AGENT AMY BARRISTA BEN BETH BO CLAN CLAY CLAY_BARRISTA CLAY_MAYA DANA DANA_CLAY DUSTY EMBER GRACE KAI KARL LEI_LING LOCAL_ELF MAYA MING PA_ANNOUNCER SANTA_CLAUS SANTA_CLAUSE SARAH TREY TRISHA VAN_CLAN MAYA Merry Christmas, Besties It�s your girl Maya Way or the Highway here, and I�m about to tell you what�s up I�m in Portland, trying to get to Denver to spend Christmas with my parents, and it is a mess There are storms Somewhere, and it is messing things up everywhere Now weather is not my thing, so I rely on the experts, and people on TikTok are saying it�s �epic� -- but in a bad way I know that�s confusing cause your girl Maya typically uses �epic� as a positive, but in this case, it�s bad And to make things worse, the wifi here is next level terrible EMBER Can you do -- whatever it is you�re doing -- somewhere else? MAYA Are you, like, for real right now? EMBER Do you, like, want to find out? MAYA Okay so, I apologize for that photobomb of negative energy Let�s just say some people handle the stress of holiday travel better than others I�ll tell you what helps me though, a homemade holiday balm that I am cooking up for y�all, part of the soon to be released Maya Way Home Collection Hints of nutmeg and evergreen It smells like Christmas and feels like home Sorry talking about home just reminds me of how bad I want to get there, and I just I just MAYA Um excuse me You�re in my frame DUSTY No What I�m in is a public airport MAYA But you could be anywhere in a public airport, right? DUSTY Not if I want see the status of my flight to Denver MAYA OMG I�m going to Denver DUSTY This day just keeps getting better MAYA So what�s the deal? DUSTY If you�re referring to the flight, I�d say it doesn�t look good MAYA You know, I�ve got this radical lens on humanity, and I�m sensing you�re a glass-half-empty-type -- no judgment -- cause that was literally me until I started following Shine, on IG They post like inspirational reels, motivational memes and like, guided meditations like �Breathe� DUSTY Can I stop you right there? I have no doubt you think what you�re telling me is important, but the truth is, I don�t understand a word you�re saying, and all I care about right now is getting to Denver for Christmas LEI LING Excuse me, sir We are traveling from Hong Kong We are going here DUSTY Denver? You�re trying to get to Denver LEI LING Yes DUSTY Weather�s bad My advice if you don�t have to fly today don�t LEI LING Thank you Thank you KAI What did he say? LEI LING He said he will help us get to Denver TRISHA Did you hear what he just said? If you don�t have to travel today, don�t BEN Is he with the airline? TRISHA I don�t think so BEN So it�s just another traveler�s opinion TRISHA His luggage tag said �Diamond,� so he must know something BEN Mom, if you don�t want to spend the holidays in Denver, just say so TRISHA What? Honey, this whole thing was my idea Of course I want to go BEN Then maybe you could start acting like it? TRISHA Ben I�m concerned about the weather and I can�t just turn off being a mother 1 2 BEN Okaaay I�m gonna get some snacks DANA Few things harder than raising a teenager TRISHA Tell me about it Do you have a teen? DANA No, but I was terrible one I get along great with my parents now, so there is light at the end of the tunnel TRISHA That�s a relief Are you going to see them for the holiday? DANA No, I�m headed to Colorado to snowboard Once-in-a-hundred year storm, first tracks if I get there by Christmas Day TRISHA I hope you make it DANA If there�s a will, there�s a way DANA Excuse me DANA Hey, are you there? How�s the snow? Yellow Draft 6 CLAY No, that�s not it Double shot, no foam, Candy Cane Cappuccino BARRISTA Oh, so you mean a Candy Cane Latte? CLAY No, I don�t mean a latte BARRISTA Cause lattes have no foam CLAY I know that, but they also have more milk BARRISTA Right, but you said you didn�t want milk CLAY I said I wanted oat milk BARRISTA Well, that doesn�t foam up anyway, so DANA As of now, the flight is on, so I�ll be there That is, if this guy ahead of me can finish ordering his Candy Cane �Chaduccino� CLAY I heard that Chaduccino? Really? DANA Lemme call you back Sorry, just a little playful term, you know, for a complicated coffee order CLAY Yeah, I just don�t typically hear it from, you know, an adult I�m sorry, where were we? BARRISTA Let me think nowhere CLAY And for the record, my order is not complicated Right? BARRISTA Employee handbook says I can�t comment on that CLAY Well, even if it were, there�s nothing wrong with saying what I want DANA Nothing wrong at all CLAY There�s actual data to suggest one of the biggest impediments to healthy communication is that people don�t say what they want DANA Makes perfect sense And since that�s clearly not an issue for you, maybe you could do us all a favor and just hurry it along CLAY All flights are delayed What�s your rush? DANA No rush But I think a little common courtesy during this busy holiday travel season would be much appreciated by all CLAY Says the woman who called me a �Chad� DANA I suggested your order was typical of a �Chad,� but I did not call you a �Chad� CLAY And now you�re splitting hairs DANA Okay, let�s try this what I want is for you to please finish your order so that everyone in line behind you can get on with their holiday How�s that for healthy communication? PA ANNOUNCER Attention all travelers Status for all flights will be updated momentarily Please check the departure boards nearest you for specific flight information BARRISTA So where were we? MAYA So I find that in addition to staying hydrated, the best way to combat puffy eyes while traveling is a dab of your favorite eye cream before boarding, always with the soft touch of your ring finger CLAY Unbelievable DANA Your lucky day CLAY How�s that? DANA You were seated next to me MAYA Worst Christmas Ever DANA Hey, me again -- I�m Dana, by the way -- so I�m thinking, we�re all headed to Denver, right? How about we all share a rental car? 4 4 DANA Between the three of us, we could drive straight through, be there by Christmas Eve TRISHA Thank you, but I�m thinking we�ll try to get on a flight tomorrow DUSTY Good luck with that Three flights to Denver cancelled so far, which means hundreds of people all trying to get on the next one out, and who knows when that will be I personally don�t like those odds, so I�m in BEN We�re in too TRISHA Honey, I would like