Andy Steele, Winslow Fegley, a fifth-grade troublemaker, spends his days clashing with his sister Laurel, Madilyn Kellam, and plotting schemes with his best friend Dulce Gutierrez, Camila Rodríguez. Laurel always does the right thing and tries to outsmart Andy, though he often outwits her, and the trio’s mischief threads through everything they do. The balance between affection and rivalry defines their dynamic, painting a picture of a schoolyard chemistry that’s equal parts bold and reckless, with Laurel serving as a steady counterpoint to Andy’s impulsive energy and Dulce’s quick-witted loyalty.
On Christmas Day, Andy discovers he didn’t get his video game console, while Dulce learns she won’t find her bow-and-arrow set under the tree. Their tech-savvy friend Lewis Sobong, Anthony John Joo, breaks the news that they may be on the naughty list, and his online algorithm expands the scope beyond their circle, revealing numerous other kids who share the same fate. Faced with a system that feels overly selective, Andy and Dulce resolve that Santa’s rules aren’t fair, and they decide to push back by aiming for the North Pole to claim their presents, with Lewis agreeing to join—even though he isn’t technically on the list himself. The possibility of vindication and the chance to prove their point about fairness push them toward a wild, high-stakes plan.
From there, Andy and Dulce, with Lewis, narrow the likely suspects to locals around them. Their bold outreach brings in a few unusual allies: a pilot named Bruno, Derek Theler who has seen enough of the world to believe there’s more to the story, and Laurel, who is persuaded to step in for a missing Bethany after Bethany backs out once she gets a new cell phone. The group’s next move hinges on trust and timing, as they prepare to navigate a realm they’ve only encountered in stories—the North Pole—and confront a system that seems to profit from fear rather than forgiveness. Andy learns that Bruno may be the key to vindicating their claims, if he can vouch for what he saw in the skies above, while Dulce uses the moment to keep Laurel involved, ensuring the plan keeps moving even if it means bending rules a little.
Bruno flies the kids to the North Pole, where Jon Anthony, played by Deric McCabe, privately confesses to Rose, Clara Stack, that he is on the naughty list because his “originals” are actually stolen designs. Despite that confession, he still helps by crafting convincing elf costumes for everyone, showing that even someone on the edge of exile can be useful. The group’s arrival forces an emergency landing; Bruno smooth-talks the local air force by claiming they’re simply taking inventory, buying time as the team sneaks into Santa’s Village. Inside, Albert, Ayden Elijah, uses his cuteness to distract an elf, while Rose and Ha-Yoon, Imogen Cohen, recruit some of Santa’s reindeer for a getaway. Lewis locates the security room, and Andy, Dulce, Jon Anthony, and Laurel slip into an elf party, though Andy quickly insists they leave when he senses they’re in over their heads. The Naughty List comes into sharper focus as they discover their own names—and Laurel’s—not merely a rumor, and they seize gifts from Santa’s vault, even taking Bethany’s phone as a kind of iffy repayment for the night’s risks.
The escape sequence is chaotic but coordinated, with Rose and Ha-Yoon leading a distraction that buys precious seconds as they sprint through the corridors and haul Lewis and Albert to safety. The moment is complicated when Andy discovers that Laurel has taken Bethany’s phone for herself, casting a shadow over their fragile alliance and forcing Andy to reassess the value of trust versus survival. Bruno warns that their window is closing, and the group must jump from the moving plane to dodge pursuit. In the ensuing confrontation, Andy is captured by elf security and brought before Santa Claus himself, Danny Glover. The elder figure threatens to place him and everyone else on the permanent naughty list unless Andy concedes to a harsher punishment, but Andy insists that he should bear the burden alone, not his friends.
Santa does something unexpected: he narrows the punishment to just himself and Laurel, while the rest of the so-called Naughty Nine are allowed to leave with a renewed chance at redemption. Santa explains that no one stays on the naughty list forever and that the path to goodness is not about erasing who you are but choosing to be better. The group is given a reprieve, and even Bruno gets a lighthearted moment—a selfie with Santa that captures the unlikely alliance formed across this Christmas caper. The film closes on a note of tentative harmony, with the impulse toward mischief tempered by a growing sense of accountability and care for others.
A year later, Andy has been exceptionally well-behaved, and when he’s called to the principal’s office, he’s greeted by Santa who hints that his work is not finished. The legend reveals that Andy will be asked to re-recruit the Naughty Nine for an unknown purpose, suggesting that the lessons of that Christmas adventure will continue to shape how he balances mischief with responsibility. The film maintains a warm, hopeful rhythm, celebrating the possibility of growth, the value of friends who challenge you, and the enduring idea that Christmas spirit lives in choosing to be kind even when it’s easier to be bold.
