A Christmas Year (Part 2)

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I’ve taken to watching a lot of bad Christmas movies each year, in addition to the classics I love. With full acknowledgment that I have zero training as a screenwriter and that this presentation is all over the place, I give you my take on a Hallmark-schlock-style, made-for-TV Christmas movie, A Christmas Year.

Note: This is part 2 of 4. Check last week’s post to start from the beginning.

Carol and the kids fly back to her hometown and pickup a rental car. There’s much to-do about the fact that the car’s air conditioning doesn’t work in the July heat, but it’s the last car available for the busy Independence Day weekend, so they make do. They’re all sweat-stained and miserable by the time they roll up to Carol’s childhood home, only to discover the most unlikely thing of all—the house is decked out for Christmas with oversized plastic candy canes lining the driveway, Santa’s sleigh and reindeer on the roof, an inflatable Frosty on the lawn, and “Jingle Bells” pumping from some indeterminate source.

Daughter 1:: I though you said the Grandpa hated Christmas anytime but December.

Carol: It’s not that he hates it. He just believes that it’s better to contain it to those few weeks to make the most of it.

Kringle: Well it’s not December now.

They get out of the car. Carol pops the trunk and heads behind the car, distracted as she takes in more and more holiday decorations, until her trance is interrupted by a cry of Watch out! A man on a bicycle swerves to avoid colliding with her and winds up crashing into a display of gift-wrapped presents and garden gnomes dressed up like elves at the curb.

Carol:: I’m so sorry!

Derrick: Carol Werner? Is that you?

Carol is surprised and unmistakably delighted as the music shifts to something still Christmas-y, but slowed down, nostalgic, and a little romantic as she recognizes her high school sweetheart Derrick. A brief flashback illustrates that the two of them were supposed to leave town and go to college together, but he bailed at the last minute because he felt responsible for staying home to take care of his ailing mother. She gave him back the Christmas-themed snow globe that he’d given her because he couldn’t afford an engagement ring, telling him that if he wasn’t coming to college with her, it wasn’t going to work. They were inevitably going to grow apart and it’s better that they cut ties then and there.

They start to catch up, when a bell rings and a black man rides up in his own bicycle, asking why Derrick has stopped when he’s got another half hour to go on his bike if we wants to meet his goal. Derrick introduces Bernard as his personal trainer, then clarifies that he’s actually just his friend whom he met volunteering at the gay rights center. In a series of awkward ohs, it’s clear Carol reads them to be romantic partners and trips over her words while her daughters roll their eyes.

Derrick: Oh no, I’m not gay. To be clear, I like giving back to the community, though.

Bernard: And to be clear, I am gay and I don’t care who knows it.

To Carol’s surprise—looking like she’s a step behind—her daughters high five Bernard. All of them go inside, where Mom opens the door wide to greet them. The Christmas trappings don’t stop at the threshold. Dad sits cross-legged on the living room floor, in the middle of a train set, an elaborate toy train circling him with an over-sized wreath affixed to the front of it. Mom has to call out to Dad a few times to rouse his attention. When he sees Carol and the kids he lights up like, well, a Christmas tree and staggers to his feet, almost losing his balance before Mom catches him by the arm and rights his footing. He hugs Carol fiercely.

Dad: Let’s all sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas!”

Carol: Dad—

He cuts her off by starting to sing, and they mostly join in for a disjointed rendition of the chorus. Carol’s last to join, the most visibly confused. Her daughters are pretty into it. Kringle doesn’t sing.

Dad: Now why isn’t this boy singing?

Carol: He use to sing with his father, but he hasn’t sung anything since—

Dad: No matter. Who’s up for some egg nog? Some hot cocoa?

Carol: Dad, it’s July.

Mom:: I’ll bring out a pitcher of lemonade for you all. Carol, why don’t you head to the kitchen table and have a seat with your father. Derrick, it’s so good to see you again. If you don't mind helping the kids with their luggage, you can bring it back to the guest room.

Derrick: I think I remember the way.

Dad:: You should. You used to climb up the drain pipe and get in that window to sneak into Carol’s room.

Derrick: You—you knew about that.

Dad: I know everything that goes on under my roof.

Dad claps Derrick and Bernard on their shouldersand tells them to be sure to get some cookies before they leave.

Cut to the kitchen table, Mom holding a glass of egg nog, dad cradling a cup of hot cocoa, Carol with a glass of lemonade. A platter of wide-ranging Christmas cookies sits in between them. Mom sets down her glass and holds Carol’s hand while she tells her Dad is dying.

Mom: The doctors give him a year when we met with them in January.

Carol fights back tears. Mom does, too, but holds it in better, more practiced.

Dad: I’ve made up my mind—and I made sure your mother agreed. We’re not going to be sad about this. There’s no point squandering my last year feeling sorry for myself. I wanted to spend the rest of my life happy, and there’s no time I’m happier than Christmas.

Flashback to a scenes of Dad joyously playing Santa for Carol and her brother, Dad hugging Carol close when she came home from college, Dad laughing over a Christmas turkey.

Dad: So we’re celebrating Christmas all year. Or as long as I last.

Carol: The two of you knew this for—what, the last six months? Why didn’t someone tell me?

Mom: We didn’t know how, sweetheart.

Dad: Besides, you’re so busy with that husband of yours and your kids. We didn’t want to disturb you.

Carol appears wounded anew. Mom strokes her hand.

Mom: He has trouble remembering some things nowadays. Gerald, you remember that Carol’s husband passed don’t you?

Carol gets up and storms out of the room.