It is Christmas Eve at Hope Zion and there is an ice storm out there that brings a whole bunch of patients to the ER where the doctors play a yuletide themed game of bingo of their ailments (Maggie won). It was a fairly touching episode throughout all the story lines

Dana and Shahir

Both are Grinches and Scrooges when it comes to Christmas. Dana is trying to avoid being roped into being part of radiology’s 12 days of Christmas play while Shahir rather work than spend time with his boyfriend’s touchy feely family.

When Shahir gets called into a consult on a cop that got into a car accident due to the storm, he learns that the were on their way to deliver toys from their toy drive but the accident damaged them. Shahir is sympathetic to their plight but doesn’t really offer to help. But when Shahir goes to leave, he finds Nurse Alice (Allison Wilson-Forbes) and the other nurses having a Christmas dance party and she asks him to join in on the fun. Shahir declines the offer because he has offered to help the cops repair the toys.

Back at the doctor’s lounge, Dana and Shahir go about and fixing the damaged the toys. When the cops return, they are called away to help with ice storm traffic and foist upon the two their elf costumes to deliver the toys to children at Hope-Zion who are staying there over Christmas. We see the Christmas spirit going strong in the two as we see them take joy in delivering the toys.

Zach and Maggie

Zach is waiting on Dr. Timmins to arrive to take over the ER. Zach tells Maggie he is excited to have his sons with him for Christmas, his first since the divorce. Zach wants to start some new traditions like watching Die Hard. When it looks like Timmins is going to be delayed, Zach decides to help out the ER while he waits.

Their patient is Brian, who decided to dress up like Santa for his kids but ended up getting stuck in his chimney. Brian really wants to get back to his kids as he really needs to make up things to them. Brian shares with Zach and Maggie that he had a mid-life crisis and left his family. When he realized his mistake, Brian was eventually welcomed back by his family. Brian has some complications like unable to breathe because of inhaling a whole bunch of smoke to them having an enlarged left testicle that Maggie has to operate on.

Brian gets the all clear to go back home and gets back into his Santa suit. Meanwhile, Zach’s sons surprise him by visiting him the OR. It seems like Maggie called Zach’s ex to arrange all of this as revealed by one of his sons who called her one of his best friends. When Zach’s sons see Santa, he comes over to say that their dad is Santa’s own personal doctor and thanks him profusely.

Charlie and Alex

Alex competitive nature comes out as she wins Hope-Zion’s annual ugly Christmas sweater contest judged by Jackson.

Alex also seeks Charlie’s advice on what to get Dawn, her secret Santa. Charlie can’t offer any advice as he knows Dawn is difficult to shop for. Both are then called for an emergency in the ER.

The patient is Laverne where a car hit her on the Expressway (guessing the Gardiner Expressway) while helping a homeless man. The man is alright, with just a broken arm, but he is very concerned about Laverne.

Laverne, however isn’t doing so well. After Alex and Charlie manage to stability one part of her, she starts to build blood around her heart. Dawn gets called in and isn’t too happy that she go called in on a lost cause. Alex wants to go and Dawn eventually agrees. During the surgery, Alex is trying to see what Dawn would like for Christmas but she is focused on the surgery.

Unfortunately, Laverne’s kidneys start to fade and Alex realizes that she has to let her patient go but hopes that her family arrives in time to say goodbye. Laverne’s family arrives and her brother Aaron and wife Jamilla wants Alex and Dawn to try and keep Laverne alive until her son Gabriel can come to say good bye. When the family learns that Laverne was injured helping someone, they tell Alex and Dawn that it just like Laverne to do something like that.

Charlie is helping Laverne’s spirit who wants the man she helped to stay after he inquired after her. The man is Jay, her nephew that ran away from home a couple of years ago. Laverne found him on the street a few months ago and again tonight to try and convince him to come home.

Laverne isn’t the only spirit that Charlie is helping tonight. Charlie sees the spirit of Aiden by the Hope-Zion Christmas tree. Aiden waits there every year for his mom to come and hang his name on an angel ornament on the tree. Aiden died 5 years ago from leukemia and fears because of the ice storm that his mom might be hurt. The reason why Aiden keeps on coming is that he spent his last Christmas at Hope Zion and saw how sad his mom was. A year later after he died, Aiden saw his mom return and was smiling again around the tree and was happy to see that. Charlie talks to Betty May, a volunteer of the Christmas tree about Aiden’s mom and learns that she recently had another baby. This makes Aiden sad to hear this. However, just as Charlie is about to hang Aiden’s name on the tree, his mom arrives with his baby brother Jamie. Alex gives the angel to Shauna and she shares that after she gave birth to Jamie it just reminded her at how much she misses Aiden. We see Jamie look at Aiden who waves back. Aiden realizes that this will probably be the last time his mom will come but can go off in peace after hearing her say that he would have made an awesome big brother.

Meanwhile, as Laverne lies dying, one by one her family says good bye and she finally slips away. When Jay finds out that his aunt died, Charlie goes out to console him.

Gabriel finally arrives and wants a moment alone with his mom. Charlie arrives and says that someone wants to say good bye too. Jay is then reunited with his family and we see Laverne got her Christmas wish.

Laverne is afraid to go off to the other side alone and this gives Charlie an idea to do something for her. Charlie introduces Laverne to Aiden to get the two to help each other. We see the two then walk hand in hand to cross over.

I really started to lose it when I see Laverne’s family walk with her body to the hearse from the funeral home. This really touched me personally. My father died this past summer and I saw the funeral home take away my father. I am crying now as I type this.

Alex then thanks Dawn for all her help and apologies for ruining her Christmas Eve plans. Dawn said Alex didn’t ruin anything and was glad she came. Alex then fesses up that she was her secret Santa and got her no gift. Dawn is okay with that.

After a long day, Charlie and Alex finally go home. As the two step into the elevator, a sprig of mistletoe hangs above and as the door closes, the two share a sweet kiss.

Happy Holidays Saving Hope fans and see you all in the New Year!