The sad discovery of the remains of a mall Santa has Bones and Booth also discovering the man was perhaps as close to the real thing as this world offers, with his apartment like a shrine to Christmas. This leads them further into a subculture of mall Santas, all of whom take their trade very seriously, all while seeking one who may have done in a fellow Saint Nick. Upon entering the apartment of the deceased, they find a virtual shrine to Christmas in all its aspects, showing how seriously the victim took his role.