Kevin McBride's injury-time strike gave Motherwell their third win in four games to lift them back into the top six, but Livingston ended 2005 in deep despair at the foot of the table after conceding a crucial late goal for the second time in five days.
Both teams had clearly stayed away from the Christmas pudding as they attacked from the start. Phil O'Donnell almost grabbed an early opener for Motherwell following a trade mark run from mid-field, but keeper Roddy McKenzie blocked his low finish with his legs.
McKenzie made a better save after 10 minutes where he somehow tipped a free header from Richie Foran over the bar.
Foran and Livingston's top scorer Paul Dalglish both missed half chances before teenager Robert Snodgrass produced the kind of magic that home fans are coming to expect from him as he fired a dipping left-foot shot against the crossbar.
Seconds later Motherwell went in front when a mistake from Richard Brittain allowed Foran to run in on goal and hold off Allan Walker before beating McKenzie with a confident right-foot shot.
Brittain quickly redeemed himself when his precise cross was headed home at the back post by Belgian defender Harald Pinxten.
There was still time for Dalglish to waste a terrific chance and Motherwell's Brian Kerr to hammer a long-range rocket inches wide of McKenzie's right-hand post.
The second half was an anti-climax. Although Motherwell dominated, a draw looked certain until McBride's last-gasp winner.