to explore all our options BEN You just heard him say, we�re not getting on another flight, and he is �Diamond,� so the must know something TRISHA Okay We�re in LEI LING You drive to Denver? DUSTY They�re trying to get to the same place DANA Sure, no problem 4 5 4 Thank you LEI LING DANA Okay, that�s six We�ll get an SUV EMBER Excuse me, I�m Ember I overheard your plan I can�t pay much, but I�m a night owl, so I could take the late shift, no problem DANA Fine, still an SUV, but that�s it Let�s go MAYA Um, guys what about me? Let�s pick it up Lot of people probably doing the same thing we are KAI This is a bad idea What if they are terrible people? LEI LING It�s either this, or we�ll be having Christmas dinner at the airport! KAI Would be better than your sisters cooking 5 6 5 MAYA Okay guys, here�s the latest I�m about to get into a van with a bunch of total strangers to drive from Portland to Denver It�s either gonna be great or -- what�s the opposite of great? I guess not so great But either way, it will be an experience, so definitely stay tuned DANA You, in the back, can you please pick it up? MAYA Okay, I don�t know her name yet, but that one�s being a little extra I mean, where�s the Christmas Spirit? AGENT Stop right there Whatever you�re about to ask, my answer is no BEN He�s a little scary DUSTY All the other rental car companies are sold out 6 TRISHA I saw one group that found an Uber to take them to Pittsburgh I can�t even imagine what that would cost DANA That�s okay We�re next up We should be fine AGENT Wait till I call you, please DANA But I�m next AGENT I have a Platinum Member I need to help first CLAY I promise to -- how�d you put it? -- �hurry it along� BEN You know that guy? DANA Not well AGENT Sorry folks, we only have one vehicle left AGENT It�s a lot of car, probably not what you had in mind 6 7 6 CLAY Whatever it is, I�ll take it CLAY See? That was pretty fast DANA We could get a hotel, hunker down for the night Maybe more cars come in tomorrow? DUSTY I checked every hotel Nothing available DANA Seriously? You�re gonna drive this thing to Denver? On your own? CLAY If the alternative is driving with you? Then, yes DANA Look clearly we got off to a rough start CLAY Rough start implies the beginning of something DANA Let�s not get caught up in semantics 7 CLAY I�m not caught up in anything I just want to hit the road DANA Okay I will admit, I sometimes say more than I should, and I�m sorry CLAY Did that hurt? DANA What? CLAY The apology DANA A little So I�m Dana Chad CLAY DANA Oh, wow so that�s why you took it so hard CLAY I�m kidding It�s Clay And I did not �take it so hard� DANA You kinda did CLAY And there you go again, saying more than you should DANA Listen, you have a very big van with lots of empty seats and I have people who could not only fill those seats, but also help you drive, because Denver is a very long way CLAY Okay I�ll take them 7 8 7 DANA But not me CLAY Next time, you might thinks twice before being so judgmental of another person�s coffee order DANA Or maybe you�ll think twice about complicating your order when there�s a long line DANA I�ll have my friends load up CLAY And look, we�re finally on the same page CLAY You really don�t need to help DANA Some of us still have a little Christmas spirit CLAY There�s no way all this is gonna fit DUSTY Not packing like that, it won�t CLAY What? You can do better? DUSTY You�ve set a pretty low bar 8 CLAY What was I thinking? MAYA Do I have -- your permission -- to film you? LEI LING Film for what? MAYA I�m going to post -- a story -- about our trip KAI Do you understand? LEI LING Yes She thinks other people will want to watch us travel KAI Really? LEI LING They do things differently here We agree MAYA I�ll assume that�s a yes on permission BEN We�re in I think you�re amazing MAYA Oh, how sweet So you follow me? BEN I do now And it�s awkward MAYA Great Can never have too many fans Excuse me MAYA So, um I need to get something very important out of my bag DUSTY Which one? MAYA Maybe that one? DUSTY Maybe? MAYA Found them! DUSTY You said it was important MAYA I think making the van feel like Christmas is important And since you seem to be so handy, maybe you could hang them while I start pre- trip interviews for our TikTok DUSTY �Tik� what? MAYA You�re kidding me, right? KAI I think we are going to regret this From behind camera, we HEAR Maya -- MAYA Okay, so what does Christmas mean to you? LEI LING Family We are visiting -- my sister MAYA Your husband doesn�t seem very happy about that KAI I�m not LEI LING He is happy So happy BEN I feel bad for Dana EMBER It was her idea TRISHA There�s definitely enough room DUSTY As long as that snow board fits MAYA And despite being a little extra, she does have �can do� energy LEI LING Don�t be a Scrooge CLAY Okay, so in the �Spirit of Christmas,� would you like a ride? DANA Yes Thought you�d never ask CLAY That makes two of us DANA Did that hurt? CLAY A lot Yellow Draft 2 2 MAYA So what does Christmas mean to you? CLAY Christmas? Okay, I know this is not a popular opinion, but as a data guy, it doesn�t add up People act extra nice for a couple weeks and then go back to business as usual It�s an anomaly Personally, I think it should be removed from any data set You know? There�s no such thing as Christmas magic MAYA Wow What�s worse than bah-humbug? Leave your answers in the comments CLAY Okay, listen up Here�s how it�s going to work Eighteen hours to Denver I-84 is backed up all the way to Boise, so we might have to take some back roads We�ve got six drivers, so we�ll do three hour shifts Bathroom breaks on driver changes only Meal breaks every other driver DANA That�s a great plan Yellow Draft 22 13 14 3 CLAY Thank you DANA Except it�ll never work CLAY And here we go DANA I�m sorry, but you�ve made no accommodations for how life actually works CLAY Life DANA That thing you�re almost living CLAY Ah and what makes you the expert on life? DANA More than my fair share of it MAYA Um, guys you should know that my license has been temporarily suspended Distracted driving I tried to get out of it, but the evidence was on TikTok CLAY Fine I�ll rework the schedule for five drivers BEN So when are we stopping for snacks? DANA See life CUT TO Yellow Draft 23 TRISHA Traveling all this way, you and your sister must be very close LEI LING We are trying to become closer KAI They hardly ever talk TRISHA