Richard is a driven entrepreneur and father who recently moved his family to Utah to establish his own business. Preoccupied with achieving financial security, he often works late hours, missing out on quality time with his family. He maintains a strong Christian faith and reflects often on the religious meaning of the holiday season. As the narrator, he details the events that unfold after his family moves into a large Victorian mansion.

Keri is Richard's resourceful and pragmatic wife. Acting as a homemaker, she expertly manages the family's tight finances, figuring out ways to stretch their limited budget. She initiates the family's arrangement to live with an elderly widow to escape a drafty apartment. Keri prioritizes connection and emotional presence, quickly building a deep, daily bond with their new landlord.

MaryAnne Parkin, who asks her friends to call her Mary, is an elderly woman living alone in a massive, ornate home in the Salt Lake Valley. She advertises for a couple to provide light housework and meals, though her true motivation is a deep longing for company. She quickly integrates Richard, Keri, and Jenna into her daily routines, sharing her late husband's antique Bible collection and acting as a surrogate grandmother to the young family.

Jenna is Richard and Keri's three-and-a-half-year-old daughter. She is a relaxed, easygoing child who easily adapts to her family's relocation to a large, historic home. She longs for more time and attention from her father, frequently expressing disappointment when his business takes priority over reading her stories or helping her cut paper shapes.

Barry is Keri's brother. He assists the family during their transition into MaryAnne Parkin's Victorian home on a Saturday, helping to carry their furniture and possessions into the expansive attic space where they discover an antique wooden box.

Steve is MaryAnne Parkin's neighbor who lives across the street from her Victorian home. He holds a long-standing familiarity with Mary and her history in the neighborhood, serving as a source of information when Richard begins asking questions about the correspondence found in the Christmas Box.

Andrea is MaryAnne Parkin's daughter. She is the intended recipient of old love letters written by her mother, which Richard discovers inside an intricately carved Christmas Box in the attic. Her correspondence forms a central emotional mystery within the household.