Hats Off to Christmas! (2013) Movie Script

Oh, cute.
Oh, I know, I love this hat.
You should see this one, too, it's really special.
Look at that.
Oh, my grandson will love that.
Well, we have lots of kids' sizes, too.
Oh, great.
Ohh...
(woman) Oh, look at this one, it has little candy canes on it.
You know, I think I have the perfect hat for you.
You wanna come check it out?
That one.
(chuckles)
(door chime plays "Dashing Through the Snow")
Oh, hi, Mr. Bowers.
Can I help you with anything?
Oh, no, I just love coming into the store,
seeing the customers enjoying the merchandise.
It's what it's all about.
I agree, it's my favorite part, too.
And how are you handling things here?
Well, I'll admit, we've been a little busy.
Oh, and I'm working on those invoices for you, sorry.
No need to explain, Mia.
I know you've been trying to pick up the slack
ever since George left us, and I appreciate it.
In fact, I've been meaning
to talk to you about that.
Really?
Stop by my office tomorrow morning.
I have some ideas about the future
of the company I would like to...
run by you.
Great.
(chuckling)
Merry Christmas to me.
It's only October, dear.
Oh, yeah, no, I know, I was just...
Well, it is always Christmas here at Hats Off.
Here, let me ring these up for you. Okay.
Oh, you got the light-up one!
Great.
Hi, kiddo.
What?
You couldn't wait for me for dinner?
Mom, I tried, really,
for ten whole minutes, but...
I just got too hungry.
It's okay, I appreciate the sacrifice.
Hey, I'm gonna go tell Ellie bye,
and then I'll come back and join you, okay?
Hey.
Hey...
You made dinner?
What would I do without you?
You know, if you'd agree to just meet my boss,
you wouldn't need me at all.
I told you, I don't want to be a market research analyst.
Okay, yes, I admit that sounds dry.
It does, yeah.
But you're good with numbers and merchandise,
and you know what customers like.
I think you'd really take to it.
And then you could make your own hours
and spend more time at home with Scotty.
Well, thank you.
But I think I might be getting a better job down at the store.
Really?
Yeah, Mr. Bowers said he wants to talk to me
about the future of the company.
I don't know, I feel like I'm--
I'm finally getting my chance at upper management.
Oh, well, it's about time.
And you completely deserve it.
Thank you.
Now, go get out of here
and go have your own life.
I'm going to go eat dinner with my son
and then pass out from exhaustion.
Sounds like a plan.
(short beep)
Hi, Sam.
Hey, Mia.
Phil.
Hey, you going to see the boss?
I am, would you like me to pass on a message?
Yeah, let's make Friday donuts an everyday thing.
Easier to get up to Santa weight by Christmas.
Will do.
You know, we could pad the Santa suit, Phil.
You don't have to put your health at risk every year
for the sake of authenticity.
It's a risk I'm willing to take.
(chuckling)
Mr. Bowers.
Thank you so much for having faith in me.
I know the company has been through a lot
in these last couple years, and...
and I'm looking forward to accepting this challenge.
This opportunity.
This wonderful opportunity.
Okay.
Morning, Joann.
Oh, good morning, Mia.
Go on in, he's waiting for you.
Thank you.
Mr. Bowers?
Good morning!
Come on in.
And have a seat.
Thank you.
(chuckling)
Well, now, ah...
(sighs)
And how long have you been with us, Mia?
Well, I started part-time
my sophomore year in high school.
And then bumped up to full-time
and assistant manager,
and manager for the last three years.
So, in total, uh, about ten years.
And that is what I love to hear,
because this company is a community, Mia,
built on the backs of loyal employees just like yourself.
Which brings me to my point.
Well, I realize when George retired,
he left you with a bit of a mess,
and that's not part of your job description,
to play CFO.
I've just been doing the best that I could.
You know, 40 years, we were friends and colleagues,
and George was sharp as a tack up until the last couple of...
(sighs)
I'm sorry, I didn't notice sooner
how much he was struggling.
Ahh...
Well, combined with the recession,
the increased competition,
well, you know how the sales have been.
Well, the last two Christmases-- Were soft.
We didn't do enough business to put us in the black,
and this year has not been promising.
The bank has been breathing down my neck,
and if I don't turn it around,
this Christmas could be our last.
Oh, that-- that would be terrible.
Yes...
but we are not going down without a fight.
Because we have someone to step up,
make sense of the books,
and put us right back on track.
I am more than ready, Mr. Bowers.
I have so many ideas.
Wonderful, and I'm sure Nick will love to hear them.
Nick?
My pride and joy, my one and only son.
The big shot business consultant
in New York City... a Princeton undergrad,
Columbia MBA.
He's coming here?
Yeah, I'll admit it took some convincing.
We haven't always seen eye to eye.
But I got him to agree to come
whip this place back into shape,
and he gets in tomorrow.
I'm sorry, Mr. Bowers, but I don't really understand.
If Nick's coming here to take over,
what do you need from me?
I need you
to, um... mentor him.
Show him the ropes.
Nick hasn't been home much since high school.
I mean, he's a shark when it comes to business,
but I don't want him picking Hats Off To Christmas apart
the way he does those companies on Wall Street.
I mean, he should be on the floor,
meeting customers.
Or, or in the warehouse, um, dealing with orders.
I want him to be part of this community.
Right.
People like you
are the heart of this business, Mia.
And if he's gonna fill in George's shoes,
and, ultimately, mine,
then Nick has to learn that part of the job
as much as the bank statements
and the invoices.
And you...
...will do great, like you always do.
Well, thank you, Mr. Bowers,
for having faith in me,
and I look forward to...
accepting this challenge.
Merry Christmas.
I brought you a celebratory
hot chocolate with whipped cream.
Thank you, but there's nothing to celebrate.
What?
(whispers) Come here.
Hey, Terry, would you mind watching the front desk?
Thank you.
He didn't offer me the job.
No, he offered me "a" job, sort of.
You lost me.
I'm not moving into upper management.
But I'm training the guy who is.
Mr. Bowers' son.
Nick?
You know him? (laughing)
Yeah, of course I know him,
the prodigal son of Hats Off To Christmas?
He was a senior when I was a junior.
He was the most popular guy in school,
quarterback of the football team,
homecoming and prom king.
All the girls loved him.
To be honest, I always thought
he was really arrogant.
He's apparently some fancy
financial consultant in New York City.
He doesn't even need the job,
and I have to train him to be good at it.
And have you considered sabotage?
I cannot even believe you would say that--
I'm just saying-- all right, I mean, he's barely made it
home since high school, something tells me
it wouldn't be too hard to run him back out of town.
Ellie, you're bad.
Hey, this was supposed to get done last night.
Yeah, I know.
Scotty...
And to think I was gonna make pancakes.
I could eat pancakes.
I'm sure.
Mom, we never have pancakes on weekdays.
