to do with the money if they sell it,
but they're not monsters,
so they keep the place looking nice.
I thought you said you weren't from Round Top.
I said I don't live in Round Top.
But I grew up here.
I mean, it seems like you still have the lay of the land.
Not much changes in Round Top.
Are you gonna knock on every door in town?
That does not seem very efficient.
No, not every door.
Just the people who have received gifts from the mystery giver.
They delivered a ping pong table here, apparently, in 1990.
Heard of it?
So, out of all the people
who have tried to figure it out over the years,
what makes you think that you're going to figure out
who our Santa is?
'Cause I don't quit■
til I get what I'm after.
Well, good luck with that.
Thank you.
Just a warning.
You see that green house down the street with poinsettias on the porch?
Uh-huh.
That's old Bertie Silvertooth's.
And he has the meanest Chihuahua that has ever lived.
So, if you value your ankles,
you will steer clear of his place.
Duly noted.
Thanks!
I have something I want to show you.
Oh, this isn't where you break out the photo album
and you make me relive every questionable haircut I've ever had, is it?
No.
I would have shown this to you yesterday.
But when you told me about your job,
I wanted to give you a chance to relax and settle in.
Is this going to make me cry?
It's nothing bad.
I'll let Grandpa explain it himself.
I remember seeing this when I was little.
Grandpa used to keep it locked in the top drawer
of his writing desk.
I always wondered what made it so important.
Is this what I think it is?
Your grandpa was very organized.
He wrote down every single gift he gave away in that book.
So■
Grandpa was the Candy Cane Santa?
How?
He was very good at being sneaky.
It took you years to figure out he was the tooth fairy.
Oh, the Watsons!
They got the refrigerator. I remember that.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, and Mrs. Fogarty.
She got that ticket to visit her son at the army base.
Mm-hmm.
He also wrote you this.
I know it's a lot to take in.
Yeah.
A whole lot.
Let me give you some time to read Grandpa's letter.
You don't have to decide tonight.
Decide?
It's all in there.
My dearest Natasha,
if you're reading this, it means you now know my secret.
I started the Candy Cane Santa tradition
the very first Christmas you came to live with us.
I was feeling so sad without your mother.
I suppose I needed a way to remind myself
that there were still little miracles in the world.
So I decided to become Santa,
a small way to bring some happiness
to struggling families who needed it most.
I've left you everything you need o keep the tradition going.
Round Top still needs a little magic in its stockings.
And now, that magic is you.
Merry Christmas, Natasha.
With all my love, Grandpa.
Good morning!
Good morning.
What time did you get in from your walk last night?
Pretty late.
Grandpa gave me a lot to think about.
I want you to know that no matter what,
this is your decision.
Grandpa hoped you'd want to take over for him,
but the thing he wanted most of all
was for you to be happy.
Now, there's another way to look at it.
You said you've been trying to figure out
what you could do in life to help people.
Maybe you can use this as inspiration.
Yeah.
How did Grandpa pay for all those gifts?
He was always good at saving and investing.
And he would put in a little something more whenever he could.
The point is, the money is there.
This is Grandpa's legacy.
Like, what if I mess it up?
He believed in you completely.
And so do I.
I really want to make him proud of me.
Oh, baby girl.
You couldn't make him any prouder of you
than he already was.
Can I borrow your truck to drive to Beaufort?
Sure. Why?
Grandpa said in his notes
that he usually bought the gifts from out of town
so he didn't get caught.
Kelly did say the Dawsons need a stove.
Yeah, I know the deadline for the holiday special edition
is December 15th.
I'm asking for a little leeway.
Give me a chance to crack this.
I really think I can figure out who the mystery giver is.
I, um■
I met someone who knows Round Top
and may not be fully invested in keeping it secret, so■
OK.
Thank you, Bill.
Oh, I haven't seen this hour of the night in 20 years.
I won't tell the ladies at the knitting club.
- OK? - Yeah.
Come on.
OK■
How did Grandpa do this all by himself?
I have no idea. He never even woke me when he left the bed.
He said it gave me plausible deniability.
OK.
Ready?
Here goes nothing.
Yeah, yeah, oh!
Oh, it's perfect!
Shhh!
Oh!
OK■
I just came out to get the paper this morning, and here it was!
No note or anything,
just a candy cane hanging on the front door!
The Candy Cane Santa is back!
Uh, hi. Mrs. Dawson. Hi.
I'm Adrian Langley, a reporter with National Weekly magazine.
Oh! Are we going to be in the magazine?
I'm writing an article
about the identity of the mystery giver, the Candy Cane Santa.
I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions.
Well, I've seen it happen to other people,
but I had no idea we'd ever be visited.
