Northpole

- Clementine? What are you doing up here?

- I wanted to get a better look at the Northern Lights,

to see how bad things really are.

Worse than you can imagine.

I'm afraid Christmas is in serious trouble.

So, what can we do?

- When you figure that out, be sure and let me know.

- Kevin, you're the man of the house.

Are these for the Christmas lights or the router?

- Actually, they're what's left of your old hairdryer.

I saw a video on Edison. I got inspired.

- OK, that's the last time I skimp on movers.

Everything is mislabelled!

Oh! Nice T-rex!

- It's a reindeer, but if you see a T-rex, let's go with that.

Oh, pragmatic artist.

Guess you got the best of both parents.

Oh, honey! We gotta leave in 10 minutes!

You're gonna be late for school.

- I'm not sure anybody would notice.

Oh, Kev, come on!

Look, I know one of the hardest things to do

is to fit into a new school,

but it just takes time, you'll see.

Oh, that's my editor.

He wants to see me in the office. Come on!

- Probably just to tell you you're his awesomest reporter.

You're awesome!

You've always been my biggest fan. Thank you.

- Mom, what if Santa looks for us at the old house

and all he sees are empty rooms?

- Honey, if he can deliver a billion presents

in a single night,

he's gotta have some sort of system

that can track all of us, don't you think?

Come on, let's go.

How is it in the making- friends department, huh?

Tommy Chan said sorry

when he tripped on my backpack yesterday.

- See? That's something, right?

Seriously?

- OK, maybe not, but you've got to keep trying, OK?

Oh, I have an idea!

Why don't you think about maybe joining a team or a club

or something like that?

- Well, I was thinking of starting, like,

a Christmas committee

to put up more lights and stuff at school.

That's a great idea!

Come on!

- (Kevin): Lights and decorations tonight! Promise?

- Promise, if we have to tear through every box in the house.

- Great, 'cause the only time you see green and red

around this place

is when the 6th graders dissect frogs.

- Eww! Gross! But I get the point.

Top of the mornin', Kev!

Hey!

- Who rides a bike in the winter?

- Mom, this is my teacher, Mr. Wilson.

Hi, I'm Ryan.

- Chelsea! I didn't realize Kevin's teacher was Irish.

Oh, I'm not, actually.

I just like to keep the kids on their toes!

Nice to meet you.

Yeah!

Your teacher is unique.

Yeah! I like him.

He gets you to see things differently.

Kiss for Mom?

No? I love you!

Come on, buddy. Talk to somebody.

- Uh, better make room by the crossword.

There's something strange going on with the Northern Lights.

Morning, Trevor!

Morning.

Hey, Chuck!

Nice piece on the bus strike!

Thanks, Chelsea!

Yeah!

Hey, you want some eggnog?

- No, actually, eggnog and I are not friends, so you enjoy!

Right choice!

Avoiding Chuck in Christmas-party mode

is the best advice this advice columnist could give you.

- Listen, maybe you and I could have lunch today?

- If that means joining you at your desk for a sandwich

from the vending machine, no thanks!

- I'm sorry. New-kid syndrome!

I feel like I have to prove myself to the higher-ups.

- Well, here's your chance! - Oh!

Morning, Chelsea!

I was just coming to see you!

- Good, good! Walk with me. - OK.

- I've decided to shake things up

and try you out on the "City Beat" column.

- Really? Oh, I won't let you down!

- I know! Back in Wisconsin, you were the one

who broke the story on the wholesaler

who was selling cheap cheddar as gourmet gouda, right?

- Yeah, well, I have a nose for news,

and that didn't smell right.

- Put that wit and tenacity in your column, and you'll do fine.

Your first assignment.

The town canceled the Christmas-tree lighting

in Greenwood Park

to save a few bucks.

Think you can you handle

a "politician turned Scrooge" story?

- Yeah, of course! Um, should I...

OK!

- Mr. Finster? - Yes!

- Chelsea Hastings from The Examiner.

I called you about the tree-lighting ceremony.

- I'm sorry, we're closed for the holidays.

- Doesn't the public deserve to know why it was canceled?

- Ms. Hastings, right? - Yeah.

- The ceremony's expensive. Power, labour, liability.

The mayor made a decision.

It's a tradition around here!

- A tradition that seems to have been forgotten.

If you have any questions,

talk to the mayor's office...

or the planning commission!

- What do they have to do with the tree lighting?

More than you might think,

but you didn't hear it from me!

- Yes, he said the planning commission,

which, of course, is conveniently closed

for the holidays.

I'm telling you, Jasmine,

there's more to this story than meets the eye.

Mm-hmm! Listen, I gotta go. I gotta pick up my kid.

I'll call you later.

- (Ryan): So, to sum up from the textbook,

"fractions are numerical quantities,

"when added together, comprise the whole."

Confused?

I know I am.

All right, let's see

if we can make this a little clearer.

Suppose we took these scissors to this tie

and made the tie a fraction of its length.

I'd say that's about half, right?

So, if I took it and cut right here, it would be...

All together now!

- (Children): One fourth!

- By George, I think they've got it!

(School bell ringing and children laughing)

All right, so, remember,

Christmas vacation starts next week,

so you have exactly 2 days to pick your holiday project.

It can be an experiment or a paper

or a plan to change the world!

Think bold! Think big, people!

Hey! Nice to see you again.

- Thanks! That was an interesting demonstration.

- Yeah, well, anything to get the point across.

- What is the point of the holiday project?

- My mom's a reporter. She was born to ask questions.

- It's OK. The point of the project

is to teach the kids creative thinking.

- Well, I think your creative approach to math

has turned your $20 tie into a penny worth of scraps.

- Well, you obviously don't write for the style section,

'cause it was a $6 tie!

Oh!

Tell me it went better today.

- Today was better. - Really?

- No! But you told me what to say.

Spill it.

OK.

This reindeer sweater, bad idea.

I also heard a nasty rumour from the lunch lady

that the town's tree-lighting ceremony was canceled!

- Yeah, I'm actually writing an article about it.

I was gonna tell you today.

So it's true?

Remember back home,

the tree-lighting ceremony in Nelson Square?

Practically the whole town got together!

Yeah.

I really miss all that.

Yeah, I know, buddy.

Me too.

But listen,

uh, you know, this place is into Christmas.

I mean, hey, look!

Look at that inflatable reindeer right there, right?

He's giving 20% off for the holidays, huh?

Nice try.

- Honey, I'm sorry we couldn't find the box of decorations,

but we'll keep looking tomorrow, OK?

- It's OK. Good night, Mom!

Good night, honey.

Sleep tight!

Now, that was Christmas!

- Clementine! There you are!

I've been looking all over for you!

I'm really worried, Mom.