Well, I'm, uh...
I'm a little nervous for today.
I thought I deserved a treat.
Why are you nervous?
Well, I have a new boss.
Or an employee-- he's like a...
he's like an employee-boss.
What's an employee-boss?
To tell you the truth, I don't know.
Well, just try your best.
That's what Dad would say, right?
On an important day.
Yeah, that is what your dad would have said.
Hey, um, speaking of important days,
I think you got a doctor's appointment
next week, kiddo, right?
Yeah.
It's gonna go great, I know it.
Since I'm going to the doctor's,
can I have a special treat, too?
(soft chuckling)
Sure, name it, you can have whatever you want.
Well...
these pancakes would be better with chocolate chips.
Chocolate chips?
Chocolate chips I can manage.
Chocolate chips.
Hi.
You must be Nick Bowers.
Yes. I'm Mia Winters.
Happy to see that you're here so early.
We have a lot to do today.
Great, well, just show me to my office.
I'll need copies of all the financials
for the last four years.
No, make it five.
Uh...
Is there a problem?
Kind of.
I came here to do you a favor, Dad.
Is it not so much to ask
that you learn about the business in the flesh
and not just on the paper?
We're not some anonymous company, Nick!
We are... family!
Um... well, now, uh, that's settled, um...
Mia? Yes?
Uh, why don't you show Nick around?
Oh, sure.
Hi.
Shall we?
Look-- Mia, is it? Yes.
Can we just get through this absurdity
as quickly as possible?
I'm not here to play shop clerk.
I have a real job to do.
Oh, so you think I don't do a real job.
No, no, that's not what I meant.
Because, you know, if I didn't show up
to open the store every day and sell
Christmas hats and gift wrap and ornaments,
there wouldn't be any money for you to count up
and put on those spreadsheets you like to make.
Well, apparently, there isn't.
(sighs)
Okay, so, this is where we keep all the inventory.
Hey, Mia. Hey, Sam.
Can the rumors be true?
Nick Bowers, hey, man...
(chuckling)
Sam? Sam Jones.
Yeah, how are you?
Mia, let me tell you,
back in high school, this guy was the man!
(chuckling) I'm sure.
Yeah, well...
so, you stayed in Wilsonville?
Yeah. What have you been up to?
Well, you know, I'm warehouse foreman now, which is nice.
I got a promotion a couple months ago.
That's great. Yeah-- more importantly,
do you remember Katie Felder?
Um...
Doesn't matter, she's Katie Jones now.
Oh... And they have
three of the cutest girls you've ever seen.
Wow, great for you.
Yeah.
Well, shall we?
Uh, hey, we'd love to have you over for dinner sometime.
You know, we could throw the football around
for old times, huh?
Oh... maybe.
Actually, um, I don't know
how long I'm going to be in town-- I'm kind of
hoping to wrap things up as quickly as possible
and get back to New York.
Right, sure, of course,
I mean, hey, I mean, I bet New York's
a really exciting place to live.
It is.
Oh, uh, Mia here was just gonna, um...
show me the ropes around the store and the warehouse.
Great, well, I won't keep you.
It was-- it was good seeing you, Nick.
Mia. See ya, Sam.
(Mia) First order of business...
You need to choose a hat.
Excuse me?
Store policy.
All the employees must wear a Santa hat
at all times in the store.
Are they still doing that?
We're "Hats Off To Christmas."
It's not that shocking of a revelation.
Besides, we have 100 different styles for you to choose from.
I'm sure you can find one here
that you wouldn't mind wearing.
Yeah, well, I don't think, um,
a Santa hat goes with my outfit.
Yeah, that's the other thing.
You're way overdressed.
You need to look friendly and approachable to customers.
You look like you came from a GQ photo shoot.
Should I take that as a compliment?
(gasping)
There. Very fetching.
Let's get to work.
Hi. Hey...
Oh, you don't have to do dinner.
I'll put something together.
Are you sure? Yeah.
Okay. Thank you, though.
How was your day?
Well, Nick started today.
And there's good news and bad news.
The good news is he doesn't want to be here
anymore than I want him here.
And the bad news?
Bad news is he doesn't leave tomorrow.
(laughs) Where's Scotty?
Oh, he's, uh, he's in the living room
researching jack o'lantern designs
for the annual pumpkin carving contest.
God, I was so bad at that.
Yeah.
His dad always did that with him.
Yeah, yeah, I know.
(door chime plays "Dashing Through the Snow")
You took a two-hour lunch?
I was lining up my next gig in New York.
I had some phone calls to make before the day ended over there.
Well, good, you can make it up to me,
'cause I need to leave early today.
You trust me in here all by myself?
Considering your struggle to remember Rule Number One,
that's a valid question.
(Nick chuckles)
Oh, I can ring you up.
(clearing throat)
That will be 7.55, please.
(register beeps)
There you go.
Thank you for shopping with us.
What? What did I do wrong?
You could be... I don't know, friendlier.
"Friendlier." Never mind, forget it.
I wanna look at these inventory sheets with you.
They're in this folder.
It's all pretty basic stuff.
The soft goods, meaning,
you know, hats, we manufacture here.
And then we order a number of wholesale items
just to round out all of our inventory.
Have you ever considered a website?
Yeah, actually, but your father--
Is a dinosaur.
I guess there's probably a nicer way of putting that.
Look, Mia,
you run this place like a well-oiled machine.
You know as well as I do
that the brick-and-mortar sales model is a relic.
Listen, I agree with you, okay?
But your dad prides himself on the face-to-face contact
with all of his customers.
Good luck convincing him that he could still have
a small-town feel with a national website.
Well, he won't have a small-town feel without a store, either.
What?
Nothing.
(phone ringing)
(phone ringing)
It's always Christmas here at Hats Off To Christmas.
Oh, jeez.
Sure, I'll head right over.
I've got to run over to the office.
Take a look at these sheets
and let me know if you have any questions.
Aye-aye, Captain.
(phone rings)
It's always Christmas at Hats Off To Christmas.
Nick speaking.
No, no-no, we were not told that another banker
had taken over our accounts.
Oh, Mia! Oh, I just wanted to check in.
So, uh, how are things going with Nick?
Well, he's smart and capable.
And he's... polite with the customers.
We're making it work.
I know he can be stubborn,
but it's just always been my dream
that he'd take over the company when I retire.
Do you think that's what he wants?
Not yet.
I know he's always wanted everything bigger and better.
The best university, a big city, a fancy car.
Oh, that's my Nick.
But I just think that if he sees this place from your perspective
and really learns it from the inside out,
then maybe he'll realize that we can be as viable a business
as any of those big corporations
he usually works for.
Well, I'm doing everything I can.
Oh, I know you will, Mia.
Michael! Valerie Fry from the bank, line two.
Oh, eh...
I'm gonna just...
Hello, Valerie... yes.