Um, did you hear anything suspicious last night?
No, nothing.
Oh, well, we did hear the dog barking next door,
but he'll bark at a bee on a honeysuckle,
so we didn't think anything of it.
It's a pretty big stove.
Surely, you heard somebody moving around out here, no?
Honestly, my youngest is forever leaving food out
for the neighborhood cats,
so something scrambling on the porch isn't anything unusual.
Did they leave any clues behind,
like a, I don't know, footprint or a personal item, anything?
Amy!
Don't you dare try and cut your little brother's hair!
Hey! Hey!
Grandma, I'm headed to the charity guild meeting!
Be back in a few hours.
OK, have fun!
You know you don't have to sneak around outside the house.
My grandma does let me talk to boys.
Oh, I could say the same thing to you.
Spying on me? I saw you in the crowd.
I was not spying.
I was being a concerned citizen, thank you very much.
What's your excuse?
It's a reporter's job to keep an eye on said concerned citizens.
Thank you very much.
- Oh, is it? - Yes.
I find it's the best way to get answers
to my burning questions.
And what questions would those be, Mr. Langley?
Oh, the article?
Oh, yeah.
Do you know anything about this?
Yeah.
It's a candy cane. They're delicious.
You should try one sometime.
I know it's a candy cane,
but have you ever seen
this particular kind of candy cane before?
Is there anything about it that you recognize
that might set it apart?
I feel like this is a trick question.
It's just a normal candy cane.
I'm trying to find the company.
It might be a good lead.
It could literally be from anywhere.
It's my only physical clue.
I could guess with you all day,
but I'm on my way to a meeting.
I'll just take it to the store
and do a side-by-side comparison.
Actually, you know what?
Why don't you leave it with me?
I'll look at it later, and maybe it'll jog my memory.
OK.
But be really careful with it.
I'll guard it with my life.
I really do have to go.
But I promise I'll look over the evidence.
And I promise I'll be back.
Hey!
I'm sorry I'm so late.
I got waylaid at my front door.
By a salesman?
Not quite.
Gosh!
I used to hate it when my grandparents would drag me to these things,
and now I'm a willing volunteer.
Well, everyone's all atwitter that the Candy Cane Santa's back,
so we've completely run off course.
- You haven't missed a single thing. - Yeah.
I took it for granted, you know,
how nice it is to be a part of a community.
Well, you are happily welcomed back.
- I saved you a seat. - Do your thing.
Thank you.
Welcome, ladies and gents.
I know we're all very excited that our Santa's back in action,
but let's get down to business, shall we?
Let's start with the Holiday Bazaar.
We want to make this one the best yet.
Last year, we raised $4,500,
and I am certain we can beat that this year.
Whoo!
Though we still have a few stragglers
who haven't signed up for their booth assignments yet.
You know who you are.
Gary.
Yeah, Gary!
Next on the agenda, well,
we'd planned to vote on issuing funds
to purchase a new stove for the Dawson family,
but our Santa has graciously beat us to it.
Whoo-hoo!
A such, are there any other needs in the community
that our members would like to bring forward?
Allison.
I'm sure you're all aware of the Wilsons.
Their first baby came 8 weeks early,
and I'm happy to report
that she is finally home from the hospital.
- That is such good news! - Mm-hmm.
But with the surprise and the medical bills,
they haven't had a chance to set up the nursery.
Maybe we could pitch in for a crib and changing table?
That's a great thought!
A crib, changing table■
Yeah, Gary.
Yeah, my aunt's cousin-in-law, Toby Waters,
he broke his foot working on a roof.
He's in construction,
and he hasn't been able to work in nearly a month.
Aunt Debbie says they're short on cash
and they can't afford the bicycles
to give to their kids this Christmas.
That's a lovely idea.
Anyone else?
What's that?
This is my version of the ledger.
How wonderful.
Oh■
You can't spy through the phone.
Right.
Hello?
Sure. She's right here.
Hang on.
Hello?
Hi.
It's Adrian.
Hello? Natasha?
Did I lose you?
Nope. I'm here.
What's up?
Oh, hey.
Have you made any progress with the candy cane?
Oh, I haven't had a chance to look.
- Oh. - But I will.
Um, you know how everything's so busy around the holidays.
Everything's just such a red and green blur.
Yeah.
Well, um■
What are you■
What are you up to right now?
Just hanging with my grandma.
All right, well, what do you say we meet up
and look at the candy cane together?
That doesn't really sound like a two-person job.
Yeah, you're right.
And we barely know the candy cane.
We should at least take it to a nice dinner first.
What?
If we wine and dine the candy cane,
maybe it'll be more willing to give up its info.
