It was released by Walt Disney Pictures and stars Mary Steenburgen and Harry Dean Stanton.

Her husband Jack (Gary Basaraba) has been out of work for six months, and they must vacate their company-owned house by the new year.

Two nights before Christmas Eve, Abbie meets Gideon while mailing a letter to Santa Claus.

The family visits Jack's grandfather Caleb (Arthur Hill), who gives Abbie a snow globe of the North Pole.

While on her way to work on Christmas Eve, Ginnie meets Harry Dickens, who is trying to sell some of his possessions in order to support himself and his son.

Meanwhile, Jack leaves Cal and Abbie in his car while he goes to the bank to withdraw some of their savings for Christmas shopping.

Abbie goes to the town's Christmas tree to find Gideon and asks him to bring back her father.

He later co-wrote a first draft with Barry Healey, but the script was reportedly turned down by every Hollywood studio, although his efforts secured the commitments of actress Mary Steenburgen, and producer Fred Roos.

[1] The film was initially announced under the title of Father Christmas with Richard Farnsworth slated to star in the role of Gideon reteaming him with Borsos after the two had previously collaborated on 1982's The Grey Fox.

[1] The following March it was announced that Harry Dean Stanton would be assuming the role of Gideon originally intended for Farnsworth.

[1] Additionally, residents on a street in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough decorated their homes with Christmas lights for the production.

[1] Reportedly, five tons of snow were brought in from surrounding areas in more than 100 dump truck loads over a four-day period.

[1] Sleet, rain, fog, mud, and wind gusts up to fifty miles per hour made filming a challenge.

"[9] Janet Maslin of The New York Times called the film "modern[,] with a gratifyingly old-fashioned feeling, some of which is a matter of its unself-conscious plainness".