The week before Christmas has everyone at Shining Time Station wrapped up in the holiday bustle as the adults bicker over who is playing Santa's Little Helper. Matt and Tanya are left with Vicki, a little girl unwilling to experience the joys of the season. When the mysterious stranger called Mr. Nicolas (Lloyd Bridges) arrives and makes a lasting impression on Vicki by teaching her the true spirit of the holidays.
Everybody is sad because J.B. King announces that the station will close.He later changes his mind when he learns that Mr.Conductor lives at the station.
Everybody camps out at the station at night. Schemer uses the occasion to scare everyone, but his plan backfires and at the end, it is him who is scared of the dark.
Matt and Tanya go on a train ride without telling anyone. This causes Harry and Stacy to worry a lot. The kids learn that they must always tell an adult where they are going.
Schemer uses the wrong ingredients to make a sandwich spread for the mayor's party. The mayor got mad at Schemer, so Stacy and the kids help Schemer prepare a new sandwich spread.
The station has a reduced train schedule and everybody is concerned that the station would be forced to close. Midge Smoot comes and convinces the people to realize how important the station is.
When Stacy was absent, Schemer bought many arcade items and turned the station into an amusement park. Later, Stacy gets in trouble with J.B. King, who wants to close the station.
Schemer wants to turn Harry's workshop into a snack bar. When his arcade broke down, he learns how important the workshop is. He realizes that without the workshop, Harry cannot fix his arcade.
Matt and Tanya found a saxophone in the lost and found. When the concerned owner of the saxophone comes to the station to look for the instrument, the kids learn that it is wrong to take something that belongs to someone else.
Schemer likes to play jokes on people. When one of his jokes backfires, he learns that some times are better than others to play jokes.
Matt and Tanya learn to appreciate old people and realize that old people have a lot to share with young people.
Matt and Tanya learn the importance of being careful to avoid accidents.
Mr.Conductor does not want to talk to Harry because he is afraid that Harry will not like him. Matt and Tanya encouraged Mr.Conductor to prepare a surprise birthday party for Harry.
Schemer thinks that little jobs (like cleaning up the station) are not important. This causes him to have some problems and he later learns to take more responsibility.
Matt wants to read a book, but Tanya wants him to play. They get into an argument. They learn that they can do different things and still be friends.
The kids are sad because Harry could not take them fishing. Stacy cheers them up and told them not to let this disappointment ruin their day.
Matt and Tanya did a puppet show. It was not a success at first, but with the help of Harry, Stacy and Mr.Conductor, the kids learn that they should always try their best and never give up.
Mr. Conductor shows the kids that a lot of nice things can be made with a ball of string. The kids use it to make decorations and help Schemer tie his shoes
Stacy made a mistake on the train schedule. This causes a train passenger to miss his train, and he gets very upset. Matt, Tanya and Mr.Conductor helped Stacy and made her realize that people often make mistakes, as long as they learn from them.
Matt and Tanya meet Mr.Conductor for the first time and become friends with him. Matt learns to overcome his fear and realizes that he should not be afraid of Harry.
Matt, Stacy, Tanya and Harry arrive at Shining Time Station. They find out that the station is an old, but very special place. ""Like they say, there is just something about this place...""