That sounds like a date.
I--I don't think that's a very good idea.
Oh, no, no, no.
I'm taking the candy cane to dinner.
You are just the chaperone.
Um, maybe we could do something a bit more casual.
All right.
Uh, what do you have in mind?
Meet me at the town square at 7:00 p.m.,
and I'll show you a little piece of Round Top history.
OK.
I'll see you at 7:00.
Isn't that fraternizing with the enemy?
Keep your friends close.
Keep your enemies closer.
Hi!
Welcome.
Thank you.
All right, now that we're here,
are we supposed to exchange code names or something?
Hmm. Yeah, your code name is Nosy Reporter.
Oh, all right.
Yours is Shady Informant.
I brought you here tonight to show you the gift-zebo.
The what?
In 1932, during the Great Depression,
most people in town didn't have enough money for gifts,
but almost everyone had a talent or a skill to share.
So, the citizens of Round Top built this gazebo
with donated time and materials,
and on Christmas Eve, they had a concert here.
And they sang and shared stories,
and it was a gift for everyone.
A gift-zebo.
A gift-zebo■
Sounds like the people of Round Top
have always been generous at Christmas time.
Yeah, they're generous all year.
It's a sweet story,
but what does it have to do with the mystery giver?
It just goes to show that it could be anyone.
Maybe it's more than one person.
Maybe it's all of us.
So don't be disappointed if you don't figure it out.
Oh!
Is that a challenge?
Oh, look.
What?
Come on!
Hey, Holden! Two mulled wines, please.
Thank you.
I got it.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Uh, let me show you around.
Everyone does up their windows really nice.
All right.
Oh, I took a look at your candy cane.
Oh.
It looks like it was made
at a mom and pop shop a few towns south of here.
Great. What's the name of it?
It went out of business a few years ago,
so you must have found back stock or something.
Think we could talk to the people who used to run the company?
That is Greenwood Jewelers.
As you can see, they fancy the sparkly.
Cute. Hey, if you give me the name, I'll give them a call.
This is Barnaby's Drugstore.
They have the best theme every year.
Mr. Barnaby's wife keeps it a secret all year long.
If you don't remember the name, it's OK.
I can just look it up online.
Oh, this is my favorite part. They're free.
Thank you.
Here you go.
Oh.
Thank you.
Thank you!
I mean, Round Top definitely wins the award
for friendliest town in the world, right?
Yeah, it's a great place to live.
OK, then why'd you leave?
I moved back here when I was 5.
My grandparents raised me after my parents passed away.
Car accident.
Oh.
I'm so sorry.
Thank you.
It was a long time ago.
Anyway, after high school, I moved out of town,
went to college, started working.
The rest is history.
Not the most exciting of life stories,
but I'm working on that.
That makes two of us.
Hey, do you have a master plan?
Hardly.
But I would like to leave my mark.
This will be nice for you.
I'm sure your hotel room could use some holiday cheer.
Yeah, life on the road
definitely does not include holiday decorations.
Do you have to travel all the time?
Right now I'm a freelance reporter, so yeah.
But I'm working on getting an associate editor position at the magazine,
and that would allow me to slow things down quite a bit.
And learning the identity of our Santa
would open that door for you?
Go a long way.
Hmm.
Uh, here, you can have both of them.
We already have some poinsettias, so double dose of holiday cheer.
I--I should get going.
I have a date with my grandma to watch a Christmas movie, so■
Wait!
Can I see you again?
Like, really soon?
It's a small town, Adrian.
We're bound to bump into each other.
Bless my soul! Who's this?
Sorry I'm late!
It is I, your uncle Scrooge.
Did you give him a dose of subterfuge?
I actually think he believed me about the candy cane.
Come sit with me. I want all the details.
I can't. I just came to get ready for the delivery.
Santa rides again.
- Do you need any help? - Ah, no.
I should be OK on this one.
I'll drive anyway.
If I had known how much fun this was,
I would have joined Grandpa years ago.
OK.
I can't thank you guys enough for helping me out.
I think I bit off a bit more than I can chew.
I can chew these just fine.
Quit that! I haven't counted if we have enough yet.
Speaking of, I think I need about 150
for the booth at the Bazaar.
60 more to go.
No, no, make it that 61.
You are a bad child.
It's called quality control. OK?
Um, I want some coffee. Does anybody else want some?
I'll take a little.
Make that a double, please.
We need to find a way to get Natasha
to stay in Round Top permanently, Vanita.
I'm trying!
You know I can hear you.
That's the point.
We love you. We want you to stay.
Yeah, unlike those strays you used to date.
She has dated some stinkers, hasn't she?
