Jake Wilkinson (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is a self-absorbed college student, who, just days before Christmas awakens to find himself stranded in the middle of the California desert – wearing a Santa suit and a white beard glued to his face.

The butt of a pay-back by the football team who thinks he double-crossed them by not providing the correct answers to a finals exam, Jake has to find a way to get to New York by 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve – and catch up with his girlfriend Allie (Jessica Biel) who is on the road with the school stud Eddie (Adam La Vorgna) – or risk forfeiting the vintage Porsche his father (Gary Cole) promised if his son comes home for the holidays. As Jake desperately hitchhikes his way east, everyone he meets unwittingly sets into motion a comedy of errors as they look to Santa for help and advice.