Question: Is there any reason that for the re-make it was changed from Santa speaking to a little girl in Dutch to him speaking to a girl in sign language? It seemed like it would be less convincing this way, since it would not be uncommon for any department store Santa to know sign language.
Answer: The original Dutch girl was a World War II orphan. That wouldn't make sense in the newer remake. And why wouldn't a Santa know sign language? It would seem more common than Dutch.
Question: When the brothers go into the bank for the first time Bill overhears the manager call Sara by her name. Bill then goes over and says "Sara? Sara Collins?" And she says yes, and later she askes Bill if they know each other. He says they do not, and she walks away. But why didn't she ask him how he knew her last name when no one told it to him at the bank?
Answer: She was busy at work and did not care how or why he knew.
Chosen answer: Even though Charlie did not want to stay with his Dad for Christmas Eve, he did want to stay at home with a family member, fragmented as it was. Eating Christmas Eve dinner at a Denny's restaurant was not his idea of a Christmas dinner at home with family.