Amy, Tammy and Henrietta are in the mayor’s office before Marietta arrives.
Tammy: Does anyone else find it concerning that Marietta hasn’t said anything about Christmas at all? She’s always in the holiday spirit early, but nothing this year! It’s entirely unlike her.
Amy: It’s still early, no?
Tammy: It’s December 10th. We’re usually knee-deep in Christmas decorations by now. Most of them being old Christmas decorations Patty Lynn didn’t want anymore, but still, this is not the Marietta I’m used to.
Henrietta: Actually, now that you mention it, Patty Lynn’s house hasn’t been decorated like always.
Amy: I think Martin helped her with a lot of the heavy lifting for that.
Tammy: God, I didn’t even think of Martin. Do you think they’re depressed?
Henrietta: The holiday season can be really difficult for some people, especially after a major personal change. I could see the Landfields just not having the energy for all the holly and jolly this year.
Amy: I feel bad. This is their favorite time of year. Obnoxiously so.
Tammy: Come to think of it, as amazing and generous as it was, Marietta volunteering at that soup kitchen on Thanksgiving was a bit odd. She’s always been just as insistent about the holiday traditions as Patty Lynn.
Amy: I mean, the woman makes us all stay at her mother’s house on Christmas Eve and wear matching Christmas pajamas.
Tammy: Should we try and do something to kickstart her holiday spirit?
Henrietta: What can we do? We can’t force her to want to celebrate Christmas.
Tammy: No, but we could try and cheer her up a bit.
Amy: Is that the best idea?
Tammy: Is cheering our friend up the best idea? Do you hear yourself?
Amy: She’s never outright said she’s depressed or anything. Maybe it’s not a great idea to point out that she’s visibly distressed. It might make her feel worse.
Tammy: Damn, I didn’t think of that.
Amy: Aren’t you glad to have a thinker like me here to point out when your ideas are harebrained?
Henrietta: Maybe we can just subtly try and remind her of how much fun Christmas is. Nothing too in-your-face, just casual mentions of it.
Amy: I’ve seen Tammy’s idea of casual. I have concerns.
Tammy: Oh, I can sell casual much better than you.
Amy: I’m sure.
Marietta: What are you guys talking about?
Tammy: Just how much we all love the song Tennessee Christmas by Amy Grant.
Amy: Smooth.
Marietta: I’ve never been allowed to listen to that song. My mom, as you know, has a distaste for Tennessee.
Amy: Well, that’s a shame. What Christmas songs were you allowed to listen to?
Marietta: Pretty much every other one. She’s pretty crazy about Christmas.
Tammy: Even this year?
Marietta: Huh?
Tammy: Well, we’ve noticed her house isn’t decorated like it usually is.
Marietta: I think it’s just a lot for her at her age. Those crates of decorations are heavy.
Tammy: That’s the only reason?
Marietta: What are you getting at?
Tammy: Nothing at all.
Marietta: You guys are acting strange.
Henrietta: When do they ever not?
Marietta: That’s a good point.
Some time later, in DC…
Kate: Ellie, is Milton acting unusual to you?
Ellie: He’s a Landfield, that’s in his DNA.
Kate: I’m serious!
Ellie: As am I!
Kate: He loves Christmas. There’s no Christmas decor in his office, he hasn’t RSVP’d to the holiday mixer, he hasn’t invited us to his mom’s for Christmas, nor has Marietta…
Ellie: You say that as if it’s expected.
Kate: I don’t expect it. But they’ve been doing it for years. I worry their holiday spirit has gone away.
Ellie: They’ve gone through a lot this year. Marietta thought she’d be the president-elect right now. Instead, an idiot philanderer is going to be our president for another four years. They lost Martin, and we all know how important he was to the family.
Kate: I’m not saying they don’t have reason to have less spirit. This is just concerning to me. I’ve never seen people who love Christmas more. For all of them to just not care anymore… it’s jarring.
Ellie: Is it our business? I don’t think so, aside from the fact that I’m going to have to either put up a tree this year or join my daughter on her annual Christmas trip to Ibiza.
Kate: You don’t put up a tree?
Ellie: I’m never home! I’ve got one in my office. I have a small one in my apartment here. I have a string of lights on my home in Mass. That’s enough. I’m no miser, just lazy.
