worse off.
If we don't turn this store around,
we're all out--
From the chairman to the janitor.
Let's do it.
I...like it.
It's bold. It's fresh.
It will drive victor lamberg nuts.
It's beginning to look a lot like
christmas
soon the bells will start
And the thing that will make them ring
is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart
it's beginning to look a lot like christmas
Why?
Why didn't you think of this?
Now if this campaign is successful--
I know in my gut it will be--
Cole's will make lots of money.
The more money they make,
the harder it will be for me to buy them out.
Now I want  something done about this.
O.k., go ahead.
This seems like a pretty pointless exercise, Bryan.
I thought as long as we were here,
might as well say hello to the old guy.
Why?
Let's just say for the sake of argument
that there is a Santa Claus
And that you don't believe in him.
Is it worth the risk that you might not
get anything for christmas?
Well, I didn't believe in him last year.
I still got everything i asked my mother for.
Yeah. You get a free candy cane?
I'm trying to limit my intake of sugar.
She can go see Santa now.
O.k., come on. Go ahead.
Nice to meet you.
Hello, sir.
Oh, how do you do?
Would you like to come sit on my knee?
Good. Up you come.
Now then, what's your name?
Susan elizabeth walker. What's yours?
Mine?
Ha ha ha ha.
Well, I have lots of names.
Uh, Kriss kringle,
Santa Claus, father christmas,
saint nicholas.
If you were in holland, I'd be sinterklaas,
or in italy, le befana.
I have to speak many languages
because, of course, I travel a great deal.
That's russian.
That's swahili.
My mother's Mrs. Walker.
She's director of special events for cole's.
Uh-huh.
She runs the parade.
I know how this all works.
You're an employee of cole's.
That is true.
But you're a very good Santa Claus.
Your beard's stuck on real tight.
Usually the store Santa Claus
whiskers are too loose.
Yours look realistic.
That's because they are real.
You give them a tug.
Whoo! Ha ha ha.
Are you convinced?
Mm-hmm.
Good.
This isn't the regular Santa suit, is it?
Oh, no. This is the real Santa suit.
It's very nice.
I agree. Lovely.
Gold buttons, gold thread.
It's as real as me.
Well, you ask your daddy if I'm real.
I don't know where he is.
Well, he's--
That's my friend Mr. Bedford.
I don't have a dad anymore.
Ha. Well, now,
what can I get you for christmas?
Nothing, thank you.
Nothing?
My mother buys my gifts
if I don't  want something too stupid
or dangerous or...
Hi, mom.
Hi. It's nice to see you.
Susan,
you've taken enough of this man's time.
There's a long line of customers,
and they do come first.
Nice to meet you, Susan.
Nice to meet you, too.
Bye-bye.
Nonbelievers.
Right.
If I felt that it was important for her
to see Santa Claus,
I would be happy to take her.
I didn'tsee any harm in her saying hello
to an interesting old man.
Well, there is harm.
I tell her that there is no Santa Claus,
so you bring her down here,
And she sees thousands of gullible kids,
and she meets an actor  a very good actor,
mind you?
with a real beard and a beautiful Santa suit,
Sitting smack dab in the center
of a child's fantasy world.
So, who does she believe, the myth or...
the mom?
Listen, I just got some mistletoe.
Why don't we go back to my place
and try it out?
No.
I don't  think so.
O.k. I'm here. I can help.
All you have to do is ask.
Well, actually, there is one thing.
Would you mind taking Susan home?
Sure.
I'm working at cole's.
All I have to do is to be myself.
There you are. Ha ha.
That's it.
Very good. Very good.
Excuse me.
Oh.
Good evening.
Good evening.
My name is jack duff.
How do you do?
And this is alberta leonard.
How do you do?
Pleasure.
Nice to meet you both. I'm Kriss kringle.
Well, Mr. Kringle,
we're with shopper's express,
the department store.
Yes. You've got the peter pollywog on sale.
Right.