1
Ghost Leader to Raven, do you copy?
Yeah, I copy, Ghost Leader.
I got diddly-squat.
This is Condor, I got nada.
It doesn't make sense.
The last experience was right here.
This is where the readings
go way off the chart.
I told you there was no ghosts down here.
You sure this piece of junk
you built even works?
Yeah, you were there when I tested it.
Cut the chatter.
I think I got something.
What is it?
Yeah, I definitely got something.
Ha. Told you it works.
Jay-Bird's got something.
And it's moving fast.
Raven, Condor, follow my signal
and get ready to activate the trap.
- You think it's in a physical form?
- I'm not taking any chances.
I'm gonna ready the camera.
We're finally gonna get some proof.
- It's not gonna work.
- Trust me, it's gonna work.
Man, I hope this works.
Showtime. Activate the trap!
Mom. You're home.
Wow. It works.
Yikes!
Sorry, Mrs. C. Let me help you with that.
Thank you. Yes, I'm home.
I came home 'cause I thought
I was gonna surprise you guys
with a homemade meal
instead of takeout all the time.
Hi, guys. You guys can stay, too,
if you want.
Even though you shot me
with your net cannon.
Thanks, but I'd better get back.
Homework and stuff.
Plus, it's pineapple pizza night
at my dad's.
Yeah, I gotta hit the books, too.
Thanks, anyway.
- See ya in school, Danny.
- Bye, guys.
See you later, guys.
Can we have mashed potatoes, Mommy?
Um, yes, we can have mashed potatoes.
I already made them.
But what's going on?
What is all this stuff?
Just some paranormal tracking gear
I put together.
- Contact spirits and stuff.
- Ghosts, Mommy.
Danny's building a machine
so we can talk to Daddy.
No, she's a liar.
Big liar. No, no, no, no.
It's something for science. And school.
I know this could be
a really tough Christmas for us.
But I want you to know that I'm doing
my best to make it special, okay?
I know that's what
Daddy would have wanted.
And I also know that Daddy would have
wanted you to have mashed potatoes
and pork chops, so get your tiny butts
upstairs. Hop to!
- Red?
- No.
Yeah, come on.
- Black?
- No.
- Black again.
- No!
Let me see this thing.
Ow! Watch the ears, man.
Sorry.
- Zoom in on that.
- This thing's a piece of crap.
I mean, statistically, you should,
at least, have half of these right.
So how am I doing?
13%, Matt. Thirteen.
I have a better shot at guessing
your blood type right now
than you do guessing half of these cards.
Does this mean Mr. Rounds
is gonna fail your paper?
I doubt it. This is for my own studies.
It's on psychokinetic abilities
in early teens.
I finished the paper days ago.
Well, that's a relief.
The pressure was really on me there,
for a minute.
Don't worry about it.
I'm getting used to this whole
different teachers,
different classes thing,
and I got a surefire A-plus right here.
Let's see what
Professor Nerdly's working on this week.
- Dude, just give it back.
- Give it back or what?
Careful Rodge. His daddy
might come back and haunt you.
Hey, man, that's not even funny.
I'm laughing.
You better not be filming this
to put me on bully prevention.
'Course not, Roger. You know I'm cool.
Just give it back.
You don't even know how to read.
- What was that?
- Nothing.
Saved by the bell.
Looks pretty good,
you might wanna clean it up a little bit.
Make sure to say hi
to that hot mom of yours, Danny boy.
I gotta go all the way
to the E-Building. I gotta go.
Oh, great.
Don't sweat it, man.
There's one of those guys
at every school I've ever been to.
Thanks.
I gotta go. See you tonight?
Now, that I could have predicted.
Where's my works cited page?
Come on. Oh, no. I'm gonna flunk.
- Daniel Chase?
- How do you know my name?
Says so right here.
My works cited paper! Thank you.
Well, I found it
when I took out the trash.
Oh... Uh, thanks...
- Rick.
- Well, see you around, Rick.
Oh, yeah. Anytime.
Hello?
No, I know it. I still have to do
all my Christmas shopping,
go to my mother's,
go food-shopping with her,
and then bake all stinkin' day long
after that. I just can't.
Anyway, your hair looks fabulous.
I got, like, six million Christmas cards
to send out.
My ex sends me flowers.
But I'm like, "Yeah, no, bye."
But I guess the decent thing to do
would be to send a text,
you know, "Merry Christmas, I hope
your life is terrible without me."
But anyway, let's get this foil
done and done, girl. Right? Mmm-hmm.
These kids. They don't even believe
in Santa. It's not fun anymore.
All they do is complain.
It's like they expect to win
the lottery every 25th of December.
Yeah, I know. It's something else,
right? I mean, my kids still believe.
I'm trying to keep them old-fashioned,
but they don't want to go shopping
anymore.
They just wanna get on the computer,
add to cart,
and then have it delivered to our house.
And we gotta pay for it.
Well, that's what husbands are for.
I mean, am I right?
Look how cute he is!
I can't, I can't!
What a perfect little man.
Well, thank you.
Hi. Oh, I love him.
Oh, you're referring to Pretzel.
Well, don't let the cute act fool you.
Underneath all that fur
is one very lazy business associate.
Hi. Aw, cute dog.
I'm Sammy. I'm your 6:00.
- Oh. You're Sammy?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Oh.
- I booked the appointment online.
Which, I have to admit, was quite helpful.
Um... Maybe I should have specified.
