Air date: March 25th, 2011 (UK), May 28th, 2011 (US)
It is Christmas on Sodor and Knapford station is brightly decorated. Percy tells Thomas that Dowager Hatt is talking to the Diesels. Thomas is intrigued and chuffs closer to listen to what's going on. Thomas discovers that Dowager Hatt is going to the Dieselworks to see the Christmas tree. She wants to see the tallest and grandest tree. Thomas interrupts, stating that the Steamworks should have a big tree too. The idea of a competition excites Dowager Hatt, who agrees.
Later on, Thomas and Percy are at the Sodor Steamworks where Thomas tells Victor about the competition. All of a sudden, the engines hear loud horns coming from outside - it is Diesel, Den, and Dart. The Diesels tell Thomas that they will win the competition, but Thomas knows where he can find good festive trees and he sets off with the Diesels trailing behind.
Soon the group arrives at Maithwaite Station. On the platform are two Christmas trees. The Diesels are impressed by the trees, but Thomas is not. He knows where he can find even better trees! So he heads off to Maron station with the Diesels close behind. On the platform are two more trees. Once again the Diesels are impressed, but Thomas dismisses them as they are not "grand" enough. Thomas knows that the best place for grand trees is Misty Island, so he hastily sets off with Diesel, Den, and Dart in close pursuit. At the Logging Station, the Logging Locos are surprised to see their new visitors. Thomas asks them to find a grand Christmas tree for the Steamworks and Diesel asks them to find one for the Dieselworks.
Soon the trees have been found and both Thomas and the Diesels agree that they are very grand indeed. Thomas is determined to be the first to arrive back on Sodor to win the competition. He is soon coupled up and racing away with the Diesels very close behind. As Thomas speeds out of the Misty Island Tunnel, he sees a frightening sight - Gordon puffing straight towards them with the express. Thomas judders, making the tree roll off of the flatbed and onto the rails. Diesel pulls up sharply so that he doesn't roll over Thomas' tree, but the sudden jerk makes his tree roll onto the rails too. Then, with Gordon thundering towards them, Thomas reverses - crushing the tree. Diesel reverses too and does the same to his tree.
Without any trees, Thomas, Diesel, Den, and Dart roll sadly to the Dieselworks where Dowager Hatt is waiting with Mavis and Salty. Dowager Hatt asks where their trees are and Thomas confesses that he's responsible for them being destroyed. Thomas can see that the Diesels are upset and he wants to make amends. Soon Thomas puffs back to Misty Island on his own. He arrives at the Jobi Woods, where the Logging Locos give him another tree. Thomas hurries back to the Dieselworks where the tree is put on display. Den, Dart, and Diesel are very pleased with their tree. One-by-one, Thomas' friends arrive with decorations and soon the tree is brightly decorated which pleases Dowager Hatt. Thomas and his friends then go on to wish the Diesels "a happy Winter holidays". This makes even devious Diesel smile.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Alliterative Title
- Late-Arrival Spoiler: For those who didn't see Day of the Diesels yet, The Dieselworks, and Den and Dart, were featured.
- Oh, Crap!: When Thomas notices Gordon charging toward him right after coming back to Sodor.
- Rhymes on a Dime: About a few parts of the episode.
- First:
Den: We'll find the grandest...
Dart: And tallest tree!
Diesel: We'll win, and you'll lose!
Den: We know that!
Dart: You see?- Second:
Narrator: Thomas chuffed on with the diesels behind.
He puffed and he huffed with one thing in mind.
Thomas: I'll find the grandest and tallest tree!
I'll win and they'll lose, that's how it'll be!- Third:
Narrator: Thomas was first; he pounded and pumped.
Diesel came next as they battered and bumped.
Then, a whistle weeshed loudly that made Thomas jump!
And he heard their trees fall with a terrible thump!...To the tracks! - Rule of Three: Thomas doesn't find the perfect tree at Maithwaite and Maron, but he does on Misty Island.
- Theme Naming: All the places Thomas and the diesels went to find a tree start with M.
