["We Wish You a Merry Christmas" playing]
[narrator] - From the look
of those beautiful lights and decorations,
you'd expect this to be a Christmas story.
And it is.
But above all, it's a family story.
The Carter family story.
Somewhere in this room
that looks like it's inhabited by a teenager
is their 16-year-old son Kyle.
There he is.
And I don't need to tell you a girl lives here.
That's 15-year-old Sienna with her best friend, the smartphone.
Nope, that's not me.
That's Mom and Dad, better known as Jack and Holly.
And this whole house is about to go off.
[alarms beeping and buzzing]
- [gasps]
[narrator] - Nothing like waking up early in the morning.
What fun.
- [groans]
[alarms continue]
[Jack groans]
[turns off alarm]
[sighs]
- Morning, Mrs. Carter.
- Morning, Mr. Carter.
[together] Morning, Carter family!
[Jack chuckles]
[Jack groans, Holly sighs]
[narrator] - Yup, that's me.
Bet you didn't see that coming.
I've been the family best friend for over 30 years.
That's dog years.
Started as Jack's best friend, and then Holly's,
and now finally the kids'.
- Hey, kids, you guys getting ready?
Hey, kids, come on!
- Ugh...
- Sienna, do you have your science project?
- Dude, just let me have it for one second! - No, you need to move.
- I just want one second! - I was here first.
- Sienna?
[dog] - Boy, I love Holly's cooking.
[Jack] - Who's ready for pancakes and eggs?
- Um, Dad? - Yeah?
- Doesn't the tree look kind of crooked?
- Maybe a little.
- A little? It's practically sideways.
Did you even follow the instructions?
- Of course I followed the instructions, son.
It must be, uh, some sort of design flaw.
- You know Ricky from my basketball team? - Yeah.
- He gets a real tree every year and it's like, 15 feet tall.
- Not everyone has the money for a 15-foot...
Christmas tree.
Sienna darling, look up.
Look up, honey.
Up!
Thank you.
- Thank you, sweetheart.
- Who's supposed to walk Buster this morning?
- Sienna was. - Kyle was.
- Kyle, could you get your basketball
off the plate, please?
- Oh, that's so gross. - Thank you.
- Mom... I'm starving!
- Moments away!
- Hey, Mom, you need help plating?
- No, thank you, sweetie.
- Oh, my gosh, my phone is so slow!
I better be getting a new smartphone for Christmas.
- Uh, cell phones are a little expensive.
Maybe you'll get one next year.
- If she's getting a new phone, then I'm getting a car.
- Well, if he's getting a car...
I want a new kitchen.
- Okay, okay, listen, maybe next year
everyone will get everything they want
on their Christmas list.
- Next year?!
We're not gonna get Christmas presents this year?
- Sweetheart, we're getting Christmas presents this year,
but next year we'll get bigger ones
because I'm gonna be making a lot more money.
- Why don't we focus on the blessings we already do have?
Like a delicious homemade breakfast.
And a wonderfully healthy family.
And the time in our schedules to have a meal and talk.
[car horn honks, Buster barks]
- Well, that's Ricky from the team.
Gotta go.
- Oh, yeah, Courtney's picking me up.
- Well... Buster, don't you have anywhere you need to go?
[Buster whines]
Oh, you good boy.
Man's best friend.
- [sighs]
Well, I still love you.
- And I love you, sweetheart, and this looks delicious.
[Buster] - And this is the Carter family business-- Carter's Bakers.
Started in 1949 by Jack's grandfather.
- Thank you.
[Buster] - Yeah, I know, Jack doesn't look like a baker.
Holly is the chef in the family.
Jack always envisioned himself traveling the world,
becoming a great writer.
But then real life came along: a wife, kids, me.
And finally his dad got sick,
so Jack had to take over the family business.
Jack feels he never had a chance to fulfill his dreams.
- And Holly has come up with a brand-new recipe
that I think he will enjoy tremendously.
So do me a favor.
Serve those to him this afternoon
when he gets back from work
with his favorite cup of coffee
and make sure you tell him
how much that Holly and I appreciate him.
- I sure will.
- No, no, no, no, ma'am-- those are on me.
- Thank you!
- Merry Christmas.
- Mrs. Harmon, how can I help you today?
- A loaf of Holly's wonderful bread-- - Ah.
- And a box of cupcakes, please.
We're having the girls over for mahjong tonight.
Mmm!
- I'll tell you a little secret. - Hmm?
- I've added a couple of extras
because I am sure Bertyl and Margie
will be coming over tonight,
and they can never eat just one of Holly's cupcakes.
- That's true.
- And could you tell Herman I said hello
and I'll probably be seeing him at the next town hall meeting,
but I need his vote to get those crosswalks funded
over at the school,
so please, please mention that...
[Buster] - The bakery struggles a bit financially
but has been looking after the family all of these years,
but Jack still wants to find
a way to make more money for the family,
so he dabbles in the stock market at every free moment.
He's not very good at it, but you have to love him for trying.
- These are for the Clarks.
Their maid is picking them up at 3:00.
- Ooh, their maid-- that must be nice.
- Nice, yes, I'm sure it is.
- Listen, I wanted to show you something.
Look at this stock.
I would love to get in
on the ground floor of this mutual fund.
I am positive it's going through the roof.
- Really, honey?
You're a stock market analyst now?
I mean, you barely passed algebra in high school.
- What are you talking about?
I got a "B."
- B-minus, and only because I tutored you.
- Well, sweetheart, we have to do something.
I mean, we're barely making ends meet as it is
and Kyle's going to college next year
and Lord knows that Sienna
wants the most expensive of everything.
- Honey, all teenagers do.
What's important is the quality time we spend with them.
Gotta go, buns in the oven.
Customer.
- Sammy!
I think I know why you're here.
- Not that one-- that one!
- Oh.
Those are my favorite as well.
I hope you enjoy that.
- What do you say?
- Thank you.
- You're very welcome.
Anything else I can help you with, Mr. Mason?
- Just came for the cookie, Jack.
- No, no, no, that's on me.
- Oh, thanks, Jack-- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas. - Happy holidays!
- Merry Christmas, Mrs. Mason.
[Sammy] - Bye, Jack-- Merry Christmas.
- Honey... you gotta stop giving the pastries away, okay?
- It was just a cookie.
- It's really sweet, but at some point they gotta pay for 'em.
[Buster] - So it was a few days before Christmas
and Jack was about to have a brainstorm
that was gonna change the Carter family forever.
[Jack] - Hey, honey?
[Holly] - Yeah?
- Come here, you have to see this.
- Coming.
- Farthering Pines is closing down,
but they're offering great rates for one last season.
- What's Farthering Pines?
- Oh, it's this place I used to love as a kid.
- Farthering Pines!
Oh...
We almost went there...
for our one-year anniversary.
- Right?
- Why didn't you guys go there?
- Well...
- That's about the time your brother came along.
- Figures-- he ruins everything!
- [muffled] I heard that! - [sighs in disgust]
- Weren't we gonna go on our fifth anniversary?
- Yeah... - But then Dad got sick and we had to cancel.
And we've just been too busy to go ever since.
I mean, where has the time gone?
- Well, you got her to pay attention
for a whole 16 seconds.
That's pretty good.
- Is it me or is this family just not connecting anymore?
- You gotta keep trying, honey,
'cause every time you connect is a victory.
