Story
Jesper Johansson, the lazy, spoiled son of the Royal Postmaster General, has been trying to flunk out of the postman academy, but his father sends him to the distant town of Smeerensburg; if Jesper fails to post 6,000 letters within a year, he will be cut off from his family’s fortune.
Desperate for letters, Jesper attempts to mail a young Krum boy’s drawing. He later visits the reclusive woodsman Klaus and discovers his house is filled with handmade toys, but flees from the imposing woodsman, leaving behind the sad drawing. Klaus forces Jesper to take him to the boy's house and secretly deliver one of his toys. Word spreads to other children, who hope to receive toys by sending Klaus letters. Jesper, eager to collect letters, convinces Klaus to let him deliver more toys. The Krum boy’s toy leads him to play with an Ellingboe girl, much to their families’ outrage.
After Jesper leaves coal in the stocking of a young bully, the boy confronts Jesper, who declares Klaus only gives toys to good children and tracks all of their misbehaviors with a ‘Naughty List’. This leads the children to perform acts of kindness throughout the town, inspiring the townsfolk to end their ancient disputes.
The Krum and Ellingboe elders form a temporary truce and discover Jesper’s deadline, and post 14,000 letters to rid themselves of the postman. On Christmas Eve, Jesper's father arrives to congratulate his son, inadvertently revealing Jesper's initially selfish intentions and turning his friends against him. Before they leave town, Mogens notices Jesper's dismay prompting Jesper's father to inquire; Jesper reveals everything, and his father declares he is finally proud of him and allows him to stay in Smeerensburg. The elders arrive to destroy the Christmas toys, and Jesper tries to stop them. In the ensuing chase, Mr. Ellingboe's daughter and Mrs. Krum's son fall in love, while all the gifts in Klaus’ bag are sent over a cliff. Alva and Klaus reveal the town’s children informed them of the elders' plot, and they replaced the bag of toys with decoys. A redeemed Jesper delivers the presents with Klaus, and the marriage of the Krum and Ellingboe children forces the family elders to grudgingly end their feud.
Jesper marries Alva and raises two children, and for the next eleven years he and Klaus deliver presents on Christmas in Smeerensburg and beyond. On the twelfth year, Klaus follows wisps of wind – which had guided him when he first met Jesper – and disappears, seemingly joining his departed wife. Jesper explains his Christmas tradition: waiting by the fireplace to see Klaus, whose spirit delivers toys to children around the world as the legend of "Santa Claus".
Comments
Post a Comment