Kate: I go all-out. It’s something I’ve always bonded with Marietta over. Though I guess it will be nice to get to spend Christmas in front of my fireplace, next to my tree.
Ellie: Yeah, think of it like that.
Kate: I want Milton and Marietta to enjoy Christmas, though, too. I don’t know how to help.
Ellie: Have you considered leaving them alone? This isn’t our business.
Kate: I just care so much. I’m “Caring Kate.”
Ellie: No one calls you that.
Kate: I’m trying to get it going.
Ellie: What do you want to do here? You want me to dress up as Santa and surprise Milton?
Kate: Would you?
Ellie: No! Do I look like Santa?
Kate: Did I say you do? You’re the one who offered in the first place!
Ellie: Maybe call Tammy and see if she’s got any ideas.
Kate: Good idea!
Ellie: I’m full of ‘em!
Later that day, Kate calls Tammy.
Tammy: Kate! Great to hear from you. Everything going okay?
Kate: The House is weighing impeachment and the country’s falling apart. Other than that, all is well.
Tammy: Things are great here! Sunny weather, Christmas in the air -
Kate: That’s actually what I’m calling about!
Tammy: Christmas? Oh yeah, I’m sure you’re invited to come on down. Patty Lynn loves you. Although, she’s not really in the spirit this year.
Kate: Are you kidding? That’s what I was calling about!
Tammy: Patty Lynn’s lack of holiday spirit?
Kate: No, Milton’s.
Tammy: I wouldn’t know, I haven’t seen him.
Kate: He isn’t even wearing his Christmas suits or his festive pins. Something’s up, Tammy.
Tammy: Depression? You know, it is the time of year with the highest suicide rates.
Kate: Tammy, that’s awful.
Tammy: It is, we have to work on changing that.
Kate: Yes, but not really my point at this juncture. We have to get the Landfields their Christmas spirit back.
Tammy: We’re not elves, so that’s easier said than done.
Kate: It’s just sad to see them have no holiday joy this year. It’s so unlike them, it’s reducing my own holiday spirit.
Tammy: I think we have to let them find the spirit themselves.
Kate: How about an intervention?
Tammy: I tried that, Amy yelled at me.
Kate: Amy always yells at you.
Tammy: That is true.
Kate: I think if Moira and I sit down with Milton and you and Amy sit down with Marietta and Patty Lynn, we can get to the root off this.
Tammy: I know the root of it. They miss Martin. We can’t solve that.
Kate: We can do our part to bring them some holiday joy.
Tammy: Can we do it without looking too pushy?
Kate: Are you really asking me that? You’re as pushy as they come!
Tammy: I am not!
Kate: Tammy…
Tammy: Fine, I’m pushy.
Kate: I think you can use that to your advantage. Patty Lynn is famously easy to strong-arm.
Tammy: Are we thinking of the same woman?
Kate: ’Twas a joke.
A bit later, Kate calls Moira.
Moira: Kate, is something going on up there in DC?
Kate: Nothing’s wrong, I’m just calling about your husband.
Moira: Is he acting up? Do you need me to get him in line?
Kate: No, but yes. He isn’t in the holiday spirit! Something isn’t right.
Moira: I can’t say I’ve noticed. But I haven’t spent much time with him lately.
Kate: Rocky times?
Moira: No, I’m just busy at work.
Kate: On the city council?
Moira: It’s fulfilling work.
Kate: If you insist.
Moira: So what do you need me to do about Milton’s holiday spirit? You want me to visit in DC?
Kate: That would be great! I’m having an intervention to fill him with the holiday spirit. You could help greatly!
Moira: Because the way to get people to feel excited for Christmas is surely to force them into it.
Kate: I just feel so bad. I know the Landields are all missing Martin, and that’s diminished their spirit. I just want them to realize all the joys that remain in life, and what a gift Christmas is.
Moira: I feel like I’m in some sort of Peanuts special.
Kate: Am I being too preachy? It’s just that their love of Christmas inspires me to appreciate it more, and something just doesn’t feel right in the world when they’re not going crazy for Christmas.
Moira: I’ll do my part to help my husband in any way. I also love his holiday spirit. I want him to have a great Christmas, even if there is a missing piece in our large extended family.
