An Avonlea Christmas

Issues of WWI are permeating every aspect of life in Avonlea, even at Christmas. As such, Hetty, still teaching at Avonlea School, has even more sense of pride and duty than she usually does. She faces a minor setback when Carmody School changes the date of their Christmas pageant to coincide with that of Avonlea School's, Carmody's which will feature a semi-professional musical group. Carmody's production will surely be more successful than Avonlea's. As the new Superintendent of Schools is scheduled to attend Avonlea's festivities, Hetty feels that an empty hall will give the Superintendent good reason to fire her. Hetty thinks providence is on her side when news that famous thespian Wilfred Ainsley, a former Avonlea student, is performing on the island. Hetty does whatever she can to persuade Wilfred to perform at Avonlea's Christmas pageant, her actions which seems to yield little in terms of Wildred actually performing for her. Meanwhile, some bittersweet and some sad news hits the King family. With the former, long lost relatives of the Dean children have come to claim them, leaving the foundling home with no foundlings, meaning that Felicity must now look for other work. With the latter, Felix has been listed as missing in action in the war, which hits Janet the hardest among the family. Following, Janet refuses to participate in anything to support the war effort. Initially unbeknown to those in Avonlea, more distressing news touches the family as Hetty, away in Charlottetown, is hospitalized with a possibly life threatening tumor on her back, which has rendered her lower body paralyzed for the time being. As she contemplates her mortality, Hetty fears that she has never really been loved by anyone, especially her students (as Wilfred seems testament to), who in turn have been her life.