Twelve Trees of Christmas (2013)

[bunniefuu]

"He spoke not a word,

"but went straight to his work,

"and filled all the stockings,

"then turned with a jerk.

"And laying his finger

aside of his nose,

"and giving a nod,

"up the chimney he rose.

"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,

"'er he drove out of sight,

"Merry Christmas to all

"and to all a good night. "

You are going to be sick of that poem

by the time Christmas comes.

I know, but it's the

one they keep choosing.

It's one of my favorites too.

Hey, Emily.

Did you start reading without me?

I was trying, Miss Jamison.

Good for you.

Is that Emily's Sky World Adventure?

You know this story.

It's my favorite.

You read it to us a while ago.

Well, a little pixie dust

certainly does stir the imagination.

Okay, let's get started.

First...

I have something for you.

Oh, wow!

What's this?

It's kind of a Christmas

and a thank you gift.

I'm really happy that

you're tutoring me.

Go ahead, open it.

Okay.

Oh, wow.

She's so beautiful.

To soar above the clouds

one must have faith.

It's my favorite quote

from Emily's Sky World Adventures.

Well, I think she's beautiful.

I'm going to put her on

the very top of my tree.

All right, let's get reading.

There's no such thing

as a child who can fly,

or is there?

Emily asked her mom every minute

of every day of every week,

"but why can't I fly?"

Perhaps if you try,

you may learn to fly.

So, off Emily went, every minute

of every day of every week,

she would run and

jump, and flap her arms.

That was great.

Oh, hey, Mac.

Hey.

How are ya?

All right. How are you?

Great!

Would you mind changing a couple

of burnt out bulbs in my office?

Yeah, sure.

I just gotta do some photocopying first.

Is that your resume?

Yeah.

Are you looking for a new job?

Have you... checked your email?

No.

Bette, what's going on?

I take it you read the memo.

But, this building has been

a library for half a century!

The foundation can't just

suddenly shut it down!

They can and they will.

Believe my, I've been

burning up the phones

for months trying to stop them.

Wait, you've known

about this for months?

Sit.

I haven't told any of the staff yet,

because so far it's only been rumors

and I didn't want to

upset people unnecessarily.

This is a public library

in a private building.

The Shaughnessy Foundation

gave the city a 50-year,

dollar a year lease,

which expired last month.

They've decided not to renew it,

but to instead redevelop

this property as part

of a new condominium

and apartment complex.

So, what about a library

for the neighborhood?

Well, I doubt that's

a priority for them.

But, it's not right!

No, but it's legal.

This is more than just a library,

it's a watering hole for the community.

Do you know what happens in Africa

when a watering hole dries up?

Everything dies.

I've been head librarian for ten years,

and I've dealt with the

city on hundreds of issues.

I know how to get things done,

but I need a few good cards to play

and we've got nothing.

The thing is, they've got all

the legal advantages on their side.

The Shaughnessy Foundation is exercising

a right that is very clearly theirs.

We could do a fund-raiser.

Cheri...

The community would support us!

People love this building!

I... I grew up here.

This building, it's a

landmark in the neighborhood.

It doesn't matter.

The Foundation doesn't

need community approval.

They can do whatever they want.

There has to be a way that

we can change their minds.

Well, their plans are

pretty far along already.

Rosaleen Shaughnessy.

Hm?

She took over the Foundation

when her husband died.

Her grandson lives in my building.

Do you know him?

Prince Tony?

He's got the penthouse, I

live in a rent-controlled

cubby hole on the third floor.

We might as well live

on separate planets,

but we do occasionally run

into each other in the lobby.

In fact, this morning we

even nodded at each other.

Oh... Hey! Hi!

Hi, I'm Cheri Jamison from 3A.

We've seen each other

in the lobby before.

Right.

Yeah, hi, I'm Tony Shaughnessy.

I know.

Uh... I was just

wondering if I could speak

with you for a moment.

Sure, sure.

But I kind of have my hands full here.

Do you mind coming up?

Don't worry, I'm harmless.

Of course.

Yes, great!

Oh...

I can't believe all this exists

just a few stories above my head.

Come on, I'm sure your

apartment's just as nice.

Yeah, Architectural Digest

has just been nagging me

for that interview.

Did you decorate it yourself?

What, are you kidding me?

No, no, I leave that

to the professionals.

A woman named Cordelia

does my decorating.

Cordelia, no last name, Cordelia?

Yeah.

I see her name in

magazines all the time.

She's a really big deal.

She does all the movie

star homes, right?

Yeah, that's the one.

Well, she did a really nice job.

Do you, uh... do you want something?

Some tea or coffee, or...

Uh, just a water would be great.

Water.

Okay.

It's funny that we

never really met before.

You know, since we live

in the same building.

Well, that's New York for you.

Not this neighborhood.

I've always felt a real

sense of community here.

Ever since I was kid, but you know that.

I mean, you grew up here, too.

Well, not really.

I spent most of the

year at boarding school.

My grandfather kind of insisted on it.

Yeah, but you're...

You're Tony Shaughnessy.

Your grandfather's name

is on every other building.

You're a part of the first

family of this community.

Yeah.

It's an honor.

I guess it is.

Your grandfather created

something wonderful.

That's, um, that's

actually why I'm here.

I'm the children's librarian

at the Shaughnessy Library.

I came to talk to you about

what a humongous mistake

it is for them to tear it down.

Thought maybe I could talk

to you and you could speak

with your grandmother

and get her to reconsider

extending the lease.

Silly me.

I thought I was just being

hit on by a very pretty girl.

But, uh... you're just

trying to save your job.

No! Yes!

I mean, no, it's not...

it's not just the job.

You don't need to worry.

You're not going to lose your job.

The city is going to reassign everybody

to other libraries. Your job is secure.

We went to great lengths to ensure that.

We?

I work for Charles Harris.

Charles Harris...

Yeah.

Heartless developer, Charles Harris?

He's really not that bad.

This neighborhood, it needs a library.

Sure.

And that's a matter for the city.

Which is dependent on what

the foundation decides.

The foundation has already decided.

No, you're missing the point.

The point is is that libraries

are a municipal matter,

and I'm sure they're going to

do right by this neighborhood.

After they get all the improvements

that my development's going to bring,

we're going to raise property values...

Hey, don't thank me now,

but this condo of yours here,

it's going to be worth double,

triple what it is now.

Yeah, but I wouldn't even

want to live here anymore.