What did he say? LEI LING He is not as supportive as he could be 4A 5 KAI Nothing about this trip makes any sense TRISHA Do you have other family? LEI LING Only our son He lives in London We have not seen him for many years TRISHA Oh, I can�t imagine That must be very hard KAI His choice He�s too good for us 15 16 5 TRISHA What did he say? LEI LING He says it is complicated And off a sympathetic look between mothers -- MAYA Three two one and 6 MAYA Hello Idaho! MAYA Okay, that was terrible We�re gonna need to do it again DUSTY We�re not doing it again MAYA I don�t expect you to understand, but in my world, the last thing you wanna be is boring And we are boring with a capital �B� EMBER Speak for yourself BEN I�m with Maya Let�s light this place up 17 18 7 MAYA Great Do you have any ideas? BEN Um no CLAY You all could try my dating app DANA You have a dating app? CLAY I do It�s called Check The Box Click here for true love DANA Are you being serious right now? CLAY I am And it works The initial questionnaire is pretty fun DANA Okay Let�s check some boxes 9 TRISHA It was my first kiss! I was expecting lip on lip No one mentioned the French part DUSTY So you knocked him out on a Sleigh Ride? TRISHA It was a fight or flight thing 9 MAYA This is brilliant Worst first kiss ever TRISHA It wasn�t that bad BEN Not for you LEI LING Sorry Very funny, Trisha BEN Okay, next �Worst first date� EMBER Trisha�s first kiss DUSTY Ember, how about you take this one? EMBER No thanks I�m good DANA It�s good to get out of your comfort zone EMBER Okay His name was Stevie -- not Steve, not Steven -- Stevie CLAY How old was he? Twelve? EMBER Twenty-eight Now Stevie lived with his mom, which is cool not necessarily a red flag 9 TRISHA -- Lots of young men do it -- BEN Mom! EMBER But turns out, Mom didn�t just own the house, she owned their only car, and Stevie had lost his driving privileges MAYA I feel him EMBER So Stevie�s mom drove us on the date! Oh, there�s more I sit through the most awkward dinner ever, get back in the car with mom, drive home, and she parks in front of my house Like car in park, engine off Now it was clear at this point that Stevie wanted to kiss me goodnight, so I thought I had the perfect out I said �I can�t Not in front of your mom� And he said, I kid you not, �Mom, close your eyes� BEN I think Stevie needs to leave the nest TRISHA Sounds like she was coming from a loving place BEN Really mom? 9 9 TRISHA What? He lost his driving privileges DANA Okay, next question on the App On a scale of -0, how important is it to be in a relationship? MAYA 95 BEN Same for me MAYA But you can�t let it show BEN Of course not DUSTY I don�t know maybe six? BEN Mom? TRISHA I�ll pass on this one BEN What about you guys? Ten LEI LING Seven KAI EMBER Non-applicable DANA Clay? 19 20 9 CLAY Ten for sure How about you? DANA Three MAYA Uh record scratch CLAY Three? DANA Yeah, three What�s wrong with that? CLAY Nothing I mean, it would be the lowest number ever reported DANA You mean, by people who are going on an app to find love Biased sample, don�t you think? CLAY I think the app works because people answer honestly TRISHA Um guys? DANA I�m not convinced the app works at all I don�t think love can be reduced to an algorithm And I personally don�t need to be in a relationship to feel complete -- TRISHA -- stop the car CLAY It�s not time to switch TRISHA Stop the car!! CUT TO Yellow Draft 30 BEN Mom? What�s going on? TRISHA I I don�t know everything suddenly felt like it was closing in BEN Should we call for help? TRISHA No maybe it�s just claustrophobia? BEN Okay, take your time, but TRISHA But what? BEN Well, it�s a little, you know TRISHA What? Am I embarrassing you, Ben? BEN Sorry No, it�s fine MAYA What do you think�s going on? DANA Maybe she got triggered by Clay�s App DUSTY I thought only young people got triggered 20 20 MAYA It�s okay I know just the thing Keep recording MAYA Trisha, I have a question for you Do you want to be helped, heard or hugged? TRISHA What?? MAYA It�s a distress management technique I picked up on Shine Totally works TRISHA No Wait That�s not what happened on Shine MAYA You have to pick one BEN I think a hug might help MAYA It�s not for you, Ben BEN I meant for her MAYA I agree Bring it in BEN Mom Just try it Please MAYA That�s it 20 21 20 MAYA Just a touch of claustrophobia I think Better now You get all that? MAYA You filmed your chest! The entire time! Did I? DUSTY MAYA How can this be happening? The most perfect TikTok moment ever NOT recorded It�s like it never happened DUSTY Next time you want me to film something, hand me a real camera MAYA It is a real camera! People make entire movies with their phones! DUSTY Really? Really MAYA 2 2 CLAY With this group, it�s definitely going to be more than eighteen hours -- I don�t know, I�ll update you along the way -- I can�t wait to see you too DANA Let me guess, an almost-love- interest CLAY Is eavesdropping part of your skill set? DANA I wouldn�t call it a skill when you�re ten feet away CLAY So, what makes you say almost love interest? DANA Well, I could tell by your tone that you care �I can�t wait� implies passion But I didn�t hear the word �love,� which leads me to believe you�re still in the newish stage? CLAY Couple months, but different cities and all, we�ve only seen each other a few times DANA Let me guess You met on your dating app CLAY I told you, it works DANA So she checks all the boxes 2 2 CLAY No one checks all the boxes, but on the most important for me, she�s pretty close DANA Does she also pack her own snacks while traveling? CLAY What have you got against planning? Seriously DANA Nothing I just prefer the unexpected What? DANA CLAY They just shut down the Interstate DANA Imagine that Give me your hand CLAY What? I�m not giving you my hand DANA Relax, I don�t bite DANA I�m just curious how your body reacts to change CLAY Oh yeah what�s the verdict? DANA Could be good for you CLAY Google says Route 7 to Highway 23, and then back on 80 EMBER Apple says 7 is slower TRISHA Waze says steer clear of 7 and 23 CLAY Wait, what I just lost service BEN Me too MAYA We�re lost?? DUSTY We are nowhere close to lost, but it wouldn�t be the worst thing One of the many problems with your generation have all the answers right at your finger tips, no idea how to think on your own CLAY You say that like tech is a bad thing DUSTY It is when it tells you what to do BEN So what�s the alternative? 