Roman Holiday (Gossip Girl)

"Roman Holiday" is the first Christmas episode of The CW teen drama Gossip Girl, based on the novel series by Cecily von Ziegesar, aired as the eleventh episode of the show's first season.

Synopsis[]

At Constance, Jenny sings in the choir at the Annual Holiday Bazaar while Dan and Serena mill around looking at the various objects for sale. They're surprised by Vanessa, who brings Dan's Christmas present early. He opens it to find a letter stating that his story 10.08.05 is being published in The New Yorker's Summer Fiction Issue featuring 20 under 20. Shocked at this news, he thanks Vanessa profusely for sending his story in secretly. Meanwhile, Alison and Rufus arrive at the bazaar and meet Lily and Bart. Inside the school afterwards, Lily and Bart run into Blair, who remarks that she didn't know Bart was in town because she thought he was with Chuck. He explains that Chuck is holed up in a Bass resort in Monaco and Blair says that explains his silence and walks away. Once she's far enough away, she texts Chuck that she knows where he is. She's then surprised by Serena, who comments on the giant candy canes she's carrying. Blair tells her that she and Harold get them every year as tradition and his flight got in 27 minutes ago. Serena hurries her to the curb and helps her hail a cab as Blair explains that she's hoping to convince Harold to come back to New York for good. Serena asks for her help in finding the perfect present for Dan, but Blair can't come up with any ideas. She gets into the cab as they agree to see each other the next night. Blair arrives home to find Harold already in the penthouse waiting for her. They hug and then Blair notices that Harold's boyfriend, Roman, is there too. He hugs her as well and Blair gives him a candy cane to him and Harold. At the loft, Rufus, Alison, and Jenny decorate while Dan opens Christmas cards. He finds one from someone named Alex, who writes for Alison to meet him on Christmas Eve. Dan realizes it's not a Christmas card and Rufus asks why he's writing to her. She promises that it's over and she has no idea why he's writing to her. He believes her and decides to let it go to not ruin the holiday.

The next day, Blair, Eleanor, Harold, and Roman walk to the ice rink in Central Park together. Blair asks Eleanor to distract Roman, but she refuses, saying she needs to focus her time on her meeting with the CEO of Victoria's Secret. Roman overhears and Eleanor explains that she's designing a line of retro chic sleepwear for them, and Blair suggests she tell him more about it. She takes the opportunity to walk with Harold and he asks if Nate is coming to the party that night. Blair says that he's in Connecticut with Anne but said he'd try to make it back in time. Harold tells her that he and Roman bought a chateau near Lyon, France and he excitedly tells her about how beautiful it is. Meanwhile, a man walks up to Eleanor and asks where the rink is, as he's taking his niece skating. Eleanor directs him and he thanks her. Roman says that he was flirting with her, but Eleanor doesn't buy it. They arrive at the rink and Roman decides to join Harold and Blair in skating, despite not knowing how. At the cafe Vanessa works at, Dan reviews past 20 under 20 issues and thanks her again for submitting him. As she goes back to work, Serena arrives and presents Dan with her gift: a very ornate watch. He tells her that while he likes the gift, he has never given such an elaborate present so he can't accept it. She asks if she overdid it, and they agree to set a limit of $50 to spend on each other. As she's leaving, Vanessa offers to tell her Dan's favorite used bookshop but Serena declines. Elsewhere, Rufus keeps Alison's date with Alex for her and meets him. He orders him to stay away from Alison, especially because she told him to leave her alone; but Alex says that is definitely not what she told him a couple days ago. Realizing Alison spoke to him and lied about it, Rufus decides to stay. Back at the rink, Blair watches Roman and Harold skate together until she gets a text from Chuck, who asks how she faked her virginity for Nate. While she rereads the text, Harold tells her to catch Roman, who is about to skate without support for the first time. Blair opens her arms to welcomes him but once he gets within touching distance of her, she sticks her foot out and trips him. He goes flying before crashing down on the ice. Harold helps him up and they leave the rink. 

