An American Girl Story: Maryellen 1955 - Extraordinary Christmas 2016

In 1955, Maryellen Larkin, Alyvia Alyn Lind, lives with her big Daytona Beach family, eager to stand out among her many siblings and relatives. She tests the boundaries with small acts of mischief—slipping into a store for a cheeky prank, borrowing pants from the boys’ department, and painting their house door a bold red. Her bold, imaginative spirit sets the stage for a year that will challenge and warm her heart.

When a family friend named Benji, Samuel Faraci, arrives, Maryellen learns how hard life can be for a child with polio. Polio-stricken, Benji cannot walk properly and must wear a leg brace, and Maryellen, who has her own memories of polio, deeply understands what he endures. This shared experience sparks a growing sense of empathy and a desire to help.

Moved by Benji’s plight and by the struggles faced by other children in the polio ward, Maryellen resolves to organize a Christmas party for the patients. Yet her plan hits a snag: none of her siblings volunteer, and the hospital’s strict rules threaten to derail the idea. Undeterred, she leans into her artistic gift to cheer the children and keep the dream alive.

To brighten the patients’ day, she pours her energy into drawings and even sacrifices her pocket money—meant for a Georgia trip to visit her grandparents—to help Benji’s mother visit him in the hospital. This act of generosity becomes a catalyst, showing how small, personal gestures can carry extraordinary meaning.

Davy Fenstermacher, Maxwell Acee Donovan, voices doubts about the plan, which leads to a tense moment that strains their friendship. The pair eventually finds common ground, and Davy lends his support by crafting picture frames for Maryellen’s drawings to be displayed at the hospital, turning doubt into collaboration.

When Maryellen and her mother arrive home, they are greeted by Grandmom and Grandpop, who have come to celebrate the little heroine’s kindness with a surprise—a box of snow to help make up for not being able to go to Georgia. Through the warmth of family and the quiet power of generosity, Maryellen learns a timeless lesson: the simplest acts of kindness are the best Christmas gifts. Kay Larkin, Mary McCormack, watches over it all with pride as the holiday spirit blooms in Daytona Beach.