- [quietly] Family meeting.
Family meeting!
We are about to embark on an adventure
that the Carter family has not undertaken in many, many years.
Not only will it bring us closer together as a family,
but it will give me the opportunity
to write my number-one-best-selling novel.
- Honey!
- And I can say it in two words.
Christmas vacation.
- [barks quizzically]
- What about the bakery?
- Honey, the bakery's gonna be fine.
- So where are we going, Hawaii? - Paris?
- Better.
Farthering Pines.
- Aww...
- Fathering Pines? What is that?
A camp for dads or something?
- No, it's Furthering... Kyle.
- Located in the beautiful mountains, with pristine snow.
There is hiking, skiing, sledding.
We'll have a luxurious cabin with a roaring fire 24/7.
We will be as cozy and snug as bugs in a rug.
And I promise you all it will be your favorite Christmas ever!
- Wait, wait.
So we're spending our family Christmas in the wilderness?
- That is correct.
- Sweetie, what about the cost?
Can we afford this?
- This is the beautiful thing.
It is so affordable that we cannot not do it.
- I don't know, Jack, I don't know.
- Dad, I'm gonna miss Monica's Christmas party.
- Yeah, Dad, and my team's on a holiday basketball tournament.
- Please, listen to me.
This is so important, okay?
Life is just passing this family by.
It seems like it was yesterday that you were babies
and suddenly I wake up and Sienna is 14!
- 15, Dad! - 15!
- Oh, it does look exactly as beautiful as it did
when we almost went the first time.
- This looks really old.
Dad, did you do some research on the Internet?
- Of course I researched it.
And speaking of the Internet, you're gonna love this.
We are going off the grid.
That's right.
No distractions.
No cell phones, no iPads, no laptops... no Internet.
- [gasps] - No... cell phones?
- That's correct, and that goes for me too.
I'm not gonna bring a laptop.
I will be writing on an old-fashioned typewriter.
Ding! Skk!
- Oh! - What's a typewriter?
- It's something old people use.
I don't know.
- This is an amazing idea.
You kids-- you are gonna have the time of your life.
Honey... you have made me so happy! Oh!
- [chuckling]
- You have made me so happy,
and this is going to make our little family closer than ever.
I love you!
- Merry Christmas, kids!
[Kyle groans]
- They look so glum.
- [sighs]
[Buster] - So there we were, packing up for the Carter family vacation.
- Sienna, what did I say about the phone, sweetheart?
- Dad, that's not fair at all.
Kyle gets to bring his ball.
[Buster] - Nothing like a road trip
to bring the family closer together.
- I hardly think that's the same thing.
- Yeah, Sienna, definitely not the same thing.
I mean, can't take selfies and snapshots all day with my ball.
- Okay, well, what if there's a blizzard and an earthquake
and it causes an avalanche and bears start to attack us
and we're lost and we don't have a phone and we need to use mine?
- Okay, okay, listen,
I will lock Mom's phone up in the glove box
in case there's an emergency
but I want you to put your phone in the house, thank you.
- Dad, it's a flip phone!
It doesn't even haven Internet on it!
[camera clicks]
[Buster panting]
[Buster] - And so began the Carter family vacation
that would change their lives forever.
♪
[Sienna] - I have to go to the bathroom.
Can we stop?
[Holly] - After we just stopped for Kyle.
- Like, I need to go-- please stop.
[Jack] - We have to get our schedules together, kids, okay?
♪
[Kyle] - Ugh, we've been driving forever!
[Sienna] - Hashtag: basketball's lame.
[Jack] - Let me tell you something.
I am gonna be able to get some writing done up here.
Wow, this is majestic.
♪
[Buster] - At least it seemed like a good idea at the time.
[Sienna] - I'm hungry.
Can we go get something to eat, please...?
♪
[Jack] - Look at the sights up here!
[Holly] - Oh, look at the creek!
[Jack] - Oh, oh, oh, this little bridge? My favorite.
I used to play down here when I was a kid.
[Holly laughs]
And Sienna, aren't you happy now
that you're not gonna be using a phone?
- Argh, I don't know what to do with my energy.
I literally having texted in like, days!
[bird screeches]
[Jack] - We're almost there, kids.
Look at the sign-- huh?
[Holly, excited] - Farthering Pines...
[Jack] - [laughs]
What do you think, Buster?
[Buster barks, Jack laughs]
[Holly] - Oh! That's the one... that was the one from the picture!
- [laughs]
This is it right here.
- Oh, Jack...
[Buster] - The country.
Fresh air... the mountains... snow, pine trees.
- Made it.
[Buster] - I was sold.
[Buster barks]
- Honey...!
[Kyle] - Oh, man, that took forever.
- What are you talking about?
It was only three hours.
[Sienna] - Wow, I miss home already.
- I love it.
- Let's go inside.
[wind whistling]
[Holly] - Oh...!
[Buster barks]
- Ah... this is it.
This is the cabin I used to come to when I was a kid
with Grandpa.
- It's adorable.
- What do you say we go inside and then we can unload the car?
- Yeah. Come on, Buster.
[Buster barks]
[Kyle] - You wanna go inside, buddy?
[Jack] - Come on, guys, shake it out.
Let's get warm.
[door creaks]
[floor creaks]
♪
- This place is so small.
- Well, I think it's charming.
- Is this what the old days looked like?
- Well, it is their least expensive cabin.
- Figures!
- We chose it because it has family meaning.
- You know what? I bet they haven't even remodeled this
since you and Grandpa were here last.
- It... does look remarkably familiar.
- This is gonna be interesting. - You know what?
They are so lucky I don't have my phone right now
and I would review them and give them one star!
- Well, I've got some good news for you, sweetheart.
You and your brother get to share a room.
Bunk beds.
- Seriously?
- I call top bunk.
[Jack chuckles]
- Bunk beds! fun!
[sighs]
What are we gonna do with them?
- [chuckles]
Let's get these bags off, buddy.
- All right, Dad.
- Wow, it's coming down!
Go on the other side, go on the other side.
Can you get it?
- Yeah.
- All right, last one in's a rotten egg.
[laughing]
[Buster] - So Jack could not be happier,
spending time with his son,
his beautiful wife's cooking,
his loving daughter getting used to the place.
- Whew!
Okay, firewood, where are you?
Where would you be if you were firewood?
Well, I would be right here but...
Kyle?
Okay...
So I looked all around for some firewood,
I couldn't find any,
which means that you and I
are gonna go on a little firewood expedition.
- All right. - Well, we have central heat.
- Honey, we're in a cabin in the middle of winter.
Besides, my dad used to start a fire all the time
and it just wouldn't be right if I didn't okay?
- You're right, but I'm cold now, so I'm gonna turn it on.
- Good idea.
You ready?
- Yeah, let's go.
- Well...
That is for you, my friend.
You know what?
This reminds me of when I used to go gather wood with my dad.
And I bet one day you might just be out here with your son.
- Can't wait.
[Buster] - Jack had all these wonderful plans to show his kids
where his dad had taken him.
The sledding, the tree chopping, building a fireplace--
a handing-down of generation to generation.
A true Christmas vacation.
[Kyle] - Shouldn't we be looking on the ground?
You know, where we can actually get to the wood?
- Yeah, but...
my dad used to teach me to look up high for a clearing.
You wanna try to find a spot
where the sun's coming through and drying out the branches.
