On a bleak Christmas Eve, a destitute, widowed mother named Mrs. Martin fails to find work. Desperate for food, her young daughter Margie writes a letter to Santa Claus, noting their top-floor apartment address. Mrs. Martin attempts to pawn her cloak for money, but the ruthless pawnbroker, Mike McLaren, harshly rejects her. However, after she accidentally drops Margie's note, Mike reads it and undergoes a sudden change of heart. He immediately buys gifts, a tree, and food, then hires burglars to safely anesthetize the family so he can covertly decorate their home, bringing unexpected holiday joy.