Christmas was approaching on the Island of Sodor and the Miniature Engines were exited. The Small Controller was planning a special party at Alresburgh West.

One day, Bert was watching Rex take the first passenger train of the day. The passengers were all wearing thick clothes, and some were carrying presents wrapped in red and green.

"Look!" called a boy, "a green engine with red coaches!"

"I know," said his father, "So festive and cheery."

Bert was surprised.

Later that day, as Bert collected his passengers, he tried to look cheerful too. "PEEP, PEEP! Happy Christmas!"

"Happy Christmas," everyone called back, but they didn't say anything about Bert's colours.

As Bert traveled along the line, he saw people decorating houses and stations. Everywhere he looked, he kept seeing two colours, red and green.

That night at the shed, Rex and Mike saw that Bert looked unhappy.

"What's wrong with you, Bert," asked Rex.

"Everywhere I've seen Christmas decoration today, they've all been red and green. Your passengers even said you looked Christmassy with your green paint and red coaches. I wish I was green or red; colours more suitable for the holiday."

"Don't be silly, Bert," said Mike. "There are many colours to be seen at this time of the year; silver, gold, purple, yellow; all the colours of the rainbow, really."

"Yes," Bert continued, "but red and green are still seen more than most."

"Your passengers still said 'Happy Christmas' when you greeted them," added Rex. "Besides, blue is a suitable colour for any Useful Engine and you, Bert, are a Really Useful Engine."

Bert couldn't help smiling, but he still felt bothered.

The next morning, the Small Controller sent Bert to collect the Christmas Tree for the Sheds while they were being decorated. As Bert left, the Small Controller noticed he looked sad. He turned to Rex and Mike. "Do either of you know what's wrong with Bert?" he asked, and the two engines explained everything.

The Small Controller thought. "I think I know what we can do."

"What is it, Sir?" asked Rex.

"Wait and see," the Small Controller replied. "All I can say is, I think I have an idea to make Bert feel better."

Later that day, Bert had come back to Arlesburgh with the Christmas Tree. By now, the Sheds had been decorated. There were lights, green garland, green wreaths, and red bows. Bert sighed.

Then, the Thin Controller arrived. "Bert, I have a very special job for you. At the end of the week, I want you to pull the special Holiday Train and bring all the passengers here for the Christmas Party."

Bert was surprised; all the engines had wanted to pull the Holiday Train. "Yes, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" he whistled excitedly, quickly forgetting his worries.

As the week passed, the Stations were decorated and the Christmas tree was put up, but the engines were confused; the tree wasn't decorated, and the lights hadn't been lit. "Why isn't the tree decorated," the engines kept asking.

And the Small Controller always gave the same answer. "It will be. Be patient."

At last, it was the day of the Christmas Party. As evening came, Bert was cleaned and polished and colourful decorations and lights were hung on his boiler, cab, and tender. When his Driver turned the lights on, everyone smiled, even Bert. There were red lights, green lights, yellow lights, every colour of the rainbow, even blue. Bert's coaches had also been decorated.

"Don't you look festive," said his Driver. Bert could only agree.

Bert steamed happily along collecting his passengers, stopping at each station along the line. Many of them were carrying presents wrapped in all sorts of colours.

As Bert arrived back at Alesburgh Junction, he was confused. There was the Small Controller on the platform, but only the station lights were on.

Then, as the passengers got off the train, a figure stepped out of the darkness. It was Father Christmas. Everyone cheered. "Thank you, thank you," he said. "It gives me great pleasure to see you all here tonight and to welcome you all to the first ever Miniature Railway Christmas Party!" And with a wave of his hand, like magic, the Stations and sheds were flooded with bright lights.

The Shed and the Stations looked beautiful with all of their decorations, but Bert could not believe his eyes. All the lights on the Shed were blue and the most beautiful sight of all was the Christmas Tree. Not only were the lights blue, but so were the twinkling baubles, the garland, and even the star glowing on top.

"You see?" smiled Rex. "Blue can be a Christmas colour after all."

Everyone laughed and cheered. "HAPPY CHRISTMAS, BERT!"

Bert's smile was the biggest of them all. "Thank you, everyone. This is the best Christmas surprise I've ever had." And Bert was so happy, his firebox glowed as bright as the Christmas Star, itself.