Oh, come on.

See, now you're just being sentimental.

I grew up in that building.

You did?

Yeah.

My father wrote his

doctorial thesis there.

And he used to take me with him.

It was amazing.

Everyday we'd walk through

those doors together,

into this magical land filled with...

filled with everything

in the whole world.

It's where I learned to love books.

And reading.

It's the greatest

gift my father gave me.

And I think that every

child in this neighborhood

should experience that feeling.

Kids these days, they

get everything online.

Yeah, but it's not the same.

You can read Dickens on an e-book,

you get the words, but...

you're missing the music.

Cheri, life is about change.

You can't stop it.

Charles Dickens would agree with me.

Charles Dickens would

never tear down a library.

Look, I gotta tell you, there's nothing

that you can do to stop this.

I'm sorry.

Well, you don't know me very well.

I'm not letting this go.

Hold on a second...

Your job is secure, but

I wouldn't do anything

to jeopardize that.

If there's no Shaughnessy Library,

then I don't have a job.

I've got to try to save this.

I'm going to prove to

you how wrong you are.

Trust me, I've thought about this

and this is a very good idea.

Hold on a second...

We don't start bull-dozing

until the new year.

At least you have Christmas.

How very generous of

you, Ebenezer Scrooge.

You know, maybe when

you finish counting all

of your gold coins, you can come down

to the library on Christmas Eve.

That's when we distribute all of

the toys that have been donated.

The fire department

even brings Santa Claus.

You can see firsthand

how important we are

to this community.

And witness the joy on

the children's faces.

And then crush all of their

dreams when you announce

your great plan to

demolish their sanctuary

of imagination, knowledge and art.

For a condo.

Goodnight.

SLAM!

Ugh!

Sigh

He thinks the library is

just this archaic old building

filled with recyclable papers,

and I bet, he doesn't even recycle.

The problem is he never really

spent a lot of time here.

Or, in the neighborhood for that matter.

Yeah.

Private school.

The point is he doesn't

know what this building means

to an entire generation of people.

I mean, everything I know about art

and literature and

music, I learned here.

I would be a completely different person

if it weren't for this building.

Yet he does have a point.

eBooks are taking over

and most kids these days

haven't even heard of an encyclopedia,

much less opened one.

And with Google, why should they?

Okay, the internet can add to the mix,

but you're never going to be able

to replace physical books.

I mean...

You need to be able to see

and touch and hold and even

smell a book to get the

whole reading experience.

Too bad you can't convince

Tony Shaughnessy of that.

I know.

I still can't believe his grandmother

would let him tear it down.

She used to love this place.

I wonder if she still does.

Well, of course I'll miss it.

Not just the apartment,

but the whole neighborhood.

And you're just going to give

it up for a warmer climate?

I didn't come to this

easily, but you know,

I wake up every day and I look

for the sun dancing on the ceiling.

The neighbor's cat on the windowsill,

and that smiling face in the kitchen.

And Christmas' in Galway.

You know, when I was a young girl.

And they've all gone.

Everything just gets lost to time.

And anyway, the future

belongs to the next generation.

But you and your husband

created this neighborhood.

I mean, you have a legacy.

There's not many

people who can say that.

You know, it was my idea to convert

the mansion into the library.

My husband was convinced

that it was his idea,

but it really wasn't.

I knew it took a woman to think of that.

Turned out pretty well, didn't it?

It certainly did.

Yeah, I know...

It's just a wonderful place.

It's just so full of

promise and potential.

Cheri, I'd do anything

to save it if I could.

But you're the head of

the Shaughnessy Foundation.

The final decision is yours.

And I've decided.

Tony's been working on

this project for years,

and I'm not going to

take it away from him.

I'm sorry, lamb,

but family is more

important on this one.

That looks great.

Oh, dude, awesome.

Hey, Cheri!

Coming to check on us?

Well, I heard we had quite a bunch

of talented artists down here.

I hope I'm not interrupting.

Of course not. We're happy to show off.

Deirdre, how are things at the gallery?

Busy.

I feel like I live there,

but I had to sneak away

for these guys.

I just got my first real Christmas tree,

and as I was decorating it,

I thought how a Christmas

tree is a representation -

not just of the holiday

- but of our lives.

You know, each one tells

a story of who we are.

Are you okay?

I think I just had an a-ha moment.

Hello.

Thank you everyone for turning out

for the annual Shaughnessy

Library Toy Drive.

For those of you who don't know me,

I'm Cheri Jamison.

I'm the children's librarian here.

Actually, looking around,

most of you look familiar.

Which means you're

regulars. So, this year,

we are going to shake

things up a little bit.

We're going to have a contest.

A Christmas tree decorating contest.

And we want everyone

to decorate their tree

based on the theme

what the Shaughnessy

Library means to me.

Which means you could pick anything

- a literary theme,

or you could choose to decorate a tree

which represents something

that you've learnt here.

Maybe a skill, or a

craft, or even a language.

It's totally up to you.

We will assign you a tree

and then on Christmas Eve -

along with the toy drive

- we will light up

all of the trees and

then the night will end

at seven o'clock with the judging.

Okay!

Are there any questions?

How many trees will there be?

Twelve.

And they'll be displayed

in the banquet room.

Uh, I just heard a

rumor that they're going

to tear down the library.

Well, that's why this

contest is so great.

It will be an opportunity

for us to show the community

how important the

library is to all of us.

The rumors are true.

There hasn't been an

official announcement yet,

but the Shaughnessy Library

is as of now scheduled

to be shut down and raised.

What?

We're hoping for a miracle.

At least if we go, we

go in a blaze of glory.

That's right.

And there will be prizes

for all of the winners.

Bette and I will also

be decorating trees,

but don't worry, the staff is not a part

of the official competition.

Do you think this will really work?

I don't know, but that's

why this is so important.

We all love the library.

We can't just stand by

and watch it be destroyed.

Um...

Okay, so, uh, this

is the sign-up sheet.

If you could put your name

and contact information

and the theme of your

tree if you know it,

if not you can email me with it later.

Is there anything else?

Who's going to judge?

To be determined.

What are you doing here?

Is it not a public meeting?

Yes.

But, for people with hearts,

not fungi with black souls.

That's cute.

Nice move, by the way.

Um, going to my grandmother.

Thank you.

You really won't leave

this alone, will you?

Nope.

Okay.

I tell you what, I'm going to do a tree,

because I love competition,

and I'm pretty sure that

I'm going to beat you.

