- ♪
- Hi. I'm Richard Thomas.
And I'd like to share a story with you.
It's a story about a family--an American family
living through a time of great social upheaval
and economic hardship.
It's a story that takes place in 1933.
But it made its mark on our country in 1972.
And now, in the 21st century,
it may be more resonant than ever before.
But mostly, it's a story about human kindness,
and compassion, and love.
It's a story about family-- and one in particular.
A family that I was very proud to be a part of 50 years ago,
and I still feel a part of today.
A family called The Waltons.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: My boyhood home in the Blue Ridge Mountains
of Virginia was a place I've always treasured.
A world full of mystery and wonder.
But when the stock market crashed in 1929,
businesses collapsed.
Families split apart.
And folks started giving up on their dreams.
Our local mill closed,
and Daddy had to find work 90 miles away.
And he could only be with us once a month.
To make matters worse, he wasn't given the weekend off
that Christmas in 1933.
I was 17 years old back then.
And I wanted to be a writer more than anything in the world.
My daddy expected me to fill his shoes while he was gone.
And I wanted to prove myself to him.
But I prayed I wouldn't have to give up my dream in the process.
During the Depression,
sometimes it seemed like dreams were all we had.
- [birds chirping]
- [groans]
- ♪
- Well, look at you.
A little Christmas miracle.
- ♪
- Just not the one I was hoping for.
Oh Lord, please watch over John.
- [door opens]
- What is it, Elizabeth?
- I was teaching Geraldine to fly
by swinging her over my head.
- Oh, honey...
that's nothing that a little needle and a thread can't fix.
I will have her good as new before the day is out, okay?
- I wish Daddy was here. - OLIVIA: [sighs]
I know.
Grandma and Grandpa are coming for breakfast.
How 'bout that, huh?
Oh, okay. Well, then, you need to go get dressed
so you're ready when they get here.
- [thunder rumbling]
- MAN ON RADIO: Yesterday, President Roosevelt promised
the Electric Home and Farm Authority will bring
cheap electricity to millions in the Tennessee Valley.
And we have a cold front with possible storms
coming through the tri-county area.
Travel advisories are going out, so stay close to home, folks.
Now back to our Christmas Eve program.
- [instrumental "Jingle Bells"]
- Hey, is that another drawing of a doll?
- It's to hang on the tree, Santa's gonna bring one to me.
- JIM-BOB: Dream on, Sis.
- What do you know?
- Santa's probably out of work too!
- MAN: Mrs. Walton! - [knocking at door]
- Coming!
- What is that you're building?
- A Christmas cottage with cotton for snow on the roof.
It's for above the fireplace. - How about in the fireplace?
- Erin, you wanna get your nose out of that magazine
and give me a hand?
- I've got news.
Dan Wilson just dropped off a telegram.
Where's John-Boy? - Where do you think?
Upstairs scribbling secrets in his room again.
- John-Boy, get down here!
- JOHN-BOY: I'm coming, Mom.
- ["Jingle Bells" on radio]
- I was just cleaning up my room.
- Good lord.
- Enough, you two. It's from your daddy.
He's coming home today!
- What? - Are you serious?
- Whoa!
- He talked to his boss into moving his shift.
He's got the whole weekend off. He'll be here by late mornin'.
John-Boy, you gotta get your brothers and sisters
all squared away. You have finish your chores
before Grandma and Grandpa get here.
We got to get the house ready for Daddy's homecoming.
And I've got breakfast to cook. - Yes, ma'am.
- ♪
- You heard her. We've gotta make this
the best Christmas ever, okay?
Now, Erin, put that magazine away and help Mary Ellen.
Jim-Bob, clean up that mess up, please.
- It's not a mess. It's a decoration.
- Where's Jason? - He's out in the barn
splitting wood for the stove.
- Move it...now. - What are you doing?
- I'ma go tell Jason the news!
- Hey. That's Daddy's old jacket.
- Well, he's not wearing it, is he?
- What do you want me to do, John-Boy?
- Well, I think you should finish your drawing,
and I'll put it in a prime spot on the tree
where Santa will see it.
- Thanks, John-Boy.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: I was excited that Daddy was coming home.
But I was also nervous.
We'd argued before he left because he thought that becoming
a writer was interfering with my responsibilities.
I wanted him to see that I was doing my part to make Christmas
perfect for the whole family.
- [rooster crowing] - [chickens clucking]
- Hey, got some great news for ya today.
- Huh? - Daddy's coming home.
- Don't give me that. - Yeah, it's true.
Momma just got a telegram from him.
He must've kicked up quite a fuss.
- [laughs] Damn! When's he getting in?
- Late mornin'.
Geez, it's freezing out here, huh?
- [cow moos] - What?
I will take that dime. - No, you won't. It's Daddy's.
That's how he holds 'em, right?
- Yup. You look just like him.
I can almost picture you at the lathe in the machine shop.
- You know that's not for me.
- Man's gotta earn a living.
- Get off it, all right?
I don't need to hear that from you too.
- There's nothing wrong with learning a trade if it means
it keeps your family fed. Okay?
That is a man's responsibility.
- So is thinkin' for yourself, Jason!
- [chickens clucking]
- You and Daddy get in another fight before he left?
- Yeah, he was upset I didn't finish painting the shed yet.
He said my chores came first and writing was wasting my time.
- Well, yeah, it does. Doesn't it?
- [chickens clucking]
- [coughs] Geez!
[coughs] God, what an awful thing to do to your body!
[coughs] Oh, stupid! What is Daddy thinking?
- You mean besides wondering why
his oldest son is throwing his future away?
- Why do you always take Daddy's side?
[coughs]
- Hey. Hey, I filled that. You're stealing the glory!
- Oh yeah? Tough luck, little brother.
- NARRATOR: Daddy had convinced Jason he should learn a trade,
even though becoming a musician was his dream.
I think Jason was a bit jealous
that I was stubbornly hanging on to mine.
- Yeah?
- [grunting]
- That's a good one.
- ♪
- [grunting]
- Okay, I get it!
- Yeah? Better luck next time.
- ♪
- [thunder rumbling]
- [bird squawking]
- [food frying]
- Grandma! I'm so glad you're here.
- Well, we all have to be somewhere.
- All right, I take that back. I'm not glad to see you at all.
- OLIVIA: Your grandma brought some of her cranberry jam.
It's your daddy's favorite.
