When a gunman killed five Amish children and injured five others in a Nickel Mines, Pennsylvania schoolhouse shooting in October of 2006, the world media attention rapidly turned from the tragic events to the extraordinary forgiveness demonstrated by the Amish community.

Jack Clayton can only escape after his partner in crime Harry Zordich messes up a Christmas sales department store robbery in a Santa suit. Stuck in a rural small town, he finds himself forced to accept a menial job under the alias Oscar Burton as Santa in Sarah Gibson's nursery. Jack relaxes when invited in their home and proves a good substitute father for Sarah's frustrated fatherless daughter Noelle. Widow Emily Sutton's nostalgic Christmas shop completes his nostalgia, and becomes crucial when his ex-con cahoot turns up to plan a bank robbery. Sarah's admirer keeps warning the sheriff against 'Oscar', who meanwhile teaches the town how to fight off competition from the city mall.