Air date: December 18, 2017 (UK/US)
Daisy the Diesel Railcar doesn't particularly care for winter, as the cold mornings don't agree with her. Daisy would gladly spend all of winter in her shed, if not for one thing; Christmas. Daisy explaiins to Diesel, Den, and Dart that she loves doing the same things for Christmas every year; picking up the children dressed in their winter clothes and taking them to the small railway, where Rex delivers the presents. Then, taking the carolers all around the island to sing songs to people who have to work on Christmas. Den, Dart, and even Diesel are all impressed, though Diesel tries to hide his true feelings.
Later that day, Daisy hopes it will snow, as it doesn't feel like Christmas without snow. Nonetheless, she is still excited to see the Christmas tree at Vicarstown Station. To Daisy's surprise, the workmen are still putting the tree up, even though they've usually done it before then in past Christmases. Daisy laments on how disappointed the children will be, but the children are still excited nonetheless. She leaves the station, wanting everything to be perfect.
As Daisy takes the children to the Small Railway, the children sing "Jingle Bells", with new lyrics, "Oh what fun it is to swerve in a well-sprung diesel sleigh". Daisy is upset with the new lyrics, and wishes the children would sing the song the traditional way. She arrives at the Small Railway, surprised to see Rex without any presents, and asks him where they are. Rex tells her that he, Mike, and Bert are doing something different this year, but Daisy tells him she doesn't want to do anything different. A workman turns on a fan, which blows snow from Rex's wagons into the air. Daisy is glad that snow is finally falling, and catches a snowflake on her tongue. She finds it tastes terrible, and spits it out. Bert asks her what she thinks of the snow, and Daisy tells him that it is fake snow and that she doesn't like it at all. She likes real snow better, and she leaves.
As Daisy travels across the rails, the children sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas", with new lyrics, including "A blue #1 engine", which Daisy doesn't like. Thomas passes by her and wishes her a Merry Christmas. An annoyed Daisy greets him back as the children continue singing. She then hopes Vicarstown Station is decorated so it will look festive and special, like it should. At Vicarstown Station, the workmen finish putting up the decorations, and one switches on the lights. Daisy arrives and is impressed, but then the lights suddenly go out. As one of the workmen struggles to turn them back on, Daisy complains about how things aren't the same anymore.
That evening, Daisy collects the carollers and takes them to the Sodor Search and Rescue Center. Everyone is in a festive mood, except of course, for Daisy. Mavis then passes by, pulling a train of Troublesome Trucks, singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Everyone finds this funny, except for Daisy, who complains that nothing has gone right all day. Just then, Harold flies over her, carring the star to put on top of the Christmas tree. Daisy complains that it's Rocky's job to put the star on the tree, not Harold's. Harold wishes everyone a merry Christmas, but Daisy is more furious than ever.
That night, Daisy returns to her shed, and Ryan asks her how her day was. Daisy tells him, "Worst! Day! Ever!". Ryan asks her where her Christmas spirit is, as she usually loves Christmas. Judy and Jerome the breakdown cranes agree with him. Daisy tells Ryan, Judy, and Jerome about everything that happened that day. To her surprise, Judy tells her that the children had a wonderful time, but Daisy tells her that she just wanted everything to be the way it usually was. Jerome then tells her that he found the singing Troublesome Trucks funny, and Ryan tells her that today might not have been better or worse than usual, but different. He then tells Daisy that a few years ago, they didn't share a shed, and now they do. Judy and Jerome then tell Daisy that they weren't always based at the Arlesburgh/Harwick junction, and asks her if she likes having them around at Christmas. Daisy admits that she does, as Ryan, Judy, and Jerome are all her friends. Ryan tells her that today wasn't perfect in the usual way, it was a new kind of perfect. Daisy tells her friends that they're right, as even though it didn't snow, it was perfect. Judy then reveals that it may not be snow, but she, Jerome, and Ryan put together a little surprise for Daisy, and she switches on some Christmas lights hanging from the shed. Daisy thanks her friends, saying a perfect Christmas is one she can spend with her friends. It starts to snow as the episode ends.
This episode provides examples of:
- An Aesop: Even though things may change every year, not all changes are bad.
- Luminescent Blush: Diesel blushes in embarrassment when trying to deny his fondness of Christmas.
- Not So Above It All: Diesel appears to dislike Christmas at first, but after Daisy explains the things she likes to do for Christmas, he says, "Wonderful" in a loving voice, before trying to deny it to Den and Dart.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: When Ryan asks Daisy how her day was, Daisy tells him, "Worst! Day! Ever!"
- They Changed It, Now It Sucks!: An in-universe example; Daisy dislikes all the changes made to her usual Christmastime routine, as well as the new lyrics the children add to traditional Christmas songs.
- The Twelve Spoofs of Christmas: At one point, the children riding Daisy sing their own version of The Twelve Days of Christmas with new lyrics, much to her ire. The only one we get to hear clearly is "A blue #1 engine'', as during the second and third verses, their voices are drowned out by Thomas and Daisy talking to each other.