- Oh, perfect timing. - Mm-hmm!
- That's a good load of stove wood.
- Yes, ma'am.
Jason did the work.
- I can't slice any more off that bone,
but it'll still do for soup.
- It's a good thing.
It's the last of the ham from the hog John butchered.
- What are we gonna eat for Christmas dinner?
- Uh, maybe I'll wring Gretchen's neck
and we'll have stew and dumplings.
- Okay, Momma, she's a laying hen.
- The boy's right.
You put Gretchen in a stew, what you gonna do for eggs?
Unless you're planning to lay them yourself.
- Maybe I'm just feeling a little reckless this Christmas.
- [food frying]
- Oh!
- ♪
- I don't like the look of that.
- [thunder rumbling]
- Where you headed? - Hickory Creek on Route 29.
Once I'm there, it's a six-mile hitchhike home, if I'm lucky.
- That's some trip.
Hope the roads hold up.
The man on the radio said there's a cold front coming.
It's gonna be a bad one.
- I'll have to take my chances.
- Could be icy roads.
You might want to stay here in Charlottesville.
Tackle the trip home in the morning.
- No way, my friend!
It's Christmas Eve. Family's waitin'.
I still got Santa visits to tend to before the day's out.
- WOMAN: Next!
Name? - John Walton.
- Thank you for the food we eat.
Thank you for the world so sweet.
Thank you for the birds that sing.
Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.
- Amen, Sister Jen shot a rooster, killed a hen,
hen died, the rooster cried.
- Slow down, everybody. This is not a free-for-all.
- Grandpa, why do you always end prayers that way?
- He won't even tell me.
- It's not very religious.
- Daddy's not so religious either.
- He's religious. He's just not churchgoing.
- What does it matter, anyway?
I like the way it sounds, Grandpa.
- Thank you, Mary Ellen!
- John-Boy, I want you to take the kids down to the barn later
and crack some walnuts for my applesauce cake.
- Yes, ma'am.
- So, you are gonna make applesauce cake?
- Well, I am now, I wouldn't want to disappoint your daddy.
It wouldn't be Christmas for him without it.
Oh, I've gotta go to Ike's and buy some sugar.
- Sugar's not cheap these days.
- Her money to mind, Grandma.
- I want to go to Ike's with you, Momma!
- I don't guess there's a certain doll
you might want to take a look at, hm?
- [laughs]
- ♪
- [fire crackling]
- What is that you're drawing there, pumpkin?
- It's a red bird.
- It truly is that. Heh!
That's one fine red bird.
- I wish my daddy could fly. - Oh, is that so?
- He'd be with us right now. That's for sure.
- He'll be home by noon.
Plenty of time to beat that storm that's headin' this way.
- Storm? - Yeah.
Snow flurries, sleet, maybe some black ice.
- How do you know that, Grandpa?
- Look right there, in that-- See that tooth back there?
[mumbles] Right there right in the back, that one?
It aches when a storm is coming.
- He heard it on the radio.
Tell her the truth, old man.
- I felt it in my tooth first.
- Did they say when it would hit?
- Oh, nightfall, I reckon.
John will be home well before then.
Don't you worry, Livy.
- [bird chirping]
- [bus motor running]
- Well, I'm glad you could get it.
- ♪
- [horn honks]
- I gotta run. Thank you, sir!
- STORE OWNER: Thank you. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas! Hey, hey, wait! Wait!
Wait! Hey! Stop the bus!
Stop the bus! Hey! Hey! Stop the bus!
Ooh. [laughs]
- Hop on.
- Thanks, bud. - Thank you.
- You've saved my family's Christmas.
- Ooh-wee, looks like we're in for a lot of stops.
- Well, holiday traffic and bad roads.
- Yeah. - Where you headed?
- Hickory Creek. - Me too. Welcome aboard.
Name's Elmer. - John. Good to meet ya.
- Hey, likewise. - Whew!
- ♪
- [birds chirping]
- Do you ever knock?
- That pack horse library lady's coming up the road.
- Is that one of her books? - Yeah, yeah.
It's, uh, a history about this English guy.
Uh, and it says "history" right on the cover, okay?
Now, get out. Get out. Go. - You're nervous.
- Get out, seriously! - You're nervous!
- I'm not nervous! - Yes, you are!
- ♪
- [sighs]
- ♪
- [girls giggling]
- ♪
- [horse neighs]
- [birds chirping]
- Hey, Maggie!
I didn't know you were working Christmas Eve.
- Well, I won't be back until spring and I wanted to drop
something off before I left for school.
- Spring?
- Edith Card is gonna take my route until then.
- Oh.
- Fair warning.
She's a bear for collecting late fees.
- I was gonna ask you about "Tom Jones."
You know, I hadn't gotten all the way through it yet.
- Don't worry. That's my own copy.
The library wouldn't carry it.
- Yeah, I was wondering. Um...
him and Molly, they're-- that's a little, uh--
- Racy? - Yeah.
- [laughs] Yeah, I know.
Just wait 'til you get to his dinner with Mrs. Waters.
- You actually read that in school?
- World Lit class.
The professor said it was one of the earliest English novels.
And since I'm certain that one day you'll write a novel,
thought you'd like to see where it all began.
- So you don't mind if I hold on to it a little longer?
- No. I'll pick it up in the spring.
Meantime, I brought you another.
Something different.
Kipling is President Roosevelt's favorite author.
And this is a collection of his stories and poems.
- Well, thanks for keeping me stocked up.
You know, all we gots the Bible, the Farmer's Almanac,
and the Sears Roebuck catalog. - Well, this one's
the library copy, so you got three weeks before
Edith comes gunning for you.
- I'll make sure I get through it.
- [laughs]
- You're kidding me. What?
- It's just a little bookmark.
I think "JB Walton" is a good name for an author.
Merry Christmas. - I don't know what to say.
I mean, if I would've known that you were coming,
I could've gotten you something--
- Oh, stop.
No, it wasn't meant to be a gift exchange.
- You know what? You stay right there.
- ♪
♪
- This!
This is a story I wrote, and it is yours to keep.
- But what about this contest?
- I'll just copy another one from the original.
Don't worry about it. But I would be really grateful
if you gave me your thoughts on it.
- MAGGIE: Of course. - JOHN-BOY: Yeah.
- Wouldn't hurt to get a female perspective on things, right?
- Absolutely.
- BOTH: [laughing]
- Oh!
