Santa's Secret Stuff

Season 7, Episode 11, Aired
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Episode Summary

Lorelai postpones Christmas celebrations until Rory returns from London. Luke asks Lorelai to write a character recommendation for his custody battle over April. Lorelai struggles with the task. Rory decides she will write an apology letter to her friend Lucy.
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Fan Episode Reviews (37)

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  • Lorelai held off Christmas for Rory. Lane is huge and is cranky to everyone who mentions her pregnancy. Lorelai write a character recommendation for Luke, and when she sends it off it starts to snow for the first time all winter.moreless

    8.4
    "Great"
    By uscgirl, Apr 26, 2011 Report Abuse
    The episode was just like Lorelai's head; filled with a big bag of weird. Maybe because it was celebrating Christmas seven weeks after the fact, this episode came off a little strange even for Stars Hallow standards. Big though disappointments were that we never got to see how Lorelai and Chris solved the wedding party issues, or really why Logan blabbed about Rory knowing Marty. We do know that he "apologized a lot" so Rory forgave him. That was annoying. The acting also seemed very forced, at least during the greeting periods. Chris came out to say hello to Rory after she got back from London, which could have been sweet, but seemed fake. Even worse was the greeting the band mates gave each other when they got together to rehearse. Worst yet was that the "perfect" family idea was still being forced down our throats with the Gilmore/Hayden clan celebrating as a family. This included Chris buying awful stocking that seemed like something Diana Ross would call goddy. Somehow the producers marketed Lorelai saving Christmas for Rory as sweet, but forgot to mention that it meant she kept it from Gigi. Not even allowing a five-year old to have a tree or presents just seems cruel and out of character for Lorelai. The highlights included the Lorelai and Luke scene at the Inn. Her face after he shook her hand was priceless. It was a little disturbing that she could only think of "monkey monkey underpants" when trying to write a letter about him, but she was trying to avoid confronting her true feelings.
    Another highlight was Lane and Zack. Lane was so big it looked scary, but Zach was there every second to comfort her as much as her could. Most of her grumpiness was explained as her resent of loosing her only time to rebel. Zack's reassurance was sweet. The best though was when Lorelai realized how much Luke has always been there for them. Listening to him and Rory name off all the bad gifts Luke got her finally started to get her thinking. Of course then it snows when she sends off the letter. This should be a signal about what is going to happen in future episodes.moreless

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  • Did the last episode not happen or something? Still good though.

    8.0
    "Great"
    By stewie1423, Jun 04, 2009 Report Abuse
    This was weird...it was another filler. Not a bad episode but after last weeks big episode this one ruined things. Everyone had sorted out their problems or we didn't see any continuation. Lorelai and Christopher seemed to have forgotten their fight from last week...and now more trouble is on the way with this character reference she will be writing for Luke. Now I do like this...it'll get them back together but would he really ask her? Don't think so. Bet Chris will find it next week...anything to break up this annoying marriage.

    As for Rory, don't really remember if she did much...? Yeah she said she was going to write a letter to Lucy and that she (very quickly) made up with Logan but...nothing else really. Luke and April are actually alright to watch...they have a good father/daughter bond going on. Hopefully things will pick up again...hopefully.moreless

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  • Another filler-episode...

    7.5
    "Good"
    By nofeartina, Jun 11, 2008 Report Abuse
    I can't remember that the other seasons had this many filler episodes as season 7 has so far!! Just get on with it allready. Ok - so Lorelai has to confront her feelings about Luke to write him a recommendation letter. I guess the writers just can't be bothered trying to hide the storyline, it is just SO obvious that she'll get back together with Luke eventually. I really think this episode could have been so much better. The last episode had plenty of run-ins, so why are they brushed off so easily in this epi? What happened to the wedding-party that Emily were planning for Lorelai and Chris? Have they resolved the fight that they had when the last epi ended? And Rory was so angry with Logan, but she just forgave him, and that's the end of it? I liked the storyline with Lane. Zach is so sweet, and he really got her when she said that her rebel-days were over... aww... :-)moreless

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  • Good episode when Lorelai have to confront some feelings she has about Luke.

    8.9
    "Great"
    By CanelaMoena, Mar 14, 2007 Report Abuse
    After Rory comes home from London, mom and daughter decide to celebrate christmas together, with christopher and Gg. Cause i dont like Chris, i tought he gets all annoying during the entire hollydays with his "ideas". Luke aks Lorelai to write a character letter for Aprils custody battle. After a cute reunite with Luke and both of their girls she realizes that he have been a big part of Rorys life so she finally writes the letter, hopefully a good one.moreless

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  • Rory returns from London. They celebrate Christmas. Luke asks Lorelai to write a character reference for custody fight. Rory obsesses about Lucy being mad at her.

