synopsis one sheet

LOGLINE: When their mother's tuberculosis sequestration and the mysterious death of their father force two eleven year old twins into an orphanage, they rely on a Witch to teach them the meaning of Christmas and how to recover their family and lives.

At Christmas, calamity strikes twins, Sarah and Peter Holz, 11 year old city kids, when their mother is confined to a tuberculosis sanatorium and their prosperous stockbroker father loses his job, fortune, and life in the 1893 financial depression. They move to their grandmother's country home vacated when she entered convalescent care. Detested by their new school mates as sissies and academically superior teacher's pets, Peter is goaded into splashing white wash on the home of the terrifying Stedham Woods Witch. She scolds and threatens that Black Krampus will punish him.

Grandmother's lawyer, Arthur, tells them their father mysteriously died. His nerdy bachelor and co-lawyer son, Nate, gets them into a financially struggling orphanage where they live hellish lives. Peter is assaulted twice by a bully, Henry, whose jaw he breaks in self defense. He is expelled and faces a warrant for his arrest. Nate temporarily takes the twins in explaining their only hope to avoid poverty is to cash in their father's large life insurance policy--but that company suspects suicide and it will take a court battle to get it. Peter confides remorse for his vandalism to the Witch’s property. Nate tells him to go back, man up and make it right. Peter discovers Nate has epilepsy and fears raising a family.

Peter's makes amends with the Witch. Inside her mysterious cottage she is Cassie--an elegant, grandmotherly, lady who lauds the miracles St. Nicolas bestowed on her long ago at this season. He will do the same for them if they have faith, love, and believe in the Advent. On St. Nicholas' feast day he accepts miracle-requesting letters from good children but warns bad children to guard against perils of the child-snatching demon Krampus. She explains the miracle of the Yule Log and the Jesse Tree and gives them an advent wreath, teaching the significance of prayers and lighting candles on the 4 Sundays before Christmas. The formalities are observed; the bully Henry, whom Peter tutors, is incorporated into the family before Peter's mill pond accident sends him, comatose, to the hospital. Mama returns from the Sanatorium. Will she accept Nate's marriage proposal and provide parents and a loving home for all three kids? Will Peter survive? What of the insurance? The miracles must all be accepted and completed by Christmas midnight to achieve "A St. Nicholas Vision".