[♪♪♪]
[man on radio] The city of Chicago, it seems,
has been taken over by Christmas elves!
[woman] There were barely enough volunteers to handle
the amount of winter clothes left at all of the shelters.
[man] The city has never seen this level of charity,
as they are putting a smile on early commuters' faces.
Okay, so Grandma is gonna pick you up after school,
'cause I have a feeling I'm gonna be busy
with the story I just landed.
Ollie. Oliver!
Look, Mom. This is it!
Skyflier! Skyflier! Skyflier!
Skyflier and accessories sold separately.
Oh, yes, I know, sweetie.
You've shown me about a hundred times.
Come on. Pack it up!
We gotta go, or we're gonna be late.
Oh, yeah, Mom?
Yeah?
I forgot.
I need to bring in a treat
for the teacher/staff Christmas party.
Oliver... [sighing]
Okay, here you go, honey.
You sure you got it?
Okay.
Mwah! Love you. Have a good day at school.
I love you too.
[woman] Free bus passes for everyone!
Merry Christmas! Free bus pass?
Oh... Thank you.
-Merry Christmas! -A free bus pass?
Enjoy a free bus pass, courtesy of Secret Santa!
[man] Oh, this made my day!
I can't believe someone paid my fare.
Free bus pass?
There is still kindness out there.
Ho, ho, ho!
Merry Christmas.
-Oh, thank you. -You're welcome.
Another free ride?
[Santa] 'Tis the season for giving.
Anyone? -Free bus pass?
I guess everyone's too busy to make a donation.
Yeah.
'Tis the season to be overwhelmed.
Merry Christmas.
[Santa] Merry Christmas.
That's not the story I want, Sydney.
I want the story about the Secret Santa.
The one who donated the clothes,
and who, I'm guessing,
is responsible for those elves giving away the bus fares?
That's the one.
Look, I know that is a feel-good story too,
but I really feel--
Look, Sydney, all I want is the name of the Secret Santa,
what he's gonna do next,
and I need it first.
Because, to be honest,
the last few stories you've brought me
were sweet,
but yawners.
So if you can't get me what I need,
I'll have to start looking for other journalists.
I'll crack who that Santa is and get you the story you want.
I've already got the groundwork interviews.
That's what I like to hear.
Sorry, Syd,
but all's fair game in the world of freelance journalism.
Andy, what groundwork interviews?
Do you mean the elves from this morning?
Spoke to them all,
and got the Secret Santa calling card.
Same one he left at the shelters.
Secret Santa.
"He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
and away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight,
'Happy Christmas to all...'
'...And to all a good night!'"
Mom, you're home!
Yeah, I made it home in time to tuck you in.
But first...
do we need to find Harold?
He's been missing since I came home from school today.
Oh! Well, that is curious.
Should we go find him? -Yeah!
Come on.
Go get him.
I want to hear all about your day.
Okay.
[Sydney] Cold.
Oh, you're getting colder.
Oh, you're getting warmer!
Oh, not that warm. Like medium--
Now you're getting hot.
Oh! Now you're boiling!
-Harold! -[laughing]
Ah, good.
Now both of you, hop into bed.
[♪♪♪]
Gotta get down in there.
Mm. [kissing]
Love you.
I love you too.
Good night, Harold.
You didn't have to do this, Mom.
Oh, why not? You do enough.
I just packed some leftovers for Oliver's lunch tomorrow,
so you don't have to worry about it.
Thank you.
I do not know what I would do without you.
I feel the same way.
Everything all right? -I don't know.
I spent the whole day looking for signs of the Secret Santa
that Perry wants to jump on,
but I didn't find any, and if I don't,
I lose my connection with the network,
and then I'm just like with everyone with a cell phone
trying to sell a story.
Except...
not everyone else is able to spot the unusual
like you can.
I mean, even as a little girl,
you could spot the four-leaf clover
in a field of green,
or a smiling face in a sea of frowns.
That's a gift, Sydney,
and one you should never give up on.
I don't want to give up.
What kind of example would that set for Ollie?
That's right, that's why you're gonna keep trying,
because I know you, Sydney.
Whatever it is, you'll see it.
Thanks, Mom.
[♪♪♪]
[cars honking]
Oh, come on.
[cars honking]
Really?
[man on radio] And it's slow going
on the main roads out there in Chicago,
as the worst traffic is at Carlaw and Fifth,
where vans in a parking lot distributing Christmas food
have attracted crowds of people
that has traffic at a standstill.
Wait a minute.
[♪♪♪]
Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!
Excuse me. Who put you up to this?
Secret Santa again.
Thank you.
Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!
So, the Secret Santa strikes again.
Boy, you should've been here when the first truck arrived.
I thought people were gonna get out of their cars
and jump those Santas.
-Oh, Andy... -Oh, I wouldn't bother.
I already got all the footage, interviewed the Santas.
Perry's probably got it in Editing as we speak.
How did you know this was happening?
Oh, my sources have eyes and ears all over this city.
But you didn't get the Secret Santa yet, did you?
Not yet, but I will.
Not if I get him first.
Hey.
What are you doing?
[man] Hi. Uh...
S-Sorry. Who-- Who are you?
I asked you first... Secret Santa?
Oh, yeah. Right. I wish.
That means I'd have the scoop on the hottest story of the season.
So, you're just another journalist?
Afraid so. Sorry to disappoint.
Ah, no. It's okay.
I figured this place would be crawling with us.
So who do you work for?
I'm freelance, actually.
What about you?
Yeah, me too.
I'm trying to land a permanent position with BCN.
Mm.
'Cause the freedom of freelance is great, right?
But being a single mom,
a permanent position would definitely be better.
Hey, you wanna-- you want to try some of this?
I mean, it's like research for us reporters, right?
You know what?
I didn't eat breakfast, so, yeah, why not?
Yeah.
Uh... hey. Look at this.
Oh! [chuckles]
-There you go. -Thank you.
You're welcome.
-Just... -Dive right in.
Yeah.
[chuckling]
So, uh, how many kids do you have?
Just one.
My son, Oliver, he just turned eight.
Oh, wow.
That is really good.
But it'd be great with a little brandy cream.
Now you're talking.
So, you find it hard?
Juggling your career and being a single mom?
Mm. Sometimes.
But I try to make sure I have at least
a little time for Ollie every single day.
We have this thing we do,
where I hide his favorite stuffed animal,
Harold,
and he has to find it before bed.
I am such a lucky mom.
Oliver is the best little guy.
He asked for just one thing for Christmas.
One thing!
Th-That toy called the Skyflier.
Oh, yes. I've... I've heard of it.
Yeah, how could you not?
They play an ad for it about every five minutes.
The power of marketing.
I feel like that's all Christmas is about these days.
Forget any kind of magic.
And I'm so stressed out about getting it all done,
I haven't even put the outdoor lights
on my house yet.
What about all this, though?
I think this is pretty magical.
Don't you?
Yeah.
It would be, if I got the story first.
I should get to work.
It was nice to meet you.
Wait. What's your name?
Cole... Howard.
Cole Howard.
Sydney Larkin.
[♪♪♪]
[man] It looks like it went well.
[♪♪♪]
Howard. What do you think of this?
It's from our new "Silent Night" line.
It's nostalgic.
That's good, because that's exactly what we're going for.
So what do I have on my schedule tomorrow?
Well, the mistletoe you ordered from Wales
is coming in,
and I've confirmed your 3:00 with the director
of Mothers in Arms.
Good, well, let's just hope she doesn't want a photo op.
No, I was very firm.
I'm sure they're gonna respect the privacy of the company.
And you're very good at staying undercover.