- So just any one of 'em?
- Well...
We don't wanna harm the living ones.
We just wanna find the dead ones
so we can break the branches and chop 'em up easier.
[Buster] - And when everything seems like it's falling into place,
that's when life throws you that curve ball.
- Buster, snow!
- We men! We make a fire! [laughs]
- Jack!
- Robert?
- [laughing] Why, hey, how are ya?
- Well, I'm, I'm great.
I mean, uh, just plain old perfect.
Wow! You look like you're doing wonderful.
- Oh, life is amazing!
It's like winning the lotto every day.
- Honey bunny, you got your family right here as well.
- I'm sorry, I'm Robert.
This is my beautiful wife Eva.
This little guy, that's Tommy, our son.
- Oh, oh-- this is my wife, Holly--
she's the love of my life, my flower, my everything.
- Uh, okay.
Nice to meet y'all.
- Hello. - Uh, and this is Kyle.
- He's a all-star basketball player. - How's it going?
- And this over here... - I'm Sienna.
- ...is, uh, my daughter.
And the man of the family-- [Buster barks]-- Buster.
- That's a very handsome dog for a very handsome family.
[Buster barks]
- Oh... [chuckles]
- Uh... so... I'm sorry, maybe I'm just beat.
How do the two of you know each other?
- Well, it's, uh... kinda funny, to be honest,
but Robert and I used to come here when we were kids together.
- And we've been coming up every year,
ever since this guy was small.
- Yeah. - As a matter of fact, it's the same place
that we used to stay with your dad.
- No-- no, no.
Actually this is the place that we used to stay at with my dad.
- Really? - Yeah, yeah.
I mean, I have photos of us standing in front of it.
- How cute.
- Wow, I just... I don't remember it being so small.
That place is tiny.
Uh, we just picked up some gourmet coffee beans.
We have a beautiful espresso machine at the house.
Why don't you guys come over for some hot chocolate, okay?
Give us a chance to get the families
to get to know each other...
- I do! - ...we can chat.
- Yeah, guys, let's go.
- Great idea.
[Kyle] - Oh, my God...
- Place right across. - You can't miss it.
- ...so weird.
[Eva] - Please come... and welcome.
You'll love it here.
[Buster] - Wow, talk about a vacation home.
Yup, I was in love.
- Welcome!
- Hi! - Hey.
- Oh, my heart, is he clean?
- Honey, don't worry.
- Oh! Buster! - No, Buster, get down! Buster!
- Don't worry about it.
- Oh... is this what heaven looks like?
- [laughs]
I thought heaven for her would be like, a giant cell phone
with a battery that never dies down.
- Kyle, get over yourself.
- Do you want a...
- Yeah! - ...tour of the house?
- Yeah.
- It's fine, don't you worry.
- Sorry, sorry, Buster's an imbecile.
- Oh, my God, yeah, it's just I've never had animals--
- Sweetheart, we have a housekeeper.
She'll clean it up.
Let him enjoy himself.
- All right, make yourself at home.
- So, what do you think?
- I mean, you could fit five of our cabins inside this one.
Hey, can I borrow your phone
just to take a picture to send to one of my friends?
- Uh, yeah. - Yeah, just...
- I don't know how you ever wound up with such a deal.
- Well, there's days, I mean...
- I, I don't get it.
- ...stuff to do.
- A big-screen TV?
- So y'all were friends when you were little.
Or-- you must have been, 'cause you went on vacations together.
- Yeah, we were friends. - We were very good friends.
- I mean, we weren't best friends.
- We drifted apart.
- You know, we just kinda lost touch.
- Which is a shame.
- Honey bunny, you want the usual in yours?
- Yes, darling.
- That is a shame.
- But... we have now to catch up, right?
- Exactly.
I mean, why don't you tell me
how you joined the ranks of the one percent?
- Well, I don't know if we're really there...
but we're not far off.
I, I just, uh... I don't know, I got bored in college
and I started to dabble in the stock market.
Turns out I'm pretty good at it... thank you.
- Oh, Robert is just being modest.
He's actually a genius at it.
- Well, I, I did make my first million
by the time I was a junior
and I haven't looked back.
Uh, I just would invest in, uh, you know, small businesses.
Computer graphics software, restaurants, you name it.
Whatever it was... somehow it flourished.
So you all met in college.
- Oh, no. - [laughing]
No, Robert is a lot older than I am.
- Oh, I , I didn't mean to...
It's just that Robert looks so young and... so do you.
- Oh, well, thank you.
Well, unlike Robert, I haven't had any work done,
but I understand the confusion
'cause, um, well, I had Tommy at a very early age.
- And you're a stay-at-home mom.
- No, no, no, no, no, actually I am the owner and executive chef
of Ed Garbanzo's.
- Wow. - Yeah, well.
- What?
- It's a five-star restaurant in Beverly Hills.
- Oh!
- Two Michelin stars. - Nice!
- She learned everything from her father, an excellent chef.
Tell us what you've been up to, Jack.
You were such a dreamer back in school.
Did you ever do anything
with those short stories you were writing?
Did you ever get 'em published?
- Y... uh, I... have five number-one best sellers.
- Really? Which books?
- He's joking.
[both laugh briefly]
- [chuckles]
A guy can dream.
Um, you know, after my father died,
we started running the bakery,
so we've been doing that for the past five years.
And Holly is an amazing baker and pastry chef.
- Oh, a bakery.
Uh, doughnuts.
- Little cupcakes. - Cute.
Well, Holly, that'll be great.
You and I can talk shop while you're here.
- Mm-hmm, definitely.
- Like I said, if you guys ever get bored,
your cabin's right...
[Buster] - Sometimes you just don't talk about really anything
while you're getting to know each other.
- ...smells bad too.
Yours smells really good-- and it's clean too.
I'm pretty sure there's something dying in ours.
- And we got the wonderful view out back.
We can always go sledding and tubing
right in the backyard too, so...
- Whew, it's beautiful. - It's crazy.
- Hey, the game's on tonight. - Yeah.
- Let's go watch it, dude, let's go.
- ...your father's footsteps.
He was, he was...
- We miss him, we do.
Now, listen, we should let you enjoy your castle.
- Oh, no, stay!
I love your intelligent dog.
- There 's a game.
They have a big screen, Dad.
- Yeah, Dad, and Tommy's gonna play his guitar.
- Oh. - I only know a few chords.
- He's a rock star.
Let's go, come on.
- No, no, listen, I'll pop open a bottle of Dom,
we'll fire up the hot tub.
- Stick around. - Hot tub?
Hot tub, Jack.
- Yeah... thank you all for your hospitality.
- Goodness, I hope it's not on account of the dog.
He was actually really quite well-behaved.
- Uh, we love him.
- Hey... - You, my friend... I mean, wow.
This place is impressive.
I mean, you've done great for yourself-- I'm proud of you.
- Jack, you're making it seem like it's good-bye forever.
We're gonna be hanging out all week, buddy.
- [chuckles]
Well, you know where to find me.
In the little cabin.
♪
- Well, you guys are welcome back to the big cabin
any old time.
We're gonna be firing up the grill soon.
[Jack] - We got that thing cooking now, right?
- Yeah. - It's a little hot.
I told you, you just have to get some oxygen to those flames.
Good job.
- Thanks, guys. - Way to go!
