- [♪ cheerful instrumental music playing] - [sawing]
[hums]
Oh, hello there. [chuckles] You caught me.
Well, you can't have Christmas without a tree, right?
And you can't have a tree without a forest,
which is where this story begins.
Have you ever wondered what makes a Christmas story a Christmas story?
I mean, some folks say if your story is set during the holidays,
then bingo, there you go. [chuckles]
Christmas spirit just rubs off on it and that's all it takes.
But me, I think there's something more.
You know how you feel at this time of year.
A little bit happy, a little bit sad.
Maybe you can't even put it into words.
But if you try, maybe you can put it into a song.
[♪ sentimental folk music playing, “Ar Fol Lol Lol Lo”]
Now this song I'm about to sing... Well, it's mostly nonsense.
But the parts that are not nonsense, they mean quite a lot.
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ Fol lee fol o la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ There's lilt in the song I sing There's laughter and love ♪
[Moon] Whoo-hoo!
♪ There's scent of the pine and blue ♪
[Moon] Yeah!
♪ From heaven above ♪
♪ Of reason there's none And why should there be for bye ♪
[gasps]
♪ As long as there’s fire in the blood ♪
Shiny!
♪ And a light in the eye ♪
[Moon] Ha! Gotcha!
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro... ♪
[Moon] Whoops!
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro... ♪
[Moon] Whoo-hoo! Yeah!
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro... ♪
- Woo-hoo! - [Papa Owl] No, no, no!
- [♪ music ends abruptly] - No, no-- [sighs]
- Moon! - Moon.
- Not again. - Not again.
Did you see me?
I've never flown that far on my own before.
- This was a perfect nest. - [♪ gentle instrumental music playing]
Now look at it! Look... look at this! I mean...
You broke it.
Oh. Well, now we can make it even better!
Look what I found. Imagine, a silver nest.
At the top of the tallest tree, we’d be the talk of the forest.
A silver nest? Uh...
Then everyone will look at us. Everyone will see.
What's wrong with people looking?
We are owls. [hesitates] We aren't meant to be seen.
- Now come along and-- - But what if I want to be seen?
Do you also want to be eaten? All the other creatures in the forest
want nothing more than to make you their dinner.
- The mice don't. - If they were bigger, they would.
- The sparrows don't. The-- - [hawk screeches]
- [shushes] - What is it, Papa?
It was probably a leaf.
A big, scary leaf rustling in the mild yet petrifying breeze!
Very funny, little Moon.
You think you know what's out there in the world,
but... [sighs] ...you have no idea.
- I have kind of an idea. - [Papa Owl] Yeah, when you're grown,
you can make your silver nest in any tree you like,
but it's getting cold now, and we have no nest at all.
I need you to be a good brother
and stay here with Peaky while I go look for a new home.
- Can you do that? - Yes, Papa.
[sighs] Stay very still, very quiet,
and don't go anywhere.
All right, I'll be back.
[sighs]
- I didn't mean to break it. - But you did.
I bet I could fix it though.
- I just need a few good sticks. - [♪ playful instrumental music playing]
I could do it before Papa gets back. It would be a surprise.
But Papa said we have to stay here.
Don't worry, Peaky, I won't go far. We're in a forest.
- There are sticks and twigs everywhere. - Wait! Moon!
- I'll be right back! - [♪ music intensifies]
[Moon] Here's one.
That one might work.
This one's perfect!
- [gasps] Shiny! - [bells chiming]
[breathes heavily]
- [hawk screeches] - [moon screams]
- [♪ tense orchestral music playing] - [Moon screams, breathes heavily]
[Papa Owl] Go, Moon, I've got him!
- Papa! - [Papa Owl] Go!
[Moon screams, grunts]
- [breathing heavily] - Are you okay?
- My wing, I think it's broken. - [hawk screeches]
You're going to be fine, just stay in the tree.
Stay in the tree. I'll be back.
[Moon] Yes, Papa.
Stay in the tree. Stay in the tree. Stay in the tree.
Stay in the tree. Stay in the tree.
Stay in the tree.