You do cut men's hair, don't you?
Of course. Yes. Um...
- Susan, sorry, it's 6:00.
- Oh, but no.
- We're done.
- No, but really...
It looks great, honey. Remember new wave?
- The '80s? You look so hot.
- Oh, okay.
- See you next year.
- I still have these--
- There you go. Here's your purse. Bye.
- Put these in a little--
Have a seat. Yeah.
Behave, Pretzel.
Did you break up with your barber
or something?
Oh. No, I'm not dating my barber.
- No, I mean...
- No, I'm new in town.
I just moved here for work.
My first day is Monday,
so I wanted to look sharp, you know?
- Show 'em that I mean business.
- Wow.
- What do you do?
- Norepole Toy Company.
I do a lot of marketing,
corporate branding, social media.
Lots of high-tech stuff that I'm not
really at liberty to talk about.
Well, um, my people already left
so, you can just pay me if you want, $25.
Oh, right. That's right,
the whole money thing.
- Here you go.
- Thank you.
All right.
Good evening. I mean, good day.
Yes, my jacket...
Nice meeting you.
Pretzel.
Wrestling's on.
Max Miracle takes on Livewire
in a cage match.
Max Miracle's gonna kick his butt.
He's gonna do
the Miracle Maker on him. Like this!
Guys, it's on.
All right, fans, in ten short days,
the XWA is coming to your hometown.
That's right, we invade Norepole, Maine,
for the 15th annual Gingerbread Brawl.
On that night, Max Miracle
will defend his title
against his arch nemesis,
the undefeated Tucker Von Magnus
and his evil manager, DG Haven.
It'll be a no-disqualification
Handicap Match,
something you don't wanna miss.
Folks, make sure you call right now
and get your tickets, 'cause the action is coming your way.
I already got my mine. My dad surprised me with them last night,
'cause I got a B in math...
Well, I'm sure we'll get ours soon.
I wouldn't count on it. We don't have
a lot of extra money anymore,
and Mom says those tickets are expensive.
It's not that. My mom's just been working
a lot lately.
Probably hasn't gotten the time
to buy 'em.
It is a busy time of year.
So, what do you think, Pretzel?
You know what? I can't even believe
you said that.
This is definitely
bigger than our last office.
Okay, you know what?
Hold all my calls, all right?
I'm gonna get some real work done.
- Enjoying your new digs?
- Ah. Yes, sir.
Yes, sir, thank you. It most, uh,
definitely has enough space.
- Ah. Sit down, sit down.
- Yes, sir.
I just came in to welcome you aboard.
Well, thank you, sir.
- Hello there, young man.
- Oh, and I wanted to thank you
for allowing me
to bring my assistant as well.
Hey, hey. Pretzel's your little helper.
Just as you're my little helper.
Boy. I sure am excited to go to work
for such an iconic guy.
I mean, um, "company."
Well, the Norepole Toy Company's
been around for a long, long while.
I'll say.
And I'm glad that you're here
to help me make it go on
for a lot longer while.
Well, fear not, sir,
because you have definitely hired
the right guy for the job.
See you around, pal.
- Uh, thank you, sir.
- You betcha.
- You betcha.
- Oh, this is not gonna be easy.
Oh, shut up, Pretzel.
Did you make your Christmas list yet?
Not yet.
- What's with the box?
- It's for class tomorrow.
What is it?
It's our end-of-semester project.
We're supposed to do one thing we wish
we could have for Christmas,
so, I did a memory box.
Gotcha. What's in it?
Things I have from Dad.
Things he gave me, you know,
when he was alive.
- Can I have a look?
- Sure.
Wow. You've got a lot in here.
Yep. Pretty much everything I have.
Yeah.
So... Better start making
your Christmas list,
because Santa's coming soon.
Santa's not real, Danny.
What are you talking about?
Of course he's real.
No, he isn't.
Stop saying that. Why wouldn't he be real?
Because this world isn't good enough
for a Santa Claus.
He'd have no one to visit.
Look, I know
this is our first Christmas without Dad,
but we have to make the best of it.
It's what he would've wanted.
And, you know what he always said,
- "Incredible things happen--"
- "To those who believe."
Exactly.
Danny, do you really think
there could be something as good
as a Santa Claus in this world?
You know, just because
bad things happened to us
doesn't mean good things don't exist.
Hey, guys. Wanna help me trim the tree?
I should really finish my homework.
What? Jennifer.
Oh, look, that one that we made,
the little nest with the bird egg?
Remember when Jen and I made that?
And... Oh! Here's one
that Aunt Jo gave you.
- The...
- Okay, fine.
That's my girl.
Okay, so you guys carry this box in,
and this tin,
and I will go get the lights.
Yep.
Dashing through the snow
In a one-horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bobtails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing
A sleighing song tonight
Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh, hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way...
So, did you talk to Jenny
about the Secret Santa thing?
I don't think she's into
all that Christmas stuff this year.
What do you mean?
Last night, she told me
she doesn't even believe in Santa anymore.
Whoa. That's serious.
You look tired, Danny. Up all night
hunting ghosts and werewolves again?
Shut up, Roger.
What's the loser brigade
gonna track down next?
The Tooth Fairy? Maybe the Easter Bunny?
At least what we do is fun.
All you do for fun is mess with people.
You nerds waste your lives
collecting blurry pics
and stories that add up
to a mile-high pile of bull.
What a joke.
Watch out, Roger.
