Joulutarina

Hundreds of years ago the world's greatest story was born...

In a remote village in Lapland, young Nikolas loses his family in an accident. The villagers decide to look after the orphaned boy together. Each family will take care of Nikolas for one year. At the end of each year, on Christmas Day, Nikolas has to move to a new home. To show his gratitude to the villagers, Nikolas decides to make toys for the children of the families as good-bye presents. Over the years, Nikolas' former adoptive families become many, and soon almost every house has presents on its doorstep on Christmas morning.

When the village suffers a food shortage, the villagers have to send Nikolas to work as an apprentice for the hermit carpenter, Iisakki. Under the cruel tutelage of Iisakki, Nikolas develops skills that enable him to create even better presents and to work even faster. The child-hating Iisakki, however, forbids Nikolas from making presents. The Christmas present tradition is in danger of coming to an end.