Plot

A rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus is fighting to save his declining business. Meanwhile, Billy, a neglected and precocious 12 year old, hires a hit man to kill Santa after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

To save his declining business, Chris Cringle, also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse, Chris gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against a highly skilled assassin, hired by a precocious 12-year-old, after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.—Official synopsis

With his toy workshop teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Christopher Cringle and his wife, Ruth, must make tough decisions. After all, fewer and fewer kids deserve Christmas gifts. As a result, Chris reluctantly strikes a deal to make ends meet, unaware that one spoiled, vengeful son of privilege hates to lose. Now, the maniacal Skinny Man enters the picture, bent on revenge and murder. But do legends die? What cruel, mean person would want Santa dead for a lump of coal?—Nick Riganas

On an ancient, remote farm close to the tiny Alaskan hamlet of North Peak, Chris Cringle and his wife Ruth run a workshop for Christmas presents.

The US government, which has a stake in Chris's company since Christmas is a significant economic boost, begins reducing its subsidies as a result of Chris's diminishing income over the years as a result of kids growing more cruel.

A two-month contract to produce jet fighter components is offered by US military Captain Jacobs to make up for Chris' lost income, but it is flatly rejected.

Chris's concerns are dispelled by the liaison agents' suggestion that the government's subsidies will probably decline the next year.

After Chris's emotions are lifted by Ruth, he reluctantly accepts their offer just this once.

The epitome of a wicked youngster, Billy Wenan is a poisonous and immoral lad who lives with his sick old money grandma.

He conducts a number of heinous crimes against individuals he believes to be beneath him, including a girl called Christine Crawford.

After Chris gives him a lump of coal on Christmas Eve, he vows retaliation and employs hit-man Jonathan Miller to kill Chris.

After going on a murderous rampage, Miller, who still has a resentful childhood grudge against Chris, tracks him down as he picks up his mail at the Post Office and follows him home.

Miller murders the US Army soldiers on Chris's farm and sneaks into the workshop until an elf worker sounds the alarm.

Before Miller murders him and detonates the workshop, Jacobs has the workers evacuated.

Chris defeats Miller in a duel and wins the battle, but Miller shoots Chris in the head after wounding him with a concealed blade.

After Ruth murders Miller, Chris heals from his wounds.

Reversing Miller's assignment, Chris and Ruth visit Billy and stop him from using fontanel to lace his grandmother's milk in order to hide his check fraud.

Angry, Chris acknowledges that he has gotten slack in his handling of cruel kids and threatens Billy that he would deal with him if he ever again torments anyone.

With newfound hope for the future, Chris, Ruth, and the elves begin reconstructing the workshop at the farm, making it bigger and better.