Styria in the second half of the 18th century: It's Christmas in the forest home of the poet Peter Rosegger. During Advent, Peter, a young forest farmer, first recites his dialect stories to an elegant crowd at the Reininghaus family home, becoming a major attraction in Graz. Hans, the hostess's nephew, befriends the young man, and a close relationship of trust develops, from which each benefits in his own way. During a winter sleigh ride, Peter recounts to his friend Hans the best Christmas experiences from his childhood. He recounts how he got lost in the forest, how he went to collect Christmas cheer, and his adventures with a quaint man named Bremer Sepp.

The story of Austrian, Johann "Jack" Unterweger, who wrote a book about his criminal past while serving a life term in prison for assault. In 1974, Unterweger murdered 18-year-old German citizen Margaret Schäfer by strangling her with her own bra, and in 1976 was arrested and sentenced to life in prison.