It's the most wonderful time of the year for some-and the worst for others. But within the heart of every Christmas, lies a special surprise for everyone.

Christmas Eve morning at a crowded airport threatens to become Christmas Day when a heavy snowfall waylays five strangers on their way to Asheville, North Carolina. Marta's traveling with two children and the weight of a bitter divorce on her shoulders...Andy, a widower and Vietnam vet, reminisces at the airport bar when he notices the presence of a female soldier...Specialist Ilena is on leave from Iraq, fraught with guilt about leaving her comrades. Reggie, a laid-off assembly worker, contemplates his uncertain future … and wealthy businessman John is troubled by the untimely death of his high-powered, workaholic father.

As the travelers reflect on their lives, a new challenge soon arises: their plane is grounded. But in the spirit of the season, a good Samaritan offers to drive them to Asheville. Then her van gets stuck on a snowy road-and the real journey begins for an unlikely group who have more in common than meets the eye as they embark on a magical passage that will show them the true meaning of Christmas.