So.

Oh, not a chance.

Not a chance, she says.

Nope.

Okay.

You're on.

You're on.

Signup sheet is, uh?

Yeah.

Hi.

Hi.

Hi.

Oh, hi.

I remember you from

the computer lab, right?

I loaned you a pen.

I'm Artie.

Deirdre.

I know.

You're the artist.

Did I tell you that?

I just know.

I signed up to do a tree,

but I have no idea what to do.

I've got some great ideas

for an electronic display,

but I'm not really the

creative professional.

Well, I'm more of an amateur myself.

I work at a gallery in the village.

Well, maybe we could work together.

I studied here, so technology's

going to be my theme.

A collaboration...

I'd love to.

When do you think we can get to work?

Really? Oh.

Okay, I don't know,

um... tomorrow afternoon,

I've got the equipment in my apartment.

Okay, great, your place.

Around four o'clock?

Perfect.

Perfect!

I'm right around the corner.

Okay.

I'll see you at four.

See you then.

Bye.

Bye.

Bye!

Hi.

Wow.

Twice in one day.

I didn't think anybody ran

into each other in New York.

What?

What, you're not still mad at me

for entering into the contest?

Nope.

Yes.

No, you know what?

I am mad at you for mocking my contest

by signing up for a

tree, but I am furious

with you for tearing down our library.

Wow! Dramatic.

It is low to taint Christmas

with your malicious lies.

What were you planning on?

Putting a little devil at the

top of your Christmas tree?

Did you not mastermind this entire thing

to have my grandmother

see all the pretty trees

and get all teary and

sentimental, and then

cancel her permission for redevelopment?

I'm just trying to bring

a little perspective

to how important this building is.

You don't have to tell me

about how important this building is.

I know how important this building is.

This building is my grandfather's

crowning achievement.

Oh, then why are you tearing it down?

Change is difficult for people,

but you should know that Jane Eyre.

We would still be living in caves

if people didn't push things forward.

I know change is scary,

but it's completely necessary.

Well...

You are betraying your

grandfather's legacy.

Let's just talk about

what's really going on here.

See, I think you're afraid that

your cushy job is going to change,

so you've turned this into a crusade.

Oh.

See, that is just wrong.

You know, you're just...

You're half, half as

clever as you think you are.

That's still twice as clever as you.

My goodness...

Tony, darling, who are

you quarreling with?

Oh... Oh, that's Cheri, the librarian.

She's waged w*r on me.

On you? Tony, that's absurd.

I've never met anybody so stubborn.

See, she's upset with me

because I've entered into

this Christmas tree decorating contest.

You're decorating?

Well, that's...

No, no, no, no,

it's nothing like what you do.

Oh... You flatter me.

You are such a gentleman.

You know what? I'd be delighted.

Be...

You're going to decorate

a Christmas tree?

Isn't that beneath you?

Don't you have a reputation to uphold?

My reputation is built

on making people happy.

Making you happy.

How much would this cost me?

Let's negotiate. Over lunch?

Okay.

Hi, Charlie.

Tony...

I need you to have a

security crew on standby.

Why?

I've moved up the demolition date.

It's December 26th now.

I want you to be prepared

to empty the building out

of anything that could be left behind.

Wow. Why?

That's a week and a

half ahead of schedule.

It's going to screw everything up.

The publicity machine will

be down for the holidays.

Everybody will be drinking

eggnog and singing carols.

The library will be dust

before their New Year's

hangovers wear off.

Then we've avoided any negative press.

The supreme art of w*r is

to subdue your enemy without fighting.

Charlie...

You're not getting

nostalgic on me, are you?

You know what nostalgia is?

It's just a fondness for the past.

It's as dead as the words

on the pages in those books.

And the library is just a

graveyard for those words.

We're building for the future.

For the living. Don't forget that.

Who is it?

Tony Shaughnessy.

Hi.

Don't worry. I come in peace.

Were you hoping I was asleep

so you could smother me with a pillow?

Ha. Maybe.

I was just thinking about what you said,

and I would like you to know that

I am not betraying my

grandfather's legacy...

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that.

I was upset. It was totally out of line.

No, no. This is my fault.

This is my fault for suggesting that

you have an ulterior motive

for holding the contest.

You're right. I do.

Coffee truce?

Sure.

Sure.

I'll put a pot on.

Okay.

You know, it's weird,

it's like, this is my home,

but still I feel like

I don't know it all.

That's the trouble with boarding school.

I was really, really

envious of all you guys.

Really?

Yeah.

Yeah, because you could do

whatever you wanted to do.

You could study whatever

you wanted to study,

you could go wherever you wanted to go.

It wasn't quite as carefree as all that.

But it was compared to me.

I was born into the family business.

My grandfather stapled an application

to Harvard business school to my crib.

What, you didn't want to

go into the family business?

Yeah, sure, I guess. I don't know.

Come on, you're such a huge success.

Am I?

Yeah.

Okay, what is your

definition of success?

Um... I don't know.

I guess living your passion every day.

And helping other

people and enjoying life.

Wow.

You are a little bit of a Pollyanna.

I'm sorry, but you know.

What about that thing,

it's called money?

Do what you love and

the money will follow.

I've always believed

that successful people

attract money.

It's not money that makes you a success.

That's really sweet.

Why?

What's your idea of success?

Well, money!

What did you expect me to say?

I'm a Shaughnessy.

We have a bottom line to uphold.

We have a reputation to keep.

Nothing but first class all the way.

Well, you have a lot of money

so you must be very happy.

Don't you think I'm happy?

Why do you care what I think?

I should go.

Uh, thank you for the coffee.

So, uh, if I need to talk to you...

If I have any questions

about the contest...

I'll, uh...

I'll call you at the library.

Yeah, um...

Yeah, you should do that.

Okay.

I'll see myself out.

Great.

Do that.

Excuse me?

Can you tell me where

the top of the tree is?

Isn't she beautiful?

She's amazing.

Um, fairytale Christmas tree.

Close. Fantasy.

It's my favorite kind of story.

I figure I can make a couple

dozen of these by Christmas.

So much detail.

Yeah...

Would it be cheating if I asked some

of our patrons to help me?

No, not at all.

I mean, we're not really

part of the competition.

Great.

Put me down for one fantasy tree.

Okay.

Oh, you haven't figured

out your theme yet.

No. Not yet.

I'm still searching.

Do you see the irony in this?