- [♪ music fades] - [chainsaw revving]
- [lumberjack] Timber! - [screams]
- [truck engine revving] - [♪ soft instrumental music playing]
- [indistinct chatter] - [truck engine revving]
[lumberjack] Make way, make way! We're moving.
Let's go. Come on, come on, come on!
- [car horn blaring] - [traffic rumbling]
- [groans] - [♪ music fades]
- [car horns honking] - Huh?
[groaning]
[♪ sentimental festive music playing, "Carol of the Bells"]
Oh.
[indistinct chatter]
Steady. I got this, I can do this.
What sort of forest is this?
[screams]
[yelps, screams]
- [water splashes] - [Moon gargles, groans]
[gasps]
Excuse me!
Oh, Oh, Oh, no.
[screams] Whoa, whoa, whoa!
[groans]
[bystander 1] Miss, are you all right?
- Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. - [bystander 2] Yeah, you really hit it.
- Is there someone that can take you home? - Just leave me alone.
- I'm leaving. [grunts] - [bystander 1] Well,
- can we walk you out? - [Luna] It's fine.
- Why don't you come with me? - [screams] Watch out!
[groans, breathes heavily]
[♪ music fades]
Well, hello there. You're in the wrong place, aren't you?
- Are you lost? - [police officer clears throat]
Ah! Yes, sir.
Looks like I'm in the wrong place too. Hey, you take care now.
These streets get a little dicey... and icy.
Hm.
- Food! - [Moon gasps]
Food, food, food, food, food! - I'll take that.
- Thank you very much. - Food, food.
I'm sorry, I wasn't going to eat it all.
- Well, well, well. - What's going on here?
- Looks like we got a live one. - Yeah, I'm alive.
- Food! - No, I'm not food, sir.
What were you eating, kid? Go back to where you belong.
I'm sorry. I was just hoping I could get some...
You know, I'm going to stop you right there.
Uh, look, this is trash, you see?
And trash is pigeon food, not whatever you are food.
- Yeah, what are you anyway? - I'm an owl.
- An owl? - A little small to be an owl,
- don't you think? - I... I don't think you're an owl.
Owls are, you know, notoriously significant beast creatures
of the sky at night.
- No, you're not an owl. - I promise, I'm an owl.
- Food. - No, no! I don't want your food.
- I just want to get-- - Well, you can't have it, so stop asking.
- I wasn't asking. I was talking-- - [Pat] For crying out loud.
You want Punt to starve, kid?
- He's starving! - Food.
What chance has he to eat at all if he isn't eating trash?
- He's so hungry. - [Punt] Food, food!
Hey, what happened to your wing anyhow?
Well, it was...
- I got in a fight, and now it's bro-- - Oh, tough guy!
[chuckles] So now you think you can fight us for it?
- Bad idea, kid. - [Moon] Wait!
I didn't say that! You said that!
I mean, it's three against one. You really think you can take us?
- Terrible idea. - No!
Okay, let's show 'em what we're made of here at Rockefeller Plaza!
Aw, crap, here we go again.
- [♪ dramatic orchestral music playing] - [Punt] Food!
- Food, food, food, food, food, food. - [breathes heavily]
[panting]
[Pelly] Over there.
- [Pat] Go, go, go! - [Punt] Food!
[grunts]
[Pat] He’s headed down fifth!
[groans]
Hey there, little buddy.
- [Pelly] Gotcha! - [Moon screams]
[Pelly] Hey, slow down. We just wanna talk to you.
[Moon screaming]
[screams]
[groans, gasps]
[Pelly] Oh, we got you now!
[pants]
[train horn honking]
[grunts]
No, no, no, no, no! [screams]
[grunts, groans]
- [♪ music fades] - [pants]
- [Moon sighing] - [♪ gentle instrumental music playing]
- You again. - You again.
- What is this thing? - Hey there.
- What sort of forest do you live in? - How'd you get so far from home?
Is it near here?
What happened to your wing?
- [gasps] - Is it broken?
As if the holidays weren't stressful enough already.
It's okay.
Come on, poor little guy.
There we go.
My name is Luna.
You have the kindest face I've seen all day.
- My name is Moon. - Do you have a name?
- Papa calls me "Little Moon." - What should I call you?
