It's Christmas Eve 1944 in the small town of Bedford Falls, New York. A despondent and suicidal Mary Bailey Hatch is praying for guidance on what to do about an incident no fault of her own which threatens her name and the community standing of her longtime family business, the Bailey Building and Loan, which she took over after the passing of her father. What Mary does not know is that most in town, including her husband George Hatch and their children, are also praying for her. All the prayers are heard by Joseph, God's gatekeeper of prayers. As there are no other angels available on such a busy day, Joseph assigns Clara Oddbody, angel second class (i.e. she has yet to receive her wings), to Mary's case, which he reluctantly does as Clara has never been assigned a case on her own in the two hundred years she's been in heaven for good reason.

Meri svajoja kuo greičiau pasprukti iš provincijos miestelio ir pakeliauti po pasaulį, tačiau po tėvo mirties ji priversta tapti vietinio banko vadove.

Finansinei krizei prasidėjus, jauna moteris praranda pasitikėjimą savimi, ji vis dažniau ima galvoti apie savižudybę. Į pagalbą atskuba Meri angelas sargas – rūpestingoji Klara. Kalėdų išvakarėse ji primena, kiek daug gerų darbų Meri nuveikė savo gyvenime, atskleidžia, koks liūdnas būtų šis pasaulis be jos.