'Tis the Season for Love

---

1

Bells will be ringing

Glad, glad news

oh, what a Christmas

to have the blues

my baby's gone

I have no friends

to wish me greetings

once again

while you'd be singing

silent night

oh, Christmas Carols

by candlelight

please

come home for Christmas

please come home

for Christmas

if not for Christmas

by new year's night

seven swans a...

Laying

six geese are... swimming...

That's not

right, is it?

Not even close.

Swans swim,

geese lay.

Yeah, well, if

I ever date a guy

who gets me any of those

things for Christmas,

it's over anyway.

Where would you put them

in your New York City

apartment?

"Our" New York City

apartment.

Mm. "Your" New York

city apartment.

Beth, stop.

You're not just someone

who sleeps on my couch,

you are my roommate--

end of story.

Now, grab some garland

and help me

Make this tree beautiful

for our apartment.

I know it's two weeks

until Christmas,

but I am ready for

some Christmas cheer.

Yeah. This is just

what I need right now.

Oh! How was closing

night of your play?

Shouldn't you be at some

cast party or something?

No, I could not go

to another closing night party

of a terrible play

that nobody saw.

My agent

couldn't even be bothered

to go to this one,

okay.

I would much rather

be here with you

trimming our tree,

drinking eggnog.

Please tell me

that we have eggnog.

What am I? An amateur?

We'll finish the tree,

and then I'll take you

for closing night drinks

at Fred's piano bar.

[Sighs] No. Fred's

is for the Broadway crowd.

You are welcome there,

I feel like an outsider.

Every time I go,

I feel like

I'm riding the coattails

of your career.

Okay, you are one

great audition away

from my career

being your career.

I was you

three years ago,

plucked from obscurity

by my dad's producer friend--

but that is

besides the point,

and now I'm on

my second Broadway play.

That'll be you.

Especially if you get

that David Mamet play.

My audition did

go really well.

You're going to get it.

Ohh... I'm going to get it.

I have to get it.

Because sleeping

on the couch,

doing bad theater,

waiting tables,

this is not how

it's supposed to be.

Life is never "how

it's supposed to be."

You've got to learn how

to roll with it, Bethy,

because maybe

it'll be even better.

[]

Good morning, sunshine.

I'm just making

some French toast

before I go to the Hamptons,

and...

Merry early Christmas.

What is this?

Open it!

This is the first year

in forever

that you haven't had rehearsal

over the holidays,

and they cut your hours

at the diner,

so now you get to

go home for Christmas...

On me.

Nicole...

This is too much.

I got you earrings.

They're not expensive ones.

Wow! Thank you for

ruining the surprise.

[Laughs]

Now, I already

checked you in,

and I arranged

to have a limo

pick you up

when you land.

Why are you

doing this?

Because

you're my best friend.

And nobody should

be alone at Christmas.

I mean,

it's just not right.

You can't sit around waiting

to hear about the Mamet play.

You deserve

a hometown holiday...

So go to Kern.

They all expected

so much for me, you know?

"Destined for greatness..."

So the yearbook said.

Stupid, lying

yearbook.

[]

Yeah. Yeah...

New York is great.

I'm up for a play, actually.

Mamet.

Yeah, yeah. David Mamet.

It is!

It's... very exciting.

[]

Thank you.

[Gasping]

Merry Christmas, mama.

Oh, my goodness.

Oh... oh!

Oh, you're home!

It's a Christmas miracle.

Oh, come on,

come on, come on.

Get inside.

You outdid yourself

on the lawn.

I can't help myself.

Well, it's very festive.

Thank you.

So...

You want to tell me

what's going on?

Why does something

have to be going on?

It's Christmas,

I wanted to see you.

Beth, first you tell me

you can't afford a ticket

and then you show up

out of the blue

without so much

as a phone call.

Surprise?

It was my Christmas present

from Nicole.

-Hmm!

-Yeah.

My show closed,

and I just

wanted to have

a real hometown

family Christmas.

Like we used to

have, you know?

Do I ever!

All those Christmases

I spent with you in New York,

they were fine--

we were together.

But this? [Gasps]

Oh, we have so much to do.

We have to get

a tree and... [gasps]

Santa. We have

to go see Santa!

You have some sort of

Christmas wish, right?

I have, like, a thousand.

I hope Santa has time.

That was my favorite part

of Christmas.

I used to get everything

I wanted.

Then let's

get moving!

Can I unpack first?

Finish my coffee? Relax?

Of course. Because,

if you're unpacking,

it means you're staying put

for a while.

I kept your room

exactly as you left it.

[Beth]:
You took out

all my pageant trophies?

How many was I in?

Some of those

are mine!

I won

the entire state.

You only won the county.

Mine should be

displayed, too.

It's like stepping

through a time machine.

For both of us,

evidently.

[Soft chuckling]

I saw him today.

[Mom]:

Barry McCormick?

He walked into

the pharmacy.

I ducked.

I think everything

is going to be fine

between the two

of you, Bethy.

It's been years!

I can't imagine he has

any hard feelings toward you.

He shouldn't.

He stayed.

And you chose

to leave, so...

This is what

was meant to be.

Have to accept the choices

we make in life.

I guess so.

Okay! Let's go.

It is time for

some retail therapy.

We are going to go see Santa...

We're going

to make ourselves

some Christmas wishes.

We are going

all out this year!

It is going to be

our best Christmas yet.

Not until I change first.

Okay.

[Mom]:
The gingerbread

houses are ready,

and Mae is at the shop today,

so you can go in

and pick those up!

The bakery is just swimming

in gingerbread.

I have so many orders.

Merry Christmas.

My elf will give you

a candy cane,

so off you go!

Come on over, ladies!

Oh, everybody's welcome.

Age is just a number,

and I-- I am in

the wish-granting business.

It has been

far too long

since you had

a real Christmas.

You go first.

No, no.

I'm still thinking.

Go ahead.

Okay, because

my list is long,

and I intend

to get everything.

[Chuckling]

Santa.

So, what do you want

for Christmas,

young-- and I do mean

"young"-- lady?

Stop.

Now, I wrote everything down,

lest you forget anything.

And my first wish came true,

because my girl came home.

Next, I need a new mixer...

Beth?

Barry.

Wow! It is you.

-Hi.

-Hey.

-Hey.

[Man]:

Is that Beth Baker?

Can I set this thing down?

Yeah, yeah.

Go ahead. Set it down.

[Out of breath] This guy...

Picks the heaviest tree

on the lot.

Some things never change.

Hi, Dean.

Beth Baker is in town.

That she is.

It's been

a long time.

[Toddler babbles]

There's daddy

with the tree!

Daddy with the what?

Barry, honey...

We have been looking for you

everywhere.

We have to pay for that tree,

you know.

Look at what that is.

There it is!

[Laughs awkwardly]

Beth? Wow!

Hi!

Uh, Taylor...

This is mommy and daddy's

old friend, Beth.

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