[3] A small Rhode Island community comes together to create special holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas) moments several weeks early for Vanessa Marks, an 8-year-old girl with a life-threatening illness.

Beth tries to explain that it's too early, but Tom agrees to the party and Vanessa (and her younger brother Gordon) begin to plan their Halloween costumes.

Together, Jess, his old friend, and Tammy help the family celebrate Halloween - and each holiday thereafter - a month early, and in doing so unite an entire community and teach everyone that what really matters in life is love.

Jess, his friend, and the neighboring community line the family's driveway to greet Vanessa as she arrives home; her own house covered in beautiful lights.

Fifteen years after the story, a young woman (reading Tammy's book to children at the local library) explains that she is Vanessa, now all grown-up and perfectly healthy, revealing that she had survived her illness after that early Christmas.