23 24 23 DUSTY These are called maps Have at it MAYA Thank you for finally agreeing to do this EMBER Can we just get it over with? MAYA Sure What do you do for work? EMBER Bartender MAYA I like that Succinct To the point Tell me about your family EMBER Next MAYA Dreams? Aspirations? Not to say tending bar isn�t enough EMBER Next MAYA Okay here�s one you should be able to answer with maybe a few more words What does Christmas mean to you? EMBER Christmas means never having enough CUT TO BEN You�re gonna stay on this road until route 4 Then take a left DUSTY Thank you, navigator BEN I had no idea there were so many roads Kinda cool TRISHA It�s nice not being glued to my phone DANA Interestingly, research has shown that despite being more �connected,� people are feeling more lonely than ever I mean, think about it if we had all gotten on the plane to Denver, it�s unlikely any of us would have spoken a word to each other, let alone gotten to know one another CLAY I hate to admit it I mean, I really hate to admit it, but Dana�s right This might be the best road trip I�ve ever taken DANA Is it the only one? CLAY Pretty much 26 26 MAYA Well, it�s definitely the most popular #VanClan is blowing up LEI LING Blowing up? MAYA Our TikTok People like it A lot Your claustrophobia moment got a ton of likes TRISHA Wait? People saw that? MAYA Only the beginning -- thanks to Dusty TRISHA I�m not comfortable with them seeing any of it MAYA Trisha, vulnerability is courage TRISHA Then show some yourself! MAYA Oh, okay I�m I�m sorry As tension lingers -- BEN Hey, how about some music? LEI LING I have a Karaoke machine DANA Seriously? 26 27 26 LEI LING It is a gift, but we can try it? LEI LING On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love sent to me -- LEI LING Twelve drummers drumming Eleven Pipers piping Ten Lords a-leaping Nine ladies dancing Eight maids a-milking Seven swans a-swimming Six geese a-laying KAI/LEI LING Five golden rings Four calling birds Three French hens Two turtle doves and A partridge in a pear tree! TRISHA That was wonderful! DANA Okay, who�s next? Ember? 28 28 No thanks EMBER DUSTY Van rules Everybody takes a turn CLAY What song? EMBER I don�t need music MAYA You can�t do Karaoke without music Oh yes she can Then -- EMBER Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now I�m found Was blind but now I see EMBER Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed EMBER Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come This grace that brought me safe thus far And grace will lead me home EMBER I�m sorry I can�t I can�t finish DUSTY You�ve got nothing to be sorry for 28 29 28 MAYA I guess you didn�t need music after all BEN Nice Thank you CLAY MAYA I�m starving TRISHA Aren�t these cups adorable? AMY Hi! Sorry to interrupt I�m Amy This is my husband Bart We�re so glad to see you�re feeling better TRISHA I�m sorry? AMY Bart suffers from claustrophobia too Won�t go near an elevator 29 29 Bart throws his wife a look AMY Bart, it�s okay Trisha normalized it Thank you for your bravery Takes real courage to be that vulnerable TRISHA You�re welcome But I�m not actually claustrophobic, or at least, I never was before this trip MAYA So, you�re following our story AMY Yes! I saw it on TikTok And Bart saw it on Instagram MAYA Are you hearing this? Over five-hundred thousand views? Guys we�re viral! AMY Would y�all mind if we got some pics? Our kids are just gonna freak Excuse me DUSTY AMY We just love how grouchy he is DUSTY You mind? 29 29 EMBER I�m not up for idle conversation right now DUSTY Suits me I never am DUSTY Where�d you learn to sing like that? EMBER My mother And church DUSTY Gift like that shouldn�t be hiding behind a bar EMBER I gave it a shot, but God had something else in mind DUSTY God can�t do better than that voice EMBER He can, and he did Got the most beautiful little girl you�ve ever seen DUSTY There a reason you can�t have both? EMBER After the divorce, the courts determined this aspiring singer could not provide a �stable home� DUSTY Growing up poor is the reason I�m a success You and me we got grit The courts were wrong EMBER No They were right But it�s okay I still got visitation 29 EMBER That�s why I�m headed to Denver To see her Christmas morning, the joy on her face I just can�t miss it DUSTY You won�t CLAY Hey guys, we�re loading up CLAY Hey Hi DANA CLAY Everything okay? DANA Yeah, I just um I left something at the airport CLAY Something important from the looks of it DANA No worries I�m good DANA I�m an adventure travel writer, so Christmas for me usually means travel This year it�s first tracks through the deepest powder in 00 years, last year it was jumping out of a plane over the Sahara Year before that, photographing penguins in Antartica MAYA Wow! Do you ever want to just be at home for the holidays DANA Not really Gotta live every day like it�s your last, right? CUT TO 34 34 CLAY So what�d you leave at the airport? DANA Nothing I can�t find in Denver CLAY Little light on specifics DANA Just some medication CLAY If you need it, I�m sure we can find a pharmacy DANA What I need is a navigator CLAY Still no service CLAY Stay on this for the next twenty- five miles I think DANA Must be hard not having your phone tell you what to do CLAY Funny I�ll have you know, I don�t need my phone for everything DANA Other than finding love CLAY Look just because you don�t value human companionship -- DANA -- I never said that -- CLAY -- You gave it a three out of ten -- 34 34 DANA -- Because that�s how it�s been for me A bunch of half-step relationships that don�t go anywhere because we�re so programmed to think we need to be in one that we settle for good enough Well, I don�t want to settle I don�t want any more half-steps I want to jump I want to jump without knowing where I�m gonna land CLAY How will you know to jump if you�re not willing to take that first step? DANA Maybe there is no first step I mean, you tell me You�re the one going to see Ms Checks-All-The- Boxes CLAY If there�s one thing I�ve learned about love it doesn�t happen like a fairy tale DANA Can I ask you something? Why a dating app? CLAY It�s what customers want DANA Little light on specifics CLAY Dating is often hard to navigate I wanted to build something that lessens risk And disappointment And heartbreak DANA Speaking from experience? 