Christmas Eve morning came at last. Snow lay thick on the ground, and the world outside felt hushed, as if waiting. Inside the houses of 7B, the day began with the same sentence written on everyone’s calendar sheet: “Mission #24 – The best gift is giving of yourself.”
For the first time, there was no task to do — only one to understand.
At Emma’s breakfast table, her family lit the Advent candles and took a few minutes to talk about what they’d learned through the project. “I think helping others made the month go faster,” Emma said. Her father nodded. “Strange how giving slows the stress down, doesn’t it?”
Jonas wrote one last note and placed it under the tree: “I’m thankful for everyone who stayed patient with me this year.” Ida spent a quiet moment by the window, whispering a small prayer for her family and for peace in the world. In every home, the reflections looked different, but the feeling was the same — calm, gratitude, light.
When evening came and bells rang across the valley, each of them understood what Ms. Larsen had meant from the start: that Christmas isn’t found in wrapping paper or lights, but in the time, kindness, and care we share with others.
And as they sat down with their families — the smell of pine and roast filling the air — it didn’t matter who remembered all the missions or who had finished every one. What mattered was that something in them had changed. They had learned the oldest truth of Christmas:
The greatest gift you can give is yourself.
