It is 1933, during the Great Depression, and being Christmas Eve, the Walton family is in the midst of their Christmas preparations and hoping to celebrate it together. The problem is that there are many events which seem to prevent John from arriving home to share this Christmas with his family. Olivia is wishing and hoping that he will make it home, the children are rushing to the door to see of the noises they hear are their Daddy, and John-Boy is heading out into the snowy night to try to find him. Eventually John walks through the door and the first Walton Christmas "miracle" has occurred.