34 35 34 CLAY You might say I�m an expert DANA Ah now we�re getting somewhere CLAY No That�s it DANA You know who I�d like to meet? CLAY Who? DANA The old Clay The one who still believed in fairy tales TRISHA Um guys? TRISHA I�m so sorry DUSTY It�s okay I needed to stretch my legs anyway TRISHA I don�t understand what�s wrong with me MAYA It�s fine Really Turns out claustrophobia is very common 35 36 35 TRISHA I�m not claustrophobic! I love elevators! The music, the vibe, it actually calms me LEI LING Herbs For peace TRISHA Oh, I don�t know -- BEN Mom just take it DANA Shouldn�t we be heading east? CLAY We are heading east Look, we�re right here DANA If we were right here where�s that lake? Oh no CLAY MAYA Oh no what? 36 37 36 DANA We�ve done it, Dusty! We are officially lost! MAYA Okay guys, this is why Maya Way doesn�t get off the Highway It�s Christmas Eve morning and we are lost No idea how or when we�re going to get back to civilization It�s scary, but also, a little bit, I don�t know, exciting KAI You said these people would get us to Denver LEI LING I may have made a mistake CLAY You find this funny? DUSTY Let me ask you something Has any good story ever began with, �Remember that time we didn�t get lost?� CLAY I�m not here for a good story DUSTY Maybe you should be TRISHA Haven�t we been on this road? 37 37 CLAY I�m back tracking MAYA Wait, so we�re not lost? DUSTY Fun while it lasted EMBER Christmas is tomorrow If we back track, we�ll never make it to Denver in time DANA Guys, can we just take a moment and look DANA If we hadn�t gotten lost, we wouldn�t have been right here, right now, for this Maybe a little Christmas magic CLAY Maybe so CLAY So, if someone has a better idea than backtracking, I�d love to hear it DANA Take this road cut straight through CLAY That doesn�t have a name It�s probably not even a road 37 38 37 DANA If it weren�t a road, it wouldn�t be on a map DUSTY She makes a good point CLAY You still think this is a road? DANA It�s getting us where we need to go DUSTY We got a problem Suspension�s broke Yellow Draft 54 TRISHA Medical sales rep Perfect job for a single mom Never missed a school play, or baseball game, or -- BEN I�m a Junior High School Just started looking at colleges Mostly in state You know closer to home TRISHA And for us, I guess Christmas means holiday movies and just being together MAYA Any other family? TRISHA Nope Just the two of us I mean, well -- BEN I�m adopted KARL How�d you folks end up way out here? CLAY Don�t ask 42 43 42 DANA Short cut Would have been totally fine if our driver had avoided the potholes CLAY There were too many They couldn�t be avoided KARL Well, I�m happy to bring you into town You can warm up with some hot cocoa while I see how much damage has been done to this bad boy MAYA Karl? May I call you Karl? KARL It�s on my name tag MAYA Right Any chance you�ll be able to fix this �bad boy� quickly We�re all trying to make it to Denver before Christmas KARL I�ll do what I can, but no promises There�s a lot happening in town right now CLAY So your not gonna take any responsibility here DANA I take full responsibility for getting you out of your comfort zone 43 43 DANA You�re welcome MAYA We have cell service! MAYA Hey everybody Good news, VanClan is back on line Bad news the van�s broke It�s serious, like, I don�t know something underneath, with the wheels Whatever, let�s check out Greenfield Uh, wait is this for real? MAYA This Is Brilliant CUT TO 45 46 45 KARL Upper control arm needs to be replaced Good news is, the part is available in Salt Lake City DANA That�s great news! DUSTY What�s the bad news? KARL I got no one to pick it up All my guys are competing in the Elf Games, and we�re feeling good This could be the year we take the crown CLAY Rental car company said they won�t have a replacement vehicle till after Christmas KAI What is he saying? LEI LING We are not going to Denver KAI Lei Ling, slow down She stops, eyes wet KAI Bao Bao Why are you so upset? We will get to your sister�s maybe not by Christmas -- 46 47 46 LEI LING -- He doesn�t think he�s better than us! What? KAI LEI LING Our son We were the ones who sent Bo to University KAI Yes! So he could come back and work for me LEI LING For you There it is again You cannot teach someone to dream, then not let them dream CLAY What about Almond milk? BARRISTA Nope Soy? CLAY BARRISTA Dude It�s a coffee stand You want one or not? DANA I feel you DANA We�ll have two coffees Black Keep the change For your troubles 47 47 DANA You�d be amazed at just how good plain black coffee can be CLAY This your way of apologizing? Maybe admitting you were wrong about the �road�? DANA I stand by my statement A road on a map, even if it doesn�t have a name, is still a road CLAY Your detour is the reason we�re likely stuck here for Christmas DANA Or my detour is how we discovered the Elf Games Admit it Never in a million years would you come to this town, during the holidays to witness something so unique CLAY Is that really the way you see it? DANA That�s the way it is Life has a way of opening up for those who are willing to step out of their comfort zones and say, �Bring it on� I mean, we�re on this planet for a very finite amount of time Might as well make the most of it CLAY Maybe you�re right But if you don�t get to Denver by Christmas, all you�re missing is first tracks But some of us will miss actual people we care about DANA Wow And all this time, I thought I was the one who said too much 47 48 47 TRISHA How�s this look? BEN Do you want the truth? TRISHA C�mon Ben When in Rome BEN You almost sound happy to be here TRISHA Well, I�m certainly not happy But I guess if we�re gonna get stranded anywhere, at least it�s in a town with people who really know how to celebrate Am I right! BEN Mom? Are you sure you aren�t using this as a way of avoiding, what I imagine to be, some complicated feelings around our destination TRISHA What are you seventeen going on thirty? Honey, I�m completely fine with this 00 percent fine BEN Okay Well since you�re 00% fine, I was thinking while we�re in Colorado, maybe we would check out CU Boulder? 