Roger, I think you have it backwards.
The food goes in your mouth.
I'm gonna get you guys back for this.
It was me. I totally pied his butt.
It's funny every time.
Really?
I mean, I was gonna pie someone's butt,
and after he tossed your stuff
the other day, he totally deserved it.
I say, due to the fact
that that jerk just got his butt pied
in front of the whole class,
I think we should celebrate
and get ourselves into the holiday spirit.
Christmas, Christmas
It's that time of year
Christmas, Christmas
Christmas time is here
Christmas, Christmas
It's that time of year
Christmas, Christmas
Christmas time is here
Christmas comes this time of year
A feeling in my toes
Candy canes and mistletoe
And snowflakes on your nose
Gather round the fireplace
Sing a song of cheer
Christmas is here
Christmas, Christmas
It's that time of year
Christmas, Christmas
Christmas time is here
Okay, so basically that's it.
A soldering kit, a new computer,
and a vintage R2-D2 alarm clock.
How about you?
A new Xbox, obviously some games.
Hopefully, I'll get Thunderbolt X2.
And a fly new pair of kicks.
You guy's really still believe
in that Santa stuff, huh?
- Uh, yeah, why wouldn't we?
- I don't know, man.
We're in middle school. Isn't it over?
Isn't that just some dumb story
to keep little babies in line?
Santa is real, okay?
My dad believed in him.
And, I believe in him, too.
Hey, make sure
you're not on the naughty list.
Naughty list?
Santa's real, okay?
- What is that?
- Ho, ho, ho, loser.
Hey, man. You didn't happen
to check Facebook yet, have you?
- No, why?
- Oh, it's bad, dude. Look.
Santa is real, okay?
Santa is real, okay?
What the...
It's all over the school's page.
If it isn't Santa's little losers.
Told you I'd get you back.
Guess I'm gonna get
a lump of coal now.
There's only one way that video
could have gotten out.
Yep. Walking this way.
Look, guys, I'm sorry.
I was just showing Roger the clip.
We were in homeroom. I was just trying
to be cool, you know?
Hang out with some girls, be popular.
I didn't know he was gonna post it.
I gotta go.
You coming, Jake?
Just so you know, Jake,
you may be popular,
but you'll never be cool.
Come on, Jake. We're waiting.
You know, Pretzel, I just need
your support, for once. Okay?
Do not undermine me when I go in there.
Yeah, I know, I know she's attractive.
Just... Just keep it together, will ya?
Can I have your support
for once, please? Let's go.
What are you talking about?
You ate a full lunch.
This is not a time for food, Pretzel.
Oh, you're such a ladies man.
- Welcome back, boys.
- Pretzel!
Come here, you little snow angel.
Hi. Um... Do you have time for a walk-in?
Um...
- Sure.
- Great.
Pretzel.
All right, but I don't think
your hair's really grown
since I just cut it two days ago.
Okay, you got me.
I'm not here for a haircut.
I'm here on business.
Um, I'm seeking some consultation.
- Really?
- Yes.
Um...
Do you mind
if we go somewhere else to talk?
Just, you know, be a little more private.
You, me, and, uh, Pretzel.
Do you ice skate?
- Ice skate?
- Yes. Blades on shoes,
allows you to glide across the ice...
- I know what--
- ...rather rapidly.
Yes, I can ice skate.
But why can't we just talk about it here? I mean,
what do you need me to consult?
Okay.
I'm not here to creep you out.
And I promise you
that this is not a date thing.
Although, I mean, that's not
the most outlandish of ideas.
This is coming out all wrong.
I'm just here to outsource
some business for you, that's all.
I mean, just think of it as, uh...
Putting a few extra gifts
under the Christmas tree.
- Don't you work at a toy company?
- Yes.
And at the Norepole Toy Company
we take our confidentiality
very seriously.
Come on. What do you say?
And Pretzel's gonna ice skate?
He's a terrible skater.
And only if it's not remotely a date.
I promise you
this is totally a business opportunity.
All right. We'll take separate cars.
I don't have a car.
$25.
Pay up, buddy.
- Ho, ho, ho, loser.
- Santa's real, okay?
- Ho, ho, ho, loser.
- Santa's real, okay?
- Ho, ho, ho, loser.
- Santa's real, okay?
- Ho, ho, ho, loser.
- Santa's real, okay?
You know what?
I think that piece of trash, Roger,
gave me a pretty good idea.
- What do you mean?
- Look.
What if we could prove Santa's real?
Danny, I'm real sorry
about what happened to you today,
and I know it must have been embarrassing,
but you know how I feel about this.
I mean,
you're all about the scientific method.
Well, Santa defies
every single law of science.
And attitudes like that are exactly
why no one's ever discovered him.
I think Danny's on to something.
We take a real systematic approach.
We're gonna be the first ones
to find Santa Claus.
Yeah.
It's official,
you've both completely lost your minds.
We're talking about jolly,
old St. Nick. Kris Kringle!
- The fat man in the red suit.
- Yeah.
We're talking about proving
that he walks the Earth.
We take the same approach that we took Bigfoot watching and ghost hunting.
Well, we never found a ghost, and the jury's still out on Bigfoot.
- This is different.
- Yeah. Santa's a guy.
We collect eyewitness testimony,
take all photographic evidence
and take any and all leads.
This is historically epic stuff.
But I'm not doing it without you.
What do you say, Jay-Bird?
I say you're crazy.
- So where do we start?
