It is New Year's Eve and the village mice are busily carving wood toys to exchange at the much-anticipated Gift Giving Ceremony. When strangers from out of town (Otto, Gretchen and their son Hans) wander into the village, Anatole invites them to join them and tells them the story of the ""Gift Giver"" who, years ago, carved wonderful wooden toys and secretly delivered them to every girl and boy in town. George and Georgette listen carefully to the story and come to the conclusion that Otto, who fits the description perfectly, must be the Gift Giver! Anatole's new friends eagerly join in the preparations for the celebration - but the efforts of the village are set back when Hans accidentally sets fire to the pile of toys and they burn to the ground. The villagers begin a search for wood to carve a new batch of toys and canvass Pamplemousse for a donation. Pamplemousse, the classic scrooge, hoards great piles of wood for ""firewood"" and refuses to donate any logs to the toy drive. Prospects