- ♪
- See you next spring.
- I'll be lookin' out for ya.
- ♪
- Merry Christmas!
- ♪
- That looked to me like two worms wrapped around a fishhook.
- BOTH: [laughing] - Oh my gosh!
- [plays banjo]
- Don't get any shells in there, or someone will break a tooth.
- Oh yeah, it's also bad luck, I've heard.
- Yup, you and your superstitions.
- You know, this would go a lot faster if you'd help us
instead of fooling with that thing.
- You should be happy I'm not charging you to play.
- You can take your banjo and shove it, Jason.
- Oh! - Erin, don't be such an ass.
- Oh, watch your mouth, Mary Ellen.
- Me? What about Daddy? He says that stuff all he wants.
- Well, he's Daddy, ain't he?
- Well, you're not. So quit acting like a boss man.
- I didn't ask to be in charge, all right?
I got better things to do.
- Oh yeah? Scribble scribble.
- Quit moping, all right?
You had no right to say that to Erin.
- She's just jealous that I'm gonna be a Hollywood star
and marry someone with enough money to get me whatever I want.
- Dead wrong, sister. I'm never getting married.
I'm gonna be an aviator like Amelia Earhart.
I'm gonna fly right out of here and travel all over the world,
make all kinds of adventures,
with nobody telling me what to do.
- What kind of adventures?
- [cow moos] - I don't know, that's what...
makes them adventures.
- You could fly Santa's sleigh. That'd be an adventure.
- Santa's not coming this year.
- Hey, you don't know that, Erin.
And don't say it to Elizabeth, all right?
Guys, we can still make wishes. Miracles can still happen.
'Cuz this Christmas is gonna be the best ever no matter what.
So, Jim-Bob, what's your wish?
- An Erector set.
- Great, just what we need.
Another thing of Jim-Bob's with pieces to step on.
- I heard that! - [cow moos]
- And I hope you catch a cold and sneeze your brains out.
- Shut up, little pipsqueak! - That's enough, Mary Ellen.
What is wrong with you?
- She's just worried Santa won't bring her breasts for Christmas.
- [laughs]
- [chickens clucking]
- Anybody else? - Hey!
Sit down with the rest of us and shut your mouth.
- Is that an order? - Yes, it is!
- Well, then you better find yourself a waitress because
I don't take orders.
- [laughs] - Ooh.
- ♪
- JOHN-BOY: Where do you think you're going?
Huh? Hey, get back here!
- ♪
♪
- GRANDPA: Hey, Mary Ellen? Will you give me a hand?
- Be right there!
- ♪
- Whoo!
- It's so cold. Let's get in there.
Oh, good girl.
Oh, Rose!
You're doing a little last-minute Christmas shopping?
- Candles for service tonight.
How are you doing, Elizabeth?
- Fine, Miss Rose. Where's Claudie?
- Oh, he's with his daddy getting the church set up.
- Oh, yes.
- I hear there's more weather on the way, Livy.
You all are welcome to come to our Christmas Eve service
if the storm kicks up. It's a short walk.
- That's so kind, Rose. Thank you.
- What are friends for?
- You mean besides looking out for each other's children?
I still think you get the short end of that stick.
- Oh, not so.
We do just fine, don't we, Elizabeth?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Oh, no, no, no, you come back here, young lady,
and wait a minute. I wanna ask Rose something.
Um, you haven't by chance seen John here in town, have you?
- Sure haven't.
He's not back from Charlottesville yet?
- No. Um, we thought he'd be here by noon, so...
- Winter travel, I suspect. Always delays.
I am sure he's fine. - Yeah.
- Mind if I drop by a bit later?
I have a little Christmas cheer I want to deliver.
- Oh-- - Oh, not that kind.
[laughs] I noticed the Baldwin sisters are inside.
- Yeah, I bet they're pleased as punch
now that Prohibition's done. - Mm-hmm.
- I will have a warm slice of applesauce cake waiting for ya.
We'll see you in a little bit.
- [giggling]
- Momma, if her church is closer to us than our church,
how come we don't always go to Rose's church?
- Well, uh, you see, um...
our family has always been members of First Baptist Church.
And Rose's husband,
he's a preacher over at Calvary Bible Church,
so that's where she goes.
But...since we were already members of First Baptist Church,
we don't have to go to Calvary Bible.
- Oh.
- But that doesn't mean we can't go, 'cause you know what?
Everybody's welcome in any of God's houses.
Hm? - Mm-hmm.
- Right. Let's get inside.
- How does that look to you, ladies, huh?
- Very fresh. - All right, good.
And here's your cookies.
- And that is a baker's dozen? - Absolutely.
- Olivia Walton and [unintelligible]!
- A Christmas miracle.
- Miss Emily, Miss Maimie.
- And you must be? - Elizabeth.
- She has your eyes. - And your teeth.
- Um, we're looking for your husband.
- So am I.
- He can fix anything. - And he's a good customer.
- Oh, which brings us to our problem.
- Rest his soul, Papa's recipe machine has become--
- Cantankerous. Something is blocking the flow.
- Like a kidney stone.
- Oh, how those bedeviled Pa.
- We think the copper coil needs to be replaced.
- And John is just the man to do the job.
- Well, I will tell him when I see him.
- Your groceries, ladies!
- EMILY: It's so nice to see you, Mrs. Walton.
And we'll call on you later this evening
with your order of the Christmas recipe!
- It's famous. - I look forward to it.
- Merry Christmas, everyone! - Merry Christmas!
- Ladies! I hope you haven't been naughty.
Santa's watchin' you know?
- Charlie Sneed! [laughs]
- Will you tell Santa we're gonna leave a jar
of the recipe by the fireplace?
- I'm sure he'll be pleased.
- BALDWIN SISTERS: [laughing]
- Oh, hey there, Livy. - Charlie.
- Glad I bumped into ya.
Got a big grudge rematch with the sheriff
on Ike's pool table tonight.
John's free to join, if he'd like.
We could use an impartial referee.
- Charlie!
- Well, as a matter of fact, um,
John ain't back from Charlottesville yet.
- No? Hm.
I'm--I'm sure he'll be along.
When you're through here with Livy,
dig me up a box of shells for my Winchester?
.30-06. - You got it.
- In the meantime, I'm gonna go make sure
that thing's on the level for tonight.
- ♪
- IKE: What can I do for you, Livy?
- I would love a pound of sugar, please, Ike.
