Christmas—the time of year for family reunions and the moment when children eagerly wait for Santa Claus to fulfill the wishes of well-behaved kids.
Some say that the moment you realize Santa Claus isn't real is also the moment you bid farewell to childhood. So, for some, childhood ends at seven, while others carry it with them even into their thirties.
As we grow older, we stop believing in Santa Claus, and the idea of Christmas gifts fades away.
This seems to be part of the bittersweet burdens of adulthood.
However!
This Christmas is a little different—
Santa Claus, in various forms and disguises, has gifted adults a Christmas present, almost like magic, turning Christmas miracles into reality.
First Stop: Las Vegas
"No one told me, and there wasn't any prior news. I just wanted to leave home for a couple of hours. I was losing my mind with all the kids driving me crazy, so I went to the movies to watch Catch Me If You Can, which I'd been dying to see."
"I mean, who could say no to Anson?"
"And then…"
"He just showed up! Oh my God! Even now, thinking about it… Jesus Christ, ahhhh, I got chills from head to toe."
"Anson is just perfect. My God, that was the happiest moment of my life. I left peacefully, but... it was Anson, ahhhh!"
Second Stop: San Francisco
"Before today, I knew about Anson, but I wasn't particularly fond of or against him. I knew his new movie was coming out because posters were everywhere."
"I once saw him on the set of The Princess Diaries, yeah, that's right."
"I thought he was… fine."
"But looking back, I think I was blind before—completely blind."
"My brother wanted to see The Lord of the Rings, I wanted to see Harry Potter, and in the end, we compromised on Catch Me If You Can. But we never expected this kind of surprise."
"When Anson appeared, I thought my heart was going to explode."
"Jesus Christ, it felt like he walked straight off the big screen. He's definitely the most charming man I've ever seen."
"My brother was just dumbfounded, screaming at Anson like a brainless fool. I wanted to hide in a hole, but when Anson looked our way, I didn't want to leave anymore. Haha, that's just who I am—full of contradictions."
"I have to admit, there's a difference between seeing someone on screen and in person. Even a big screen can't capture Anson's charm. It's mesmerizing."
"Oh God, just talking about him makes me blush again…"
Third Stop: Portland
"No, no, no, I did not expect this at all."
"Oregon? Are you kidding?"
"I never thought any movie crew would choose to come to Portland, Oregon, for a promotion. This has to be the first time in my memory."
"So, you can imagine the chaos when Anson appeared in front of us."
"At first, no one believed it. Some people were even leaving the theater, hahaha. Some said he might be an SNL actor imitating Anson, but soon realized no one could imitate Anson."
"Come on, imitating quirky characters is easy, but imitating good-looking people is next to impossible. God's a bit selfish that way."
"And then?"
"Then we went crazy. I bet Anson had never seen anything like it in other cities. We made sure Anson would never forget Portland, though whether he'd want to come back is another story."
"I've lived in Portland my whole life, and I've never seen anything like it. It wasn't just women—there were a bunch of men shouting like their lives were on the line, even drowning out the women's screams. The scene… you can imagine. I don't know what Anson saw with his own eyes, but I was deeply shaken."
"My feelings right now? Grateful, very, very grateful."
"No one remembers Portland, but Anson gave us this chance. Now I believe in Christmas miracles again—Anson is Santa Claus."
Fourth Stop: Seattle
"Ahhh, ahhhh, ahhhh!"
"The movie, of course I screamed for the movie. How much of a film buff do you think I'd have to be to come to a theater after Christmas dinner?"
"But."
"Ahhh, Anson! Who could say no to Anson? Anson is definitely the best and most precious thing to ever happen to any Christmas in my life."
"Actually, I loved Catch Me If You Can, haha. I know no one's talking about the movie, but Spielberg did a fantastic job. Watching it on Christmas was a delight."
"But Anson, he's irreplaceable."
"That's the point—just him showing up, saying hello, interacting with us was already an unforgettable experience. But more than that, he chatted with us about the movie, even asking us about our Christmas experiences. The whole vibe was relaxed and joyful."
"I'd heard the rumors about Anson, of course. Everyone says he has an enchanting presence. Tonight, I finally understood why."
"Oh, I love his character in the movie, but there's no doubt I love him even more in person."
"Spider-Man didn't impress me, but Catch Me If You Can has really made me appreciate him. I think I'd be willing to go see any movie just for Anson."
Lively and bustling, the journey continued—
Starting from Los Angeles in the south and moving along the West Coast all the way north, Anson spent Christmas flying between five cities, making surprise appearances at theaters.
This ingenious and novel promotional strategy stunned all of Hollywood, immediately catching the attention of Fox News.
After successfully leveraging Anson's popularity this past summer, Fox wasted no time in following up with interviews.
Even during the Christmas break, they quickly dispatched teams to the theaters hosting the surprise events to capture firsthand accounts. They also sent another crew to shadow Anson, documenting DreamWorks' innovative promotional approach in a documentary format.
DreamWorks couldn't have been more supportive, thrilled that they'd attracted the attention of a major platform without even having to reach out.
Thus—
As soon as Anson finished his surprise visits, Fox News swooped in for interviews, and by December 26th, viewers were treated to the news.
It may not have been as fast as today's internet era, but for 2002, this was impressively quick.
Unsurprisingly, Catch Me If You Can effortlessly became the hottest film of the Christmas season, spreading like wildfire across North America, with its momentum still climbing!
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