When a town learns that Santa Claus has struck it off his delivery schedule due to an insulting letter, a way must be found to change his mind.
One Christmas season, the human and mouse citizens of a small town get their letters to Santa unceremoniously returned, with a message that the town has been removed from Santa's delivery itinerary because of a letter from someone in that town that insulted him by dismissing his existence. While Father Mouse confronts his cynical son Albert, the letter's writer, their human companions, a clockmaker and his family, work to regain Mr. Claus' favor.—Kenneth Chisholm <[email protected]>
The film takes place in the town of Junctionville, USA. The film opens on Christmas Eve, with just minutes to go until midnight. In the home of the Trundles, Joshua Trundle lays awake, unable to sleep. Meanwhile, also in the house, in the floorboards, are a mouse family, where Father Mouse is unable to sleep as well. Father Mouse then addresses the audience and explains why he is worried.
One day, the entire town (including it's mouse citizenry) is shocked to find that their letters to Santa Claus have been returned, unopened. Father Mouse puts in a call to the North Pole telephone substation, demanding to know why. The operator explains that Santa was displeased by a letter in the newspaper, The Junctionville Register, which was signed "All of Us." With this information, Father mouse and the family go to the Trundle family's cellar, where the back-issues of the newspaper are kept.
Meanwhile, the citizens are demanding answers from the Mayor, who is unsure just what to do. Mr Trundle comes before the Mayor and the City Council, with what he feels is the solution: a clock that will play a song for Santa, and convince him to stop by their town. The Mayor and the Council approve the construction of the clock immediately.
Back at the Trundles, the Mouse family have uncovered the letter, in an old issue of the town paper. The article uses a number of big words, stating that Santa Claus is a lie, and is signed 'All of Us.' After some deduction, Father Mouse realizes that his eldest son Albert wrote the letter. When the family confronts him, Albert claims that he is right, and the letter is truthful.
Father Mouse lectures Albert that his opinion has hurt a number of people. Father Mouse shows him a number of sad children, but Albert just dismisses this, saying that while children believe, grown-ups don't. It is then that Father Mouse shows Albert a model of the clock that Mr Trundle is fashioning to get Santa to visit Junctionville again. Though Albert still is not convinced about Santa, he is very intrigued by Mr Trundle's clock.
Finally, the clock is finished, and Mr Trundle activates it for the Mayor and the public. However, the clock malfunctions to the dismay of everyone. This causes everyone to shun Mr Trundle and his family, leaving his business to falter. Trundle even tries to persuade the Mayor to let him try to find out what went wrong with the clock, but is turned away.
As late summer becomes autumn, The Trundles and the Mouse family endure hardships, with little money for food, and finally, Christmas Eve arrives, with very little cheer for either family.
It is during this time that Albert finally confesses to his Father that he was the one who broke the clock. He explains that it wasn't intentional, he just wanted to know more about what made it work. It is then that Albert decides that he will try and set things right, and fix the clock.
The narration then returns to the opening, with Father Mouse realizing that midnight has come, but the clock has not tolled or played it's song. As he prepares to go to sleep, the clock suddenly rings out, and the entire town awakes, cheering. Santa is then seen flying overhead, and heads down to the town, with Albert having saved the day.
