HART OF DIXIE Recap: Blue Christmas

Its Christmas time in Bluebell and like everything else the town does they go big. I’m talking live nativity in the town square, strolling carolers – big.

Zoe’s Mother is coming into town for Christmas, something she can’t believe she agreed to.
Zoe: Christmas in my family is a time for judgment and fear.
So needless to say she isn’t in the best of spirits. She wants Lavon to help divert her Mother’s attentions but Lavon says he is busy. He wants to sell Ruby on how great Bluebell is. They apparently made a deal that after a year of the long distance thing one of them would move to live with the other one. He wants Ruby to pick Bluebell. Since Ruby is leaving next week, he is busy.
Zoe isn’t so easily swayed though; she will have her Mom fill in as a judge for Lavon at the gingerbread house contest, the cookie contest and the dress your doll up like an angel contest. That way he can spend his time with Ruby and Zoe’s Mom will be too busy to judge her.

As Zoe gets ready for her Mom to arrive she watches Wade kiss a girl and put her into a car outside his house. They exchange words. Basically he smirks and Zoe gets annoyed. So it’s just like they were before the sex.
Lavon and Zoe greet her Mother and she makes those hurtfully little offhanded comments only a Mother can make while still smiling. She also says she can’t judge any contests for Lavon; she wants to spend all her time with her daughter. Zoe doesn’t look so happy about that.

At the Rammer Jammer Tanzy shows up to get George after his shift as Joseph in the live nativity. They are all cute and kissy. Brick is taking George’s place in the nativity when he finds a beautiful diamond ring in the pocket of the robe. Brick thinks it is Georges and that George is going to propose to Tanzy. Brick doesn’t look so happy about that. Not looking so happy might just be a recurring theme in this recap, getting on board with it now would be a good idea.

Zoe and her Mother come across Wade while walking around Bluebell. He of course is wearing a shirt Zoe’s Mom sent her and makes comments about how he borrowed it when he painted her house. Even though I know he did, I remember him shirtless and working, he is making it sound dirty and like a euphemism for something else. Everyone together now…Zoe doesn’t look so happy about that.

The cookie contest is in full swing and Ruby and Lemon exchange subtle insults before Lemon is crowned winner. Ruby tells Lavon the one good thing about getting out of Bluebell is getting away from Lemon Breeland. She can’t figure out why Lavon and Lemon are even friends. Lavon looks a little uncomfortable.

Over at the Rammer Jammer Wanda (who was with Brick when he found the ring) runs into Tanzy and she can’t stop giggling. Wanda tells Tanzy about the ring and pending proposal. Tanzy looks freaked out and…not so happy about that.

Back at the office Zoe is listening to a patient tell her he wants to go visit his grandkids but he has to work. She offers to write him a note prescribing R&R so he can get away for the holidays.

In George’s office Tanzy burst in and talks fast about people falling in love with her quickly and she likes him but they need to take a break. She’ll see him after the holidays. It’s George’s turn to not look so happy about that.

Lavon sits Lemon down at the coffee shop, he wants a favor. Please can she reach out to Ruby so her last days in Bluebell are happy? Lavon reaches into his pocket and then he panics. It looks like the ring Brick found is actually his, not George’s.
Lavon gets the ring back a moment later though as soon as Brick got done confronting George about it.
Whew…that was close. Brick almost overreacted.

Zoe and her Mother are back at the town square when they see Tom put up a sign saying Santa’s appearance is cancelled. Turns out Santa is the guy Zoe wrote the note for. Zoe vows to fix it, which as we all knows ends well every time.

The next morning Zoe is telling Lavon about her debacle. He can’t believe she did this to him. He is proposing at the tree lighting ceremony and now its ruined. Lavon loves Ruby and he wants her to know he is serious about their commitment.

For her part Lemon is meeting Ruby at the coffee shop. She apologizes for her behavior and invites her to help wrap gifts with her later. After Ruby leaves Lemon doesn’t look too happy.

Zoe runs into Dash who says Crazy Earl used to be Santa. Zoe is sure this is her last hope at finding a Santa Suit or a guy to play Santa so she heads over to his place with her Mom in tow.