- Okay, who's ready for a little
action-packed family time, huh? Sienna?
Wanna play some charades? Cards, huh?
Have a checker tournament... you wanna have a checker tournament?
- [mumbling, whining] - What?
- I miss my phone...
- What?
- I'm going to bed.
- That's... okay, good night.
Guess it's just the three of us. What do you wanna do?
- Yeah. - I don't know.
I'm pretty tired-- I think I'm gonna go to bed too
and just fall asleep listening to the game on the radio.
- Are you kidding me? - Good night, guys.
- You don't wanna play games?
What is the matter with everybody tonight?
- It's our first night here and it was a long day.
- Yeah, tell me about it.
- Besides...
You and I can enjoy the fire together.
- [chuckles]
I love you, sweetheart.
- I love you too.
[Robert] - Hey...! - Whoa!
- We thought we'd invite you and your family out
for a hearty breakfast at Fresco's.
- The food is to die for.
It's absolutely fabulous.
- And afterwards we're going up on the mountain on snowmobiles.
- Come on, Carters, you gotta come.
- Dad, let's go, come on. - Yeah, Dad, let's go.
- Kids, your dad already made plans.
- Yes... or we would.
- Jack... I'm paying for everything-- it's on me.
- Oh, no-- no, no, I couldn't do that.
- What 's money if you can't see other people enjoy things
with you?
Besides, I've already paid for the snowmobiles
and they're non-refundable.
- Dad...? - What? No.
What about Buster?
- Leave him. - Bring him!
Plenty of room in the car.
[Buster barks]
- Bring him... okay.
Well, okay... bring him.
[Jack sighs]
[Holly] - [sighs]
Maybe it'll be fun.
- Buster... Buster!
You don't wanna snowmobile?
[Buster barking]
- Whoo...
That's right, we got this!
Whoo-hoo!
- Whoo!
[engines roaring]
- Are you okay? - Yeah!
- [laughing]
[Jack laughing, Buster barking]
- Hey, Kyle.
[Buster] - So, I'll tell you one thing.
This guy knows how to enjoy himself.
He was definitely endearing himself to the family.
- Can you wave?
Can you wave to Mama?
Lookit, look, Buster!
- Whoo!
- Whoo...!
[engines roaring]
- Ha...!
- Is that beautiful or what?
Huh?
Farthering Pines!
What do you say, Buster?
[Buster barks]
[Jack] - [laughing]
Come on, Buster.
- That was fun.
- That was great! You kidding me?
- How about hot chocolate?
- Oh, I'd love some. I'll come--
What, Ghirardelli's? Do you have that?
- Uh, Hershey's? - Oh, I've never had that.
- Wasn't that the best? - Hey, thank you, man, seriously.
I mean, I've never had $30 eggs Benedict before.
- Yeah, well, hopefully that's not the last time.
I'm telling you, a little perseverance,
hard work, luck, you're gonna be fine.
You're gonna be writing that novel before you know it.
- Well, from your mouth to God's ears.
- Hey, uh... - What?
- Ring a bell? - Snowshoes?
- Yeah! Come on-- your dad, winters up here...
- Carl Carter's Farthering Pines Winter Olympics.
- Olympics! He used to make all the kids in the neighborhood
compete in the snowshoe races.
- When we did the inner tube races, remember those?
- The snowman building.
- Oh, and the snowman bowling.
- And the worst, the cross-country skiing.
- Don't even bring it up, I hated that.
- You were horrible at that.
- Wait a second, we were horrible at that.
- You sucked-- you came in last place every time.
- No, except for the times you came in last place.
- No, I might have come in second to last place,
but you owned--
- No, no, but wait.
You know my favorite thing of all?
Was when we spent hours hiking for that magical Christmas tree.
- Oh, that tree.
Arbol de...
[both] - Navidad Perfecto!
- Right?
Whoever found it would have eternal happiness.
- Riches beyond your wildest dreams.
- You know, why are they closing this place down? - It's sad.
- I mean, you have the swankiest cabin,
I've got that little Daniel Boone model.
- Yeah, well, the owners, they were trying to remodel
and they were trying to bring in a higher class of people
and they ran out of money,
which is why some of the places are great
and some of the places are dumps.
I mean, anybody could afford to live there.
But they forgot about the middle class.
They need a consistent clientele.
- No, wait, I'm... I'm middle class.
- Yeah, okay.
Come on! Let's do this!
- Wait-- no, let's not.
- Come on, let's do this thing!
- Wait, wait, we're racing again?
- Let's go...!
- Are we 10?
- On the line!
- Robert, come on, seriously.
- All right, here's the deal.
We do from here, around that tree, and back.
Whoever here's first, okay?
- I'm tired already. - Good.
- Go! - Go!
[Robert laughing, Jack shouting]
- Ah, watch out... - Get out of my way!
I'm coming!
- And turn!
- Aah...
- Aah!
- Hey, Mom, look at Dad over there.
What 's he doing?
- I got you now, sucker!
Aah... [laughing]
Aah...!
- Oh...
- Jack!
- Whoo-hoo!
The winner...!
Yeah...!
[Buster] - Revisiting your youth is not so easy sometimes.
- Jack? Jack?
What on earth?
- You all right, Daddy?
- I think he pushed me down.
- Honey... [laughing]
[Robert] - Oh, yeah!
I'm sorry I beat ya.
- Oh, no, hey, all in good fun, right?
- Tomorrow we can try something different.
You know, mix it up.
- No, you know. - Come on!
- As much as I appreciate your generosity, you know,
and you spending all this time with my family,
I... I gotta pass.
I mean, we should really just,
uh, spend some time alone together, you know?
Maybe even get my, my novel started.
- Well, we at least gotta have dinner together, no?
- Come over for dinner. - Yeah!
- You know, uh, thank you, Eva, but Jack's right.
We really need to spend some time together just as a family.
I think I'm just gonna grill some burgers out tonight.
- Hamburgers? Oh, yeah!
- Can Tommy eat with us?
- Well, honey, it's family time.
- Yeah, not tonight.
- Yup, and Tommy, I am making my famous stuffed chicken.
Let me tell ya, I stuff it with, oh, spinach, pesto...
- Oh, pesto! - ...and feta.
It is delicious!
You're gonna love it, I swear.
- Eva? - Yeah?
- I season the heck out of my burgers.
- She makes the best burgers in the world.
With all the fixings and trimmings,
it'll make you wanna hug your neighbor.
- Well, all right to that.
All right, you guys enjoy your burgers,
but how about we get together later for some dessert?
[Sienna] - Yeah! - Yes, dessert.
- You know what? Not tonight.
- All right, tomorrow... morning... breakfast?
- Holly, breakfast.
- Wait, wait, dessert for breakfast?
- Come on! - No, they're the best crepes where they're taking you.
You're gonna love it.
- See you in the morning, Carters.
- It's done, it's done. It was a great day.
- Bye, Carters.
If you miss us, you know where we live!
- Bye, guys!
[Jack] - What is going on here?
[Buster] - So the family was working on reconnecting.
At least... they were trying.
- So... this... this is quality family time?
- Sienna. - I'm amazed that you've been able to keep quiet
for a few moments.
- Hey, I'm sorry, Tommy lives really far away.
I don't have that much time with him.
You met him this morning!
And he is just a boy.
This is your family!
- Dad was just a boy before he became Dad to you.