48 49 48 TRISHA I thought you wanted to stay close to home I mean, to be near your friends and -- BEN Yeah, I do It�s just since we�re gonna be so close, it can�t hurt to look Right? TRISHA Right I�m just gonna pay for these CLAY Hey You forgot your coffee CLAY Wait You can�t have it till you hear my apology CLAY Seriously? DANA You�re right I don�t have anyone waiting for me in Denver CLAY But I made it sound like what�s meaningful to you is not as important as what�s meaningful to me, and for that, I�m sorry 49 49 CLAY Thank you It was really burning my hand DANA In that case CLAY And she�s back CLAY So I hear there�s a pretty cool tree decorating workshop Wanna go show off our mad skills? DANA On one condition you tell me about the old Clay DANA So you don�t strike me as a �grand gesture� kind of guy? CLAY Oh, this was bigger than a grand gesture DANA What�s bigger than a grand gesture? Venti? CLAY Bigger Trenta It was the equivalent of the biggest coffee order ever 50 50 CLAY Horse drawn sleigh, a choir singing her favorite song, I even had a trained dog deliver the ring in one of those barrels around his neck It was the most spectacular Christmas Day proposal ever And She said no DANA What? Not even, �Let me think about it?� CLAY Nope No additional thinking required She was certain she would never marry me DANA Brutal I�m sorry No wonder you�re not a fan of Christmas CLAY Right?! CLAY But here�s what I can�t understand I explore human behavior through data analytics How did I not see it coming? DANA Maybe because you�re not psychic? So is the idea that your app will prevent something like that from happening again? CLAY It will make it a lot less probable 50 50 DANA What about outliers? The ones who don�t check any of your boxes? CLAY Outliers are a phenomenon, a mystery we may never be able to explain They�re very rare DANA So would that relationship be impossible? CLAY Everything was thought impossible until it happened for the first time DANA What do you think? CLAY What do I think? DANA Yeah, about my mad skills CLAY Oh The tree Well I�d say your section looks like a tinsel explosion Have you actually done this before? DANA Not for a long time CLAY What do you have against Christmas Trees? DANA Nothing I�m just not typically home during the holidays 50 51 50 CLAY It�s nice You should try it some time DANA Yeah Maybe some day CLAY I should take this DANA Yeah I�ll find some less tinsely decor CLAY Hey Sarah So, we�ve had a little set back -- EMBER Matt, I told you, I�m doing everything I can to get there -- Oh really? So the weather, a busted van, all of it my fault -- You�re the one who took our kid and moved to Denver -- I know, and I�m working on it Okay I�ll keep you posted DUSTY You okay? EMBER Yeah Actually, no I�m not 51 52 5 DUSTY Anything I can do? EMBER I don�t know pay off my child support? I�m sorry, I didn�t mean that I just need to I need to get to Denver MAYA Wait so you�ve never actually posted this event? Like anywhere? LOCAL ELF No Why would we? MAYA Because it�s totally binge worthy content! LOCAL ELF Look, we�d love to stay and chat and all, but we need to get our competition outfits on MAYA You competition fits are different? LOCAL ELF Of course Merry Christmas! 52 53 52 MAYA It�s feels like we�re in some weird time warp Oh wait, that�s good Our fans will love #twilightzone DUSTY Maya, how many followers do you have? MAYA First, I�m super proud you are getting hip with the lingo Second, over 75k And since Van Clan growing rapidly DUSTY Okay, this could actually work MAYA -- and that�s how we ended up spending Christmas Eve in Greenfield, home to the Elf Games more on that later So, I�m reaching out to you all -- my awesome Maya Way or the Highway family -- to see if someone generous in holiday spirit could pick up the car part and deliver it to us today so we can get to our families and friends for Christmas Day And I�ll tag you obvi BEN Wow That was really on point 54 55 54 DUSTY Is that a compliment? KAI Who was she talking to? LEI LING Her friends Well, they�re strangers, but she call them her friends TRISHA Do you really think this is going to work? I just don�t want everyone to be disappointed EMBER I�m not holding my breath DANA Listen I know we�re all feeling a little down right now, but I just want to say if I have to be stuck in a small town surrounded by elves, I�m happy to be doing it with you all MAYA You guys It worked! The part will be here in five hours Looks like Trey is my number one fan! CLAY So now we wait? DANA Oh I�ve got much better idea Yellow Draft 69 MAYA Hey Ya�ll Check out this fit If you�re wondering why I�m dressed like this let me give you a hint MAYA This is Santa�s Workshop For real SANTA CLAUSE Welcome friends and neighbors to the annual Elf Games 56 56 SANTA CLAUS Okay folks, let�s try and keep it clean, fun and safe No booing, cheating or sabotage You know who you are MAYA We�re really doing it, ya�ll Gonna go hard for that Elf Crown and bragging rights I don�t know about you, but this is by far the craziest Christmas Eve I�ve ever had! Let�s check in with the Van Clan In a word how are you feeling? BEN Pumped! TRISHA Anxious? EMBER Itchy LEI LING Like a winner! KAI Who are you? DUSTY No comment CLAY Confused as to why we are doing this 56 57 56 DANA Okay guys, I know we�re a little out of our comfort zone, and we are going up against some seasoned pros, but here�s what we�ve got going for us We�ve spent two days together in a van, learning both about each other and from each other Together we have overcome every obstacle put in our way That is what makes us a team, and the reason we will succeed on that field Are you with me? DANA Are you with me?? CLAN Yes!!! SANTA CLAUS Congratulations to our finalists It�s been a hard fought battle, but it�s not over The last event is the relay race You are to pass the sack of presents like a baton Drop it, and your out, because no elf drops presents on Santa�s watch First team to deliver Santa�s gifts wins the Golden Elf Crown and all you can eat chicken and ribs at Harry�s Hot House 62 63 62 DANA Guys, we can win this CLAY Because our team rocks! DUSTY All that time in a van together has turned us into a well-oiled machine MAYA Just hit this button, and keep it running TRISHA Let�s do it Lei Ling, call it On three -- LEI LING Y? - �rs?n - sh�! CLAN Van Clan! You okay? CLAY DANA I�m fine Go! CLAY What�s wrong? DANA Nothing I just pushed too hard Go Clay CLAY No CLAY I�m not leaving you Yellow Draft 75 DANA Thanks CLAY Maybe it�s time you share some specifics DANA I was born with a bum heart It�s much better now, but growing up my parents lived in fear of losing me every day So, I spent