It has become winter in Kullerbü and Christmas is just around the corner. For days a wonderful smell of cookies has filled the air and Paul's mom has festively decorated the whole house – with fir branches, candles and homemade stars in the windows. One morning when Paul looks out of his room his mouth falls open in amazement: outside everything is covered with a fine white layer – the trees in the garden, the roofs of the houses and even the streets. "Hooray, hooray, it's snowing," cheers Paul, "Finally I can go sledding with Pauline, Kalle and Kati!" Right after breakfast Paul calls his cousin Kalle and his cousin Kati to arrange a meeting. By midday all of Kullerbü is wrapped in a thick white blanket of snow and it doesn't stop snowing. "Look what a great snow angel I can make," Kati calls to the two boys. But Kalle and Paul don't really listen because they are busy with a wild snowball fight and romping all over the garden. Paul has just dodged another flying snowball when suddenly he hears a sad sob nearby. Curious, Paul approaches the neighboring property and there he discovers his neighbor Pauline. "Hello Pauline," calls Paul. "Your snowman looks great!" She looks at him briefly with wide eyes and then finishes her work by sticking the carrot nose into the snowman's face. "What's the matter? You don't like it?", asks Paul.
"Yes, yes," sniffs Pauline. "I'm sad for another reason: our Christmas tree is missing! It was huuuuuge and beautiful." "What? Missing? That can't be!", exclaims Paul in shock. Meanwhile Kalle and Kati have also run to the garden fence. "Yes, unfortunately," replies Pauline with a tremble in her voice. "My dad only bought it fresh yesterday – and when I looked out into the garden this morning, it was gone!" "Well I'll be," says Kalle. "Who would steal a Christmas tree?"
"That is really outrageous," scolds Kati now. "What a mean thief. We have to do something! Is there already a hot lead? Footprints in the snow, for example?" "No, unfortunately not," sobs Pauline. "Come Pauline, won't you come over to our place to play?" asks Kati. "We'll make snow angels and have a snowball fight." Pauline hesitates a little, but then she joins in with great enthusiasm. The friends romp together in the garden and time flies. Soon it begins to get dark and Paul's parents call the four back into the house. There they have hot fruit tea and delicious cookies. Shortly afterward Pauline's parents arrive as well. "Everybody come outside," says Pauline's dad at last. "We have a surprise!" Finally everyone heads outside. Together they walk along the snowy street down to the market square. There stands a beautiful, huge Christmas tree with large red baubles and many shining lights. Pauline is especially surprised: "Th-this... that's our Christmas tree!" Excitedly she tugs at her dad's sleeve and then whispers in his ear: "But... why did the Christmas-tree thief bring our tree here and even decorate it?" Pauline's dad has to smile: "Our tree hasn't been stolen. I brought it here myself this morning – very early, before it started to snow. Unfortunately this year the Christmas tree delivery for our town didn't arrive in time. So we thought: our tree is so big and beautiful that we can put it up on the market square – that way everyone can enjoy it."
"But... but... then we still won't have a tree for Christmas," says Pauline disappointedly and a big tear rolls down her cheek. "Of course we will," says Pauline's dad, stroking his daughter consolingly on the head: "This year we'll all celebrate together at Paul's house with his parents. With a Christmas tree, presents and everything that goes with it."
