Sam is able to help his sister Anastasia with the poem she is writing for their mother's birthday, but his own efforts to create a special perfume are disastrous.

"Christmas should be celebrated with family, but for Vera Swanson, that's not an option this year. Widowed and recently relocated, she is lonely in her condo-for-one--until little Fiona Albright knocks on her door needing help. With her mother seriously ill and her father out of town Fiona enlists Vera's aid, and when she finds out her new neighbor is a quilter, she has special request--a Christmas quilt for Mama. Vera will have to get a ragtag group...

After finally finding the perfect gift for his nephew's birthday, a handyman wrestles with the temptation to keep the present for himself.

When a boy finally gets exactly what he wants from Santa, he learns that owning a real penguin may not have been a good idea after all.