’Twas the Night 2001

Nick Wrigley is a troubled and impulsive man whose latest internet scam catches the attention of two ruthless criminals. Bill and Harry locate him at his apartment, mock his missteps, and demand $30,000 by Christmas, warning that their enforcer Eliot will take matters into his own hands if he doesn’t pay. After the men leave, Nick bolts, with Eliot in hot pursuit. He manages to shake his pursuers by slipping into a North Pole stage where children meet Santa, steals the jolly disguise, and makes a break for his brother’s house.

At the has-been Christmas hub of this chaotic family, Danny Wrigley Danny Wrigley, a bright 14-year-old, greets his uncle Nick with warmth and openness, forming a closer bond with him than with anyone else in the family. His father, John Wrigley John Wrigley, is wary and stern, while his wife Abby Wrigley Abby Wrigley welcomes Nick with a guarded smile. The doctors who are his brother and sister-in-law must leave for a hospital shift, trusting Nick to look after their three children. Soon, a threatening email from Bill and Harry arrives again, informing Nick that they’re tracking him down to recover the money. In response, Nick unleashes a discreet virus to throw them off his trail, hoping to buy more time.

On Christmas Eve, Santa arrives at the house with a device that can freeze time, allowing presents to be delivered unseen. An accident knocks the device off course, and time snaps back to normal—knocking Santa unconscious in the process. Despite the hiccup, the trio decides to press on and deliver Santa’s presents. While Nick handles distribution, Danny realizes that Nick is also stealing from the homes. Feeling betrayed by the man he trusted, Danny hops into Santa’s sleigh and heads home, unaware that trouble is far from over.

Meanwhile, Kaitlin Wrigley Kaitlin Wrigley and Peter Wrigley Peter Wrigley, Nick’s other young charges, discover an unconscious Santa in their living room. The man wakes and insists he is Santa, but the siblings quickly learn the truth: Nick and Danny have stolen the sleigh and many of the gifts. Santa explains that Danny’s behavior will land him on the naughty list forever. Danny returns home, ashamed, and finds the sleigh badly damaged.

Nick’s time-crisis comes to a head at a bus stop, where he spots Bill, Harry, and Eliot pressing to know the address of his brother’s house. He refuses to reveal anything, and they drive off, leaving him with the realization that his family is now directly in their crosshairs. With the Santa device in hand, he races back to the house and uses it to shrink Eliot, buying precious moments for his family as the criminals flee in fear. He hands the device back to Santa and even offers Santa his laptop so the magical sleigh can be repaired and Christmas saved.

The following morning, Nick wakes to a gift from Santa—a guitar he has wanted since childhood but never got because he was on the naughty list. He contemplates selling it to pay his debts but first plays a tune to celebrate the fragile peace he’s helped create, bringing a quiet ray of Christmas cheer back to the Wrigley household.