    7.2
    "Good"
    By vital2life, Feb 04, 2007 Report Abuse
    I hated this episode. It was uneventful, boring, and frustrating all at once. Christopher tries really hard to start new traditions for Christmas, and Rory's life has become so dull that she spends an entire episode obsessing about her annoying friend (who was only her friend for like two months) and how she hasn't accepted her apology. The only upside is that Luke asks Lorelai to write his character reference letter, because then Lorelai has to think about what she's going to write. I liked the scene at the mall when Lorelai realizes how much of a father-figure Luke has been to Rory. He never missed a birthday and always got her presents he thought she would like. This definitely is not Gilmore Girl's finest, but I suppose it was necessary to build up to the next episode.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • When Lorelai is talking to Rory about how she's having trouble writing Luke's character reference, she complains about sounding like a "documentary narrator from the History Channel." Edward Hermann, who plays Richard Gilmore, has narrated many History Channel documentaries.

      Edit
    • Lane and Zack mention they're expecting twin boys. Edit
    • When Luke comes to the Dragonfly Inn to ask Lorelai about the character reference she first gives him the cold treatment. That is weird since in the previous episode they shared a very sweet moment with Luke's niece. Edit

  • Notes

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    • Clips from this episode were filmed in Burbank, CA in a mall. Edit
    • Music: -"Angels We Have Heard on High" Traditional Christmas carol sung by Chris. . -"I'll Be Home For Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby while Lorelai writes and posts Luke's character letter. Edit
    • French episode title: "Petit Cadeau de Noël", meaning "A Small Christmas Gift". Edit

  • Quotes

    ADD QUOTES
    • Luke: Hey, Michel. Is Lorelai here? Michel: (Picks up phone) Hey, can you tell Lorelai that... someone is here to see her. (Michel puts the phone down, he and Luke stand there in silence) Well this is awfully awkward. We should make some sort of conversation. I see your sense of style has not changed. Luke: Nope. Michel: I've often wondered does someone in your family own a flannel company? Luke: Uh, no. Michel: Oh. You know what, I cannot do this. Let us just stand here and let the awkwardness wash over us. Luke: Fine by me. Edit
    • Rory: Sounds like you're over thinking this. Maybe if you just put pen to paper... Lorelai: I tried that. I thought I'd just sit down and write…whatever comes...no judgment...no inner critic…ooh, was that a bad idea. Rory: Really why? Lorelai: Because my brain is a wild jungle full of scary gibberish…I'm writing a letter…I can't write a letter…why can't I write a letter?…I'm wearing a green dress...I wish I was wearing my blue dress...my blue dress is at the cleaners...the Germans wore grey...you wore blue...Casablanca, Casablanca...such a good movie...Casablanca...the White House...Bush...why don't I drive a hybrid car? I should really drive a hybrid car...I should really take my bicycle to work...bicycle, unicycle, unitard...hockey puck, rattle snake, monkey, monkey, underpants. Rory: Hockey puck, rattle snake, monkey, monkey, underpants? Lorelai: Exactly! That's what I'm saying. It's a big bag of weird in there. So I think, well I need inspiration, you know. I need a muse. Perhaps I need 'the' muse. Maybe it would help if Sharon Stone would appear to me in an alarming caftan and coo inspirational words in my ear. Rory: Just write what you feel...that's all writing is. Hey, do you think there might be some reason why you are having trouble with this? I mean I would imagine that writing about Luke wouldn't be easy. Lorelai: I know! You should write it. Rory: What? No. Lorelai: Yes! You are a wonderful writer. Everything you write is so good...your grocery lists are like shimmering Haikus. Rory: Your write a pretty mean grocery list yourself and it doesn't have to shimmer. It just has to be authentic and real... Edit
    • Christopher: Ooh, cool, mistletoe! Lorelai: Where are you going with that? Christopher: I'm gonna hang it up in the doorway. Rory: Oh, it doesn't go there. Christopher: Where does it go? Rory: We tape it up to one of the blades on the ceiling fan upstairs. That way, the kissing is more like a sport. Lorelai: It's a tradition. Christopher: That's one of your traditions? Rory: Our traditions are very important to us. Christopher: What other kinds of traditions am I in for? Rory: Well, on Christmas morning, we put red and green M&M's in our cereal. Christopher: Down with that! Edit

  • Allusions

    ADD ALLUSIONS
    • Rory: It's a post Pluto sale. Pluto used to be the 9th planet, but in 2006 it was decided that Pluto shouldn't be called a planet anymore. Now it's called a dwarf planet. Edit
    • Luke: Yeah, April just showed up, out of the blue April: Geez, you make me sound like Pearl Harbor or something. The Attack on Pearl Harbor or Bombing of Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack the United States naval base on Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. It was launched on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941 by Empire of Japan's 1st Air Fleet. Edit
    • Rory: You know Mom, I've been around for a while too. I still remember Tom Hanks from the Joe Versus the Volcano days. Joe Versus the Volcano is a 1990 comedy film starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Edit

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