(door chime plays)
Where's Nick?
I don't know, the store was empty when I got here.
You've got to be kidding me.
And I'll leave you with that new bit of aggravation.
I gotta go-- bye, Scotty, see you tomorrow.
Bye, Ellie.
See you.
Hey, kiddo. What do you have going on here?
Oh, pumpkin carving ideas.
Yeah, I'm gonna make something really cool this year.
I bet you will.
(Sam) Thanks for helping with that.
Hey, no problem.
Oh, you just decide
to leave the store unattended?
Well, I-- Oh, no, no, that's my fault.
I needed a hand with some heavy lifting.
Hey, Scotty. Hey.
Pumpkin carving research, huh?
Yeah. Yeah, that time of year again.
If you want to talk pumpkins, you should talk to this guy.
He won that contest three years running.
Really? Mm-hmm. Nick, this is my son, Scotty.
Scotty, this is Nick.
Your employee-boss?
(Sam snickers)
Um, you know, you have a doctor's appointment.
I don't wanna be late, let's go.
So, three years in a row?
Think maybe you can help me
with my pumpkin carving?
Oh, honey, Nick is really busy.
Uh, yeah, that's--
that's true, I'm-- I'm busy.
But Sam said you were the best.
I did say that.
(chuckles)
And Mom is really bad at it.
Hey, that's--
that's true, I am pretty awful at it, but...
(whispering) you don't have to do that.
No, it's all right, I-- I think I can,
um...
I can find a little time to carve some pumpkins.
Awesome!
Awesome.
Great, well, uh...
we gotta get to that doctor's appointment, so let's go.
All right, Halloween is next week, so...
How about I see you this weekend?
Great!
Great. Come on, Mom.
Um, kiddo, I'll meet you outside, all right?
Look...
Scotty isn't like most nine-year-old little boys.
He looks pretty normal to me.
He just has a little additional hardware.
Yeah.
Thanks.
All right, kiddo.
You ready?
That was really nice what you did, Nick.
Oh, hey, it's no big deal.
It is to a single mom and widow.
What?
I gotta get back to work.
He doesn't seem to be getting any better.
You know, after the accident,
everyone-- They expected a full recovery?
Yeah.
Well, look, I'm sure you've heard this all before, but...
in-- in what we call a "complete" spinal injury,
all function below the injured area is lost.
Now, in an "incomplete" spinal injury,
some or all function may be unaffected.
Now-- now, Scotty's injuries appear to be incomplete.
(breathes deeply)
The inflammation in his vertebrae is all but healed.
And, um...
he has sensory function in his legs.
We have every reason to believe that motor function will follow.
Well, it's been 18 months.
You've taken him to physical therapy.
How has he responded to that?
He was miserable.
You know, he says he can get used to life in the chair,
but, at the same time, he's tired of feeling
like a failure because he's not walking again.
Well, the process can be overwhelming, even for adults.
Yeah, and I--
and I just can't promise him
that it's gonna get any better.
With school, I can tell him,
you know, "study for this test,"
and his grades will reflect that effort,
but with this...
Yeah.
Look, I know, Mia, but...
looking at his medical history,
it's entirely possible that
that Scotty's most debilitating injuries
aren't physical but emotional.
I mean, he didn't just lose his ability to walk
in that accident, he lost his father, too, didn't he?
Yeah.
My advice, as Scotty's doctor...
would be to just take it easy right now.
Take the pressure off of him.
Just-- just focus on having fun together.
We can do that.
(Nick humming)
(door chime plays)
Hey.
What's happening here?
I'm on time, I'm wearing my Santa hat,
and I'm doing my job.
I know, this makes no sense.
(chuckling)
So, do you want to explain to me
why you've taken all of the red hats off the shelves?
Yeah, sure.
I'm moving them to the back.
That's our number one selling hat.
People come to this store just for that.
Exactly. Think about it.
Grocery stores, they make you
walk a mile to get to the milk and the eggs.
You have to walk past the $5.00 boxes of cereal
and the ice cream in hopes that some of those items
may fall into your basket.
Well, the same thing here.
You see, we have to show the customers
all of the inventory
as they make their way to the red hats,
because if you get them by the door,
well then, you've only sold one hat.
But what you want
is for the lady that comes in to buy the hat
with her husband's favorite team logo on it.
Or the purple hat with sequins
that her teenaged daughter will love.
Exactly, and then you've sold three hats instead of one.
Nick Bowers, you're absolutely right.
Let's do it.
Great.
So...
take these to the back. Take these to the back.
Okay.
(door chime plays)
(door chime plays)
Oh, you know what? You've been on such a roll,
why don't you go handle this customer?
(door closes)
(Nick sighs)
Hello, there, welcome to Hats Off To Christmas.
Valerie?
Valerie Fry? Nick!
Nick, your dad told me you were working here,
but I didn't believe it until I could see it with my own eyes.
Wow, you look amazing.
Well, thank you.
What are you doing here?
I'm your relationship manager.
Do I need one of those? I'm actually single.
(laughs) I'm a banker.
And when my boss found out that I grew up around here,
he agreed to let me take on your account.
I didn't know a meeting was set.
Uh, yeah.
The Hats Off loan is up for review at the end of the year.
And, well,
the way things have been going the last couple of years--
I know, and that's why I'm here.
You said, "Up for review."
Is this an audit? Are you planning
on pulling my dad's line of credit?
Well, we hope it doesn't get that far.
I'm on your side, Nick.
I know how important this place is to the whole town.
And... if anyone can help turn this place around...
it's you.
(chuckles)
Uh, well, I, um, I have been a little waylaid
trying to learn this place from the ground up.
(chuckles)
Come on in, uh...
oh, this is Mia Winters.
Mia, this is Valerie Fry.
We were... friends in high school.
I'd say we were a little more than friends.
(nervous chuckle)
It's nice to meet you.
Hmm?
Oh, yes, you too.
Uh, Nick, I have a meeting with your father.
And I assume
once you're done unpacking hats
and get back into the books,
we'll be spending a lot more time together.
Yeah.
Oh, Nick? Huh?
I'm glad to hear you're single.
Yeah. (door chime plays)
(exhales)
Hey, um...
what's next, boss?
You know, I-- I think we're probably done here.
Are you sure? I don't mind.
Yeah, no, your dad wanted you
to experience the store, and...
you did, so...
you should probably get back to the work
that you came here to do anyway, right?
Okay.
(distant video game sound effects)
Video games upstairs?
Uh, yeah, I said he could play if he finished his homework.
Which he has not been doing at all recently.
Sorry.
What did Nick do today?
Nothing.
(chuckling) Nothing.
Actually, no, not nothing.
He reorganized the floor design,
and he actually had some pretty good ideas.
So, what, you actually like working with him then?
Didn't say that,
but it doesn't matter anyway.