You should've seen the faces today, Howard.
Well, I've never seen people so excited
about being caught in a traffic jam.
Actually, I had a small encounter with a journalist.
Don't worry.
I told her that I was a journalist as well,
a freelancer named Cole Howard.
Oh, quick thinking.
Well, we know that
if my true identity ever made it into the spotlight,
it would compromise what my intentions were.
But this journalist,
she's exactly why I'm doing this.
A single mother,
who is so stressed out
because she sees Christmas as just another thing to juggle
during this holiday season.
She's so focused on getting the story, my story,
that she's missing the point of what I'm trying to do,
which is reminding people
what the true spirit of Christmas is all about.
Well, you can only hope that she'll come to see it your way.
Hmm.
Well, maybe she will with this next act.
Which reminds me,
I have a few phone calls I have to make.
Well...
Checkmate.
Unbelievable.
[♪♪♪]
Well, what do you think?
It's perfect.
I'll have Grandma bring some of our old ornaments
so that we can really fill it out.
But for now, you have a hockey game to get to.
Can we walk to the rink?
I mean, maybe we can
catch or find the Secret Santa doing something else.
You know what?
That is a great idea.
Let's do it.
So, did you bring all your gear?
Yes, Mom.
Your pads?
Yes, Mom.
Your skates?
Yes, Mom.
Your mouthguard?
Yes, Mom.
Your game face?
-Yes, Mom. -[laughing]
[♪♪♪]
Did you see that assist?
I scooped it and passed it
right between the other player's legs.
Oh, I saw it. It was great.
[neighborhood murmuring]
Mom, do you think
the Secret Santa will do something else?
Honey, I have a feeling he already has.
Whoa!
[♪♪♪]
Is it him?
I'd say it's a pretty safe bet.
Excuse me, ma'am? Hi!
I'm Sydney. This is my son, Oliver.
Do you happen to know who's responsible
for all the poinsettias?
Oh, I do.
I found this tucked in my plant.
From "Secret Santa."
Thank you.
Cole?
Hey.
Hi.
I guess you heard the rumor
that Secret Santa struck again?
Yes, he did.
[Oliver] Look.
Oh, wow.
That's a very nice calling card.
Are you by any chance Oliver?
Oh, I'm sorry.
Ollie, this is Cole.
Nice to meet you, Cole.
Well, nice to meet you.
So, Oliver, what do you, uh,
what do you think about all this?
It's amazing!
Because we haven't even had time to put up our Christmas lights,
and now we have Christmas flowers!
Wow, and you... you live right here?
-Yeah, right here. -Yeah.
Mom, can I play with the other kids?
Oh, of course. Go ahead.
Yay!
Nice to meet you, Cole.
Nice meeting you.
[Cole chuckles]
What a polite kid.
Thank you.
So, how did you know about all this?
Oh, I just followed the trail of bread crumbs,
or... poinsettias.
Right.
What-- What's wrong?
What's wrong is
I have to figure out how to tell my boss, Perry,
that the Secret Santa struck again,
on my street,
and I missed it.
You didn't miss it. You're here.
Yeah, but Perry likes to break the story first.
You know, you understand.
Oh. Oh, y-yeah. Yeah.
[♪♪♪]
[Cole] Uh...
Wait a minute. Do you see that?
The kids,
they're all playing together,
and the neighbors are all talking to each other.
Cole, what if that's the story?
Not who the Secret Santa is, but all this?
Uh, yeah, right. Um...
Because if the Secret Santa was actually revealed,
then...
I guess all of this would go away
and it would just stop happening.
Exactly.
Now, the trick is gonna be convincing Perry of that.
[Cole] Mm.
[Sydney] Do you think it's unethical
if I aid the story a little bit?
You know, pad it some?
Uh... [chuckles]
What do you mean?
[loudly] Who would like some hot chocolate?
-Yay! -Okay, great!
We'll be right back with some.
-As in "we" will be back? -Yes!
Come on, Cole.
If this is the story, better get after it.
Come on! -Okay.
[♪♪♪]
Wow. I like your tree.
Aw. It is cute, isn't it?
You know, when I was Oliver's age,
my mom and I would actually drive out of the city,
and we would chop our own tree down.
Just the two of you?
Yeah. It was always just us.
Kind of like you and Oliver.
[♪♪♪]
Why do you think he does it?
Secret Santa?
From what I've investigated,
other than leaving his calling card,
he hasn't left any other clues, and certainly not as to why.
Well, I mean, there could be many possibilities...
I mean, it could just be simple generosity.
Mm.
Could be all of the attention.
[Sydney sighs]
But I don't know, something tells me
it's deeper than that.
Like...
maybe something from his past,
maybe a tribute to... somebody.
Hmm.
Well, it would be nice to know why.
You know, for another layer of the story.
Listen, um, off the record...
Oh! What you got?
Just the best secret ingredient for hot chocolate.
For the adults, of course.
-Right. -Here...
Give this a try.
Oh!
Mm.
Yep, that is hot chocolate with a kick.
Right?
So, do you have any other secrets up your sleeve?
No. No. That's, uh...
That's... that's the only secret.
We should probably get these out to your neighbors
while they're still hot.
-Yes. -Okay.
Okay. Oh...
[chuckling]
We got hot chocolate!
[kids cheering]
Come on over and get a cup.
Yeah!
Thanks, Mom.
You're welcome, sweetheart.
Here, please. Ooh, be careful, it's hot.
Careful, it's hot, though. Merry Christmas.
Ooh, enjoy.
Here you go. Hi, neighbor.
Please enjoy.
Oh, you're welcome.
Do you have one there for me?
Yes, here you go!
-Thank you. -Perfect.
So you and your husband are in 42?
-Oh, no! -We're not...
-He's not my husband. -I don't live here.
-I live here, he doesn't. -I'm somewhere--
We're just working together.
Mm!
So, did you see any of this being set up, or...
Mm-mm.
I was out Christmas shopping all day,
but I did see
a couple of white vans pull away just as I got home.
Oh.
Good night, Sue.
Good night, John.
Thanks again for the hot chocolate, Sydney.
-Night, Beth. -Good night.
So? This went over pretty well.
Oh, it was great.
You have become better neighbors with my neighbors than I have.
[laughs]
I gotta get Ollie to bed.
Plus, you and I have a big story to write.
Hey, I was thinking about that.
Um... why don't you take this one?
Seriously?
Yeah. Why not?
I've just never met a reporter
who was willing to give up their story.
Well, it's kind of our story, if you think about it.
And, um, I was wondering,
maybe we could, uh, maybe we could work together.
Like partners?
Yeah.
You know, two minds are better than one.
And we would share the credit.
Or I could be like a silent partner.
I've never really been big on taking the credit.
I just do this job because I love it,
and I remember my mom kind of juggling
starting up a business
and being a single parent.
I-- I just know, I know it's tough.
Plus, it's Christmas, so...
[they both chuckle]
What do you say?
All right... partner.
All right, partner.
-Good night. -Good night.
[reporter] Poinsettias dancing above Chicago
caused quite a buzz,
thanks to the city's very own Secret Santa,
as people look to the skies at a glance of Christmas.
This floor houses our creative department.
Basically, it's a room full of elves
who come up with ideas for new Christmas decorations.
This year, we're launching our "Silent Night" collection.
Classic ornamental balls
with words of Christmas inspiration.
I would like a percentage
of these sales and of all of decoration sales
to go towards your charity.
Wow.
I don't know what to say.
I mean, you're the country's largest manufacturer
of Christmas decorations, so that would mean...
[chuckles] Well, I don't know what that would mean,
but I do know it's very generous.
