'Twas the night (okay, more like the week) before Christmas, and all through the tiny community of Pine Cove, California, people are busy buying, wrapping, packing, and generally getting into the holiday spirit.

But not everybody is feeling the joy. Little Joshua Barker is in desperate need of a holiday miracle. No, he's not on his deathbed; no, his dog hasn't run away from home. But Josh is sure that he saw Santa take a shovel to the head, and now the seven-year-old has only one prayer: Please, Santa, come back from the dead.

But hold on! There's an angel waiting in the wings. (Wings, get it?) It's none other than the Archangel Raziel come to Earth seeking a small child with a wish that needs granting. Unfortunately, our angel's not sporting the brightest halo in the bunch, and before you can say "Kris Kringle," he's botched his sacred mission and sent the residents of Pine Cove headlong into Christmas chaos, culminating in the most hilarious and horrifying holiday party the town has ever seen.

Move over, Charles Dickens -- it's Christopher Moore time.

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy are back! These three irresistible angels love their assignments on Earth. They especially love helping people who send prayer requests to Heaven (even though the Archangel Gabriel, their boss, knows they're going to break his rules)!

This Christmas, Mercy is assigned to bring peace of mind to an elderly man— who discovers an unexpected answer to his prayer.

Goodness is sent to oversee the love life of a young woman afraid to risk commitment a second time. And Shirley has the task of granting a little boy's fondest Christmas wish.

Shirley, Goodness and Mercy: three well-intentioned angels who are occasionally allowed to intervene (or -- perhaps more accurately -- interfere!) in human affairs. Despite their frequent misadventures, despite the chaos they often cause, things always seem to turn out right.

Their latest prayer request comes from the Seattle area. Anne Fletcher sees her son, Roy, becoming a bitter, career-obsessed man. She prays for a special woman to be sent into Roy's life, a woman who'll show him what really matters.

After years spent abroad, reporter Jason Law returned home determined to win back the girl he left behind. It would take all his skills—and then some—to win Faith back. But this time, nothing would stand in his way—it was time faith was rewarded.

All I Want for Christmas

Identical twin boys Zeke and Zach wanted only one gift from Santa this year: a new mom! But convincing their love-wary dad that their music teacher, Miss Davis, was his destiny and part of Santa's plan wasn't as easy as they'd hoped—.

Gabriel's Angel