Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas

Santa narrates that Buddy is a human who was raised by elves after crawling into Santa's sack on Christmas Eve. He grows up at the North Pole, surrounded by toy-making elves, while never learning his true origins. His unusual size and lack of elf skills set him apart from his peers.

Buddy overhears the truth about his birth and confronts Santa. Santa sends him to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs, a children’s book editor who doesn’t believe in Santa. This sends Buddy on a quest to locate his family.

Buddy arrives in New York and goes to Walter Hobbs' publishing office in the Empire State Building, where Walter mistakes him for a singing telegram. Security escorts him toward Macy’s Department Store, starting Buddy’s effort to connect with his father. The moment marks the start of his hunt in the big city.

Buddy lands a job as an elf at the North Pole Village in New York and quickly grows close to his cynical coworker Jovie. He brings unbridled enthusiasm to city life, which contrasts with Walter’s skepticism. The budding romance adds personal motivation to Buddy’s quest.

Buddy publicly unmasks a mall Santa as a fraud, causing a scuffle that ends with police involvement. The incident puts Buddy in hot water and leads to his reception at the Hobbs family apartment. This incident accelerates his integration into the Hobbs household.

Emily and Michael invite Buddy to stay at their apartment after seeing his goodwill during a school project. He bonds with the kids and becomes part of their nightly routines. The stay marks a turning point in Buddy’s place within the Hobbs family.

A DNA test confirms Buddy is Walter Hobbs’s son, changing the stakes of his search. Walter wavers between pride and fear, while the possibility of a real father-son bond opens up new emotional territory. The revelation pushes Buddy to claim his place in Walter's life.

Walter reluctantly brings Buddy to his office to show him off while trying to secure a publishing deal. Mr. Greenway pressures him to produce a Christmas bestseller by Christmas Eve. The office setting becomes a pressure cooker for Buddy’s impact on Walter’s career.

That evening, Buddy takes Jovie to a romantic dinner at Tavern on the Green and lifts her Christmas spirit. He later shreds a manuscript to make it snow in Walter’s office, a gesture that enrages Walter and leads to Buddy’s ejection from the office. The misfit moment cements the distance between father and son.

Despondent and hungry, Buddy meets a group of out-of-work Santa actors at a Chinese restaurant and delays his next date with Jovie. He gives Jovie a snow globe that Santa gave him, a small reminder of hope. The setback further isolates Buddy from Walter but deepens his bond with the Hobbs family.

Emily and Michael read Buddy’s goodbye letter and set out to retrieve him, and they notice Santa's sleigh outside their window. The family arrives at the Empire State Building where Walter is feverishly crafting a pitch for Mr. Greenway. This convergence brings the family back into Buddy’s orbit.

In Central Park, Buddy inspires a city-wide act of Christmas spirit as a crowd responds to his call. Jovie arrives and begins singing, prompting others to join in and repower Santa’s sleigh. The sleigh rises once again, signaling the emotional and magical turning point of the story.

Santa invites Buddy to return to the North Pole, but Buddy chooses to stay in New York where he has found a sense of belonging and purpose. He continues spreading joy around the city and embraces his role there. His decision reshapes his identity and future.

Some time later, Buddy and Jovie settle down and welcome a son, Baby Buddy. The Hobbs family maintains a new Christmas Day tradition by visiting Santa's North Pole residence each year. The story closes with Buddy finding a family and a home beyond the pole.