I'll get it.

I just need to be inspired by something.

I have a feeling the library will help.

How are the others doing?

Mack, our janitor and wannabe chef

is doing a Christmas foods tree.

He's researching vintage recipes...

Paul, can I ask you a question?

Sure, Mack.

You ever had calves foot jelly?

What's that?

You take a couple of calves feet,

boil them down

- jelly.

No, I've never had calves foot jelly.

What on earth are you reading?

Victorian cookbook for the holidays.

Thinking of trying out

a couple of recipes.

How do brains ba*ls sound to you?

It sounds like Hannibal

Lector is your mentor.

Broiled kidneys... Pigeon compote.

Okay, stop... Please.

All right.

How about some bubble and squeak?

Jelly bouillion and mutton sausage.

Come on!

You know what, maybe

stick with desserts.

Yeah...

I guess Victorians

had stronger stomachs.

See ya.

Would you look at that...

Candied duck foot web.

Huh.

Kind of like potato chips.

Deirdre and Artie, they have

the technology, but no theme.

But it's state of the art technology.

Technology can only help us

express the theme we choose.

It is not a theme in itself.

The lights are cool.

Yeah, but what does it mean?

I mean, behind every great

creation is a purpose.

Last year I put up a tree in here

using all light-emitting diodes.

I didn't even use a real tree at all.

We have to use a tree.

It's one of the rules.

I'm just saying it's superfluous.

I could do it without one.

Not the point.

The tree is the palate for our vision.

So, no lights?

Lights are in, but we need a theme.

Oh, man...

What did you learn at the library?

Electronics and computer science.

And we're back at square one...

How about you?

Hmmm... People.

I mean, I'm new to the city,

so volunteering at the library

helped me to meet new friends.

Really? Someone like you, eh?

I can't believe you'd have any problem.

I think people would fall

over themselves to meet you.

Well, I wanted to meet...

People who care about things.

And people who are curious enough

about the world around

them that they'll spend time

getting off their butts

and learning stuff.

And have you met the

right kind of people there?

Yes.

I've met all sorts of

wonderful people there.

The Martinsons don't

have a theme listed.

No, I know.

I was surprised they even signed up.

I feel like every time you

see them they're all busy

and stressed out and

rushing off somewhere.

Courier knives.

Too old fashioned.

Star Wars!

What does that have

to do with the library?

Come on.

We borrowed the DVDs from the library.

Then what does that have

to do with Christmas?

The theme is what the

library means to us?

Okay, we take movies out all the time,

so movie themes are a possibility.

All right, romance,

suger plums and mistletoe.

A vampire Christmas!

Yeah, a fresh blanket of snow.

Werewolves in garlands.

And those little twinkle lights.

A blood red moon.

Once again, you're not listening to me.

Could you please take this seriously?

The only reason I agreed

to read the Twilight series

with you is because we

got the book for free.

No werewolves, no vampires.

Well, you come up with some ideas.

Courier knives have been

around for more than a century.

It's a classic.

Well, it's also boring.

We need something

new, something fresh...

Oh, like vampires and werewolves.

Come on!

Well, at least it's popular.

Well, tell me your ideas then.

Yeah, I'm gonna think of something!

Where are you going?

Somewhere quiet.

What?

I'm trying to read.

Okay...

That's your temper.

That's you.

What's his royal highness' theme?

Ok, everybody loves what

you did with my loft.

This time, I want you

to do the same thing,

except with the tree.

Okay, wait.

I need to know what you

want this tree to say.

What I want it to say, I want it to say,

"hey, look at me! I

just won first prize!"

Is there a theme?

Sure.

Listen, this whole

contest was dreamed up

by this children's librarian,

in order to get my grandmother

to be more emotional about the library.

We need to make her

equally as emotional,

but keep her on our side.

We need to show her that

we respect her values,

but that the world's changing

and we need to keep up with it.

The same librarian you had

the shouting match with?

Yes.

She's very... passionate.

Hmm...

So you want old with new.

That sounds great.

Maybe antique ornaments

combined with contemporary effects.

I love it.

Let's brainstorm over dinner.

Just make this the most

amazing Christmas tree

in the history of

Christmas trees. All right?

This should be enough to get started.

You let me know if you need any more.

This is going to be quite the tree.

Do you have a judge?

No.

But I have an idea.

I think maybe it's just

gonna be Artie's tree.

What's wrong?

Oh... well... we keep disagreeing.

I want one thing, he wants another.

You're gonna work it out.

We're pretty far apart.

Hey, take a deep breath.

Start over.

Christmas is about

bringing people together.

Not driving them apart.

I guess.

Believe me, I'm right.

I'm tempted.

We would be so honored

if you would judge.

It's difficult for me

to get around anymore.

We could make it super-easy for you.

We would pick you up and drop you off,

and it'll only take an hour.

It would mean so much to everyone.

I mean, you're the first

lady of this neighborhood.

Your neighbors would

love the opportunity

to spend your last Christmas

in New York with you.

Well, it would be a wonderful send-off.

So, you'll do it?

Oh, dear.

I know to you the library's the future.

I'm so sorry that I

dragged you into the middle

of this battle between me and Tony.

But, I am not giving up.

What's that you're playing with?

Oh, it's St. Anthony.

My father gave it to me.

He's the patron saint of lost things.

I guess my dad assumed

one day I'd lose my mind.

He's also the patron saint of miracles.

Well, I sure could use

a miracle right now.

Well, you know, maybe all

things are not lost to time.

Well, you really got

my Tony all sparked up.

You know, I've never seen

another lady do that to him before.

It reminds me of Teddy

and I in our early days.

Well, Tony and I aren't

exactly a love story.

It's more like Stephen King novel.

I had the same gumption that you have.

That's how I got Teddy

to fall in love with me.

I'll do it.

You will?

Mmhmm.

Thank you!

It's going to be perfect.

Oh, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Mack, hi.

Hey.

Um, you got a second?

Of course.

Yeah, sit down.

You know, uh, the whole threat

of losing this place has

kind of got me thinking.

It's got us all racing

around, senseless.

It's funny, you know, I came to New York

years ago to follow my dream.

What's your dream?

Well, don't laugh...

To be a chef.

Why would I laugh at that?

Well, I started out as a dishwasher,

which led to another

job as a dishwasher,

which eventually led to the

washer of a whole building.

And just like that...

Twenty years passed me by.

I'm so sorry.

Nah, it's good.