- IKE: You don't wanna get between him and a cue ball.
- I can see that! - [laughs]
Kind of like your little Elizabeth and that doll.
Every time she comes in here, she heads straight to it.
- Yeah, well, hard to explain the Depression
to a five-year-old, Ike.
- I--I--I understand, Livy.
But, uh, Merry Christmas anyway?
- Thanks, Ike.
- All right. Oh, and, uh, some change for you.
- Thank you kindly. - You're welcome.
- Yes, yes, yes. Hey, Elizabeth!
One's got a higher purpose. [laughs]
- Thank you. - It's the least I can do.
Let's go. Thank you kindly. Let's go!
- All right, Merry Christmas, y'all.
- Merry Christmas!
- ♪
- Oh, let's go fix your doll.
Oh, Sheriff Bridges, am I glad to see you.
- How do you do, Mrs. Walton?
- OLIVIA: I wonder if you've seen my husband.
He'd be on the road from Hickory Creek.
He's running pretty late.
- No, ma'am. I've been up country,
trying to catch that poacher
who's been hunting without a license.
- Well, I hear everything he shoots,
he gives to those in need.
- [chuckles] He's some kind of backwoods Robin Hood,
but he's breaking the law.
And what he doesn't give away, he takes to Charlottesville
and sells for cash money.
Bet no one told you that.
- Well, then, um, good luck. - Thank you, ma'am.
And I'll keep an eye out for John.
- Thanks, Sheriff. Merry Christmas.
- ♪
- Winchester 70. Pretty nice, huh?
- Depends on what it's used for.
- Oh, target practice mostly. You ready for tonight, Sheriff?
- Glad I ran into you, Charlie. Maybe Ike could fill in for me.
I can't make it tonight.
- Why? - Pressing county business.
- What's that? - Can't discuss it.
- Well, that's too bad.
I'll save your favorite cue for you in case you change your mind
or finish your business early.
- Oh, don't worry, Charlie.
I'll catch up with you soon enough.
- ♪
♪
- You're up next, John.
- [motor starts]
- ♪
- I'd hold back some on that nutmeg.
- [bird chirping]
- It's your recipe. Don't mind me.
I've just been makin' it for 40 years.
- I don't see why I have to do the lunch dishes.
- You are the oldest. - John-Boy's the oldest!
- You're the oldest girl.
- Being a girl should have nothing to do with it!
It's not a fair way to hand out chores!
Momma!
- You and your grandma can work this out.
- If life were fair, Mary Ellen,
I'da had your pretty face.
- [orchestral music on radio]
- "Nelson County gossip.
"Hiriam Buggywell's old sow pig Petunia
"gave birth to 14 babies last week.
"Mother and children are all doing just fine,
except for the one that was eaten."
[laughs]
- Erin! Look what you did!
- What is all this fuss?
- Erin wrecked my village!
- That's not a village.
That's a--a beaver dam without the mud.
- MAN ON RADIO: Now for Nelson County news and weather.
Well, folks, it looks like a nasty cold front
will move in by nightfall.
Expect some flurries and possible sleet later today.
Stay off those icy roads. Driving could be treacherous.
Instead of going out,
stay home by the fire this Christmas Eve and--
- [Grandpa switches radio off]
- I bet old John just picked up
some overtime yesterday and slept in.
He'll beat this storm.
- ♪
- I better go cut us a Christmas tree while I can.
Where is John-Boy?
- NARRATOR: As the tension increased
with every hour Daddy hadn't returned,
I still felt responsible for realizing my family's dreams
that Christmas.
I couldn't make Mary Ellen into a pilot
or Jason into a musician.
But I was determined to make Elizabeth's dream come true.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: With what little money I had,
I was resolved to find some way to get her a doll.
- OLIVIA: John-Boy, get down here!
- Comin' Momma!
- ♪
- John-Boy! - JOHN-BOY: I'm coming.
- [bird chirping]
- Oh, if it isn't the prince!
- Why are you always raggin' on me, Mary Ellen?
- I don't know. It seems natural.
- Enough, you two. John-Boy,
I want you to go with Grandpa to cut a Christmas tree.
- Great. - Wait, I wanna go too.
- You kidding me? That's always been my job.
- Well, John-Boy, times are changing.
Mary Ellen wants to go--
- But-- - No buts.
- Well, if you're coming, get your gear.
We're not waitin' on ya.
- ♪
- [birds chirping]
- ♪
- Hmm-mm. - Why?
- No.
- ♪
- ♪ O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree ♪
- [bird squawking]
- ♪
- NARRATOR: I never stopped being enchanted by the beauty
of Walton's Mountain.
Even in the cold of winter, it was a magical place.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: On our hike to where Grandpa had spotted
his Christmas tree years ago...
we stopped at our family's cemetery,
a place I'd only been to once before.
- ♪
- I've never been here before, Grandpa.
- Well, not much reason to yet.
This is where your grandma and me will wind up one day.
- Are these all Waltons? - Yeah.
These are all your people, Mary Ellen.
Generations of mothers and fathers and some babies.
Some of the older graves are marked by stone,
but all their names are in the family Bible.
- This place is so strange.
But it's so...
beautiful.
How did we come to get Walton's Mountain, Grandpa?
- Well, your great-great granddaddy, my granddaddy,
came through here in the summer of 1725.
The way it was told to me, he saved the life of a young boy
who was almost drowned in a swollen creek up the way.
- Through Fork's Creek, right, Grandpa?
- GRANDPA: That's right.
And it turns out that young boy was the grandson
of a chief of the Monacan Indian tribe.
And they had been here forever.
The chief told my granddaddy that he could settle here
as long as he lived in harmony and used the bounty of the land
to spread kindness to the world.
- I never heard that story before.
- It's all true.
The Waltons have been raising families here
and taking care of the land ever since.
In the hardest of times, we never let it go.
Never sold, even when the soapstone company came in
and bought up almost everything around us.
I like to come here every now and then just to feel my roots.
No matter where your dreams take you in this world, Mary Ellen,
you'll always be a Walton.
And you will find that...
family...
well, family is...
- ♪
- [thunder rumbling]
- ♪
- Oh, how I wish it were springtime again.
Forsythia blooming by the fence.
Tulips coming up from the snow.
- ♪
- Don't worry about John, daughter.
I know my boy.
He'll be here soon enough, you'll see.
- ♪
- [birds squawking]
- You two rest here a minute.
