It was almost Christmas, and the time had finally come. In the loveliest season of the year, Luca and his family would have to move. It had been decided long ago.
Luca and his sister Sophie had already packed every suitcase and box, and the next day they would be waiting for the moving truck to carry all their belongings far, far away.
Luca’s mother had taken on an important job on the coast of Spain. She was a marine biologist, and she would be running a research lab for rare sea creatures there.
Luca and his sister were excited about the new adventure, and about having a new home right on the Atlantic. The year before, they had visited Spain and stayed up late building sandcastles and flying kites in the wind.
But there was one thing that made them sad. Christmastime was the siblings’ favorite time of year.
Every year, they baked stollen and spread it with butter and jam, and there were baked apples with vanilla sauce and raisins. Grandma would come over to bake cookies, and at school there was always something to cut, glue, and build.
In the last few days, the two of them had watched their neighbors start decorating houses and the street for Christmas. Cozy lights glowed in kitchen windows late into the evening.
“I’m going to miss the smell of Christmas so much,” Sophie said to her little brother. “I can’t even imagine Christmas without snow and cold,” Luca agreed.
On their last day in their old home, they held a farewell party in the garden and invited all their friends and neighbors. For the very last time, there were spiced cookies, warm children’s punch, and a snowman standing in the yard.
After everyone had said their goodbyes that evening, the journey to their new home began the very next day. No sooner had the children and their families arrived than the days flew by, and Christmas was suddenly just around the corner.
But there wasn’t a trace of Christmas spirit anywhere. “It’s much too warm for Christmas,” Sophie said.
The family was so busy unpacking suitcases and boxes, finding a proper place for every little thing in the new house, that there was no time left to plan for Christmas at all.
One evening, Luca wrote a letter to his best friends. “It’s lovely here. I have a big room right under the roof, and at night I can even hear the sea and see the stars from my window. But I miss you all so much, and this is going to be the saddest Christmas I’ve ever had.”
Luca’s letter reached his friends back home a week later. They were overjoyed to hear how he was doing.
“We have to think of something,” Milo said to his friends. “That doesn’t sound like a white Christmas at all, and it seems like there isn’t even any stollen or cookies in Spain,” Mia replied.
The friends put their heads together. Together, they decided to put together a lovely little package and send it to Spain by mail.
Just as they had packed cookies, nuts, and a little chocolate, and tied a pretty ribbon around the package, Mia’s mom came into the room. “We want to send this package to Luca and Sophie in Spain, so they can celebrate Christmas just like we do here.”
Mia’s mom smiled at the three friends sympathetically. “That’s a wonderful idea, but the mail will probably take much too long. I’m afraid the package won’t reach your friends in time for Christmas.”
She pointed to the calendar hanging above Mia’s desk. The children hadn’t expected that at all, and they were terribly disappointed. “What do we do now?” they all asked at once, like a little chorus.
Then Milo had an idea. “I don’t know if it’ll work, but my grandpa has carrier pigeons, and one of them is my favorite. I could ask her to carry the letter to Luca and Sophie.”
The other children looked at Milo, unconvinced. “A pigeon, faster than the mail?” Milo nodded and added thoughtfully, “But the package will be too heavy for her. We’ll have to decide what would make Luca and Sophie happiest.”
Together, they thought carefully about what to send, and settled on a small bag of homemade vanilla crescent cookies, a Christmas card, a few paper snowflakes they’d cut out themselves, and some chocolate rings that could double as ornaments for the tree.
“That should work!” Milo said firmly, after lifting the envelope to check its weight. “I’ll head over to Grandpa’s right now.”
That very afternoon, Milo arrived at his grandpa’s house. He told him about the envelope for his friends, and how the mail probably wouldn’t deliver it in time.
Milo’s grandfather nodded with understanding and agreed to send his best pigeon, Betty, on the journey. “But first, we’ll ask Betty if she feels up to the trip. She’s one of my most reliable carrier pigeons, and if she’s feeling well, I’m sure she’ll take on the challenge!”
Milo was excited. He had known Betty since he was little, and she often perched on the back of his hand or his shoulder. Of course he hoped Betty would agree to his plan, but he never wanted to put her in any danger.
Full of hope, they walked up to the pigeon loft and knocked politely. “Betty,” Milo heard his grandfather say gently, “we need you again for a very special mission. Let’s have a look at you.”
Betty let herself be examined patiently. “Feathers, claws, and eyes all look healthy and strong.” While he checked her over carefully, Milo’s grandpa told her all about the letter that needed to travel to Milo’s friends in Spain.
“In my opinion, you’re fit for the journey — what do you think, Betty?” The dainty pigeon looked cheerfully at the two of them, then hopped onto Milo’s shoulder. “I’d call that a clear yes.”
Smiling, Milo’s grandpa gave Betty’s delicate wings a gentle pat. “Now we’ll explain exactly where you’re headed and who you need to deliver the letter to. I’ll bring you a hearty meal, and it’s best if you set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
Betty nodded trustingly, listened closely, and ate every treat brought to her with a hearty appetite.
“And now Betty needs her rest, and a good long sleep.” Milo’s grandfather said goodbye to his grandson, reminding him that Betty needed to gather her strength before setting off.
“Sleep a little longer, dear Betty. I’ll come and get you at midnight.” The little pigeon nodded, closed her eyes, and cooed softly to herself before drifting off to sleep.
When the moon stood high in the sky, Milo’s grandfather returned to the pigeon loft. Betty was already awake, as if she’d set herself an alarm clock, and she flew across the loft to land on her owner’s broad shoulder.
“I’ll take you to the harbor now, my dear. My friend the fisherman is waiting for us there. When you arrive by boat in two days, you’ll only have a short little way left to fly.”
The two of them set off for the harbor. There, Milo’s grandfather handed the little pigeon over to his old friend.
Smiling, the two old friends said their goodbyes. Milo’s grandfather sat down on the harbor wall with a sandwich and watched as the fishing boat sailed out to sea in the early morning hours.
When Milo ran to the pigeon loft early the next morning to say goodbye to Betty, her spot was already empty. “She left before sunrise,” Milo’s grandfather said, pointing up at the sky, toward the south.
“Take care of yourself,” Milo whispered in the same direction, hoping with all his heart that Betty would make it safely through her long journey.
Christmas morning drew closer. All the children were excited, looking forward to opening presents that evening and to the days off with their families.
Luca and his sister felt the excitement too. But the smell of Christmas was still missing.
That afternoon, the two of them were sitting by the kitchen window making place cards when they suddenly heard a loud tapping on the windowpane. “Now, what could that be?”
Curious, they both leaned their heads out the window. Outside, the air was mild, almost spring-like. “Look, a pigeon with a letter in her beak!” Luca called out excitedly.
They threw the window wide open and let Betty in. Luca’s mom came into the kitchen too, and watched their unusual Christmas guest. “Well, if that isn’t a very special Christmas surprise,” she said, smiling.
She fetched a bowl of water and a big plate of millet seeds. “You must need to rest and recover from your journey.”
While Betty enjoyed her well-earned meal, the two siblings eagerly opened the envelope — and suddenly, there it was: the smell of Christmas.
Right away, they opened the little envelope, tried the homemade vanilla crescent cookies, and hung the white paper stars in the window frame.
Luca ran into the living room, hung the colorful chocolate rings on the Christmas tree, and came back to the kitchen beaming with joy. He looked happily first at the little pigeon, then at his sister: “We have the best friends anyone could ever wish for!”
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