This place has been good to me.

Maybe the threat of losing it

is the kick in the pants I need.

Are you thinking about

going back to school?

No.

I'm thinking of a food truck.

A sandwich truck to be more specific.

During the holidays I could serve

cranberry and turkey Paninis,

and for the vegetarians out there,

mashed potato and gravy sandwiches.

Mashed potato and gravy sandwiches?

I think you're onto something here.

It could be the Christmas dinner truck.

Christmas dinner all year 'round!

I love it.

Um...

Thank you.

I've got it!

I thought I had it.

We could use light as a

raw expression of hope.

And of creation and of Christmas.

What are you talking about?

Light! Sunlight!

Without the sun we'd have nothing.

I mean, everything would just be...

It's science leading to technology.

This is what you wanted all along.

I just really thought that

the lights looked cool.

Sorry.

Was that...

Are we, uh...

I think we're stuck.

We're stuck.

Yeah.

Yes, hello, uh, hi.

We appear to be stuck in the elevator.

Yes, yes, that's the address.

No, no, no, we're fine.

We're all fine in here

just please send someone immediately.

Yes, immediately.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It's not a big deal.

What?

No, I know.

It's, yeah, it's fine.

We're gonna be fine.

It's got all sorts of automatic locks

and breaks, we're not gonna fall.

Yeah, I know.

I was involved in refurbishing

the building, so...

I hired the elevator installer and, uh,

he seemed like he

knew what he was doing.

Seemed like a guy who passed

all the tests and stuff, so...

I think it's, uh... it's gonna be...

Are you claustrophobic?

Is it hot in here?

I just, I feel like...

Hey, hey, hey...

What?

Just relax.

I'm fine.

You okay?

- Yeah.

Just keep breathing.

Yup. Yeah.

On a scale of one to ten,

how much anxiety are

you feeling right now?

Uh... it's about a...

Yeah, it's about a ten.

Okay.

Hey, follow my fingers

with your eyes, okay?

Okay,

Yup, mmhmm.

Just focus on the movement.

Yeah.

Keep breathing.

Okay, I, uh... Okay, okay, okay.

Okay, where are you now?

Uh, amazingly, um, about a three.

Look at that...

Thanks!

Um, hey, that was, uh...

that was great, thank you.

For doing that. Whatever...

Whatever that was.

EMDR.

Eye movement desensitization

and reprocessing.

The movement helps to break you

from the traumatic experience.

It helps with anxiety.

Interesting.

Where'd you learn that?

Wait, don't tell me.

The library.

Not all of us can afford

a world-class education.

Yeah, well, I paid

my way through college

doing construction

work every summer, so...

Really?

Yeah.

'Cause I've got some shelves upstairs

that I need to put up.

You've got shelves. Well... sure.

Consider it done.

You're going to come up to my apartment

and put up shelves?

Yeah.

Lucky me.

Lucky you.

I'm gonna take the stairs, so...

Oh. Right.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Everything in each one

of these units is going

to be completely state of the art.

We're putting washer-dryers

in each one of them.

Sounds wonderful!

You think so?

Mmhmm.

It's amazing how things have changed.

My first apartment,

everybody on the floor

had to use the same bathroom.

Really?

Yeah.

Not in these.

Each of these is going to have at least

two full bathrooms, and

they're going to be beautiful.

They're going to be beautiful.

You remind me so much

of your grandfather.

Hey...

You don't think he'd be upset

that I'm tearing down

the library, do you?

I haven't been back to

the library since he died.

I was afraid it would be too painful.

He'd be so proud of you.

You think so?

Oh, yes, because you're

going after what you want.

He'd appreciate that.

Yes, he loved you very much.

But, so did your father.

I know, I know you don't

like talking about him.

There's nothing to talk about.

He left.

I barely remember him.

You see, your grandfather

was a great man.

And he was determined that his children,

and his children's children

would not live in poverty.

Yes.

I mean, he had a great work ethic

and he passed it onto his family.

Do you remember him

spending time with you?

Well...

He worked hard for his family.

Tony, if you're running from the past

and looking to the future,

it doesn't leave much

room for the present.

Your father, he was a

sweet, wonderful, loving man.

Who could not stand

up to your grandfather.

Ted dominated him.

He forced him into the business,

pushed him into achieving

what he had achieved,

and then when your mother died,

it was just too much for him.

He shouldn't have left me.

Hey.

Hi.

Got a couple more trees up.

I'm starting to feel

like a real forest ranger.

Uh...

Join me.

Thanks.

Oh.

Hans Christian Andersen.

Research for my tree.

But his stories are wonderful.

Did you know he visited

Dickens in London?

No.

He was supposed to stay for three days.

He ends up staying for six weeks.

In the end, the family would

wake up at dawn everyday,

escape out the back door so they

wouldn't have to entertain him.

Where did you hear this?

It was in some Dickens biography I read.

Do you read a lot of biographies?

I read whatever I can get my hands on.

It's one of the perks of working here.

I get to see all the new stuff

as it comes out and

I grab it right away.

Would you know anything about fantasy?

Well, it's not really my

strong suit, but some, yeah.

Maybe you could give me a hand.

Really?

Yeah.

You look exhausted.

Yeah, I'm having the worst day.

Where's Emily?

Oh, she's studying with Cheri.

It's a program where

good readers pair up

with kids who need help.

Is she reading Emily Sky

World Adventures again?

Is there any other book?

Ok, what are we going to do about

this whole Christmas

tree decoration contest?

I mean, do you think we should withdraw?

We haven't even started yet.

You don't have time, I don't have time.

I mean, we don't even have a theme.

I definitely don't have time.

You're right.

We should probably back out.

Hey, Mack.

Hey.

What are you doing here so late?

Oh, it's better than staying at home

in the apartment alone, you know?

What about you? Late night?

Still looking for inspiration.

Oh.

Still no theme, huh?

Nope.

I was going stir-crazy

sitting in my apartment.

I thought maybe a change

of scene might help.

Well, the library's

hardly a change of scenery.

You practically live here.

why don't you go home,

get some rest, get a good night's sleep

and something will come

to you before you know it.

You know what?

You're right.

Maybe I can dream something up.

Shamrock.

Shamrock.

A shamrock.

It's... It's perfect!

Why didn't I think of this before?

Mack!

You are a lifesaver.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you,

thank you, thank you.

Lifesaver... hm.

That's pretty cool.

I found it.

Check it out.