- Time to go postal.
Giddyup! Whoa, Nelly
- I don't get it.
- Me either.
Look, every year, kids write letters
to Santa by the millions, right?
Yeah, how else would he know
what to have the elves make?
- Next.
- Well, have you ever written a letter
and put down the wrong address?
I don't think I've ever written
a letter. Like, ever.
- Next.
- Santa still gets letters.
- Seems like a long shot.
- It's actually the law
that the US Post Office
has to send them back.
Even with a perfectly valid address
written on it.
- Letters to Santa.
- I get it.
- Those letters are going somewhere.
- Exactly.
If we follow the letters, we might
be able to find Santa, and the end.
- Next.
- Hi, um... We were-- Um...
We have a few questions
on, um, a school project.
About... ...letters to Santa.
- You want what?
- Letters to Santa.
I would like to know
how to go about writing a letter to Santa.
I guess you're gonna have to talk
to Carol.
Next.
Hi, ma'am.
My associates and I have a few questions
about the letters to Santa.
Oh, I'm sorry, kids.
But unfortunately,
all that information is classified.
But it's in the name of science.
I've been doing this job
for ten years now.
You think you're the first kids
to try to cut out the middle man
and get a direct line to St. Nick?
Well, I'll tell you now, not gonna happen.
Look, we're not trying to get
any extra presents or sell him anything.
We just want to know if he exists.
Okay. He's real. You can go home now.
We need evidence.
Look, I don't know what to tell you, kid.
Did you think you were gonna come here
and find him in a mailbag
full of fruitcakes?
Look, we just wanna know what happens
to the letters when they leave here.
- Can't you just give us a hint?
- Yeah, can't ya?
- Please? Pretty please?
- Come on, get serious.
If I gave out that address,
then every kid in Norepole would be there.
So it's in Norepole?
Uh, time's up, kids.
Thanks, ma'am.
You have a good day.
Well, we learned
a nice nugget of information today.
It's a great start.
We know all the letters
kids write to Santa are going somewhere.
And we all know they end up here
in Norepole. So what's step two?
We set up interviews
with anybody who believes
they've come in contact with Santa Claus.
Then we scour social media and set up
interviews with anybody
who believes they have a story to tell.
Right. And at the same time,
we have to find out where
all the letters are going.
What are we waiting for?
"Santa is back.
We are three seekers of the truth
for the existence of Santa Claus.
Yes, we believe.
Send us a message
if you want to set up an interview."
- And send. Wait.
- What?
- Santa emoji.
- Oh, good idea.
How long do you think till someone bites?
We'll probably have to set up
an interview over the weekend.
- Whoa.
- Well, how do you like that?
Well, let's see who it is.
We might not be crazy after all.
Another.
- Wow.
- It's like Santa-holics Anonymous.
So you woke up Christmas morning,
and, if I'm correct,
there were bites taken out of the carrot?
Yeah.
That's pretty common, actually.
It doesn't mean a reindeer ate it.
There was also poop.
- Poop?
- Reindeer poop?
Okay, we're done here.
Come on, you really think
they could find the real Santa Claus?
- They could, Jake.
- Think about it.
Just saying it out loud sounds dumb.
Well, what do you think, Roger?
I think that Danny boy is a lot of things.
And stupid ain't one of 'em.
- You think they can find him?
- I think it's worth looking into.
- Think we should follow them?
- No reason not to.
If they're right, we steal
the evidence and take all the credit.
If they're wrong, we mock them until
they can't be seen in public anymore.
That's a win-win situation.
Okay.
So you followed the mail truck around
and it just brought you
to a bunch of regular houses?
Not a Santa letter in sight.
How'd the interviews go?
Uh, we got a few pieces here and there,
but nothing we could make a case out of.
All the responses prove
that there's something there,
and we're not the only ones who think so.
Yeah. Just gonna have to dig deeper.
Look, let's think logically here.
Where was your first experience
with a registered Santa representative?
Mmm-hmm. I hacked
into the Norepole Mall database
and got a list of mall Santas
from the past decade.
- One of them has to know something.
- Hold it.
- Does that say Big John Pelser?
- Uh, yeah. Why?
Big John Pelser was a mall Santa?
If he's on the list,
he donned the red suit.
It's the best lead we've got.
Watch your heads down there.
So, uh, what's this all about again?
Some kind of school project?
Uh, yeah. Um...
End of semester holiday project.
'Cause you would not believe
the stories people tell me.
They'll say anything to meet
these wrestlers and get autographs,
pictures, that kind of stuff.
Well, I barely even know their names.
- Looks a lot bigger on TV.
- That's showbiz, kid.
I think it's awesome.
Oh, my God. It's Matt Taven.
Whoa, man! It is Matt Taven!
Matt Taven just waved at us!
I thought you "hardly knew them."
I've seen the show, like,
one or two times.
Mmm-hmm.
Yeah, they're all here training.
Big show next week. Gingerbread Brawl?
You guys going?
Heck, yeah.
Everyone in town is gonna be there.
I'm hoping to get my tickets soon.
All right. Let's go see John.
All right, guys.
Big John will be with you soon.
Just do me a favor, okay?
Don't go telling your buddies.
You know, last thing I need
is a bunch of middle schoolers
running around here, all right?
No, don't worry. Don't worry.
- Cool?
- Thanks for all your help.
- Hey, no problem. See you soon. Huh?
- Yeah.
- Aw, man!
- What?