A few days later…
Marietta: Is there a reason you’ve all invited yourselves - and me - here to my mom’s house?
Tammy: Something is not right, and we all know it.
Amy: This was not my idea. I was fervently opposed. I need that on record.
Kathleen: Whatever this is, I do unfortunately feel compelled to see how it unfolds.
Patty Lynn: Are you all upset about the pecan pie I made on Saturday? I know it was underbaked and the dough was raw, I will do better in the future.
Tammy: That’s not what we’re here for.
Patty Lynn: So what is it?
Tammy: Look around. What’s missing?
Marietta: My patience?
Sarah: Decorations! Holiday spirit!
Tammy: it’s entirely unlike you to skip Christmas. You are all about tradition. You’re the Christmas Queen. There’s practically nothing in the house this time, and it’s less than two weeks to Christmas!
Patty Lynn: I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I’m very busy.
Tammy: The Patty Lynn we all know would make time for it regardless of how busy she is. We’re worried.
Marietta: We’re all here to address my mother’s lack of holiday cheer?
Amy: And yours!
Sarah: You’re a real miser lately, aunt Marietta.
Marietta: I am not!
Amy: You’re so chilly whenever the Christmas season is brought up, we’ve begun calling you Snow Miser.
Marietta: That is mean!
Sarah: It isn’t mean to be nice…
Marietta: How are we misers?
Tammy: You’re all pretty much ignoring Christmas. It’s a glaring difference from last year.
Marietta: There have bene changes since last year.
Kathleen: I have the same spirit I always have.
Tammy: Yes, none. The intervention’s not for you, you are acting exactly the same.
Kathleen: Good to know I’m still normal!
Sarah: I don’t think anyone said that.
Tammy: Guys, I know Martin was the heart of this family but think of all the memories we made together. Think of how much joy it brought him to see us all celebrating the holidays together.
Kathleen: Correction: I am the heart of this family.
Patty Lynn: You only saw the good. I drove him nuts decorating. He was so exhausted every year after we were done getting everything out.
Tammy: But he still did it for you, because he loved you, and he loved your love of Christmas. Don’t shun the whole day because it’s a reminder of what you lost. Celebrate it because it’s a reminder of the great thing you had. All those memories are still in there.
Patty Lynn: It’s just hard. Christmas, more than anything. It was our time. He loved Christmas. He’s why I loved it so much, and ultimately my love for it outgrew his love for it.
Marietta: You are right though. I’ve been so focused on the loss that I’m not living in the moment and appreciating the Christmases I do get. I mean, who knows how many Christmases I have left with you and mom and Kathleen?
Tammy: Okay, we didn’t have to dig in quite that deep…
Meanwhile, in DC…
Milton: My god! Has my house been broken into by an elf?
Kate: No! Just me and your wife!
Milton: Honey!
Moira: Surprised?
Milton: Very! You said you were swamped at work, since the council’s trying to tie up the loose ends before the Christmas break.
Kate: So you do still know what Christmas is!
Milton: Yes, I’m staring at so much of it right now.
Kate: So you like the decorations?
Milton: I hope you’ll return to take them down.
Kate: After Christmas?
Milton: Why would I take them down now
Kate: You have no Christmas spirit.
Milton: Huh?
Kate: No Christmas outfits, no mentions of the holidays, you change the subject whenever it’s mentioned…
Milton: I’m just so busy lately. Runnign the DSCC is hard work, especially this time of year! And my suitcase with my Christmas suits got “lost.”
Moira: I didn’t do anything with them! I promise!
Milton: I’m unconvinced.
Two weeks later…
Patty Lynn: I’m so happy you all forced us to celebrate Christmas this year. I think he’d be so proud of how we’ve been able to carry on and still enjoy the big day, in spite of it all.
Marietta: Though he’d be upset to learn that you guys could’ve all just been chipping in to get all the decorations out all along.
Ellie: I’m so glad I was able to convince you to love Christmas again. You’re all welcome for this!
Kate: Don’t you even start.
What did you think of this episode of Marietta? Let us know in the comments and make sure to read the Raymond Island holiday episode next week! Marietta will return with more episodes in January!