I mean, I relieved him of his Santa hat duties today.
You know, he didn't come here
to work in the store, he came here to pick up
where the retired CFO left off.
Plus, I know he's dying to get back to New York,
and I'm not going to stand in his way,
so...
(Mia) I can't wait to see it.
I'm sure it's gonna be great.
(doorbell rings)
I'll get it. Thank you.
Hey, Nick. Hey, buddy.
You ready to carve an award-winning pumpkin?
Totally. Great.
Hey. Hey, Mia.
Are you going to help us?
Oh, no, no, no.
She's really bad at it.
Scotty! Geez...
No, I'm good at other things,
like making cookies, which you won't be
getting any of if you keep picking on your poor old mom.
Sorry.
What's this about cookies?
Get your finger out of the bowl!
What are you doing? Mm, you know,
you're right, you are good at that.
Scotty, leave her alone, she's baking.
So, I put a tarp out there,
and all the tools you guys are gonna need.
Great. Have fun.
You got that? It's heavy.
This way. I'm coming, I'm coming.
Bye, guys. See ya.
Wow, you guys are already done?
I was about to bring you a snack.
It looks great, Mom.
Well, I can't wait to see it.
No! Not-- not until the contest.
We want it to be a surprise.
Okay.
Also, it's not time to see the pumpkin.
It's cookie-eating time.
(chuckling) Serious?
What, they're Christmas cookie cutters from the shop.
Mmm... And you guys are getting pumpkin
all over my floor.
Oh, sorry.
Um, that--
you want to throw that in the wash?
Oh, no, that's fine, thanks.
I'm putting a load of laundry in now.
It's not a problem.
All right, thanks.
So are you gonna be coming to the contest?
Sure, bud, when is it?
After school, the day before Halloween.
I think I can make that work.
So, tell me, what kind of stuff do you like to do?
I like video games,
movies, making model airplanes,
and, uh...
I used to like sports a lot, football mostly.
Hey, I was the quarterback on my high school team.
We should throw the ball around sometime.
What?
You only like watching football?
Nick...
I know, but...
well, your arms work, right?
You only need your arms to throw the ball
and to catch, which is about half of football.
And you also need your arms to reach for cookies.
(laughing)
I think you can toss the ball around.
Cheers.
So, buddy, you know by keeping this covered up,
it makes it a lot harder on me to move around, right?
Mom, I want you to see it
at the big reveal with everyone else.
Please?
Okay, fine, but only because I love you
more than anything in the whole world.
Please don't say that in front of everyone at the contest.
It would be so embarrassing.
Okay, deal.
Let me get that.
We're here, are you excited?
Yeah, do you think Nick is here yet?
Let's go see.
All right, kiddo, your pumpkin is out there,
and the judge is about to start.
Mom, did you--
I didn't look, I swear.
(Ellie) I made it!
Oh, look who's here. Yeah!
I can't wait to see your creation.
Thanks for coming, Ellie. Yeah.
Now all we have to do is wait for Nick.
Yeah.
Nick-- He should be here any minute.
Can you pass me the quarterly reports for last year?
(phone vibrating)
Val, listen...
if your bank doesn't renew our loan,
you're going to put all these people
we grew up with out of work.
I'm not here to give charity, Nick.
I have a job to do.
I mean, you know.
You dismantle companies,
sell them,
whatever makes the most financial sense.
Yeah...
I just can't believe my dad let this go on this long.
I mean, another few years of this,
and George would've run this whole business into the ground.
Most small-town businesses are more interested
in making friends than making money.
And without shareholders, there's no accountability
for management.
Not exactly a Fortune 500 mentality.
Aren't you so glad you got out of here?
Yeah, I think so.
You "think" so?
Well, you know...
being back really hasn't been
as bad as I thought it would be.
Oh, come on.
I know what you do for a living.
This must be child's play to you.
Aren't you so bored?
(phone vibrating)
(phone vibrating)
(phone vibrating)
(phone vibrating)
Uh, kiddo, look,
I've called him a bunch of times.
I'm sure there's a really good reason
as to why he's not here.
Yeah, he's probably stuck at work.
Yeah. They're about to announce the winners.
Come on, let's go get a good view up front.
(Peggy) Welcome, everyone.
Welcome to the 39th Annual
Wilsonville Pumpkin Carving Contest.
After much deliberation,
we are finally ready to announce the winners.
Oh, thank you all for these wonderful entries.
And now to announce our winners.
We have five honorable mentions,
and they will have certificates placed by their pumpkins.
As for the top three entries,
here we go.
In third place is...
Seth Norton
with his haunted graveyard pumpkin.
(applause)
In second place is...
Dee Henstrum with her witch pumpkin.
(applause)
And...
the grand prize winner is:
Scotty Winters,
with his Santa hat pumpkin. Whoo!
(applause)
That is the most beautiful pumpkin I have ever seen.
Yeah.
This was such a good surprise, thank you.
(cell phone chimes)
Oh, Scotty, I gotta go, okay?
But I'm so glad I got to see your pumpkin, it's awesome.
You're part of Wilsonville history now, you know.
All right, so I will see you tomorrow after school.
And I will see you tomorrow after work.
Yeah. Okay, bye, guys.
Come on up, winners.
Come up and get your ribbons.
(applause)
Scotty, congratulations,
well done.
(Valerie sighs)
We need a break.
Drinks? Dinner?
I think it's about time you and I finally caught up.
All we've talked about is this company's financial statements.
I know, Val, but I can't, not today.
I've got this thing this afternoon.
Oh, no, oh...
What? Oh, no.
She's gonna... oh.
(phone chimes) Oh, she's going to hate me.
Who is?
I-- I'll see you tomorrow, okay, Val?
I'm sorry.
Kiddo, I really don't think he's coming.
I'm going to go tell her bye, okay?
(door opens)
He's here!
Scotty...
Bud, you won! Congratulations!
(chuckles) We won.
Hey, I just supervised, it was all you.
But it was your idea to use the light-up Santa hat.
Yeah, that was my idea.
Hey, I've got a big favor to ask you.
Do you think you would be able
to lend that award-winning pumpkin to the store?
Okay... why?
Because every time I won this competition,
my dad put the pumpkin in the store window,
and now it's time for your award-winning pumpkin
to take its rightful place, what do you say?
Awesome, sure.
Great.
I'm going to talk to your mom for a sec, all right?
Okay.
Sorry. Just don't.
No, I was knee-deep in quarterly reports
and invoices, and I just lost track of time.
I wanted to be here-- Yeah, why?
What-- what do you mean?
Why do you want to be here for Scotty?
I know why I want to be here for him,
I'm his mother.
And from the minute that he was born,
all I cared about in this world
was his happiness.
And tomorrow, and next week,
and next month,
it's me that's going to continue to care.
But you're not even going to be here.
Why are you bothering now?
Mia, I was just-- No.