If it wasn't for charities like Mothers in Arms,
my own mother would never have been able
to start up this business
and let it succeed the way that she did.
Thanks, Mr. Hauer.
And if we can help in any way--
publish your story in the next brochure or...
No. No, I would-- I would actually prefer
to keep this just between myself and your organization,
if that's all right.
Of course.
Great. I'll have my legal team do up the appropriate paperwork.
Thank you.
Merry Christmas.
-Merry Christmas. -Merry Christmas.
[chuckling]
[Howard] The meeting went well?
It did.
I just hope that we can keep our anonymity.
Well, looks like you're managing so far.
That light show the other night...
you raised the bar.
Well, the best part of it, Howard,
was that she got it--
this journalist, she understands what we're trying to do.
The only problem is
that her boss wants the full story.
But that's okay,
because I know how I'm gonna help her.
I'm sorry... "help her"?
Yeah.
Get the job she needs at the network.
And how do you plan to pull that off,
being as your plate is a bit full?
By working with her.
I'm gonna give her clues
on where the Secret Santa's gonna strike next,
therefore giving her the jump on the story.
And I'm guessing you can't just tell her who you are
and what you're planning next?
No, because I would
have to insist that she stays quiet,
and that would compromise her integrity as a journalist.
Well...
she seems to be a special lady,
if you're going to all that trouble.
Is she?
Yeah, Howard...
It's not like that.
You have to see
the way the woman is with her son.
It... it reminds me
of how my mom and I used to be.
Well,
it's nice to see that her spirit lives on in you like that.
Now, I have, uh,
I've cleared your schedule for the rest of the afternoon
so we can tackle your employee Christmas wish-list.
Right, um, the only problem with that is,
I don't know...
...where the list is. Perfect. Thank you.
Yeah, I didn't see my name on there.
Does that mean that my gift
requires its own page unto itself?
Not really part of the spirit, there, Howard.
No, but I can try, can't I?
Mathew in my class kept on bragging
that he has a new giant blow-up Santa on his lawn.
Now I can tell him
that the Secret Santa was on my street.
Well, make sure you're not bragging back,
because I don't think that's why the Secret Santa did it.
[Oliver] Why does he do it?
I think to make us feel good.
Maybe remind us during the holidays
to take a little time
to, you know, decorate,
and visit a neighbor...
or both.
What do you think?
I think it worked.
'Cause yesterday, everyone was smiling.
Especially when you made the hot chocolates.
Well, maybe I should do it more often, then, huh?
[phone rings]
Hello?
Sydney. Hey, it's Cole.
Hey, what's going on?
I got a tip on the Santa.
Really? What is it?
Listen, it might just be a bust,
but can you meet me at the community center on Park
as soon as you can?
I'll grab Ollie
and we'll meet you there right away.
All right. Great. Thanks.
Ollie, sweetie, get dressed as fast as you can.
-Why? -I'll tell you on the way.
[laughing]
[reporter] Only two more shopping weekends left
until Christmas,
and the city is already jammed with shoppers.
[children laughing]
[♪♪♪]
[gasping]
Look! -Yay!
Come on, honey.
[♪♪♪]
Whoa!
[laughing] Wow.
[Cole] Look at this!
What is going on?
I don't know, but I think you-know-who's involved.
I just got a feeling.
You ever get one of those?
Yeah.
Yeah, I do.
I have a kind of intuition, I can kind of "see" things,
like the unusual in the ordinary,
that sort of thing.
Of course, you're a journalist, that's your gift.
Me, on the other hand,
I got a tip from a friend of mine
who has a snowplowing company.
He said he got an order to drop off a ton of snow...
here. -Hey!
Hey!
Hey, where did all this snow come from?
This is a community center!
I think it was the Secret Santa.
Oh, was it?
[stammers] It could've been. Yeah.
I don't care who he was, he's blocking access.
What does this guy think he's doing, anyhow?
I know. He made a toboggan slide. Look!
Mom, can I try it?
I think the Secret Santa would want you to.
[Oliver] Yay!
Hey, I don't think you should!
Yeah, it'll be fine.
Here, here. I'll get it.
Get on that? -Got it?
-You good? -Yeah.
Here we go. One...
two...
three!
Woo!
Aah! Woo!
Whoa, that was so fun.
Mommy, can we do it again?
Yes! Absolutely.
Look at this.
In what appears to be an impromptu toboggan hill,
courtesy of Chicago's own Secret Santa,
both kids and parents alike
are forgoing their shopping and to-do lists
for some pre-Christmas fun.
Sir?
What were you planning on doing today?
I was gonna tackle my Christmas list.
And would it have occurred to you
to go tobogganing instead?
Heck, no, we had way too much to do.
But, you know, seeing their faces...
Maybe I need to make the time.
Thank you.
Taking the time during the holidays--
that's the story, right here,
and something we should all make a point of.
-Great. -What did you think?
-Amazing. -Let me see.
-[clearing throat] -Andy! Hi.
Hi.
Sorry, you're too late.
I already got the story.
Or should I say we already got the story.
Oh yeah?
And, uh, you are--?
Uh, I'm Cole Howard.
You a freelancer?
Yes, sir.
Haven't seen you around.
I have been around.
Not, like, here,
but... you know, been around.
Well, don't get too excited, Syd,
'cause I'm still gonna find that Secret Santa.
And that story will blow all of this out of the water.
Actually, Andy, I think you're wrong.
This is the story,
and if you uncover who the real Secret Santa is,
there'll be nothing for us to report on.
Not you or me or anyone.
Yeah, well, I won't have to worry about that
when Perry gives me the title of network journalist.
Goodbye! It was so nice meeting you!
Nice guy. Was that your rival?
Well, let's just say he wouldn't partner up,
like we have.
Mommy, come over here and try it!
Oh, honey, I don't have the right pants or shoes...
What? Are you kidding me?
You're a journalist!
You live to get your hands dirty,
or wet and snowy. Come on.
Ha ha. Touché.
Okay. Well, you better get on here.
If I'm getting my hands dirty, so are you.
Ah, all right.
One second...
Okay-- -Can you fit?
Just wait...
All right. Are you guys ready?
Okay. Oh, can someone push us?
Oh, thank you!
Wait... go... -Here we go!
[all shouting]
[laughing]
I see why the Secret Santa did this.
That was really fun.
[Oliver] Can we do it again?
Can we do it again?
I could do this all day.
[laughs] Oh! Thank you.
That's great, Perry. Yeah, thank you.
[Cole] So? Is she happy?
BCN broke the story first,
so she's as happy as Perry can be.
Mommy, does this mean you're going to be on TV?
Yes, it does!
We have to call Grandma to come over and watch.
Okay, so, what did you mean
when you told Andy you hadn't always been here?
Oh, um, I just meant, like,
you know, I do some work in the field.
Like, fieldwork.
You know.
[guitar playing nearby]
Hey, you guys, you guys hear that?
Music! Come on!
♪ Joy to the world ♪
♪ The Lord is come ♪
♪ Let Earth receive her king ♪
No matter how many times I hear them,
carols always get me in the spirit.
Do you have a favorite one?
Yeah.
Um, I like "Silent Night."
Oh.
How about you?
"Deck the Halls."
My mom used to sing it to me every morning,
starting December first.
Think I looked forward to that
more than I did my advent calendar.
I don't.
Ha ha, I know you don't.
♪ ...their songs employ ♪
So hat about you? Do you have any other Christmas traditions?
Uh, yeah, I've got a few.
