On a cold winter night many animals gather to party in the cave of a sleeping bear, who then awakes and protests that he has missed the food and the fun.
Bear's friends awaken him the day before Christmas and help him to stay awake as they bake fruitcakes, fill stockings, and sing carols; then, while they sleep, he prepares his own surprise.
The forest friends all gather to help care for Bear when he feels sick, and when they come down with the same symptoms, the newly recovered Bear returns the favor.
Bear has come up with the perfect way to say thanks--a nice big dinner! When Bear decides to throw a feast, his friends show up one by one with different platters of delicious food to share. There's just one problem: Bear's cupboards are bare! What is he to do?