When Teddy steals a car with his friends, the transgression is easier for the audience to forgive than it might otherwise be because it's through the lens of a teen acting out. His firefighter dad died in the line of duty less than a year before the movie takes place, and Teddy's mom (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) isn't always around because she works. She's doing the best she can, but she's called away on Christmas Eve for an unexpected overnight shift at the hospital.
It can be easy to forget that in the real world, although kids don't have to worry about school during the holidays, adults don't always have time off for holiday celebrations. In "The Christmas Chronicles," that practical element is also reflected in those working at the pub where Santa and the kids are looking to snag a ride, as well as in the police officers simply trying to keep the night, well, silent.
One thing nudges this note of realism to the side, however. When Santa, Teddy and Kate are careening around the city avoiding the police, there's nary a soul on the streets. In actual Chicago on Christmas Eve, the downtown shops would be empty in the wee hours of the morning, for sure, but chances are the nearby bars and clubs would be fairly lively — which means cabs and a trickle of traffic would be inevitable.