At the Waldorf building, Blair and Eleanor get in the elevator to go up to the penthouse. Blair vents about how Harold went to the ER with Roman instead of going to tea at The Carlyle with her, and that she doesn't understand how Roman stole Harold from their family but comes off so innocent. Eleanor scoffs that Roman wasn't so always so innocent, as he was once infatuated with another model named Freddy, who was a horrible scoundrel. She advises Blair not to ever bring up Freddy to Harold, as it is a sore subject with him. At the loft, Rufus returns home and tells Alison that he went and saw Alex for her. She admits to talking with him because he felt she owed him an explanation and that she didn't tell Rufus because there was nothing to tell. They talk about how other people aren't the problem with their relationship and that they changed as people.

Meanwhile, Jenny helps Dan search online for a gift for Serena. She remarks that he needs to find her an extra special gift to make up for her Christmas, since she's living in a hotel and can't even have a tree. At the Waldorf building, Blair leaves Chuck a voicemail to ask him not to tell anyone about what they did. As she hangs up, Serena comes into the room and Blair says she needs her to sign into her old profile on a modeling agency site. She is able to log in and Blair finds Freddy's contact information. Serena confesses that the stores are all closing, and she has yet to find the perfect gift for Dan so she's really stressing. Blair gives her a few ideas before calling Freddy. Afterwards, Serena returns to Vanessa's workplace and asks for help. Vanessa agrees to help, saying that Dan isn't really into things so she gets that finding a gift would be hard. Serena mentions that the only thing he really wants is snow for Christmas and she says she can't give him that. Vanessa asks if she's sure and they go off together.

That night, the Waldorf Christmas Party is in full swing. Lily, who is at the party, receives a call from Rufus, who says he just wanted to wish her a happy holiday, and she replies that she and Bart are flying to Anguilla that night so she will. After they hang up, she chastises herself for lying like that. Meanwhile, the man who talked with Eleanor at the park enters. She asks what he's doing there, and he explains that Roman tracked him down and invited him. Eleanor tells him to enjoy the party before confronting Roman, who has crutches after the skating incident, about inviting him. He shares that Jack owns a prominent hedge fund with offices in Barcelona and London, and that he thinks Eleanor is very attractive. She says that's still no excuse, but he reminds her that she could use his romantic help, especially since they've been friends for so long. Eleanor coldly replies that friends don't steal other friends' husbands and walks away. Elsewhere, Blair calls Nate's housekeeper to find out if he ever left Connecticut. She learns that he left a few hours ago so she assumes he's on his way there now. Upstairs, Blair discovers Serena, Eric, and Vanessa preparing Dan's gift, which includes lots of paper, cutting, glue, and a video. Blair tells Vanessa that she wants to help and asks her to help her find scissors. They go into her bathroom, where she informs her that she likes Dan a little too much and she's watching her. Vanessa leaves immediately afterwards and Blair goes back downstairs. Lily enters the room and says that once they're finished with their project, she's taking them out for dessert. Serena replies that she can't, but she knows Lily is probably going to tell them that she's dating someone new. Lily doesn't deny it and reveals that she is dating Bart. Serena and Eric are shocked, as they don't like Bart. However, Lily promises that their relationship is casual, they aren't talking marriage yet, and she isn't asking their permission.