I'm gonna go get my bearings.
- John-Boy?
I have a confession to make.
I read your secret notepad.
- What? Are you serious,
Mary Ellen? - I read what you wrote.
I saw--I saw myself, I saw Jason and the others.
And it touched me! It really did.
Look, I'm sorry that I've been ragging on you.
You're not just a scribbler, John-Boy.
I had no idea how good you were.
- [tree rustling]
- You see that tree we're after?
- Oh, I was hoping to get a glimpse of
that big ol' white buck folks talk about.
- Yeah, I've heard the stories.
- Yeah, I never laid eyes on him myself.
But I'm always on the lookout.
Some folks say it's no such thing.
Others say it's a ghost.
I'd give anything to see him just one time.
You know they say the man who spots him is changed forever.
- Looks like you're out of luck, Grandpa.
- Maybe this time.
But in that case, right there's your tree.
I've been keeping an eye on that thing for years.
- Must be near 6 feet, Grandpa.
- It's beautiful. I love it.
- ♪
- I'm not used to making some many stops on this run.
I think I could've hitched it faster.
- Just be glad you're not outside
or in one of those cars we passed slid off in a ditch.
- [chuckles] I guess so.
How long you've been farming, Elmer?
- Always.
- Tough way to make a living lately.
- Yeah, what isn't? But I get by.
- I got cow, a couple hogs, a laying hen,
and a pretty good garden.
With me being away so much, it's--it's
hard on my wife, Livy.
I've been thinking of quitting the mill and
going full out into farming.
- Well, it's sink or swim.
At least you're your own boss.
If you own your own place, well...
you're not at the mercy of the damn bank.
- True, and no more travel.
I got a big family to support.
- Sometimes you just gotta take the leap
and fix things on the way down, you know what I mean?
- Yeah, I guess so.
- [sighs]
Anyway, wake me up when we get to Hickory Creek, will ya?
- Sure.
- BUS DRIVER: Well, folks, we got some icy roads up ahead.
Gonna have to make a little detour.
- [fire crackling]
- [instrumental "Jingle Bells" on radio]
- Okay. Great-Grandma's star's on the tree now officially,
which means that decorating can now begin.
- Don't stop shaking now, Jim-Bob,
or you'll burn them again.
- Grandpa, my arm hurts.
- Well, that's why God gave you two of them.
- How about the lights, John-Boy?
- Well, one bulb doesn't work, so the whole string don't work.
It's like finding a black cat in a coal mine.
- Who needs lights? We got popcorn.
- How will Santa see without Christmas lights?
- Don't worry, he's used to, uh, working in the dark.
- We gonna leave him cornflakes again?
- You bet. - And a carrot for the reindeer.
- Okay, most of the old dime store ornaments,
they look great, and tinsel's up in the attic.
- We don't need tinsel. We got popcorn strings.
- Not at the rate you're going.
- It's Jim-Bob's fault. He's burned too many.
- Get your stupid butt over here and you make the popcorn.
Let me do the stringing.
- You watch your mouth, son. - You're not my daddy.
- And glad of it.
- [shouting]
- Hey, hey, hey! Let's not be grabby, all right?
Be respectful. Right, Grandpa?
- Mind your brother.
- You heard him. Okay?
- What's that?
- It's a blue jay's nest with an egg in it.
I found it on a hike with Daddy. - A rotten egg?
- It's not rotten. I blew all the stuff out of it.
Clean as a whistle. - It's got bird poop on it.
Who wants that smelly thing on our tree?
- I do. And Daddy will wanna see it.
We talked about it.
- Yeah, Santa's gonna take one whiff of that bird poop
and go right back up the chimney.
- [cries] - Lay off, Mary Ellen, Jason.
- Thank you! - JASON: Now what?
- [crying]
- Hey, what's wrong?
- Santa's not gonna come because of Mary Ellen's stinky nest!
- Look at what you've done! Made Elizabeth cry.
- That's not my fault. I just want this--
- It is your fault! You're the one that brought--
- [shouting]
- Hey, hey, everyone, shut up! It's Christmas Eve, damn it!
- What's all this racket?
- John-Boy said "damn it."
- [sighs] Grandpa!
- He took the words right out of my mouth.
- [knocking at door]
- It's Daddy!
- ♪
- Merry Christmas!
- [sighs] Hi, Charlie.
- Gosh, guys. - Is it something I said?
- I'm sorry.
The kids just thought it might be their daddy.
- Ain't that rascal back yet? - We're starting to get worried.
- We both know John won't let a little weather stop him.
In fact, it wouldn't surprise me
if he was over at the Baldwin sisters' place
sampling their recipe right now.
- I won't have you talking that way about my son, Charlie.
- He drinks, doesn't he?
- He takes a drink. There's a difference.
- OLIVIA: Can I pour you a cup of coffee, Charlie?
Oh, or a piece of applesauce cake?
- It still hasn't been frosted.
- [laughs] That's all right. I can't stay but a minute.
Got my pool game over at Ike's tonight to get ready for.
[loudly] Can you keep a secret, Mrs. Walton?
- ♪
- Good.
- Charlie Sneed!
He grates on my last nerve. - Grandma, be polite.
- He treats me like I am deaf!
- I know, but just be quiet.
[gasps]
- CHARLIE: I knew y'all wouldn't get a chance to go hunting
before Christmas.
But I knew you'd appreciate a little meat on the table.
- I thought the hunting season was over.
- It is!
- Aren't you scared of breaking the law on Christmas Eve?
- What better time to share the Lord's bounty?
- That's right, it's God's gift. Right, Charlie?
Ah, and the answer to my prayers!
We are more than grateful.
I'm gonna start cooking him tonight!
- My pleasure, ma'am.
- Just imagine when John Walton walks through that door
and he smells a Christmas turkey in the oven!
You don't know how grateful we are, Charlie.
This year in particular.
- Poaching on Christmas.
- Now you remember...
[laughs]
- [jazzy Christmas music plays]
- Off I go. [laughs]
- ♪
- Ah!
- [sighs] We there already?
- I'll see what's going on.
Hey, man, it's Christmas Eve. You gotta get this bus moving.
- BUS DRIVER: Sir, you need to sit down.
We've got a vehicle in a ditch up here.
- What did you find out?
- The highway's blocked until
they can get some old delivery truck towed out of a ditch.
You hungry? - Could be.
- ♪
- Ah. All right, appreciate it.