- Husband to Mom.
- Okay, whatever, it's the same thing.
- It's been a couple of days
since you've had your cell phone.
You haven't complained about that-- I'm proud of you.
- That's because she's been all over Tommy's phone.
- It still shows some effort, okay?
And I am proud of you.
Besides, what would you be doing different
if you were on the web, hmm?
I mean, can't you just comment to us
whatever it is you'd be tweeting on Facebook?
- Yeah! - [laughs]
Dad, you can't tweet on Facebook.
That's, that's not how it works.
- No? Well, why don't you just tell me what you would do then?
- Um... I'd just post pictures
where me and my friends are hanging out
or I'd comment on their pictures.
- Okay, well, let's just pretend you took a family photo
and you posted it.
What would you say?
- Okay, um...
"With the parents, the dog and the annoying brother."
Heart sign.
- Hey! - Heart sign!
- You see, we can communicate like this.
- Hashtag: disturbing.
- I'm not talking like that.
- Fine-- why don't you tell us about the story of you and Brad
at the park the other day playing basketball.
What happened with that?
- Yeah, honey, you never told us what happened.
- Yay! Another story about a ball going through a ring!
Hashtag: Dad's idea for commentary.
- All right, you guys want the extra-long version?
- Yes. - All right.
Well, me and Brad went to the park
and we played a game of ball.
The end.
- Hashtag.
[all sighing]
[Buster] - And the Carter family
wasn't the only ones who needed to reconnect.
[Eva] - Mm... mm-hmm.
[sighs]
- This is good, honey.
- Pardon, what? You say something?
- What?
You mind, um...
passing the salt?
- Um... yeah, it's, it's one of those.
[phone beeps]
- Huh?
- Probably one of her workout buddies.
- It is my workout buddy.
My trainer---
You have no idea who he's training now...
[different cell phone rings]
Did I tell you?
- Hello?
[cell phone beeps]
- Okay...
- Hold on a second.
- I tell you, now is the time to pick that cherry.
S.P. Entertainment is there.
Do you know what kind of a deal we can get?
- Dad, we got any napkins?
- Well, look, I'll check on it right now, it's...
- Suzy? I can't deal with the texting thing--
I think it's rude at the table--
so I figured I'd call you instead.
- Thirteen points... - So, listen, are you gonna meet us?
- ...since last March has it been that high. - Right...
- So if we could grab... - He wants me to do more lunges...
[Sienna typing slowly]
- Why aren't they arranged in alphabetical order?
- They didn't teach you that in school yet?
Well, you see the principle behind it
was to keep people from typing too fast,
which would prevent the typewriters from jamming.
- Well, why don't they just update it?
Computers don't jam and people could type faster.
- [chuckles] That is a very good idea,
but I kinda think people are a little used to it now.
Oh, in the old days, uh, people's personal journals
were kinda like their Facebook pages, did you know that?
- Really? - Yeah.
- Here, put your two pointers right here and here.
- Here? - Yup.
And-- go ahead, try to type a couple of words.
- Like this? [typing slowly]
- Okay, give it a go.
[fire crackling]
[faster typing]
[click]
- Uh-oh.
- Oh... well, that's no good.
What do you think happened?
- Let me check.
Yeah, looks like the entire village is out of power.
- Uh, we should go to Tommy's house
and see if his electricity's working.
- Yeah, and if it is, we can catch the rest of the ball game.
- Well, I can see their place from here, kids.
They don't have any lights on either.
- [exhales slowly]
Well, this is liable to be a long night.
Maybe I should go get some more firewood.
- Be careful.
- Well, Kyle's got my back, right, Ky?
- Yes, sir. - Let's go.
- We'll be back as soon as we can, Mom.
I know of a spot up here we can grab some wood.
Hey, can I ask you something?
- Yeah.
- How are you getting along with your sister?
- I don't know-- fine?
Something's bothering me.
You know, this boy thing and,
and she won't really talk to me about it.
I mean, even the sweetest of boys
can break a young girl's heart and I'm worried about her.
- Dad, don't worry, okay?
I'm gonna take good care of her.
- I love you, son. - I love you too.
[fire crackling]
[door opens, Jack and Kyle laughing]
- Wow...
This is beautiful.
- Mm-hmm.
- I mean... Sweetheart, I love you.
- I love you.
- I mean, this lighting, it's perfect for writing.
Hey, that rhymes.
- Oh...
Writing?
Were you really gonna write now?
- Baby...
- Oh, my gosh, stop...!
Eww... eww, eww, eww, eww, eww.
[panting and shuddering]
[banging on the door]
- I'll get it.
- Hey, Carter family.
How you doing today?
- Uh, well, we were doing fine
until our power went off last night.
- Our power went off last night too.
And then I turned the generator on and it came back.
Why don't you guys come over and get warm,
have some hot breakfast?
- No, no, no, we're fine, we're fine.
[Kyle] - No, we're not, we're freezing and hungry.
[Sienna chanting] - Tommy's place, Tommy's place...
- Mr. Jones, you think it'd be okay if we, um...
- Turned on the big game?
It's already on, buddy!
- Oh, cool, let's go!
- Come on, honey, why don't we just, um...
have family time at the Joneses'?
- No, no, no, you guys go, okay?
I-I'll stay here and do a little wr-writing.
- Why don't you write
where it's warm if that's what you wanna do?
- Jack, I could sure use your advice on some poetry
I've been scribbling down the last couple of years.
It would mean a lot to me to have your help.
- You know what? Sounds great.
- Excellent, let's go! - Okay, let's go, kids.
[Sienna] - About time-- let's go, let's go.
- Buster!
[Buster barking]
Come on, boy, you'll freeze here.
- Hmm? - Are you kidding me?
[game playing on TV] A first edition "Prince and the Pauper"?
- First edition.
My wife knew that was my all-time favorite book as a kid.
She goes to some fancy charity auction...
she buys it for me.
[Sienna] - You're so good at that.
Can you show me how to do it?
- Yeah, watch.
- [chuckles]
[crowd cheers on TV]
- Oh-ho! Three-pointer! Yes!
[Eva] - We have two convection ovens, a built-in grill.
[Holly] - You wanna trade lives with me?
- Honey, I hope you don't want to trade everything.
- Oh, sweetie, not you. - She wants to trade.
- Come on... - [chuckles]
You are a lucky man, my friend.
This is a keeper.
- Thanks.
I am a very, very lucky man.
Hey, who wants to play some games?
[Kyle] - I'm in.
[others agree]
- All right, let me set everything up.
- Wait, everybody wants to play games when he says it
but not when I say it?
Come on now, come on!
- Um... baby? Children?
- Boy, boy... boy wonder?
- Little boy...
- Are those clowns?
- Factory, factory!
- Um, kid, kid... argyle sweater, point... child labor.
- Child labor laws!
- Pollution?
- Doll factory. - Doll factory.
- Charlie... Charlie, Charlie Brown?
Worst [indistinct] ever.
- Uh, "Peanuts"!
- Charlie, Charlie Brown.
Oh, [indistinct] baby picture.
Worst sweater ever.
- Insane asylum!
- That looks like your dog's wee-wee pad, no?
[bell dings]
- "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"!
- Oh, that was good.
- Charlie Brown! It's Charlie Brown!
- That was very good.
You tried, you tried.
- Told ya!