Ha ha ha.
Let's stop talking about my nonexistent love life, please.
- There you go. - Thank you.
Hey! Natasha.
Hey!
Adrian!
Fancy seeing you right here this exact second right now.
I was just following up on a lead.
Probably another dead end, right?
That's got to be so frustrating.
Well, actually, this one's pretty good.
I mean, it's already the 17th, right?
When is your deadline?
Are you gonna cancel the article if you don't find the Santa in time?
My editor gave me an extension.
Sounds like you have a really understanding boss.
Yeah, he really believes in the story.
I hate to cut our conversation short,
but I'm headed out of town and I'm running late.
Where are you headed to?
To see my cousin in Avondale.
My lead's in Avondale.
Wow!
Yeah, somebody thought they recognized the baby crib
from the store over there.
What? I haven't heard of any baby stores in Avondale.
Yeah.
Hey, can I get a ride with you?
I'll buy you lunch.
I'm supposed to go to lunch with my cousin,
so she's only expecting me.
It would probably be rude to bring a plus one.
All right. You could drop me off while you visit.
It doesn't make sense for both of us to drive.
You save gas, and plus, it's good for the environment.
What do you say?
I guess I can't argue with that.
OK. Awesome.
Would you look at that?
There is a baby store in Avondale.
Finally.
I didn't know you could get so lost in such a small town.
Yeah, but you absolutely refused to give up, didn't you?
I will literally do anything for a story.
Ah!
Oh, what? The store is closed.
Maybe forever.
I guess we'll never find out if your lead was right.
Well, at least you still have lunch with your cousin, right?
I think someone is texting me.
Oh! Oh no.
My cousin said she's come down with the flu.
I guess we came all the way out here for nothing.
Not for nothing.
I guess that means I get to take you out for lunch.
Smooth.
Let me guess, you are a reporter
with a girl in every port, right?
Actually, I usually find relationships
to be a distraction.
Oh.
So if I'm going to get to know someone,
it really has to be worth it.
We should go if we're going to beat the lunch rush.
All right.
Hey, baby girl!
Hey.
What's got you in a tizzy?
I ran into Adrian on the way to Avondale,
and he wanted to come with me
because someone recognized where the baby crib was from.
So now, Avondale is off our sneaky Santa shopping list.
Well, what did you do?
I panicked, and I told him that I was seeing my cousin.
You don't have any cousins in Avondale.
Exactly.
Do you think he suspects anything?
I think he suspects I'm a little bit crazy.
And I didn't even get the bicycles that I went there for.
And you've got until Christmas Eve for that.
Don't worry.
Do you think they have any bicycle stores in Brady?
I'm sure they do.
But put your phone down
and tell me more about your adventures
with Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome.
Grandma?
Whoa, I'm old.
I'm not blind.
So, did you guys hear anything outside
when the boots were dropped off?
No?
Did you see anybody drop them off?
Nobody?
Hmm■
Did you ask for the boots?
No?
All right.
Oh, I missed this!
I'm going to join my knitting club girls.
Will you be all right?
I will try to stay out of trouble.
Delicious.
Is that supposed to be a reindeer or an ice skater?
If you look at that red part right there,
I think it's supposed to be the tip of the elf's hat, but■
- Oh. - What does purple mean?
I do not know.
Art is complicated.
Yeah.
Are you having fun?
Ah, I'm a little bit disoriented, to be honest.
I could use some bazaar pointers if you've got any.
OK, the trick is to get in line early
for the eggnog lattes,
because sometimes, they run out of nutmeg.
Uh, well, what are we waiting for?
- Exactly. - Yeah.
I'm buying, since you got lunch.
All right.
So, does it feel strange being back here?
Two, please.
Uh, that's a good question.
Honestly, I thought that I was going to be bored out of my mind
coming home for Christmas.
Thank you.
But I can't remember the last time I was■
this happy.
I expected Round Top to be mind-numbingly dull, but■
I'm just being honest.
But it's got a real Norman Rockwell thing
going on around here.
- Consider me charmed. - Hmm.
Well, it's probably just a case of the Christmas spirit.
Come January, it'll fade,
and you will be itching for the big city life again.
If, when, I solve this mystery,
I'll have more freedom to work from wherever I want.
What if you don't?
Don't jinx it.
Sorry.
What about you?
Do you see yourself ever moving back here?
It is the perfect place to raise a family.
Is that what you want?
Hmm?
To get married and raise a family?
I mean, that's not all I want.
But yeah, one day, with the right guy.
I promised Allison that I would visit her booth.
Want to join?
Yeah.
Merry Christmas,
and welcome to the best table at this year's Holiday Bazaar.