Uh, I would say my favorite, though,
every year when I was a kid,
my mom and I, we would get a plain ornament,
and we would write a word on it, and, um,
well, every year, she would write the word "bliss,"
because it means "perfect happiness."
That's what she said Christmas felt like to her.
♪ ...makes the nations prove ♪
♪ The glory of His righteousness ♪
...taking the time during the holidays--
that's the story right here... -Wow.
and something we should all make a point of.
What do you think?
I think
it's exactly the kind of news we should be hearing about
this time of year.
Which is what I think the Secret Santa is going for.
I think he's trying to start something--
a vibe, or change of attitude.
Well, he certainly has his work cut out for him.
No kidding!
Oliver, what are you working on over there?
I'm making a Christmas ornament for Cole.
Oh, that's really nice.
I've been hearing an awful lot about this Cole tonight.
Don't get too excited, Mom.
We're just working together.
Okay, tobogganing together is working?
Hey! That looked good for the story.
Besides, Oliver had fun.
[Lauren] Are you worried about starting something new?
No, I'm not worried about it.
I just need to be sure of any guy that I bring into our life.
You're young, Sydney,
and Oliver won't be your little man forever.
[♪♪♪]
Tell me, Howard.
What's your favorite Christmas carol?
Oh, that would have to be "Jolly Old St. Nick."
Really? Why's that?
My parents would host a Christmas party every year.
It was the biggest event on the block.
And at midnight,
my father would appear in a red Santa suit,
singing "Jolly Old St. Nick"
and passing out spiced eggnog,
if you know what I mean.
I think I do, and that sounds quite festive.
Well, it was known to get a bit rowdy.
Well, I'll be sure to add that song to the list, then.
And when is this next event taking place?
Tomorrow night. -Oh?
Yeah, it's-- it's gonna be brilliant.
Sydney's got this way of seeing things
that most people don't notice.
She's gonna figure it out. I know it.
[exhaling] Okay.
[grunting]
More weight, sir?
[groaning] Uh, no.
[straining] This is good.
Okay.
And, one...
It's called the Skyflier.
Are you sure you don't have any more?
Okay, thank you.
[♪♪♪]
[knocking]
Perry?
So? Did we rock it in the ratings?
We did fairly well.
Maybe if you led
with the Secret Santa story next time,
we would knock it out of the park.
Don't get ahead of yourself, Sydney.
[Sydney] That's the thing.
I want to. To get ahead.
And if I was a network journalist here for you,
I would do whatever it takes to get the story.
What types of stories are you passionate about, Sydney?
Well, anything, really.
Even the hard stories?
The ones that might not make us feel that good?
Well, I...
Be honest, Sydney,
because from the first time I met you,
I knew you weren't the kind
of cut-throat journalist who'd chase down a car wreck.
Fine.
Yes, okay.
I love the stories with heart.
I love the ones that make people feel something,
that touch people,
and make them feel like we're all connected.
You know those stories don't rate the highest.
[Sydney] Not until now.
Not until the Secret Santa. I'm telling you, Perry.
This is a leading story, especially at Christmas.
[sighs]
You keep doing what you're doing.
We'll see where it takes you.
[♪♪♪]
[phone ringing]
Hey.
Hey. Are you busy later?
Depends.
Do you have any more info on our secret Santa?
[Cole] Uh, no.
Not at the moment,
but I am working on another story
that I think that we should follow up on.
I'm calling it "Project: Lights."
Sounds intriguing.
So...
are you good to meet at your place in about an hour?
Actually, Ollie's being dropped off after hockey,
so that's perfect.
All right, great. I'll see you then.
Merry Christmas.
[♪♪♪]
James. Good work.
Dana! Loving those sparkles.
Oh, uh, do we have another box of these?
Can somebody bring it up to my office, please?
Thanks. Good work, everybody!
[♪♪♪]
[Sydney] Hey!
What's all this?
"Project: Lights."
You said that you were too busy
to put all your outdoor Christmas decorations up,
so I thought, two hands are better than one.
What do you say?
[chuckles] Okay.
Come on in.
[reporter] ...from handing out Christmas cakes
to impromptu tobogganing,
Chicago's Secret Santa has the whole city
talking about "What will he do next?"
You are surprisingly good at this.
Aw... thanks.
In high school, I was on the decorating committee.
Really?
Yeah. Well, every year,
we did a production of A Christmas Carol, so...
that's what you're getting.
Hmm.
Let me guess.
Yearbook committee?
How did you know that?
I told you, I got that intuition.
Well, I hope that intuition leads me
to where the Secret Santa's gonna strike next,
'cause Perry's starting to really understand
that this is a leading story, which is good for me.
Shall we hit it?
Yes, let's do it.
Actually, you know what? Why don't you do the honors?
I would love to.
Thank you.
Oh, uh, drum roll.
Oh.
[both imitating drums rolling]
[Sydney laughing]
[Sydney gasps]
Aw.
I would say "Project: Lights" is a success.
[chuckling]
Yeah, we make a pretty good team, I think.
Wow! Nice decorations, neighbors.
Thank you.
Thanks, Beth.
I didn't bother correcting her.
She had the groceries, and...
Uh, she knows that I don't live here, so...
[♪♪♪]
Uh, there's Ollie.
Thanks, Kelly.
Hey, honey.
Whoa! Did the Secret Santa come again?
No.
That was me and Cole. Do you like it?
Yeah! It's the most Christmassy ever!
I think so too.
How was hockey practice?
It was great, but I'm starving.
Okay, why don't you get inside, get washed up,
and I'll start dinner.
Thanks, Cole,
for decorating the house.
Oh, no problem, buddy. I'm glad you like it.
Well, I should probably get dinner started.
Did you want to stay, or...
It's probably just gonna be frozen pizza tonight.
I-- thank you, but I should probably...
I just have some work I have to do, so...
Okay.
Although, you know, I do love frozen pizza,
and, uh...
burgers, street food, you know...
Oh.
I actually know the best place to get street food
in the city around this time of year.
Really? Where's that?
Why don't you meet me tomorrow?
Highland Park. 6:30.
It's my treat. We can talk about...
Secret Santa strategies or whatever.
That sounds great, it's perfect.
Great. Good.
'Kay. Good night.
Oh. Cole?
Yeah?
Thank you... for all of this.
It was so worth it
to see Ollie's face light up like that.
It was, wasn't it?
Good night, Sydney.
[♪♪♪]
[humming "Deck the Halls"]
Mommy,
why are you so happy this morning?
Is it 'cause it's almost Christmas?
You know what?
I am happy because it's almost Christmas.
Now, Grandma's gonna pick you up after school, okay?
Right.
Let's get going, my little elf.
[Sydney] Ooh! Thank you.
What is this?
I told you!
This is the best street food in the city this time of year.
Those are...
waffles made out of stuffing
deep-fried turkey, topped with gravy.
-Wow. -Mm-hmm.
What, no cranberry sauce?
Oh...
But of course.
Ho, ho, ho. I see.
Woo!
There's no way I'm gonna eat this all myself.
Yeah, that was the plan.
-Oh, thank you. -That's yours.
Oh, okay, uh, me first?
Yes.
That tastes like
Christmas dinner all in one bite.
That's exactly what I said the first time I had it.
[♪♪♪]
-What? What are you looking-- -Oh. No.
Nothing. Sorry. There's just a speaker up there.
I'm sure it's just left over from a music festival
or Oktoberfest or something.
Okay, look, I think that we should
put our heads together and brainstorm ideas
that represent Christmas to us.
Ah!
Like food.
Um, although he already did the baked hams
and the Christmas cakes.
So, what do you think?
Next, he's gonna drop turkeys from the sky?
[chuckles] Yeah.