- No dice.
- What do you mean, no dice?
His lockbox, it won't open.
Don't go digging through his lockbox.
- You could get us in trouble.
- Relax, I can't. It's locked.
You're gonna get us thrown out of here.
Uh, guys?
Take a look at that.
Pretty great suit, huh?
The elves made that for me.
Mrs. Claus did the stitching.
Well, yeah, it looks pretty real.
Have a seat.
Look, I'll help you out any way I can.
But no free tickets, no complimentary passes.
We're doing a school project on...
- Our former mall Santas.
- Oh, really?
Yeah, we were going down the list
and we happened to see your name.
Well, I'm pretty busy getting ready
for the Gingerbread Brawl.
But, uh, I'm sure you kids are busy, too.
I'll get you a couple of posters,
maybe a bumper sticker.
You see, we're just so fascinated
with the art form.
Art form?
Well, sure.
Becoming such an ionic character.
It takes a special kind of person
who wishes to bring
that much joy to kids' faces
every December.
You said a mouthful.
Although, it's a lot harder
than people think. You know?
You gotta really believe,
with everything that you got.
Just believe.
And then you drop into the zone.
And everybody believes.
When the little kids smile,
everybody smiles.
And they laugh, they gasp.
There's the magic. Huh?
I didn't want that just once a year.
I love that feeling.
That's why
I got into the wrestling business.
Um, we just wanted to know
how it all works.
- What do you mean?
- Like, were you the regional director
for all the mall Santas?
Or just for the ones in this town?
Also, with the Christmas lists,
did you deliver them to Santa directly?
Me? No, no, no, no.
But didn't you work for the real Santa?
Well, that's complicated.
Well un-complicate it for us then.
Well, we would compile all of the lists,
and we'd send them
to the Norepole Toy Company.
Why would you send them there?
Directly to the manufacturer.
We got our answer.
What do you mean we have our answer?
If the lists go there,
then there's no reason
that the letters don't go there, too.
That's our biggest clue yet.
Well, thanks for all the help, Big John.
- Don't mention it.
- Come on, guys, let's go.
- Okay, kids.
- Merry Christmas.
Good luck.
Ho, ho, ho!
Merry Christmas!
What are you laughing at?
- You're funny.
- Why?
You brought me to skate,
but you don't really skate?
Well, I'll have you know,
where I come from,
I'm actually a championship snowshoer.
- Oh, right. Very much the same thing.
- Yes.
Very dangerous, actually.
So, what I wanna ask you is,
are you a big fan of Christmas?
Or are you
one of those types of people that
try to get it over with
as soon as possible?
Well, I...
- Hmm?
- I don't know, it's different now.
- Why?
- Because...
I lost my husband not very long ago.
- Oh, no.
- Yeah.
Elizabeth, I'm so sorry.
This is our first Christmas without him.
That's gotta be really tough on the kids.
Well, Danny, my son, he's like
the little man of the house now.
- Mmm-hmm.
- And he looks after his sister.
He's really strong for her.
That's good. Good man.
But my daughter, Jennifer, she's...
She's kind of lost her Christmas spirit.
She's kind of skeptical
that there is even a Santa.
That's a shame, because that takes
all the magic out of everything.
Santa is a really fun guy.
You know, my husband used to say,
"Incredible things happen
to those who believe."
That's a great motto to live by.
Sounds like, uh,
your husband was a believer.
He was.
So, what's all this top secret stuff
you have to talk to me about?
What if I told you that I work for one
very high-profile client who is quite
entrenched in the Christmas space?
I would say, "Good for you."
You know, um, the kind of client
that works one night a year.
Kind of client whose big night
is coming up very soon.
- Santa?
- Yeah.
Actually, that's the guy.
So you work for the guy at the mall?
No, no, no. No. Not at all.
We're talking about the real Santa.
Oh, well, that makes sense,
because I actually am a silent partner
at the salon with the Tooth Fairy, so...
Elizabeth, stop for a second.
Sorry.
I'm not joking.
Santa Claus is a very real thing.
- There's a real Santa Claus?
- That's correct.
- And you work for him?
- Sure as sugar.
This the part
where I skate on out of here.
I can't believe you.
Gosh, this guy.
Elizabeth...
Elizabeth.
You wanna call me crazy?
Where are we right now?
- The skating rink?
- No, no, no.
- I mean, what place?
- Norepole, Maine.
Exactly. We are in the northernmost part
of the United States.
We're not that far off
from the real North Pole.
What?
In the 1920s,
my company had a cross-promotion
with a "very prominent" soda company,
and Santa Claus became bigger than ever.
So we needed to expand.
Norepole is
just another Christmas outpost.
Okay, so Santa's real,
and you work for him.
What does this have to do with me?
I was hired to re-brand the company.
And to reintroduce Santa Claus
to the new global marketplace.
You know, that way, instead of kids' faces
being buried in a smart phone,
they can look up and rediscover
the magic again,
right before their eyes.
I agree with that. I mean,
I think it would take a miracle
to get kids off their phones.
So you came up with this?
Actually, wrote it on
the cover letter of my application.
Wow. Your boss
must have been really pleased.
Well, it got me the job.
But I mean every word of it.
Because I still believe.
Okay, well, what does all this have
to do with me? I don't...
Well, the jolly, old, fat guy
could use a bit of a makeover.
A makeover?
You'd need one, too,
if you were 1,700 years old.
A Santa makeover.