Elsewhere, Dan and Jenny work together to carry a Christmas tree to The Palace to leave in the VDW's suite. Jenny wonders what Rufus and Alison are giving each other for Christmas and Dan admits that he thinks there's a real possibility that they might split up. Jenny blames herself for bringing Alison back, but Dan assures her that she did the right thing. Back at the Waldorf's, Eleanor talks with Jack until she sees Freddy enter the penthouse. She excuses herself and demands to know why Freddy is there. He says that Roman invited him but Roman hobbles over and denies doing so. Harold also approaches and is shocked that Roman would contact Freddy within a few days of being back in New York. However, Eleanor quickly figures out that Blair invited Freddy, not Roman, and offers him the featured model position in her spring catalog if he tells the truth. He admits that Blair said she would buy him a cruise and renew his gym membership so long as he came and said Roman invited him. Eleanor tells him that he will be featured in her catalog when hell freezes over before asking him to leave, which he does. Once he's gone, Harold says he's shocked Blair would do something like that to Roman, who has only been kind to her. Eleanor explains that Blair is lashing out at him, not Roman, since she was so disappointed that he didn't come alone. At The Palace, Dan and Jenny try to figure out a way to sneak the tree into the hotel but are interrupted by Lily's arrival. She realizes what they're trying to do and suggests that Bobby, the security guard at the service entrance, could probably be bought to let them take it up; and asks them to follow her. At the gallery, Serena excitedly tells Vanessa that she texted Dan and he replied that he's on his way. Vanessa goes to leave but Serena asks her to stay to see his reaction. However, Vanessa insists that she has to go but wishes tells her to enjoy her night. Back at the Waldorf building, Harold comes in to tells Blair goodbye before he and Roman go back to Paris. Blair admits that she was going to convince him to stay in New York, but she is now scared that there's no room in his life for her anymore. Harold promises her that he will always have room for her no matter what, and shows her a DVD, which is part of her gift. They watch it together, and Blair sees it's filled with photos of his new chateau. He points out the photo of her room, which he had decorated in her taste. She also sees a cat, which Harold explains is named Cat, like in Breakfast at Tiffany's, her favorite movie. Finally, he invites her to spend the whole summer in France with them. At the gallery, Dan arrives to find a 3D simulation of snow. He says he loves it and gives Serena her gift, which is a copy of his story 10.08.05. She asks what happened on that day, and he reveals it's about the day he met her.

The next morning at the gallery, Dan and Serena wake up to real snow falling outside. He admits it's the best Christmas ever and they get ready to go home. At the Waldorf building, Eleanor is in the middle of escorting Jack out after spending the night together but is surprised when Harold and Roman come out of the elevator. Harold explains that their flight was cancelled due to the snow but that they have a hotel room. However, Eleanor tells them that they can stay at the penthouse, which they accept. Blair then comes downstairs and warmly tells Roman that she is in for a treat because Waldorf Christmases are like no other. At The Palace, Serena arrives home to find the tree inside the suite and smiles, realizing that was Dan's gift. At the loft, Dan enters to find Rufus making waffle batter. He explains how the tree delivery went but that Lily helped them a lot. Rufus says that he thought Dan mentioned she was out of the country, but Dan confusedly says that she, Serena, and Eric are going to see The Nutcracker the next day, so she isn't. Jenny and Alison come out to the kitchen and Rufus says that after they open presents, he needs to go to the gallery for a while. Alison suggests that while he's gone, they can drink hot cocoa and watch a movie, and maybe go for a walk later.

Back at the Waldorf building, Blair, Eleanor, Harold, Roman, and Dorota open gifts together. Blair is surprised with a beautiful coat, and she gives Dorota a BlackBerry so they can text. Back at the loft, Rufus is gone, and Jenny asks Alison if she's going back to Hudson. Alison confesses that she is but that they're all going to be okay regardless. At The Palace, Bart joins Lily, Serena, and Eric for present opening. He tells Serena and Eric that he has deep feeling for Lily just as her phone starts ringing. Lily goes to answer it, but Bart says she won't want to interrupt the moment, and then proposes to her. Meanwhile, Rufus is standing outside the hotel and leaves Lily a voicemail, saying that Alison is leaving, and he misses her. Back at the Waldorf building, Blair receives a text from Chuck in response to her plea. He asks who he would tell and attaches a photo of him and Nate in Monaco.

Songs[]

All uncredited.

• "Santa Baby" - The Constance Billard Choir
• "O Christmas Tree" - The Plush Interiors
• "Stuck for the Summer" - Two Hours Traffic
• "Christmas Alphabet" - The McGuire Sisters
• "Christmakwanzakah" - Dan Finnerty
• "Deck the Halls" - The Republic Tigers
• "The General Specific" - Band of Horses
• "All That I Want" - The Weepies

Availability[]

The episode was made available on the Gossip Girl: The Complete First Season DVD set, released by Warner Home Video on August 19, 2008.

Cast[]

See also[]

• "You Can't Take It with Jules"

External links[]

• Gossip Girl Wiki: Roman Holiday
• "Roman Holiday" at the Internet Movie Database