most of my childhood indoors, watching the world go by from my bedroom window I was home schooled and spent more days in hospitals than I can count CLAY That must have been really hard DANA It was But when I turned eighteen, I decided I didn�t want to spend the rest of my life stuck and afraid, reading about other people�s adventures I�ve been making up for lost time ever since CLAY So �live every day like it�s your last� DANA For me it could be CLAY I�m really sorry, Dana 64 65 64 DANA You should be We could have been Champions MAYA Good news! Christmas has arrived! MAYA Hiiiiiii! I�m Maya I mean, you already know that, but -- TREY I�m Trey Merry Christmas MAYA You are literally Santa�s Best Helpers As promised, I�ll make your socials blow up! TREY That�s cool and all, but we�re gonna need a little more than that MAYA I�m sorry? DANA What do you mean by more? TREY We�re thinking a delivery charge of let�s say two grand TRISHA That is just rude What would your mother think? TREY It was actually her idea DUSTY I can pay it Not a problem MAYA Not a problem? Not a problem? Oh this is a massive problem! If you think you guys can come in here and hold that car part hostage, which is the complete opposite of the Christmas Spirit, you�re in La La Land, and I don�t mean the movie! TREY Actually, that�s exactly what we think we can do Yellow Draft 78 66 MAYA I�m an influencer Obvi But if that doesn�t work out, I�ll probably work in the hotel business with my dad What does Christmas mean to me Well, um I think I need to get back to you on that MAYA I just don�t get how friends could be that cold and heartless DANA Maybe because their not friends MAYA What�s that suppose to mean? DUSTY It�s just money, Maya EMBER Maybe to you But for some of us, that�s an awful lot of cash to just hand over DUSTY Yeah well I spent too much time caring about money 68 68 MAYA That�s the attitude, Dusty I don�t care what these guys think And I refuse to let this ruin our journey I�m gonna put the whole thing behind me I�m teflon BEN Uh guys? MAYA They Did Not CLAY They did On Instagram BEN And TikTok And Snapchat -- But it�s the holidays, so I�m sure no one is even paying attention MAYA Oh no KAI There, there Let it out I hope they get coal in their stockings for Christmas LEI LING Kai! 68 68 TRISHA What did he say? LEI LING He�s feels badly for her MAYA It�s like one minute I�m on top of the world, feeling so much love and then, just like that -- I�m over Done Cooked EMBER That�s not true Because of you, our story is impacting a lot of people TRISHA Yeah, like Amy and Bart, at the diner MAYA No one�s gonna care anymore BEN Maya -- MAYA I don�t want a hug, Ben BEN I wasn�t offering What I was gonna say is if you connect your self worth to what other people think, you�ll never be truly happy DUSTY That�s very wise, son BEN I learned it from my mom MAYA Okay then, I would like a hug 68 69 68 TRISHA Um, guys --- BEN Mom, what happened? We�re so close to Denver TRISHA I know and I think that�s the issue I�m sorry for all the drama, but here�s the situation Ben and I are going to Colorado to meet his birth mother, and I think what�s happening to me is I�m scared Scared that I�ll be replaced BEN Mom She may be the woman who brought me into this world, but you are my mother Nothing will change that Ever TRISHA I love you so much, Ben DANA It�s midnight Merry Christmas everyone 69 69 VAN CLAN Merry Christmas!!!! LEI LING Traditional Chinese Christmas Cookie They bring good fortune KAI Bo�s favorite LEI LING Yes KAI Do you think they have them in London? LEI LING He has told me they do not DANA Hard to believe just two days ago, none of us even knew one another, and now -- CLAY We do It wouldn�t have happened without you bringing everyone together DANA Well, without your generosity, we wouldn�t have had a ride CLAY So, without each other -- DANA We would have gone on with our lives -- 69 70 69 CLAY -- Business as usual DANA So maybe this is proof of Christmas magic CLAY I think we have enough data to support that DANA Here�s to saying yes, even when you don�t want to And Destiny DANA And Destiny CLAY DUSTY Shouldn�t you be filming this Insta- perfect moment? MAYA It�s perfect because I�m not MAYA Three two one 71 72 7 CLAN Hello Denver!!!! Merry Christmas! KAI What now, Bao Bao? We made it You are happy, right? LEI LING Not yet KAI You lied to me? LEI LING I was not honest with either of you about this reunion BO How could you m?? LEI LING Because if I told you the truth, neither of you would have come 72 72 BEN You don�t need google translate to feel the tension here LEI LING Listen to me I love you both You are my whole world But this feud between you is breaking my heart KAI You�re mother says they don�t have these in London BO No, they do not KAI I am so proud of what you have accomplished BO I couldn�t have done it without you I meant no disrespect in leaving, B?ba KAI You cannot teach someone to dream, then not let them dream LEI LING Now, I am happy MAYA Not gonna lie, I was a tiny bit worried 72 73 72 MING Hello I�m Ming TRISHA Nice to meet you I�m Trisha MING Oh, I know all of you already Been watching Maya�s TikTok So fun And emotional MAYA Aw Thank you I really needed that right now MING Come I have gifts for all of you MING Let�s go Into the house It is tradition EMBER I�ll be right in EMBER Hey, I�m almost there What? No, don�t say that I am not a bad mother Put her on the phone Matt Put her on the phone Matt? Matt! DUSTY Retired now, but I used to work in energy MAYA Can you elaborate? DUSTY Nope MAYA Okay so what does Christmas mean to you? DUSTY Not what it used to MAYA That�s it That�s it DUSTY DANA Hard to believe she wouldn�t at least say good-bye TRISHA What if something happened to her? Should we call the authorities BEN Mom, chill She took all her stuff 76 77 76 MAYA So weird Did she say anything to you? I mean, you two seemed to have a genuine connection DUSTY I don�t have any more information than you But I�m sure she had her reasons MAYA Sounds like someone found a little Christmas Spirit DUSTY Yeah, well -- CLAY Dusty you never mentioned why you�re going to Denver DUSTY To visit my daughter TRISHA Oh What�s her name? DUSTY Annie 77 77 MAYA Well, she certainly loves Christmas TRISHA That�s one thing we�ll have in common I mean besides you, of course Ben? TRISHA BEN Maybe this was a bad idea What if she doesn�t like