HERE WE COME A-CAROLING synopsis

LOGLINE At Christmas, a young girl with stamps decides to be a citizen of the world. PITCH Until twelve-year-old Madison Clark can travel the world, she goes Christmas caroling through the postal mail. When the United States Post Office runs low on stamps, she borrows stamps from the neighbors to send her pen pal letters in time for Christmas. Then on Christmas Day, she sings carols in her neighborhood, taking pictures for her next pen pal letters, determined to be a global citizen. SYNOPSIS Madison Clark, 12, from San Francisco, loves to write pen pal letters, especially at Christmas. This year, she decides her pen pal club is going to sing the Christmas carol, "Here We Come A-Caroling," at the same time in each of their time zones. Despite her enthusiasm for letter writing, her mother is concerned that she studies for her upcoming World Studies test. Madison assures her mother that she will get a good grade on the test. She writes her Christmas pen pal letter, copying it seven times. Then she folds her Christmas notes three ways and slips them into their envelopes. As her mother proofs her letters, Madison studies for her test. After her mother finishes reading the letters, Madison licks the envelopes shut and says that she will get stamps from the post office tomorrow after school. The next day after school when Madison is sure she got an "A" on her World Studies test, she runs to the United States Post Office and gets in line. Usually, the line only has a few people, but that day it extends all the way around the corner into the parking lot. By the time Madison reaches the front of the line, the post office worker slides out a sign that says: "CLOSED." Mr. Green, the postal worker, tells her to come back tomorrow. If her letters must go out today, he tells her to find some stamps somewhere and put them in the blue mailbox outside by five o'clock. She is so upset that she wants to sing "Here We Come A-Caroling" in protest. Madison runs home to collect stamps from her neighbors. She knocks on one door after another in the neighborhood, but no one answers. She cries on the curb, kicking stones. Finally, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, a kind elderly couple in the neighborhood, pull into the driveway in their car. Mr. Thompson gives Madison the stamps that he bought at the post office earlier in the day. As Mr. Thompson stops at the blue mailbox outside the post office, Madison slips her seven envelopes into the mail slot as the postal worker collects the last letters for the day. On Christmas Day, Mrs. Clark accompanies Madison to each home in the neighborhood, taking pictures as her daughter sings “Here We Come A-Caroling.” No one sings louder with Madison than Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, who are thrilled their pictures will accompany her next pen pal letters. When Madison receives her return pen pal letters in January, she displays all new photos of her pen pals completing the singing challenge. She places them beneath the glass on her bedroom desk. Christmas has been celebrated a little bit more all around the world, just because Madison insists on sending out her letters on time!

Copyright 2022 Jennifer Waters