Coming Home for Christmas Page #5

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Oh, you got handfuls.

[Sloane]:

careful, careful.

Home together at Christmas.

It's going to be a fun reunion.

[Lizzie]:

at Christmas,

my father would line

a row of poinsettias

down each side

of our driveway.

I want to do

the same thing

for the gala,

but with a silver bow

around each one.

I was thinking

these would be nice

for the centerpieces.

You have a gift for this.

You think so?

Well, planning it

has been so much fun.

I feel invigorated.

I just hope

miss pippa approves.

Well, let me

put it this way.

If she didn't,

you'd already be gone.

That's very true.

Where will

she go, Gerard,

after the house is sold?

Do you know?

I can't say I'm privy

to that information.

[Lizzie]:

i don't understand.

I mean,

she loves this house so much.

Do they need the money?

[Robert]:

trust me,

it's not about the money.

Pippa will be well

taken care of.

I'll start lining up

the poinsettias outside.

I don't mean to be nosy.

Well, you're

quite good at it.

Only because pippa

very clearly wants to stay here.

She can't.

Why not?

Lizzie,

you don't have to get involved

with this, all right?

It's already been decided.

I know. It...

It just makes me so sad for her.

You know, she barely

comes out of her room.

I'm only saying this

because I want her

to be happy.

And I want her to be safe.

She has a heart arrhythmia.

The stairs are too

much of a strain.

I've tried

every possible solution

for her to stay,

but it's not up to me.

I tried to get her

to move downstairs.

She refused.

I even looked

into installing an elevator,

but she won't do it.

She says

that it "ruins the integrity

of the architecture."

You're doing this for her.

Yes.

And I promise you,

I will find a nice,

practical home for her.

Then why is everyone

so upset with you about this?

Because I have to make

the tough decisions,

and you always

shoot the messenger.

They don't understand,

so...

they make me the bad guy.

It's fine.

I'm used to it.

Why don't you keep the house?

I don't want it.

[Phone rings]

Hmm, it's your sister.

Megan?

Uh-huh.

An offer?

Okay.

Let me call you back

when I get to the office.

Lizzie!

The whole place

looks great.

Well, it's just like

with the art.

It's about placement...

How to accent the beauty

of an already perfect home.

Well, you definitely

made this place

look more beautiful

than it was before.

Thank you,

but there's still

something missing.

What could

be missing?

It looks good.

It feels good.

It's like a gift to the senses.

That's it.

Smell!

Everything is beautiful,

but this house needs

to smell like...

Like cinnamon, cookies,

and... pine.

Thank you, kip.

Yeah!

Uh, so what do we do?

Do we go to a tree lot?

Do we order one off Amazon?

What?

We go to the woods.

Oh.

Well, we have woods

on the property.

[Laughs]

of course you do.

Well,

i have to go meet

some old high school friends,

but first thing tomorrow,

we are chopping down a tree.

The fact

that I have no idea how?

Totally irrelevant.

I know how.

Of course you do.

You never cease to amaze me,

Lizzie richfield.

Family dinner

will now be served

in the formal

dining room.

Well, since you're all home,

I thought you might like

to do a family dinner...

To visit...

Catch up?

It's what

my extended family does

when we haven't seen each other

in a while.

So I had Anna prepare

something special,

a holiday meal

with a yule log for dessert.

Don't you just love

a good yule log?

Um... okay.

Yeah, sure.

Why not?

[Anna]:
all right.

Please, follow me.

Okay.

[]

Thank you, Anna.

The young gentlemen

thoroughly enjoyed

their hot chocolate,

and they are both sound asleep.

Thank you, Gerard.

[Lizzie]:

this is a yule log.

It's my mother's recipe.

Anna made it.

It is the quintessential

holiday dessert.

Prepare for your world

to be rocked.

[They laugh]

Enjoy.

Wait, you're not

joining us?

Oh, it's a...

It's a family dinner.

I'll eat

with the staff.

Oh, no, no.

No, no, we insist.

Anna, would you

please set a place?

Certainly.

Thank you, Anna.

We're not really

your typical family anyway.

I'm sure Lizzie's

already gathered that.

Join us, please.

I suppose.

Thank you.

Thanks.

All right.

I love this.

My mother and sister and i

do it every week.

Thank you.

Enjoy.

After my father

passed away,

my mother worked

a lot of nights,

but our weekly family dinner

was the one constant.

Mm.

It's nice to catch up

and share stories,

remember the good times,

especially

around the holidays.

I have a holiday memory.

Do you remember when grandfather

used to dress up

like Santa claus,

and he would sneak past

that window right there

when he knew

that we were at the table?

Yeah,

and kip would start crying.

I would not start crying.

[Robert]:

oh, no, kip, come on.

No, admit it.

It's all right.

You were afraid of Santa claus.

Maybe it was one time,

and I was, what,

three years old?

Oh, you were

a lot older than that.

[Kip]:

no!

Definitely older.

You were, like, what, six?

Seven, maybe?

17?

I was not 17!

I was a child.

Oh, emotionally,

you were a child, yes.

Enough, please.

Well, at least

we were all behaving

when we thought

Santa was watching.

[Pippa]:
well, that was

your father's plan,

why he enlisted your grandfather

to do it.

You know, I think I still have

that ratty old costume

somewhere...

Unless that closet

has already been cleaned out.

Nothing has yet.

You'll be able to keep

whatever you'd like,

grandmother.

You know what would be fun?

If we'd get that

old Santa suit out.

Robert could put it

on for the boys.

I don't want

to scare kip.

Ah, just drop it already,

please.

Oh, you must...

For your nephews.

It'll soften the blow of

their father not being here.

Why isn't Jackson here?

He's been unemployed

for so long

that I had to dip

into my trust fund.

But that's what

it's there for,

the rough patches.

But he wants

to provide for his family.

I told him

my money is his money,

but he hates to spend it.

That's why he's not here,

because this house,

it reminds him of everything

that he can't give us.

What...

what can we do?

I wish I knew.

[Pippa]:
that's what

we're all here for.

We'll figure this out.

Don't look now, but...

You're kind of acting

like a typical family.

Did you find him?

Mr. kip is still in bed.

He said he was out late

and he, quote,

"needs more sleep,

a lot more sleep.

Come back later."

Unquote.

It's okay,

but I should probably

get going.

We've got deliveries

coming this afternoon.

You can't chop down a tree

by yourself, Lizzie.

I will assist.

[Robert]:

no, Gerard.

I'll go.

If you're sure, sir.

[Lizzie]:

thank you,

but you might want

to change first.

Why, what's...

What's wrong with this?

You really are a bunch

of indoor people, aren't you?

[Laughs]

You know there are services

that cut down trees for you.

I mean,

we've used them many times.

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