That little boy
has suffered more loss in his nine years
than most people do in their entire life.
He doesn't need to get attached
to somebody that's gonna let him down.
You're right.
Believe me, I...
I never meant to hurt him.
I know.
It's really not your fault.
It's not?
You're not a small-town...
pumpkin-carving contest type of guy anymore,
and... from what I heard,
you never really were.
You're here to do a job,
and you're going back to New York.
Just...
leave us with our little Wilsonville life, okay?
All right, kiddo, we have to get home.
Say goodbye. Bye, Nick!
Maybe we could throw around the football next week?
Yeah.
See you, Scotty.
(door opens, closes)
Hey, so, um, can I borrow your car today?
I have to bring mine into the shop.
Oh, yeah, of course.
I'll pick you up after work.
Okay, perfect, here.
Thank you.
So... So?
So, you haven't mentioned Nick
since the pumpkin carving contest.
And hey, I have been trying to give you your space,
but enough is enough already.
What's the deal?
There's no deal, El.
What, so it's not awkward, then?
I mean, you yelled at him.
Okay, first of all, I did not yell at him,
and no, it's not awkward at all.
Plus, he spends most of his time in the conference room.
I barely see him.
So you don't miss him at all, then?
Do I miss him-- like, Ellie, what are you talking about?
Mia, I'm just saying that you only get really angry
with someone if you're disappointed with them,
and that only happens if you liked them in the first place
and had expectations that they didn't meet.
Okay, have you been studying for your psychology degree
in your spare time? Please, Ellie.
I had no expectations of Nick Bowers
except for that he was going to be
stuck-up and self-centered and a pain in the butt,
which he was.
You know, and it's great because
now I don't have to manage the store and Nick,
and he gets to do the work that he really likes,
and pretty soon, he's going to leave town,
and this is all going to be over.
Okay.
I'll see you after work.
(calculator whirring)
Oh, hey, Dad.
You look like you need to get out of here.
Get up and move around a little.
(chuckles)
I just got in 20 minutes ago.
Yes, but you've been sitting in this room
for a month.
Yeah, you're right.
I guess I could use a break. What did you have in mind?
Actually, I could use your help with something.
Dad...
Joann! Call down to the warehouse,
get those guys to bring that thing up.
Sure thing. Dad, what are we doing?
(chuckles) You'll see.
(door chime plays)
Good morning, Mia!
Good morning, Mr. Bowers... Nick.
Well, our Black Friday is looming,
and we don't have our window ready.
Yes, I'm sorry.
I've been so focused on those invoices.
I can see that, so to help you out,
I took it upon myself to create a little design
for you two to execute.
Dad, I really have other things I need to get done.
Uhp--
Mrs. Claus...
(shivering)
at the North Pole,
outside at a clothesline,
drying our hats.
The wind is blowing...
(mimicking wind whooshing) ...we'll use a fan.
A little fake snow in the air.
Hats from one end to the other.
Clothes-pinned to the line.
We can display half of the inventory!
Sounds wonderful, Mr. Bowers,
but what do you want me to use as Mrs. Claus?
Ah, here comes the fine lady herself.
I had her ordered.
Well, thank you, Dan.
You can just set her down right there.
Okay, you two.
I want to see the most impressive
Christmas window in the history of the store.
So, get cracking!
Mr. Bowers, I am more than capable of doing this myself.
Yeah, and Dad, I thought you said I was done working
in the store. It's a big idea, Mia.
And this Mrs. Claus isn't stuffed with styrofoam peanuts.
She's heavy, and you'll need some help.
And Nick, you need to do something that doesn't involve
a spreadsheet for a couple of hours.
May as well be this.
Mr. Bowers-- Dad--
Have fun.
(chuckling)
(door chime playing)
Let's just get this over with.
Sure.
All right.
Just brace it with this.
There you go.
And it's gonna be strong enough?
It only has to hold up a few hats.
All right.
Okay.
This is done.
Do you want to bring Mrs. Claus over?
Sure.
(Nick chuckles)
What?
Nothing-- I love how I came here
to use my MBA,
and all I've been doing is manual labor.
Isn't that why your dad wanted you to come here?
I don't know why my dad asked me to come here.
(groans)
Mrs. Claus...
I don't mean to be rude, but...
how many of your husband's cookies have you been eating?
(chuckles)
Well, I hate to say it,
but I think this might be your father's best idea.
Huh, yeah, my Dad does have some pretty great ideas.
Better watch out, he's going to put you
in charge of planning the Christmas party.
You know that's when he really outdoes himself.
Bring it on.
I'm going to move this up.
Whaa!
(laughing)
(both laughing)
Are you okay?
(laughing)
I'm so sorry.
I've destroyed everything.
Let's just fix it tomorrow, I, uh...
I know it's getting late,
and you probably have to get home to Scotty.
Actually, Scotty is at Jonah's house.
He's working on a science project.
Oh, okay.
Well, can I... invite you to dinner?
(laughing) I don't know.
Come on, Mia, I'm not such a bad guy.
(laughing)
(sighs)
(chuckles)
Hey, you two.
Sam! Hi, Sam.
How are you? I'm good, thanks.
You want to join us?
Oh, you know, I'd love to, um...
I just wanted to come say hi.
I'm with the girls.
(Mia) Aw.
Beautiful kids, Sam.
Thanks, man.
So, is Katie here?
Uh, no, she's, uh...
she's-- she's home tonight.
It's kind of a daddy-daughter
triple date thing, so...
Great.
Do you have any recommendations?
Uh, not unless you want to eat off the kids' menu.
(daughters) Dad!
Right! Sorry.
You guys enjoy your food. All right, see ya.
Wow.
Sam seems really happy.
Well, yeah, but, you know...
What?
Oh, you don't know.
Um, Katie's pregnant with their fourth.
They've been trying for a boy,
but she's had a lot of complications with this one,
and... she's actually been
on bed rest since her second trimester.
She had to take unpaid leave from her job.
You know...
I'm sure everything's going to be fine,
but... they're-- they're struggling
a little right now.
I had no idea.
So, how's Scotty been doing after the loss of his dad?
He's... he's been doing okay.
You know, it's been 18 months.
Scotty's such a good kid.
Yeah, he is, isn't he?
You're doing a great job with him.
He seems to be adjusting really well.
Thank you, although I don't--
I don't know if that's really true.
I think he's pretty scared.
I get it.
I was terrified when my Mom passed away,
and I was a freshman in college.
That's right, you lost your mom, too,
I-- I forgot about that.
I'm sorry.
We were close.
I still miss her.
Most of all, she was my interpreter.
(laughing) She was your what?
My interpreter.
Your interpreter? What does that mean?
Between my dad and I, we never really saw eye to eye,
so...
You know, Nick,
for what it's worth,
your dad loves his company,
but he definitely loves you more.
Just in case you ever wondered that.
