The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t

Sam Whipple, a broke but hopeful young lawyer, meets Santa Claus and learns that a new landlord, Phineas T. Prune, is threatening to confiscate Santa's toys and evict him. Santa is upset and desperate to save Christmas, since the rent payments are in jeopardy. This meeting sets the whole plan in motion to find a way to cover what is owed.

To raise the entire rent, Sam and Santa decide to take jobs at a department store and work for two days. They hope the wages will be enough to clear the outstanding debt and keep Christmas safe. Santa is initially nervous, but he agrees to give it a try for the kids' sake.

On their first day of work, Santa's warmth draws in children and families, turning him into an unlikely star of the store's holiday scene. The children naturally gravitate toward him, and his cheerful presence begins to generate the funds they need. Sam's worries begin to ease as the plan gains momentum.

Prune orchestrates a counterattack by buying the department store and sending his butler to destroy several toys. He then deducts the damages from Sam and Santa's paychecks, taunting them that Santa will never be able to pay his rent. The threat intensifies as Christmas hangs in the balance.

Broke again, Sam and Santa fear Christmas will be canceled. The situation grows bleaker as Prune tightens his hold on the situation, and the moral of the season seems at risk.

A little boy encounters Sam and Santa on the street and asks what's wrong. He rallies the city's children to contribute what they can, turning a private trouble into a collective mission. The boy's simple question becomes a catalyst for action.

The city’s children pour forward with donations, and their generosity far exceeds the amount required to pay the rent. Sam and Santa are overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, which confirms that Christmas can be saved. The town realizes its collective spirit is stronger than Prune's scheme.

Thanks to the children's gifts, Santa manages to pay Prune the rent at the last moment. The threshold is crossed just in time, lifting the cloud of financial doom from Santa and Sam. Relief and renewed hope spread through the town.

As Santa and the elves deliver the gifts, the very last one is addressed to Prune. He opens it and discovers the sailboat he had wished for as a boy, accompanied by a letter from Santa's head elf apologizing for a clerical error that kept Santa from visiting him as a child.

The gift triggers a revival of Prune's holiday spirit, and he rushes into the street shouting 'Merry Christmas,' much to the town's astonishment. The moment rekindles a warmth that had been missing from the town and deepens his resolve to change.

Prune generously gives his own sailboat to a little boy, symbolizing his renewal of generosity. He also invites all the children to a Christmas party at his mansion, signaling a new era of community and shared joy.

With Christmas saved and spirits high, Santa and Mrs. Claus depart as Prune thanks Sam for helping make it possible. The town carries the changed mood into Christmas celebrations and a promise of goodwill.