Gifts of the Heart

Tom and Niek manage a clothing rental service while running their father’s Sinterklaas headquarters. Tom is a washed-up former soap actor who treats life as a joke, while Niek is a stubborn, hardworking family man. Their clashing personalities set the tone for both business battles and holiday drama.

A marketing strategist from the U.S. arrives to promote soda during the Sinterklaas festivities. She stays with her sister’s family, providing a domestic counterpoint to the business negotiations. She agrees to explore a joint marketing plan with the brothers, at first strictly professional.

Tom dons a youthful Santa persona for the arrival by boat, hoping to win Julia over. The crowd is confused and Julia’s initial reaction is cool, dampening the business mood. This rough reception forces Julia to reconsider the collaboration.

Julia temporarily ends the deal after the awkward reception. Her boss loves the idea of Niek as the hip Santa, nudging her to revert to the plan. The pivot heightens the tension between the brothers and their marketing ambitions.

Niek and Julia go on a date to discuss expanding the Santa roster and the campaign. Karin shows up at the same restaurant with Richard, complicating personal dynamics. The contrast between business chatter and family drama raises the stakes.

During the dinner, Julia orchestrates a kiss with Niek, brushing it off as 'marketing.' Karin exits the scene in a mix of anger and hurt. Tom, meanwhile, is babysitting Lars and sending Julia ideas for a staged fight between Santa and Sinterklaas.

In a heated moment, Karin kisses Tom as she vents about the divorce. Lars quietly sees the kiss, adding guilt and confusion to the tangled relationships. The incident deepens mistrust and complicates the trio’s plans.

A montage shows the main trio pushing forward with hiring more Santa helpers and coordinating logistics. The sequence underscores their commitment to the campaign despite mounting personal tensions. The festive push highlights the blend of business goals and holiday spectacle.

Niek Sr., the brothers’ father, battles dementia and sometimes believes he is Sinterklaas, wandering the retirement home roof in search of his horse. The moment underscores the strain of balancing tradition with aging and memory. It adds emotional weight to the family drama.

Lars asks Sinterklaas to bring his parents back together, placing emotional pressure on Tom and Niek to repair their bond. The boy’s wish acts as a moral compass, steering decisions toward familial reconciliation. The stakes feel personal and urgent for all involved.

Tom and Julia go to a hotel after she can’t contact her sister, but they do not spend the night together. The moment leaves Tom more resolved to persuade Julia to stay. Personal longing clashes with professional commitments and impending departure.

Lars tells Niek that he saw Tom and Karin kissing, pushing the family further apart. The revelation complicates the reconciliation process and tests everyone’s willingness to move forward. The family grapples with secrets that threaten to derail the holiday plans.

On Sinterklaas day, Sinterklaas and Santa prepare for a staged fight on live television, with Niek as Sinterklaas and Tom as Santa. The spectacle becomes a cathartic moment, leading to a reconciliation between the brothers. Their father, dressed as Sinterklaas, scolds them to mend ties with Julia and Karin.

In the epilogue, the two couples are together, hinting at a hopeful future and the restoration of family harmony. The holiday spirit seals the reconciliations, leaving the characters with a sense of closure. The narrative closes on a warm, festive note.