It all started in the town of Jingleville, where every year, the mayor held a grand Christmas feast featuring the legendary Giant Turkey - a bird so massive it could feed the entire town and still have leftovers for sandwiches. But this year, disaster struck: the turkey went missing.
Eleven-year-old Max and his mischievous younger sister, Lucy, were determined to save Christmas. Not because they loved the feast, but because the mayor had promised unlimited hot chocolate for anyone who found the bird. And they loved hot chocolate.
"It has to be a heist!" Max declared. "Someone snatched it!"
"Or maybe it just ran away," Lucy said, stuffing a candy cane in her mouth. "I mean, if you were a turkey, would you want to get roasted?"
Max ignored her and pulled out a magnifying glass he got from a cereal box. "Detectives don't give up. Let's find clues."
The first clue was a trail of feathers leading from the town square to Old Man Grizzle's house. Everyone in Jingleville knew Old Man Grizzle hated Christmas. He once turned off his porch light to stop carolers from singing.
Max and Lucy peeked through the frosted window and gasped. There was the Giant Turkey?wearing a Santa hat and eating popcorn on Grizzle's couch.
"See? I told you it ran away!" Lucy whispered.
"No way!" Max said. "Grizzle must have kidnapped it!"
But as they watched, the turkey changed the TV channel to a baking show. Lucy giggled. "I think the turkey's hiding. It knows what's coming."
Suddenly, Grizzle walked into the room with a bowl of mashed potatoes. "Who knew turkeys liked gravy?" he muttered.
"WE HAVE TO RESCUE IT!" Max shouted, forgetting to whisper.
Grizzle's head whipped toward the window. "Who's out there? Shoo!"
The kids ducked, but Lucy had a plan. "We need a diversion. Let's use your snowball cannon!"
Max's eyes lit up. "Brilliant!"
They built a snowball cannon from an old bike pump and a funnel. At precisely midnight, they launched a barrage of snowballs at Grizzle's roof.
"WHO'S PELTING MY HOUSE?!" Grizzle roared, storming outside.
That's when Lucy snuck in, armed with a handful of sprinkles to distract the turkey (it loved shiny things). The turkey gobbled happily and followed her out the back door.
As they sprinted away with the turkey, Max turned to Lucy. "We did it! We're heroes!"
But then, the turkey stopped in its tracks, staring at something in the distance.
It was... a billboard for Turkey Tacos.
"Uh-oh," Lucy said. "I think it just realized we're bringing it back to the feast."
The turkey bolted. Max and Lucy chased it all over town - through the candy cane factory, the ice skating rink, and even Santa's workshop display. Finally, they cornered it in the school gym.
"Listen, Turkey," Max panted. "We'll make a deal. You come back, and we'll... uh... make sure you're not on the menu!"
The next day, the town gathered for the feast, but instead of roast turkey, the mayor announced, "This year, we're having a Christmas Pizza Party! Everyone, meet our new town mascot: Tom the Turkey!"
The crowd cheered as Tom strutted onto the stage, now wearing a bowtie. Max and Lucy beamed with pride - and sipped their unlimited hot chocolate.
"Best Christmas ever," Lucy said, sprinkling marshmallows on her drink.
Max grinned. "And next year, we're solving the case of the missing gingerbread house!"