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.
Though it is winter in the forest, Bear can't sleep and his many animal friends are filled with suggestions to help him get to bed, from hot tea to lullabies.
Egged on by a ground squirrel, a dog named Doug digs miles underground--taking a detour through the White House--until he returns home, goes to bed, and dreams of digging some more.
A frog in the bog grows larger and larger as he eats more and more bugs, until he attracts the attention of an alligator who puts an end to his eating.