- I got these from a guy on the corner in Charlottesville.
He's been out of work a while.
- Hm. We're damn lucky, you and me.
- I'd say.
Hey. - Hm?
- Wanna take a peek at my family?
- Yeah.
- ♪
- Look at this.
- ALVIN: [chuckles] It's a good-looking bunch.
- Thoroughbreds one and all.
- [chuckles]
- Damn lucky.
- I wish you didn't have to go.
- We have to get home by dark.
- Don't you wanna stay and make sure Daddy gets home safely?
- We will see him tomorrow night at supper.
- Merry Christmas, John-Boy.
- I love you, Grandma. - Love you, too.
Come on, let's go.
- Merry Christmas!
- GRANDPA: Merry Christmas! - GRANDMA: Merry Christmas!
- GRANDPA: We'll see you at supper.
- [sighs]
- [music on radio plays]
- Momma?
Do you miss your folks more at Christmas time?
- Mm, truly I do.
It's a special time for families.
You'd have liked my folks.
You're as strong-willed as my momma.
- Really? - [laughs] Sure enough.
[sighs] You know she didn't want me marrying your daddy.
- How come you never told me that before?
- Well, 'cause it never came up in conversation before.
- Why did she object?
- Well, for one thing, I was 17 years old.
- That's John-Boy's age! - There you go.
But that wasn't all, she didn't like me seeing an older boy
with a bit of a reputation.
Not the match for her churchgoing daughter.
Oh, but I fell so hard for your daddy...right away.
[sighs] We had to sneak off to get married.
- Momma!
- [laughs] I know!
- You know, it seems to me like
you're awfully strong-willed yourself.
- When need be.
- BOTH: [laughs]
- The Baptist preacher that we found, he refused to marry us,
until your daddy said...
"You are not the only blankity-blank preacher
in the world! We'll find us another!"
That's all it took. [laughs]
- I don't suppose I'll ever be getting married.
Unless they invent a man
who doesn't think he has to be the boss of me.
I just don't wanna have to answer to anybody but myself.
- I know.
And boy do I worry for whoever you fall in love with.
- ♪
- [knocking at door] - Oh.
- ♪
- Well, hello, you two. Come in out of the cold.
- Merry Christmas, Livy. - Hello, Miss Olivia.
- Hi! - Hey, Claudie!
Do you want to come see our tree?
I cut it down myself!
- Go on, then!
We wanted to drop by before it got too late.
Merry Christmas.
- Thank you so much. You're so sweet.
We will have this with Christmas dinner tonight.
Now, you come with me.
- ♪
- For you.
- From your Christmas cactus?
- The very one that my momma gave me.
- Well, thank you, Livy. I'll take good care of it.
- Mm. Do you have time for
a little applesauce cake before you go?
- I have to get back to Harth and help him finish up.
- [sighs]
- You heard from John yet?
- [sighs]
I can't let on in front of the kids, Rose, but...
I'm scared sick.
And people keep telling me all the reasons
that I shouldn't be concerned.
- But you are.
- If anything happened to him, Rose...
I don't think I could bear it.
- That's not true, Livy. And you know it.
- Hmm-mm.
- I can't reassure you. But I can share your worry.
- Hey, Momma!
- Claudie says there's a missionary from Charlottesville
handing out toys and presents from a truck near Ike's.
Can we go?
- I think you all are forgetting something.
We do not take charity in this house.
- You took Charlie Sneed's turkey.
- [snickers]
- That was the Lord's turkey.
And Charlie brought it to us on his behalf.
A gift from God is not charity. Am I right, Rose?
- You are indeed.
- Can we at least go just to watch other people get gifts?
- What fun would that be?
- It's something to do. - Yeah.
- Yeah, I mean, it sure beats listening to the radio
and waiting for Daddy to turn up.
- We won't take anything. Claudie will make sure of it.
Right, Claudie? - I'll make sure.
- Please, Momma? Please?
- Well, I guess there's no harm in watching.
- KIDS: [cheering]
- John-Boy! You keep an eye on Elizabeth.
- Yes, ma'am.
- [indistinct chatter]
- NARRATOR: I was glad my brothers and sisters would have
a nice distraction from worrying about Daddy.
I decided to make a contribution to the missionary lady
in exchange for choosing a present.
She assured me the large wrapped package I chose was a doll.
So I made my donation sight unseen, hoping
I could at least make
Elizabeth's Christmas wish come true.
- You ready? - Open it.
- ♪
- [gasps] She's dead, John-Boy!
- Hey, it's okay. It's okay. - [crying]
- I'm sorry. It's okay.
- [crying]
- [sighs]
- ♪
- [fire crackling]
- [orchestral music on radio plays]
- [fire crackling]
- ♪
- Oh, John.
- MAN ON RADIO: Well, folks, here's your weather update
for Nelson County.
We're expecting 5 to 8 inches of snow
with gusting winds and poor visibility.
Roads are icy and slick
so officials urge you not to travel.
We've already had reports of a southwest bus skidding off
County Road 29 north of Hickory Creek.
Several injuries and one death have been reported.
Additional emergency crews on the way to help the injuried.
That's all the information we have for now.
But stayed tuned for-- - KIDS: [indistinct chatter]
- It's dark in here.
- Hey, Mama. Keep this between us.
I still believe in Santa, all right?
- Where's Claudie?
- He went back to the church.
- We'll join him there later.
- Aren't you worried about what some people might say?
- Who cares about that?
- No, I know. I'm just saying, you know--
- Jason, sometimes change needs a shove.
We didn't raise you children to be sheep.
It's Christmas Eve.
We're going to Calvary Bible Church.
I need you dressed and ready by 7:15 sharp.
- ♪
- [door opens] - Mama!
- You look like I caught you
with your hand in the cookie jar.
- I just want some privacy, Mama, that's all.
- What is so important that
you dash up here and start writing away?
- I just--
I just like to sort things out on paper
when they're still fresh in my mind.
- And what are you sorting out just now?
- Thoughts. Ideas, you know,
stories I wanna write,
experiences I wanna capture.
- Why does it have to be so secret?
- Well, do you share everything that's welling up inside of you?
Look...I'm sorry.
I just want to be honest with my writing.
I know from some things that happened today
that if I can put my heart on paper, I can touch people.
And I will share it with you when the time is right, okay?
I promise.
- I believe in you, John-Boy.
