This was a great episode overall but had flaws at the end. Begins with Claudia showing to Owen the nativity scene, and with Julia they want to take more Christmas stuff from boxes. Then, Charlie comes with some boxes which contains the remaining Kirsten's things, the ones which her parents couldn't carry before. In 3x06, Gene was surprised about how many things she had in the house, how well settled she was in her true home, yet Ellie wasn't, she knew where her daughter decided to live the rest of her life. But now, Charlie wants to send those things, including clothes, Harry Belafonte's CDs, her books, a picture of them happy, to Chicago through UPS, because that's where she is. Claudia and Julia don't agree that he should do this now and me too. Julia tells him to let himself feel the grieve, and Claudia says it's sad. He knows it's sad, but he says he can't "start over" if he keeps setting her alarm clock every night, and her toothbrush holder everyday. He also tells Julia that when she has to throw away the most important things she had in her life, then they can talk. About this, It's clear that such a tragic moment caused in Charlie some hard response. He may have thought also that if he kept her stuff, he'd be taking the chance for the Bennetts to call the house, and that wouldn't be good for Kirsten's current condition. Still, he should guess that Kirsten will also spend a very sad Christmas, and that she could be even more saddened when she and her family receive the package. But well, maybe is his way of dealing with the big pain inside, following hours of crying when he got back from Chicago. Anyway, right then, grandpa Jake arrives, with presents for the kids, and asks to see the tree. Seemingly Charlie runs away, so Julia and Claudia explain to Jake the personal loss he suffered (a rough fall Julia said), and that he has been in the restaurant all the time. They also say that Bailey hasn't been around lately, having his own personal troubles too, so Jake realizes that the girls and Owen are alone for Christmas spirit. So he decides to comfort them by looking for a tree, and help him to take it inside. At Salinger's, working and helping homeless people alone, Charlie tries to give a second chance an ex convicted unemployed man (who had legal problems with pharmacies and drugs), Pete Terry, bringing him new clothes and job calls. Anyway, Pete says no one is going to hire him because life is a one strike game and he lost it. Charlie tries to convince him that it's possible a second chance in life but then, he finds out from a fellow that Pete has a mental illness, schizophrenia (this is not a coincidence), and that he needs pills to be ok, but he doesn't always take them. In the meantime, Grandpa Jake arrives to tell him that his sisters miss him, but he says that they can handle it. When asked, Jake tells Charlie that maybe he can start over in some ways after their biggest life mistake, but in others not. He implies that the big mistake hunts them forever (Jake leaving his family and Charlie not marrying Kirsten). Jake tried to tell him that is not really possible to get pass those mistakes, and Charlie initially thought he could, but after Pete's case, he realized that he can't. Then, Jake still gives temporary happiness for Claudia, Julia and Owen, but soon, while reading bedtime stories to Owen, signs of blindness are shown. Later, Julia tries to calm Claudia by saying that is normal in people of his age, and then, she discovers how serious it is. Julia sees him having troubles to read his watch, so she gifts him one digital voice. Jake confesses her that he is going blind, but he says he lived a lot of years and that he has seen many beautiful things he keeps alphabetized in his memory, and now he will add to the C: Christmas with his grandchildren. Julia gives him a strong hug, showing how much she got to love him. That single moment was really tearful, touching, in Jake I see a man who lost many things, he did damage, but he is redeeming himself. Then, Jake tells Owen how Santa Claus will come through the chimney, and is convinced by Claudia to stay. Julia visits Bailey (who disconnected the phone), and when she tells him about Jake's future blindness, he accepts going home. There, they thank Jake for being there, and Claudia happily tells him that he can be many more Christmas. But sadly, he knows that he won't. In another heartbreaking moment, at the night, after quietly giving special gifts to the sleeping Claudia, Julia, Owen and Bailey, he leaves and calls for a cab. Charlie, who came from outside (surely the backyard), finds him and asks why he's running away. So Jake tells that he has an appointment for chemotherapy: is dying of cancer. He already stayed 2 days longer, and he doesn't want Claudia deeply suffering losing him little by little, because he knows she can't handle it (check season 4 and you'll realize). He says goodbye to Charlie telling he loves all of them, knowing this is the last time he'll see them. This scene was tearful, especially noticing the happiness he gave to the orphans Julia, Claudia and Owen. Also, about this, I have to praise Carroll O'Connor, he did an excellent job here and in season 2. I wish he could have stayed a little longer in the series, but still, his parts were perfect, including his farewell. In the morning, Claudia is saddened and Charlie lies saying Jake left to visit his second daughter Lauren, to avoid a much harder suffering for Claudia. In the meantime, after returning from the restaurant, he's seen sitting in his bedroom alone and depressed, staring at the desk, probably remembering his now lost wife. He was like living, dreaming in the past, considering how much time he spent there with her. Then, Claudia comes to ask him about the restaurant, and after turning around, he says he doesn't know what's going on there. She begs him to do the lights of the tree, to feel like he's there, and not gone. He confirms that he's there with them, but he seems like gone. Then he shows to his little sister his broken heart, his deep wound that will never heal unless he recovers Kirsten again, because he thinks he lost her forever, that he's never going to have her, ever again. He comforts Claudia by saying he loves taking care of them, driving her to school or anywhere, but without his lost wife, he can't be really ok. And he feels that is so hard because he was so close to having that, and it would have mean much more, everything for him to be happy. The words he says, proves that Charlie will never be truly happy, not even with any woman he finds, because Kirsten is the only one for him.
The rest of the episode is good, except the ending. Bailey invites his coach Russ (a lonely divorced man with a daughter, who lives with her mother far away) to spend Christmas time there. He also calls Sarah, who is away with her parents, and wishes her merry Christmas. Seems that Julia knows about the cheat, and comforts Bailey saying he did a good job bringing Russ for Christmas. Claudia invites Stuart, the crushed student, while Julia cooks dinner. Owen is present and has the funny scenes in the episode, besides, he spends time with her sisters. I liked Julia's role here, she was great with all her siblings and Jake. Also, Claudia had good happy side with Jake but then she felt sad again, because Charlie's depression. To finish, there's the dinner, where they all decime to make their personal pray, and thanks, until Owen interrupts the silence. But to turn off the episode, the writers decided to include Grace in the last minutes to spend time with Charlie. For me, considering that the tragic breakup of Desperate Measures was one of the most devastating moments of the series, frankly, one of the most heartbreaking of the history of television, this was a big mistake, or an insult. Didn't pass one single episode without Kirsten, and all the memories of her and just now you bring another woman into the house! In Christmas!!?? Let me, Claudia, Owen, the real Charlie and all the fans of the main couple of the show mourn the loss, to feel the bereavement, because in some ways, it was like if Kirsten died for the Salingers. For me, if this episode ended in the minute 40, with the Salingers having that quiet dinner, along Russ, and Stuart, it would deserve a 9-10.
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