Ireland.

Irish.

Huh, like a certain matriarch.

Very clever.

Or, is it sneaky?

Maybe a little bit of both.

Ok, I'll admit at first I

was like cut to the chase,

give Mrs. Shaughnessy what she wants,

but then I started

researching and look at this...

Christmas is huge there.

Folk art, carols, ceremonies.

Trees.

How can you possibly create a tree out

of this in two weeks?

Why not?

Woven from oak straw,

each elaborate decoration

takes several days to create.

You still need to learn how to weave.

Well, I'm not going

to make the ornaments.

I'll find them.

This is New York, you

can get anything here.

Yes, we can, but it usually

comes with a price tag.

How are you gonna pay?

I'll beg.

I'll tell the owner that it's going

to help save the library.

I'll wheedle.

I'm an excellent wheedler.

You are that.

Where are you going?

I'm taking Emily to her

reading class at the library.

I think we made a mistake.

The tree?

Yeah.

Sweetheart, go get your mittens.

Look, Emily's been moping around

ever since we told her.

Look, we may not have

enough time to do all

of the things that we want

to do, or even enough time

to do half of the things

that we have to do...

But Emily loves that library.

And...

More importantly, we met there.

It's where we fell in love.

Cheri's right, we can't give up.

We have to at least try.

You're an amazing man.

I love you.

I love you.

Emily!

Guess who is back

in the Christmas tree

decoration business?

Really?

Yeah.

Really.

I can't wait to tell Cheri!

We gotta go before I'm late!

Emily loves that place.

Everything about it.

You know what?

Maybe that's the theme.

Huh?

You know, um, childhood,

children, uh, fairytales.

You know, everything

that is child-related.

Ok, I am going to go get some books

while Emily is in her class.

I can think of a dozen ways

we can go with this.

Yeah?

Maybe toys?

Yes, yes!

Emily's already outgrown

a bunch of her own toys,

and maybe her play buddies

can lend us some of theirs.

We can donate them to the toy drive

at the end of the night.

Okay, okay, great.

Um, okay, put a sticky on anything that

is even remotely interesting.

This just might work.

I think it will.

Okay.

I need to stop on the way.

Did you find ornaments for your tree?

I think so.

I found a book about Irish

crystal at the library.

There's a shop I want to check out.

Good luck, Cheri.

Fingers crossed.

I'm hoping that seeing a tree decorated

with memories of her life in Ireland

will help her remember her heritage.

Everything that her husband created.

I knew him, you know.

Mr. Shaughnessy?

Mmhmm.

They both were in my civics class.

We had to take it to become citizens.

Teddy had a vision and

he never let anybody

stand in the way of it.

That runs in the family.

Are you a friend of the family?

More like a foe.

Tony and I know each other.

Oh, that poor boy.

Did you know that his

father abandoned the family

shortly after his wife died?

I didn't know that.

I knew Tony was raised

by his grandparents,

but I wasn't sure why.

They kept things very quiet.

I don't think anybody

knows what really happened.

I do know it was

terribly hard on Rosaleen.

Ted could always jump

back into his business.

Which he did.

Sometimes when a man is determined

to accomplish something

big, the family pays for it.

It's ironic that his grandson's the one

tearing it all down.

Do you think you could help us?

I really need to

impress Mrs. Shaughnessy.

Come with me.

Irish crystal.

Most of it from before the w*r.

It's so beautiful.

It all looks so expensive.

Oh, they are.

Mmhmm.

I can let you borrow

them for the one night.

To save the library.

Really?

That's wonderful!

Just...

Don't tell my son.

He's very much into -

what does he call it -

oh! The bottom line.

How about I come by with some volunteers

on Christmas eve and pick it all up?

But until then...

not a word.

Zip.

Oh, um, I don't suppose

there's any chance that

it would all be sold by Christmas?

Oh, no.

We sell four, maybe five pieces a year.

Teddy would want this.

I feel it in my heart.

Coming!

Hi!

Hi...

Is this a bad time?

A bad time...?

You know, for shelf-building.

I didn't think you were serious.

Well, why wouldn't I be?

I'm very, very serious

about these kinds of things.

Oh, okay.

Well, then please, come in.

Thank you.

So, this is it, huh?

Yeah.

You really don't have to do this,

I was just joking.

Listen, I have you down in my calendar

for shelf-building, and if you cancel

without 24-hours notice,

I'm gonna be forced

to charge you for a service call.

That's just how it works, it's policy.

Ok, if you insist.

Can I at least get you a glass of wine?

Yes. Yes, you may.

Okay.

Okay...

You really are good at this.

Why is that funny to you?

I told you I did construction for years.

I specialized in shelves.

Wow.

You have a gift.

I wouldn't go that far.

It's more of a hobby.

I don't know, it's very

professional looking.

Okay...

Maybe carpentry is your calling.

Well, thank you.

No, thank you.

Cheers.

Cheers.

So, what is your deal?

What?

How did you come to be a librarian?

Well, actually, originally,

I thought I was going

to become a college

professor, like my dad.

But once I got to college,

I became this voracious reader.

Spent all my spare time in the library

and I decided to major

in library sciences.

Library sciences is not a real thing.

You just made that up.

It's a real thing.

You totally made that up.

No, I didn't.

Wow.

What'd your dad say?

Was he disappointed?

He wasn't.

He was actually incredibly supportive.

I think he probably would have liked it

if I'd followed his

path, but he was okay.

I got this summer job

as a library intern,

tutoring kids and working

on this literacy program.

I loved it.

I worked with this

one first-grader, Elie.

He and I worked together

for a week until one day

he read all of The Fly Went By to me.

He got to the last page

and he closed that book,

and he hugged it to himself, and said,

"this is the best book

in the whole world!"

And that was it?

That was it.

I found my calling.

That's cool.

Yeah.

It's nice that you know what you want.

Oh, come on.

You're the big hotshot success.

You keep saying that, but

it's not actually true.

Yeah, but this project...

Has taken four years.

Hasn't made a dime for my company.

I thought you were...

No.

No, I'm just a humble employee.

Until the deal closes.

Then I'll be less humble.

Well, I believe you can do anything

you put your mind to.

Takes one to know one.

You know...

Just because I didn't

spend a lot of time

growing up here, doesn't mean

I don't care about the neighborhood.

Yeah, but it does mean

you don't know much about it.

No, that's not true.

Oh, come on!

I've never seen you in the library

until we announced the contest.