And we will talk about this all later
but, honey, right now I need your help.
- Okay.
- The radio said...
a bus went off of the road north of Hickory Creek.
People are injuried and one man is dead.
- Daddy's bus? - I don't know for sure.
- I have to go find him.
- You have got to find Charlie Sneed, okay?
He's supposed to be up at Ike's playing pool.
I'll give you a dollar. You tell Charlie Sneed to drive you
to Hickory Creek in that old pick-up of his.
- I'll bring Daddy home. Don't you worry.
- And when you do, you meet us at Rose's church.
- Calvary Bible?
- We're going to services there tonight.
- Okay, whatever you say. - Son...
I know this is a heavy load.
- I won't let you down.
- ♪
♪
- John-Boy!
Hey, um, Momma told me.
I just wanted you to take this.
- Your lucky rabbit's foot?
- Not that you'll need it.
- Thanks, Jason.
- ♪
- You take care of the family while I'm gone, all right?
- Yeah. Yeah.
- ♪
- [wind gusting]
- Oh! [laughs]
- [Christmas music on radio]
- Where's Charlie?
- Hey, John-Boy, come on back!
- Charlie, what the hell's going on?
- You ever seen such a messed-up situation?
- No, are you--are you arrested?
- Keep it down, you two, I'm trying to concentrate.
- He's visiting!
- There's no visiting privileges in Ike's pool room.
Get out. We're playing for groceries.
- Well, wait just a minute-- - God,
See what you made me do?
All right, talk all you want while Ike shoots.
It's only fair.
- Ran over a calf about a mile up the road,
threw it in the back of my pick-up
instead of letting him go to waste.
- First calf I ever saw with 10-point antlers.
- Uh.
- It was one of Glen Robin's animals.
I was gonna pay him for the damage
first thing in the morning! - First thing in the morning
you're gonna be waking up in the Lovington jail.
- Jail's no place for a man on Christmas.
- Should've thought about that one when you poached that buck.
- BALDWIN SISTERS: Yoo-hoo!
- Oh! Right here!
- Can't a man play a game of pool for five minutes without
being interrupted?
- Look, I need--I need your car.
Is your car out there?
- Hey, is that what I think it is?
- It's all legal now, Sheriff.
- As promised.
This one's for the groceries.
- And these are from us to celebrate our Lord's birthday.
- Oh, thank you, ladies.
- Charlie? - Long story.
- Yeah, my daddy hasn't come home yet.
And I was hoping that Charlie could drive me to Hickory Creek
to look for him.
- That ain't gonna happen, son.
Charlie's pick-up has my evidence in the back.
- Great, well, I gotta go find him.
- You better start walking.
- Walking? - On foot?
- It's awful out!
- Just one minute, John-Boy. I've got an idea.
- BALDWIN SISTERS: [indistinct chatter]
[laughing]
- What is it? - We've made a decision.
- You can take the judge's car.
- Merry Christmas! - I don't know what to say.
I don't think thank you would be good enough.
- Well, it's our pleasure, John-Boy.
You go find your daddy.
Just drop us off at our place and be on your way.
- Perhaps we could share a cup of eggnog?
- I really wish I could. I just gotta go find my daddy.
- Oh, we understand. - Absolutely.
- To the car! - Yeah.
- [door opens]
- ♪
- ♪ The angels did say ♪
♪ Was to certain poor shepherds ♪
♪ In fields as they lay ♪
- [singing stops]
- Well, some new voices!
Welcome, Waltons, come on in, have a seat.
Come on in. Have a seat.
Join us on the refrain.
- ♪ Noel, noel ♪
♪ Noel, noel ♪
♪ Born is the king ♪
♪ Of Israel ♪
- ♪
- [indistinct chatter]
- ♪
- Whoa, what do you think you're doing, son?
- That's the bus from Charlottesville down there?
- Yeah, it sure is.
It hit a patch of black ice and skidded off the road.
- Well, my daddy may be in that bus!
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, listen, listen.
We already took a group of passengers to Hickory Creek.
He may be gone already.
We're still trying to get a passenger out
who got pinned up against a seat. Alright!
You can't go down there, son. It's not safe.
- JOHN-BOY: But my daddy-- - No buts!
Now, you can stay up here. But no one else is going down.
You hear me? - Yes, sir.
- ♪
- [sobbing]
Dear God, please help me, okay?
I promise, if you spare my daddy's life,
I'll give up my dream to become a writer, okay?
In your name I pray, Jesus. Amen.
- ♪
- [applause]
- The Lord speaks on love. - Yes!
- The Bible speaks often of God's acceptance of others.
- All right! - Yeah!
- But the Lord sees not as man sees.
But the Lord looks on to the heart.
- [shouting]
- And the heart is where you find love.
The heart! - CONGREGATION: The heart!
- Is where you find!
- CONGREGATION: Is where you find!
- L-O-V-E.
- CONGREGATION: L-O-V-E.
- [cheers and applause]
- ♪
♪
- Oh, thank you, God.
- MAN: Good work, men.
- John-Boy! The hell you doing here?
- Looking for you.
- Elmer, you--you doin' all right?
- I'm better now thanks to you.
- I know you'd done the same for me, friend.
He's gonna take good care of you now, okay?
- Appreciate it.
Hey, John, you remember what I told you. Huh?
- ♪
- MAN: Get the last ones up.
- ♪
- What were you doing down there?
- Elmer's leg was pinned.
It was a two-man job to pry him out.
- You okay? - Yeah,
I twisted my damn ankle when the bus went off the road.
No big deal.
How in the world did you get here anyway?
- Courtesy of the Baldwin Sisters.
- [laughs] Well, I'll be damned.
[laughs]
Mighty nice when it calms down.
The stars and all.
[clears throat]
I wanna apologize for the run-in before I left.
I been feeling bad about it ever since.
- Me too. - No.
Sometimes I get too worked up for my own good.
I'm grateful for the way you've taken care of the family
while I've been gone.
It's time I told you so.
We might have our differences, but I admire your grit.
And sometimes being a man is standing up for yourself.
And by that measure, you've shown us all something.
I'm proud to be your daddy.
- Thank you.
I love you too.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: Seeing the great white buck
had always been Grandpa's dream.
But that Christmas Eve, it appeared to Daddy and me.
- You saw that, right?
- That I did, John-Boy. That I did.
- NARRATOR: It meant that
a Walton family dream had come true.