me? MAYA Someone pretty cool told me that if you connect your self worth to what other people think, you�ll never be truly happy Now do you wanna be helped, heard or hugged? BEN What do you think? MAYA Okay, okay Now go TRISHA We�re all so lucky we met DUSTY And Ben is lucky to have you Don�t forget that DANA Merry Christmas 77 78 77 CLAY This could go either way MAYA This may be the end of our journey, but but it�s not good-bye Stop Let�s go again All good things eventually come to an end Cut Let�s go again When life gives you lemons, make lemonade? Really? CLAY/DANA MAYA I can just do it later No biggie Just a lot of pressure when you�re all like here Watching me IRL In real life DUSTY Real life can be hard sometimes 78 79 78 MAYA But totally worth it MAYA You�re a really good guy, even though you pretend not to be DUSTY Thank you You�re pretty awesome yourself, even if you don�t know it yet MAYA I hope you both get everything you want for Christmas CLAY You sure we can�t drop you somewhere else? DUSTY Nope This will do CLAY Okay, then Take care 80 81 80 DANA Have a nice holiday with your daughter I�m sorry we didn�t get to meet her DUSTY Yeah She would have liked you CLAY I guess this is it DANA I guess so DANA Thanks for making room for me CLAY I�m really glad I did CLAY Dana, I know you�ve jumped out of planes, and into oceans, and who knows what else, but do you think you�d really have the courage to jump so blindly for love? DANA I hope so DANA I should go CLAY Yeah Me too DANA Good-bye, Clay I hope everything works out for you CLAY Just the way I planned? CLAY Be careful up there DANA That�s no fun DUSTY Merry Christmas, Annie Yellow Draft 95 DUSTY You wouldn�t believe what I went through to get here this year Portland to Denver with a van full of strangers I know what you�d think recipe for disaster And I thought the same, but it wasn�t Met some great folks, learned how to �post� -- #olddognewtricks I mean, I might go so far as to say it was one of the best trips I�ve ever taken, not including the ones I took with you, of course Those were Those were the best moments of my life Annie, and I�m so sorry we didn�t have more of them I got so caught up in trying to provide for you, I couldn�t see that all you wanted was me EMBER Honey, come here I want you to meet my friend Dusty EMBER Dusty, this is my daughter Grace DUSTY Amazing Grace Nice to meet you 83 83 GRACE You�re old EMBER Grace! DUSTY It�s okay, she�s right I like you Call it like you see it GRACE Mommy, can I go play in the snow? EMBER Yes, but stay close DUSTY How�d you find me? EMBER Dana told me where they dropped you EMBER It�s all there I�ve never done anything like that before All I wanted was to show that I could be a good mom, that I could provide I�m sorry You were so kind to me DUSTY It�s alright I knew that wasn�t you EMBER But it was, Dusty 83 83 DUSTY Here�s what I can tell you about being a parent No one gets it 00% right I sure didn�t And now, for me It�s too late DUSTY I lost Annie three years ago Car accident EMBER I can�t even imagine DUSTY Christmas was her favorite holiday, so I come every year It�s not too late for you, Ember EMBER I don�t even know where to start DUSTY You start by taking this And finding some place to live, here in Denver EMBER No, I can�t take your money DUSTY You�d be doing me a bigger favor than I�m doing you So take it Please EMBER I don�t know how to thank you DUSTY That�s easy Start singing again EMBER I�ll start singing again, if you�re there to listen 83 84 83 DUSTY I can do that DUSTY Oh, it�s on MAYA Hi ya�ll For those of you still watching, thank you For those that aren�t I�m okay with that SARAH I love it Exactly what I wanted Brass Small beads It�s perfect CLAY I saw you liked it on Instagram SARAH Okay, you�re turn SARAH I�m so glad you made it in time Must�ve been terrible, stuck with nothing but strangers on Christmas Day CLAY They didn�t feel like strangers by the end 84 85 84 SARAH Well, either way CLAY My favorite shirt You know me so well SARAH I guess that�s one of the benefits of checking each other�s boxes No more surprises CLAY Right No more surprises More wine? SARAH Do you even have to ask? MAYA Our Van Clan journey has come to an end And what a wild ride it has been MAYA I know for me, it changed the way I see the holidays 86 MAYA I used to think Christmas meant dressing up in fancy clothes, sipping on champagne and getting a ton of presents from my parents who are stranded in New York this year Love you guys But the holidays are about so much more It�s a time to be with the people you love 86 MAYA Even if we have to travel half way around the world during the busiest time of the year just so we can see their faces it�s totally worth it KAI What is she talking about? LEI LING Us TRISHA When the ER doctor finished examining him, he asked me what�s his favorite food I said �carrots� BETH That�s why he was orange? TRISHA Yep Mother of the Year 88 89 88 BETH You are I mean it I never could have given him this life Not back then TRISHA Well, you�re in his life now That�s what matters BEN Mom BEN Uh and Beth BEN You need to see this MAYA Because Christmas has a way of bringing people together Reconnecting families and friends, or friends who become family MAYA Reminding us that the greatest Christmas gift of all is love 89 89 DANA What are you doing? CLAY Being such a big fan of tinsel, I thought you might like this DANA You flew up here to give me an ornament? CLAY Well, that and I want to jump DANA Okay, but you�re not really dressed for it -- CLAY I mean with you CLAY Oh, wow I�m wrong again I mean, just because I was feeling something that I never really felt before doesn�t mean that you were -- DANA Nice to meet the old Clay CLAY It�s nice to have him back So how do we get down? DANA We jump Just kidding We�ll take the chopper 89 90 89 CLAY Good Cause we have some place to be MAYA Love in all it�s many forms I learned that from eight complete strangers In any other circumstance, we never would have met I mean, you could see how different we all were But somehow, our goal of getting home for the holidays put us on common ground, allowing us to share stories, laughter and love And in the end, truly embrace that destiny was our destination Shout out to my Van Clan Family Merry Christmas MAYA You guys! DUSTY You said it right, the holidays are a time to be with the people we love