No. -No.
No, no, no.
You see, when I think about Christmas,
I think about, like, friends, and family,
although...
he kinda already did that with the tobogganing
and the decorating with the poinsettias.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right.
So what else is there?
Well, let's see.
There's gift-wrapping. -Yeah.
Or mistletoe.
Or jingle bells.
Or...
J... "Jingle Bells." Music.
No, that's it.
I don't think that these speakers
are left over from anything.
Okay, there are no cords on them,
which means they are Bluetooth,
and there must be more within a 300-foot radius...
I am going to make a quick call.
Okay, who are you calling?
I have a contact at Parks and Rec.
I'm gonna ask if she-- Oh. Hi!
It's Sydney.
Yeah, I'm over at Highland Park.
I'm seeing some speakers.
I was just wondering if they were left over
from an event or something.
Okay. Great, thank you.
Happy holidays.
They don't belong to the city.
I have a feeling about this.
Do you?
Yeah. I think I do.
I think we should go see where there are more.
Let's do it.
Yeah? You got that?
-Yep. You go. -Okay.
Let's go.
Yeah, this is something.
[♪♪♪]
Ah!
[♪♪♪]
-Wait! Right there. -What? There?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go, go, go.
Here.
Oh... thank you.
Wait. There's something up here...
Yeah, that's great, Mom. Thank you.
Yeah, I'll be home as soon as I can.
'Kay. Bye.
Everything okay?
Everything's great.
My mom is gonna help Ollie find Harold
if I'm not home in time.
Aw.
I know, I don't know what I would do without her.
Well, I guess you found all the clues.
I know, but we still don't know
what Secret Santa's gonna do with all the speakers.
No.
So... I guess we just wait it out.
Stakeout?
A stakeout.
Hmm!
Yeah! And their little wings got tangled together,
and they had to dance around the school stage...
[laughing]
Okay, I think I've had too much sugar.
That's good, because I think we've eaten
everything off the vendor's cart.
But at least now I know what a real stakeout is like.
So let's say the Secret Santa,
he's trying to get everybody to remember Christmas, right?
That's a pretty big task.
If you look around the city,
everybody's too busy and in a hurry
to even drop money into a donation box.
Exactly, yeah, and that's the shame of it.
Everyone is just treating Christmas
like another thing to check off their to-do list.
I'm guilty of that.
Oh, well, we all are,
we-we are,
but I think if we each just stop and do one thing,
it would help raise the spirit.
You know, when I was little,
we used to hand-deliver
Christmas cards with candy canes on the front
to everybody in our neighborhood.
It was just a small, little thing,
but it really seemed to touch people.
That's great! It is.
It doesn't have to be a big thing
or some grand gesture.
Just a small...
simple smile and a "Merry Christmas."
♪ We wish you a merry Christmas ♪
This is it.
Oh! This is what we've been waiting for!
Yeah.
♪ ...and a happy new year ♪
-Here! Give me my phone... -Oh. Yeah.
♪ Good tidings we bring to you and your kin ♪
♪ Good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year ♪
♪ We all know that Santa's coming ♪
Are you seeing this?
♪ And soon will be here ♪
["Deck the Halls" starts to play]
My favorite.
[♪♪♪]
Well, don't you think we should sing, then?
I mean, it wouldn't be padding the story too much
if we did a little impromptu caroling, would it?
I wouldn't say so.
♪ Don we now our gay apparel ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
♪ Join the ancient Yuletide carol ♪
♪ Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la ♪
[applause]
This is Sydney Larkin in Highland Park,
where the sound of Christmas has just filled the air.
Will the music of the season inspire people to stop,
take a listen, and remember Christmas?
We'll have to wait and see.
Great.
Oh, yeah, that's gonna work.
-Did you see that? -Yeah.
It was like the whole city came together
like they were one giant choir.
Tat was incredible.
Well, what's incredible is that when I asked people
if they wanted to know who the Secret Santa is,
they said they don't,
in case it brings an end to all this magic,
and Perry's nuts about the story.
She's gonna lead with it.
Isn't that great?
This could land me the position that I want.
That's amazing. Congratulations.
Well, what about you?
You deserve something out of all this too.
[scoffs] Are you kidding me?
This is the most fun I've had during the holidays.
Well, I think I should tell Perry
that we've been working together.
You deserve to share the credit.
Uh, no, no, no, no. You don't have to do that.
Think of this
as a random act of Christmas kindness.
From me to you.
I have an idea.
What if we did our own random act of Christmas kindness?
Okay. What do you have in mind?
Follow me!
-Okay. -Come on!
[♪♪♪]
Okay. Go, go, go, go, go.
[♪♪♪]
[both laughing]
Oh, my gosh. That was so much fun.
I mean, think about it. People are expecting
to get a parking ticket, not a candy cane.
It was brilliant, that whole idea.
Just ingenious.
I better get going.
I might even make it in time to find Harold.
Right!
Well, you can't miss that.
Thank you for indulging me.
I would be happy
to spread a little Christmas cheer with you anytime.
Me too.
Okay. Well...
-Good night. -Good night.
Oh, Cole?
[laughing] Oh. Thanks.
Better than a ticket.
Night.
Good night.
[♪♪♪]
All right, you.
How many days till Christmas?
Ten!
Ten! Which means we have ten days
to do as many festive activities as we can.
Can we bake Christmas cookies for my class party
instead of buying them?
Of course we can.
Yes!
Yes! We'll even ask Grandma to help.
How's that sound?
That sounds amazing.
Oh, good. Goodnight, bud.
Mm. [kissing]
-Love you. -Love you too.
Good night, Mommy.
Did you hear it?
[Lauren] Hear it?
Oliver thought it was angels singing.
I mean, when do the sounds of the city ever stop
in place of Christmas carols being sung?
It was Cole's idea to get everyone to sing along.
Well, he's quite a character.
He is.
[laughing]
So you're not jaded anymore?
Maybe not.
Oh! Come on. Mothers know.
It was just brilliant.
So my timing on the music was all right?
Actually...
Yeah, you know what? It was-- It was perfect.
-Really? -Yeah.
You're sure I didn't interrupt something?
No, no, everything is going exactly to plan.
In fact, Sydney's boss is gonna lead with her story,
so fingers crossed, a permanent job offer follows.
So what's the next plan?
No plan.
Once this is finished, my work is complete.
Unless, of course, there's a plan "B".
[reporter] The city broke out into the sounds of Christmas
when, once again,
our Secret Santa brought us together,
reminding us of the true spirit of Christmas.
-Morning! -Morning.
Congratulations on your top story.
Thank you, Andy.
Just don't get too excited, because I got a lead.
On what?
Who this Secret Santa is.
[♪♪♪]
You must have seen the interviews.
I mean, I can show them to you.
People don't want to know who the Secret Santa is.
It would ruin everything.
How would having the story of the season ruin anything?
Because it's not in the Christmas spirit.
Don't you have any?
I do.
It comes in the form of gingerbread.
Give me a ginger cookie
or a piece of a gingerbread house,
and I'm filled with, uh, what do they call it?
Christmas nostalgia.
What's going on?
I have a lead on the Secret Santa.
But people don't want to know who that is, Perry.
You saw that.
They just want more random acts,
more joy,
more Christmas.
Sydney's right.
The story is these acts of Christmas,
and we don't want to be the network Grinch
who brought an end to it.
[Andy] Seriously?
Yeah, she's serious.
Well, you're making a mistake.
Because revealing this Secret Santa
is the story that'll blow the rest of it away,
and as journalists,
that's what we should be delivering.
And I will deliver,
if not here, then... another network.