Max Miracle versus
Tucker Von Magnum and DG Haven.
Oh, popping the territory, baby!
Big John's Christmas money-making machine.
XWA, home of the Gingerbread Brawl.
Big John speaking, talk to me.
Oh, Max, I was just looking at our--
What? What?
I told you to get rid of that motorcycle.
I knew you'd bust your leg someday,
and look now where we are.
Yeah, I know you didn't mean to do it.
No, but who am I gonna get?
I have all this money invested in--
Yeah, I know. I know
you didn't do it on purpose.
All right. Well... Okay. Yes.
Yes, don't worry.
If the doc says you're okay,
I'll put you in the January Jam.
What? Yeah, I love you, too.
Best to the wife.
And have yourself
a merry little Christmas.
'Cause you just ruined mine.
How can I get a bigger draw
than Max Miracle?
I'm gonna need an actual miracle.
Ready for me, Sammy?
Absolutely, sir.
Are you sure you don't want me
to do this up in your office?
Oh, you know me.
I'm used to making the rounds.
Oh!
You kill me. Um...
Okay, I'll be waiting.
That's him?
That's him.
Gosh. Good luck.
Thank you for doing this.
Well, Sam. Yes.
And you must be Elizabeth.
Sam told me that you were coming in
on the project.
Pleasure to meet you.
I'm, um, I'm Elizabeth.
Elizabeth, yes. Nice.
Okay, Christmas is on the way,
let's get on with it.
Well, let me just start by saying
how grateful I am to share
some of the ideas
that I've wanted to implement
for quite some time.
Look, look, look, look, look.
Everybody knows that business
is in the toilet.
It just ain't the way it used to be.
Well, toilet is, um...
Is actually a great place to start.
And an accurate assessment.
Because, you see...
Rick,
technology molds and shapes everything.
Sure. They all shop online
and nobody believes anymore.
Yes, but what I'm saying is we can
use technology to our advantage,
to get people to believe in us again.
To, uh, put a little faith back
in the brand, if you know what I mean.
Okay, kid. Uh, that's why I hired you.
- What do you got?
- What?
It all started
with a simple online search.
Why? To see what was going on
with our image.
"Well, why would you do that, Sammy?"
To gauge
what the overall perception of us was.
And?
I have to be honest.
At first, things were pretty grim.
Then...
I found this.
Oh...
Ho, ho, ho...
I guess there still are some people
who believe in me.
They're out there.
They're looking for you.
The kids want the real Santa Claus.
Well, I say, "Let's give it to 'em."
Let's make ourselves accessible.
What are you saying,
that I should give up
my identify to the people?
No, no. I mean...
In a way.
But, okay, actually, yes.
But Rick, come on. Just think about it.
Because it's not like you're Batman,
you're Santa Claus.
People actually need you.
Oh, okay.
What do you suggest?
A little bit of re-branding.
And, uh, just a touch of visibility.
Well, I'm not going to say no,
but this is the craziest project
I ever heard of.
Crazy? Maybe. But enough is enough.
And it's time for a change.
I mean, who's to say
that we can't take advantage
of the digital marketing space?
What am I talking about?
One live streaming event.
One time for the big time.
Think about it, Rick.
Hundreds of millions of views,
maybe even billions.
Maybe... The most retweets,
likes and shares of all time.
I mean, the Kardashians
got nothing on you.
- Except for... You know, the...
- Oh. Well, yeah.
Grassroots.
We do it right here in Norepole,
and we get people to believe
from the ground up.
Hmm.
Okay.
I'm in.
- Huh...
- Yeah. Back in the day,
this town was full of magic
at Christmas time.
- I mean, it was so alive.
- Oh...
I say let's get some of that swagger back.
All we really need is a...
Some kind of platform.
- Some kind of town-wide event.
- Mmm-hmm.
- Just like this.
- The Gingerbread Brawl.
- What?
- The Gingerbread Brawl.
It's this tradition
that we have in our town,
and everybody really loves it.
My kids go crazy for it.
It's wrestling, it's really fun.
- That sounds perfect.
- Yeah, well...
We'll put a few smiles on a few faces
and let 'em know that
Santa is back in town.
Okay.
- I'm in. Let's do it.
- Let's do it?
- Well, where do we begin?
- Hold that thought.
We begin a Santa... Makeover!
Ah! Oh.
Oh, no.
You can't be...
How could you perpetrate
such a foul representation of me?
This is you.
Oh!
What?
Voila! What do you think?
I hope you're happy.
Hi-oh.
Cavalry has arrived.
We were thinking, maybe, you know,
the Santa suit's been played.
So how about something more casual?
I suppose some layers
could hide the bowl full of jelly.
Wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
Not so quick.
- There we go.
- There we go.
You can't be carrying
that big sack with you,
- so we're gonna try...
- What big sack?
I can't carry many... Many...
Many gifts in this bag.
I...
Oh! Oh.
A masterpiece.
No.
This outfit is out.
But the Gingerbread Brawl is in.
We'll take it.
So, what'd you get
on your memory box?
I got an A.
Brought my average up
a whole letter grade.
Mrs. Hopper thought it was a great way
for me to get my feelings out.
Yeah, well, you did a great job on it.
Oh, Danny boy.
- What do you want, Roger?
- I heard about your little project.
Trying to prove Santa exists now?
How pathetic can you get?
Well, we actually got
some pretty good evidence.
- I wouldn't go that far.
- Look at this, Danny.
