Amy finds herself in a quandary when, after two of her paintings are accepted for the Christmas festival art contest, she discovers that one of her entries is actually a work done by Marmee.
As Christmas approaches, Jo March finds herself unable to control her quick temper even though it causes strife in the family and threatens the publication of her first story in the newspaper.
As the family prepares for Christmas, Beth befriends a beautiful but sickly pony that strays into the March's yard and tries to keep it from being taken to Boston to be sold as a "useless beast."