Ah yes, two popcorn balls, please.
Coming right up.
Hey, Allison. I'm Adrian. Nice to meet you.
The reporter!
Had any luck with the article?
Oh, today is just about fun, Allison.
No shop talk.
Oh. I didn't realize you two were out on a date.
No, no, we're not on a date.
Natasha's just thanking me for taking her out for lunch.
Which I didn't think that was a date either.
I mean, it totally could have potentially been a date.
No, it couldn't have been,
because we agreed that would be a really bad idea.
I didn't agree to anything, actually.
What?
Is everyone having fun?
Adrian, this is Kelly.
It is her first year chairing the committee,
and it's a huge deal.
You organized this whole thing? That's amazing.
Oh, thank you. Yeah.
The money raised provides for the community year round.
Yeah, it would be wonderful if we had a benevolent Easter Bunny
or a Fourth of July fairy,
but the charity guild tries to fill in the gaps
when our Santa isn't here.
Imagine if you knew who it was.
You could thank them after all these years.
Oh, I don't think so.
Why not?
I mean, we all know that the Candy Cane Santa
isn't truly magical,
but not knowing helps us pretend.
Why would we ever want to take that away?
Uh, we'll get out of your hair.
- See you guys later? - Yeah.
- Enjoy! - Have fun.
They make a cute couple, don't they?
Positively adorable.
Ah, ha ha!
Caught you under the mistletoe!
Oh, I forgot about this.
Forgot about what?
The mistletoe man.
The who?
Ah■
When the mistletoe man catches you under the mistletoe,
if you don't kiss, you get naughty listed,
and you have to go sit in the timeout benches for 20 minutes.
Ah■
It's a big deal here, but, I mean, we don't have to do it.
We can just go sit.
I mean, I'd hate to miss a whole 20 minutes of the Bazaar.
Nice save, huh?
Yeah.
Quick thinking.
Guys.
Oof!
I can't believe you bought another afghan.
Yeah, I did.
That was really, really fun.
The Bazaar?
Or spending time with Mr. Langley?
Is it really that obvious?
If it's any comfort, I can tell he feels the same way.
But it's not. It's not.
I cannot get caught up with a guy.
Especially this guy.
Why not?
I've been lying to him since the day we met.
Oh, baby girl■
Wake up, sleepyhead!
Did you lose a shoe?
Try having three kids.
I once found one of their flip-flops
in an egg carton in the fridge.
Gross.
Yeah, I'm always losing things.
I really shouldn't be so messy.
Nice accessory.
Did you forget?
No.
I didn't forget.
Forget what?
You promised to help me deliver
my mom's famous bourbon cakes today.
Right, right.
You wouldn't deny a delicious Christmas tradition
to the people of Round Top, would you?
Never.
Just give me enough time to brush my teeth,
and then we can go.
And maybe throw on some outside clothes while you're at it?
What? This isn't festive enough for you?
Yeah, it's festive enough, all right, but it might not keep you warm.
Is Kelly coming?
No, she has an open house this morning.
And little Kylie, who's supposed to sing
Joy to the World at the pageant,
is complaining about a sore throat.
Kelly thinks it's probably nerves,
but she's taking her to the doctor just in case.
Moms are superheroes.
Well, um, this superhero hasn't had her morning coffee yet,
and her cape is starting to sag.
Do you think your grandma could spare a cup?
Oh, I hope so. Will you get me some, too, please?
- Yes. - Just cream, no sugar.
- As you wish. - Oh, thank you.
Where's your coffee?
Your grandma said she would make some
and told me to wait here.
OK, uh, I'll go check on her.
Come here, come here.
We have a problem.
What? What is it?
The special delivery you were waiting for came early.
They weren't supposed to deliver to the house.
They were supposed to call for pickup.
Clearly, someone didn't get that memo.
Where is it? Did Allison see?
No, I managed to keep her out of the kitchen.
But this one will be hard to hide.
Where is it?
Come.
I know you wanted to wait until Christmas Eve,
but I think this calls for a special delivery.
But that would ruin the surprise.
It's already chewed up one of my slippers
and gotten into my emergency stash of beef jerky.
OK. I can't do anything about it now.
Allison is sitting right there in the living room,
and I promised I'd help her deliver the cakes.
Oh, God.
Well, fine, I'll watch him for a few hours,
but when you're back from helping Allison,
we have to figure something out.
OK. What about the coffees?
I don't know.
Make something up.
Nobody steals my beef jerky.
■■ Five golden rings ■
■ Four calling birds ■
■ Three French hens ■
■ Two turtle doves ■
■ And a partridge in a pear tree ■■
Ahem! Excuse me, ladies.