- You still got the old... [slaps belly]
- Oh! - Oh...
- That was good, that was good. - Oh, I love that sound after dinner.
Are we up, are we up?
- All right, Jones family? - Yup! Jones family!
- Are we ready to steal? - Whoo!
Let me get the timer.
Ready, ready, ready?
Okay, go, go.
- All right, here we go.
Look, it's me!
[Sienna] - Uh... "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"!
- Yes! Yes!
- Oh! Yeah!
- Wait a second! That was Sienna!
You're on my team!
[all talk at once]
You're on my team!
My daughter shouted... blurted out the answer!
- First word.
Two syllables.
Uh, ride, drive?
- Biker?
- Truck driver.
Uh...
Oh, "Taxi Driver"!
- Yes! Yes.
- "Taxi Driver"!
- All right, son, daughter.
Come on, one of you kids do it.
- Honey, you should go next.
- Good idea, good idea, sit down here.
- You know, I mean, this is perfect for you, honey.
- Is it here, honey?
- All right.
- Two words.
- Okay, um...
- First word.
One syllable.
- Ear. - Ear wax.
- Ear wax!
- Loo...
- Loser!
[shouting and whooping]
- Wait, what movie is ear wax?
- We were in the bodily fluids section.
- I missed that one.
It's a movie-- has to be a movie.
- It hasn't come out yet.
- These are amazing.
- Really?
- I mean, did you ever think about having these published?
- No, no, I just write 'em down just to get 'em out of my head.
- I'm impressed. - Oh, thanks.
- In fact, I am gonna go to the cabin right now
and do a little writing.
- Well, stick around.
I've got this amazing computer program.
You just talk into it, it writes it all for you.
- Oh, no, no, no.
I would be lost if I had to do that.
I'm just gonna go back, start a fire and, you know,
do it the old-fashioned way like our forefathers.
It might inspire me.
- You can at least let your wife and kids stick around.
They're having such a good time.
They'll stay warm anyway.
- I appreciate that tremendously.
Finally I can focus.
- Okay. - Thank you.
- Good luck.
- [sighs]
>> Hope you focus.
Oh, yeah, that was a good one.
♪
[door creaks open]
- That was so awesome.
- [chuckles]
Night, Dad.
- See you in the morning, Dad.
- We're back.
How's it going, honey?
- It's not.
I don't know.
It's just... Robert.
I mean, do you get the feeling
that he's always trying to upstage me
the way he's just flaunting his money and his success
in my face?
- You know...
I really don't think so.
I think he's just really excited to see his old friend.
He's a sweet guy and he likes to be generous with his money.
- Must be nice to be so generous.
- I'm gonna go warm up the bed for you.
You come soon?
- Yeah, I'll be there later.
- Okay.
[crowd cheers on TV]
- Hey, you got the game on, good.
This'll be nice.
A little father-son bonding time.
How old are you now?
- Uh, 15, Dad.
- Seriously?
- Yeah, seriously.
- Wow...
[cell phone rings]
You know, I remember when I was 15, my dad...
Yeah?
Well, what did they come back with?
Oh, no, we can do better than that.
I was gonna sell that...
- Thanks for your company, Dad.
- ...and make the biggest profit...
Are you serious?
[typewriter keys clacking]
Hey.
- Hey. - Ooh...
Eva made these.
- Thank you.
I thought you might want 'em.
Mmm...
- Uh, so, the kids are with Robert and Eva.
Um, Robert ordered some pay-per-view game on TV
for Kyle to watch
and Eva is chaperoning Tommy and Sienna
in the hot tub, and later--
- Wait a second.
- I'm gonna go over and help Eva make lunch
and we'll see if we can coexist together in a kitchen.
- Tommy and Sienna are in the hot tub?
- Honey... it's fine.
And it's the perfect time for you to get some writing done.
How do you like that?
- Um, I spoke to management.
They said they'll have the electricity on later.
- Great!
- [typing forcefully]
[wind whistling]
[Buster whines]
Don't look at me like that, Buster.
[typing steadily]
[Buster huffs]
What do you think?
Ah...
Oh, Buster...
Why can't I write anything good, huh?
I mean, you're supposed to help me,
you're supposed to be my muse.
[Buster panting]
I know.
I'm just a little preoccupied right now.
I mean, I'm just thinking
about Mr. Millionaire over there and...
[sighs]
Boy, what I could do with some of his money.
I thought you were gonna give me some good ideas.
And look at you-- you're not even listening to me right now.
[sighs]
What should I write about? Hmm?
Probably being a little hard on myself, right?
Excuse me, are you ignoring me now?
Did I just break one of the Ten Commandments, huh?
[sighs]
I suppose that's why I gotta write this novel.
So people would just know that I'm worth something.
[sighs]
This is going nowhere fast.
Maybe we should take a break, huh? You want some coffee?
[Buster whines]
Hmm? Maybe we should go over to the Joneses'
and thank 'em for the pastries.
It's probably the polite thing to do.
Clear the mind and then I can come back and...
and write... something magical.
[Buster whines]
Is that a good idea?
[Buster barks]
[sighs]
All right, come on, let's go. Come on.
- Wow, Tommy, what I wouldn't do to be in your shoes.
Do you have any threes?
- Yeah.
- Sweet.
- I mean, your dad is the coolest.
- He's all right.
Do you have any fours?
- Uh, no, go fish.
Just all right-- are you kidding me?
I mean, he practically knows every stat
of every ball player ever.
[Sienna] - Yeah, and you get to stay in places like this all the time,
with huge screen TVs and you go snowmobiling whenever you want.
- And I bet you have like, a basketball court
at your house back in Cali,
- It's, it's a half court.
- Oh, man.
- And his dad is giving him a BMW for his 16th birthday.
- Are you serious? What kind?
- Honestly, I'd rather have like, a CJ5.
Just an old Jeep.
- Tommy, do you wanna get like, married,
so your dad can be my dad and...
This phone, I just love it so much.
- Uh, Kyle, do you want a refill?
- Yes, please, thank you.
- Yeah, no problem.
[Sienna] - Hurry back.
- What would you do if Mom and Dad saw you with that?
- Please don't tell them.
- Oh, no, don't worry, I'm not gonna tell on you.
- Thank you.
- So... you really like that kid, huh?
- Yeah-- I mean, he's like, totally super cute, right?
- [scoffs]
Um, well, I mean, if you ever need anybody to talk to
or have any questions about anything, I'm, I'm here for you.
I am your big brother.
- Thanks, Kyle, that's really sweet.
Okay, now stop because my mascara's gonna run.
[birds squawking]
[Robert] - I made us some hot cocoa. - Thanks.
- I also rented us a giant helicopter,
big enough for all of us.
We're gonna have a sunset tour over the mountains.
It's gonna be awesome.
- That sounds... awesome.
Look...
Thank you for everything.
Really, I mean, I appreciate your generosity.
I mean, my kids love you, really.
I mean, I love you, but...
I need to spend a little alone time.
You know, and, and, and maybe you should be with your family.
When's the last time you hugged Tommy?
Seriously.
Why don't you take him on a helicopter ride?
I'm gonna get some writing done.
Thanks, man.
♪
- How about one last challenge?
Winner take all?
No.
- [chuckling]
[sighs]
What did you have in mind?
We're on a roll.
Kids, lunch is almost ready!
It's fun having you in the kitchen.