Even your little sister
thinks you're a loser.
I didn't say that, you jerk!
You know, someday,
someone's gonna be bigger than you,
and they might just decide to bully you!
Pipe down, munchkin. Now, what's this?
All your Santa evidence?
Just put it down.
That kid Roger's been in trouble
before. We deal with him a lot.
Listen, ma'am, I wouldn't say this
in front of you son.
But I'm glad he threw him
a couple of good shots.
Danny seems like a good kid.
Go easy on him.
You have a good holiday, all right?
You too, thank you.
Hey there, Rocky Balboa.
You need something for your paw?
He had it coming.
He got rid of every single memory
that Jennifer had of Dad.
Honey, it's okay. I'm not mad at you.
I don't want you going around
hitting people anymore,
but I kinda like it
that you defended your sister.
I know your dad
would have been really proud.
- It sucks, though.
- I know, honey.
No, you don't know.
All these kinds are talking about
these cool traditions
they have with their dad.
I'm over here hunting down Santa,
coming up empty-handed,
Jenny doesn't even believe,
and I'm starting to second-guess
my whole theory.
Well, I know your dad never gave up
on anything in his whole life.
And I've seen that little lab of yours,
and I know how your mind works.
And I think you're a lot closer
than you know, so don't give up.
Thanks, Mom. How's Jennifer?
She's okay.
She had a lot of irreplaceable things,
you know.
But I had some doubles of the photos,
so that cheered her up.
I have an idea.
How about a little early Christmas gift
so we can lighten the mood?
Oh, yeah?
Yeah. You wanna go look in your stocking?
- We're going?
- We're going!
Gingerbread Brawl! Thank you!
Oh, thank you. I gotta go tell Jen.
Look what Mom got us.
Gingerbread Brawl tickets!
Front-row seats!
Great.
You were all about it the other day.
Scooch over.
Roger is a total waste-oid.
I'm over letting him bother me.
Yeah, well, you didn't lose everything Dad ever gave you.
No. But I do know that there's more important things to worry about
than that bonehead.
Yeah, I guess.
More important things like finding Santa!
Oh. No, Rick tells me
that you guys go way back.
Well, I think the XWA
and our company would make
an excellent cross-promotion.
I mean, we practically share
the same demographic.
Okay. Well, Gingerbread Brawl it is.
All right. I'll give Rick the good news,
and, uh, we'll make it happen.
You got it. Take care.
Well, Pretzel,
we've got our captive audience.
Now we just gotta get the big man
ready for the big night.
Nice.
This is the Norepole Toy Company.
It's been around as long as the town has.
All of our evidence so far
has directed us right here.
- So what's the plan?
- We infiltrate Norepole Toys.
You mean, like, break in?
We get in, we take some photos,
snap a few videos,
get the intel, and we're out.
I don't know, man.
This sounds awfully illegal.
- We're not gonna get caught.
- I think we have the necessary gear
to stay stealthy and out of sight.
Tomorrow night, it's showtime.
But we'll miss the Gingerbread Brawl.
Don't worry, we won't miss it.
Let's get jolly.
Okay. Mom's gonna be working till 5:00,
so we're gonna have to meet her
at the house.
I told my dad I'm getting a ride
from you guys, so I'm good to go.
Okay. So that should give us
enough time to get in,
scope the scene, and blast out.
Check it out, Jay-Bird.
Looks like the coast is clear.
Good. I can hack the security cams
for as long as we want,
but I can only bypass the alarm
for nine minutes, so we gotta boogie.
- Okay, let's move in a little further.
- Let's go.
Not so fast, candy cane.
Think I'm gonna let you get
all the glory for discovering Santa?
You did all the work. Now I'm cashing in.
What are you gonna do, shoot me?
If it means I get to be the one
to find Santa, I just might.
You know, you got me in a lot of trouble
with the cops the other night.
I think I've got the receipt
for those punches, right here.
You know, for a big guy, you went down
pretty easy when I slugged you.
How's your face feel?
Not as bad as this paint ball's gonna feel
when it takes your teeth out.
- Oh, yeah.
- Thanks, man.
Look, guys, I'm sorry. You were right.
Those guys might be popular,
but they definitely aren't cool.
Wanna roll with us?
We're gonna head inside.
If you'll take me back, Ghost Leader.
Welcome back, Condor.
All right, come on.
Guys, get down. I've got something
coming our way.
That car looks a lot like Mom's car.
Holy smokes! It's Mom!
- Mom?
- Danny?
- What are you doing here?
- What are you doing here?
We're looking for Santa.
I was just racing home to come get you.
You're supposed to be at home.
We've got to go.
- So come on, let's get in the car.
- Come on.
T'was the night before Christmas,
and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
in hopes that St. Nicholas
would soon be there.
Hello, everyone, and welcome to
the 15th annual Gingerbread Brawl.
I'm your host, Tommy Dreamer,
and I'll be calling all the action
from bell to bell, pillar to post.
The stage has been set for what I'm sure
will be a colossal showdown
for the XWA Heavyweight Championship.
We're now going to you, live, backstage,
with my broadcast colleague, Matt Striker,
as he is standing next to
Tucker Von Magnus
- and DG Haven.
- Give me that.
I'm sick of you, Matt Striker.
And another thing that I've had enough
of is Max Miracle ducking my man.
We all know that you're flat-out scared
of the most dangerous competitor in XWA.
