When Gerda and her mother take in the penniless street urchin, Kay, powerful forces emerge that will take both children on a magical journey and test their friendship to the extreme. One cold winter night, a splinter of ice pierces Kay's heart and makes him angry and unhappy. He soon becomes enchanted by the Snow Queen and is taken to her palace in the frozen North. Gerda decides that she must do whatever she can to rescue her friend.

While working his nine-to-five maintenance job at an upscale apartment, Barry crosses paths with an older gentleman staying in the penthouse, Mister Jay. The mysterious Mister Jay introduces Barry to the International Birthday Network, an agency with one mission: to make sure children are happy on their birthdays. Barry and his daughter are tasked with delivering birthday surprises to kids all across the globe suffering from miserable birthdays.