[Sydney] Andy!
Have a piece of gingerbread!
Do you really think his lead is legitimate?
Between you and me?
I hope not.
[Oliver] Maybe we can make cinnamon cookies.
Everyone loves cinnamon.
Or maybe sugar cookies...
or maybe both!
Mommy, what do you think?
Oh, yeah, we could do that.
Hey, look. There's Cole!
Hey, Cole!
Cole!
-Hi! -Hey!
Uh... -Whoa!
Is this your car?
This car? Uh, no.
I, uh, I wish it was.
Then what are you doing?
Now, Mr. Howard,
Mr. Fenton
does not like to be kept waiting,
especially for an interview.
I've got an interview.
I'm doing an interview for another story.
This is my ride.
To the interview.
Oh! That's great.
Well, we won't keep you waiting,
but I wanted to tell you
Andy thinks he'd got a lead on the Secret Santa.
Oh, really?
Um, did he say who it was?
No, just that he's gonna break the story.
But you go, and we can-- we can talk about it later.
[Oliver] I know!
Cole, maybe you can come over.
You can help us decorate the tree
and bake Christmas cookies,
and then you and Mom can have a talk.
Oh, honey, I don't think Cole--
You know what? That's a great idea.
Thank you. I'd love to.
Okay, great. How about 6:30?
Sounds great.
I'll bring some decorations.
Okay. Have a good interview!
-Bye! -Right. Bye!
That's quick thinking, Howard.
Although clearly someone already has a lead.
You don't think I've been compromised, do you?
I don't see how.
Well, I think I'll just lay low for a little while.
Good idea.
It'll give you time for... baking.
[Howard chuckles]
[♪♪♪]
So does he have any more information,
or is it just still the one lead?
That was it.
[Lauren] Well, you know, why doesn't everybody
just let this Secret Santa remain a secret,
if that's what he wants?
I could not agree more.
Hey, so, uh, the sugar cookies are your mother's recipe?
Yeah. Yeah, believe it or not,
they were passed down three generations.
Well, I hope you don't mind if I carry on the tradition.
No, please. I'd be thrilled.
Oliver!
That tree is looking great, bud.
Is it time to decorate the cookies?
-I think almost. -Okay.
The decorations you brought over for the tree
are beautiful.
Oh, thanks, I just grabbed a box
of whatever decorations were left over from my own tree.
You know, Oliver,
this batch is cool.
[he gasps] Come on over.
-Ooh, Ollie! -Ready to go to work.
Here you go.
So what should we do here, guys?
Sprinkles, icing, marshmallows...?
Green, red...
How about everything?
Yeah!
Ah! Let's do everything.
All the decorations!
Oops! Sorry.
You know, I think I'm going to go.
You three seem to have everything
perfectly under control.
-Oh... -Okay?
Well, thanks for coming over and helping.
[Lauren] Oh, gosh, it was so much fun.
Oh, yeah, you know what, give me-- give me a hit of that.
Mm.
-Yum. -[laughing]
You know what, Lauren? Before you go...
Please take this,
and don't worry, I'm gonna give Sydney the recipe.
Thank you, Cole. Really nice to meet you.
-The pleasure's all mine. -Bye, Grandma.
Bye. Love you.
-Bye, Mom. Love you. -Love you.
-See you tomorrow. -Have fun.
I think your class is gonna love these cookies
for the party.
I wonder if we can give one to the class hamster.
Uh...
Actually, you know what?
Oliver, that reminds me of when I was your age.
My mom and I, we would make these Christmas balls,
and we'd fill 'em full of seeds,
so then when we went down to the petting zoo,
we would give them to the animals at Christmastime.
Can we do that?
[Cole] Yes? Yeah.
-Yes. -We can. Uh...
how about tomorrow after school?
Wow, that sounds great, doesn't it?
Yeah.
You know what, little man?
With your Christmas party at school tomorrow
and now the zoo,
you got a big day,
so I think we got to get you off to bed.
Wait. I forgot something.
Here! I made this.
-[Cole] For me? -Yeah, for you.
Oh, wow, Oliver.
I love it!
Oh.
Good night, Cole.
Good night, Oliver.
Good luck finding Harold tonight.
-Okay. -Okay.
Be back in a bit.
Okay.
Get under there.
Maybe if I get that Skyflier for Christmas,
Cole could come over and try it with me.
About that...
I'm sorry, but I don't know
if I'm gonna be able to find it in time for Christmas.
I'm trying everything,
but I just don't want you to be disappointed
if I can't get it.
It's okay, Mommy.
I don't care if I get it or not,
because this has already been the best Christmas ever.
It really has, hasn't it?
Yeah, it has.
-Good night. -Good night, Mom.
[Sydney laughs]
You didn't have to do all this!
Oh, come on, I don't mind.
So, where was Harold hiding tonight?
Harold was hiding in an old rain boot.
Ah, Harold. Classic hiding spot.
Classic.
[both chuckling]
You know, you're right.
Oliver is, like, he's like the best kid ever.
He is, isn't he?
Yeah.
Which is why I feel like the worst mom ever,
'cause that thing he wanted for Christmas,
I didn't get started looking early enough,
and now I can't find it anywhere.
Oh, yeah, that, uh...
Sky..
-"Skyflier." -...Flier.
-Yeah. -"Skyflier."
Yeah, 'cause you know how it is, every Christmas,
all the kids want that one toy,
and if you don't get a jump on it,
they're all gone.
Okay, well, first of all, don't give up, all right?
You'll find it, it's out there.
And second of all, you're not the worst mother,
you're, like,
the best mother ever.
All you got to do is talk to Oliver
to figure that one out.
Thank you.
And thank you for all of this,
and for making this the best Christmas yet for Oliver.
Oh, come on.
And for me.
[♪♪♪]
I should, um...
I should probably get out of here.
I have to get the seeds for the zoo tomorrow, so...
Oh! Yeah. Of course.
Uh, but...
keep me in the loop with the whole "Secret Santa" thing.
Will do.
It's right this way.
The door! Yeah.
Okay.
[♪♪♪]
Yeah, I've been calling everywhere,
but there is still no luck with that Skyflier.
And Cole seems to think we'll find it,
but I don't know.
"We"?
Yes, "we."
I don't think I have to tell you
how great I think this Cole fellow is.
And I also don't have to tell you
how smitten he is with you.
That I might need a little more convincing of.
Sydney,
why are you doubting?
He left so suddenly the other night.
You know, I mean, I thought we were connecting,
and then he had to go.
Well, maybe he didn't feel comfortable
with Oliver being there.
Maybe.
Speaking of,
I have to get Oliver to school,
so I'll see you at the mall in an hour, okay?
Okay. I'll see you there.
-'Kay. Love you, Mom. -Love you.
Yeah.
No, that's right. It's called a Skyflier.
Right, I don't care if you have to courier it in
from Switzerland, I need it by Christmas.
Great, thank you.
[sighing]
Uh, Howard, do we have any salt?
So, how do you plan on telling her?
I don't know.
But it's got to be done just right,
otherwise she may never talk to me again.
I mean, what am I gonna say?
"Hey, remember how I told you that I was Cole Howard?
I'm actually Colin Hauer, President of Hauer Industries,
and I'm the Secret Santa."
I can't tell her today at the petting zoo.
Oliver's gonna be there.
Well, why don't you just take her
someplace you two have been alone together,
and break the news to her there?
That's a great idea, Howard.
Howard, how are you so knowledgeable
about all these things?
I have had plenty of time
to plan on what I would say
if I were fortunate enough
to have someone as lovely as Miss Larkin.
[chuckling softly]
Thank you.