- Yeah.
Say, you wouldn't wanna keep going maybe and make a dessert?
- [gasps]
Dessert! Yes, I totally forgot to have dessert delivered
with my groceries this morning, thank you.
You have your groceries delivered?
- You don't?
- Wow! - Wow.
- You know, I'm sure I can make something
from whatever you've got here.
- Okay.
- In fact, I bet you have all the ingredients necessary
to make my grandmother's famous chocolate fudge brownies.
Warm and flaky on the outside, melty and fudgy in the--
- Oh, fancy that!
We got everything I need
for my famous white chocolate cheesecake
with a surprise cookie crumble crust.
My grandma's brownie is really good.
- Sounds a little boring.
- Ah.
- I'm just saying.
- Look at our husbands go.
[Buster] - So the boys were at it again,
and this time there was no fooling around.
- Say... you wouldn't be up
for maybe a little friendly competition, would you?
- You're on.
[Buster] - This was war.
- How do you feel?
- That hike almost killed me.
- Good.
Final challenge.
This is for all the marbles.
The finale of the Carl Carter Memorial Olympic games.
Let's do it for your pop.
So far, if you're keeping track of the medal count,
I've won the snowshoe, the charades, the...
well, everything.
- Wait, wait, technically I got half a point for charades, okay?
- You've won nothing.
But you win this, you're the champ, okay, deal?
- I love you, Pop!
- First man down, on three.
- Ready? Three!
[both whooping and yelling]
Oh, yeah!
- No, I made it first.
What are you talking about?
- That was a tie.
- All right, it was a tie. - That was a tie.
- That was tie-- how do we settle this?
- That was-- I tell you how we settle this.
- Hey, Tommy.
Can we speak for a moment?
- Uh, yeah, of course.
- Sienna's downstairs
watching the dessert contest between our moms.
- Oh-- that, that's funny.
- Yeah, uh...
Listen, I mean, you seem like a great kid,
but if you hurt my sister in any way
I'm gonna have to pound on you, all right?
- Yeah, of course.
I mean, I understand.
Uh, I'd never hurt her, but... do you...
do you even thinks she likes me or do you think she's just...
acting like it 'cause she wants to use my phone?
- It's definitely not your phone, all right?
- Cool.
♪
- Mm.
- Oh... Eva... this is fantastic.
- This is awful!
- Well... that's a little harsh.
- No, it's awful because it is so much better than mine!
Oh, my God, I can't stop eating this thing!
[tearfully] Oh, God, you're so much...
You're really talented, Holly.
- Thank you, Eva.
- No, thank you.
Maybe less is more.
- Sometimes it is.
- Mom, can we please just stay here while our power's out?
- No, kids--
- Mom, listen, it'd be more comfortable,
you could cook easier, there's more games to play,
there's more stuff to do.
- They have a huge TV with cable. - Yeah!
- We can watch movies, they have a Jacuzzi.
- The place is pretty spectacular.
But we're going to ours.
[Sienna groans]
Watch out, it's slippery.
Ooh!
- [Robert] I had you.
- You might have had me but I crossed the finish line first.
I'm a champion! [laughs]
- All right, you want to say it's a tie?
- Okay, it's a tie.
- We tied.
- If we tied, that means I won,
'cause I won all the other events.
- Wait, stop, stop, okay?
I'll tell you, there's only one way to fix this.
- What?
- One last challenge.
- All right, what is it?
- All right, family versus family, Carter versus Jones.
- Okay.
- Whoever finds the Arbol de Navidad Perfecto first
wins the whole thing.
- The tree?
- Yes!
- The magic tree? - Yes.
[Buster] - So the lines of challenge were drawn in the snow...
- No one's ever found that tree.
[Buster] - ...as both men went to work informing their families
and getting them ready
for the greatest adventure they had ever embarked on,
finding Arbol de Navidad Perfecto-- the magic tree.
[door opens]
- Whoo! Okay!
Jones family, we are going on a family adventure together
to find a giant Christmas tree.
- A giant Christmas tree.
What about the 30-foot thing behind you?
Do you remember how much we paid a designer
to decorate that thing?
- No, no, no, not that Christmas tree.
We are looking for a legendary tree.
It's called El Arbol de Navidad Perfecto.
I don't even know if it exists,
but people have been searching for this thing
their entire lives, have not found it.
Today we are gonna find it!
But before we go, there's...
there's something I need to say to you.
Come here, stand up.
I hope you don't think I'm a lousy dad,
and I know I don't say this to you enough, but...
I love you, son.
I'm very proud of you.
Go get dressed!
- Is, is Dad okay?
- I don't know, honey,
but all I do know is we better find that tree.
Get dressed.
- Arbol de Navidad Perfecto? What is that?
- The Arbol de Navidad Perfecto is a story
that my father used to tell me when I was nine years old.
It's, it's a Christmas tree, a magic Christmas tree
that exists somewhere here in Farthering Pines.
And legend has it that whoever finds it
will receive eternal happiness
and riches beyond their wildest dreams.
- Wait, a magic Christmas tree?
- Yes. - Well, we've gotta go find it.
- Yes, and before the Joneses.
So just think of it as like a, I don't know, a treasure hunt
and we're looking for the treasure.
- Okay.
Well, we're gonna need a map.
- Wait, wait, like this one?
- Where did you get this?
- I found it the other day in a book.
- No, this, this is my map.
I drew this when I was nine years old.
- Oh, honey.
- [chuckles]
I feel pretty good about this, guys.
[all chuckle]
- Me too.
- I think we got the Willow through Cadbury Pass covered
but I might be between the Reed and Benson Ridge right here.
- Oh, that looks awfully high, honey.
You know altitude makes me bloated.
- Well, you snowboard in that area-- have you ever seen it?
- No, we're usually off down on this side of the mountain.
- You know, this is isn't even this mountain ridge.
- What?
- All right, come on, focus, focus.
Where is this magic tree?
Come on, Jones family.
If we go down this trail here,
if we could focus on hitting Silver Lake to Twin...
to Twin Lakes, it's gotta be in there, okay?
- Kinda like Twin Peaks?
- You guys ready to do this? - Yes.
- Let's find this tree!
- Let's go get this tree!
[snow crunching underfoot]
[Buster] - But sometimes you don't know what you're really looking for.
But you have to start the journey,
because the journey is what it's all about.
- [huffing and panting]
- Oh... Jack... don't you want to stop and look at the view?
- [chuckles] Come here, honey.
- It's gorgeous!
[Kyle] - This is awesome.
- Come on, let's keep going.
- Honey, but this is...
[Kyle] - How much farther?
- I mean, would you look at this view?
Oh... oh... oh... oh...
[Robert] - Hello, sir? Sir?
We're just a little lost, we...
How... are you today, sir?
Um, we can't seem to find this old tree--
this ancient Arbol de Navidad... Perfecto?
- The sacred tree. - Yes! Yes, the sacred tree!
- You don't find the sacred tree-- it finds you.
But try that way.
- So you're saying it's that way?
Thank you.
He says it finds us! We can't find it!
[Buster] - And sometimes you can't see the forest through the trees.
♪
[Buster barks]
[Holly] - [laughs] Oh, be careful.
[all panting]
- It's around here somewhere.
- Oh... how are you guys holding up?
[Kyle groans]
[Sienna] - Hey, Dad, how much farther is it?
