Hannah bounced on the balls of her feet, a big smile stretching across her face. 'Only nine more sleeps until Christmas, Mum!' she chirped. Our home sweet home was already beginning to smell like pine needles and yummy gingerbread. Hannah loved this time of year, not just for presents, but because it meant extra special time with her family.

Today, the best thing to do was decorate the Christmas tree together. Dad was humming a carol, and Mum had the box of shiny baubles ready. But then, Mum’s brow furrowed. 'Oh, dear!' she exclaimed. 'Where’s our special sparkling star? The one that always goes right on top?'

Hannah, who was very good at solving problems, immediately jumped to action. 'I’ll find it, Mum!' she declared. She peered under the comfy armchair where fluffy socks often hid. She peeked behind the big red curtains. She even checked her own toy box, just in case a mischievous elf had played a trick. But no sparkling star appeared.

Hannah paused, tapping her chin. ‘Hmm,’ she thought, ‘where does Mum put things that are EXTRA special, so they don’t get lost?’ Then, a little light bulb seemed to switch on in her head! She remembered Mum’s special 'Christmas Keepsake' box, usually hidden away in the hallway cupboard. With a happy gasp, Hannah darted to the cupboard, and there it was, nestled safely amongst old Christmas cards: the beautiful, sparkling star!

With the sparkling star finally perched on top of the Christmas tree, our home truly felt magical. Hannah glowed with pride. She snuggled close to Mum and Dad, sipping warm milo, knowing that finding the star meant their special family decorating time could continue. It really was the best thing to spend time with her family, especially when she could help make it perfect.