After finding a portly man with a big white beard passed out in a snowbank, small town Sheriff Scott Hanson (Dean Cain) brings him to the hospital.  When the man wakes up, he says that his name is Kris Kringle (Bill Lewis) but you can call him Santa Claus.  Kris uses his powers to give the children in the hospital what they want.  (He creates a miniature pony for one girl.)  District Attorney Robert Nielson (Gary Hudson) thinks that Kris is a public danger and wants to have him put in the mental ward.  Public defender Sarah Walker (Jud Taylor) defends Kris and falls back in love with her ex-boyfriend, Scott.  Santa Claus spreads his magic across town.  He detoxifies the town drunk but not even Santa can save the life of a dying child.  That scene was very sad.

Have you ever wanted to see Santa Claus play football with Dean Cain and Full House‘s Jodie Sweetin?  This is the movie for you!  Santa Claus plays in the park and even does a front flip.  Go Santa Claus Go!  But then old St. Nick also uses his powers to cause another player’s pants to fall down during a key play, which allows Dean Cain’s team to win the game.  That’s cheating, which I was always told put you on the naughty list.

Speaking of being on the naughty list, it doesn’t ever make sense that the district attorney is so obsessed with putting Kris Kringle.  Santa Claus never hurt anyone.  Trying to put Santa Claus in jail before Christmas is definitely worth a lump of coal in your stocking!  Defending Santa is an okay Hallmark Christmas movie but don’t spend too much time trying to make it make sense.