As a matter of fact,

other than the lobby

in this building, I

don't think I've seen

you anywhere in this neighborhood.

Not a restaurant, or in a store...

I've never seen you at the park.

Ok, but you do know that

I work very long hours.

I think the only reason you

signed up for this contest

is it's what your

grandfather would've done.

I think when you get a vision,

you don't let anyone stand in your way.

I'm fascinated.

Why don't you tell me more about myself?

The library was your grandfather's

greatest achievement.

I think deep down you

probably resent it,

because deep down you

don't think you'll ever

be able to achieve

anything that beautiful.

Your grandfather pushed

you to do big things,

but I don't think you think

you'll be able to do it.

You seem to have me all figured out.

I'm sorry, I...

No, no...

That was way out of line...

It's great.

I shouldn't have said that.

No, no, it's okay.

It's good to get these

things out in the open.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy your shelves.

Thank you. They're perfect.

Look, I'm really sorry

that things are...

the way they are.

It's inevitable.

Given the circumstances.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Okay...

On the count of 3...

One, two...

Three!

Wow!

You're brilliant.

Wow!

I'm sorry...

I just got carried away by the tree...

No!

No, no, nothing to apologize for,

believe me.

Remember how you were talking about,

you know, meeting

friends at the library?

Well, maybe you're right.

I mean, I met you there.

That's right.

And I think of you as a friend.

Just a friend?

I'm sorry.

I'm not very good at this.

No, it's fine.

It's my mistake.

Why do I always do this?

I feel so stupid.

I have to go.

No, please! Wait!

It's okay.

I get it.

No! You don't.

Look, electronics and

computers, I understand.

Okay?

I can build an apache h-base,

open-source database, built on top

of an HDFS in one hour.

Okay, I can switch out

your magnetic hard drive

with a solid state

system with RAM drive SSS

faster than you can change

your pantyhose, but...

I don't know how to talk to you.

You are talking to me.

I don't even know what happened.

Everything suddenly

changed, just like that.

Well, you can't expect things

to be normal between you.

You're at opposite

ends of a b*ttlefield.

But we were doing all right.

I mean, everything was actually... nice.

He's nice.

Considering he wants to

tear down this building.

I know, but still.

You're not smitten, are you?

No.

Because you sound smitten.

I don't even know what

it means to be smitten.

It means you had a

nice evening with a man

who might destroy

everything you treasure,

and even though you parted on bad terms,

you are still getting wistful

when you think about him!

You are, aren't you?

Not smitten.

It's written all over your face.

You know it's impossible, don't you?

Of course.

One of you has to lose, Cheri.

If the library stays open,

he will never talk to you again.

And if he wins?

Believe me, you will despise him

when you see this

building being demolished.

You're right.

I mean, of course.

You're right, but, um, I don't even want

to see him again so...

It's fine.

Well, that's smart of you.

Stay focused on saving the library.

The heart can complicate things.

Totally focused.

I mean, Tony and I

may be friendly, but...

I love this library.

I'm looking for a specialty item.

It's the 24th at five o'clock.

I think it would make

a wonderful photo-op,

or video-op,

or news-op...

Whatever you call them.

Terrific.

Okay, we will see you then.

Channel 8 is going to cover the contest.

Fantastic!

Three days from now and the whole city

will see what we do here.

Well, I only need one person to see.

Don't hold your breath.

At least I got Mrs. Shaughnessy

to judge the contest.

Yes, but let's not

forget, Tony Shaughnessy

is the jerk who is the

source of this problem.

He's not a jerk, he just...

needs to see how wrong

he is about this place.

And hopefully, Christmas

eve will help with that.

It's going to take a miracle.

That's what I'm hoping for.

I have desk duty.

We'll chat later, okay?

I was just about to call you!

I'm afraid there's been a problem.

What?

My son has sold all the crystal

and the antique ornaments.

A woman came in and

just bought everything.

How is that possible?

She is a very well-known designer.

But to buy that much crystal,

I've never seen such a thing.

And the antique ornaments on top of it.

It makes no sense.

Well, is there any

way you could stall her

until after the contest?

Oh, she's taken all of it already.

What's her name?

Maybe I could speak with her.

Cordelia.

With no last name?

That's right.

She never gave us a last name.

I know her.

Thank you, Mrs. O'Hannelin.

We tried.

But...

What are you going to

do about your tree, dear?

Tony, it's Cheri!

What is this? A raid?

Who's decorating your tree?

Why?

Is there some rule that says

I have to decorate my own tree?

I told you I leave

things to professionals.

Who's the professional tree decorator?

Cordelia.

The woman who did my

apartment, remember?

Wow.

You really will do

anything to win, won't you?

What's wrong with that?

You really don't have any idea?

No. Enlighten me.

You had her spy on me, steal my idea

and everything I've worked for.

Spy on you?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I wrote a cheque

and asked her to design me a tree.

With that one signature you and Cordelia

k*lled all my hopes and dreams.

You don't care about

anyone but yourself, do you?

I knew this was going to be a battle,

but I thought at least

you'd have the decency

to fight fair.

Fight fair?

What do you call

recruiting my grandmother

to judge your stupid contest?

You call that fighting fair?

Her name's on the building, too.

Cheri, this is over.

No. It's not.

I invited the press on Christmas eve.

The people want and need this library,

and I'm going to prove it to you.

I'm going to expose you as

the scrooge that you are.

Excuse me?

You are nothing like your grandfather.

He built things.

You just destroy them.

Okay.

You know, you can chain

yourself to the door

if it makes you feel better,

but I'm still tearing it down.

I've worked too long

and hard on this deal

to let some librarian stop

me from creating my legacy.

So, why don't you get your

calling somewhere else?

It's not going to be on my future.

When you're wrong, you are really wrong.

SLAM!

No, I totally understand.

We can just play it by ear.

Okay, bye.

What is it?

That was the Channel 8 news producer.

They're gonna try to make it, but...

We're competing for coverage

with a major snowstorm

that's coming our way.

That's terrible.

I guess.

What else is wrong?

I got into this huge fight with Tony.

We said some truly terrible

things to each other.

So you do care about him.

I don't even know what I feel.

I mean, one minute I want

to wring his stupid neck,

and the next...

You want to give him

a mad, passionate kiss

and rip his clothes off!

Or...

something like that.

That wasn't quite how I

was going to put it, but...

that's the general idea.

Oh, honey...

It doesn't even matter though.