Thanks.
(cell phone buzzing)
Oh, I'm sorry, it's Jonah's mom.
I should probably check, just make sure everything's okay.
Of course. I'll be right back.
Yeah.
Hi, uh, could I get the check, please?
Just put it on that.
Oh, and, uh...
could I cover his table as well?
Thanks.
Is everything okay?
Oh, yeah, that's fine.
Okay, great, I'm going to be home soon.
Awesome, I appreciate that, thank you.
Bye.
Hi, sorry about that. Everything's fine.
The boys just wanted to stop for some ice cream on the way home.
They're going to drop him off.
Okay, great.
Well, can I give you a ride?
Um, Ellie was actually
going to pick me up,
but if you don't mind, sure.
Did we get two bills?
No, it's all good.
Okay, thank you for dinner.
It was my pleasure.
I had a really nice time.
Yeah, me too.
So, it was really great seeing you again.
Yeah, you too.
Do you think we might be able to do that some other time?
(car approaches)
(Scotty) Hey, Nick!
Scotty... (chuckles)
Is the chair in the back?
I'll grab it. Thank you.
Thank you for dropping him off.
I appreciate that.
(Scotty) Is that your car, Nick?
Yes, that is my car, Scotty.
You got him? Yup.
There we go, ah, perfect.
Can we go for a ride?
Oh, kiddo, it's past your bedtime.
Does it have a different engine than most cars do?
How fast can it go?
Well, it's got a 3.6 liter,
six speed, 315 horsepower.
Zero to 60 in five seconds.
And it goes up to 180 miles an hour
which I have never done
because that would be illegal and very unsafe.
I wish we could get my car to go that fast.
Oh, I don't.
Your car?
Oh, my soapbox derby car.
You know they do the soapbox derby race
every year at Christmas time.
Oh, you won that contest
three years in a row, too, right?
Hang on a second. When did they start this?
They didn't do that when we were kids.
You could help me. I have to build
my car from scratch.
Scotty, I would love to help you build your go-kart.
(Mia clears throat)
Uh... except...
I don't know if I should.
I don't think your mom wants me to...
Mom, don't worry.
We can't make it go 180 miles an hour.
No, it's-- it's fine if Nick wants to help.
I just want to make sure that Nick has the time.
I have the time, and I won't be late.
Awesome.
Okay, I think we've had enough sugar
and excitement for one night.
You need to get up to bed.
Get dressed, I'll be up in a minute, okay?
'Night, Nick!
Are you sure you're okay with this?
Yeah, I'm... you know what?
He actually really needs the excitement
and a little distraction right now.
I just want to make sure--
I know.
Okay.
'Night, Mia.
Good night.
(car starts)
It's coming along, hey?
Yeah.
(ratchet clicking)
Want to pass the 1/8th there?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Well, hello.
Mia! Hey, Mom.
I hope you don't mind me just stopping by,
but I had a bunch of great ideas,
and we only have a couple of weeks to finish this thing.
Not at all.
This is great. I love this.
You guys must be getting
hungry from all this hard work.
Would you like to stay for dinner?
Oh, I'd love to,
but, uh, I'm booked.
Valerie Fry, our banker,
wanted to go over some things, and...
I'm meeting her for dinner.
Yes, Valerie.
She's nice.
You okay? I'm...
I'm great, I'm great.
I'm just going to whip up something for Scotty and I,
because you have a business date.
Dinner.
You have a business din-- he has a business dinner.
I'll see you soon, okay?
Mia--
(sighs)
Well, that could've went better.
(machine whirring)
You know, part of me thinks we can open
more stores to increase revenue.
Of course.
But I must admit that my father's
pride and joy in being the only store
makes sense to me.
You see, our store is a destination.
People get off the highway on their way to somewhere else
to stop in the town with the huge Santa hat store.
I think that counts for something.
Nick, your dad has already tried to sell me
on the nostalgic elements of this place,
but nostalgia doesn't pay off bank loans.
Yeah, I know, I'm just saying,
I don't think we need to get rid of
all the personality and history
out of Hats Off in order to increase revenue.
We can build on that personality and history.
Mm-hmm.
You know, you should really talk to Mia.
She's got a lot of great ideas,
and she gets the heart of this place,
but unlike my father, she's open to modernization.
This is our warehouse, where the magic happens.
Uh-huh.
Mia, hi!
Hi!
What are you doing?
Don't we have warehouse guys to do that job?
Well, they do all the bigger stuff,
but I try to take care of the smaller things.
You remember Valerie?
I was just showing her the warehouse.
Hi, yeah, it's-- it's nice to see you again.
Maya, hi there.
Mia. Mia.
(chuckling)
Um, I was just telling Valerie here
about some of your ideas
to bring Hats Off
into the 21st century without sacrificing the charm.
Oh, yeah, uh, thank you.
So, what are you doing?
Nick, I'm just-- I'm just, uh,
filling boxes.
Can I try?
You-- you want to pack boxes?
Yes, I want to try. Okay.
Do-- do you mind? No.
Nick, I'm gonna head back upstairs-- All right.
to do some work. Yeah.
I'll see you up there. Sure, see you.
This has got to be a man's job.
You're lucky I'm not making you wear a Santa hat.
(chuckles)
So, you do the bottom layer. Okay.
Then you pack whatever the marked merchandise is
that goes in this one. All right.
And then you fill another layer,
and, ta-dah!
Great. You filled a box.
Ta-dah, I got it.
Okay.
That one's almost done, you might want to do
just a little bit more and then...
Okay. ...you can do this one.
No problem. Okay.
Ooh.
No, no--
Uh... Nick!
Oh, my gosh!
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!
How did you pull that off?
Stop, stop! Ah!
Yeah, I'm fine. (Mia laughs)
I'm fine.
Just... I got it, I got it.
Okay.
Nick, you know, when you got here,
I thought you were just so cool, but...
I need to get back to the store.
I'll see if Sam can help us with this.
Oh, I'm sorry, I-- Did I hear my name?
I have to get back to the store
with this box, actually, but-- Yeah, mm-hmm.
I'll just-- Sorry to leave you with this.
No, it's cool, that's my job.
I'm sorry-- I'm sorry.
You took my kids to dinner the other night.
I appreciate that, this is fine.
Let me take this on for you.
No, about dinner, no problem.
That's what old friends are for, right?
(Sam chuckles) Right.
Speaking of old times, I was...
hoping we could toss the ball around sometime.
That would be great. If that's still okay.
Great, perfect. Great.
If I get this done-- ever.
Oh, man. (whispers) Sorry.
Bye. That's a big pile.
I can't believe I agreed to this.
Oh, no, Thanksgiving last year was sad,
but this? This is awesome.
I mean, look how happy Scotty looks.
All right, Scotty, you're the QB.
You ready? Okay.
Let's get this game going!
Blue 42! Hut, hut, hut!
