[s2e11] Santa Apr 2026

Jess looked at him, her antlers slightly crooked. For all her talk about holiday magic, she realized she’d been using the festivities as a shield. Beside her, Nick was watching from a distance, a rare look of genuine concern on his face.

Jess smiled, finally feeling a bit of that genuine holiday peace. "Yeah. And I think I'm ready to take the antlers off now." [S2E11] Santa

She took a breath, the smell of pine and expensive cologne filling the air. "Okay," she said softly. "No more running." Jess looked at him, her antlers slightly crooked

The night became a blur of eggnog and awkward encounters. At party number three, Schmidt tried to "accidentally" show off his fitness by doing pull-ups on a doorframe, only to have it nearly collapse. At party number five, Winston became convinced that a department store Santa was actually a master criminal in disguise, leading to a very intense and entirely unnecessary interrogation by the buffet table. Jess smiled, finally feeling a bit of that

The loft was a chaotic flurry of red velvet and tangled tinsel. Jess was in her element, vibrating with enough holiday cheer to power all of Los Angeles, while Nick looked like he’d rather be anywhere—preferably a place where "Wonderful Christmastime" wasn’t playing on a loop.

Schmidt, naturally, was more concerned with the logistics of his own social standing. He was currently trying to navigate the delicate social waters of seeing Cece at these parties, especially since she was bringing her new, very handsome boyfriend, Robby. Schmidt’s plan for the night was a mix of calculated indifference and occasional, desperate lunges for attention.

By the time they reached the final, most exclusive party, Jess’s "joy blitz" was starting to feel more like a forced march. She ducked into a quiet corner to catch her breath, only to find Sam standing right there.