Okay, so I just talked to the zookeeper,
he said it was okay
if we give the animals these treats, so...
Ollie, who do you think is gonna get this one?
[Oliver] A horse?
Why don't you go give it to him?
[Sydney] Oh!
Thank you.
[Oliver] It's amazing!
[Sydney] You know,
I forgot there was even a petting zoo in this city.
It's easy to forget.
You didn't.
Well, I have a lot less things to worry about than you do.
Yeah, well, that's partly my fault.
Because I convinced myself I had to do it on my own--
raise Ollie, support us...
'Cause that way,
I wouldn't be disappointed if someone let me down,
but now I'm not sure that's the right attitude.
Especially not for Ollie.
Listen, um, can you meet me tomorrow?
Highland Park?
Just the two of us, though.
Sure. What about?
-I... -Colin?
Colin, is that you?
Uh, Diane, hi!
Um... sorry. Just excuse us for a second?
-Sure. -Hi! Nice to see you.
And you! Will you be
at the black-and-white charity ball again this year?
Um, yes, I will.
We should catch up then.
I'm just, I'm a little busy right now.
Of course.
You're a busy man. I'll see you at the ball.
Okay. See ya.
Hey. Sorry about that. Um...
I met her
a year ago at a black-and-white ball.
I was covering a story.
I think she's a little confused about my name, though.
You know, one too many eggnogs.
"Colin," "Cole," they sound alike.
-Oh, I guess so. -Yeah.
Mommy, look.
Oh, my goodness.
Oh, I think we took half the zoo home with us.
Hey, look!
They found the Secret Santa.
[announcer] A WQP Exclusive tomorrow night,
an interview with the Secret Santa himself--
revealed live.
Does this mean there won't be any more Secret Santa acts?
I hope not, sweetie.
Hey.
[Cole] Hey!
Did you hear?
Yeah. Yeah, I did.
Do you really think they have him?
Uh, no. No, I don't.
I got a feeling.
Yeah, good, me too,
because my gut is telling me that something's not right.
Uh, look, I-I gotta tell you something, Sydney.
Is it another tip?
Because maybe then we can prove that Andy has the wrong Santa.
No, no, it's not-- it's not another tip.
Although it has to do with that...
I'm actually--
-[phone rings] -Oh! Sorry.
[groans] It's one of the hockey moms.
Kelly, hi.
Oh. Uh, yeah, it's okay, I understand.
I'll make sure they get there.
Okay, bye.
Uh, my hockey carpool just bailed.
I got to get the boys to practice, I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay.
Oh, uh, what was it you wanted to tell me?
Nothing. Nothing.
It-- I'll tell you later.
Are you sure?
Yeah. Go ahead. Go.
-Okay. -Okay.
-I'll call you later. -All right.
Okay.
[Howard] I was just told
that WQP is about to break the story.
All right, then. Let's do this.
[♪♪♪]
Thank you.
[rotors beating]
[Oliver] Why do they want to give the Santa's secret away?
[Sydney] Well, I guess they figure
that it's news, and people want to know.
I don't want to know. Do you?
No, I don't want to know either, honey.
Maybe they made a mistake, Mommy,
and they have the wrong Santa.
I hope so, sweetie.
What is that?
A snowflake?
No.
What is that?
Well, I don't know, honey.
There's a note.
[helicopter rotors beating in the distance]
"It is Christmas in the heart
that puts Christmas in the air."
Mommy, look!
[gasping]
[♪♪♪]
Is it him?
Is it the Secret Santa?
It is. Yes, it is him, honey.
[♪♪♪]
Ollie, we have to get this.
Take the tablet.
Go stand over there. Okay. Good.
[♪♪♪]
Okay.
Well, it appears our own Secret Santa
is at it again
with gifts of candy falling from the sky
in what can only be called "a Christmas shower."
Let's see if the person alleging to be the Secret Santa
claims this latest act.
Although this reporter has a feeling
that the real Secret Santa
is still Chicago's best-kept secret.
Oh! I wish you could have been there.
It was amazing.
There were tiny boxes of candy
literally falling from the sky,
like Santa's sack of presents
had come loose in his sleigh.
Yeah, I-I wish I could've been there.
Yeah.
But Ollie, he was an amazing cameraman.
Oh, and you should've heard
how excited Perry was about the story.
She ran it at the exact same time as Andy's,
because it turns out Andy's quote-unquote "Secret Santa"
didn't know anything about the candy,
which means the real Secret Santa
is still out there.
Isn't that great?
Yes, it is.
I'm meeting with Perry tomorrow morning
to talk about the ratings.
Wish me luck.
Oh, you don't need any luck!
You're a great journalist.
We need more of you
going out there and getting the good stories.
Well, there are more like me. I'm talking to one.
Ah, right.
Listen, um,
let's get dinner tomorrow night,
just... just the two of us.
Are you able?
I-I'd love to.
I'll get my mom to watch Ollie.
All right, great. I look forward to it.
Me too.
Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.
-Bye. -Bye.
[reporter] As we saw on Chicago's BNC broadcast,
it was a Christmas shower last night
when our Secret Santa once again
brought festive joy to our city.
So how did we do?
Turns out your live coverage last night
blew away Andy's exclusive with WPQ,
and his supposed Secret Santa.
I knew it!
Who was that guy Andy found, anyway?
Turns out, just someone who wanted to seize the spotlight.
Not very Christmas-spirited,
and something Andy should've uncovered,
but overlooked rushing to break the story.
Good thing we didn't run it.
So, thank you.
And...
congratulations.
Because if you want it, the position is yours.
Really?
Oh, Perry...
Thank you. Thank you!
I will not disappoint!
[she laughs]
[Perry] Good job.
Congratulations, Sydney.
You toppled my big exclusive.
Oh, it wasn't me.
It was the real Secret Santa.
Oh, that's right.
The Secret Santa,
who you seem to know more about than anyone else.
It's called journalistic intuition, Andy.
Maybe you should've checked yours
before you ran your big exclusive.
If you know who he is, Sydney,
you're compromising your integrity
by pretending to just be breaking these stories.
I don't know who he is, Andy, I don't.
But if I did,
I wouldn't run out and reveal him.
I'd let him do what he intended,
which is bring some much-needed Christmas joy to this city.
So why don't you eat a gingerbread house?
Get in the spirit.
Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas!
[♪♪♪]
Frank!
Hey! It's Colin Hauer.
Listen, could you reserve your best table for two tonight?
That's great. Thank you.
[♪♪♪]
"Mm, hello!"
[♪♪♪]
[Oliver] Choo-choo...
Ollie?
Which dress do you like better?
That one. It's more Christmassy!
You are so right. Red it is.
Hey, Grandma's gonna be here soon.
Start to clean up, okay?
And Oliver...
this tree is the best one yet.
It's beautiful.
Choo-choo...
Oliver, is this one of the ornaments
that Cole brought over? -Mm-hmm.
"Bliss."
His mom's favorite Christmas word.
Hmm.
Honey, start to clean up, okay?
[♪♪♪]
Mom? Hey, can you come over a little early?
I just have to, uh, check on something
before I go to dinner with Cole.
I have a feeling about something.
[♪♪♪]
Excuse me.
Is there a Cole Howard that works here?
[woman] Mm-mm.
[♪♪♪]
That's right.
And what were the numbers in the last quarter?
[gasps quietly] Oh, wow. This is amazing.
[gasps]
Oh, my gosh, is that Cole?
Heading out for the day.
[♪♪♪]
[car door closing]
[car driving away]
[car engine starting]
[car door closing]
[Howard] All right, how are you holding up?