I'm here investigating a call about some noise pollution.
Don't be jealous of our dulcet tones.
They can hear your dulcet tones in the next county.
You love it.
Speaking of which, how is Kylie?
Is our Christmas pageant gonna lose its star?
Oh, no! Nothing a little hot tea and honey won't cure.
Are you on your way to your open house?
Yeah, but I had to stop and tell you the gossip.
What is it?
So, your reporter friend Adrian
was at the doctor's office
because Lydia, who runs the front desk,
said she and her family were taking Christmas pictures
at the gift-zebo the other day,
and she found a receipt for the boots
that the Tatum kids got from Candy Cane Santa.
And there was a note on the back that said:
"Don't forget puppy food."
Lots of people buy boots.
How do we even know that's our Santa's receipt?
Well, it had the sizes listed right on it.
I don't know. It all matches up.
That is really exciting.
We don't even know if that's a real clue, guys. Come on!
Anybody could have put the receipt
at the gift-zebo to throw anyone off the trail.
Maybe.
Or maybe our Candy Cane Santa's starting to slip a little.
Mmm!
Natasha, are you OK?
Yeah, yeah.
I think I just sampled too much of the bourbon cake.
I can finish on my own if you want to go home.
I can drive you, too.
- Hop in. - OK.
- I'll see you later. - Bye.
All right!
- See ya! - Bye!
Good luck with the cakes!
I'm sorry I was gone so long.
I can take over puppy duty now.
He was in the pantry crying,
and it was making too much noise.
This is the only way to keep him quiet.
Sure.
I understand.
But I can't do this all the time.
I know. It's--it's a lot.
We can deliver him tonight.
It's probably best we get him out as soon as possible
because Adrian is hot on my trail.
And ruin those kids' Christmas surprise? Uh-uh.
It's only a few more days.
He can stay.
You sure?
I guess we'll have to take him on our delivery tonight.
He might get cold.
Maybe he can fit into one of your old baby sweaters
I still haven't packed away upstairs.
Would you like to have a little sweater?
An itty bitty baby sweater to keep you all warm and cozy!
Hmm?
Yes, let's go.
That's what I said. That's what I said.
Yes, yes, yes.
You got anything new for me?
Well, my brother-in-law owns a medical device shop in Thornton.
OK.
He had a woman in the other day
looking for a portable oxygen tank.
Mm-hmm.
Said she needed it before Christmas.
So then my brother-in-law said he'd have to special order it for her.
And when he asked for her name and number to call her back,
she got all nervous,
said she forgot an appointment and left.
Huh.
I mean, I guess she could have actually had an appointment.
Mmm, well, see, here's the thing.
Mrs. Jimerson's been having a hard time with her breathing recently,
so she can't call bingo up at First Baptist anymore,
and she is the best bingo caller we have.
So the pastor announced on Sunday
that we're going to take up a collection
to get her a portable tank,
but we haven't raised the money yet.
Ah! Can I get your brother-in-law's phone number?
Sure.
Thank you.
That'll be $9.50.
Oh, yeah.
Hey!
Hey.
Uh, what's up?
Oh, um, I got a lead in Thornton.
- Another one? - Yeah.
Wow! I heard about the receipt from Kelly.
Yeah, but this is from somebody
who actually talked to and saw a potential suspect
or one of their helpers.
Oh.
So, you want to come with me to check it out?
Say yes, please.
Wait, what was that?
Uh, nothing.
Let's go. I'll drive.
All right.
Looks like your Santa has an elf,
and I'm about to track him down.
Clarkson Medical Supply■
I'm hungry. Are you hungry?
Maybe we should stop for lunch.
Uh, yeah, after I talk to this guy.
Uh, the weather report said it was supposed to snow.
Maybe we should get back before it does.
Looks fine to me.
You're funny.
Ow! Ow, ow, ow.
You all right?
I think I slipped on a patch of ice.
Oh, ow.
You hurt, you think?
I'm not sure.
Ow, ow, yeah, I think it's my ankle.
Your ankle?
Yeah, it's really hurting.
All right, here.
OK. All right, give me your keys.
Why?
You can't drive.
All right, here we go. Take it easy.
Uh, step down.
What about your article?
Don't you have to turn it in soon?
Yeah, day after tomorrow.
But don't think about that.
You know, I think it's not hurting as much as I thought.
Natasha, you're hurt.
I don't■ I'm not■
I mean, I■
Hey, we're taking you home.
OK?
One sec.
Only 4 more days until Christmas.
And 4 deliveries left.
Are you sure you're not getting too attached?
I'm only holding him because if I put Blitzen in his bed,
he just cries, and it hurts my ears.