Sometimes the realization that you've changed
comes flooding in on you.
All in the space of a day or an hour, or even a single moment.
That night, I realized
I'd passed the threshold into manhood.
And Daddy, it seemed, had a little revelation of his own.
- I've been mulling something over lately, John-Boy.
I don't wanna travel anymore for jobs, had enough of it.
I plan to start farming full-time.
Be my own boss for a change.
Think we can make do?
- I expect better than that. - [laughs]
What do you think your mother will say?
- Well, I think she'll say, uh...
"What took ya so damn long?" - [laughs]
Probably.
- We're supposed to meet up with them at Calvary Bible tonight.
- The colored church. Uh.
- Is that a problem? - Hmm? Nah.
I just don't like the idea of being preached to.
Never stepped foot in any church, no matter what kind.
Well, at any rate, we gotta swing by the house first.
- What for?
- Santa Claus... is coming to the Waltons.
Hope you've been good.
- You got something back there for me?
- Hey, hey, keep your eyes on the road.
- Among God's first words in the Bible, "Let there be light."
And on this day, we celebrate the birth of another light.
One that can bring us out of our own darkness.
Now, remember that as you pass your light
on to the person next to you.
Sister Harriet? Brother William?
- Thanks, Reverend.
We'll be singing "Silent Night."
♪ Mmmm ♪
- ♪ Silent night ♪
- ♪ Holy night ♪
- ♪ All is calm ♪
- ♪ And all is bright ♪
- BOTH: ♪ Round yon virgin ♪
♪ Mother and child ♪
♪ Holy infant ♪
♪ So tender and mild ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
♪ Peace ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
♪ Peace ♪
- [gasps] - Merry Christmas, Livy.
- ♪
- Daddy! - Daddy!
- OLIVIA: [laughing]
- ♪
- Behold the light given to us.
The miracle of Christmas.
- [indistinct chatter]
- Come, everyone, sing with us.
- ALL: ♪ Silent night ♪
♪ Holy night ♪
♪ All is calm ♪
♪ And all is bright ♪
♪ Round yon virgin ♪
♪ Mother and child ♪
♪ Holy infant ♪
♪ So tender and mild ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
♪ Peace ♪
♪ Sleep in heavenly ♪
♪ Peace ♪♪
- WALTONS: ♪ Joyful all ye nations rise ♪
♪ Join the triumph of the skies ♪
♪ With the angelic host proclaim ♪
♪ Christ is born in Bethlehem ♪
♪ Hark the herald angels sing ♪
♪ Glory to the newborn king ♪♪
- Hey! - Hey!
- What's that on the porch?
- Why, it's a sack. Huh?
I wonder if Santa came by while we were gone.
What do you think?
It's a hunch.
- John. - What do you think?
- [indistinct chatter]
- I believe Santa said that one was for Jim-Bob.
- Oh!
- Get it! Get it! - I think on Christmas.
- [laughing]
- Who's got something? - [harmonica notes]
- Oh, that sounded great! - I love it!
- What? What's next? - Okay, here we go!
- Wow! Lincoln Logs!
- ♪
- Dahling! I'm ready for my close-up.
- [indistinct chatter]
- [cheers and applause]
- I bet I know who Santa got this one for.
- ♪
- Oh!
Well, look at that.
- [laughing]
- [gasps] - Wow.
- Look what I got!
You were right, John-Boy! You were right!
- ♪
- John-Boy, would you see if there's one in there
with--with the green ribbon on it?
- Yeah, I'll look for it.
- John Walton, you've outdone yourself.
- I've done nothing of the sort. This is all Santa.
Looks like Santa brought you something too.
- Oh! What in the world? - What?
- [indistinct chatter]
- Oh!
Tulip bulbs.
Oh, John!
- North Pole's a little short on flowers but, um,
come springtime.
- ♪
- [laughs]
- Now, I think there should be one more in that sack.
- Yeah? - Why don't you go ahead
and open it, John-Boy?
- I wonder what this is. - Okay. All right.
- Uh, wh--
- What is it, son?
- It's just that when I went lookin' for you,
I made a promise to God that--
[chuckles]-- I made a promise to God
that if I found you safe and alive,
that I would give up my writing dream.
And I would just take care of the family and support us.
- John-Boy...I'm no expert on religion.
But I don't think the Lord works that way.
He's given you a dream... and he ain't gonna want it back.
He wants you to see it through.
You keep writing. - Okay.
- ♪
- Alright.
- ♪
- What's that you got in your hand?
- [sighs] It's a Christmas present from John-Boy.
It's filled with his writing.
- Whoa. How about that?
[groans] - What?
- [sighs]
- Did you mean what you said, John?
Working the farm?
You'll stay?
- Try sending me away.
- ♪
- You must have spent your entire paycheck
playing Santa Claus.
- Oh, most anyway.
- Oh, what are we gonna live on this week?
- Love, woman. Love.
- ♪
- NARRATOR: Love and acceptance were the most important gifts
we received that Christmas.
I had given up on my dream when I prayed to save my daddy
to save my family.
But in the end, saving my family gave me back my dream.
My brothers and sisters went on to live their dreams, too.
Jim-Bob became a professor of architecture at Cornell.
Jason, a bluegrass producer in Nashville.
Erin, a casting director in LA.
And Mary Ellen became the first female pilot
for the US Postal Service.
I eventually moved away
and became the writer I dreamed of being.
But no matter where we find ourselves as the years go by,
Walton's Mountain remains our lasting home.
My sister Elizabeth lives there still
with her son and his family.
She often visits our family cemetery,
just like my grandpa did with me and Mary Ellen.
And as we learned from Grandpa that long past Christmas Eve,
family is, well...
everything is family.
- ♪
- Watch your step, Great-Grandma Elizabeth.
- Well, here we are.
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- Toby, he would have been your great-great uncle.
- ♪
- I love you, John-Boy.
- ♪
♪
- MARY-ELLEN: Merry Christmas, Momma!
- OLIVIA: Merry Christmas, Mary Ellen!
Merry Christmas, Erin!
- JASON: Merry Christmas, Jim-Bob.
- JIM-BOB: Merry Christmas, Jason!
- ELIZABETH: Merry Christmas, Daddy!
- JOHN: Merry Christmas, Elizabeth.
- JOHN-BOY: Merry Christmas, Momma.
- OLIVIA: Merry Christmas, John-Boy.
- ♪♪
- ♪
♪♪
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