[Kyle] - So tired...
- Oh, this, this guy will know.
- I think we've gone a little too far.
- Hello! Uh, hi.
Sorry, we're a... we're a little... lost
Do you have any idea where we are?
- Yeah, do you?
[wind whistling]
Hello?
Oh.
Hmm.
- Oh...
- Ooh...
- Okay, come on, let's go.
- Oh, boy. - You keep it.
- You know how to pick 'em.
Honey, he's as lost as we are.
[Eva groans]
Really, honey?
Honest to God.
It just all looks the same.
[Holly] - So beautiful! Oh!
[Jack] - I used to hike all through here when I was a kid.
[Kyle] - And let me guess, it was uphill both ways, huh?
- Come on, let's keep going.
[Sienna] - I really hope this tree exists.
[Eva] - I'm sorry... - Just hold...
- No, I'm sorry.
- We're almost there.
I know it, honey.
It's this way, guys.
Ooh... yeah, it's this way.
- Baby, I think I just have to crawl at this point.
The snow is so deep-- whoops.
Hang in there, guys, we're almost there.
- I'm trying.
Thank God for Pilates.
- Hey, it stopped snowing.
- My God, I can open up my jacket for a second now.
- Oh, yeah, I think we're getting closer.
You feel the magic?
- I feel a lot of cold snow, that's what I feel.
[gasping and groaning]
- That way!
- That's what you've been saying this whole entire time!
"That way."
- Uh-huh, that way.
[Tommy] - I can feel it. Dad's right.
- For goodness' sake.
- Okay...
Let's you and Buster and the kids just keep going,
just bear to the right up there, okay?
- Come on, Buster.
- Dad, we're gonna find this tree, okay?
- Yes, we are, son.
Here's the map, sweetheart.
I love you, keep going, okay?
Look for Beaver Rock.
Oh...
Daddy...
I just want to tell you how blessed I feel
for having you in my life for as long as I did.
Everything that you shared with me,
everything that you taught me, thank you so much,
'cause I get to pass that on to my family now.
But I have just one favor.
I need your help.
If you're up there next to the big man right now, please,
Daddy, please, ask him to point me in the right direction
to find this magic Christmas tree.
That's all I need is just one little sign.
- We're exactly looking for what?
- The tree, the tree!
- I know, I know but where is it, where is it?
- It's this way-- I feel it.
- Oh, that's gotta be it.
Yup, yup, come on.
- If anything, we could look down off the hill.
- No, no, no, this way, this way.
- You sure? - Yeah, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
- All right.
See, I told you I could be an outdoorsy type of girl!
- Ooh, we're getting close.
- Oh, I hope so.
- It's gonna find us, come on! - Coming.
[Buster] - And sometimes you have to know you just have to believe.
- Buster?
[Buster barks]
Buster.
Thank you, Daddy.
Thank you so much!
Buster! I'm coming, I'm coming, buddy!
[panting]
Hey!
Kids! Follow Buster!
- Hey, Dad, I think that's it.
- I think that's it.
- I don't think that's it.
- Are, are you sure?
- Honey, are you sure?
- I'm sure.
- Well, how do you know?
- I just don't feel it.
- Can I help make you feel it?
- He said it would find us.
- And we found it. - Keep going.
- Well, I got news for you.
It found me.
I am just fine with that one.
I just think this is so ri...
- [panting]
Whoo-hoo!
Buster, you found it! Yes!
We did it!
The Arbol de Navidad Perfecto!
- What are you doing?
- We found it, son, this is the tree.
- Really?
- It doesn't look like much. - Are you sure, Dad?
I mean, how do you know that's it?
- 'Cause I can feel it.
♪
- Oh, honey...
It's beautiful.
I've been searching for this tree my whole life.
I've never been happy with who I was.
I always wanted more.
I wanted to give you guys everything.
I'm just the son of a baker...
but I should be proud of that.
And finding this tree has just made me realize that...
I'm the richest man in the whole world.
- Oh...
I love you guys.
- Oh... honey, you don't have to do anything more for us.
I married the man of my dreams.
He's everything I hoped he would be.
- Man, you're the best, Dad.
I mean, you always do everything for us.
- I love you too, Dad, and...
I'll stop texting on my phone so much.
- [chuckles]
- I love you guys.
- You did it, Jack.
You found it.
- What, is that it?
- That's it?
- That's it.
[Tommy] - Seriously, Dad?
- Come on.
- Oop! Wait up!
- Well, looks like you found the tree.
Congratulations, you win.
- We're both winners, buddy.
I mean, look at this.
Look at our families.
Eternal happiness.
[laughs]
- Riches... beyond your wildest dreams.
- Tommy... you have got a great dad.
I mean, I'm so proud to be, to be his friend.
I can wait to spend more time with him.
He's got so much to teach me.
- You know, thank you.
You're... you're a great dad too.
- [chuckles]
- All right, that's it.
You're all coming over to our house
for a big old Christmas dinner, all of us.
I'm not taking no for an answer.
- We wouldn't have it any other way.
- And we're cooking!
- You're on! - All right.
[all laughing]
[Robert] - I love you guys!
[Jack] - Love you too!
I love you guys so much.
[Buster whining]
[Buster] - Yes, Arbol de Navidad Perfecto
indeed a magical tree.
Riches beyond your wildest dreams... and eternal happiness.
♪
And with that said, the two families worked together
and cooked the best Christmas dinner they ever had,
and they all had a new appreciation
for themselves and each other.
[Eva] - ♪ Ta-da!
Come taste the magic, people!
[Holly] - Hey, kids, come on!
Come on.
- Oh, and dressing and stuffing. - Yeah.
♪
- What is it?
- Open it up.
- What did you get me? - Open it up!
- Merry Christmas, Buster.
- [laughs]
- Boyhood friends reunited.
- Oh... - So cute...
- Imagine when they were six.
- To the Carter and Jones families.
Eternal happiness...
- To riches beyond your wildest dreams, my friend.
- I hope you like it.
- Whoa.
- Probably more mature.
[both laugh]
Which, speaking of, I could have been a little bit more mature
and I have to say I'm really sorry,
because you are so talented, and Robert and I were talking--
- Oh, my God, really? - Yes.
And I don't know, if you'd have us, maybe we could invest in it,
we could work together, we could maybe combine our recipes?
- Oh, are you serious? - Yes, you are so talented.
- I would be... honored.
- You would? - Yes!
- Well, come on, let's talk about it.
[Buster] - Robert and Jack continued their friendship
and ended up going into business together
and started renovation at Farthering Pines.
- Franchise! - Franchise!
[Jack laughs]
- Merry Christmas! - Merry Christmas, everybody.
- Wow. - Wow.
- Is that for me or him?
[Buster barking]
I'm just... you can't have chocolate!
- Oh... - Merry Christmas, buddy.
- You are a good doggy.
- Merry Christmas, Buster.
[laughter and conversation]
♪
[Buster] - Holly and Eva also got into business together
and expanded the bakery,
and it's been standing room only ever since.
- You want that to go?
Would you like some coffee with that?
Mrs. Mason! Sammy!
What would you like?
High five!
[conversations continue]
[Buster] I got to watch Jack finally finish his novel.
That was our story about a simple man and his family
discovering their blessings
and being happy with who they are and what they have.
And that year was a magic Christmas.
And that's the end of our story.
♪