George and Tanzy are working out their misunderstanding at the Rammer Jammer. They both agree proposing this soon would be crazy. George ruins it a moment later by telling her he hasn’t even gotten her a gift yet. Tanzy – not so happy about that.
As she leaves the talks a lot blonde who won Bricks bachelor picnic basket sits down. Oh, her name is Shelby. She apologizes for being crazy when they were together and offers to help George with Tanzy. George must be desperate because he agrees to let her take him shopping.

Over at Crazy Earl’s Zoe offers to pay Earl for his Santa suit. He won’t lend her the suit, but he will wear the suit and be Santa for the kids. Zoe stuffs his drunk Santa suit wearing behind in the car with her Mother and heads towards town.

In town the kids are chanting for Santa while Zoe tries to sober up Earl. This is the moment when Zoe’s Mom choses to remember Earl saying they might be in-laws someday. She asks Earl who her son is and Earl says why it’s your daughter’s boyfriend, Wade. Zoe is saying nothing is going on with her and Wade when Wade shows up. He is mad she asked Earl to be Santa without talking to him. They have a little argument over it while the parents listen from the other room.

On the other side of the square Lemon, dressed like an elf, and Ruby are wrapping presents with a number of other people. Ruby, also dressed like an elf, is talking about her great relationship with Lavon. Annabeth tries to change the subject a number of times to no avail.
Ruby is mean, too mean and Lemon shouts Ruby isn’t the only person Lavon ever loved. They both run out.

The tree lighting is about to start but Zoe can’t find Earl. Zoe calls Wade and asks him to help her find Earl. He reluctantly agrees. Wade finds Earl at the church. Zoe slips in to hear Wade talking to Earl. Turns out he quit being Santa when Wade’s Mom died. It was right before Christmas. Wade can really be a good guy when he needs to be. He is awfully sweet with this Dad. Wade talks him into being Santa.
Zoe says she didn’t know any of that about his family and Wade says she never asked. He follows Earl out of the church.

In the town square Lavon is getting all of the carolers ready to sing when he proposes. Ruby shows up and she asks if he had a thing with Lemon and if he loved her. He said he did but there is nothing between them now. She says she can’t trust him, what are they supposed to do now? He counters by getting on one knee and pulling out the ring. She shakes her head and walks away.

On his houseboat George and Tanzy are opening gifts. She got him a pear cozy. It’s a knitted sock like thing to put over the pears he likes to bring into work so they don’t get bruised in his briefcase. She made it herself and she is soooo pleased with it. He seems pretty happy with it too.
He grabs her hand, a few blankets and says I want to give you your gift somewhere special.

Lavon is at Ruby’s house to apologize. She says they need to stop fooling each other, she was never going to want to come back to Bluebell and he was never going to want to move to the big city. She says she loves him but….goodnight. It sounds more like goodbye.

Back at her place Zoe is talking to her Mom. She is apologizing for lying to her the whole trip. She opens up about her relationship with Wade and how she pushed him away but now she misses him. Her Mom says if Zoe is happy then so be it.

At Lemon’s place Lavon shows up. He is mad at Lemon for telling Ruby. He says he will never forgive her for this and storms out leaving her crying.

George meanwhile has Tanzy at Santa’s Workshop in the town square. He opens the door to find talks-a-lot lady and Brick doing it under a rug. UNDER A RUG IN PUBLIC! No decorum.

Zoe finds Wade drinking on his porch. It’s her turn to apologize. He wants to know for which thing. She starts with the date at the picnic. She says she was scared but she realizes she likes him, she really likes him. How can they find out if they will be happy together if they don’t try.
She asks him to reconsider being her, “for real, out in public, everyone knows about, actual boyfriend.”
He doesn’t say anything right away so Zoe starts rambling. Wade stops her with a kiss, picks her up and carriers into the house.

The carolers take us to black.

Hart of Dixie will be back January 15th with all new episodes.

Hart of Dixie airs Tuesday 8/7c on CW