Cleanth Adamson closes his cellphone, and smiles at it. "Merry Christmas, Terry."

He pockets the phone, picks up the remote control, and turns to aim it through the doorway at the DVD player in the next room. On the screen, Jimmy Stewart emerges from frozen midsentence.

As he settles back on the couch, Jodie leans over and asks "What was that about?"

"Nothing, hon," he murmurs back, and turns up the volume a touch on It's A Wonderful Life.