Hands up, hands up, hands up!
(whooping) Good job!
Touchdown!
All right, girls, it's our turn! Touchdown!
Whoo! Yeah!
Come on!
If you're not gonna fall right in love with him, can I?
Ellie, you have to stop, he's leaving.
All right, man.
He likes the big, fancy types, you know?
You could get a little fancy if you wanted.
Oh, you think I can get a little fancy?
I know you can get fancy.
(Sam) One, two, three, go!
(girl) Good job! Go, Scotty!
Come on!
Touchdown!
I don't know, do you wanna play?
You want to play?
I kind of want to play. I'll play.
Okay, guys, I think we're playing on this one.
(Nick) All right, come on in here.
All right, we're going to try a running play.
A running play? Are you ready for this one?
I can't do a running play, Nick.
That makes no sense. Just trust me.
Okay, Ellie. Watch your back. All right.
Ready? And... hut!
(Sam) Get her! Oh!
(Sam) Come on, hands up!
(Nick) Go, go!
Go, go, go! Go!
Go, Scotty!
Touchdown!
Whoo!
Good job, honey!
(airhorn blares)
(cheering)
(woman) Go-go-go!
Whoo!
(cheering)
(man) Good job.
Excuse me.
You ready?
Mom...
It's a soapbox derby.
You didn't have to get so well-dressed.
Actually, I think she looks perfect.
All right, you ready to go?
The race is about to begin.
Remember what I told you.
Good luck. Thanks, Nick.
You ready, honey? Yeah!
Put your seat belt on!
You put a seatbelt in there?
Of course.
And you can't see it, but his legs are cushioned
with pillows and, believe it or not, bubble wrap.
So, if there was any kind of a crash, he'd be okay.
Wow.
Oh, and I did a lot of research on how to make
the thing really fast. Nick!
But, then I chose
not to employ any of those ideas.
He doesn't have to win every competition.
You gotta keep the kid humble.
Don't worry, he'll be okay.
Thank you.
(airhorn blares)
(Nick) Go, Scotty! Go, Scotty!
Whoo! Go, honey!
I'll see you at the finish line!
Come on, let's go down there. Okay.
Go, honey! Good job! Good job, yay!
We did it.
Hey, thank you for being there for him today.
It really means a lot to him.
No problem.
You know, I think you're right.
It's a big deal for Scotty,
but he does have a good point.
You are a tiny bit overdressed.
(Mia chuckles)
But you know, if you, uh,
wanted to get dressed up again, say, maybe next Friday night,
I think we could find an appropriate place
to take that dress.
(chuckling)
Scotty, you were awesome today, kiddo.
Thanks, Mom, it felt awesome.
Hey, you know, maybe to celebrate,
you want to go have a sleepover at Jonah's
on Friday? Sure.
But what are you going to do?
I think Mom's going to go have dinner at a restaurant.
Speaking of dinner, you must be getting hungry.
What do you feel like?
Mom?
Yeah?
I felt really strong today.
Like I could do anything.
If I wasn't in this wheelchair.
I think...
I think I'm ready to try again.
To walk.
Can I...
can I go back to physical therapy?
Kiddo...
I am so happy to hear you say that.
Yes, I will call the doctor
first thing tomorrow morning, and we'll get you an appointment
for next week, okay? Okay.
'Cause then me and Nick can do more fun stuff.
I love you.
Hey, guys, Happy Friday.
Don't you look lovely.
What's the occasion?
Just... dinner.
Now, is all the food ordered for the Christmas party?
Yes, but you still have to choose the desserts.
The desserts?
Hi, Mr. Bowers, Joann.
Oh, hello, Mia.
To what do we owe this honor?
I'm going to see Nick.
Very good.
Valerie, I'm reluctant to suggest those measures.
It's just not how I want to handle things.
If I must...
the quickest way to improve revenue
is to reduce employee benefits.
If we paid less into the health-care program--
Absolutely.
We could save the company tens of thousands a year.
It might also be possible to cut staff.
The warehouse and stockroom group
could handle a downsizing
without a significant delay in order delivery.
Think of it this way, Nick.
The faster you get things in shape here,
the faster you can go back to New York...
and your real life.
Yeah.
(Michael) Oh, uh, Mia?
You know, my bank has an office in Manhattan.
For once, it might be nice to hang out for pleasure
rather than work.
Yeah, Val, that sounds good.
Can we just work on
finishing the business plan?
Oh, sure.
Great.
Your bank has been with the Hats Off family
since the company's start.
They should know we're good for the money.
We just need some time to restructure,
get the online business up, maybe work on some better
advertising and marketing.
"We"?
"The Hats Off family"?
What can I say?
This place is growing on me.
There's some good stuff and people here.
Oh, speaking of which, I gotta go.
Excuse me.
Good night, Dad, Joann.
(Michael) Uh, son, have you talked to Mia?
I'm actually going to see her right now.
Mia, hi.
Are you all right?
Nick, how could you?
What do you mean? What did I do?
You know, I know you've had fun
goofing off with Scotty--
Goofing off? But he needs a consistent
male role model in his life.
He needs somebody that he can look up to.
He's had enough struggle and disappointment.
He doesn't need any more.
I didn't mean to disappoint him.
Or you.
What did I do wrong? We're just different.
You belong in New York, and I'm sure
you're dying to get back there.
Actually, I've been thinking, I--
And you know, you're not part of our family.
It's not right for you to pretend like you are.
I gotta go.
(sighing)
Nick, hi.
Hi. Didn't you have dinner plans?
Yeah, it, uh...
it turns out they got canceled.
I still have the reservation.
You hungry?
You know, I almost went to Columbia for my MBA.
We could have reconnected years ago,
but I didn't think I could handle the winters there,
so I went to Stanford.
Mm, actually,
one of my best friends from business school
has this phenomenal house in East Hampton.
She's been begging me to come up this summer.
Perhaps you could join us?
Huh?
If I wanted to have dinner alone,
I could have done that.
Val, I'm, uh... I'm sorry.
This probably wasn't such a great idea.
This is a very romantic restaurant, Nick.
Who was this reservation intended for?
Mia, the store manager.
Huh.
Interesting.
I mean, you two did look a little chummy the other day.
But I never would have thought a small-town girl
would be your type.
(door closes, footsteps approach)
Hey...
hey, aren't you supposed to be on your big date?
I can't work at Hats Off To Christmas anymore.
Well, why?
Nick is cutting benefits,
and right before Scotty's ready
to go into physical therapy again.
Wow.
I have to leave the company.
Will you get me an interview with your boss?
Yeah-- yeah, yeah, of course I will.
Thank you. It's gonna be okay, I promise.
Val, I'm...
I'm really sorry if I led you on.
I'm going to make this easier.
I'm recommending that the bank maintain
your current line of credit.
Really?
That-- that is great news.
