Mrs. Auschlander heads a program where a group of children visit Santa Claus at St. Eligius. St. Nick has a heart attack, but not until the Auschlanders' grandson Max calls him a fraud. The doctors all swap Christmas gifts and cheer except for Dr. Ehrlich; Dr. Fiscus claims he is incapable of being a friend and therefore cannot have friends. Dr. and Mrs. Craig host a Wassail party. The Westphalls celebrate at home. The time of year causes a lot of grief and emotion to fester and brew. As Max watches and Dr. Axelrod labors, Santa Claus dies. Will poor Elliot Axelrod be forever known as the man who killed Santa?
—LA-Lawyer