In the rural town of Canaan, Texas, a clash between two classmates – one, a tough farm boy, and the other, a bright bookish black boy – evolves into an unlikely friendship. The boys' families devise a plan to teach them a lesson after they fight, but it is a wounded puppy that eventually brings them together. It is amidst the magic of Christmas that the boys learn about family, hope, and love despite living under the shadow of racism.