Providing you have an ongoing management role.
You've really brought a fresh,
modern, competent level of leadership to the company.
I trust you.
The bank trusts you.
We'll even extend Hats Off a small additional loan
to help build up the online business.
There'll be a review in a year to see how well you're using it.
But I'm sure you can make this business work.
Nick...
this is where you belong.
Good luck.
Thank you.
Guys, listen up!
Christmas is just around the corner,
which means we're down to rush orders, okay?
I need to get the truck loaded ASAP,
and could someone please get down a pallet
of size three shipping boxes?
I'm on it, Sam. Thank you, Phil.
("Deck the Halls" playing)
(phone ringing)
It's always Christmas here at Hats Off To Christmas.
Mia speaking.
Yeah, we have those in stock.
Come on by.
(music continues)
Hey, son, you okay?
I don't know, Dad. You want to talk?
I know that was always your mother's domain,
but-- (loud abrupt sneeze)
Dad?
Oh.
Here, you don't look so good.
Phil fell off a ladder in the stockroom!
What?
Oh, no, what happened?
(Sam) It looks worse than it is.
This is what happens when you fall, It's just precautionary.
Oh, well, good thing he has insurance.
Uh, even if he's fine,
he'll need some time to rest up.
The Christmas party is in three days.
I don't think we'll have a Santa.
Well, you used to do it, boss.
Why not just throw it on for old time's sake?
Well, I did always enjoy donning the old red--
(sneezes)
With all due respect, Mr. Bowers,
you're going to get half the kids in town sick with that cold.
Oh, Mia's right, it wouldn't be responsible.
You think you could do it, Sam?
Oh, sir, you know I'd love to,
but I have to watch my girls at the party.
But, I tell ya, I would pay money
to see Nick put that suit on.
No, no, I'm-- I'm definitely
not the right person for the job.
Agreed.
Sorry, um...
I'm going to just get back to work.
Come on, back to work, guys.
We need to finish.
Son, come and take a walk with me.
Let's have a talk.
After you, Dad.
Thanks.
Hey, how are you doing?
Ahh, I'm relieved about the loan.
Oh, me too.
Nick, you know
how proud I am of you, right?
Come on, you don't have to say that, Dad.
I know you've never really approved of my decisions.
You're right, but that's just because
I wanted you here with me, with the company.
I always thought it'd be really special
to work side by side with my one and only son
and then one day pass my legacy on to you.
But I realize now I was wrong.
But playing Santa, son,
that is just a wonderful experience.
Making all those people and all those kids happy.
There's nothing like it, so...
just do us both a favor.
Put the suit on for the Christmas party.
Consider it your-- your last hurrah.
I spoke to Valerie.
As long as you check in on a monthly basis,
you don't need to be here full time.
I'll stop pushing my dream on you,
and you can go live your life
the way you want to.
Dad?
Yes, son?
I don't know how I want to live my life anymore.
Excited for the Christmas party?
Nick'll be there, right?
Yeah, uh, Nick will be there.
I think tomorrow's gonna be a lot of fun.
Do you wanna go get dressed,
and I'll finish making your breakfast?
Sure, Mom.
Hey, Dad.
I think you need to see this.
(Mia) "Dear Mr. Bowers,
"I want to thank you for the last ten years of employment.
"I've come to the conclusion that it is time for me
"to move on to new endeavors.
"It is with great regret
"that I must tender my resignation.
Sincerely, Mia Winters."
(Nick laughs)
Well, I think we can do that. Who's next?
Come on.
(Joann) Come on, everyone!
Gather round!
Come on, it's Christmas!
(laughter)
I want to thank everyone.
Thank you for joining us for the annual Christmas party.
Thank you for your hard work all year long.
I know it's been a rough year for some of you,
but I appreciate the effort
and the love that you put in your jobs.
Hats Off To Christmas is a community.
No, it's...
it's more than a community, it is family.
(applause)
And families are always changing.
Uh, I've been running this company
for the past 40 years,
and I have, um...
I've loved every minute of it.
But, uh... the time has come
for me to step aside, um...
My son, Nick, who, uh, many of you know,
couldn't be here today.
(all laughing)
But when he comes back,
I'll be stepping into my new role
as Chairman of the Board.
And Nick will be taking over
as president and CEO,
and if anybody can juggle it all, it's Nick.
(applause)
However, to be fair,
his acceptance of his new post
is contingent upon promoting
a certain store manager to the newly-created
position of Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
(cheering and whistling)
And lastly, I've decided,
if this is truly a family company,
it should be shared among its members.
Your bonuses this year will be in the form
of shares of the company stock.
You're all about to become
part-owners of Hats Off To Christmas!
And don't forget to ask Santa for your Christmas wish
before he's got to head back to the North Pole.
(laughing)
Thanks, Son. Thanks, Dad.
All right, who's first?
Come on up here, young man.
Come on up here.
Can I go ask Santa for my Christmas wish?
Of course, kiddo.
(shutter clicks)
Come on. Oh, I'm gonna be right here.
Hi, Santa! Well, hello there, Scotty!
You know my name?
Well, of course I know your name.
I know the name of every girl and boy,
especially the ones who are very, very good!
(laughing)
What's your biggest Christmas wish?
Well, I actually have two Christmas wishes.
Is that all right?
That's most certainly all right, Scotty.
My first one is actually for my mom.
I want her to get back together with her boyfriend.
I didn't realize your mother had a boyfriend, Scott.
Well, she never actually really called him that,
but if you love someone,
doesn't that just make them your boyfriend?
My mom was really sad after my dad died...
and being with Nick...
made her feel better.
So, shouldn't that just mean that they should be together?
Well...
Santa sure thinks so.
But you're going to have to let your mom and Nick
work that out on their own.
But I can assure you and your mom,
that that's Nick's biggest wish as well.
Now, Scotty, tell me,
what's your Christmas wish?
Well, I'm not really sure if you can grant my second wish.
I mean, I think it's something I have to do all by myself.
What's that?
(sighs) ...well.
I just...
Oh, honey!
You're walking.
Way to go, buddy.
I mean, um... ho, ho, ho!
Mom, I'm really tired, can I sit down now?
Yeah! Yeah, yeah.
Careful.
Kiddo, I'm so proud of you.
All right. How do you feel? Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm okay, Mom.
You don't have to worry about me so much now.
I think you can make up with Nick now.
But I'm Santa! Santa!
Come on, guys. I know who you are.
Oh...
Oh, come on.
I think we just witnessed an actual Christmas miracle.
It is a profound thing
when you realize that your kid is
wiser than you are.
Hmm.
Hey...
you wouldn't happen to be
granting Christmas wishes still, would you?
Of course, young lady!
(laughing)
What is your biggest Christmas wish?
Ho, ho, ho!
Well, then, I think I'm going to follow
in my son's footsteps.
And make one of my own dreams come true.