The night after Thanksgiving, four teens play a prank on their small town, taking animal statues for the Christmas crèche from a local church and displaying them in various public places—but their joke has consequences.

The teens are arrested and sentenced to community service at a senior home where the residents are all retired circus performers. The kids are to clean out the attic, garage and storage building, where they discover old circus artifacts and antiques. They must also help the seniors prepare for their annual Christmas caroling at the VFW Post and performance of a play at a local elementary school.

As the four kids work, they notice that every day the old folks seem younger and more animated. When the teens arrive on their last day of service, they find the retirement home deserted but in the distance they hear calliope music. They rush toward the sound and see something truly amazing . . .