You can run all you want,
but sooner or later, you're going to have
to crawl out of that hole
you've been hiding in.
And when you do, you'll face this man,
because he's right here waiting for you!
Max Miracle, December 24th,
Gingerbread Brawl!
I'm gonna crush you, and then
I'm gonna grind your bones up
and use them for salt in my dinner!
Some very powerful words
from Tucker Von Magnus
and his manager DG Haven.
Tommy, back to you.
Folks, we're going live to the
XWA-tron with a special announcement
from Max Miracle.
I love you!
Welcome to the Gingerbread Brawl.
And thank you for spending your holiday
taking in the highest level of
professional wrestling on the planet.
Now, unfortunately, due to injury,
I want to tell you how
personally sorry I am
that I cannot defend the title tonight.
But I will be back to defend my title
at January Jam,
so you make sure you
pre-order your tickets now.
- What is this garbage?
- Is this some kind of joke?
Merry Christmas, everybody.
Idiot. What is this?
This is bad. I got this, I got this.
People, people, take it easy. Calm down.
Calm down, calm down.
We can start the show...
It's not even diet.
Hit the lights, start the show,
before these animals riot!
Will you listen to that?
It's like a Roman circus out there.
These people are in a lean
and hungry mood.
They'll be setting things
on fire in a minute.
What do you mean, he's not coming?
Ladies and gentleman,
please welcome our Gingerbread Brawl
guest of honor...
What is this? Who?
Coming down that aisle,
from the great North Pole,
the one, the only,
Santa Claus!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
Merry Christmas!
Hey, come here, you little punk.
What is this crap?
How do we know
you're not just some mall Santa phony?
Eh? Oh? Watch this, Roger.
Watch carefully.
You looking? You looking?
It's him! It's really him!
Dad was right the whole time.
And you found him, Danny.
Whoa.
Merry Christmas to every one of you.
This town
has helped me for so many years,
that I figured
what better place to make
my first official public appearance?
This time of year
is about believing.
Some of you here tonight
have helped me come
to believe in myself again.
This time of year
is also about giving.
Giving.
So I'll kick things up a little
in the hopes that I can give you
a little bit of an early present.
I know you did not expect to see
your honored guest performer tonight,
but ladies and gentleman,
I give you XWA's champion
Max Miracle!
Well?
You have been good all year, champ.
Haven't you?
Thattaboy.
Yeah!
Watch this, punk.
- You good to go on that leg?
- Yeah, I can go.
It feels like a million bucks.
- Let's get it on.
- I can't believe it.
Believe!
Guys, let's hear it for the real champ,
Santa Claus!
We believe!
We believe.
We believe. We believe.
We believe. We believe.
We believe.
Oh! Believe!
- Did you see that?
- The Miracle wins! The Miracle wins!
Here's your winner, and still XWA
Heavyweight Champion of the world,
Max Miracle!
Well, you were looking for Santa,
so now you found him.
I always thought
you were just Rick, the janitor.
Oh, that's always been
a part-time job for me.
What better way to check each name twice
than in person. Hmm?
He was finding out
who was naughty and nice.
You said it, Jennifer.
Don't worry, kid,
you're on the "nice" list.
So are you like an elf?
No. Well, kind of.
Actually, yes.
Yes.
Right. Uh...
You know what, Rick,
I think we should, kind of, wrap this up.
Because we have
quite a long night ahead of us.
You kids have a merry Christmas.
And never stop believing.
Thank you for finding me.
Merry Christmas, Rick.
Merry Christmas.
Gotta keep Santa fed.
We're gonna stay up all night, Mommy.
- You are?
- Yep.
Gonna catch him in the act
for the ultimate proof.
Oh, good.
He should be here any minute now.
Any minute...
He came. He came. He came!
Oh. Oh, my gosh! Oh, boy.
I don't know. This one. This one.
Oh, nice. My soldering kit.
Thanks for all the cool stuff, Mom.
I told you guys
we were gonna have a great Christmas.
Hmm... Could there be, maybe,
one more thing under the tree?
I don't know.
What is this?
- It's got your name on it.
- Really?
It's my memory box!
And it's got all Dad's stuff inside!
Wow. He really is a magic man.
"Incredible things happen
to those who believe."
Remember Aunt Julie's wedding,
and I asked him to give me his...
Well, that was one heck of a Christmas.
- You said it.
- We got to see Max Miracle
kick the crap
out of Tucker Von Magnus and DG Haven.
Got to discover Santa, hello.
Well, duh.
We sure did close out the year
with a bang.
Yeah, but now what?
What do you mean, "Now what?"
I say we take a step back,
relax, and enjoy our vacation
like normal sixth graders.
But there's so much more
to be discovered. Uh...
Trolls, gnomes, uh, D.B. Cooper,
Loch Ness Monster. Come on.
St. Patty's Day
is right around the corner.
Leprechauns.
Ghouls, goblins, abominable snowmen. What?
You guys don't like snow?
They're just around the corner.
Who doesn't like snow people
wearing green...
O holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night
Of our dear savior's birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till he appeared
And the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
Oh, hear
The angel voices
O night
Divine
O night
When Christ was born
O night
Divine
O night
O night divine
O holy night
The stars are brightly shining
It is the night
Of our dear savior's birth
Long lay the world
In sin and error pining
Till he appeared
And the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope
The weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks
A new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees
Oh, hear
The angel voices
O night
Divine
O night
When Christ was born
O night
Divine
O night
O night divine