I mean, he hates my guts.

Just everything is just

spiraling out of control.

Now this stupid snowstorm

is coming, and...

I mean, I don't even know what to do.

Tony's right, it's... it's all over.

Cheri, this was not all for nothing.

I mean, just look at what you've done.

People have come together

just to decorate our trees,

and they are loving every minute of it.

But if this doesn't work,

all those happy people

lose their library.

Well, then we still

have some great memories.

And this Christmas, these trees...

They're gonna top the list.

But it still won't save the library.

And I don't know what else I could do.

Have some faith, Cheri.

That's what Christmas is all about.

Hey, could you print me up a list

of the kids in our reading programs

and their parents' phone numbers?

I guess so.

Is this for the contest?

Is it still on?

I don't care if they're

predicting a hundred feet

of snow, I'm not canceling.

What changed your mind?

I decided to take the

advice of an angel.

Now, hurry up with that list.

I've only got two days to get this done.

Get what done?

Cheri, get what done?

"There's no such thing

"as a child who can fly.

"Or, is there?

"Emily asked her mom every minute,

"of every day of every week,

"but why can't I fly?

"Perhaps if you try,

you may learn to fly.

"So, off Emily went,

every minute of every day

"of every week, she would run

"and jump and flap her arms.

What's up, Miss Jamison?

I'm sorry to interrupt, guys.

Emily, I have a huge

favor I need to ask you.

Of course.

That's what Christmas is all about.

Don't you ever forget that.

Okay, here it is...

Maybe you can come by my office later,

we can practice together.

Thank you.

I really appreciate it.

I'll see you later.

Hey.

Hi, Mack.

Um...

You're not nervous, are you?

No. A little.

Yes. Yes, I am.

Don't forget, employees

aren't part of the competition.

I-I know that. I know that.

It's just, um... This is a big deal.

Yeah.

You know?

Everyone has worked so hard, and I just

don't think my tree is decorated enough.

I mean, what if my lack of ornaments

costs us the library?

I mean, she might think

that the head librarian

has no imagination.

That's ridiculous.

Will these help?

Oh... they're exquisite.

Where on earth did you get them?

I scored them from an old

pawn shop in the neighborhood.

Oh...

They're for you.

For me?

Yeah.

Why?

Well, because in my

fantasy land, you're...

You're the Queen.

Uh...

Maybe we should put them on.

Yeah, okay.

Before it's too late.

I'll put them on the front, okay.

Yeah.

That's a good spot.

Yeah.

Whoa!

- Sorry...

Thanks.

You all right?

Yeah.

- Okay.

Where should we put her?

Right there. Yeah.

Up above?

Yeah.

- Okay.

Welcome to the 1st annual 12

trees of Christmas contest.

Please welcome our guest

judge, Rosaleen Shaughnessy.

Oh...

I love fantasy stories. I always have.

They're what brought me to the library

when I was a little girl.

And do you believe that

fantasies come true?

Sometimes reality can

pleasantly surprise you.

We started coming here

before our daughter was born.

So, we learned about

childcare and raising children.

Since then the library's

been an important part

of her upbringing.

So, our tree represents a childhood.

Christmas as seen through

the eyes of a child.

Gasp!

My goodness...

I developed my interests in electronics

and digital equipment in the library.

I wouldn't have the job

I do today if it wasn't

for what I learned from being here.

I've gotten so many

things from the library.

Um, but I think of them all,

the one I treasure the most is love.

All right... There we go.

Just like we had in Galway.

Would you like to say

something about your tree?

I would.

This tree reflects the

rich Christmas tradition

of island, incorporating

traditional ornaments

with an element of Irish crystal.

My tree is about heritage.

It's about the importance of remembering

where you're from.

No matter where you start,

it does not determine

where you will go.

It's about having the courage

to make the right decisions.

And to be fearless.

It's about listening to your calling,

following your path

to create a foundation

of happiness for the younger

generation to flourish.

That's what we've always wanted,

for you to be happy.

You've become the man

that I've always dreamed

that you'd be.

Your father and your grandfather

would be so proud of you, as I am now.

I love you, Nana.

That's a victory.

You can thank me later.

You've really outdone yourself.

And not in a good way.

You wanted to win, and

I think we just did.

Not by sabotaging

someone's entry, come on.

You told me what you wanted.

I went out and got it.

Just like I always do.

And I used a little

finesse to make sure we won.

I never told you to cheat.

What you've done here is going

to cost me more than this contest.

Your services are no longer required,

I'm sorry.

Tony, there's more between

us than just decorating.

And you know that.

Go home, Cordelia.

I started out wanting to

make my tree a reflection

of my love of art, which I

learned here at the library.

And then I decided

to focus on Irish art.

Unfortunately, I hit a roadblock.

But, while I was researching Irish art,

I discovered there's an

entirely different aspect

of it that I could focus on.

And that's what I want to do now.

These children are all a

part of our literacy program.

They started out as reluctant readers

and now they're enthusiastic

and proficient ones.

And right at the top is Emily.

And she has prepared a

special carol for tonight.

I saw three

ships come sailing in,

on Christmas day,

on Christmas day.

I saw three ships

come sailing in,

on Christmas day in the morning.

And who was in those

ships all three,

on Christmas day,

on Christmas day.

And who was in those

ships all three,

on Christmas day in the morning.

Our savior Christ and his lady,

on Christmas day,

on Christmas day.

Our savior Christ and his lady,

on Christmas day in the morning.

And all the bells

on earth shall ring,

on Christmas day,

on Christmas day.

And all the bells

on earth shall ring,

on Christmas day in the morning.

On Christmas day in the morning.

I saw three ships...

Haven't heard that song in years.

We used to sing it on

Christmas eve in Galway.

It's all right, Nana.

No, Tony, it's not.

I wish I could just wave a wand around

and make everything all right.

I think I can make everything all right.

Charles...

The foundation is

going to renew the lease

with the library with the city.

No, Tony.

You give up too much.

I realized just now what I'd be losing

if this project goes through.

The library stays.

After seeing this place firsthand...

I think you'd be crazy to tear it down.

We'll find another option.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

I hope you never forget this Christmas.

I know I won't.

I don't think any of us will.

Thank you.

For the best Christmas

gift I've ever received.

You know what?

We could do a lot with this place.

Yes, we could.

It really was the perfect night.

I'm glad everything

worked out the way it did.

Me too.

Thank you.

Merry Christmas.