Someday, I guess I'll be Big Moon. But for now, I'm mostly just little.
You have a lot to say.
Oh. Is your leg supposed to be like that?
[♪ gentle acoustic music playing, “It’s Christmas Today"]
♪ When the Christmas Spirit cannot be found... ♪
I've never been on the train alone before.
We're right here,
but my mom and I live down here somewhere.
I guess we could take this train to this train.
But if I go back home, she'll be mad at me.
- Hey! Hey, kid! - [Luna] My dad lives up here...
- [speaking indistinctly] - This is not your place. This is my place.
- All of this. - Yes, sir.
I've peed all over it.
- Okay. - [Dave] Merry Christmas.
[Luna] And here's Rockefeller Plaza.
- That's where we came from. - Papa said to wait in the tree.
I just wanted to go skating.
You haven't seen a tree around here, have you?
I used to think Christmas was the best time to be in the city.
[Moon] I don't understand this place at all.
I'd come here with my parents to look at the windows
- and all the decorations. - In my forest,
we had humans come to us every now and again.
- I thought everyone seemed so happy. - And my papa didn't like them.
But I would always give them my best trick and they'd smile.
None of them look like they do here.
Who knows? Maybe they're not happy.
Maybe they're all alone, like us,
- just waiting for Christmas to be... - [gasps]
- [cuckoo clock chiming] - [Luna] Oh!
- What is it? - I think it's my papa!
[cuckoo clock chiming]
It's just a clock.
Are you okay?
You aren't, are you?
Well, neither am I.
But I am hungry.
- What about you? - You're saying food?
- You know. Eating? Food? - I could eat food.
¿Come?
I like worms, insects, grubs, or small mice.
Do you have any of those?
This is all five bucks will get you in New York City.
- Pretty good though, don't you think? - This is the worst food I've ever eaten.
But you're very kind to hunt it for me.
You remind me of my dog, you know?
You've got the same eyes. You look like you understand.
You're pointing to your heart? You love me?
I don't know you well, but I think... I love you too.
Sorry, it's really starting to hurt.
That might be the coolest thing I've ever seen.
I can turn my head all the way around.
Not as good as the leg, but something.
[sighs] We're quite a pair, aren't we?
[♪ gentle acoustic music continues]
♪ ...on Christmas ♪
- There it is! - [Luna] What is it?
[Moon] The tree, the tree! Look, look!
- What are you trying to say? - That's where I need to go!
- [Luna] Wait! - That's the tree!
- [Luna] Come back. - That's the tree!
- [Luna] Slow down. - Papa said to stay in the tree.
- Stop! - [Moon panting]
- I'm not as fast as you! - [Moon] It’s getting away!
- [car honks] - [Luna] Wait, I can't keep up!
[Moon] Oh, no!
[Luna] Stop!
- [Moon] It's gone. - [Luna panting]
[♪ gentle acoustic music continues]
- I wanna go home. - I wanna go home.
- [string snaps] - [♪ music stops]
Huh?
Guess it's broken.
Oh well, that hasn't ever stopped me before.
♪ In the bleak midwinter ♪
♪ Frosty wind made moan ♪
♪ Earth stood hard as iron ♪
♪ Water like a stone ♪
♪ Snow had fallen, snow on snow... ♪
[Pat] Well, well, well.
- Look who it is. - We thought we'd lost you.
- Food. - Go away!
You're just a bunch of loud bullies, and we don't want your trash!
We're lost and we just want to get home.
- Yeah, for Christmas. - Yeah, for Christmas. Whatever that is.
- Did I just hear you? - Did you just hear me?
Ah...
- For the Christmas, huh. - Home is a good place to be on Christmas.
- Wish we had a home. - We do have a home.
Oh, yeah, that's right. We do, the streets.
- Food. - What do you think, boss? Should we?
I guess we could show you the way back, you know, if you, uh, really wanted.
- You would? - Yeah.
- Think of it as a welcome present. - To the Big Apple!
- Apples have worms in them. - They do, that's the yummy part.
- Come on. - But my wing's broken, I can't fly.
Fly? You think we fly? You're nuts, kid. Come on!
[♪ whimsical instrumental music playing]
Oh, yeah.
