On the Eve of Christmas, the de Lohr and Burton families converge for a celebration of peace, friendship, and family. Children are playing, men are drinking, and women are reminiscing. When a nearby village is attacked by Welsh rebels, Christopher, David, Marcus, and young Peter de Lohr head out to repel the invaders. What is assumed to be a simple battle becomes potentially deadly when Christopher is knocked into a frozen river. Peter, David, and Marcus leap in to save him, but they are carried downstream and away from the battle.
Christmas Eve becomes the longest night of their lives as they struggle to stay alive, not only from the elements, but from the Welsh who would like to see them dead. It's a battle for survival, but it is also a night where the greatest gift of all isn't merely the gift of life... it's the gift of forgiveness and ultimate sacrifice.