You named him?
I can't just call him Dog.
I feel so bad about lying to Adrian.
You only have to hold on a little bit longer,
and then Christmas will be over.
And then Adrian will be gone.
- Oh, hey, Kelly! - Hey!
Hi. Can I help you with those?
Oh, yes, please. Thank you.
Yeah.
Where's Natasha?
I thought you two were sleuthing partners.
She's hanging out with her grandma this afternoon.
I am so happy she's here.
Selfishly, I like getting to see one of my best friends
in the entire world,
but Vanita really needed her this Christmas.
She's a rock,
but I know how hard it's been on her since Ronnie passed.
Hmm. Yeah, I'm really glad she's here, too.
I don't know what I would have done without all her help.
So is your interest purely professional
or maybe something more?
Uh, maybe I should talk to her about that.
This is me. Thanks for helping.
Yeah, of course.
And if you think of anything about the Candy Cane Santa,
will you please let me know?
I still have not finished my article, so■
Adrian, I like you, so I feel like I should warn you
that there's a very good chance you are not getting your story.
Why do you say that?
We all love to play the game of guessing,
but in the end, Round Top likes the Santa secret.
It's something to look forward to every year.
We were all really worried when he started so late this time.
When does he usually start?
The day after Thanksgiving.
This year, it wasn't until the second week of December.
I think it was, yeah, it was the 10th,
because Natasha came to the charity guild meeting
where we were going to talk about giving the Dawsons a new stove,
but in the end, we didn't have to,
because our Santa finally came through.
W-wait, what did you just say?
Uh, I think it was around the 10th.
No, about the Candy Cane Santa.
He gave the Dawsons their new stove.
Stupid, stupid.
Uh, excuse me?
Oh, no, not you, me.
Um, I gotta go. Here.
Yeah, right.
- I'm sorry. - It's OK.
OK, thank you.
No, you're amazing.
Merry Christmas!
Oh, oh■
- Here you go. - Thank you.
- Hey! - Hi!
I'll have a latte with oat milk, please.
I just saw Adrian.
Oh, you did?
He actually said you were at your grandma's.
Yeah, she sent me to get some groceries.
She's been feeding everything to■
me■
because I have had the most crazy appetite lately.
It's the weather.
Every time the temperature dips below 40,
my kids eat me out of house and home.
So, what was Adrian doing?
You two are ridiculous.
Why can't you admit you like each other?
I hardly know him,
and he certainly doesn't know everything about me.
Oh my gosh, it isn't that complicated.
Girl meets boy and goes on date.
What if girl is afraid of getting her heart broken?
No risk, no reward.
Of course you would give me such sage advice
when I'm trying to feel sorry for myself.
Well, that is what friends are for.
- You're really good at that. - I know, yeah.
I can't believe it's only 3 days until Christmas.
I know. It feels like we're all moving in fast forward.
Yes. Um, can you hand me the tape?
Uh, yeah.
Thank you so much for letting me wrap my kids' gifts here, Vanita.
My eldest is getting smart enough to be nosy.
That's just how Natasha was.
Her grandpa and I used to make bets
on how many days it would take her to find the gift stash.
You did not!
You don't know everything about me.
What was that?
Oh, we've just been having such a hard time with the heater lately.
And you know how hard it is
to have people come out at this time of year.
Mm-hmm, don't I know it?
Every time we plug in the Christmas lights, the breaker goes out,
and all I get from the electrician is an excuse.
Mmm.
Oh, we should hide the gifts.
Oh, do you think Allison's kids learned how to drive and stole a car?
Ha ha.
Look how cute!
Hey, Adrian.
Uh, could I speak to you for a second, alone?
Yeah.
Uh, I'll be right back.
Take your time!
Is, uh■
Is everything OK?
Yeah, I, uh, had a breakthrough.
I got a big piece of information for my article last night.
You did?
Yeah, it, uh, really shocked me.
So I wanted you to be the first to know.
What is it?
I think you can guess.
Do you know anything about this?
A lot of things are starting to make sense now.
I can totally explain that.
Really?
Yes, so last night, I couldn't sleep,
so I went for a walk.
On your hurt ankle?
It was feeling much better.
So I decided to walk, and I walked past the Huddlesby's house.
Don't they live 3 miles from here?
That's a really long walk.
I guess I lost track of time.
So I was walking by,
and I thought I saw something move on the porch.
Oh, in the dark?
You must have X-ray vision.
I have really good eyesight.
I thought something moved and checked it out.
I thought it was a cat and didn't want it to freeze,
but it just ended up being this banjo.
Oh, you thought the cat was a banjo.
Yeah, because everyone keeps banjos on their front porches at night.