- This is more like it. - I do wish I brought my scarf.
You didn't think we were actually going to fly all the way there, did you?
[Pelly] We're pigeons, give us some credit.
Shiny.
[♪ uplifting festive music playing]
- There it is, there it is, there it is! - Wait, let me help you!
I've got to get to the top before my papa gets here.
Huh? Okay, what? We're running now?
Just stop. This is completely out of line.
Everyone stop.
Stop running. Stop, stop!
- [Moon] Come on! - [Dave] This is unacceptable!
- [Moon] This way! There it is, come on! - [Dave] Woof, woof, woof.
Oh, for Pete's sake.
[staff member] Hey, no animals on the ice!
I can do this. I can do this.
I can do this. I can do this!
I got you!
Fly!
- [Moon panting] - [gasps]
Hold on tight, little guy. I got you!
- Woo-hoo! - [♪ music intensifies]
- Yes! - Yeah!
- Holy mackerel! - Merry Christmas, kid!
Fly high, you brave little owl!
Huh.
It's a pretty good view from up here, isn't it?
[Moon] Yeah.
I don't see Papa though. Do you think he'll ever find me?
Well... maybe. Maybe not.
But hey, look at all those people out there
with good cheer in their hearts and whatnot.
Maybe they can help you find him.
Merry Christmas, kid.
"Merry Christmas?"
[♪ soft instrumental music playing]
So, what do you think? What makes this story a Christmas story?
- Is it the tree? - [light switch flicks]
- The snow? - [light switch flicks]
- The light in the darkness? - [light switch flicks]
Or maybe it's that feeling
where you didn't quite get what you wanted,
but deep down, you know even one tiny candle
can make things a little brighter and a little warmer.
- Maybe it's all those things. - [♪ gentle acoustic music playing]
- Or maybe it's this. - Excuse me, sir?
There's a little owl in that tree who needs to find his family.
♪ That's the spirit of Christmas ♪
And I need to find mine too.
♪ Bringing holiday cheer... ♪
[firefighter] Come on, little fella. You are very far from home.
I have to stay here. I have to wait for my papa.
- I'm going to-- - [firefighter] Don't worry.
- We'll get you back to your family. - [Moon] Oh.
- This is very warm. - [♪ music intensifies]
♪ Making space in the manger Making time, taking part ♪
♪ That's the spirit of Christmas ♪
♪ Offering peace to the whole wide world ♪
♪ Every boy, every girl ♪
♪ That's the spirit of Christmas ♪
It's okay, you can go.
♪ That's the spirit of Christmas ♪
♪ Goodwill towards all ♪
♪ And peace on earth ♪
[cheers]
[♪ uplifting orchestral music playing]
- Papa! - [Papa] Moon?
Papa!
- [Papa] Moon, where have you been? - [Peaky] Moon!
- [Papa] I looked... I... I looked-- - Merry Christmas, Papa!
-"Christmas?" -"Christmas?"
- What's Christmas? - What's Christmas?
I don't actually know, but I think...
[♪ sentimental folk music playing, “Ar Fol Lol Lol Lo”]
...it's what this is.
[folk singer] You're right, Little Moon.
It's what this is.
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ Fol lee fol o la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ There’s lilt in the song I sing There’s laughter and love ♪
♪ There’s scent of the pine and blue from heaven above ♪
♪ Of reason there’s none And why should there be for bye ♪
♪ As long as there’s fire in the blood and a light in the eye ♪
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ Fol lee fol o la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ The forest is soft with snow The maple is sweet ♪
♪ There’s song in the air The road’s a song at our feet ♪
♪ So, step it along as light as a bird on the wing ♪
♪ And while we are stepping Join our voices and sing ♪
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ Fol lee fol o la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ And whether the bird be highland, lowland or no ♪
♪ And whether the wings be black or white as the snow ♪
♪ Of kith and of kin, we’re one Be it right, be it wrong ♪
♪ As long as our voices join the chorus of song ♪
♪ Ar fol lol lol lo la ro ar fol lol lol lay ♪
♪ Fol lee fol o la ro ♪
♪ Ar fol lol lol lay ♪
[♪ music concludes]