Mr. Krueger's Christmas

Lonely, aging widower Willy Krueger lives in a basement apartment with his cat George for company. Finishing his work for the day as custodian of the building, he ventures out on Christmas Eve to buy a tree; on the way, he imagines he is a well-dressed gentleman while peering at some fine tailoring in a shop window along the snowy street. Returning home, he falls asleep listening to an LP by The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, dreaming that he is conducting them in carols of the season. Awakening to find some carolers outside his window, he beckons them to visit him, offering hot chocolate, but they leave after only one song. In trimming the tree, he places upon it the mittens left behind by Clarissa, the youngest of the caroling group. Handling figures of the small Nativity beneath his tree, Willy finds himself in the manger for the very first Christmas. He also finds the true reason to celebrate as he prayerfully thanks the infant Jesus for being his closest, finest friend, who was with him during the first few hours after losing his wife Martha and at other difficult times. Returning for the mittens, the carolers determine that they really need a bass voice to fill out their singing before finishing the evening with a turkey dinner.