Is that another Round Top Christmas tradition?
Maybe someone just left it out overnight.
Come on.
What?
I know.
I know you're the Candy Cane Santa.
Why would I lie about that?
I do not know.
Maybe because you're trying
to cover up that your grandpa, Ronnie Maxwell,
was the Candy Cane Santa,
and you took over after he passed away?
Adrian, please don't tell.
It's literally my job to tell.
And you know how important this article is
to my whole career.
But you understand why I had to lie, right?
No.
Not really.
I mean, don't you want your grandpa to get recognition
for everything he's done over all these years?
It's supposed to be a secret.
Why would I ruin that?
I've been chasing this story for weeks with your help.
I begged for an extension. What do I do?
Go to my editor and just tell him that I failed?
You could.
What does that make me look like?
Like somebody who cares about someone more than themselves.
Hey, are you all right? You look like you saw a ghost.
Yeah, I'm fine. Adrian just wanted to say goodbye.
- Is he leaving town? - No.
I am first thing in the morning.
Wait, what about Christmas?
Something came up. I have to go home.
Natasha, what is going on?
You guys just stay down here and finish.
I have to pack. OK.
- Natasha■ - No, honestly, I'm fine. I'm fine.
I just need a few minutes to myself.
I sent Allison and Kelly home.
They're very worried.
They said you're leaving.
I'm sorry, Grandma.
Why?
Adrian got a video of me delivering Mr. Huddlesby's banjo.
He's gonna write the story.
Oh, baby girl.
Grandpa kept this a secret for 30 years.
I couldn't even do it for one Christmas.
I really love doing it too.
Then don't lose sight of that.
You can take all the joy Candy Cane Santa brought you
and use it to figure out something
that makes you feel just as important and worthy.
But that's also your own.
I believe in you, Natasha.
Time to go outside, baby.
Just a second!
It's just for a minute.
Grandma will be right back.
Hold your horses!
You stay quiet.
All heck is breaking loose.
Where's Natasha? Did she leave yet?
Slow down!
She was in her room asleep last I checked.
She's gonna freak out.
Tell me what's going on.
Adrian published his article online last night.
And Natasha's in it.
Can you believe it?
Oh, dear.
This will take longer than I thought.
Watch the puppy.
And don't ask any questions.
Where'd you come from?
- Hi, little guy! - Hello.
Hey! Hi!
You just can't run away.
Yeah. Yeah, I can.
Maybe not through the front door, but definitely out the back.
What's the worst thing that can happen to you?
Well, everyone in town is either sad or mad at me
for ruining their favorite Christmas tradition.
You need to finish out this year's deliveries, at the very least.
Hmm?
Maybe the charity guild can take over for me.
Good morning.
What are you doing here?
I, uh■
We'll give you two a moment.
My editor almost didn't publish the article,
and then he did,
then a bunch of people started sharing, and it's viral,
and everything is just moving so fast.
Natasha, it's amazing.
Congratulations, Adrian.
I'm glad you got your article published.
I'm glad you got your promotion.
Hope you're happy.
Wait, you--you didn't read the article, did you?
No, I didn't need to.
I overheard the girls saying that I was in it.
Yeah, but not as the Candy Cane Santa.
What do you mean?
I quoted you about Round Top
and thanked you for all your help,
even though I never figured out
who the Candy Cane Santa really is.
So, Grandpa's secret is safe?
Yeah.
Well, with everyone except for these two, apparently.
- I won't tell a soul. - My lips are sealed.
Really?
Really.
So, Ms. Maxwell,
what inspired you to start this foundation?
When I came home last year
and I saw what the Candy Cane Santa did for everyone in Round Top,
I realized that every town needs a Santa.
With the help of your viral article,
a few donations and a lot of hard work,
I was able to open this foundation.
So now my plan is to spend the next few years
opening up CCS centers all around the world
so that everyone can get the help they need during Christmas
and, actually, all year round.
What do you think the real Candy Cane Santa
thinks about all this?
I guess we'll never know for sure,
but I have a feeling they would approve.
Where do you go from here?
Well, I have this awesome opening party.
And tomorrow, I have a wedding to attend.
Oh? Do you think you could skip it?
I don't know.
It might be a little weird if the bride doesn't show up.
Speaking of which, here come the bridesmaids. Hi!
- Congratulations. - Oh, thank you.
We are so lucky there was another puppy in that litter,
or else we would have had some very disappointed kids last Christmas.
Guys, it's open. Come on inside!
If we don't hurry, we'll miss the good cookies.
Not if I have anything to do with it.
Your grandpa would have been so proud.
- Love you. - Love you too.
And I am so proud of you.