Disclaimer: Merry Christmas (or whichever winter holiday you celebrate)!

XMAS

It was a warm day in the Indian Ocean; weather that a lot of the Octonauts don't normally experience during Christmas season.

"It's so strange being able to wear a sundress in December," said Deborah, watching out the window.

"You are so Canadian," said Tweak. Being a Floridian, she was used to warm Christmases.

Outside, little creatures were swimming around, excited for the upcoming holiday. One critter in particular, a little crab, was scuttling about. She looked very busy; so much that she didn't know there was a whale shark passing through!

Yep, this is going exactly where you think it is; the little crab was swept into the whale shark's mouth!

The other little creatures began to panic. That little crab was the one organizing their Christmas celebration! They swam to the Octopod window to alert them of the situation.

"Hey!" A little fish knocked on the glass. "We need help!"

"What is it?" Deborah asked.

"Ruby got eaten by a whale shark!" The little creatures explained.

"What?!" Deborah was shocked.

"Someone's gotta save her!" The little fish cried.

"No need to panic," said Captain Barnacles, coming to the window. "I've been through this before. Deborah, sound the Octo-Alert."

Deborah crossed the room and pressed the Octo-Alert button.

"Octonauts, to the HQ!"

The Octo-Alert blared throughout the Octopod, and the crew rushed to the HQ.

"Octonauts, we've got to rescue a crab from a whale shark."

"Ruby loves Christmas more than anything," said the little fish. "It wouldn't be the same without her."

"Right. We're going out there. Kwazii, Sarabi, into the GUP."

XMAS

Outside, Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, and Sarabi were making a plan to rescue Ruby.

"This time, I'm going to hold the rope, while you two go inside to rescue her." Captain Barnacles directed. "Hopefully, she hasn't gone past the sponge wall."

"Yar, she better not have," said Kwazii. "I've been down that path, and it was not pleasant."

With their plan complete, Kwazii and Sarabi set out to catch up to the whale shark. They hitched a ride on his fins, and when he opened his mouth, they swam inside to find Ruby.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Ruby was scuttling about, desperate to escape. Kwazii and Sarabi struggled to catch up with her, and by the time Sarabi had her in her paws, the whale shark had closed his mouth.

"Damn it," said Sarabi, "I did not want to be stuck inside a giant fish on Christmas."

"You get used to it," said Kwazii.

"Thank you for coming to rescue me," said Ruby. "I was planning our Christmas celebration. Everyone loves my parties."

"I bet they would have been better than any of my Christmases," said Sarabi. "Every year, I'd be at a new house, having my mom tell me that 'he'd stick around this time'." She rolled her eyes. "Y'know, people like her are the exact reason I don't ever want to have kids."

Trying to alleviate the awkward mood, Kwazii walked over to the mouth. "Hope this big fella isn't done feedin' yet, 'else we'll be stuck in here. And our communicators can't reach the Octopod from the inside."

Sarabi grumbled and put Ruby down. "You know how to get this guy to open his mouth?"

"Not on me own," said Kwazii, "and we can't reach Peso to get him to come out and tickle 'is gills. We have no choice but to wait here."

Ruby looked worried. "I hope I don't miss the celebration."

Sarabi sighed. "We'll get you out in time." She turned towards the teeth and tried knocking on them.

"Didn't I just get done tellin' you that trying to open the jaws by yerself ain't gonna work?" Kwazii cocked his head at her.

"Hey, at least I'm trying to speed up the process." Sarabi pressed hard on the tooth, and was swept off her feet by the incoming wave of water. Kwazii picked up Ruby and was easily able to swim out of the whale shark's mouth. Sarabi, being a much weaker swimmer, struggled to escape. She was getting very close to going through the sponge wall!

Kwazii made it back to the GUP-A, and traded off with Captain Barnacles, who went back for Sarabi. He went inside and pulled her out just before the whale shark closed his mouth.

"I'm free!" Ruby crowed. "Thank you!" Kwazii set her down with the other creatures, who rushed off to have their Christmas celebration.

"I bet that was the best gift we could have given her," said Sarabi. She, along with Captain Barnacles and Kwazii, swam back to the GUP and returned to the Octopod.

XMAS

Information about the Christmas Island red crab taken from Wikipedia