I'm nervous, Howard.
I'm nervous she's not gonna take it well.
All you have to do is convince her
that other than your name, you are the same person.
Now, do you have Oliver's gift?
Oh, it's in the den.
No, no, no. I'll get it.
You just... stay calm.
[sighing]
[doorbell chimes]
Uh...
Sydney.
Wh-- uh...
[door closing]
So this is where you live?
It's pretty posh for a struggling freelance reporter.
Sydney, I was gonna tell you tonight at dinner.
What? That you're not Cole Howard?
That you're actually Colin Hauer?
Listen, believe it or not,
I did this because I was trying to help you.
Help me? How is lying to me helping me?
Because I'm not just Colin Hauer, I'm...
I'm the Secret Santa.
You got it day one,
when you found me out of that crowd.
I wanted to help you, so I posed as a journalist,
I gave you clues on what I was gonna do next.
Whoa. Okay...
So not only is all of this a lie,
but so are my journalistic capabilities?
No. You, you're an amazing journalist.
You're the only one that's seeing
what I'm trying to do here.
You see the real story.
Really?
You think I'm great
when I couldn't even see that the man right under my nose
was actually the Secret Santa?
And that I went on believing that all of this, that us...
ha, was real?
This is real! What I feel for you is real!
It's just I'm not Cole Howard.
Just wait! -[door opening]
Sydney...
Sydney!
Sydney, wait.
-Leave me alone, Secret Santa -Talk to me. Please.
Sydney, just...
I'm done, Cole.
Sydney, I...
[car door opening]
[car door closing]
[car engine starting]
[shutter snapping]
[car driving away]
Colin. Colin?
You just give her time, and she'll come around.
I...
Maybe this was all just a mistake--
these secret acts.
I mean, did it change anything? Did it even make a difference?
Of course it did.
[sadly] Yeah.
Mommy!
You're home?
I didn't want to miss helping you find Harold.
Uh, why don't you go get ready for bed,
and your mom will be there in a minute?
Okay.
What happened?
He wasn't who he said he was.
I don't understand.
My ability to see things...
Wasn't right this time, that's all.
No, that's not true.
I'm gonna put Ollie to bed.
It's gonna be okay.
[sighs]
Perry, can I talk to you for a second?
If it's about Colin Hauer, I know.
Andy came in first thing this morning to tell me.
How did Andy know?
It doesn't matter, Sydney,
other than that this time he has the right man.
And now, my only concern
is when Andy breaks this story in time for the 6:00,
that'll be it--
no more random acts, no more stories.
I don't know, Perry...
I've seen people out there...
smiling at each other,
wishing each other Merry Christmas,
not buried in their cell phones
or stressed about the holiday.
Actually, Perry, I think the big story is yet to come.
Hmm.
Hot chocolate?
How much?
Aw, don't worry, the last customer took care of it.
Been happening all day.
Oh. Thanks.
Merry Christmas.
[♪♪♪]
[woman] Merry Christmas.
Here you go, sir.
Merry Christmas. -Seriously?
Merry Christmas.
Hey, hey, um, sorry... why did you give me this?
What's going on here?
Just a random act of Christmas kindness.
It's happening all over the city,
just like that Secret Santa. Yeah?
[exhaling]
[exhales]
Breaking news out of Chicago--
Secret Santa revealed.
No, Secret Santa unwrapped.
That's it.
-♪ O, Christmas tree ♪ -Breaking news out of Chic--
♪ O, Christmas tree ♪
Trying to record something here!
♪ ...so unchanging ♪
♪ O, Christmas tree ♪
♪ Your leaves are so unchanging ♪
♪ Not only green when summer's here ♪
Gingerbread.
♪ But also when it's cold and drear ♪
♪ O, Christmas tree ♪
♪ Your leaves are so unchanging ♪
This is Sydney Larkin for BCN News,
standing outside
of one of Chicago's charity drop-off points.
As you can see behind me,
the bins are practically overflowing
as people have been lining up all day
to make donations.
This is just one of many acts of Christmas kindness
that has swept the city.
From police officers handing out greeting cards
in lieu of tickets
to caroling breaking out on buses, street corners,
everywhere,
this city has shown
that our very own Secret Santa's efforts
were not in vain...
and in fact,
a movement has begun,
and the true spirit of Christmas
is most definitely in the air.
That, Chicago,
is the big story this Christmas.
[♪♪♪]
[phone ringing]
Sydney Larkin.
You did it, Sydney.
You saw it and landed the biggest story of the year.
I did, didn't I?
Plus, Andy didn't even break his.
He went with a weather story
about this winter storm "Megan" that's coming down from Canada.
Do you think he actually caught the Christmas bug?
Well, he did come in here with boxes of gingerbread
for all the staff,
so I think so.
[laughing]
Congratulations, Sydney.
And Merry Christmas.
Thank you, Perry.
Merry Christmas.
[Howard] Ms. Larkin?
I work for Mr. Hauer.
I know he would want you to have this.
Ms. Larkin, I've known Colin since...
Well, for many years,
and I can tell you
he would never deceive you or anyone
with bad intentions.
All he hoped to do was spread a little Christmas joy
while helping someone who touched him very deeply.
Good day.
Sydney?
What are you doing here?
Howard brought that gift you got for Oliver.
I asked him to bring me here.
Do you want I drink? I could get you something.
No...
I just want to thank you.
Thank me for what?
Everything.
That gift for Ollie, that was...
incredible.
And not just that,
but for everything you did for us.
This was...
the best Christmas we've had,
and that is because of you.
And I also wanted to say
that I understand why you did what you did.
Because you have this amazing heart.
So thank you.
You don't have to thank me.
I loved every minute of it.
Every minute with you.
Every minute with Oliver. I...
I just wanted to spread a little Christmas joy.
I didn't expect... all of this.
I didn't expect...
To what? You didn't...
I didn't expect to fall in love with you.
I'm sorry, I really, I didn't--
I didn't expect any of this either.
But when I saw you in that crowd...
I just knew.
I had a feeling.
[♪♪♪]
Mommy, you got it!
[laughing] Well, kind of.
I had help from a Secret Santa.
[laughing] Yeah!
Look. Oh!
What? -Whoa!
[bell dings] Oh, there's my bread pudding.
Uh, let me help.
Yeah.
Wow. This is remarkable.
Is that cinnamon sugar on the pancakes?
Yes, it is. You want to try?
-Absolutely. -Okay.
Oh!
That is the best pancake I may have ever eaten.
Well, pancakes are just the start.
Uh, we have Colin's mother's cookies,
we have Christmas cake,
and all sorts of delicious treats
for our Christmas breakfast,
including your eggnog,
which I must say
has a lovely kick to it.
Well, it was my father's festive recipe.
Mm. I hope you'll share it with me.
There's nothing I'd like more.
Ahem.
Okay.
A toast--
to Colin...
...and to Sydney,
a remarkable young woman.
And to Lauren,
who I am not surprised is her mother.
[clink] -Thank you.
Cheers.
Cheers, cheers.
-Cheers, cheers. -Cheers.
Hey, Colin.
Maybe next year, my mom and I could help you.
We could be your secret elves.
[laughter]
You know, Oliver, I think that sounds like a great idea.
I think so too.
Secret elves!
And actually, on that note...
this Santa has just one more surprise.
If you'll follow me.
Okay.
-We'll stay here. -All right.
What is it? [laughing]
[Colin] Oh, you'll see.
Look up.
Wow!
[crowd gasping]
[♪♪♪]
[cheering]
Merry Christmas, Sydney.
Merry Christmas, Santa.
[chuckling]
[♪♪♪]